Cozy lifestyle family portrait session at home

I’ve been photographing his family every year since Ari was born. It’s hard to believe he’s already 5. We always love doing a family session in the early fall around his birthday, and his mom always has the best ideas to keep it fresh & unique to their family. 

This year they asked to do their session in their home to incorporate their dog, Winnie, and in the field behind their home. We enjoyed an early morning session before school and captured the sweetest portraits of Ari cuddled up with his four-legged sibling, and headed over to the field for some outdoor family portraits as well. I’m so happy that everyone was so cheery for an early morning session, but it worked out beautifully! 

Ari has the best smile - and working together for 5 years has made it even easier for us to capture his natural and authentic self in our portraits! He looked adorable in his little blue button up that paired perfectly with mom’s floral dress and his dad’s matching shirt. I love that they leaned into an elevated outfit, even with their session being in their living room. It’s such a great way to elevate your portraits!! 

Thank you again to this beautiful family for trusting me with your memories for another year. I can’t wait until next year’s portraits - it’s such an honor to watch these little ones grow up. 

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Best of 2024: My favorite portraits from this year’s Rose Garden family portrait sessions

This year, I found the most beautiful location in Schenectady for family portraits: the Central Park Rose Garden. If you’ve been around the blog in the last few months, you probably saw how many times I visited this summer. I loved every single one and I’m so excited to be sharing my favorite portraits from all of those sessions today! This is such a beautiful spot for family photos, especially June through October. I hope that this post convinces you to consider having your family session here next year! I plan to offer exclusive dates for family photos here next year, which I can’t wait to share more about soon!! 

Like I said, the garden is always gorgeous - but from June to October, it’s stunning. Roses are staggered to bloom all season long so that you always have a burst of color and fresh roses. Every family that came to the rose garden had a moment of awe when they first glimpsed the beauty there, and they all said to me, “I never knew this was here!” It’s truly a hidden gem. 

While your family’s connections and authentic joy will always be the most important thing for me to capture in your portraits, a beautiful location never hurts! I can’t wait to plan exclusive dates for next year’s family sessions, and I hope you’ll be joining us! In the meantime, enjoy scrolling through my favorite moments from this year’s sessions, and start dreaming about what your family’s portraits might look like, too!! 

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Newborn portrait session with big sister

I absolutely adore Lauren and Tim. They’re our neighbors, and I’ve had the joy of photographing their maternity sessions for both daughters - and now the newborn sessions, too! It’s been so special to not only document their first portraits for each of the girls, but it’s also been a meaningful walk beside them as our children grow up together. Welcome to the world, Macey Jayne! I’m so happy I got to welcome you to the studio and the neighborhood. 

Macey’s big sister, Anna, was so excited to snuggle up with her new baby, and I was thoroughly impressed with how well she did during the session. At 22 months, she posed herself better than most toddlers that I work with, and it was all so natural and smooth for her. I am completely in love with the sibling portraits we created of these two sisters! They’re always some of my favorite moments in newborn sessions like this. But, they don’t always happen organically - it takes work and focus so the new big sisters and brothers feel special. Having a new baby can change the family dynamic - and this is a great chance to involve them in the process! 

A newborn session with a toddler isn’t always easy, but I try to make big siblings feel like a big part of the session!  I show them the toys in the studio, I let them pick out the snack they’re going to enjoy after they finish, show them my camera and the little toys that I use to help me take their pictures – monkey on my camera lens, a Cookie Monster puppet, squeaky toys. I give them options: “Do you want to start with just you and baby, or should we have everybody all together first?” This helps them feel in control, and they love having some say in what’s going to happen. I like to give them special jobs, and often they’ll take one of my wooden cameras and use it to take pictures of their parents when we’re going some photos of mom or dad with the baby. Even though these portraits are for the baby, we want your toddlers (or older siblings) feel like a big part of the process! 

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Six Month Milestone Portraits with Maizey

Maizey is one of our Collective Membership babies! Her family joined so that they could enjoy 4 sessions over an 18 month period, and this was Maizey’s second session! I love our Collective Membership families. It’s so fun to get to know them over those months, and watching their little ones grow. Maizey came in for her 6 month milestone for her second session, and it was a great time with this grinning little girl! 

