Grayson's Two Year Studio Portraits | Saratoga Springs Child Photographer

How did my sweet little boy turn TWO already?!?! The past two years have absolutely flown by, and while I thought Year 1 was fast, Year 2 sped by at warp speed!!

I remember that I captured so many studio portraits of Grayson during his first year. We did portraits every month, sometimes two or three times! But now in the second year it was such a challenge to find the time to bring this active toddler into the studio for portraits. I’m so glad that I captured these classic portraits just days before his second birthday. They showcase his sweet and curious personality, his wispy blonde hair, and those cute little toddler toes on feet that have become so strong from all of the walking and running he has learned to do this year!

A few things I always want to remember about my sweet boy at two years old.

• Grayson is obsessed with trucks and cars. He can identify every type of construction truck, mail truck, ambulance, police car, firetruck, school bus, city bus, and more. He could spend all day playing with his little trucks, driving them over roads we’ve made from cardboard, digging around in sand with his excavators, and pushing choo-choo trains on imaginary railroad tracks.

• He is OBSESSED with buses, especially school buses, and he points them out every time we’re in the car.

• He loves hugs and cuddles, especially “mama huds” (and yes, he says HUG as HUD, and it’s so cute!).

• He thinks that all eggs have baby dinosaurs inside. On Easter, he exclaimed “What’s hatching?? Baby dinosaur!” for every easter egg that he opened up. Sadly, there were no dinosaurs inside! Even when we’re baking, he’ll get so excited to crack an egg in the bowl, shout “Baby dinosaurrrr!!!!,” and then look in the bowl and see it’s just an egg and say, “Oh, no dinosaur. Just water.” And he’s always so disappointed!

• He gets so excited to FaceTime family and friends, and he always wants to hold the phone or put the phone in his fire truck to take it for a ride around the house.

• Somehow he learned all of his letters already, and he talks about “ABCs” all day long!

• He is currently obsessed with eating Cheerios with almond milk, and he’ll have multiple bowls for breakfast, and then try to have the same for lunch, too!

• He loves it when Grandma comes over to play with him, and he does a happy dance at the top of the stairs every time she walks in the door.

• He loves going for walks when he can just ride along in the stroller. He settles in, looks around, and gets into his happy place. He gets really quiet and relaxed, and every time I bend down to check on him he says “Grayson happy.”

• And my favorite thing? Whenever I say “I love you,” he always responds with “So much” and it just melts my heart!

I love you. So much.

You know, I started doing children’s portraits many years before I had a child of my own. I knew that one day I wanted to have beautiful portraits of my own little one, and I am so grateful that I’ll have these timeless photos of our sweet little toddler forever. Now it’s time to figure out which ones to print and hang in our home, and which ones to go into his yearly album!

Twinkle Lights and Peonies - A Beautiful Baby Milestone Session

It’s been quiet in the studio lately with everything going on with the COVID-19 pandemic, and I miss all of the regular baby cuddles and giggles that I normally get to enjoy every week! Thankfully I have a bunch of adorable sessions that still need to be shared, and this adorable baby girl tops the list this week!

Mia came to our Saratoga Springs portrait studio for her 5-month baby milestone session. We keep the focus on the baby for these portrait sessions with simple backdrops and colors to let her personality shine. I loved incorporating a hint of spring with some gorgeous florals and twinkle lights, too!

Mia is such a happy and smiley baby girl! I absolutely loved her session, and we captured so many unique expressions. This is one of my favorite ages to photograph, and this little girl absolutely rocked her session.

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Classic Baby Portraits for Two Adorable Sisters

The last time I saw this sweet family, big sister Elena was only 7 months old. And now she’s a vibrant toddler and an amazing big sister!

We did a beautiful sisters milestone session at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio for Elena and Julia, and I loved watching these cute little girls together! They wore the sweetest pink smocked dresses and they loved cuddling up together on the studio bed!

It was pretty special capturing Julia at 6 months old, almost the same age Elena was for her milestone session two year ago! We even made sure to capture a few similar portraits for comparison!

So happy! I love watching babies play with their toes! It’s always such a fun stage!

