Beautiful & playful family portrait session in Saratoga Springs

Spring is coming - and it happens to be one of my favorite times of year for family portraits in Saratoga Springs. The light is beautiful, the grass is green, and flowers are blooming everywhere you look. In upstate New York, our outdoor portraits begin in May so that we have the most gorgeous natural backdrops. You might notice more outdoor sessions on the blog over the next few weeks, because I just love capturing family portraits outside under the sunlight and in the fresh air! 

Today, I’m sharing the beautiful Evans family. I’ve created portraits with them for many years now - since their first daughter’s first birthday, actually. It’s been so amazing to watch them grow and come into their personalities over the years. I can’t believe how big Wesley, Julia, and David are. This session took place in the fall, but it’s definitely one of my favorites in this spot. The light is always so gorgeous and the open fields give the kids plenty of places to run and play throughout our session together. I just want to say a huge thank you to Kat and her family for trusting me with another beautiful portrait session together! 

Like I said, this path is one of my favorite locations in Saratoga Springs, and it’s perfect in the hour or so before sunset! I can’t wait to bring more families here this spring when the trees start to blossom. It’s going to be so beautiful in the springtime. I can’t wait to see everything in bloom! 


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A sugarplum fairy winter wonderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs baby photographer

Happy 1st birthday, Ella Kate! We’ve been documenting all of her milestones during her first year as part of the Collective Membership and yet, I can’t believe she’s already one! To celebrate the end of her first year, we created a beautiful Sugar Plum fairy winter wonderland cake smash inspired by her mother’s ballet memories! 

Ella Kate’s Mom was a ballerina as a child, and she brought her old ballet slippers and pointe shoes to incorporate into the setup. I loved that sweet personal touch to the winter setup - and it was fun to sneak in something that means so much to her mom, too! Winter wonderland is always a popular theme for babies, so I love that we learned more into the Sugar Plum fairy inspiration for Ella Kate’s portraits! The setup really came together with soft whites, peachy pink, and the sweetest ballet dancers lined up across the backdrop.

As always, I incorporated some portraits of milestone portraits of Ella Kate before we even got to the cake. I’ve fallen in love with using my white wooden high chair with my babies in the studio! It’s always been one of my favorite props because it’s so classic, but it’s fun to be using it regularly again. Paired with the wooden cake (a popular prop for the babies, too!), it’s a great touch to any cake smash. After Ella Kate got to play with her cake, we also wrapped up with my favorite bubble bath setup. I’m all about sending you home with a clean baby! Plus, who doesn’t love a little one playing in bubbles?! Parents always love these portraits! 

Happy birthday again, Ella Kate! Thank you for allowing me to capture another beautiful milestone for you!


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Cozy studio newborn portrait session for Winter Lily | Saratoga Springs newborn photographer

I recently had the honor of welcoming Winter Lily to my Saratoga Springs studio to capture her newborn portraits! Winter Lily was accompanied by her big brother, Phoenix, and her parents. Her big brother was SO proud and it was the absolute sweetest thing to watch throughout our session. Our portraits for Winter Lily really focused on the interactions between these two babies and the family together. Winter Lily’s solo portraits featured beautiful pastel colors - and I even got to play with some fun winter overlays and snowflakes! 

While I was photographing Amanda’s family, I knew I was going to fall in love with the final portraits. And, I definitely did! This family’s outfits were perfect in the studio.

When you’re planning what to wear for your own studio newborn portraits, consider light neutrals. Light color shirts reflect light back onto the baby’s face when you hold them up against your chest, it keeps the focus on the family & expressions & love. I’m a huge fan of creating imagery that will be classic, timeless, and simple. Light neutrals help make that possible! 

I’m so happy for this family of four and I’m thrilled that they asked me to document this incredibly special time in their family’s lives! Welcome to the world, Winter Lily! 


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Beautiful newborn portrait session in Saratoga Springs

I’m so happy to be sharing Baby Sahana’s newborn session with you today on the blog! This winter, I captured maternity portraits for Shreya and I was anxiously waiting until their baby girl was born so we could plan her studio newborn session. Shreya and her family are part of our Collective Membership, where you can receive 4 sessions over the course of an 18th month period, so we’ve been able to document some special moments for them already. As a reminder, we’re currently  booking membership clients for 2024! This is perfect for your family if you’re planning to do 2 or more sessions over an 18 month period (not just for baby’s first year clients, either!).

For Baby Sahana’s portraits, Shreya wanted a soft and light color palette. She was excited to incorporate my Moses basket, as it was similar to the one Ariya was in when they did her newborn portraits in South Carolina. I was more than happy to include it - creating imagery that connects your sessions is important to me. 

The other great part about these portraits was that Sahana’s grandmother was present. It was really special to be able to capture all three generations in portraits of the women in the family. You can tell she’s enamored with her granddaughters - and I think the feeling is definitely mutual. I hope that she’ll be able to hold onto and treasure these portraits for years to come. Including other family members, like grandparents, is a wonderful way to create truly meaningful portraits to display in your home! 

I am SO happy I got to meet Baby Sahana now that she’s made her entrance in the world. Her session was really special to me, and I hope that her family loves it as much as I do!


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Lavender and Blush Pink Newborn Portrait Session in Saratoga Springs

Welcome to the world, Edelyn! This sweet baby girl visited my Saratoga Springs studio for her first portraits (ever!) and I had the best time catching up with her moms and big brother, Everett. Back in 2021, I had the honor of photographing Everrett’s newborn portraits so it was even more exciting to capture his baby sister’s!

For Edelyn’s studio newborn portraits, her moms really wanted to use a hint of lavender and blush pink to bring some color into her setups. I think that the palette of soft, neutral tones with these pops of color came together beautifully for this sweet baby girl. During the session, we captured beautiful portraits of just Edelyn, as well as many of her moms and big brother, too. Have I said how special it was to watch this family welcome their newest member?! 

We even created a few portraits for Edelyn inspired by her big brother’s portraits, and their moms are going to hang them side by side in their home! I absolutely LOVE that idea and am always open to matching color palettes and poses whenever possible between your sessions with me. Similar posing is a really fun way to connect your special moments. Congratulations again to this sweet family - I’m so happy I got to see you again in my studio!