As you’ve heard me say a million times, this is one of my favorite stages to photograph when babies are smiley, giggly, and starting to sit up on their own. They’re happy on their tummies, they grab at their little toes when on their backs, and they’re proud to be upright (with a parent’s hand nearby for safety!) when practicing their newly acquired sitting skills. Maizey showed off her sitting skills and even got to snuggle with her momma, who looked beautiful in a pastel pink gown! 

For Maizey’s session, we used soft colors - pinks, peaches, and ivory. We even used a few of the same layers from her newborn session to have that cohesiveness across her portraits from the first year. That’s one of my favorite things to do with Collective Membership babies. All of the portraits will hopefully be displayed together in your heirloom album or through your wall art, so using similar colors and vibes across the 4 sessions. 

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Maternity Portrait Session with Toddler Big Sister

My wonderful neighbors Lauren and Tim are expecting their second baby. When they reached out to me about maternity portraits to celebrate this special waiting period, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. Their daughter Anna is 5 months younger than our daughter, so we’ve been going through phases of parenthood together - and have been celebrating their second baby girl’s arrival with so much happiness, too. 

Lauren and Tim decided to keep their portrait session simple - with maternity portraits in my studio (super convenient in the neighborhood, ha!). Anna got to be a huge part of their session, too, which I always love to see. She was absolutely adorable - wanting to hold and kiss her mama’s belly. Lauren and Tim asked to recreate some moments from their first maternity session with me, and I couldn’t wait. I love when families think about how their images will all mix together over the years. 

Some of my favorite portraits turned out to be the backlit and silhouette portraits. They’re elegant, yet simple. I know they will be treasured for years to come! It’s always fun to find new ways to capture similar moments for my couples - like posing with her cardigan and updating a similar photo with their daughter now. Lauren and Tim, congratulations and thank you for trusting me again to capture your maternity portraits. I can’t wait to share your newborn session soon!  

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A Little Loves portrait session to celebrate turning 5 | Saratoga Springs Child and Family Photographer

There is nothing better than watching kids grow in through the lens of my camera, in my studio. I’ve been photographing Elliana multiple times a year since she was a newborn, and recently, her mom brought her in for a Little Loves session to celebrate her turning 5. This session felt extra special because five is such a huge milestone. It bridges that gap between little kid and big kid. Five is often the age you start school, lose your first tooth, start to read, and learn so many amazing new skills. I loved celebrating this milestone with her!

Elli was SO cute in my studio this year. She was all giggles and big smiles, showing off her sweet personality. Mom chose the sweetest light blue and white dress - paired with the cutest white bow - for her photos. Sometimes, with Little Loves sessions, the final images are presented in black and white - but I think the color option was perfect to celebrate Elli and her bright personality. She is so sweet! We captured so many fun little moments, which is even easier since I’ve been part of her life for the last five years. We eased right into our shoot and were able to celebrate this milestone together. 

I also loved sitting with her parents, going through the gallery together after their session, too. We’ve sat at their kitchen counter so many times over the past five years going through their galleries and choosing their favorite portraits of their two children, and this time we kept reminiscing – “Doesn’t it feel like we were just in the studio doing her newborn session?” “Remember when we did her milestone portraits with the flowers?” “How sweet was she last fall in the field with her brother?!” And now this. Five.

It is always an honor when families trust me to capture their children’s milestones year after year. I love that so many families come to me for their newborn session, fall in love with the experience, and return to me year after year with their little ones. I never take this job for granted, and I am so lucky to work with the most amazing families year after year.

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Top 10 Tips for Clients Before their Holiday Mini Session

I’m so excited to be welcoming families to the studio in just a few short weeks for our holiday and Santa sessions. They’re some of my favorite magical moments as a photographer and I love being able to create an atmosphere that is fun and joyful. While there is a lot that falls on me to create that space for the children (and families) that enter my space, there’s a few things that parents can do to help us have a holly jolly good time together during their holiday mini session! Below are my top 10 tips for planning, scheduling, and enjoying your holiday mini session!  

1. Schedule wisely around your children’s nap times.

Timing matters!  Schedule your session for a time when your children will be well-rested.  If your photographer is offering morning sessions, the earlier time slots usually work out best for little ones when they’re still coming off of a good night’s sleep.

