Our 2017 Holiday Card Showcase! | Saratoga Springs and Boston Family Photographer

Everyone loves getting mail, right? 

Every year, one of my favorite traditions is opening my mailbox in December to find it filled with red and white envelopes, handwritten addresses, and lots of festive holiday stamps.  The envelopes are always filled with holiday cards with adorable family portraits, the cutest little babies, and notes & letters about the year.  I hang them up on a garland in the entryway of our home, and whenever we walk in the door we're greeted by those smiling faces and cheerful messages.  

That's one of the reasons I love designing holiday cards for my clients so much.  I know that this becomes just one more thing added to your never-ending holiday to-do list, and I like to take that off your plate for you so that you can focus on much more important things this holiday season -- like decorating a tree and finding the perfect recipe for your cookie party!

Every session (even the summer beach sessions!) has the option to add on custom card design during their gallery reveal appointment.  We choose your favorite images for the front and back of the card, plan your message, and then I get to work designing the perfect card for your family!

This year our clients sent out hundreds and hundreds of holiday cards to their loved ones.  Here are a few favorites from our 2017 holiday card designs!  Did one of these land in your mailbox?  Comment below which design is your favorite!

A Bathtub Splash after the Cake Smash - Saratoga Springs NY Baby Photographer

We have the most adorable new prop in the studio, and I think you're going to LOVE it!  It is simple, classic, and just perfect for our littlest clients! 

Just look at this adorable baby-sized bathtub.  Riley LOVED using it after her cake smash session for a little SPLASH (with a rubber ducky, of course)!

At this age, I love capturing all of the little details that make your baby so beautiful and unique.  Thick eyelashes.  Beautiful curls that are just starting to take shape.  Perfect little lips.  Finger dimples.  And those adorable leg rolls that you just want to squish and cuddle.

Many babies spend the happiest part of their day splishing & splashing in the bathtub.  For them, it's a playground filled with so many giggles and the biggest smiles.  Riley, of course, adored her bath time and she made the biggest splash!  

Huge smiles.  Lots of happy squeals.  And non-stop laughter as she played with her rubber duckies.  

Are you ready to book your SMASH & SPLASH?  What about a petite session with just a baby bath?  Email me and let's chat to plan your baby's perfect session together!
 

An Awake Newborn Session with Nora Jude in our Saratoga Springs Portrait Studio

Not every baby is a sleepy little newborn, and sometimes we get the tiniest clients who are also the most alert despite all of my efforts to lull them to sleep (heat, swaddles, white noise, a full belly, gentle rocking, and so many more tricks that usually work for 90% of our newborn sessions!).  

Nora Jude was the tiniest, most perfect little baby girl, and she wanted nothing more than to watch everything that was going on during her newborn session.  At 13 days old, she didn't want to miss a thing, so we went with the flow and captured plenty of wide-eyed shots of this brand new baby.  I just love all of the different expressions she gave me during our little staring "show-down"!

I eventually won the staring contest, and this sweet 6-pound girl drifted off to sleep so that we could capture some adorable, sleepy poses.

Of course, a subtle Christmas set-up was a must for this winter baby!

As I was looking through my viewfinder to take this family portrait, I remember saying, "Oh my gosh, this is definitely a new favorite family portrait!  I just love this pose!"  Mom, dad, and baby look so cozy together, and you can really tell how small their daughter is all curled up in dad's hands like that.  This is definitely a family pose that we will see more of in the studio!

If you loved Nora's session, you're going to adore these next two on the blog!
Emma Adele
Quinn Madlina

Did you know that we are now booking newborn sessions through March 2018?  Most moms reserve their session in the second or third trimester to save a flexible date on the calendar for their little one's arrival.  Let's chat!

Samantha's Sparkly 5th Birthday Session in Downtown Boston | Boston MA Children's Photographer

Samantha's 5th birthday session was the stuff of so many little girls' dreams.

A sparkly dress.  Pretty shoes.  Twinkling city lights.  And all eyes on her with a photographer giving her her undivided attention.  
 

I loved helping Samantha's mom come up with an outfit and a location that would celebrate her daughter's spunky personality with a bit of whimsy, right in downtown Boston. 

We met up in the Seaport District with the beautiful Boston skyline sparkling in the sunset, and it was absolutely perfect.  Samantha enjoyed running up and down the walkways of Fan Pier Park, playing a few different games with me and showing off her ballerina twirls.  

The silver "5" balloon was the perfect prop for the birthday girl, and it was nearly as big as her!  Thankfully we didn't have too much wind to deal with that evening, and Samantha was able to hug that balloon tight and wave it around.  

When our sessions focus just on your little one, we always have time for an outfit change!  Samantha changed into a classic plaid dress and we headed on over to the blue bridge that is famous in this part of the city. 