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Timeless First Birthday Portraits with a Cake Smash

Baby Kennedy isn’t such a baby anymore! This little girl is now a year old! We celebrated with timeless first birthday portraits in my Saratoga Springs studio. Mom wanted a simple and classic session and to keep the focus on her birthday baby, which I totally get. With that in mind, we wanted to create really timeless portraits. I think we did it - and I hope you’ll think so too. Kennedy’s session really reminded me that sometimes less is more when it comes to a cake smash setup! 

We chose to do a simple backdrop of super white seamless paper, and let this baby girl be the star of the show! I’m a huge fan of simplicity, and I loved how timeless these portraits turned out. For some of the session, she got to sit in my favorite white highchair for her cake smash - with my infamous wooden birthday cake. Afterwards, we got her down and in her sparkly blue dress, she dove into the simple white cake we had for her. Kennedy was absolutely adorable and I LOVED watching her figure out how to get into the cake.  

It was also important to capture new portraits of her and her parents in the studio. Honestly, family portraits in the studio at this age are always so much fun! There’s also lots of laughs, big smiles, showing off their personality and new milestones achieved. Look at the big personality in the photo of Kennedy walking! Love it!!

Happy birthday, Kennedy! I loved planning and capturing your stunning timeless birthday photos. Enjoy this next year!

toddler in blue dress sits in white high chair playing with wooden cake during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits in white high chair laughing in blue dress sits playing with wooden cake during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with wooden spoon next to rustic cake with wooden topper during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
close up of toddler’s toes in blue dress sits in white high chair during Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with wooden spoon next to rustic cake with wooden topper during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with wooden spoon covered in icing during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with cake knocked off cake smash stand during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in blue dress plays with cake knocked off cake smash stand during timeless Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler plays in white bath tub with rubber duck with bubbles after Saratoga Springs cake smash with NY baby photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit with toddler on tan couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in grey sweater hugs toddler daughter in ivory sweater on couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit with toddler on tan couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad lifts up toddler daughter in ivory sweater making her laugh on couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in ivory sweater and white leggings with pink bow sits on couch in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in ivory sweater and white leggings with pink bow sits on wicker basket in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hold daughter’s hand walking across floor in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hold daughter in the air making her laugh in front of studio wall photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother hugs daughter kissing her cheek in front of studio wall photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Timeless First Birthday Portraits with a Cake Smash in studio with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Pink and Silver Winter Wonderland Cake Smash

Gabriella is one! To celebrate her first birthday, I had the chance to photograph her and her family again, as well as her winter one-derland cake smash! Andrea, Gabriella’s mother, is a member of our Collective Membership. We’ve documented all of her milestones with 4 sessions that follow her family from maternity all the way through the first birthday! It’s been so fun to watch her grow into the sweet little one-year-old she is now! PS. We’re currently  booking membership clients for 2024! This is perfect for your family if you’re planning to do 2 or more sessions over an 18 month period (not just for baby’s first year clients, either!).

Winter wonderland is a super popular theme in my studio. I loved the chance to put together another classic version of the winter wonderland cake smash. For Gabriella, we focused on a pink and silver color palette. I even got to bring in my new blush pink backdrop fabric that I have already used many times this winter (ha!). The sparkly cone trees were the perfect addition to her winter theme. Gabriella looked adorable in her pink and white tutu, complete with a silver crown. She was a winter queen for her winter wonderland smash, for sure! 

As I always do with cake smash portraits, I captured new family portraits for this sweet family of four. They chose a beautiful blue and white color palette, which was the total opposite of the pinks and silvers we used for the cake smash. Side by side, the entire session looks amazing together and I hope that this family will treasure the portraits forever! 

baby girl in pink tutu with silver crown eats icing off fingers during pink and silver winter wonderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in pink tutu looks up while touching icing on cake during pink and silver winter wonderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in pink tutu touches icing on cake during pink and silver winter wonderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl laughs by pink and white cake with silver one topper and snowflakes during winter ONEderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl lifts up piece of pink and white cake during winter ONEderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big sister uses wooden spoon to help baby sister eat cake during winter ONEderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in pink tutu and silver crown laughs during winter ONEderland cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits in bath tub with bubbles wearing pink flower headband after cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler cries in bath tub with bubbles wearing pink flower headband after cake smash with Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit on tan couch with two daughters in matching blue and white dresses on their laps during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sits on couch in blue and white dress with blue patent leather shoes during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit on tan couch holding daughter on their lap in matching blue and white dresses during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad stands holding one year old’s hand as she balances on one leg in blue and white dress during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad stands holding one year old’s hand while mom hold's big sister’s hand standing in front of white wall during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler sister pushes one year old girl in wicker stroller in matching blue and white dresses during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl sits on studio floor wearing a blue and white dress with blue flower bow during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
one year old girl sits in white high chair playing with wooden cake wearing a blue and white dress with blue flower bow during studio family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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pink and silver winter wonderland cake smash for baby girl in studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY cake smash photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Family portraits with toddlers in our Saratoga Springs studio

I was so excited to welcome Andrea’s family back to my Saratoga Springs studio this winter! Now that the family has welcomed Valerie, it was time for new family portraits! Her children, David and Valerie, are simply the sweetest. They were amazing for me the entire session - smiley and happy to cuddle each other! I couldn’t have asked for better models. The family even brought their sweet dog to the session, too! I’m all about including EVERY family member - including your furry ones! Our session was joyful and simple, really focusing on the interactions between the kids and their parents. 

In fact, the portrait of Andrea and her daughter looking over her shoulder is my absolute favorite. As a photographer, there are portraits from every session that speak to me, and my goal every time I pick up my camera is to capture a moment that takes your breath away and makes you feel something when you look at it. This photo does that for me, and it is such a gorgeous depiction of motherhood that I hope Andrea will enjoy looking back on for many years to come. 

After their session, I went to Andrea’s home to complete their ordering session! I loved going to their house and seeing all of their family portraits from our previous session (2 years ago!) on the walls. They were thrilled to update their family portraits now that they have welcomed a new baby into their family, and it was a joy choosing their favorites to display at home. There’s not much more that excites me than knowing my families are displaying and enjoying their artwork every single day. 

