2015 Year in Review Video by Nicole Starr Photography

2015 has truly been an incredible year, and I want to thank all of you for sharing so many magical moments with me!  

Enjoy this beautiful little video of some of our favorite images from the year.  I look forward to another beautiful year of storytelling in 2016!

To every family that asked me to tell their story: thank you.
To every mom who let me cuddle her newborn baby: thank you.
To every dad that wanted to surprise his wife with a keepsake gift: thank you.
To every creative entrepreneur that connected, laughed, shared, asked, taught, and learned with me this year: thank you.

And to every single person that connected with the stories in my photographs, commented on my images, shared their own stories with me, and let these beautiful families into their hearts through the images that I shared with you: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

A Dr. Seuss Cake Smash | Boston & Albany Baby Photographer

JJ's cake smash was extra special. It wasn't just the Dr. Seuss theme that I created to match his nursery, or the sweet little outfit that his mom found on Etsy with the most adorable bow tie. It's the story behind what you see in these photos.

I first met JJ in October as a part of our gift sessions to local families for National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. With his 1st birthday coming up, his mom knew she wanted to celebrate with a photo session in December. When we first talked about celebrating with a birthday session for JJ, I could tell how important this was to her to give her son this amazing and fun experience that is so typical for one-year olds.  

Though she did have one lingering question -- What about the cake?  JJ receives his nutrition through a feeding tube, and he is a healthy and happy little boy thanks to an amazing team of doctors and two loving parents.  Because he has Down syndrome, JJ may take a little longer to reach certain milestones such as sitting and eating on his own, but he is still their little baby who is turning one later this week, and it was so important that we document this milestone by adapting our cake smash to meet his needs.  His mom really wanted the cake, the messy frosting, the whole experience. So of course, we made it happen!

JJ's cake is actually filled with two pieces of styrofoam that I then decorated to look just like a giant cupcake. His frosting is extra squishy for those little fingers to explore.  I went out searching for the perfect vintage high chair to support him comfortably in a seated position, and I found it at a new antique & gift shop in Sudbury, Laurel Grove. These were two easy little tweaks that allowed this handsome baby to enjoy his cake smash.  JJ got to celebrate his first birthday with a birthday cake & a sugar high, just like his big sister did 5 years ago when she turned one.

So while the photos are oh-so-sweet, it's the story behind the images that truly speaks to my heart, and I hope to yours as well! Leave this birthday boy a little loving below in the comments, and tell us what you liked most about his session!

And of course, these photos of JJ pre-cake smash (and pre-blue frosting!) are too cute not to share.  I love how he is just chilling in the first one!  Such a cutie!

Would you like to see more photos of JJ?   Check out our post from Down Syndrome Awareness Month that features this little guy and so many other heart warming stories from local families.

Finally, want to learn more about Nicole Starr Photography's photo sessions in the Down syndrome community?  Read this amazing post about our collaboration with the National Down Syndrome Society for a series of rockin' photo shoots in NYC earlier this month!

A Musical First Birthday Cake Smash

Her name is Melody.  She loves music, singing, and dancing.  Of course we were going to do a musical themed cake smash for her first birthday photo session!

There are about a million and one reasons why I love cake smash sessions.  Cute babies, cake & creativity top the list.  I had this idea for a backdrop of floating hearts created from sheet music, and it came out just as beautiful as I had imagined it would.  I love when that happens!

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It wasn't long before Melody knocked the entire cake right off of the cake stand.  Let the smashing begin!  She really got into it -- just check out her toes in these next few photos!  I just love it when the babies get so into the smashing that it is all they can focus on.  So sweet!

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pink, teal and gray cake smash

pink and teal cake smash session

baby cake smash birthday photo session

The end of the smash always gives us the most comical reactions from the babies -- "What do you mean that cake's all gone?  And you want to wash me?  No way!!!"

music musical notes first birthday cake smash

Want to see the birthday girl in action?   Check out this adorable video clip!  I'm pretty certain that Melody LOVED her birthday cake!!

[video width="320" height="576" mp4="http://nicolestarrphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/30-3380-post/video-1446218810.mp4.mp4"][/video]

Happy birthday, baby girl!

