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 Dreamy Session with Newborn Twins | Albany & Saratoga Springs Newborn Photographer

Sometimes miracles come in pairs.

Finley Grace & Bella James

I love photographing newborns.  Absolutely adore it.  But when you bring newborn twins to me?  Oh my gosh, I'm in heaven!

After arriving one month early and spending some time in the NICU, I was so excited to finally snuggle with these baby girls in the studio.  They are just the sweetest little things, and I adored our session together.  Creamy, dreamy, whimsical & soft are my favorite types of sessions, and this one was no exception!  I love the soft, neutral colors that allow the babies to be the focus of the session, the way we had the most perfect light streaming through the studio windows to illuminate these new parents and their love, and the most peaceful little girls that slept the entire time.

I adore the stunning mama and baby portrait, below.  I recently came across a motherhood quote, and when I read it this photograph immediately came to mind.

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.  

She never existed before.  

The woman existed, but the mother, never.  

A mother is something absolutely new."  ~Rajneesh

Love this fun shot of the babies in their daddy's arms!  They won't be that tiny forever, and it's amazing to see and look back on.

The best compliment that you can give a photographer is to have an emotional connection to the portraits that we take and the moments that we capture.  The photo below is the one that brought tears to their mom's eyes during our reveal session.  I just LOVE that a photograph can do that, and I'm truly honored that the photographs I take of your children mean so much.  <3  

And we'll finish with my favorite shot of Finley & Bella, two little twins all snuggled up together.  I love how they just curl up together and mold their limbs together into one tiny little space.  

Check out other newborn twin sessions here, here & here.

Love the clean and organic look of these photographs?  Me too!  View Lucy's clean and simple newborn session.

A Clean & Simple Newborn Session

Photographers are artists, and we find inspiration everywhere.  Our style is constantly evolving, and we are always learning.  I love that I have the opportunity to explore, create, and grow through the sessions and the families that I work with.  I've always been drawn to bright, clean images -- whites, creams, soft shadows, tiny details, and the simplicity that comes with a classic portrait. After being inspired and learning more about minimalist newborn photography in a recent workshop, I decided to go that route with Lucy's newborn session.

Clean & classic.  Simple.  Pure.

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This one below is, perhaps, my favorite image from the entire session.  Her tiny pursed lips, those sweet little back rolls, and those full cheeks just make me want to cuddle right up with her!

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My new macro lens was perfect for these detail shots.  Babies grow so quickly, and capturing these tiny details is always a priority in my sessions!

During Lucy's newborn session, we started with family portraits outdoors and even took a few stunning newborn portraits outside of this sweet new arrival.  Her family's portraits are filled with smiles, kisses, and fall colors.  You can view the rest of her session here in this post.

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I'd love to hear what you think of this new clean & simple style.

Leave a comment below!  Thank you!

An Outdoor Newborn Photography Session | Albany Newborn Photographer

Welcome to the world, Lucy June.

I got to cuddle with this little cutie during her newborn session, and I didn't want to put her down!  All soft, sweet, and adorable, Lucy was a dream baby to work with.  Right in between summer and fall, we were lucky enough for a warm morning that allowed us to head outside for the beginning of her newborn session.  We captured the sweetest family photographs of mom, dad, and big sister Hazel.  I finally pulled out my vintage quilt in fall colors, and my crocheted blanket flea-market-find that went perfectly with the vibrant fall colors of her session.

I was especially impressed by Hazel.  Only two years old, she was patient and gentle with her new baby sister.  She loved giving Lucy kisses, and we captured so many sweet little moments between the two sisters.

More baby kisses!

With the weather turning cooler and the air getting crisper in the mornings, I'll be sorry to give up these outdoor newborn photography sessions for the winter.  But, for all of you expecting mamas waiting on your spring babies, let's keep this in mind!

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To see the rest of Lucy's session, head on over to this blog post.

It's filled with clean, classic, and simple images of this precious baby girl, and a little info about this evolving photographer's style!

Plus, one of my all-time FAVORITE newborn images ever is in that blog post.  Check it out!

Powerful Love: A beautiful in-home session with newborn twins

Lifestyle photography.

It's exactly what it sounds like.  A private glimpse into your life to capture those moments that happen behind closed doors.  Sometimes those moments are loud and colorful, and sometimes those moments are quiet and calm.  These are moments that are shared with your family.  They shape you and your loved ones, and they are the ones that you'll remember many years from now as some of the happiest and most fulfilling moments of your life.

A cuddle with your newborn baby.

A quiet glance over to your husband, admiring him in this new role as a father.

Reaching down to stroke the soft wisps of hair atop your baby's head.

Sitting back, looking around, and falling in love with this life you've created together.

Kati & Pete dreamed of their babies' arrival for many, many months.  They prepared a beautiful space to welcome their newborn twins home with the most thoughtful touches -- a rustic wooden wall, sweet and simple quotes, pictures from their favorite children's book, photos from their travels around the world, the cutest little elephants, and an adorable handmade mobile.  Their twin sons were born on July 21, 2015.  After spending a little extra time with the doctors and nurses, both boys finally arrived home and they were welcomed with so much love.

One of my favorite experiences of being a newborn photographer is capturing the way that new parents look at their babies.  It's a mix of awe, wonder, and overwhelming love.  It truly is the most incredible moment to capture on camera.

Birth.  Nailed it.  (Cutest onesies ever!)