2. Fill those bellies up with snacks & a full meal before the session.

Hungy kids are cranky kids, but full bellies will yield lots of smiles and cooperation!  Trust me on this one.  ;o)

3. Keep your phone (and any apps or Youtube videos) hidden during the session.

Mini sessions are short & sweet, and your photographer has a whole arsenal of tricks to capture your child’s attention and get the very best smiles from them.  Pulling out the phone to put on their favorite song or video often leads to more time spent trying to get the phone away from them than actual smiles in front of the camera.  Tell the photographer ahead of time if your child has a favorite song they respond to, and your photographer can cue it up on their phone or on the Alexa in their studio.

4. Coordinate your outfits.

Choose outfits that complement each other without being completely matchy-matchy.  Stick to a cohesive color palette.  For holiday sessions, I am a huge fan of neutrals, deep forest green, gold, silver, navy, a hint of red (but not with Santa because he will be all in red!).  You may even consider unexpected and rich jewel tones for a fresh take on holiday portraits.

5. Try on everyone’s outfits ahead of time.

From shirts and dresses, to tights and shoes.  Try on every piece of clothing and give every accessory a test-run so that your children can be comfortable in them.  Particular “pain points” that I’ve had families experience who have not tried everything on are: sweaters or tulle dresses that are too itchy (put a layer underneath them to protect the skin); baby pants that are too tight on the waist so they cannot sit up comfortably (most common on babies 6-12 months); forgetting to plan for shoes in the dressy portraits (barefoot is fine for holiday pjs).

6. Think ahead for holiday cards.

If you have a certain template that you love, keep in mind the layout of the card when choosing your favorite family portraits for the card.  This is especially important if all of your favorite portraits are horizontal/landscape orientation, but your template is vertical/portrait orientation.  Be flexible, or let your photographer know ahead of time that you mostly want a particular orientation of family portraits.

7. Be prepared.

Arrive a bit early to get everyone settled. Bring snacks, water, and any comfort items for younger kids. Consider packing a change of clothes for little ones in case of spills. Being prepared will help everyone relax and enjoy the experience.

8. Keep it fun.

The most important part of a mini session is to have fun! Keep the mood light and playful. If kids are involved, don’t stress if they’re not posing perfectly—some of the best moments happen when they’re just being themselves. A bit of silliness can result in some truly memorable photos.

9. There is so much more that you can do with these photos than just holiday cards!

Ornaments, framed prints that you display every winter, a keepsake album to look through every year as your children grow, and gifts for family are just a few ideas.  Just remember that the possibilities don’t stop with a 5x7 card.

10. Enjoy the moment.

Finally, remember that this is a time to celebrate your family.  Take a moment to breathe, enjoy the time together, and focus on each other rather than just the camera.  Your love and connection will shine through in the photos, making them even more special and treasured.

I can’t wait to welcome you to the studio! If you still need to book your holiday session, check out all the details here! 

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Celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month: Family Portraits with Toddlers

If you saw the blog last week, then you know that October is Down syndrome awareness month. It’s a chance to celebrate the many abilities and tell the inspiring stories of children and individuals living with Down syndrome. Earlier this year, on World Down Syndrome Day (3/21 for 3 copies of the 21st chromosome!),  I was able to connect with a few families in the Saratoga Springs area whose children have Down syndrome. One of those children is Theo and I gifted him (and his family) a portrait session so we could capture what makes Theo so incredible and unique! 

Theo is just 20 months old but he is already bringing so much joy and happy energy to his family. He was born at 32 weeks and spent two weeks in the NICU. A little warrior, he wound up hospitalized again just 2 weeks after he left the NICU for RSV. This guy has been through a lot! When we met, he was working so hard on reaching his next big gross motor milestones, and his family called him “The Maniac” because of how excited and motivated he was to stand and crawl. He loves hugs from his big sister Adelina (what a beautiful name!!), and he was just the most cuddly little guy.

Although Theo isn’t quite two yet, you can already see the incredible bond that he and his sister have. He loves being near her and they are so sweet together! She is kind and patient with him, and I know that all of the challenges he’s already faced has brought this family even closer. I truly couldn’t stop smiling while they were in my studio. Theo brought ME so much joy and for that, I will always be grateful. 