Andrea, thank you for asking me to document your beautiful family again! I loved seeing all of you - and meeting Valerie. I hope we’ll get to work together again soon! 

parents sit on tan couch with toddler son, dog, and new baby girl during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom hugs toddler son and new baby girl while sitting on couch during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
brother hugs toddler sister in pink dress while sitting on couch during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler boy in button up green shirt and jeans sits on sofa during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Dad hugs and tickles toddler boy in button up green shirt and jeans sits during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler boy in button up green shirt and jeans sits hugging black dog during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in pink outfit lays on knit blanket during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom holds baby girl in pink outfit on shoulder giving her a kiss during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four hugs standing together during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Family portraits with toddlers in our Saratoga Springs studio photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Best of 2023 Milestone & Cake Smash Portrait Sessions in Saratoga Springs

I have been a baby photographer for more than a decade now, and there is still something so special about welcoming these tiny little babies into our Saratoga Springs portrait studio to capture their portraits. I adore the baby phase, and I know all too well just how quickly it passes. That’s one of the reasons that I feel like our milestone portraits are just so classically “baby”. Timeless and simple, with a focus on the little moments that I know their parents are going to treasure looking back on years from now — the way they grab their toes, their puffy little hands pushing up on the floor, those tiny feet, their elbow dimples, and their gummy smiles and first teeth peeking out when they belly laugh. I’m a mama to two little ones, and there are so many stages that pull at my heartstrings, which is why I love slowing down time with my camera and documenting these moments before they’re gone.

2023 was a beautiful year in our studio, and I loved welcoming so many babies (and Collective Membership families!) into our studio for their milestone and birthday sessions. We did cake smashes, tub splashes, tummy time, rolling over, and everything in between!

Enjoy a peek at some of my favorite moments captured in 2023 of our older babies, and then go back and check out our Best of 2023 Newborns and Best of 2023 Family Sessions, too!

Just look at how adorable these milestone babies are! We typically do milestone sessions between 6-11 months old when babies are sitting up, playing with their toes, and learning to crawl. I just love this happy baby stage!

2023 saw some really beautiful cake smash themes in our Saratoga Springs baby photography studio. I loved creating unique backdrops for each session, and our new giant metal ONE letters were a popular with our families this year. My favorite new addition to the studio was a new pre-cake smash setup with a vintage wooden high chair and an adorable wooden cake with candles. So classic & beautiful, and it wound up being a favorite setup for nearly every single family, too!

And of course, every cake smash finished with a splash in our baby-sized clawfoot tub! The bubble bath always brought out the best smiles in the birthday babies!


Did these portraits brighten your day? Maybe inspire you for your own little one’s upcoming session? I’d love to chat and create some beautiful portraits for your baby!

Saratoga Springs Maternity Portraits with Traditional Indian Dresses

Shreya and Alvin are expecting again! This sweet family chose to do a maternity session as part of their Collective Membership. It’s hard to believe this was actually our first session together! Shreya, Alvin, and Ariya are naturals in front of the camera! While we included maternity portraits, it was also important to me that we captured what life is like as a family of three (soon-to-be four) right now. The result was some truly sweet portraits of Shreya, Alvin, and Ariya. 

We did their session right before the holidays, and we started off with some holiday portraits for their Christmas cards. Ariya was so adorable, and I love these family portraits and her individual poses! This little girl has so much personality, and we had a lot of fun with her in the studio. She was not shy at all and loved being the center of attention with her parents. 

After we were done with the holiday portraits, it was time to move into Shreya’s maternity portraits. Shreya brought this handmade white anarkali, a traditional Indian dress that she also wore when pregnant with her firstborn. It was stunning in person and photographed so beautifully on her, and I love the simplicity of these portraits in our all white studio. Including Shreya and Alvin’s traditional Indian outfits was so special to me. I always want my families’ portraits to feel like them - including what’s important to you. 

Shreya and Alvin, thank you for trusting me with this special moment in your family’s story. I can’t wait to see you all again for our next session together! 

toddler girl sits in blue and black plaid dress on chair in front of holiday arbor with tan and blush ornaments during holiday portraits in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hold toddler daughter in matching plaid shirt, jacket, and dress in front of holiday arbor with tan and blush ornaments during holiday portraits in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in plaid jacket holds aughter in matching plaid dress in front of holiday arbor with tan and blush ornaments during holiday portraits in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in plaid jacket sits with daughter in matching plaid dress on her dad’s lap in front of holiday arbor with tan and blush ornaments during holiday portraits in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
girl in black and red plaid dress sits on bench during holiday mini sessions featuring arbor with tan and blush ornaments during in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother sits on bench holding baby bump in traditional white Indian anarkali during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother holds baby bump in traditional white Indian anarkali during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother holds baby bump in traditional white Indian anarkali during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother and her husband hold baby bump in traditional white Indian anarkali during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother wearing traditional white Indian anarkali twirls daughter in colorful Indian dress during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
husband hugs expecting wife wearing traditional Indian anarkali while holding her bump  during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother wearing traditional white Indian anarkali stands with her husband and her daughter in colorful Indian dress during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
husband leans into expecting wife’s forehead while holding her bump  during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother wearing traditional white Indian anarkali stands with her husband and her daughter in colorful Indian dress during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler girl wears traditional Indian dress in three colors standing in studio for family portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother holds baby bump in tractional Indian gold dress with red sari on arm during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother holds baby bump in tradtional Indian gold dress with red sari on arm with husband in traditional attire during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting mother holds baby bump in tradtional Indian gold dress with red sari on arm with husband in traditional attire during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
expecting parents sit holding daughter in traditional red and gold Indian attire during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler reaches up to touch expecting mom’s baby bump in traditional Indian attire during studio maternity portraits with Saratoga Springs maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Saratoga Springs maternity portraits in studio with traditional Indian dresses for mama-to-be photographed by New York maternity photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Our Studio Refresh: A Peek inside our Saratoga Springs Portrait Studio

I can still hardly believe that this studio is mine. It’s one of my favorite places to be in Saratoga Springs, and it’s filled with everything that I find beautiful and inspiring — lots of light, soft fabrics, pretty neutrals, natural wood and rattan, linen, dainty little flowers on itty bitty headbands, and just a touch of subtle sparkle here and there.

