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! 

---

Save this post for later!

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!! 

---

Save this post for later:

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. 

---

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! 

---

Save this post for later:

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! 

---

Save this post for later!

A Generational Family Portrait Session in Saratoga Springs

I’ve photographed this family many times since Elliana was born, and we’ve now done generational portraits for both the mom’s side of the family & the dad’s side of the family, too! It is beyond special to document a family over and over, but also to be able to capture portraits of three generations together. This year’s session with Nicole’s dad and his wife took place in Saratoga Springs. We had the dreamiest light and I couldn’t be more pleased with how their generational family portrait session went. 

I absolutely loved capturing this session. Elliana and Colton’s grandparents are SO much fun and absolutely wonderful to be around. It’s clear they all have a good time when they’re together. We had lots of laughs together and the sweet and playful bond they share with their grandchildren is very apparent. Elliana and Colton loved the chance to show off their grandparents to me - and I loved capturing new portraits of the two of them, too. They’re growing so quickly! 

I am confident that everyone is going to love the heirloom album that we created from their session, and I hope they spend many hours flipping through the pages on the couch with Elli and Colton! It makes me happy to know that these portraits will be enjoyed for many years. I truly believe generational portraits are simply the best!!

---

Simple and candid family portraits in our Saratoga Springs studio

Lyndsay, Niral, and Ari come to me every year to capture portraits around his birthday. It’s hard to believe that Ari is already 4! It seems like I just met this beautiful family yesterday.  Lyndsay and Niral love documenting their sweet boy’s personality and celebrating each new stage as a family, and I always adore our sessions together. Whenever they leave my studio, my heart feels so full and I feel beyond grateful for another session together. 

We’ve done sessions in gardens and fields, pathways and parks, but it had been awhile since we had done family portraits in the studio. So when the endless rain wasn’t working in our favor this fall, Lyndsay sent me some photo inspiration and told me she wanted really candid, simple portraits with minimal color. Basically like our Little Loves portraits, but for the whole family. I was absolutely on board with the idea. If you’ve been around at all, you know that I believe less is more when it comes to portraits - whether it’s your baby’s milestone photos or family photos in the studio. 

Lyndsay, Niral and Ari kept their outfits very minimal so the focus would be on their interactions with each other, and on Ari’s adorable expressions. I feel like they were definitely channeling a 90s vibe with the matching white button downs and jeans, and it looked amazing on them! Simple and sweet, and it totally works to show their personalities here. Sometimes the simplest ideas really do pay off. 

Lyndsay, Niral, and Ari: thank you for letting me capture another beautiful session for you. I am so grateful to get to work with you year after year and watch Ari grow up! I’m already counting down to next fall!! 

---

Save this post for later!

Spring family portraits in Congress Park with Saratoga Springs family photographer

During each cake smash session I do, one of my favorite parts of the session is family portraits we make time for. It’s important to me that every family has updated portraits as their little one grows up, so we make time before the baby gets messy to pop outside or down the street for new portraits as a family. Jordan’s family decided to use Congress Park for their family portraits! 

Jordan and his family were in the studio for his cake smash to celebrate his first birthday! He brought his parents and big brothers, Jacob and Jonas, along to Congress Park. We were in luck, because Congress Park always has such beautiful blooms in the spring. The blossoms on the trees are always my favorite part of spring! As usual, the boys’ mom absolutely nailed their outfits - leaning into a gorgeous blue and white palette. All of the boys looked adorable and I loved watching them help Jordan walk through the park! 

I’m so happy that we had the chance to update their family portraits because I’ve been working with this family for many years now. They have been coming to me ever since their oldest was born! This was their last session in Saratoga Springs, and they are moving to a new state this summer. I’ll miss them terribly! It makes these gorgeous spring photos in Congress Park even more special for me - and for them. 

---

Save this post for later…

Fall family portraits on a sunlit path in saratoga springs

Fall family portraits might be one of my favorite parts of the year. When the Coppola family reached out about a session in Saratoga Springs, I couldn’t wait! I loved working with Mariesa, Benji, Benjamin and Nora for these sunny fall portraits. During our session, we tried to keep things super light and fun - relaxed for the kids AND their parents. Family portraits don’t have to be stressful, trust me! 