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Classic Milestone Portraits for Baby Henri

We added a few new outfits to our studio’s Baby Wardrobe, and I was excited that Henri was the first baby to model them! This sweet boy enjoyed his six-month milestone session at the studio, and we captured so many gorgeous portraits of him.

He has such a serious and inquisitive gaze, but he could definitely break out into a smile and be 100% silly, too! This sweet boy was so much fun and he had us all laughing with his giggles!

At six months old, some babies are sitting up assisted, and others can sit on their own without any support. Some are comfortable on their tummies, and others prefer laying on their backs and playing with their toes. Every baby is different, which is what I love so much about these milestone sessions. We capture your little one just as they are, celebrating all of their recently acquired skills, smiles, and first teeth.

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What Does the Baby Plan Really Look Like? Two Different Babies, One Year, Lots of Photos

We introduced the Baby Plan a little more than two years ago, and it has been such a joy to watch so many little babies grow and celebrate all of their milestones with beautiful portrait sessions.

I love seeing our Baby Planners every few months and getting to know their families over the course of 12+ months. From the eager expectant parents that come in with stories about baby showers and building cribs, to the tired mamas rocking their brand new babies and looking for tips on nursing and swaddles during their newborn sessions, to the (slightly more well-rested!) parents who are playing peek-a-boo with their babies and cheering their birthday baby on to taking their first steps and tasting their birthday cake! It’s always such an honor to be invited into a family’s life for all of these events, and I truly enjoy capturing all of these memories for every single family.

So, if you’ve been wondering what the Baby Plan actually looks like, here is a peek at the Baby Plan for two different families. Maternity session, newborn session, milestone session, and a cake smash.

Here you’ll see a baby girl with her lifestyle maternity & newborn sessions at home, followed by studio portraits for her milestone session, and outdoor family portraits for her first birthday with the cake smash in the studio. At the end of the year we have a gorgeous collection of images that go together beautifully. I love that the colors they chose for each of their portrait sessions complement each other so well, and will look amazing paired together on the walls of their home!

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Next up is a year of portraits for one of our coastal families in Massachusetts. I absolutely adored photographing their maternity session AND cake smash session on the same beach. Partway through the year I said to this sweet mama, “Wouldn’t it be amazing to do his cake smash on the same boardwalk where we did your maternity portraits?!” And we immediately fell in love with the idea, and made it happen almost exactly one year later! Depending on the season we can do some of the sessions outdoors between May through October, but the newborn sessions are always indoors.

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A Baby Milestone Portrait Session with Christmas Trees

Although it’s early January, we can share one last Christmas session on the blog, right?

I absolutely loved that this family chose to incorporate holiday lights & colors into their son’s milestone portraits, and we made it a whole family session to celebrate their little 6 month old!

Of course baby Ronan slept through the first part of the session, and these cozy family portraits are just so cute with him all curled up in his daddy’s arms!

Ahhhhh!!! Cutest sibling photo of the holiday season!

This six-month old cutie LOVED the camera! Doesn’t he look like a little model?!?!

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Best of 2019 Milestone Sessions

As we continue our “Best of 2019” blog series, I’m excited to share our favorite milestone sessions from the year! I absolutely LOVE milestone sessions. As a photographer it is so hard to choose what my favorite type of session is, but I must say that milestones come close! This age is always one of the sweetest when babies are developing their personalities, smiling, reacting, and trying out new skills!

Scroll through and enjoy a look into some of my favorite milestone session moments from the studio & outdoors!

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Poppy's Milestone Session at Yaddo in Saratoga Springs

Meet Poppy.

She’s two years old, filled with spunk, and such a joy to be around. She has the sweetest laugh, and her eyes twinkle when she smiles. She is an absolute chatterbox, and I was amazed at how well-spoken this sweet little girl was. We had such a great time during her milestone session at Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, and I loved getting to know her family while capturing these fall portraits for them.

Poppy brought her favorite toy to her session, so of course we had to capture a few snuggles of them together!

Her smile shines so bright, and I love those wispy little baby hairs!

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Holiday Portraits for the Whole Family plus a 6 Month Milestone Session

When your baby turns 6 months at the same time as our annual holiday portrait event, you combine your family’s holiday portraits with a milestone session at the studio, of course!

