Newborn Portraits with Teenage Siblings

Meet Baby Finnley and his big siblings Austin and Addie! I was so happy when Finn, Addie, and Austin’s parents reached out about scheduling a newborn session to capture their new arrival to the family. As they began to tell me about their family, I knew this was going to be a very special newborn session for all of us. Finn is lucky to be welcomed to the world by his incredible parents and his big twin siblings, who are just so in love with him. He’s one loved little boy, that’s for sure!

Posing Teenage Siblings with Newborn Babies

Photographing a newborn session with teenage siblings is unique, too. It was a lot of fun to work with Addie and Austin as we welcomed their brother to the world. These two are so sweet and it’s clear they love each other and their family very much!

While working with teenagers during a newborn session is much like working with an adult or a parent, there’s definitely a few differences. One thing I love is that we can do more of the poses I typically reserve for parents with a few adjustments. Not all big siblings are as comfortable holding or moving a baby as their parents are, so it’s easy to change things up so they’re comfortable. I always have my sessions follow the flow needed for the family - and tend to start with full family portraits so that the teens have a bit more time to warm up and be ready to hold the baby, though Austin and Addie didn’t seem to need that!

Once the teens are more comfortable and ready to hold their new sibling, we’ll get started with some of my favorite poses. I always check in with the kids to make sure they’re still comfortable holding the baby or moving them around. Sometimes, I’ll be more hands on if needed, but usually by just adjusting the poses to be seated, the teenagers often find much more confidence holding their new siblings! Having them seated just allows everyone to feel more confident and sure about holding the baby! The baby's safety is always the top priority in any newborn session, no matter who is holding them.

With some patience and guidance, we’ll easily capture some incredible memories for you and your family - including your teenage children holding their new sibling! Thank you to this sweet family for trusting me with this special memory!!

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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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Lavender and Sage Newborn Portraits with Saratoga Springs Newborn Photographer

Sweet little Rohen is finally here, and she was the smiliest newborn I’ve had in the studio in awhile! This adorable baby girl’s arrival was much anticipated, and I loved celebrating with her family with some beautiful portraits. We turned all of their favorites into an heirloom album, and I know they’re going to turn those pages hundreds of times with their daughter to relive these days as she grows.

We chose cream, sage green, and lavender to match the nursery decor. This was my first time using these new eucalyptus branches in newborn portraits, and I’m in love with how it turned out!

I mean, can we talk about that SMILE?!?!?!?! Melts your heart, doesn’t it?!

Mom and dad rocked the outfit selection, thanks to these tips on what to wear to your newborn session!

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Pretty Mauve Flowers for a Studio Newborn Session

Little Anaís is our newest Baby Plan member, and I loved welcoming her family into our Saratoga Springs portrait studio for her newborn session! We incorporated mauve florals and soft greenery to coordinate with her nursery, and I just love how it all came together for this sweet baby girl. Plus, this new mauve headband from my favorite boutique coordinated perfectly!

I always love wrapping the babies up so that we can see their tiny arms and legs, and Anaís looked so beautiful in this peach wrap against our white blanket. All of these headbands are also from Polka Dot Poppy, which is where I’ve been buying our studio headbands for years! They are all handmade, and I love how the designer incorporates such dainty details and beautiful colors into each one!

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Studio Newborn Portraits for Baby Boy & Big Sister

When this sweet family reached out to plan their older newborn session, I knew we were going to capture the most adorable awake portraits of their sweet baby boy with his big sister. What I didn’t expect was how little Matteo would absolutely blow me away with his many expressions! He melted my heart, and I loved capturing his portraits.

So many families have had to delay their newborn portraits due to the closures during covid, but there are actually so many advantages to working with an older newborn for their first photo session. Matteo was a perfect example by giving us a mix of relaxed alert time, and also some deep sleep that allowed for easy posing and those classic sleepy newborn photos.

We chose lots of neutrals and blues to match this family’s decor at home, and these portraits are going to look amazing up on their walls for them to enjoy every day!

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For the Love of Neutrals: All About Why My Baby Portrait Studio is Filled with Whites & Creams

Neutral & Natural.

Whites. Creams. Tans. Grays. Blush pink.

Weathered wood. Whitewashed wood. Linen. Wool. Textured fabrics. Delicate details. Handmade with love.

That describes my studio in a nutshell, and all of the elements that I love to incorporate into your baby’s portraits. You won’t find any crazy props or cluttered setups here. I am all about keeping the focus on your baby and showcasing their perfect little details and personality while embracing simplicity.

It’s timeless. It’s classic. It’s beautiful.