Throughout the session, one of my goals was definitely to bring everyone’s personalities out. While Benjamin was a little more reserved and shyer, Nora was all about the camera. It was a lot of fun to watch them interact and see Benjamin open up a little bit as the session wore on. Nora being silly definitely helped him relax a little bit! We also made sure to capture lots of cuddles with mom and dad in the photos too. 

Mariesa and Benji chose a great color palette for their portraits. With navy and creams, they stood out against the yellows and greens of the Saratoga Springs path we were on. I also love that the guys had their puffer vests on - they looked so cute together! Choosing what to wear is not only about picking colors you like together, but also making sure you’re comfortable and can move. I want us to play, run, and cuddle up during your portraits! 

Enjoy a peek into this beautiful fall session here in Saratoga Springs! 

---

Save this post for later…

Boho Family Portraits in a Field | Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

I've been photographing this family every year since Johnathan was a newborn. We've done portraits in every season and every stage so far, and I always look forward to our sessions together. Johnny is now 3 years old, and he’s just a joy! This year, we planned fall family portraits at one of my favorite hidden gems in Saratoga Springs.

This little spot is just beautiful this time of year. With tall grass and lots of trees, it’s a lovely quiet location for family photos with a boho vibe. The grass grows tall in this spot during the late summer/early fall, and I drive by constantly in the final weeks of summer to be sure the town hasn't mowed it yet. It's perfect for early morning sessions, especially with toddlers who are early to rise! Here, we can walk and play - even bring a small stool or box for your little ones to sit on. I seriously can’t get enough of this little gem!

Speaking of boho vibes, Kristen and Matt planned the most perfect outfits! Kristen’s dress was on point and I LOVED her hat with the this gorgeous long dress and jean jacket. Everything was perfect!! Johnny even looked adorable in his little overalls during our session too! After working with this family for the last few years, I can say I still adore watching them interact and now, seeing even more of Johnny’s personality come out in our session. Enjoy a little peek into their perfect fall family photos!

---

Save this post for later:

Making Memories with Grandparents & Grandkids: Extended Family Portrait Session in our Saratoga Springs Studio

Nicole and Chris are longtime clients and I've photographed their two babies and all of their milestones ever since they were born. It’s such a special gift to be able to see my clients year after year and watch their kids grow up. I absolutely adore Elli and Colton. So, when Nicole and Chris reached out about surprising his mom with a portrait session for Christmas, I was absolutely on board! Together, we planned an extended family session with Chris’s brother and his family.

The day of their session was so much fun. I loved watching Elli and Colton with their cousin, Easton. Easton and Colton are only a few days apart, so their bond is incredibly special. Extended family portraits are SO important to me because I love photographing all the relationships, especially grandparents and their grandkids. It’s so sweet. I loved watching Nicole, Chris, and their family just be together in the studio.

I also absolutely loved the colors of the outfits they chose! When planning extended family portraits, coordinating outfits can be a bit tricky. Obviously the images will wind up in multiple homes, so try to consider where they’ll be displayed as you choose your palette. Stick to a color palette of 3 or 4 total colors for everyone’s outfits. This family did a great job with that - definitely use it for inspiration! When you’re thinking about studio portraits, too, the lighter colors will photograph so beautifully!!!

Psst!! A quick update about 2022’s outdoor portrait season! This year we’re only scheduling outdoor family portraits this for May, September & October. With limited availability, I expect the calendar to fill up even faster than ever. Be sure to reach out early to reserve your spot! If you’re thinking of an outdoor session in 2022, NOW IS THE TIME TO SCHEDULE.

---

Save it for later:

Tips for successful holiday portrait sessions

Holiday portraits are always a super fun time in the studio, but I know they can feel stressful for families. Everyone wants the perfect smiling photo of their families to send out on the cards or share online, so I get it. That’s why I’m sharing a few tips for successful holiday portrait sessions with you today. Some are way easier than you think! And I want to reassure you: no matter what, we will have a holly jolly time together and I’ll capture gorgeous portraits of your families. As as seasoned photographer (and mom), you can trust that you’re in good hands!

