New outfits in the studio's baby wardrobe!

One of the things that client v tell me they love about their studio sessions is how EASY figuring out outfits is knowing that there’s a studio wardrobe filled with options for their baby. I’ve had so many parents show up to their baby’s milestone session with nothing but a diaper bag, and then choose three gorgeous outfits for their little one from the studio’s closet.

I figured it was about time to start adding some toddler options, and I’m always adding more and more. Here are just a few of the options (with pretty in-use photos!) from the studio’s wardrobe. We currently have over 60 different outfits for baby boys and girls, with new options being added all the time for toddlers so that big brother & sister have easy outfits that parents can borrow for sibling portraits at newborn sessions.

I always tend to choose soft neutrals when looking at clothing options, and I particularly love a little detail on outfits like ruffles, eyelet trim, lace, knit texture, buttons, tulle, etc. Learn more about why neutrals are the best choice for your portraits here in this blog post.

Enjoy a peek at a few of my faves!

This white eyelet dress (below) is from the Gap, and it is always a popular option for babies and toddlers. I’ve had countless families come to sessions over the past few years with this dress, and I now have the dress in the studio wardrobe for families to borrow, too!

Finally, a collage of a few of our new options in the studio’s client closet! Clearly I love suspenders on little boys, and blush pink and cream are always beautiful on camera for little girls!

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Gallery Walls Plus Ideas for Displaying your Family's Portraits

Now that we are in our forever home I have been planning all sorts of ways to enjoy our portraits up on the walls. Before we moved, I knew we weren’t going to be in our home forever and we had very limited wall space, so I didn’t hang up too, too much. But now we have so many more walls with countless options to enjoy our artwork, and I am loving all of the possibilities!

A few of my favorite options for displaying wall art are:

1. Photo ledges. These are great for swapping out different-sized photos and artwork. I use different frames and shapes on ours, and a variety of sizes for a really beautiful effect.
   

2. One large statement piece on the wall. My favorite size is 20x30 for a medium-sized wall, or 30x40 for a larger wall. The 20x30 gives you the most versatility to move all around the house, and the 30x40 really has a big wow factor!
   

3. A trio of 16x20s over an entry table, bed, or bureau. Or mix it up with a 20x30 or 20x20 in the middle, and two 16x20s on the sides.
   

4. A gallery wall with 7x10” prints matted to 11x14”. I love this size, and it is what we include in our Collection Boxes. It’s very versatile, and you can use 6 or 8 of them over the sofa or in the hallway.

Below you’ll find some inspiration for different groupings on your walls. When we get together after your session we’ll choose your favorite portraits and look at your walls to find the best sizes and options for your home. We have fine art prints, gallery wrap canvases, and wooden wall art so there are styles for every home.

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You’ll notice that I’m a big fan of trios of portraits. Groupings of three are very pleasing to the eye and they feel beautifully balanced without being too overwhelming or cluttered.

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Did you know that there are certain things you can do to care for your artwork and ensure that it looks as good as new for many, many years? I’ve compiled a blog post filled with tips to care for your artwork here. Go check it out!

I love symmetry in gallery walls, and I especially enjoy the versatility of a large family portrait in the middle surrounded by a collection of 8x10s matted to 11x14 on the sides. Then when you change things up in a few years, these are all easy sizes to re-home in different rooms throughout your home!

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Here’s a gallery wall example with a set of 11x14 matted portraits!

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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!

Saratoga Springs Lifestyle Newborn Session with Big Sisters

Baby Harry was welcomed home by the cutest big sisters, and I love the excitement that they brought to our lifestyle newborn session in Saratoga Springs!  

This very special family moved into their new home just in time to welcome home a tiny little brother.  It was all blank walls and huge windows with lots of natural light streaming through, perfect for capturing these moments and newborn cuddles on camera!

Little Sister Ruthie took a little convincing to get in the photos (it's tough becoming a big sister and realizing you're not the baby anymore!), but once she did, she had the BIGGEST smile on her face and was so excited to love on her baby brother!

Big sister Havah was such a little mother, and she melted all of our hearts when she cuddled up to Harry to tell him how much she loved him.  

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Did you love this lifestyle newborn session?
Check out Ronan's session with his adorable big brother here!

Oh The Places You'll Go First Birthday Cake Smash | Happy Birthday, Mallika!

One of my favorite things about being a cake smash photographer is when I get to work with clients who are just as excited about planning their baby's birthday photo session as I am!  

When Mallika's mom first contacted me about her daughter's cake smash, I instantly knew that we would be a great fit.  She had so many beautiful ideas for her daughter's birthday session, and it was really important to her that we create just the right look & style for her cake smash set up.  After many conversations, we decided that what she really wanted was a simple, classic, and minimalist look with a focus on the baby.  That is just my style!  :o)  Bring on the pure white seamless paper!  She also wanted to incorporate the soft colors and a quote from her favorite book, Dr. Seuss's "Oh the Places You'll Go".  