View the rest of Melody's birthday session & family photos here.

A Sparkly Birthday Cake Smash {Maria}

There's something so magical about celebrating your little one's first birthday. I'm not talking about the parties, the decorations, the gifts.  I'm talking about reaching that monumental milestone that marks your first year as a family of three.  365 days of weathering the ups and downs while getting to know who this little baby of yours is.  12 months of parenting success.   Victory.

I love it when families come to me for their baby's first birthday session, and I always make it a point to snap some gorgeous memories of the whole family together.  Think about your little one's first year.  You have a million photos of your baby, a couple of your partner with the baby... and you're not in any of the pictures, right?  Jump in the frame and show your baby that you were there, that you were loving and happy and present.

boston saratoga photographer

boston saratoga photographer

Doesn't Maria have the most amazing sparkling eyes?  I could photograph her sweet & soulful expression all day!  And this little blue romper of hers?  I'm in love with it!  It was the perfect outfit for her one-year session.

boston saratoga photographer

boston saratoga photographer

boston saratoga photographer

boston saratoga photographer

Maria's mom wanted to celebrate her daughter's first year with a little *SPARKLE*.  Of course, I was thrilled about her pink and gold themed cake smash and was so excited to pull together the most gorgeous set up for her baby girl.  Sparkle and NSP go hand in hand, as you well know.  ;o)  Enjoy a few of my favorites from her sparkly cake smash session!

WM pink gold birthday cake smash set up

boston saratoga photographer

boston saratoga photographer

boston saratoga photographer

boston saratoga photographer

This little miss LOVED clapping her hands together, and I'm pretty certain that half of the photos from her session have her cheering herself on and looking to us to continue the applause.  Such a little cutie!

boston saratoga photographer

boston saratoga photographer

Happy Birthday, Miss Maria!  And congratulations to her amazing parents on their first victorious year as a family of three.

Did you love Maria's girly-girl session?  Check out another sparkly cake smash photo shoot here!

Want to learn more about our birthday sessions?  Read about our first year & cake smash sessions.

WM pink gold birthday cake

Surf's Up! A Birthday Cake Smash Session

When planning any photo session, I always love talking with my clients to learn about their lives, their interests, and what they REALLY want out of their session.  For Jason's 1st birthday, his mom knew one thing -- she wanted a pineapple cake.  Pineapple was what she craved most during her pregnancy, and she always joked that her baby boy was made of pineapple.

I loved the idea of a tropical cake for her little one, and we used a beachy vintage surfer theme for the backdrop.  This summer I have gotten into hand-painting backdrops for our sessions, and I am absolutely loving it!  This was a simpler set-up, and the photos were adorable.  Little Jason was more interested in the dots on the floor than his cake, though.  A few weeks later at his birthday party, his mom and dad learned that it's not that he doesn't LIKE cake.  Not at all.  He just LOVES chocolate cake.  (Ours was vanilla.)

First birthday sessions are more than just a cake smash.  They are a celebration of your first year together as a whole family, and I always love capturing this evolving love on camera with some gorgeous family shots.  Jason was such an active little boy, and he loved the camera.  He was absolutely fascinated by it, and constantly had his eyes on me to see what I was doing with that big black square in front of my eyes.  So much curiosity!

There are a few of my favorite family shots of Nancy and Fabricio with their little boy.  I love it when families can just play, laugh, and love in the park by my studio and we capture these amazing moments of them together.

Did you love this birthday session?  Click on the "Contact" tab above and let's plan your baby's first year session!

Want to see more like it?

Check out other recent cake smashes here and here.

A Whimsical Pink & Teal Birthday

Look who's turning one! I had such a fabulous time planning Anna's cake smash with her mom.  Some families come to me and say, "I'm not the creative type.  I trust you.  I'm sure you'll come up with an amazing set."  Other families come to me in the planning stages and tell me a few ideas, we share inspiration photos, bounce ideas off of each other, and then I finish the final details in planning their session!

