A Generational Family Portrait Session in Saratoga Springs

I’ve photographed this family many times since Elliana was born, and we’ve now done generational portraits for both the mom’s side of the family & the dad’s side of the family, too! It is beyond special to document a family over and over, but also to be able to capture portraits of three generations together. This year’s session with Nicole’s dad and his wife took place in Saratoga Springs. We had the dreamiest light and I couldn’t be more pleased with how their generational family portrait session went. 

I absolutely loved capturing this session. Elliana and Colton’s grandparents are SO much fun and absolutely wonderful to be around. It’s clear they all have a good time when they’re together. We had lots of laughs together and the sweet and playful bond they share with their grandchildren is very apparent. Elliana and Colton loved the chance to show off their grandparents to me - and I loved capturing new portraits of the two of them, too. They’re growing so quickly! 

I am confident that everyone is going to love the heirloom album that we created from their session, and I hope they spend many hours flipping through the pages on the couch with Elli and Colton! It makes me happy to know that these portraits will be enjoyed for many years. I truly believe generational portraits are simply the best!!

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2021 Holiday Portraits in our Saratoga Springs Photography Studio

Holiday portrait sessions are some of my favorite moments to capture in our Saratoga Springs studio! I wait all year long for these days to arrive because they’re always so much fun and filled with joy. This year, I chose to offer three new setups for holiday portraits. We had a white snowflake room, evergreen seamless paper with a loveseat for the family and some flocked trees and a holiday bed. Everyone LOVED getting in the holiday spirit here in the studio.

I welcomed lots of longtime clients and families to the studio over our holiday sessions. It was so great to see everyone again and catch up. I also had the chance to meet plenty of new families too. I’m so excited to have been part of their holiday tradition this year!

Thank you to every family that chose to come celebrate with me this year. Here’s a little sneak peek at some of my favorite holiday moments in the studio this year!!

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9 Tips to Look your Best in your Upcoming Family Portrait Session

Your family portrait session is coming up, and you want to look your very best in portraits that will be hanging in your home for years. While it’s true that your family portrait session is really about the kids, you still want to look & feel good in photos, too! You and your kids are going to be looking back on these photos for literally decades, and I completely understand the desire to capture your very best self in portraits.

First of all, you might be feeling a little self-conscious in front of the camera. I can assure you that nearly every adult I have ever photographed is at least a little bit self-conscious when the camera comes out, but once we start your session it all melts away. We keep things light and fun with games, laughs, conversation, and plenty of tickles for the kids. By making the session all about the kids having fun, the adults are automatically more focused on the kids and less focused on what their chin looks like on camera.

But still, a few tips go a long way! Read on for tips to look and feel your best at your next family portrait session.

1. Be comfortable in your clothing.

Choose clothing that is appropriate for the weather. You don’t want to be too cold OR too hot because that discomfort will show in your smile. Opt for fabrics that feel nice against your skin. In the summertime I love flowy, lightweight fabrics on moms. Dresses and long skirts photograph especially beautifully in the warmer months. In the fall, lightweight sweaters and layers are beautiful — avoid chunky knits that add bulk to your frame. For pants, tops, and dresses, choose a cut that is flattering and comfortable to move around in, and one that doesn’t keep slipping down so that you have to adjust it every 30 seconds.

PRO TIP: Try your entire outfit on (including shoes!) at least a week before the session and wear it for an hour around the house to make sure you can sit, stand, pick up the kids, and move freely without being too restrictive or too revealing.

2. Hydrate!

Drink lots and lots of water in the week leading up to your session. Also, be sure to pay extra attention to your skin and exfoliate & moisturize. All of this together will give you a beautiful glow that radiates from within, and you are going to love your portraits!

3. Take care of yourself before you take care of the others.

I know, I know. As a mom this is such a hard thing for us to do! But I promise you that a little extra self-care the day of your session will help you be and appear more relaxed in your portraits. Consider having the kids sleep at grandma & grandpa’s the night before so that you can get yourself ready in peace. Sneak away for a blowout at your favorite salon. Leave work a little early if it’s a sunset session so you have some time to listen to your favorite music or an audiobook or podcast, and just be intentional about taking a little extra time for yourself.

THEN get everyone dressed and out the door. Plan to arrive early so you don’t feel rushed in case something causes a slight delay — potty breaks, traffic, a wrong turn. With the right mindset ahead of time, all of those are tiny little speed bumps and they won’t throw you off even a little bit.

4. Consider getting your hair & makeup done professionally.

A hair & makeup artist knows just what to accentuate and which makeups look best on camera. They know how to apply a little more for emphasis without going overboard. Every time you step out of their salon you’re going to feel amazing. If you can, set aside 1.5 hrs before the session and treat yourself!

5. Know your most flattering angles.

I will guide you during the session, but sometimes when juggling a few kids and trying to get them to stay in one spot and smile, we don’t always notice every little thing about mom or dad’s pose. It just happens! So, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

• Angle your body so that one side is slightly towards the camera, and then put your weight on the back leg. Avoid being straight on with your shoulders squared to the camera.

• Tilt your top half slightly towards the camera.

• Be sure to turn your face to the camera. If you feel like your face is hidden behind a family member’s, it probably is. Bring it out so I can see your whole beautiful face!

• Remember that I am going to ask you to get extra close to your family members, so don’t be afraid to lean in and squish those faces together.

• If it bends, bend it! Keep your arms slightly bend and away from the waist to define your waist. If you have pockets (dads!), a great way to do this is to place a hand in a pocket — I prefer just a few fingers in the pocket so your hand doesn’t look like it’s been cut off. Bend your front knee just a little for a relaxed and flattering look.