After I saw a picture of her beautiful little romper from The Stag and the Swan, the whole set came together in my mind and I loved bringing it to life!  I've been dabbling in calligraphy ever since attending a hand-lettering workshop with Sip & Script Boston (check out their page for a fun ladies' night out, and a new alternative to a paint night!).  Creating this calligraphy backdrop was my largest project to date, and I couldn't be more pleased with how it all came together for this charming little girl's birthday.

The little birthday girl, Mals, sure looks like she loved it too, doesn't she?  

One of my tried & true tricks for engaging one year olds during their photo session is to hide puffs in the frosting or on my white flokati rug.  If you are around any babies at all, you know that puffs are everyone's favorite snack and they are always a huge hit with these little ones.  Plus, they blend into the carpet or frosting, are small enough to fit into their tiny hands, and they do not leave a trace of crumbs on their teeth.  They are the perfect photo shoot snack!  

Mallika loved her puffs, and they kept her quite entertained while sitting on my curved bench prop.  I just love that in this photo, she has everything she could ever need -- a helping hand from her mom, and a snack within reaching distance.  Full bellies make for happy babies!  

This is the face of a girl who LOVES her puffs:

In typical one-year old fashion, it's not uncommon for our cake smash sessions to end with a couple of tears.  After all, if someone gave you an entire cake and let you go to town on it, and then took it away from you just when it was starting to get really fun, wouldn't  you want to cry, too?  I think that these moments are just as cute & frame-worthy as the happy clapping, the bubbly laughter, and the sparkling eyes.  I always make sure to keep shooting when the tears start to come out, and it definitely makes for some fun memories!

Finally, a couple of family photos to celebrate surviving (and thriving in!) their first year of parenthood.  Congratulations, P. family!  Your family is absolutely beautiful, and I am so thankful that you invited me into your lives to capture this milestone for you to enjoy.

Saratoga Springs Cake Smash Photographer: A Whimsical First Birthday Photo Session

Where to begin?  I loved everything about this cake smash session in the studio to celebrate Valentina's first birthday.  Every single thing was MAGICAL.  When her mom first contacted me and told me her dream for a whimsical, soft, and feminine cake smash, I knew that we would be the perfect fit to bring this dream to life in the perfect portrait session for her baby girl.  

Every flower on the backdrop was handcrafted by me, and though it took hours upon hours to create, I am so pleased with how it turned out.  When I first posted a sneak peek of this baby girl on social media, it got a lot of love in my baby photography groups.  

The biggest surprise of all was that an amazing opportunity came out of this session, and I am now designing a line of custom photography  backdrops for Baby Dream Backdrops to sell on their site, with this sweet floral design being the first one!  I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity, and it just goes to show you that hard work pays off and your dreams can really take on new directions when you do what you love.  You can purchase the backdrop here, and more designs will be coming soon! 

Now, back to Valentina Rose.  She is the sweetest little thing, and her infinite expressions made us laugh throughout her session.  She was so happy and playful, and I could seriously photograph babies like her all day long and never grow tired of it.  

Going back through her images, I had the hardest time narrowing them down because so much personality shines through in each and every one.  We got together on her exact birthday for her reveal session, and her parents fell in love with every single photo of their baby girl who was right on the brink of toddlerhood.  Though she wasn't walking yet at the time of our session, two weeks later she was taking solid steps around the kitchen while we oooooooh-ed and aaaaaaaaah-ed over her photos.  This baby girl amazes her parents more and more each and every day!

Now are you starting to see why I had such a difficult time choosing favorites from her session?  She is seriously the cutest!  On to the cake smash, my favorite part of these birthday portrait sessions.  Between her outfit, the floral crown, the whimsical backdrop, and the swirls on the cake... this might just be my new favorite cake smash!  I will definitely be making some large framed prints and canvases to hang in the new studio, that's for sure!

Looking to plan your baby's cake smash session?  The recommended age for these sessions is between 10 months and 12 months, and families book as early as 3 to 4 months in advance!  I would love to talk with you more to plan the perfect session for your baby's birthday!  I'm booking cake smash sessions in our new Saratoga Springs portrait studio starting in early July, and I will continue to return to my Boston clients for cake smash sessions after the move to New York.  Use the contact tab above and let's chat!  

A Sesame Street Cake Smash for Aiden's First Birthday!

One of the things that I love the most about our studio cake smash sessions is planning a unique theme and set up for each baby.  From the outfit, to the cake, to the custom decor and backdrop, every little step along the way comes together to create the perfect session for celebrating this little one's birthday. 

For Aiden's Sesame Street session, we used bright primary colors, simple shapes, and a delicious Cookie Monster cake to pull it all together, with a little nod to the classic television show with a green & yellow street sign like those you might see on Sesame Street.  This cake was especially fun to make, and I love that it is covered in lots of ooey-gooey frosting perfect for smashing!