From the wooden props to the furniture & the walls, almost everything in the studio is shades of white & cream. I have a few colors of seamless paper and lots of colorful balloons, garlands, and flowers that we use for cake smash sessions. I use wraps, chunky wool bump blankets, and headbands for pops of color in our newborn portraits. But after many years of designing sessions and creating artwork for families to hang in their homes, I am drawn to those soft neutral colors and I just can’t get enough of them!

One of the questions I get asked often is WHY. So today I’m sharing a few of the reasons that our studio is filled with neutrals for our baby portrait sessions.

1. Neutral portraits match everyone’s decor.

Whether your home is decorated in neutrals, bold colors, or darker tones, family portraits in soft neutral colors will look good on any wall in your home. What if you redecorate in a few years and completely change your style? These portraits will still look perfect on your walls with the new decor. Your artwork is meant to be timeless, to last for generations, and to become a part of your home. Our neutral color base helps that happen!

2. Neutrals keep the focus on your baby’s personality & tiny features.

When you look back at these portraits in 15 years, you want to remember your daughter’s big smile and those cute little elbow dimples. That is why we keep the background clean and uncluttered with tones that make your little one’s features pop.

3. Neutrals don’t have to be boring!

I could work with all whites & creams every day and never grow tired of it! Layers, textures, different fabrics, and a mix of tones keep it interesting! Plus we add pops of color with outfits, flowers, and blankets.

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How I Got Started with Newborn & Baby Photography | Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

One of the questions that I get asked all the time is how I got started with newborn photography.  My son is only 2 years old, so my story is not like so many photographers’ stories who fell in love with newborn photography while photographing their own little one.  In fact, I started capturing those tiny newborn details as a single twenty-something!  So, how did I get started?

I used to be a first grade teacher.  A few years into teaching, I knew that I needed a creative outlet so I decided to learn how to take better portraits with my DSLR camera.  Before then, I primarily did travel photography and I took big international trips almost every summer.  I loved wandering around new cities with my camera in hand to document all of the stories around me, but as a teacher I needed a creative outlet that would take me through the school year and fuel my creative spirit.  I knew that one day I would want to be able to take beautiful pictures of my own children, so I started practicing early on all of my friends’ children!

In the beginning, I photographed everything.  Families.  High school seniors.  My friends.  My students.  Babies.  Big kids.  Little kids.  Everything was new and exciting, and I carried my camera with me everywhere I went.

My first newborn sessions were in May of 2012.  Two sweet baby girls who happened to be born on the same day — one was my best friend’s daughter, and one was a coworker’s daughter.  At that point, I had done some online courses in newborn posing and I bought every basket I could find at HomeGoods with the idea of “I could put a baby in that!”

Back then, I was traveling to clients’ home with all of my props in the back of my car.  I carried a huge newborn posing pillow, a bulky backdrop stand, boxes filled with props and wraps, baskets, and my camera bag.  It was so much work lugging all of that in and out of their houses, and I definitely don’t miss those days of filling my car to the brim, unpacking it, carrying it up flights of stairs, and packing it all back up! 

In January 2015 I took an in-person workshop with another baby photographer, and I was so inspired that I came home and decided to convert our living room in our tiny Boston apartment into a studio.  Thankfully, my husband (then fiancé) was on board.  Actually, I think it was his suggestion!  So I created a studio, set up all of my props and backdrops, and finally stopped lugging everything into clients’ homes for their newborn sessions.  I started welcoming clients into the studio that spring, and by summer I left my teaching job to pursue my photography business full time!  

Five years later, and I am out of that tiny Boston apartment with a home studio in Saratoga Springs.  I’ve refined my style, found my focus (pun intended!), and learned so much in the world of baby photography and small business ownership.  I’ve taught other photographers how to get their businesses off the ground, and I’ve placed hundreds upon hundreds of print orders at my photo labs.  

I photograph around 100 families a year, and my first little babies that I photographed are so big now.  I look at these new babies that come into the studio, and I know that we’re going to blink and another eight years will go by just like that.  That is why it is so important to me to beautifully document this stage.  To create timeless portraits for families that they can enjoy forever to remember just how tiny and fresh their baby was when they welcomed them home.  

I’m truly grateful for every family that has trusted me to capture these memories with their babies, and I look forward to welcoming many more little ones into the studio!

Welcome Miles! A newborn session with baby and big sister

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Adorable Newborn Portraits for Baby Aadvik

Little Baby Aadvik was so sweet and cuddly, and I absolutely adored his newborn portrait session at our Saratoga Springs studio. He slept like a dream and we captured so many adorable portraits for his family, including some really beautiful family portraits and mom/baby and dad/baby shots!

But cute little baby feet like these are always some of my favorite images from our sessions!

Aadvik’s parents were so calm and relaxed the entire session, and I’m convinced that’s why this sweet boy was so easy for us! He was especially cuddly with his mama, and he even had the cutest little newborn snore while he slept!