I loved seeing this sweet family again, and I can’t even believe how much David has grown since his newborn session!

These three siblings are always so adorable together, and I was so happy to capture this twinkling Christmas portrait for them!

We did a few more casual sibling portraits on the studio bed so that they would have some photos to hang on their walls year-round, and then lots of individual portraits of the baby to focus on all of his new skills and his blossoming personality!

You might not be able to tell from the photo below, but that is what his happy shriek looks like!!

David LOVED sitting on the tiny bed, and we captured the very best smiles from him!

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Carter's Milestone Portraits - A Sitter Session at our Saratoga Springs Portrait Studio

Does this little cutie look familiar? That’s because he’s one of our Baby Plan clients, and he had the cutest newborn session earlier this year! Do you remember the photo of him posing with his great-grandfather’s coal mining helmet? It was one of my favorite stories ever!

Carter joined me at the studio for his milestone session at 7 months old, and he brought ALL OF THE CUTENESS AND ALL OF THE SMILES! I mean, seriously, how adorable is this baby boy?!?! I could photograph him and his sweet smile every single day!

A few of my favorite features to capture at this stage?

• that round and soft belly

• grabbing those little toes

• the cute elbow dimples & finger dimples

• the first teeth peeking through

• all of the ROLLS on their arms and legs!!

Peek-a-boo is always a hit with babies during their milestone sessions, and Carter loved cuddling up underneath the blanket!

The whole family joined in for some holiday portraits. I just love that they’re going to have these magical photos to remember his first Christmas forever!

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Baby Milestone Portraits at the Saratoga Springs Track | Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

When Oliver was born, his mama was already talking about his milestone session. They spend their summers at the Saratoga Springs race track, and they knew they wanted to capture their sweet baby boy’s sitter session at the track in August! We dressed him in a dapper little outfit, added a hat (of course!), and enjoyed a beautiful morning at this classic upstate New York destination.

I brought my camera, and Oliver brought the cuteness. 100%.

This age is always so much fun as babies learn to sit up on their own, and they are amazed at everything around them! Oliver looked at the track in such wonder, and he had the most adorable giggles. What a cutie!

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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.  

Glitter & Gloves: Pretty but fierce hockey portraits to celebrate a 7th birthday

I was so excited when Samantha’s mom reached out to plan her annual birthday portraits. She told me how Sammy had fallen in love with playing hockey this year, and she really wanted to plan an extra special birthday session for her daughter in her hockey gear with a Tutu du Monde dress.

Ummmm, YESSSSSSS!!!

Of course, I couldn’t resist adding a little extra sparkle and glitter.

We had so much fun incorporating her helmet, hockey sticks, guards, and pucks into the session. Sammy loved putting on her tough face and her fierce face, and kept bursting into giggles, too. It was truly the perfect session and such a blast to photograph!

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Penelope's 7 Month Milestone Session with a Strawberries & cream milk bath

I love catching up with our Baby Plan babies for their milestone sessions halfway through the first year, and I was so happy to welcome little miss Penelope back into the studio.

First, I couldn’t even get over how much hair this sweet girl has at only 7 months old, and second she won me over with her smile, tiny little teeth, and the cute little cleft in her chin.

Her mama bought this pretty pink outfit for her when she was pregnant — it was the very first outfit she bought for her baby girl. So of course we had to capture some portraits of sweet Penelope in it at the studio!

I love this phase when they lay on their backs and discover how much fun their toes are!!

Then we used a beautiful new watercolor romper from the STUDIO CLOSET that her mama saw on my Instagram stories and fell in love with. Doesn’t Penelope look so sweet in this?

This happy baby girl finished up with a strawberries and cream milk bath, perfect for a summertime baby!

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Summer Lovin' - Adorable brother & sister photo session at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs

The Hall of Springs is less than two miles from the studio, and it is one of my favorite spots for quick family portrait sessions! The landscaping is always gorgeous, and the marble floors bounce so much light back up onto the subjects. Plus, there are lots of different areas to enjoy for great variety in the session!

I had so much fun with Austin & Avery during their sibling session at the Hall of Springs in SPAC this summer. They were all smiles and giggles, and we captured so many adorable portraits of this duo!