To Theo and his family, thank you for sharing your story with me. I am in awe of what this little guy has been through - and the happiness he continues to exude. I know that he will continue to grow into his personality. He honestly reminds me a lot of my best friend’s son, Zach, who inspired this passion project to document and capture what makes children with Down syndrome special! I am so lucky to have this honor for so many sweet families.

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A playful family portrait session for Down Syndrome Awareness Month | Saratoga Springs special needs photographer

October is Down syndrome Awareness Month! If you know me, you know that Down syndrome awareness and advocacy is something near and dear to my heart. I’m so excited to be sharing a few sessions that I photographed to celebrate World Down syndrome Day back in March with you this month! World Down syndrome Day takes place on 3/21 - for the 3 copies of the 21st chromosome and I always love a chance to connect with local families whose children rock an extra chromosome. Each year, I am given the chance to photograph some incredible children and learn more about their story! Today, I’m pleased to introduce you to Brennan, his sister Ellie and his brother Parker. They joined me in my Saratoga Springs studio for new family portraits! 

I actually met Brennan before our session this year. The first time we crossed paths was when he was a toddler in NYC for the National Down Syndrome Society photoshoot. Take a peek and see if you can find Brennan, a little rockstar! Here’s a quick hint: look for Elton John! I can’t believe how much more grown up Brennan is now. It feels like just yesterday when I met him and his family! But, it was so good to see him and hear about how everything is going for him. 

When I spoke with Brennan’s family, they described him as having a very chill and loving personality. I have to agree! His mom even told me that she admires “his ability to see the good and the love in all things. I often wish that I had his confidence in life to just live my life with no worries.” When I look back at these portraits of Brennan and his two siblings, I’ll always remember the love that was in the room. It truly was special to witness the way they’re all drawn to each other, the way they take care of each other, and the way they make each other laugh.

Brennan’s session really made me think about why I started this passion project - photographing and telling the stories of children with Down syndrome. It’s hard to believe he’s been a part of this almost 10 year journey with me. Back in 2015, I began this inspiring project in honor of my best friend’s son, Zach. And now I feel like the lucky one to have met and connected with so many incredible little ones and their families over the years. I hope that I always have the chance to help raise awareness about living with Down syndrome!

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Rose Garden Sibling & Family Portrait Session with Schenectady Family Photographer

I loved photographing another family portrait session at the beautiful Central Park Rose Garden in Schenectady this summer! And what a treat it was to photograph this family once again! Over the past year, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting this garden from spring through early fall, and it has been so fun to watch the blooms transform through the seasons. For this session, in late summer, the garden was vibrant with color, offering the perfect backdrop for Nicole and her family’s portrait session.

This family has been longtime clients of mine, and it’s always such a joy to capture their portraits year after year. The kids, Elli and Colton, have grown up in front of my camera, and they just get more adorable each time! Nicole always does an incredible job coordinating the family’s outfits—each session looks effortlessly polished and timeless. I especially loved this session’s outfits - particularly her pink dress. The kids and her husband’s outfits all coordinated around her gown. They all looked amazing! 

While the kids played (and even hugged each other without a fight for me!), we found plenty of spots throughout the garden to mix up the portraits. The Rose Garden really works well for portraits - providing options like the lush rose beds and quiet nooks surrounded by greenery. This session truly highlighted the beauty of summer and the sweet connection this family shares. I can’t wait to see them again soon!

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What makes our Santa Experience Stand Out: Saratoga Springs Holiday and Santa Photo Sessions

I can’t believe it’s already time to start talking about our Santa experience, but at the same time, I can’t complain at all… I LOVE Christmastime! Over the last few years, I’ve worked so hard behind the scenes to create a truly magical and special Santa experience in my Saratoga Springs studio. As a mom, this time of year has also been special in my personal life and watching the magic come to life in my own two children’s eyes is more meaningful than anything else. Honestly, it’s the reason I love our Santa sessions so much!  We truly are bringing that magic to life, and watching kids' faces light up with joy and wonder. There’s nothing else like it! 