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The Sweetest Newborn Portraits with Big Sister

Miss Olivia Grace wins the award for best hair on a newborn. Just look at her!

This little sweetie joined us for a newborn portrait session at our Saratoga Springs studio, and she was showered in love by her big sister. They were so cute together, and we captured so many beautiful portraits of these sisters together. I love that this family will have artwork showcasing this special bond for the rest of their lives!

Big sister Scarlett was so excited to be in portraits with her baby sister, and she gave all the best smiles! My favorite part about this one, though, is that little curl!

I LOVED mama’s dress that she chose for the family portraits! I always recommend light colors, especially white or cream, and the detail on this one was perfect for their portraits.

So much excitement and love in one picture!

We had so much fun incorporating some spring florals into Olivia’s newborn portraits. As always, my favorite dainty newborn headbands come from Polka Dot Poppy!

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Mint, Navy & Cream Newborn Portraits for Baby Gabriel

Is there anything more beautiful & classic than a baby wrapped simply on a white blanket?

No, I don’t think there is!

I love embracing simplicity in our newborn portrait sessions. These brand new babies are so perfect, and I want to showcase their tiny fingers, the curve of their cheeks, those little wisps of hair, and their sleepy little movements & yawns. That is why we use simple backdrops in neutral colors, and clothing recommendations for mom and dad that won’t distract from their new bundle of joy. The focus is always on the baby.

We incorporated some pops of blue and mint into Gabriel’s newborn session at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio, and I love how these colors look together!

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Floral Crowns and Lace - Gorgeous Newborn Portraits for a Baby Girl

Ohhhhh my goodness, can we talk about how amazing Madison was during her newborn portrait session at our Saratoga Springs studio?

This little cutie was just the most adorable baby girl and I loved photographing her. She adored being swaddled and was so calm & relaxed the entire session, so we were able to capture such a huge variety of portraits for her family!

This beautiful floral crown is a new addition to the studio from my favorite headband vendor. Madison was the perfect model for it!

Madison’s mama requested shades of purple, and I loved incorporating these muted mauve flowers in her portraits!

This sweet baby girl was joined at the studio by her mama, aunt, and grandmother. We captured the most beautiful three generation portraits of them all together, and dresses from the studio’s Mama Wardrobe gave the portraits a classic & elegant style.

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Best of 2019 Newborn Sessions with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

Every year I love going through all of my sessions and compiling a collection of favorites for a huge blog post, and this year I am so excited to share the “Best of 2019” newborn sessions!

I was truly honored to welcome so many babies to the studio and celebrate their arrival with their families. It really is the best job in the world to be invited into their lives to cuddle their newborns and photograph their first days with their new baby. I will never get tired of those new baby yawns, their cute little back rolls, and those tiny toes. Newborns are pure magic, and it’s such a joy to document this stage on camera!

Enjoy a peek at a few of our favorite portraits from the year!

We had the most amazing big brothers & sisters in the studio this year, and it was beautiful to see how sweet and cuddly they were with their new babies.

And baby makes three! So many beautiful moments for these brand new parents!

It’s always extra special when three generations join us at a newborn session, and I love capturing that special bond with all of the baby’s loved ones.

This year we really simplified the studio’s colors to keep the focus on the baby with clean, timeless portraits. I find white to be an absolutely beautiful color for brand new babies, and we started many of our sessions off with the baby in a clean white onesie just laying on a blanket, unposed and settling in to however was comfortable for them. Those were some of my favorite candid moments of the year!

And of course, swaddled up tight with whites & creams will never go out of style! Just look at these perfect little babies!

Let’s not forget our lifestyle sessions, which steal my heart every single time! I always love getting to photograph a family at home with their brand new baby. These sessions are a relaxed peek into their lives at home and we photograph the new family in the nursery, master bedroom, and any other spot with beautiful light! One of my absolute favorite spots this year was a wooden porch swing in the summertime.

As always, I am so incredibly grateful for all of the families that entrusted me with their most precious treasures this year. Thank you for inviting me into your lives to document this special time, and for letting me snuggle your little one in the process, too! :o)

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Ravi's Newborn Portraits with a Beautiful Wedding Sari

Ravi’s newborn portrait session at our Saratoga Springs studio was extra special because his mama brought her wedding sari to use in the session! Scroll to the end to see this sweet baby boy’s portraits on the beautifully embroidered red and gold sari as a nod to his family’s heritage and to his parents’ story together!

We started this new Baby Planner’s session with family portraits, and I love all of the sweet cuddles we captured with the proud parents. So many (come on, it’s more like ALL!!!) new moms and dads are tired and exhausted when they bring their babies home, but I promise you that they never in a million years regret stepping in front of the camera to capture these snuggles with their new babies.