It was filled with pedestrians leaving work, coming and going in all directions, but Samantha stole the show and carved out her own little space on the sidewalk.  Many of the city-goes stopped to exclaim how adorable she was, and of course she soaked up all of the attention with a great big smile!

I love planning sessions that celebrate your little one's personality.  These "Simply Me" sessions are the perfect way to showcase childhood wonder.  From the outfit to the location, we'll have so much fun bringing your vision to life. 

With the winter here, we're now planning sessions through March at your child's favorite indoor locations -- the skating rink, baking cookies in the kitchen, the library, a pretty lobby of your favorite hotel in the city, their favorite burrito shop, or Target.  You name it, and we'll make it happen!

Your New Favorite Storybook - A Peek into our Newborn Albums - Saratoga Springs NY Newborn Photographer

Did you see last month's album blog post?  Click to see why these fine art albums are my absolute favorite keepsake that we offer with our sessions, and check out this beautiful baby girl's album, too!
 

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Today I'm excited to share another fine art album from one of our recent newborn sessions.  Declan James came to our Saratoga Springs studio and we did a classic neutral session with a few nautical elements incorporated into his portraits.  This sweet little boy loved being swaddled, and we captured so many gorgeous images of him with his proud parents. 

These albums tell such a beautiful story, and they are truly a special way to celebrate your baby's arrival.  I love how we weave all of his portraits together in an album that they will pass down to him one day when he's older!

While I love a sleepy newborn all curled up in a little pose, there's nothing I adore more than parent shots.  Look at the awe and pride on these new parents' faces as they hold their baby boy!  It's truly magical to witness.

Oh, sweet boy.  You're going to melt so many hearts with those soulful eyes of yours!

Did you know that the best time to book your newborn session is in the second trimester?  Read more about our newborn sessions here, and contact us today to start planning your baby's portrait session!  
 

Family Portraits on Saratoga Lake with Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

I always love checking out new locations for our family portrait sessions, and when Nia reached out to me and told me that she lives on Saratoga Lake, I knew that we would find the perfect spot for her family photos!  The lake did not disappoint...

Baby Blake was the most handsome little guy, and he gave us about a million different smiles during our hour together, each one unique.  At 8 months old, he is filled with personality and it's so clear that he brings so much happiness to his parents' lives.  I love all of the adorable moments we captured of the three of them!  

This is the family's dock on the lake where they spend so much time in the warmer months, and it was the perfect spot to document their baby's first fall portraits.  Imagine returning to the same spot throughout the year to document their family's life, and what that will look like 10 and 15 years from now! 

That's the thing about photographs. 
They are a part of your family's legacy.

The More the Merrier! A Peek at our Holiday Sessions | Saratoga Springs and Boston Family Photographer

I love Christmas.  Every year I look forward to the holiday season because it is filled with twinkly lights, delicious aromas, cozy family traditions, and so much festivity everywhere you look. 

That's why our holiday sessions are always some of my favorite sessions of the year here at our studio.  So many families come and visit, and many are families that I have photographed for years, plus there are always a few new families that I'm excited to meet, too!  This year we did holiday portraits with families in Saratoga Springs and in Boston (at our Attleboro studio), and it was so much fun creating a little holiday magic with these babies and children!

Our set-ups were simple & classic this year:

A fluffy red and white bed that was adorable with Christmas pajamas.
And a huge wreath filled with twinkly lights for some family portraits.  

CUTENESS OVERLOAD with these adorable twins!!

Booking a Safe Newborn Photographer - Saratoga Springs NY Newborn Photographer

A Lifestyle Newborn Session in Downtown Boston | Boston Newborn Photographer

Of course there is nothing I love more than being invited into the homes of new parents to celebrate their baby's arrival with them.  As a Boston newborn photographer, these lifestyle sessions always steal my heart and I love watching a family that just grew +1 as they welcome their baby into their lives.

I was lucky enough to join Baby John's family at the hospital for a Fresh 48 session soon after his arrival, and just a few weeks after that I was invited to their beautiful light-filled home in Boston overlooking the Boston Common for a lifestyle newborn portrait session with mom, dad, and grandma.

John, of course, wanted to see what all the fuss was about and he was alert & curious the entire time!

I always encourage grandparents to join us for our lifestyle sessions, and we were so fortunate that John's grandma was able to visit from NY in time for his newborn session!  Three generation portraits are so magical, and a great keepsake to look back on to showcase your family's legacy.

Every lifestyle session we try to create your family portraits in three main areas of your home -- the living room, the nursery, and the master bedroom.  Of course, depending on the lighting and the space, we may not be able to do all of those spaces and we'll instead choose another area of your home with great light and that shows character in the decor. 