#1: Schedule your session when your children are happiest!

For younger kinds, this is especially important. Think about the time of your day your children are in the best moods, good listeners, and cooperative. Generally that means right after a nap or first thing in the morning. If your kids are older, consider a later appointment if they’re usually in good moods then!

#2: Come dressed and ready to go!

By showing up in the outfits you want the family to wear, we can ensure no time is wasted in the studio. If you’re ready when you arrive, we’ll jump right in! And if you are going to change outfits (like into cute Christmas pajamas), do that last. It’s way easier for everyone to relax near the end instead of changing into something more formal at the end.

#3: Make sure your outfits fit.

We’re all busy - but take the time to try on your outfits the week before your session to make sure everyone fits. Encourage your little ones to wear their outfits for at least half an hour so they’re prepared to wear it in the studio. Make sure tights, shoes, and accessories look good together. This also allows your kids to get used to the feelings of the fabrics. Holiday outfits are often different than every day outfits!

#4: Have snacks beforehand.

This is a super easy tip! Simply make sure your kids have eaten. Full bellies = happy kids! The same goes for babies or big kids, too. Everyone’s less grouchy when they’ve eaten. It never fails!

#5: Don’t underestimate the power of a bribe!

No judgement here! I keep snacks in the studio for kids to have after we finish their portraits, and it's amazing how a package of goldfish crackers or chocolate chip cookies can get them to smile and hug their siblings. Seriously.

#7: Keep your cool!

This one’s for the parents out there. Don't stress if your kids are acting like kids (instead of angels!). I fully expect them to act their age, and I promise I'm clicking the shutter button at just the right moment to capture all of the smiles, cuddles, and laughs. Stay calm and they will feed off of your energy, and everyone will be happy! These holiday portraits should be fun - not a stressful, anxiety ridden experience.

#8: Plan how you are going to enjoy your portraits!

Holiday portraits are about more than just holiday cards, and I know you're not doing this session just to mail out a bunch of 5x7 cards that will hang on your friends' fridges for a month and then get tossed. Plan to print some for an heirloom holiday album that you can pull out year after year. Put a few on the wall, or create a wooden photo keepsake that you can pull out every holiday season to decorate an end table or the mantel. Don’t forget to make copies for the grandparents and share them on social media with your friends!

---

Save it for later:

Fun Fall Family Portraits with Brothers - Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

I can’t believe that I had another chance to work with this sweet family! I’ve been working with them since their oldest, Miles, turned one (you can see his cake smash below!). Now he’s grown so much and he’s a ton of fun. Every time I see these four, I consider myself so lucky. Over the last 4 years, we’ve had many sessions together and they’re always a great time.

We captured their most recent fall family portraits at Pitney Meadows this year - which is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots for portraits! I’m loving the fact that it’s close to the studio and has provided such beautiful fall foliage for me and my families. For this session, there were lots of laughs as we explored Pitney Meadows together. The boys were so excited to play games and follow my prompts and we captured their portraits.

Looking back over their session, the portraits of Miles and his brother Oscar are some of my favorites - and I know their mom couldn’t wait to get prints and gorgeous wall art with them to hang up. They were so sweet together and I hope their relationship continues to grow like that for years to come!

---

Save for later:

Beautiful Family Portraits in their own Backyard - Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

This was by far one of my favorite family sessions this spring! When the dad reached out to me to plan a portrait session as a Mother’s Day surprise for his wife, I knew that this was going to be an extra special session with his girls.

He told me that they “had a lot of land” and that he would love to do their session on their property to make it extra meaningful, but he was worried that they hadn’t landscaped much yet. No worries, I told him! Photographers have a knack for finding picturesque spots in the midst of something that the naked eye would think is just ordinary.

In order to make sure that we planned it for the perfect time of day when the light was most flattering, we chatted a bit about the yard, shared some cell phone pics to see how the sun sets behind the trees, and then walked around the property when I arrived to find the perfect spot. There was this one cluster of trees where the sun was setting directly behind them, and the sunlight was truly sparkling beautifully as it came through the leaves. Everything was golden, and I knew that it would be gorgeous in their photographs. Plus it had bright pops of color from a few flowering plants, and I love how it all came together as a backdrop for their portraits!