Today, I wanted to talk about what makes our Santa experience so special each year. Part of making magic is about creating a full experience - that starts before your family ever steps foot inside my Saratoga Springs studio. Here’s what happens:

The week leading up to the session they receive a letter in the mail from Santa Claus. That letter is addressed to your child inviting them to come and meet Santa. The elves make sure to use special North Pole stationary and stamps, finished off with a hand-poured wax seal. This sets the tone for an unforgettable experience for your child. 

Last year they were invited to the studio to help Santa finish painting nutcrackers that the elves forgot to finish. The kids had a blast using magic paint that appeared in their favorite colors! It was incredible to watch them light up as they worked alongside the big guy! Many of our little ones also wanted to sing carols with Santa and tell him some jokes! 

While sitting with Santa, each child has the chance to help check the Nice List - you can never be too careful, right? Watching the wonder in their eyes when they found their name on the Nice List was amazing! 

Of course, each child will also have the chance to share their wish list or letter to Santa with him. I don’t know if there’s any moment more meaningful than that to me as a parent! 

My own son decided all by himself he needed to bake Santa cookies last year, and he brought him homemade cookies to share! He even wanted to give Santa a gift, and he picked out a chocolate orange (his favorite thing to receive in his stocking every Christmas) and gave it to Santa because he thought he would like to receive one, too. I love that the interactions we create with this Santa experience are so personal and relaxed. It’s really about your child and what they want or need at the moment. 

I know that planning holiday sessions can be stressful for parents. They never know how their child will react and they worry it will impact the session. Perhaps the biggest concern: Will they cry? Here’s the truth: Some kids might. But honestly, most do not! 

Last year my daughter (age 1.5) was the only child all day who shed a tear all day, and that was likely because she just wanted to be with mommy who was shooting the session! I have a whole workflow planned out to capture happy photographs before the kids even spot Santa Claus in the room, and then we move through some more portraits together using songs, toys, and distraction to keep little ones happy who might otherwise be afraid. Santa has years of experience with little ones, and we employ endless patience to create the most adorable portraits of your children and to give them a beautiful, happy experience with Santa.

I promise you, creating a magical experience for your little one is the most important thing to me. I want them to remember these special moments for many holidays to come - and that comes from creating a positive and inspired environment where they can be who they want to be - all while visiting with Santa!

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Cape Cod Family Portraits with a Blue and White Color Palette

After hearing me talk about Cape Cod for years and seeing photos of my kids and other clients' kids at the beach, this sweet family decided that this was the year they would make the trip to my favorite beach town! Honestly this summer, we had a number of long-time NY clients make the trip this year, and I’m beyond honored that each and every one has formed that connection with me over the years and trusted me so much that they planned their vacations and their portrait sessions with me! It was truly such a fun summer because of all of these sweet beach sessions - and the fact that they were made up of my long-time clients made it even more special.

I met Johnny (now 5!!)  and his family at Corporation Beach in Dennis, MA. It’s one of my favorite spots for Cape Cod portrait sessions. I love this beach in the evenings, and I often find myself bringing my own kids there to play in the surf as the sun dips below the sand dunes. It’s where we captured their portraits too! 

Johnny was filled with giggles and he loved exploring the beach, playing in the sand, and cuddling with his family. It made my own heart so happy to see him enjoying himself in a place I so personally love. I also adored his mama’s beautiful hairstyle, and I was blown away when she told me that she did it herself! The prettiest braid with blue and white flowers woven through the strands. It was perfect for her portraits! I think it was such a smart idea, too, being on the beach with the wind lightly blowing - it kept it out of her face in an elegant way. Complementary light blue outfits brought their session look together. 

Thank you all for trusting me with such a special moment on your vacation! I’m thrilled you loved the Cape as much as I do and I’m so happy we were able to capture your first tip there with these special portraits. It’s a memory I will treasure forever! 

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Modern Branding Session for Dentist Office | Clifton Park Headshot and Branding Photographer

I am just thrilled to be sharing this modern branding session with you today! Dr. Katie Tonkin and her family have been longtime clients of mine, so when she reached out about new headshots and branding photography for her business, I was so excited. The day of Katie’s session, I headed to her dentistry practice in Clifton Park. 