With the new year, I’ve been looking forward to spending a little extra time in our Saratoga Springs baby portrait studio getting everything organized. I made some pretty significant changes to the layout in 2023, and I’m finally getting around to photographing the space now so that I can share it with all of you!

We’ve been in this particular studio since 2020, and it has grown and evolved to fit the needs of our clients since then. I’ve always had a knack for maximizing space and carving out little corners to serve a purpose (the toy corner! the snack cart! our prop storage! our new dressing room area! and the secret hiding place for allllll of the cake stands!). Ever since I had my very first classroom as a first grade teacher back in 2009, I’ve enjoyed being able to look at a space and figure out exactly how to configure it so that every space has a purpose, yet it all flows together seamlessly. This studio has been such a fun spot to design and bring to life, and while there will always be more little changes to come, I’m excited to share our 2024 studio with all of you today!

If you’re looking for a Saratoga Springs photographer for your next family or baby portrait session, I would love to chat with you and help you bring your vision to life! We have everything you’ll need in the studio, and I look forward to creating beautiful artwork for your family.

Best of 2023 Family Portrait Sessions in Saratoga Springs NY

2023 was truly an amazing year here at Nicole Starr Photography. This year, I had the honor of working with many repeat families for their new portraits as well as lots of new faces! Every time I show up to a family session, I am humbled and overjoyed that these families trust me to document their memories. I am so grateful to each and every one of them for believing in me to capture the best moments for their families. 

While I will never take this honor for granted, I also love how much fun I have every day at work. My family portraits are never boring! I’m all about laughing and finding genuine moments of connection between everyone. This year was filled with lots of tickles, games, and silly prompts to help bring out the belly laughs! I even brought some fun tricks along with me - like squeaking dog toys - to capture a toddler’s attention. Worked like a charm! 

In 2023, I captured my families all over the Saratoga Springs and Cape Cod areas. From beaches to parks, from benches to picnic blankets, and the city sidewalks… I loved every moment exploring with my 2023 families. This year brought some new locations to me and I am so happy that we have even more options for the future now, too! It’s important to me to find a location that feels authentic and genuine to each and every family I work with.

While I’m thankful for all of the fun and all of the beauty we found, I’m incredibly grateful that I was able to help all of these families create beautiful heirloom albums that they will be able to enjoy for years. Our albums and heirloom artwork are so important to me. I want to create something tangible and meaningful that my families will enjoy for decades to come with their children. It’s such a huge honor to be a part of creating something so important. 

All of our 2023 clients will be invited to our second annual Client Appreciation Event in a few months, and I look forward to seeing them for this extra special celebration to capture some new portraits for them to enjoy! Thank you again for trusting me to document your family and I hope that I’ll see many of you again in 2024!! 

sisters hug sitting on sand dune during Cape Cod family portraits with MA and Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
girl in blue flower dress twirls on fallen leaves in park during family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents smile laughing with toddler daughter in dad’s arm during family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug two sons and grandparents in front of tall beach grass on Cape Cod beach during family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents smile holding two sons on hips during family portraits in front of cherry blossoms trees in the spring with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler boy holds baby brother sitting on top of milk create during spring family portraits in front of cherry blossoms in park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother in blue linen dress holds toddler on her hip on sand dune in Cape Cod during milestone portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug three sons and dad lifts up toddler in front of white trees in the spring during family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents in white button down shirts tickle son and daughter during spring portraits in park with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents stand behind son standing on milk crate while holding toddler son between them during family portraits in park with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in white linen dress kneels down holding two sons to her during summer family portraits in park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad runs down ocean side on Corporation Beach holding two children in Cape Cod photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big sister hugs brother sitting in wicker chair in park during fall family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
three siblings hug standing on Corporation Beach on Cape Cod during summer family portraits with Cape Cod MA and Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four holds hands walking down the beach in Cape Cod photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of five sits on bench in park hugging and laughing during fall family portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler boy sits in cream knit sweater with brown shoes on sidewalk photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug while three children run through ocean water around them on Cape Cod beach photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in jeans and white top with wide brimmed hat hugs toddler in jean overalls during spring portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of five sits between sand dunes in white and blue outfits while dad lifts up toddler smiling at him photographed by Cape Cod MA and Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in sweater sits on padded bench swinging legs during fall portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in striped black and white shirt holds edge of wicker chair standing up during fall family portraits at sunset photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family in white button down shirts and jeans pose with toddler in white Saratoga Springs studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad hugs daughter on lap while mom leans for a kiss during studio family portraits in Saratoga Springs studio photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in pastel sweater sits in wicker chair swinging legs during fall portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad holds toddler in crook of arms standing on Dennis Beach on Cape Cod photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad holds toddler in matching cream knit sweater during fall family portraits photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother in white summer linen dress holds baby boy in blue and white stop on a Cape Cod beach photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in pale mint green dress hugs son on hip while daughter leans against her leg during fall family portraits at sunset photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad holds out toddler daughter in yellow dress in front of white flowers in NY park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
young blonde girl laughs sitting in grass at sunset for family photos photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom smiles at son on hip in cream sweater during milestone and family portraits in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug baby boy standing on walkway in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
girl in white dress twirls on sand dune on edge of Corporation Beach on Cape Cod MA photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents pose with two children and one set of grandparents in park in front of wooden fence for fall portraits photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
brothers in khaki shorts and natural colored polos hug near tall grass on sand dune of Corporation Beach on Cape Cod MA photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy lays on custom knit blanket in cream sweater during fall portraits photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents smile at son holding him out playing airplane during fall portraits photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hold two son’s handspring spring photos by cherry blossoms photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four in pink and blue outfits hug on sand dune during Cape Cod family portraits with MA and Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit on bench in photography studio holding daughter in pink dress during family portraits photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of three hugs in wildflower field during family portraits at sunset photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug twin girls standing on beach in Cape Cod at sunset photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Saratoga Springs family photographer Nicole Starr Photography shares her favorite moments from family portraits in New York and on Cape Cod from 2023

Best of 2023 newborn sessions in Saratoga Springs

Newborn sessions are special for me. I’m always so honored to be invited into such a beautiful time in my clients' lives to celebrate the arrival of their new baby. Whether their sessions are at home or in my studio, every one of them is as unique as the family I’m capturing. 