These sisters were ADORABLE and so, so good in front of the camera! We didn’t catch a single bad expression because they kept smiling and laughing the whole time! Read these tips for a meltdown-free portrait session with kids!

Don’t you just love how the light sparkles here?!?! Yeah, me too!

It’s hard to believe, but our calendar is already filling up for fall portrait sessions. If you’re planning on capturing beautiful memories like these of your family this year, now is the time to reach out and set a date for your session! I have plenty of locations in mind, and if you have a spot you’d like to try (like your own back yard!), let’s chat!

Check out these excuses to stop making for putting off your family portrait session!

---

Save for later:

Outdoor Portraits for Adorable Sisters in Saratoga Springs

The start of spring welcomed so many beautiful family portrait sessions at some of my favorite photo shoot locations around Saratoga Springs! I truly loved seeing this sweet family again for their family portrait session in Saratoga Spa State Park. We captured so many beautiful images of their girls, and the most adorable sister portraits of the two of them together.

Now they are going to have so many gorgeous portraits to enjoy in their home, and their hallway will look amazing with their new artwork hung in frames of their two little girls!

If you’ve been putting off your family portrait session, check out these 10 excuses to stop making and schedule your portrait session this year!

Clara was all smiles, and she loved getting her turn to sit and be the star of the show! The last time I saw her was for her milestone session at the studio, and she wasn’t quite sitting up yet! Now she is an adorable toddler with so much personality, and she brought so much joy to the session!

Big sister Hannah brought all of the smiles to their sibling portraits, and some adorable sass to her individual portraits, too! She loved looking for caterpillars on the sidewalk and finding curiosities in nature at the park, and we had so much fun watching the little insects cross the path in between clicks of the camera.

---

Save it for later:

Winter Family Portraits in Downtown Saratoga Springs

---

Save this post for inspiration later!

Dancing with Mama - Fun family portraits at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs, New York

This is TWO, and it was SO MUCH FUN!

I absolutely love photographing toddlers because they always bring all of the cuteness to their portrait sessions, and Miss Gianna was no exception. She came dressed to impress in what she called her “ballerina dress” and she wanted to show me how to twirl. We had so much fun with her family at the Hall of Springs, and I am in love with these summertime portraits!

Spinning, hugs, tickles, and kisses. That’s what portrait sessions are made of.

Our family sessions are relaxed & playful, and we always take enough time for the kids to warm up and become familiar with me, my camera, and our surroundings! Gianna has enjoyed many sessions with me over the years, so she was comfortable right away and we were able to capture so many cute moments of these three all cuddled up together.

---

Inspired by these fun poses for young children during family sessions? Pin this image or any from the post above!

---

About Nicole Starr Photography 

Nicole Starr specializes in newborn, baby & family photography and has been serving families in New York and Massachusetts since 2012.  She has a portrait studio in Saratoga Springs, NY for families in the Capital Region.  Nicole also works with families year round at her Attleboro, MA portrait studio, and on location May through October in Boston and on Cape Cod.  Nicole has a clean and classic style, and the studio is filled with neutrals and luxe fabrics.  We use very minimal props to keep the focus on your perfect little baby.  Our sessions are relaxed and fun, and we’ll enjoy an hour together (or up to 3 hours for a newborn session!) laughing, cuddling, and capturing authentic smiles and belly laughs with your little ones.  

Lazy Days of Summer - A Fun portrait session at an ice cream shop!

I always have so much fun photographing this family, and when mom told me she was up for a nontraditional session of her boys this summer, I knew just what we should do:

ICE CREAM!

We’ve done cake smashes and milestone sessions together, holiday portraits and family photos outdoors in the summer and fall. But with two toddler boys, you know what we’ve never done? MADE A REALLY BIG MESS AND JUST PLAYED!!!