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Anna's mom knew that she wanted to do a cake smash birthday session outdoors, which I was very excited about.  She wanted something girly, soft, and whimsical for her daughter.  She loved inspiration photos that I sent her with pinks and teals, and fell in love with these tissue paper balls upon first glance.  That plus the perfect location (Larz Anderson Park in Brookline) with the most incredible light sparkling through the trees in the distance meant that we had the set up for a STUNNING cake smash!

I love seeing the cute little outfits that parents find on Etsy for the children's sessions.  This ruffled and lacy teal diaper cover was no exception, and it was just perfect with those pearl beads!

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Anna was so full of personality and I loved capturing her at this age.  The first birthday is such a milestone, and your little baby is growing into quite the little person!  Those rolls on the legs, her excited new clapping skills, and those teeth poking through are just a few of the things you'll want to remember about this age.

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first birthday

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While a little dainty at first, Anna quickly got all into her cake and was loving every single frosting-covered bite!  Her big brother Mikey wasn't one to just sit on the sidelines and watch his sister enjoy that whole cake to herself, so he jumped in.  These next photos weave together perfectly to tell such a comical story of Anna realizing that Mikey loved her birthday cake...

And just like that, Anna is all done!

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pink and teal cake smash baby birthday session boston_0018

See the rest of this family's beautiful session at Larz Anderson Park by clicking here.

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Did you love this cake smash?

Check out another sparkly cake smash session here.

Is your baby turning 1 soon?  Let's chat and plan their birthday session!  

Email me by clicking on the >>CONTACT<< tab above.

A Blush & Gold Cake Smash {Daniela's 1st Birthday}

The C family is another one of my NSP families that I feel like I have known forever, and I feel so lucky to have watched their family GROW.

 Arlene and I met in grad school in 2007 when she and Chris were newlyweds living in a teeny-tiny Fenway apartment.  We've spent countless hours together, shared innumerable meals and laughs, and been there for each other through moves and babies and weddings.

I absolutely ADORE this shot of this gorgeous mama and her two girls.

And Alice?  She's such a sweetie and full of so much spunk and personality!  Love these next few captures of her...

Haha, one of our favorites.  "What is happening? Why is she touching me?"  ~Dani

Dani is the sweetest, happiest baby and I was thrilled to capture this little girl on camera.  Her mama is crazy creative and made a gorgeous banner with real glitter on the letters, and the most amazing crown for her cake smash.  Seriously, I see a partnership in our futures.  ;)

And now, the little girl that was all about the cake.  She was SOOOO excited about her very own birthday cake, and I love how into it she got while smashing her cake.  Frosting was EVERYWHERE, but it was so worth it.

Happy Birthday, baby girl!

A Chevron and Teal Cake Smash in Boston, MA {Josslyn's 1st Birthday}

I adore cake smash sessions, and I am loving them even more now that the studio allows me full creative license to make my own backdrops, design the most gorgeous cakes, and even provide the perfect little outfits for our birthday babies!  When I set up our studio I knew that it would allow me so much more creative freedom, but what I am surprised by is that I am now taking DIY to a whole new level as we explore unique backdrops, sets, and props for our sessions.  I get to combine all of my passions -- photography, babies, DIY, and baking -- in each and every cake smash session.  What a perfect job!

Josslyn's mom told me that she wanted her baby girl's cake smash to go along with the chevron, teal, and gray that they had used throughout her first year.  Always looking to present my photography in a simple, clean way that is unique from the work of my other fellow photographers, I sought to do a clean chevron design for her shoot.  Hand painting the backdrop was an exercise in precise measurement, but it was worth it to create this simple and beautiful backdrop.

Josslyn even signed "All done!" to let us know she had had enough of her birthday cake.  So adorable!

All birthday sessions also include family photos, and in the warm weather I prefer to head outside to a little park close to the studio that has the perfect light.  Isn't it magical how the light just sparkles through the trees?  What a gorgeous family!

This little girl was right on the verge of walking at her first birthday session!  When we got together to view her photos two weeks later, she was already taking her first confident steps across the floor to see her mama.  I am so glad we captured this moment on camera, just as she was on the brink of her next milestone.

Happy birthday, baby girl!