Nursery portraits are always some of my favorite lifestyle shots because we get to focus on all of the little details that you so lovingly selected during your pregnancy -- the crib, the mobile, the artwork, the rocking chair that you're going to spend hundreds of hours in with your baby.  This particular nursery had no windows, but you wouldn't know it with how light & airy we were able to make it for the baby's first photoshoot!

My job is a photographer is to seek out amazing pockets of light in your home.  I immediately fell in love with the light and architectural details in this hallway, so of course it was the perfect spot for a few family portraits.  Don't you just love how the archway frames them so beautifully?

Our lifestyle newborn sessions have become incredibly popular, and the calendar is filling up for the winter months!  We're now booking through March 2018, and I would love to celebrate your baby's arrival with you as your bring your baby home.  Let's chat about documenting your family's legacy today!
 

Family Portraits at Home with Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

Fall is such a short-lived season here in New York, and we only get to enjoy these colors for a few weeks before everything becomes cold & gray (oh, hey, November!!).  I've been loving all of our outdoor family sessions lately, taking full advantage of the warmer weather, the vibrant colors, and the chance to be outside without a heavy coat.  

When Jenny told me about her vision to photograph their family at home in their backyard with their beagle, and she started talking about a furry vest for her daughter and a leather jacket for her son, I just knew we were going to have a beautiful session together!

These playful, unposed portraits are always some of my favorites, and I loved watching this family love on each other (which from the little ones, sometimes included hugs that turned into sibling tackles!).  I don't think I've ever laughed so much during a session!

Airplane arms!  Isn't he the cutest?

While we've wrapped up our family sessions for the year (because, who wants to be outside when everything is cold and gray???), I'm looking forward to a busy winter at the studio with lots of babies and mamas-to-be.  And I'm already day dreaming about warm springs days, buds on the trees, lots of colorful blossoms, and our playful outdoor family sessions in 2018!
 

Welcome Baby John! A Fresh 48 Session at Brigham and Women's Hospital with Boston Newborn Photographer

There is just something so breathtaking about the story told in our hospital newborn photo sessions.  This recent Fresh 48 session at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston is one of my favorites -- the soft light was pouring through the windows, and there was so much love surrounding this sweet baby boy as they welcomed him into their family. 

Add in a head of downy soft blonde newborn hair, and the most adorable blankets and swaddles, and this session simply stole my heart!

One of the things that makes our Fresh 48 sessions so special is that they truly document this moment for your family. 

We leave on the hospital bracelets, we embrace the tiny hospital rooms and the plastic & metal hospital furniture, and we weave that all together into the most beautiful story.  Your outfits aren't perfectly coordinated, and most moms wear a robe, yoga pants, or hospital gown.  We want to capture you just as you are, and showcase these first few hours and days with your new baby.

Without fail, our hospital newborn photo shoots always have a bed in the middle of the room and we get those rumpled white sheets in your photographs.  I love having the new parents cozy up on the narrow bed with their infant for a few family portraits, and the small space always encourages closeness and connection.

Plus, with the light pouring through those huge hospital windows, magic happens.  

You never want to forget these first moments getting to know your son or daughter.  A cell phone photo simply cannot do your family's legacy justice.  Have you booked your Fresh 48 photographer yet?  

Sweaters & Fall Leaves | Family Portraits at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline

As we wrap up the busy fall season filled with outdoor family portrait sessions, I am so excited to share a peek into this sweet family's session at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline. 

Jessica, Danny, and their son DJ were so much fun to work with, and I love how natural and easy they were in front of the camera.  They spent the hour together just loving on their son, making him laugh, and clapping for all of the skills that he showed off for the camera.  They were truly a joy to photograph, and I am so lucky that this job introduces me to such amazing families. 

DJ was so happy that afternoon, and he was in such a relaxed and playful mood the entire time.  I love how handsome he is with his adorable red glasses on, and those tiny hands clapping for himself are the sweetest thing! 

Peek-a-boo!

This little series with his mama makes my heart so happy.  It is so clear to see that DJ bring so much JOY to their lives, and I was thrilled going back through my images from that day to see that we captured these huge smiles and real laughs shared between the two of them.

We may have wrapped up our outdoor family sessions for the year, but we're still inviting families to come visit us at our Attleboro, MA and Saratoga Springs, NY studios for the sessions this winter!  Contact us today to plan your next portrait session!
 

Happy Thanksgiving! A Pumpkin Pie Smash at our Saratoga Springs Studio: NY Cake Smash Photographer

Who says that birthdays can only be celebrated with a cake smash?
How about a PUMPKIN PIE SMASH?