This one is my favorite! Such a cute little hug!

I love those two little teeth peeking through!

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Classic and Nautical Milestone Portraits for Baby Holden

I love watching our Baby Plan babies grow! Holden came to our Attleboro portrait studio for his 6 month milestone session, and he showed off his smiley personality and ALL OF HIS ROLLS! This sweet boy seriously has the best leg rolls and arm rolls ever, and I could just hug and squeeze him all day long to enjoy that squishy baby stage that he is in right now!

We started off his session in the baptism outfit that has been passed down in his family and worn by so many little babies.

Then of course we did a striped romper for a few nautical inspired portraits to complement the nautical newborn portraits that we took when he was born. He is just recently working on sitting up, and I love how proud he is of himself when he finds his balance and sits upright without any help! Just look at that big smile!

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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.  

7 Month Milestone Portraits for Baby Jonas

These milestone sessions are so much fun, and I love seeing how much these little babies have grown since their newborn session! This age is perfect for portraits because babies are coming into their little personalities and they’re becoming curious about the world and the people in it.

They are learning to sit on their own, grab their toes, play on their backs, and laugh. They rock tummy time, have the cutest smiles, and some babies even have their first tooth already!

Jonas joined me at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio for his 7 month milestone session, and he did such a wonderful job in front of the camera! He was so playful and curious, and he loved all of the attention! Plus, his mama planned the most adorable outfits for her baby boy!

Can you even believe how beautiful his blue eyes are? And that wispy hair?!

Peek-a-boo! Always a favorite game at this age!

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Inspired by this simple milestone session? Pin this image or any from the post above!

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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, and she also works with families at her Attleboro, MA studio and on location in Boston and on Cape Cod. 

The portrait studio is filled with neutrals, luxe fabrics, and 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.  

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A Boho and Peony Milestone Session with Corinne

Peonies have long been my favorite flower. We had them on the tables at our wedding, and I even made my own wedding bouquet full of these fluffy pink beauties. I have a vase of faux peonies on our nightstand, and we planted six peony bushes in our front yard when we moved into our house.

This spring I am so excited to use these beautiful blooms in the studio! Corinne came to the studio for a boho milestone session filled with peonies, and I love the dreamy look of her portraits! Her romper & floral crown were the perfect complements to these flowers.

She had the cutest little giggle, and I was so happy that we captured this whole-body laugh!

Funny faces are my favorite! We always capture the smiles, the serious faces, and the faces filled with wonder… but the ones where they scrunch up their faces into the cutest little expressions always make me smile!

A 6 month milestone session for baby Ella

Ella is one of our Baby Planners, and I loved seeing how much she has grown when she came to the studio for her 6 month milestone session! It’s always amazing to watch these little babies during the first year as they begin to master new skills and really come into their personalities, and Little Miss Ella was no exception. This girl is so happy & smiley, and she truly rocked her portrait session!

Ella LOVED hanging out on this tiny bed that we just added to the prop closet. Her favorite part was using it as a teething toy, hahaha! Once she realized she could fit the wooden rails in her mouth she didn’t want to let go, and it had us all cracking up watching how excited she was!

Then we did a few portraits on our big girl bed (a.k.a. the white fluffy adult sized bed!). Ella’s mama packed the cutest white onesie with lace eyelet sleeves, and I love how simple and classic it looked in this all white set up. The lace ruffles really made it special!

Have a favorite toy or doll? Be sure to bring it to your baby’s milestone session! These cuddle + kind dolls have been making an appearance in many of our sessions for the past year or two, and I love it when they’re the same size as the babies!

Ella’s mama and daddy’s favorite portraits were in this chair with the mauve romper from our studio closet. We probably only spent about 2 minutes in this set up, but Ella brought out all of the smiles and belly laughs for so many adorable portraits! Here are just a few favorites!

Baby Outfit Ideas | Wardrobe Inspiration for Your Baby's Milestone Portrait Session

You’re so excited!!! You just booked your baby’s milestone session and you can’t wait to capture their little smile, that tiny curl of hair, and those adorable chubby legs that you love to cover in kisses. These portraits are always some of my favorites

But wait a second… what does a baby wear to a milestone session?!?!