I loved working with this all-female team, and the energy in the office the morning of the session was so fun, creative, and collaborative. We started off with headshots of the whole team, followed by small and large group shots and plenty of branding portraits to showcase the whole patient experience so that the patients could really get an idea of what to expect during their appointments. My favorite part was going into the new lab that they built and seeing the incredible new technology available now. It’s important to me that branding sessions really create connections with a business and showcase what makes them unique. I am so happy that Katie and her team stepped up to show me just that! 

While I was there, Katie and I talked about what she hoped to use her branding portraits for. This is a super important conversation to have with every business owner I work with - as it impacts how I photograph what I’m capturing. She mentioned that they’ll be updating their website and social media (I can’t wait to see!) and making slideshows for every patient room in the clinic. I think all of those are fantastic options and ways to make the most of her session!

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Playful Family Portraits at the Surrey-Williamson Inn in Saratoga Springs

This year I’ve had many clients who are visiting Saratoga Springs from out of state and booked a family portrait session to remember their time in our adorable little town. It is SO special to me that they trust me to document such an exciting time during their vacation, and as a mom, I truly love the idea of bringing home some special portraits as a souvenir from a trip! This fun family spent the summer in Saratoga before returning home to Florida, and I had a wonderful time capturing family portraits for them at the Surrey-Williamson Inn in Saratoga Springs. 

The Surrey-Williamson Inn is a gem of a location that’s part of Skidmore College, and I maintain an annual permit to photograph there. The back of the inn reminds me of an old European villa, and I love this pathway for portraits! The inn provides a great combination of gorgeous gardens, stone walkways, and a gorgeous backdrop of the building. I love locations like this because we can quickly capture a large variety of portraits all within one spot.

I had so much fun with this family during their session. Their children, Ryan and Arielle were fantastic - and shared lots of laughs with me while creating beautiful new portraits for this family to enjoy in their home. We leaned into the silly vibes - with lots of jokes, and plenty of snuggles - which I think is the best way to capture any family. Oh, and the other thing I loved about this family’s portraits?! Their outfits! The navy and light blue palette was perfect against the tan building and greenery of the lawn. Absolutely stunning! 

Thank you again to this beautiful family for trusting me to document your special memories. I hope to see you in Saratoga Springs again soon!

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Rose Garden Portraits with Toddlers in Schenectady

I absolutely loved this gorgeous session at the Central Park Rose Garden in Schenectady! This is definitely my new favorite location from the summer and I’m thrilled I had the chance to host another family here. Although it’s a drive from Saratoga Springs, I 100% believe it’s worth the time and effort. Roses bloom from June to September in every single color imaginable and it’s truly a beautiful backdrop for special moments. This family’s portraits were a dream come true! 

For this session, I got to work with two little boys and their parents. Cole is 4 and his little brother, Chase, is 1.5. Both boys are full of their own personalities and I loved watching them come out in front of the camera as they got more comfortable. They were also so sweet together - hugging and enjoying their time with mom and dad around the gardens.  

Young toddlers are always tricky during a portrait session because they never sit still for long, but we play games and keep everything moving to keep them engaged and happy in their portraits, plus lots of breaks and snacks help, too. I’ve been doing this for many years, and have two littles of my own, so I definitely bring a lot of experience - and patience - to my family sessions. I’m all about letting your little ones lead so that they can feel comfortable and confident. It really changes the atmosphere so that your portraits are more enjoyable and relaxed. When you choose a family photographer, particularly with young children, look for one with the experience and patience you know you'll need! 

Thank you again to this wonderful family for spending the evening with me at the Central Park Rose Garden. It was so much fun (and I love all of the pink and tan palette you chose to complement the blooms) and I hope that you did too! 

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Flowers and Pearls - Pretty Little Accents for Newborn Portraits in our Saratoga Springs Newborn Photography Studio

Welcome to the world, Alexandra! I had the best time welcoming this beautiful little girl and her parents to my Saratoga Springs studio. She’s one of the newest members of our Collective Membership, so this is just the first of a few sessions I’ll be photographing for this family throughout Alexandra’s first year. It was wonderful to kick things off with her newborn session - featuring some of my favorite classically feminine details! 