For the 2023 year, I was extra lucky with the families who visited me. So many of my newborn clients this year were coming back to see me with their second or third baby, and I’ve been lucky enough to document all of their children’s milestones. It felt beyond special to be in the studio with families I adore and to be capturing yet another milestone for their family. 

toddler pushes baby sister in stroller during newborn session in Saratoga Springs NY with Nicole Starr Photography

In addition to our studio sessions, I absolutely adore our lifestyle sessions. Lifestyle newborn sessions are perfect for a relaxed peek into your lives at home. You get to spend your session cuddled up in the living room or all cozy on the bed together, or getting to know your new baby in the nursery that you so lovingly put together before their arrival. It’s a really unique moment and there’s nothing more beautiful than documenting a family at home. 

baby lays in crib under rainbow mural in nursery during lifestyle newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
newborn baby boy sleeps on changing table in front of mountain on nursery wall during lifestyle newborn portraits with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big siblings hug newborn sister in front of white crib in nursery with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings hold baby sister on couch during lifestyle newborn session in Saratoga Springs NY with Nicole Starr Photography
toddler boy hugs newborn sibling in corner of wooden crib in nursery with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents snuggle with son in custom animal inspired nursery during lifestyle newborn portraits with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of five snuggles with baby girl on bed during lifestyle newborn portraits with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug each other looking at newborn son in living room of home in New York during lifestyle newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings hug baby sister in white crib on pink sheets during lifestyle newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography

If a more traditional look is your style, newborn studio sessions are always a great time! They’re wonderfully stress-free - which is one of the best perks, in my opinion. So many families this year told me how much they enjoyed sitting in the studio and how relaxed it made them feel. My favorite memorable compliment was from a dad (who happens to live in my neighborhood!) that had been in the studio for about an hour or so, and between the flowing conversation, the white noise, the cozy temperature, and his sleep exhaustion from his first few weeks with a newborn, he said “I love your studio! It feels like we’re in Las Vegas and I completely lose track of time in here! I mean, what day is it?!?! Where are we?!?!” It was hilarious but also really spoke to me about the atmosphere we create for my families. 

siblings snuggle with newborn sister on couch during newborn portraits in Saratoga Springs NY studio with Nicole Starr Photography
siblings lay on fluffy rug with newborn sister between them during newborn portraits in studio with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom hugs newborn daughter to her while toddler son playfully plays with her headband as dad holds him in studio with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents snuggle with toddler and newborn sitting together in studio with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother in white lace dress hugs newborn baby to chest during studio newborn portraits with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
newborn baby boy lays on white pillow in all white onesie during newborn portraits with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother in ivory dress holds newborn in blanket to chest during studio newborn portraits with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in white blanket lays snuggled up on bed with chunky pink blanket under her during studio newborn portraits with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy sleeps wrapped in tight white blanket on knit blanket during studio newborn portraits with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy lays wrapped in blue blanket on white chunky blanket on white bed during studio newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sleeps on wooden bed hugging bunny lovely in white blanket during newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dads hug newborn son in studio during newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl snuggles in white knit blanket with pearl headband during studio newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby lays wrapped in white blanket during during studio newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby lays in tan wrap with bear ears in Moses basket during studio newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby lays curled up on grey knit blanket during studio newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby lays on white blanket in white onesie during studio newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sleeps in ivory wrap on knit blankets during studio newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sleeps on wooden bed with ivory wrap and pastel pink blanket during studio newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sleeps on blanket with foxes and horses during studio newborn session with Saratoga Springs NY newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography

I can’t wait to watch these little babies grow and invite them back into the studio in 2024 for their birthday sessions! Thank you to every family who trusted me to capture these special moments as they welcomed their littlest loves to the world. 


Best of 2023 newborn sessions with lifestyle and studio newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Our 2023 Holiday Portrait Sessions in Saratoga Springs

I always look forward to our holiday portrait event, and this year was no exception! Each year, I am reminded of how lucky I am to have so many families that come to the studio year after year for their holiday portraits! It’s always a joy getting to catch up with them and see how their kids have grown. Plus, it’s so much fun coming up with our setups each year! Honestly, I really do look forward to these holiday portrait sessions each winter. 

For this year, I wanted to create something really special! When I first saw these golden arches I knew that they would be incredibly versatile and that they would look gorgeous with garland & some sparkly ornaments. I love how this turned out! I think it’s such a classic holiday look. It was the perfect spot for kids to warm up to me and get ready for more portraits!

We always create two setups in the studio for families to have some variety in their holiday portraits, and you know I’m a big fan of neutrals because of how timeless they are. This year I found the perfect stockings with little pearl accents, and I love the simple & luxurious touch that they added to our setup alongside my simple Christmas tree. 

brother and sister hug on tan couch in front of white stockings with pearls during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

To every family that came to celebrate the holidays with me this year, thank you! It was so special to have you in the studio and I hope you have a wonderful season with your loved ones! 