This Thanksgiving-themed birthday session at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio was the perfect way to celebrate the season for sweet little Riley.  With her first birthday coming up soon, this baby girl got to enjoy an alternative to our traditional cake smash session with a pumpkin pie! 

Of course, I can't resist a handmade one-of-a-kind backdrop, and gold calligraphy has always been my favorite.  "Gobble 'til you wobble" was the perfect saying for this very fun birthday photo session!  Combined with a few simple fall accents and an adorable outfit, Riley was the star of the show for her birthday session! 

And just look at that tiny little tooth poking through her smile!

I always prep parents before a cake smash session that some babies love their cake, and others need a little more convincing.  But don't worry -- I have so many tricks to get babies interested in their cake, and we're always able to capture the most adorable portraits!

Sometimes giving the baby a spoon is all it takes because it's something that they're familiar with and that they've enjoyed using at home lately.  A tiny silver spoon did just the trick for our birthday girl, and she went to town on her pie with that spoon!

Is your little one's birthday coming up soon?  We're now booking cake smash sessions (or pies, cheerios, avocado, and other favorite food smashes!) through March 2018, which is perfect for babies who will turn 1 between now & May!  You can read all about our birthday sessions here on our website.  
 

8 Gratitude Ideas for Every Business Owner

As we move into the holiday season and start looking forward to Thanksgiving in just a few days, now is the perfect opportunity for us to pause and reflect on the businesses we run and the relationships we are building.  Today on the blog we’re talking all about showing GRATITUDE in your business.

You have the best job in the world.  Seriously now, think about it for a second…  

You have been so lucky to work with all of these amazing families this year.  They have invited you into their lives, handed you their babies — their most precious gifts, and asked you to capture their story in a way that only you know how.  You have fostered relationships with these people who are not just clients, but now your friends.  You have so much to be thankful for!  Have you slowed down to acknowledge that this year?

Today I want to share a few ways that you can show gratitude in your business every single day.  These are small steps that you can implement, but that will have a big impact on how you perceive your business, how you perceive the work you are doing, and how your clients perceive the experience they are receiving from you. 

In the end, the most important thing is that they feel valued and appreciated.  Here are a few tips to make that happen!

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Never underestimate the power of a thank you.

I was raised on handwritten thank you notes, and I am so glad that it’s something I have continued doing all these years.  Everyone loves receiving mail, and it’s so much nicer to open a beautiful notecard with someone’s heartfelt note scrawled inside than it is to open a stiff, typed form letter.  

Build it into your work flow to send every client a handwritten thank you note.  This can be after they sign their contract and book their session with you, letting them know how excited you are to work with them in a few weeks.  Or it can be included with their print order, thanking them for such a wonderful experience and telling them how much you hope they enjoy their new artwork. 

Buy thank you cards that match your branding, or get them printed in bulk through your lab.  Use a nice pen, and your very best penmanship.  But most importantly, put your heart into it and send them a meaningful note.

Surprise your clients with a gift.

Whether you’re giving a new mom flowers at her newborn session, bringing a swaddle to the hospital for their Fresh 48 session, gifting them a mounted print at their gallery reveal appointment, or getting little onesies made for all of the babies your work with, do something to make your clients go, “WOW!” 

These are small gestures that don't cost much, and you can build the cost into your session fee.  Show them that you’re thinking of them.  Show them that they matter to you and that you appreciate them inviting you into their lives for this photo shoot.  

Show your clients that you’re listening, and that you value them & their story.

If they mention what they do for work, where their favorite vacation spot is, or that this is the first granddaughter in their family in 26 years — remember that!  Bring these connection points up in conversation when you’re with your clients and show them that you care about their family and their story.  Mention small details in their blog post or social media posts, and they’ll be surprised that you remembered something that they only mentioned in passing.  When you show them that you're listening, you're showing them that you appreciate them choosing you as their family photographer.

Comment on their social media posts.

If your client reposts your images, leave a nice comment about what a great experience you had working with them!  Become friends on Facebook or Instagram, and interact with their day to day posts.  You’ll stay at the front of their mind, and they’ll feel like you’ve become a small part of their lives and that they matter to you — they weren’t just another customer or another paycheck to you.

Thank your referred clients, and the ones that referred them!

When you give your clients an amazing experience, they will want to tell their friends.  Implement some type of referral program with rewards.  Surprise them with a little thank you gift when they send someone your way -- a print from a recent session, product credit, or a mini session at the studio are all just a few ideas of ways that you can thank them when their friend books with you!  Never take word of mouth marketing for granted, and always show appreciation that they are helping your small business grow.
 

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There are many facets to being a business owner.  One of them is, of course, how you present yourself to your clients and your potential clients.  Another is how you present yourself to your peers. 