This is probably your first time dressing your baby for portraits (after all, they just wore a swaddle in their newborn photos!), but I’ve dressed hundreds of babies for their portrait sessions and I have plenty of ideas to make it easier for you.

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OUTFIT INSPIRATION FOR YOUR MILESTONE SESSION

Flaunt those itty bitty baby features that you love so much.

Babies are only this little for a little while, and their elbow dimples, chunky thigh rolls, and puffy little tummies are the cutest things ever about this stage. Show it off! I recommend avoiding dresses that cover the legs — instead, choose rompers for baby girls to give them room to move their legs and find their toes. For boys, wearing just a pair of pants to show that cute baby belly is so classic. Plus, you’ll see those photos and just want to smooch that perfect little belly!

There’s nothing more classic than a simple white onesie.

I did my son’s monthly photos in a white onesie, and I always suggest clients go for this look when they want a few simple and extremely classic portraits. They make some cute ones with ruffles and eyelet lace details on the sleeves for baby girls if you’re looking for something a little special, too!

Go for a pop of color against our all white studio!

Pale blue, lavender, aqua, and pink all look amazing against our white walls, couch, and bed!

Make sure baby can move freely.

Opt for fabrics with a little stretch so baby can reach, crawl, and wiggle. After all, they’ve been practicing all of these new skills so let them use their whole body and show us what they can do!

Go barefoot.

Yes, baby shoes are cute, but they don’t look cute in photographs because you can only see the soles of the feet. Let’s show off their toes instead!

Show some skin.

When they’re this little, baby boys & baby girls are oh so sweet with their cute little baby bellies and soft arm rolls. Don’t be afraid to have one of their “outfits” be just a diaper, diaper cover, or a pair of knit pants! We can always use a soft blanket to cover up, too — and to play peek-a-boo!

Ruffles & lace.

Both beautiful options in photographs. You can’t go wrong with these sweet feminine details.

Consider fabric textures and your baby’s sensitive skin.

Remember when you were a kid and your mom dressed you in a scratchy tulle dress or itchy wool tights? You were miserable. Let’s give your baby the best shot at a happy session by making sure they are cool, comfortable, and content. Use soft fabrics that won’t irritate their skin. Opt for knitted fabrics (think sweater knit, not jersey knit) for a truly beautiful texture in photographs.

Avoid anything crocheted for the best portraits — even though sweet Aunt Sally was so excited to give you that crocheted turtle outfit, I’ve found that these are usually made with cheap yarn that cause the babies to sweat and immediately get a red heat rash on their skin. Then they’re crying and inconsolable the rest of the session. Nobody wants that! Plus, crocheted items don’t usually fall right on their little bodies the way clothing that is knitted can hug them beautifully. Thank your dear Aunt Sally, snap a cell phone pic, and share that with her. ;o)

Neutrals never go out of style.

Avoid anything too busy, bold, or neon. Neutrals look amazing with details like stripes, lace, eyelet lace, smocking, buttons, and knitted textures.

Still not sure what to wear? Check out our studio closet filled with beautiful options for your little one! If you’re thinking of wearing a studio outfit, let me know ahead of time what size your baby is and which outfits you have in mind and I will let you know if they’ll fit and get them ready for you ahead of time. Plus, be sure to ask me what’s new in the closet because we’re always adding new pieces for families to enjoy!

Nora's Six Month Milestone Session

Six month old babies are definitely at the top of the list of my favorite things to photograph.

Nora came to our Saratoga Springs portrait studio for her milestone session, and she was all about showing off those two adorable new teeth! This sweet baby girl was right on the brink of learning to crawl when we did her portraits, and she was happiest on her tummy while moving her little arms and legs as if she were swimming.

Nora’s mama chose a few outfits from our studio wardrobe for her session — did you see that WE HAVE AN ENTIRE BABY CLOSET FILLED WITH OUTFITS for your little one’s portraits? You can show up with just your diaper bag and we’ll do the rest to help you create beautiful portraits with outfits and a style you’ll love!

Nora’s big brother Greyson joined us for a few sibling portraits, and he did such a great job getting his baby sister to smile. He is such an amazing big brother!