girl sits in grey sweater and dress on tan couch during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
girl sits in grey sweater and dress on tan couch hugging brother in blue sweater and tan pants during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy in blue sweater and tan pantsuits on floor by wooden nutcrackers in front of flocked Christmas tree during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
brothers hug sitting on sofa in front of snowflakes, stockings and by a Christmas tree during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy in blue sweater sits with knees bent in front of snowflakes, stockings and by a Christmas tree during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family of four giggles on sofa in front of snowflakes, stockings and by a Christmas tree during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in grey sweater holds wooden nutcracker in front of flocked Christmas tree and presents in brown paper during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
brother and sister sister in plaid shirt and dress in front of gold arches with ornaments and greenery during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler hugs infant brother on couch in front of ivory stockings and snowflakes during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler girl in black dress plays with jingle bells on packages tied in ribbon and brown paper during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
sisters in black dresses and gold shoes sits by Christmas tree and packages tied in ribbon and brown paper during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
girl in black dress sits by Christmas tree and packages tied in ribbon and brown paper during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy in plaid blue and green shirt sits on sofa in front of snowflakes and stockings during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug toddlers in red dress and sweater sitting on sofa in front of snowflakes and stockings during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
girl in red dress twirls  in front of snowflakes and stockings hung behind sofa during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug toddler son and daughter in red dress sitting on sofa in front of snowflakes and stockings hung behind sofa during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother hugs daughter in red dress sitting on sofa in front of snowflakes and stockings during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad kneels with toddler son sitting on his leg in front of snowflakes and stockings during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
girl in red dress leans to whisper in brother’s ear in front of gold arches during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit with two kids on their laps in front of snowflakes and stockings during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings sit in blue outfits in front of snowflakes and stockings during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits in Christmas onesie in front of Christmas tree and packages during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits in blue pants and white shirt with wooden nutcrackers in front of Christmas tree and packages during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby sits in gingerbread outfit during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings sit in matching red and white pajamas in front of tree and packages during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
brothers sit in matching red and white pajamas in front of tree and packages pointing at each other over sister’s head during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
brothers and sister sit in matching red and white pajamas in front of tree and packages during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl sits in red and white pajamas with green bow in front of tree and packages during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings sit in matching red and blue plaid shirts and dress in front of gold arbors with ornaments during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
siblings sit in matching red and blue plaid shirts and dress in front of gold arbors with ornaments during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy sits in front of Christmas tree and packages with arm on knee during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy hugs baby brother in red onesie on sofa during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in red onesie with Christmas Tre lays on white knit blanket during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit with two daughters in velvet green dresses on couch during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
two sisters in velvet green dresses sit by Christmas tree during holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs studio with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Our 2023 holiday portrait sessions in Saratoga Springs with New York family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Photographer's Child Syndrome: Holiday Bloopers with my own kids!

One of the things that photographers who are also parents hear all the time from others is, “Oh, you must have so many amazing photos of your own kids!”  And while I’m lucky that I have been able to capture a lot of great portraits of my little ones over the past 5.5 years, there are also a lot of…. shall we say… bloopers.  

My little angry elf! ;o)


In the photography world, we have a phrase that is shared often among photographers when talking about taking photos of their own children.  We call it “Photographer’s Child Syndrome.”  Let me explain.

It’s a different ballgame when it’s mom behind the camera.  And when your toddler only wants to be held by mom, that means mom can’t get a picture of the toddler because they will just cry until mom picks them up.  Or when your older child enjoys practicing all sorts of silly smiles and knows all of your tricks already that would get a natural smile or laugh, then you’ll only capture weird expressions on his face.  

I wanted to share this blog post today to show the funny (though sometimes exasperating!) side of being a mom & a photographer.  These are my holiday portraits of Grayson and Adelaide.  And while yes, I do have a lot of great pictures of my little ones, I also have these funny moments to look back on. Grayson tried sooooo hard to be patient with his little sister, and the last photo in the collage below makes me laugh every time where he’s like, “Enough already!” and gets up and runs off!

P.S.  You can bet that the crying Santa picture and the crying sibling one made it on our holiday cards this year!

P.P.S.  My sweet girl was literally THE ONLY CHILD ALL DAY to cry at our Santa sessions in the studio.  All because she wanted to be held by me, the photographer.  Not a single other baby or toddler cried.  So, I guess we’re just lucky like that that it was our own little girl!

These next few I actually love, and they made it onto our holiday card this year!

The day Santa came to the studio was a whole fiasco in itself. My kids had their turn with Santa in between our other clients, and after a whole morning of happy little ones (though occasionally nervous, but never fussy!), this was what we got. The chaos of the sibling portion I can only laugh at. But the PURE MAGIC that unfolded between my son and Santa Claus made every single part of the planning and executing of these sessions worth it, times 1000.

Waiting for Santa…

Adelaide spotted him sneaking over, but Grayson still had no idea.

Such a funny moment. Both completely unaware that Santa was standing right behind them.


When Grayson received his letter from Santa a few days before he came to the studio, the first thing Grayson told me was that we needed to bake cookies for him so that we could give him some cookies when he came to visit. My little baker LOVES helping in the kitchen, and he was thrilled to bake chocolate chip cookies for his favorite jolly fellow.

Adelaide kept her distance the rest of the time we were with Santa. She was mildly curious about painting the nutcrackers with the “magic paint,” but even that couldn’t convince her to step back onto the backdrop where Santa was sitting with her big brother. Grayson, on the other hand, had the time of his life and wore the biggest smile through every second of it!

We did take exactly one photo of Adelaide with Santa at the very end, and it lasted maybe 2 seconds.

Would you believe that ever since Santa visited us, Adelaide shouts “Studio! Studio! Ho ho ho!” every single day, running excitedly over to the studio door and asking to go downstairs to see Santa. Yep, I can’t believe it either! She’s been doing this for about 5 or 6 weeks now, and I don’t see her stopping any time soon.


I know this blog post is different from our regular posts, and I hope you enjoyed the humor in this little series of outtakes from my sessions with my own children. Click on the heart button or leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

Fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park

I absolutely adore little Maverick! We met up recently for fall family portraits in Congress Park as part of our Collective Membership program. Maverick and his family get to enjoy 4 sessions over 18 months, along with other perks for our members. I’ve already photographed their studio maternity and lifestyle newborn portraits, so it was fun to see them again for Maverick’s 6 month portraits! 

I love it when families come back for more sessions, and it makes it easier on everyone because they know what to expect, feel comfortable with me and that shows in front of the camera! Maverick already recognized me a little bit and his parents were more relaxed and confident in their session. After the portraits are easier too, as my families are familiar with the products and already have a plan for their portraits before we begin, and they get to enjoy consistency with beautiful portraits on their walls that all match for a cohesive style. But, perhaps the most obvious perk of working with me for multiple sessions is getting to capture all of their favorite milestones and documenting these memories while their little one grows so fast! 