Just as you take care to put your best foot forward with the clients that are paying your bills, make sure that you’re also putting just as much effort into the relationships you’re building with your peers in the photography industry.  Remember that they are just that — PEERS.  Not competition, not enemies.  We’re a community and we’re here to help each other and build each other up.  Here are a few ways to show gratitude in this other side of your business.

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Respond to messages & questions from other photographers.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and we all have questions.  If someone reaches out to you in an email or with a comment on social media, don’t leave them hanging!  Take a moment to send them a quick reply and answer whatever it is they’re asking. 

I have made wonderful connections all across the country (and even around the world!), and I am so grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to “meet” these amazing business owners all because one of us asked the other one a question.  This truly fosters a sense of community, and soon you’ll see that you’re all helping each other out and sharing each other’s names and business pages in groups where people are asking questions, looking for a photographer, or needing inspiration for a session.  We all have something to offer — what will YOU offer to others this season?
 

Be active in the photography groups online!

Don’t be a lurker!  You have something to share with others, so get out there and help them!  Start commenting on posts and asking questions.  Share your tips, images, positive CC, and inspiration online.  We all learn from each other, and we all have so much to give to help others. 

Just remember one rule that applies to all groups — if you want CC, ask for it and humbly accept whatever advice you get.  And if someone didn’t ask for CC, don’t be the one that gives unsolicited and unwelcome advice!
 

Choose positivity.

Embrace a positive mindset in all areas of your business. This is one of the best ways for you to be thankful for what you have, and for what you have achieved.  

So you don’t have the fanciest equipment or the biggest studio?  That’s okay — make it work with what you’ve got!  You can still create beautiful images that reflect your unique style.  

Maybe you aren’t booking as many sessions as you’d like just yet?  Take this extra time to love on the clients that you do have, giving them an unparalleled experience and paying extra attention to them.  It will pay off in the end when they can’t stop talking about you to all of their friends!

Swamped in work with the busy season?  Just slow down and appreciate how far you’ve come, and how amazing it is that so many families are trusting you to capture these moments for them right now.  This busy season will pass soon enough.

Is the slow season looming ahead this winter and completely freaking you out?  Running a business is cyclical — there are seasons when you’re so busy you can’t even catch your breath, and then in between there are moments of rest.  Take this time to work ON your business rather than work IN your business.  Revamp your website, update your workflow, create email templates, design a welcome guide, create new props or backdrops, start a newsletter, or catch up on your blog posts.  Be grateful for the extra time to focus on the things in your business that always get pushed to the back burner when you’re busy.  Embrace the slow season!

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In this season of gratitude & reflection, be thankful. 

Show others that you value them and appreciate them. 

Be grateful for what you have achieved, and for the lofty goals you're setting for yourself to achieve next year. 

Be positive in all areas, and make an effort to focus on connection & interaction rather than just automation and workflow.  
 

In the comments, share a little bit of your heart!
What are YOU thankful for in your business????

Welcome Emma Adele - A Pink and Girly Studio Newborn Session with Saratoga Springs Newborn Photographer

Emma Adele.

I just love this sweet girl's name -- it's as beautiful as she is, and just as perfect!

This little sweetheart visited me at our Saratoga Springs studio for her newborn portraits, and her mama asked for lots of neutrals with a hint of girly-girl details.  We used soft pinks, grays, lots of texture, and the daintiest of floral headbands.  It was pure perfection!

This little awake series are a few of my FAVORITE shots from Emma's portrait session.  I always love laying babies on their backs when they're starting to stir, and giving them a little wiggle room so that they'll wake up a bit.  That tiny baby yawn is my favorite, and I can't even get over those sparkling and inquisitive eyes!

Emma's parents were just so happy loving on their baby girl, and I adore this sweet moment captured of the three of them.  

Our calendar is filling up at the studio for the winter months!  We're now booking maternity, newborn, Fresh 48, milestone, and birthday sessions through March 2018.  What are you waiting for?  Reserve your session now by emailing hello@nicolestarrphotography.com.

Fall in New England: Fall Family Portraits at Monument Square in Charlestown with Boston Family Photographer

Joanna & I have known each other for EIGHT years -- honestly, even typing that I have no idea how so many years have passed since we first met moving boxes into an apartment one summer!  We were roommates in Boston in our twenties, and we enjoyed so many adventures together with the other girls that we lived with. 

Now she's on a whole new kind of adventure with her husband and their handsome little toddler in Charlestown.  When she suggested a family portrait session at Monument Square in Charlestown, I was so excited to get to explore this beautiful location in their neighborhood that they visit every night with their son Holden to tire him out before bedtime.  