Alexandra’s family wanted to include some of the studio's gorgeous headbands and wraps for their little girl. They dreamed of portraits with details like pearls, lace, and flowers - lucky for them, I have plenty of options in the studio! Truly, there’s so many pearl headbands for baby girls and I love that I have such a beautiful variety to offer my families. Everything we chose for Alexandra really worked within a gorgeous blush, ivory, and tan palette. 

Honestly, it was so fun when her parents came into the studio and began gushing about how much they love what I have on hand - and trust my style - to plan their newborn baby’s portraits. It means a lot to hear that confidence from the parents I work with, and Alexandra’s were no exception. I think we settled on some truly gorgeous setups for this sweet girl and I look forward to seeing her in the studio again for her next set of milestone portraits!

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7 tips for capturing back to school photos this year!

I can’t believe it’s already time for back to school photos! As a mom and photographer, these back to school photos are important to me. I want to document my children’s growth and the stage they’re in each year when that school bus arrives. I am so excited to be sharing my top tips for back to school photos this year - plus it’s a great excuse to share Grayson’s photos from the last two years in preschool and kindergarten. I can’t believe he’ll be starting first grade next week (and I know I’m not the only mama who feels that way!). I hope that these tips help you create special back to school photos that you’ll treasure forever.

#1: Use natural light. 

Head outside and capture a few photos on your front porch or by the front door, or even waiting at the bus stop! If you’re taking your photos inside, choose a clean uncluttered background by a big window with lots of great light coming through. Make sure that any lights within the room are turned off or you’ll have competing sources.  The more natural light, the better! 

#2: Plan ahead. 

Sometimes it can feel chaotic getting ready in the morning on the first day of school after having a slower schedule all summer. You may want to take a few photos in their nice outfit the day before school starts to help hype your child up about school starting the next day, and do a practice run getting ready for the big day. If you plan to use any signs or print outs, get them ready the night before too! 

#3: Use a cute sign (or even a piece of paper!) with the year or grade level. 

If you’re going to be sharing the photos online, consider not including the name of their school or teacher on the sign for privacy reasons, or cover those elements up when you edit the photo before posting. It’s always fun to see how your children’s answers change over the years! 

#4: Capture candid moments, too. 

While everyone loves the traditional photos of your child smiling at the camera, don’t forget the candid ones! My personal favorites of my son on his first day of school are when he is laughing and being silly, and really letting his personality shine.

#5: Make sure you get their teeth in the photo! 

These little ones start losing teeth so quickly, and their smiles change month by month. Document it before it transforms! Plus, asking your kids to smile with their teeth is a fun prompt to get some laughs and real smiles! 

#6: Incorporate school elements to tell the full story. 

Show off their backpack that they picked out, their lunch box, them getting onto the bus. Show them by the sign or entrance to the school, or outside their classroom if you’re dropping them off. Again, if you’re sharing your photos online, consider keeping some private for their safety and including them just in your own personal photo album.

#7: Have fun! 

Your back to school photos shouldn’t be stressful (for you or your kids!). Keep it light and easy for your child, and don’t put any pressure on to get that perfect shot. Let them be kids, and capture them where they’re at! Trust me, you’ll treasure those photos way more in the years to come.

Enjoy this exciting time and good luck to all of the kids who are starting school this year!

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My favorite stage to photograph: Classic 6 month portraits

I have to be honest with you: 6 month milestone portraits are my favorite milestone to photograph! Around the 6-8 month mark, babies are really coming into their personality and learning all sorts of new and fun tricks. When they come into my studio, they’re able to show off their tummy time, sitting up skills, and oftentimes, some of their first smiles…not to mention, the cutest belly laughs are happening! It’s such a special time and if there’s only one milestone session you plan to schedule within your baby’s first year, I highly recommend it be this one! 

Recently, Cooper came into the studio for his classic 6 month portraits. If you know me, then you know I’m a fan of anything neutral and simple that will keep the focus on your sweet baby during their portraits. Cooper’s mom, Zara, chose the cutest knit outfits for him to wear. I think they were perfect and allowed us to really focus on all of the little faces, squishy details, and smiles he gave us. 