Aiden, however, was not a huge fan of cake or frosting.  He was much more interested in the cookies than in the cake, and thankfully the baby-sized cookies kept this little baby happy during his session!  

I just love the big smile that he showed us here!  Happy birthday, baby boy!

On a sidenote, we are in the process of moving to Saratoga Springs, NY (did you miss our moving announcement?).  I spent all day painting our Saratoga Springs photography studio today, and I cannot wait to welcome some birthday babies in for cake smashes starting in July!  Is your little one turning 1 this summer or fall?  Use the contact tab above to get in touch!

A Rock & Roll Cake Smash with Twins!

It all started with a KISS onesie...

Have you ever had one of those days where you look in your closet and you have nothing to wear?  Who am I kidding, of course you have!  We all have!  Now, has that ever happened to you when planning outfits for your family's portrait session?  It's not easy figuring our what to wear and how to coordinate outfits for 2, 3, 4, 5, or even 10 people!  That's why I always tell families that when inspiration strikes, you go with it!

(Or you can check out our helpful What to Wear blog post here!) 

When the twins' mom was trying to come up with outfits for her babies for their cake smash, she was also trying to come up with a theme.  After going back and forth a few times, she finally told me that she had a KISS onesie in the basement that she had given to her husband when they were expecting their first baby.  KISS is her husband's favorite band, he has been to hundreds of their concerts, and all three of her children LOVE rock music.

The answer was clear... yes, yes, YES!  Let's do a rock & roll themed cake smash!

I'm a little bit vintage.  They're a little bit rock & roll.  Everything came together perfectly for Emily & Nicholas's first birthday celebration from the handmade backdrop to the individual cakes.  Plus, getting to watch these babies play with their cakes for their first taste of sugar?  So adorable!

I've captured the sweetest moments of Emily and Nicholas together since they were newborns, and I've absolutely loved watching them grow.  Getting to celebrate their first birthday with them was the icing on the cake!   ;o)  

A Cute Baby & A Pretty Hat: Eliana's 7 Month Milestone Session (Upstate New York Baby Photographer)

Every now & then there is a knock on the door and a family walks in carrying the cutest baby I've ever seen... actually, "every now and then" feels more like "every couple of days" when your job is a baby photographer.  I feel so lucky to be able to cuddle with so many adorable babies every day, and when the next potential Gerber baby model comes into my studio for a session, I absolutely love it!  Sessions like this one remind me that I truly do enjoy the best job ever.  :) 

Eliana came to the studio for her 7 month milestone session.  This is such a beautiful age that I love capturing on camera.  Babies are sitting more comfortably, they are smiling and engaged with the camera, they love playing with their toes, and they enjoy being the center of attention for being so adorable.  Babies this age are champs at tummy time, have the best giggles, and have so many sweet expressions to add variety to your photographs.  

We did a little photo series of Eliana wearing the sweetest cream-colored bonnet that I have in the studio.  I just love the way it framed her face and made those blue eyes sparkle!  

I love our Petite Milestone sessions because the focus is all about your baby.  We keep it simple with neutral backdrops, natural colors, and minimal props to focus on your little one, their personality, their developing milestones, and their innocence.  We capture natural moments that are so precious in this fleeting stage of infancy, and I can guarantee that these classic images will hang in your home for many, many years without ever looking dated.

Want to learn more about our Petite Milestone sessions?  Read about them here, and then contact me today and let's plan the perfect session to celebrate your baby's budding milestones this spring!

A Superhero Cake Smash: Saratoga Springs & Albany, NY Baby Photographer

It's a bird...

It's a plane...

It's... SUPERBABY ANTHONY!

I have been having so much fun designing our cake smashes lately!  It helps that the families are coming up with the most amazing themes.  (Did you see our "Where the Wild Things Are" smash?  So adorable!)  When Anthony's parents told me that they were planning a superhero bash for his first birthday party, I knew that I wanted to do an airy cityscape for his set.  That combined with his vibrant cake and the smiliest baby I've ever seen, and this is certainly topping the charts as one of my favorite cake smash sessions so far!

One of my favorite parts of Anthony's cake smash session actually happened AFTER the cake smash.  We got together at his family's home for their reveal session, and his parents fell in love with every single photo in their slideshow.  When they showed the baby the photos of himself, Anthony put on the biggest smile and erupted into the most adorable giggle.  This baby LOVES seeing photos of himself, and he stared and stared at them, taking in every detail.  Such a sweet moment, and I was so happy to be there in person to witness that!

For me, first birthdays are about more than just the baby.  They are about celebrating as a family -- you have survived your first year of parenthood, and that is a major accomplishment!  I always love capturing the love, the joy, and the celebration of parents with their babies just as their little one is about to become a toddler.  Enjoy a few sweet moments of Anthony with his parents...