She wanted a perfectly New England vibe, with sweaters, flannel, beautiful foliage, and a hint of glamour with a gold sequined skirt from Rent the Runway that looked AMAZING on her!

Holden, of course, was such a little flirt and he loved posing on my tiny wooden stool and smiling for the camera.  How adorable is he with those rolled cuffs peeking out of his sweater?!?!

One thing about toddlers during portrait sessions is that they are always in the "Energizer Bunny Mode".  We went up and down the hill, chasing Holden all around the monument as he was on the lookout for all of the puppies out for their evening stroll.  This little boy is obsessed with puppies, and they were the only thing that made him slow down and smile -- so cute!

I just LOVE this family shot of Joanna, Matt, and Holden all together at the base of the monument.  Thank you for such a wonderful session!  

Welcome Evelyn Madison - A Fresh 48 Session at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany

Fresh 48 sessions always steal my heart, and I love being invited into a hospital room to celebrate a new baby's arrival with their family.  There is always so much excitement, awe, and love filling the room that makes for such a beautiful story.  

On a Sunday morning in September, I rushed to St. Peter's Hospital in Albany to welcome Evelyn Madison with her parents and grandparents.  They had such an amazing hospital room filled with so much light, and everyone cozied up together on the couch with their beautiful new addition.

Isn't she the most perfect baby girl?  I'm officially obsessed with her cute little hospital hat.

Evelyn was born breech, and she loved keeping her legs up high on her body.  I had never seen a baby touch her toes to both sides of the bassinet before, and I love how this photograph shows just how new & fresh she is and how accustomed she is to keeping those legs held up high.

Grandma brought her a little newborn bracelet, and she kept it on for her entire session.  How adorable!

Evelyn enjoyed lots of cuddles with her mom and dad, who couldn't take their eyes off of her.  Their smiles never left their faces the entire time we were together.  And of course her grandparents got lots of time in with their new granddaughter and they were thrilled to be included in the Fresh 48 portraits, too. 

Congratulations on your sweet baby girl's arrival!

We are now booking maternity, newborn, milestone, and birthday sessions through March 2018!  We only take on two Fresh 48 clients per month, and the calendar is already filling up quickly for the winter months.  Be sure to reach out early to plan your hospital newborn session!

Enter the Giveaway! A Guest Blog Post with Inspired Start about Early Allergen Introduction in Babies

I love teaming up with local family-friendly companies to do commercial photography for their business.  These shoots are full-day sessions where we bring in products, baby models, and and experts in set design to create gorgeous images for their website & marketing materials.  

I recently had the opportunity to work with Inspired Start, a Boston-based baby food company that is revolutionizing early allergen introduction in babies by incorporating trace amounts of common allergens in baby food pouches to build up your baby's immune system response to these ingredients?  The end result?  Bye-bye food allergies!

They just launched live on Amazon, and to celebrate I invited Jessica Deckinger, the founder of Inspired Start, to be a guest blogger and tell us a little more about Inspired Start and where this product idea came from.  

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Enter the giveaway!!

The very best part?  We're hosting A GIVEAWAY with Inspired Start & Nicole Starr Photography!  Click the button below to head on over to our Facebook page to comment on the post and enter to win!

What inspires you as a parent?  Click the button to comment on our Facebook post, and you could win a 3-box set of Inspired Start baby food for early allergen introduction, plus a $250 gift certificate towards a photo session with Nicole Starr Photography at our Saratoga Springs or Attleboro studio. 

Gift certificate must be used between November 2017-March 2018.  To be entered to win, please leave your comment below and be sure to LIKE the Inspired Start and Nicole Starr Photography pages. 

Winner will be contacted on Friday, November 17.

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Tell us a little about you & your family.  

I am a typical working mom of three young children (which means I generally have at least 2 cups of coffee before I’m fully functional in the morning). In all truth, my girls are all phenomenal humans! They are ages 7, 4 and 3, and could not be more different!

My husband and I live in a small community right outside of Boston (actually the same community I grew up in!) While I occasionally like to dream about living a beautiful, magazine-worthy existence, our home usually looks more like a major world war of toys just took place...and the other side won. But one of the best things I’ve learned as a mom is that no matter how hard I try to be perfect at everything, I never will come close on most things. Forgiving yourself your flaws and imperfections as a mom is “the new black”. Anyone who has seen the inside of my closet lately knows my obsession with all-black clothing, so anything I refer to as “the new black” is really “the new everything”. ;) 

How did you get started working with babies & food allergies, and what brought on the idea of Inspired Start? 