Reflecting back on Cooper’s portraits, I love how his smile and personality shine in these portraits without getting lost in a busy backdrop or too many props. He was the happiest little guy, and I kept telling his mama that I could photograph him every day with that great big smile and soft milky cheeks. This setup and the simple outfits allowed me to document the perfect pieces of him that his parents love so much – like his tiny little toes! As you can see, this studio milestone session was such a joy to capture and I hope that Cooper’s parents will treasure these portraits forever!

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A personal post: Cape Cod portrait session at Corporation Beach with Grayson and Adelaide

I’m so lucky that my parents live in Dennisport year round, and it’s so special to get to visit for a few weeks every summer. The kids love visiting the different beaches, floating in Scargo Lake, crabbing, searching the tide pools at low tide, collecting shells, building sand castles and digging trenches in the sand. As any photographer who is also a mom will tell you, I always find it so hard to take photos of my own kids. But the night we captured these new Cape Cod portraits, they let their personalities shine and just loved on each other and we captured the most adorable sibling portraits. 

Both Grayson and Adelaide were 100% agreeable and excited about taking photos at the beach one evening at sunset, and knowing that they would be rewarded with a cookie afterwards certainly helped with the cooperation. ;o) We finally found a night with good weather at Corporation Beach in Dennis and I’m so happy that we were able to freeze time together.  

I’ve been doing beach portraits of Grayson since he was 1 year old, and it’s bittersweet watching him grow up a little more every summer. He looked at this portrait of him and he said, “That’s not me! That’s a 10-year-old!” because I had told him during our little session that that pose was for really big kids. And it’s true – he looks like he’s ready to grab the keys and go for a drive! It makes my mama heart stop for a beat just seeing how quickly it goes by. It’s one of the reasons that I love capturing these portraits in Cape Cod every summer. My babies won’t stop growing (though I so wish they would!). 

Fun little fact about our session on Corporation Beach – I ended up with a gallery of 34 favorite portraits, and we took them in less than 12 minutes. You don’t need a lot of time to capture great portraits of your kids – just someone who knows all the tricks to get them to hug & smile. ;o) After doing this for the last 10 years, I’ve got plenty of tricks that even work on my own kids! 

My goal was one good one to hang on the gallery wall in our dining room, but with so many that I love like this, I don’t know how I’m going to choose which one to print & frame! I hope you enjoy this little peek into our family’s summer tradition!

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Older Newborn Portraits with an 8 week old

Welcome to the world (and Saratoga Springs!), Aidan! This sweet family traveled to Saratoga with their 8 week old and booked a newborn session while they were in town! Visiting Saratoga is becoming an annual tradition for them, and they were excited to document their son’s first portraits while on vacation. I love our little town, so it was special to hear about their tradition and how special this year’s visit would be. 

We started Aidan’s newborn session with updated family portraits on Broadway in Saratoga Springs. It’s such a beautiful and classic downtown, and I love that we were able to make these happen with an early morning session before Broadway became too busy (as it does in the summertime with the tourists in town for track season!). No matter what kind of portraits we’re capturing, I want to document what is special for you. It makes me so happy that we could include this spot that Aidan’s parents love in their first official portraits with their baby boy! We ended their session in my studio - with a white and grey palette for Aidan’s portraits. They feel so classic and timeless! Since Aidan was about 8 weeks old during our portraits, we captured some special moments of him with his parents - featuring his wide and beautiful open eyes. You can already start to see his sweet little personality coming out! 

Aidan’s newborn session was wonderful for all of us. Bringing an older newborn to the studio is perfectly okay! I know that many new parents worry about the “perfect” time to schedule their newborn session, but I’m here to tell you that there is no perfect time. Don’t worry if you were in a newborn haze and missed the traditional 2-3 week window for newborn portraits. Older newborn sessions are actually one of my favorites, and I love this stage when babies are more alert and interactive with their parents. They begin smiling socially around 6 weeks, and we’re able to capture smiles and eye contact, and a lot more engagement with the world around them. 

We still work hard to keep them calm and happy, while also capturing more of their personality. Some older newborns still curl up into the little sleepy poses, and others are a little more stiff and won’t curl up like those early babies, but there are so many beautiful ways to pose them and document the very stage that they are in right now. As you can see from Aidan’s portraits, they’re still just as magical and meaningful, no matter how old your new baby is! 

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