These are the portraits that I want my clients to look back on in 5 years, 10 years, 30 years and remember exactly what the weight of your baby on your chest felt like, how their tiny chest moved up and down with each breath, and the sound of those little squeaks as they settled into your arms to get comfortable. This is why I always encourage parents to step in front of the camera. The exhaustion will fade, but you’ll always be so glad you captured these memories.

Ravi’s birth announcements were also holiday cards, so we made sure to capture a few classic holiday portraits of their baby boy.

And finally, the beautiful wedding sari!

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Beautiful Newborn Portraits at our Saratoga Springs Baby Photography Studio

Our latest Baby Planner has arrived, and she is oh-so-sweet!

Meet Elliana. She visited me at the studio and was the most cuddly little baby. I love that we captured these portraits of her resting in her mommy & daddy’s arms to show just how small she was when she was born!

Looking over dad’s shoulder is always one of my favorite angles to capture during a newborn session. This is the view you’re never going to forget when you think back on holding your daughter in those first few weeks, and seeing this image twenty years from now will bring you right back to feeling the weight of her in your arms and the way she made her happy little newborn sighs when she settled in comfortably.

Can you find the hidden hearts in the portrait below?

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Welcoming Baby Georgia Home - Lifestyle newborn photographer in saratoga springs

Ohhhhh my goodness! This lifestyle newborn session in Saratoga Springs absolutely stole my heart, and now I am 100% obsessed with newborn portraits on front porch swings.

I mean, can’t you see why?????

I loved literally every frame of this session with Baby Georgia, and watching her mama and daddy love on her right in their cute little home was so perfect. We usually do our lifestyle newborn sessions in the nursery & master bedroom, but when I saw their front porch with golden light brushing the ferns hanging from the ceiling, I knew we had to do a few family portraits on the porch, too!

Then we headed indoors to this sweet baby girl’s nursery.

I love how tiny she looks in her daddy’s arms!

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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.  

A Pretty Lavender Newborn Session for Baby Kinsley - Saratoga Springs Studio Newborn Photographer

We shared sweet baby Kinsley’s Fresh 48 session at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany last week, and today I’m excited to share her newborn portraits at our Saratoga Springs studio!

This adorable baby girl was an absolute dream for her newborn session. She was sleepy and cuddly, and we captured so many beautiful family & sibling portraits during her session. Her mama wore one of the lavender gowns from our Mama Wardrobe (all of our clients have access to beautiful dresses for their session to make even outfit planning stress-free!), and I love how the dress coordinated perfectly with the purple layers we used for this springtime newborn girl.

Big brother Killian loved tickling his baby sister!

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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.  

Teddy's Newborn Session with Boston Baby Photographer

Sweet little Teddy joined me at our Attleboro studio for his newborn session, and he was such a little cutie! We captured so many sleepy photos of this baby boy with his mommy & daddy.

These parent portraits are always some of my favorites from our newborn sessions because it’s amazing to be able to look back on these memories of your first days with your newborn and remember how small they were in your arms, the smell of that fresh newborn skin, and the feel of that soft baby hair against your cheek when you cuddled them in close.

Teddy was most comfortable when he brought his toes together just like this (all on his own!). I couldn’t resist capturing this adorable detail for his parents to remember forever.

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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.  

A Rainbow Baby Newborn Session with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

A rainbow baby is a baby born after a loss. It is the rainbow after a storm.

Photographing this newborn session was extra special because we were able to celebrate Baby David, and also honor his big sister Leila who was no longer with us in his portraits.

Big brother Wesley and big sister Julia were all too happy to cuddle their sweet baby brother and love on him. This sibling portrait was literally taken within seconds of turning on my camera for their session, and it’s my favorite sibling portrait ever! These two cuties ADORE their baby brother, and it really shows. I’m so happy his family is going to enjoy these portraits on their walls forever to remember this special time when they brought their baby home!

Such a sleepy little boy!

These are our RAINBOW BABY portraits. Clean, classic, and simple. The perfect way to honor Big Sister Leila.

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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.  

Piper Mae's Newborn Session with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

I’ve been starting our studio newborn sessions off with some unposed portraits of the babies in simple white onesies, and you know what? I’m in love with this look!

Sweet little Piper Mae joined me at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio for her newborn session, and this adorable red head was such a sleepy little angel. We captured so many cute family portraits, and adorable springtime ones of her all by herself, too!

Piper’s mama wore a gown from our Mama Wardrobe at the studio. Doesn’t she look incredible in this shade of mint?

Piper was born with her legs up by her head, so of course she was most comfortable stretching her legs out straight and waving them around in the air. I’m so glad we were able to capture this in a portrait for her family to remember her special arrival by!

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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.