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Max & Owen were the sweetest little boys, and being exactly one month old (our session was held on their original due date), they were wide-eyed and wanted to take in everything going on around them.

Is there anything cuter than a little baby yawn?  No, I didn't think so either...

One of the meaningful benefits of a lifestyle newborn session in your home is that it allows us to showcase your family, your love, your personality, and YOUR HOME.  That gorgeous space you've created together that tells your story becomes a living and breathing part of your photos, and it is pure magic.  I absolutely adored this gallery wall in Kati & Pete's home, and the moment I saw it I knew we needed to use it as a backdrop for their family photos.  This wall tells their story, and now their sons will find a spot right there among all of their other memories and loved ones.

Congratulations, Kati & Pete!

What a beautiful family and a beautiful life you are creating for yourselves.

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Are you eagerly anticipating your little one's arrival?  Send me an email by clicking on the "Contact" tab and I'd love to chat with you to plan your baby's newborn session.  We'll talk and discover if a studio session or an in-home lifestyle session is the best fit for your family.

Read more about our newborn sessions here.

Eleanor Katherine {A delicate and floral springtime newborn session}

Eleanor Katherine

April 16, 2015  |  1:28pm

6 pounds, 3 ounces  |  18 inches

I was so excited to welcome Ellie and her parents for their newborn session.  This little girl's arrival to the world was much-anticipated and long-awaited, so we were so happy to welcome this tiny little girl into the studio for the perfect springtime session.

Eleanor was a dream baby.  Her parents followed my prep packet steps exactly, and she arrived to the studio all tuckered out, slipped right into a milk coma, and was in dreamland the entire session.  This allowed us to get so many adorable set ups of their little girl, and many of the specialty shots that the parents had requested for family members.

I always love starting with the family shots, and this has become one of my favorites of showing a baby girl in her daddy's strong hands...

Look at all that hair!

Cute new wrap, you say?  Why yes, it is!  Luckily my husband, Jeff, didn't mind browsing the scarf racks with me at TJ Maxx this spring when the perfect baby wraps were on sale.  He's a keeper.  ;o)

I love how tiny she looks in this one!

Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl!

She is perfect in every way.

Charlotte Rose {A Springtime Newborn Session in Boston, MA}

Charlotte Rose

March 30, 2015

1:52pm

6 pounds, 12 ounces  |  19 inches

The springtime was a whirlwind of opening my new studio, so many sessions with sweet little babies, lots of flowers, and wedding planning.  This explains why I'm a little behind on the blogging, through if you've been following the Nicole Starr Photography Facebook Page you'll have seen many sneak peeks from these gorgeous springtime newborn sessions.

Charlotte is one lucky little girl.  

She has the most amazing big brother that is already watching out for her, a little man who is so kind and thoughtful towards his sisters.  She has an adorable big sister who just loves her to pieces, a toddler who would stay so still when she was in charge of holding and kissing her baby sister.  And she has the most amazing parents who were so happy to welcome her into their home as they became a family of 5.

I just love this picture below!  So big sister Madeline is not looking at the camera?  It's exactly who she is at this toddler stage and it is PERFECT.  And that proud big brother right there?  Amazing.

Newborn smiles are the best.  I absolutely love it when I am lucky enough to catch them on camera.  

A Little Fox & Woodsy Newborn Baby Session {Boston Baby Photographer}

Andrew Stephen

March 17, 2015

9 pounds, 3 ounces

21 inches

Little Baby Andrew is not exactly "little"... all 9.3 pounds of him filled up my baskets, my newborn hats, and his mommy & daddy's arms.  This sweetheart was such a cutie with his head full of hair and his sparkling blue eyes, and I had such a fabulous time with his mom and dad in the studio during his session.  We got so many adorable little photos of him and I'm thrilled to share them here.  This first one of him in his daddy's strong arms will just melt your heart...

This handsome little guy was born on St. Patrick's Day, so it was only fitting that we get some proper green photos for this Irish babe.  LOVE how these turned out!

When I first talked with his mom to plan his session, I knew right away that we were going to get along fabulously.  She was so easy-going and excited about his session, and she had so many great ideas for his photos.  I love it when parents have ideas and themes they'd like top incorporate into their shoots!  She told me that she and her husband are "woodsy" and that they had had a rustic wedding with their closest family and friends.  After hearing about a sweet little fox set that someone had made for her baby boy, I knew just the set up to design for their little fox.  What do you think of the new nest?  You'll be able to see the first photo over on The Loving Nest's new website, an NSP partner.  Check them out!

Congratulations to Lindsay & Chris on their sweet little boy's arrival.  He is absolutely perfect!

A Natural & Neutral Newborn Session {Theodore Peter}

First of all, do you notice something new about this post?  Look very closely and you just might spy it...   :o)

Carli & Nick were just the sweetest when we met for their son's newborn session.  Their baby boy was born in the last days of February, right in the middle of all of that snow that came to us here in Boston.  I was so happy to spend a morning with them getting to know their little boy.  Typical newborn sessions are 2-3 hours, giving us plenty of time to chat and get to know one another.  What stood out to me with these new parents were their easy-going attitudes and how they took their first week of parenting in stride.  It was such a calm and relaxed session, and their little man was such a sleeper -- he snoozed straight through our session together!

Welcome to the world, Theodore Peter!  Thank you so much to the new mommy & daddy for welcoming me into their home to capture their beautiful first memories as a family of three.

......... So, did you notice something different about this post?  Leave your comment below if you think you found it!