I’ve been working for almost 2 decades in big companies. I’ve always loved what I do and I’ve been exceptionally fortunate to have worked with some pretty phenomenal people! When the last company I was with was acquired, I suddenly found myself thinking “maybe it’s time for me to try something a little crazy”. I wanted to take a risk and put myself outside of my comfort zone. I was ready to put all my experience to the test with no safety net, but my deal with myself was that I would only do it if I found something I was truly passionate about. When I met the team at Adeo and heard what the mission was, I knew I had found it. 

My oldest daughter developed a peanut and treenut allergy at age 1, and we spent years, lots of money, and many anxiety-ridden allergist appointments coping until she finally (and luckily) outgrew her allergy several years later. We are one of the few families I know who had a daughter that outgrew her food allergies. I never forgot how hard that experience was for me, financially and emotionally. I’ve always remained super-sensitized to moms who have kids with food allergies. When I started with Adeo, The LEAP study had recently been released. I knew that early allergen introduction was becoming more and more prevalent and wanted to be part of a team that helped bring groundbreaking scientific research to parents and families. I was lucky to be exposed to this research as part of my career, but I know that with three little kids I would not otherwise have found the time to read it on my own. 

Through friends with babies, I knew that pediatricians were starting to instruct parents to introduce allergens early and often, just like other solids foods. But as I’m hearing that, I remembered how hard I thought those first foods were with my daughters. If there is anything I can do to make that process easier for other moms, that’s something I can get behind. 

I'm fascinated by your system of packs and pouches!  Tell us about how Inspired Start's method for the early introduction of allergens works.  

Our whole goal with Inspired Start was to create something that would fit into what parents are already doing with new food introduction. It is a new enough concept for parents to introduce allergens early rather than delaying introduction, we didn’t want to add extra steps, strange formulas, or new routines to that mix. 

We talked to countless parents during the process of developing Inspired Start. Over and over again we heard that parents like to introduce new foods for a couple of days before moving on to the next. We also overwhelmingly heard that baby food pouches are the go-to when parents are on the move or want to save time preparing at home. Especially with foods like nuts and shellfish that are hard to make age-appropriate for babies, we didn’t want to add any additional time to parents’ existing craziness. In response to these findings, we decided a simple recipe combining an organic fruit puree and just a small amount of potentially allergenic protein in a baby food pouch would be the perfect way to introduce these allergens. We also decided that we wanted to give parents multiples of each pouch so they could introduce each new food for a couple of days before moving on to the next. Pack 1 and Pack 2 contain two pouches of four different recipes each. 

Inspired Start is a three-part system, but it is designed to be flexible. For parents that have already introduced many of these foods in some form but want to have an easy way to consistently keep them in baby’s diet, the Variety Pack contains one pouch of each of our delicious recipes. I actually use the Variety Pack at home with my oldest daughter (her favorite foods are pasta, bread, quinoa, rice, and more grains) to keep a great source of protein in her diet. 

When is the best time for babies to get started?

It's varies for every baby! Whenever baby is starting other solid foods (purees, infant cereals, etc.), he or she will also be able to eat the pureed recipe in each of our pouches. That being said, some families choose to introduce the bases (apple, pear, mango, and banana) before introducing Inspired Start just so that the baby has already experienced the flavor of each of our foods. We put 4+ months on our packaging as a suggestion in line with published research, but we want families to do what is right for them and to make decisions with the help of their pediatricians. 

What does this mean for parents, and hopefully, what does this mean for food allergies in the future?

Early allergen introduction is a new way of thinking about the first foods that our babies experience. The reality is that many of these foods are not naturally in baby-appropriate form and let’s face it, we’re parents, not superheroes. When things get crazy at home, we reach for the fast and easy foods. That means not always feeding baby a truly varied diet that regularly includes potentially allergenic foods. With Inspired Start, parents have a simple way to do that. 

Our sincere hope is that we are opening up a world of healthy and varied eating for a new generation of kids by starting early with early allergen introduction!

Where can parents find more info?  

If parents want to hear more from the amazing allergists, nutritionists, and moms who helped to develop our product, they can visit our experts page (www.inspired-start.com/experts). Our website as a whole, especially the blog, is a great resource for parents who want to understand how allergen introduction fits into general new food introduction. We also always encourage parents to reach out to us directly via phone or email. We’re a team of moms, dads, aunts, uncles, and baby food enthusiasts. We really care about providing support to the families that rely on Inspired Start. 

Behind the Lens: A Photography FAQ with Nicole Starr Photography!

Hey, photographer friends!

I’ve compiled a list of some of the questions that I get asked most often by other peers in the industry, and I wanted to share them on the blog today!  Enjoy a peek into some of my favorite things!

What’s in your camera bag?

I shoot with a Nikon D750.  I’m a huge fan of prime lenses, and over the years I’ve sold off all of my zoom lenses because I just didn’t use them often enough.  My favorite lens for outdoor sessions is the 85mm 1.4, and for my indoor sessions I often use the Sigma Art 35mm.  The 35mm comes with me to all of my Fresh 48 and lifestyle sessions, too!