I suggested we meet at a playground adjacent to an adorable little ice cream shop, and she loved the idea! This is my favorite local ice cream shop because not only is the ice cream delicious, but the red and white striped umbrellas are picture perfect!

Oscar & Miles were definitely up for the challenge of enjoying their ice cream cones, and they didn’t mind one bit that it dripped everywhere with sprinkles raining down all over their clothes. I couldn’t stop laughing with their mom & dad, and we had such a blast watching these boys enjoy such a carefree summer activity. My favorite part is that they’re going to get to look back on these summertime photos for yearssssss and remember their boys just as they were at this stage, with ice cream dripping down their elbows and sprinkles dotting their tiny fingers.

Are you considering a more relaxed and non-traditional portrait session for your little ones? Let’s chat about what you LOVE to do, and what you want to remember most about this stage of life with your kids!

---

Inspired by this fun summer session? Pin this image or any from the post above!

An Extended Family Session at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs NY - Saratoga Springs NY Family Photographer

Let's bring together all of the cousins, aunts, uncles, grandchildren, and grandparents and CELEBRATE YOUR FAMILY.

Extended family sessions are always a lot of fun, and when this family reached out to me about a session with 17 family members, I knew that we were in for a very memorable evening together!

The grandkids were so much fun and they had us running all over Congress Park chasing the ducks.  During these sessions we always capture portraits of the grandkids all together, with their grandparents, and individual portraits, too!

This session was a special gift to the grandparents to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.  In 50 years, they have created this huge and loving family.  That's pretty amazing that they are all together today all because two people fell in love 50 years ago!

So playful!  These brothers kept me on my toes and we had a lot of fun and shared a lot of laughs during their family's portraits.  And every time that Connor, the littlest one, wasn't looking at me?  It's because he was looking at the ducks!  Ducks are clearly much more interesting than photographers.   ;o)  

Alexzandra was home from college and joined us for their session.  She was also the professional cousin wrangler a few times during the shoot!

These boys just blew me away with their compassion.  When I asked what his favorite thing was about his brother, one of them replied "I think his best quality is that he's always very complimentary.  He makes everyone feel good."  What an insightful young man, who completely melted my heart with that comment!

Thinking of a family session for mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and the grandkids?  How about some cousins, aunts, and uncles?  Let's get together and plan your session today!  
 

A Family Portrait Session in Saratoga Springs Spa State Park - Saratoga Springs & Albany Family Photographer

Oh my goodness, this family is the absolute sweetest and it was such an honor to capture them all together for a family photo session in Spa State Park in Saratoga Springs!

I first met Kaley a few months ago at a get-together for local photographers in the Capital Region.  We connected again at a coffee shop where we spent hours talking life, business, and everything in between.  She told me about how her little boy, Remi, took her on a date to Red Robin, got all dressed up, put on a bowtie, told her to put on something pretty, and held the door for her at the restaurant.  He even insisted on paying for the meal.  I mean seriously, how cute!!!!  I fell in love with her adorable son and his amazing mannners on the spot, and I knew that the rest of her family would charm me as well!  

Then we started talking about capturing some family portraits before her exchange student, Daniel, returned to Mexico at the beginning of the summer.  When I was about the same age as Ellis and Remington , my family hosted three exchange students for three straight years.  Then in college I went to live with a family in Argentina, which kicked off a decade of international travel for me!  So of course I have a special spot in my heart for families that take on an exchange student and welcome another family's child into their home like one of their own.  

We got together for a very fun session at sunset in Spa State Park, right next to SPAC in Saratoga Springs.  It was the perfect summer evening for a relaxed and playful session together, and I loved every moment with this sweet family!

Aren't their outfits just perfect?

I always help families plan their outfits before their portrait session, and like most moms, Kaley messaged me and said, "Help!  I have nothing to wear!"

A half hour later she magically pulled together the most beautiful collection of outfits that were already in their closets, and that held so much meaning for their family!  Remi's shorts & suspenders were handmade and belonged to his grandpa, while the floral dress that Ellis is wearing was made by her great grandmother!  

Are you ready to capture some beautiful & light-hearted memories with your family?  Let me do all the work and plan a worry-free session for your family this summer!