Our session in Congress Park was a joy! Maverick matched his dad in a cozy knit sweater for the fall portraits. It was adorable - and if this is a new trend in fall outfit attire for family portraits, I’m here for it! I shouldn’t be surprised because Stephanie and Matt always look amazing in their portraits. They chose a really fun classic white t-shirt and jeans look for her maternity portraits, and they truly nailed their fall choice for these new family portraits. I’m in love with Stephanie’s beautiful orange dress! It was a great option with all of the foliage at Congress Park. 

Stephanie, Matt, and Maverick - I can’t wait for our next portrait session together! I’m excited to see what Maverick’s up to next and see you all again. 

mother in orange dress holds toddler son in knit grey sweater during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother in orange dress holds toddler son in knit grey sweater during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in cream knit sweater holds toddler son in matching cream sweater during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in cream knit sweater and jeans reaches for boots sitting on bench during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in cream knit sweater and jeans sits on blanket during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mother in orange dress holds toddler in cream knit sweater and jeans with dad in matching sweater and jeans standing nearby during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr P
dad in cream sweet and jeans lifts up toddler in matching cream knit sweater and jeans during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in cream sweet and jeans plays airplane with toddler in matching cream knit sweater and jeans during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in cream knit sweater and jeans leans over reaching for feet in boots during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in cream knit sweater and jeans leans sits up on sidewalk during fall family portraits with baby in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Fall family portraits with 6 month old baby boy in Congress Park photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Celebrating baby sister’s arrival with family portraits - saratoga springs newborn photographer

Welcome to the world, Ava Margaret! This sweet baby girl’s arrival was much-anticipated! Her mama went two weeks past her due date, and everyone was so excited when Ava finally arrived. I couldn't wait to meet her at their studio newborn portraits in my Saratoga Springs studio. This family is absolutely the sweetest and I loved every moment working with them. 

Ava was welcomed to the world by her big siblings, Adam and Ellie. I loved watching her big brother and sister with her! They were so gentle and nurturing, and their interactions were adorable. Plus they loved being involved in the session and even wanted to pose for their own individual portraits, too! I call that a definite win in my book - both as a photographer and mom of two littles of my own. 

For Ava’s portraits, we chose a beautiful neutral palette featuring ivory, tan, and some peach accents for her solo portraits at the end of the session. Most of our session was spent capturing this sweet girl with her parents and big siblings, but I loved being able to slowly transition down to her portraits. We focused on simple setups, with some cozy knit blankets and some of my favorite props to show off Ava’s adorable little features. 

Congratulations to this beautiful family! I’m so happy that your newest member has arrived and is so loved!!  

two big siblings hold baby sister on tan couch during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
two big siblings hold baby sister on tan couch during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big brother in white shirt and tan shorts holds baby sister in white wrap with headband on tan couch during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big sister holds baby sister in white wrap with headband on tan couch during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
big sister and brother hold baby sister in white wrap with headband laying on furry rug during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit holding newborn baby girl with two children during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in tan sweater holds baby girl in white wrap up to her cheek during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents sit holding newborn baby girl with two children during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in tan sweater holds baby girl in white wrap with flower headband smiling at her during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom holds baby girl in white wrap up with older siblings standing by her during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad holds baby girl in white wrap up with older siblings standing by her during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad smiles down at baby girl in white wrap up during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy in white button up shirt sits on wooden bench during Saratoga Springs family session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
girl in linen dress sits on wooden bench during Saratoga Springs family session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in grey shirt hugs baby girl in white wrap to his chest during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug baby girl in white wrap to their chests during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler girl in linen dress pushes baby sister in wooden stroller during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl in tan wrap lays curled up on white knit blanket during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl lays in white wraps on wooden bed during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl lays in white wraps on wooden bed during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby girl lays in tan wrap on peach blanket during Saratoga Springs newborn session in studio with New York newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Celebrating baby sister's arrival with family portraits with Saratoga Springs newborn photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Our Santa Experience - Holiday Photo Sessions at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio

This was our first year doing Santa sessions in the studio and I had a blast creating a dream experience for every family that came in the door. It was important to me to create a magical Santa Experience for each family - from the moment they arrived to their goodbyes. I’ve never taken on Santa sessions but I’m so glad that we’ve finally broken the seal on this incredible holiday adventure in our Saratoga Springs studio! 

To create a magical Santa experience, I wanted to bring in unique elements leading up to their session date. Each child received a personalized letter from Santa the week of their session, complete with a certified North Pole stamp and a wax seal on the gold-lined envelope. Their letter invited them to the studio to help Santa finish making some toys that the elves forgot to finish. It was so cute and every little one loved it! 

Upon arriving, I wanted to make sure families and children had time to warm up to Santa. I didn’t want anyone to feel rushed. Instead, the kids had plenty of time to discover that Santa was in the studio, warm up to him, ask him questions, find their name on the nice list, help him with the toys, sing songs, and more. It was a beautiful chance to watch interactions unfold naturally. 

My absolute favorite part was seeing the pure magic and innocence on children’s faces. I loved watching their expressions light up when they saw Santa, how they were filled with joy when they saw their names on the Nice List or when they discovered that the “magic paint” on the nutcrackers really worked. The wonder when they sang “Jingle Bells” or “ho-ho-ho-ed” and Santa appeared behind them out of nowhere was special, too. It was incredible.

Thank you to every family who visited my studio to help make these magical sessions possible this winter. I’m so in love with how they turned out and I hope it’s not the last time Santa visits the NSP studio!