A few unexpected items in my camera bag are a little rattle to catch babies’ attention, a stash of Smarties candies for a quick little bribe, and I can usually find slips of paper with everyone’s names written on them from past sessions so that I don’t forget anyone’s name!

My camera bag is a Kelly Moore bag that I've had for YEARS!  It's beautiful, durable, and it fits everything that I need.  Usually it carries 2 bodies, 2-3 lenses, and a few other odds and ends.

What studio lighting do you use?

I started using studio lighting two years ago, and it was a total game changer in my studio.  I use an AB400 with a PLM, and I sync it up with Cyber Sync triggers.  I highly recommend the studio lighting course, “Illuminate” by The Milky Way for anyone who is just getting started with studio lighting.

How do you get babies to look at the camera?  

Seriously, guys, I finish my sessions completely winded and exhausted after working so hard to get the babies to look my way!  I have a little rattle that I love using, and I also use a couple of squeak toys to get little ones looking my way.  If they’re on the floor, I’ll get down to their level and tickle their toes and chin, leaning back to catch their reaction on camera.  If mom and dad are in the room, I ask them to stand right over my shoulder to be sure the baby is looking towards me and not away from me.  Sometimes I have to resort to holding mom or dad’s phone above my lens with their favorite song playing on Youtube.  I avoid giving the phone to little ones at all cost because let’s face it — you’ll never get it out of their hands, and you don’t want to edit it out of every single image!

What are your favorite props?

I’m a bit of a minimalist when it comes to props (which is rare for a baby photographer, I know!).  I recently shared this blog post that lists the props I consider most essential in my studio.  I hope you find it helpful!  Just remember that these babies are so perfect just the way they are, and they don’t need to be surrounded by clutter that overwhelms the photo and takes away from the real focus of the portrait — them!

What are your favorite places to shop for DIY backdrop materials?

For my newborn sessions, I love buying jersey knit fabric by the yard at the fabric store.  Get something with a good amount of stretch, and buy at least 2 yards for the beanbag.  If you’re making your own wraps, you can do a 1/4 yard in a pretty fabric with good stretch.

I get all of my seamless paper through Amazon because of their Prime shipping.  Savage Seamless is truly the best.

For cake smash decor, become very familiar with the scrapbook paper aisle at the craft store.  I have bought nearly every color to create bunting, banners, hanging garlands, and elaborate backdrops for our birthday sessions.  Invest in one of those 12x12 plastic cases to store the extra paper in, and after each session you can fold the garlands up and store them in clear plastic bags for easy access next time.  The more you can reuse, the more profitable your sessions become, plus the less time you’ll have to spend making new decor each time!

How do you edit your images?

I spend most of my time in Lightroom doing adjustments to the images. I started out with LR years ago, and it's just the software that I'm most comfortable with and that works for me!  I've created a few presets that I use on nearly every image, and batch editing helps to speed up the process. 

In every session there are a few images that need to be taken into Photoshop for cloning, backdrop extension, headswaps, liquifying, or general cleaning up.  I do light retouching in Photoshop on these images, and then bring them back into LR to save them.  I find that I mostly use Photoshop for graphic design purposes, and I love it for that!  

A Peek at our Sweater Weather Family Portrait Sessions - Saratoga Springs, NY Family Photographer

We may have spent most of the summer at the beach, but that means we're spending the fall surrounded by beautiful foliage at local parks!  I'm falling back in love with my 85mm lens with the gorgeous soft backgrounds that it's creating in our outdoor portraits this fall.  The greens, yellows, oranges, and reds are so dreamy, and I am loving all of these fall family sessions in Saratoga Springs and in Boston!

We enjoyed two days of Sweater Weather sessions at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs, and at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline.  I got to catch up with so many families that have visited me at the studio over the years, and I loved seeing how their children had grown and developed these amazing personalities!  I also loved getting to meet many new families for the first time, and it was so much fun getting to create these memories with them at the park.

Plus, we had GORGEOUS weather on both days!  Perfectly clear skies, lots of sunshine, and enough warmth to avoid the jackets and scarves!

These fall portraits were our last big "HURRAH" for outdoor sessions until the spring, and I am so excited to share these beautiful portraits with these lovely families.  They're going to have the best holiday cards this year, don't you think?

As we move indoors for the cooler months, the calendar is filling up with maternity, newborn, Fresh 48, milestone, and birthday sessions.  We're now booking through March 2018, and I would love to see your little ones in the studio this winter!  Please email hello@nicolestarrphotography.com and let's plan your baby's next portrait session.