Santa approaches two children during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa talks with girl in gold dress during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa talks with girl in gold dress and boy in suit and tan pants during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa talks with girl in gold dress and boy in suit and tan pants during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa poses with family in black and gold outfits during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
family sits on sofa together in black and gold outfits during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler and baby brother sit with Santa on white sofa talking during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
boy in green and blue plaid shirt sits on couch during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa tiptoes behind sofa to meet boy in green and blue plaid shirt during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa talks to boy in green and blue plaid shirt during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa reads with boy in green and blue plaid shirt during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa reads with boy in green and blue plaid shirt during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa paints nutcracker with boy in green and blue plaid shirt during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa paints nutcracker with boy in green and blue plaid shirt during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa holds little girl in red and green holiday outfit during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa holds little girl in red and green holiday outfit during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa holds little girl in red and green holiday outfit during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in green sweater crawls on back of couch to reach Santa during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in green sweater sits with Santa during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in green sweater  and Santa wave from couch during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in green sweater sits on Santa’s lap during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
baby boy in green sweater sits on Santa’s lap during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parent lifts up son in green sweater to high five Santa during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa approaches toddler in white and blue sweater sitting on sofa during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa approaches toddler in white and blue sweater sitting on sofa during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session with Santa Claus photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa sits on sofa with girl in blue dress with red shoes during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa sits on sofa painting nutcracker with girl in blue dress with red shoes and her brother in nutcracker sweater during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa tip toes behind sofa towards two brothers in green shirts with pink ties during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa waves at two brothers in green shirts with pink ties during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa holds toddler while talking to older brother during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa paints nutcracker with boy in green sweater on sofa during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa paints nutcracker with brothers in green sweaters on sofa during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa poses with brothers in green sweaters on sofa during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa holds toddler in green shirt and pink tie during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa poses with brothers in green shirts and parents during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa poses with brothers in green shirts during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa hugs boy in green sweater behind sofa during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa reaches to high five toddler during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Santa hands blue nutcracker to toddler in plaid pajamas during Saratoga Springs holiday studio session photographed by NY children’s photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Santa experience during holiday photo sessions at our Saratoga Springs studio with New York family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Fall family portraits with a toddler in Saratoga Springs

Daniel, Shannon, and Isla are adorable! We captured a fall family portrait session for them in Saratoga Springs. It was actually the first family portrait session with the three of them, which made it all even more exciting for me. From the start, Daniel and Shannon shared that they were thrilled to put some beautiful new canvases up on the walls of their home and to send some gifts home with Isla’s grandmother who was coming to visit from South Africa.

For their portrait session, Isla wore the most adorable pigtails and inspired me to go home and try pigtails on our daughter for the first time the very next day! She was so cute! I even loved the cute little fall dress she had on. It was adorable, and the perfect little nod to the season. As a girl mom, I have to admit I get extra excited seeing such cute outfit options! Isla was just full of pure joy, which made her so fun to photograph. She loved playing with her parents and was always excited about each of the games I played during our session, which meant we captured so many neutral moments between them all. 

Isla was full of personality and really playful. She especially enjoyed the little squeaky toys I’ve started to use to help with the toddlers… so much so that she hid one under her foot to stomp on it. That resulted in the most adorable expressions! Daniel and Shannon, thank you so much for trusting me with these beautiful family portraits. I hope that your family will treasure them forever! 

parents hug toddler in fruit dress with pigtails during fall family portraits in Saratoga Springs with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in white button down shirt lifts up toddler daughter in fruit dress with pigtails during fall family portraits in Saratoga Springs with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug toddler daughter in fruit dress with pigtails during fall family portraits in Saratoga Springs with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
Mom in pink sweater twirls daughter on sidewalk during fall family portraits in Saratoga Springs with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in colorful fall dress with pigtails sits in wicker chair during fall family portraits in Saratoga Springs with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in colorful fall dress stands in pink tennis shoes with pigtails on sidewalk during fall family portraits in Saratoga Springs with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad sits next to mom as she lifts toddler in colorful fall dress with pigtails in the air during fall family portraits in Saratoga Springs with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler in colorful fall dress stands in pink tennis shoes with pigtails on sidewalk during fall family portraits in Saratoga Springs with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in pink sweater hugs toddler in colorful fall dress with pigtails from behind during fall family portraits in Saratoga Springs with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Fall family portraits with a toddler in Saratoga Springs photographed by NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

Celebrating a 5th anniversary with fall family portraits in Congress Park - Saratoga Springs family photographer

Emily and Chris came up to Saratoga from Brooklyn to celebrate their fifth anniversary and brought along their sweet baby boy, Bennett. Bennett is already 4 months old and was so adorable our entire session! Their portrait session coincided with the last week of Emily’s maternity leave, and they wanted to celebrate all the things that had been going on recently for their little family, and slow down time with some gorgeous family portraits.

We met up for their family portraits in Congress Park in downtown Saratoga Springs. It’s one of my all-time favorite spots in Saratoga Spring! The day of our session, we had the coziest green colors throughout the park and it was a little grey… but honestly, it worked for the vibe of Emily, Chris and Bennett’s outfits. 

Speaking of… I love the outfits that Emily planned for everyone! The matching cable knit sweaters on Chris and Bennett were too cute. Her dress gave off the perfect fall vibes, and her loose waves were gorgeous on camera (and in person!). I love that she chose a beautiful patterned dress and the boys had more solid colors - everything looked amazing together on camera! The fall weather also led to lots of cuddles with Bennett, which was super sweet. 

I hope that Emily and Chris will always look back on these portraits with fondness and that they captured this special time for this beautiful family! 

parents sit on bench with son in cable knit sweater on bench in Congress Park during family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in ivory cable knit sweater holds son in matching cable knit sweater in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in ivory cable knit sweater holds son in matching cable knit sweater in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
dad in ivory cable knit sweater holds son in matching cable knit sweater while mom in fall dress stands by them both in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
toddler boy in white knit sweater lays on personalized blanket in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in navy floral fall dress holds toddler son in white knit sweater in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
parents hug toddler son in white knit sweater standing in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
mom in navy floral fall dress holds toddler son in white knit sweater in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
woman in navy floral fall dress hugs husband in white cable knit sweater and jeans standing in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
woman in navy floral fall dress carrying son in knit sweater walks with husband in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
woman in navy floral fall leans to kiss husband in Congress Park during fall family and anniversary portraits with Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography
married couple laughs together standing in Congress Park during family and anniversary portraits with NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography

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Fall family portraits in Congress Park to celebrate 5th anniversary photographed by Saratoga Springs NY family photographer Nicole Starr Photography