• Bring your chin out and slightly down to avoid that dreaded double chin.

6. Choose everyone’s clothing carefully.

I have sooooo many blog posts on choosing the right clothing, and every family receives a welcome packet with tips, too. Neutrals with a few pops of color are wonderful, and coordinating colors (but not matchy-matchy) is definitely the way to go. Plus, make sure every single person is comfortable in their outfit ahead of time, and don’t forget about shoes. The last thing you want is neon green light-up sneakers to stick out like a sore thumb in your classic family portrait!

7. Focus on the kids (instead of you!)

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Portrait sessions are so much easier with kids! When you’re busy making them smile and laugh, your natural smiles will come through, too. Focus on them and any worries about how you look on camera will melt away. And trust that your photographer (me!) has plenty of experience with where to stand in relation to you, where to place the kids in a way that’s flattering to you, and how to use light for the very best effect to give you absolutely stunning images.

8. Understand how Photoshop can help (and how it can’t!).

We’ve all heard that Photoshop can do amazing things. And when it comes to family portraits, I let every family know that most things that stand out to parents in their portraits can usually be clicked with just a click or two in Photoshop. Honestly, it’s usually a little more than just a click, but there are so many little things that might bother you in a photo that if they just disappeared you would love it, and oftentimes a photographer will edit those before you ever see the finished images, and it will still look perfectly natural and just like you so that you’ll never even know it was corrected.

Here are just a few. Some of these I do automatically, and others I only do if a client specifically requests it. My goal is to only remove temporary blemishes and leave any features that are more permanent unless a client requests it (i.e. scrapes and pimples are removed, but birthmarks or scars stay unless requested otherwise).

• Removing blemishes, cuts, scrapes, bug bites, nose boogies from toddler noses.

• Slimming arms and legs

• Filling in a sparse hair line

• Adjusting a neckline that may have slipped or revealed more skin than you would like.

• Removing bra straps, bra lines, panty lines.

• Fixing flyaway hairs

• Removing a stain on a shirt or piece of clothing

However, Photoshop is not a cure-all. You still need to do a little work before the session to arrive put-together. Here are things I suggest you do that will not be easily fixed in Photoshop.

• Iron your clothes and remove wrinkles ahead of time. If your child’s outfit will get wrinkled in the car seat, wait to get them dressed until you arrive at the session location.

• Remove any stains in your clothing before getting dressed that day.

• Clean your glasses lenses so they do not have any marks on them.

• Remove chipped nail polish. Have bare or freshly polished nails for your session.

• Choose your clothing and undergarments carefully and be sure they fit. We cannot fix something that is too tight or too low-cut.

• Be sure you love your clothing. Colors will not be changed in Photoshop.

Psst! I recently published a blog post with tips to look your best in your maternity portrait session! Check it out here.

9. Remember to HAVE FUN!

This is the most important part. We’re only together for about an hour, and I want these memories to be ones that you look back on and LOVE. Not ones that you look back on that stress you out. Stay calm, let me worry about getting the kids to show their personalities, and trust that I will capture their very best smiles and the most amazing cuddles that you want to remember forever.

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Winter Family Portraits in Downtown Saratoga Springs

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Outdoor Family Portraits in Saratoga Springs with a One Year Old

Can we talk about how adorable this family is?!?!

We celebrate Henri’s first year with family portraits at SPAC in Saratoga Springs, and it was so much fun to see how much this sweet boy had grown since his winter milestone session. He is full of personality & big smiles, and he loves walking all over the place! We truly had a blast as we spent the evening laughing and talking, and capturing the most beautiful memories for this family to enjoy on the walls of their home.

Standing up like a big boy! One of the things I miss most from when my toddler was a baby are those chunky baby legs, so we made sure to choose an outfit for Henri that would emphasize those cute baby rolls that will only be there for a little while.

I love that we captured so many portraits that show his tiny front teeth! Soon he’ll have a mouth full of teeth, but for now it’s just those little ones in the front peeking through. So adorable!

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Sneak Peek of Our Holiday Mini Sessions with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

It was another magical year of holiday mini sessions at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio! I look forward to these Christmas sessions every year. I love seeing the babies & children all dressed up in their holiday plaid, fancy dresses, sweaters, and bowties, and it’s always so much fun watching them cuddle up in their cozy holiday pajamas, too!

Here’s a little peek at some of my favorite portraits from our 2019 holiday sessions. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, and as always, a huge thank you to all of the families for trusting me to capture these beautiful memories for their families this winter!

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Inspired by these classic holiday mini session setups? Pin this image or any from the post above!

Fall Family Portraits at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs

I absolutely loved catching up with this sweet family and seeing how much their baby girl had grown! The last time I saw Quinn, she was a tiny little newborn, and now she is bursting with personality and giggles!

We enjoyed a sunset session at the Hall of Springs, one of my favorite locations for family portraits because there is so much variety in the architecture, landscaping, and greenery for a beautifully varied gallery. This sweet baby girl loved cuddling up with her mom and dad, and she had her own little rhythm and would just bounce and sway whenever we placed her down by herself!

The most unexpected surprise of the evening? There were TWINKLE LIGHTS strung up for a wedding, and they were perfect for a little festive sparkle in these family portraits. How cute will these portraits look on their holiday cards this year? Sooooo adorable!

Miss Independent, getting ready to cruise!

Cute belly laughs with mama! These sessions are always so much fun, and I love the moments that we are able to capture together!

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Three Generations - An Extended Family Session with Boston Family Photographer

Want to hear about two awesome grandparents?

These grandparents live just miles from all of their kids and grandkids. Their house and yard are literally designed to welcome everyone there to spend time together. From kid-sized coat hooks on the wall, a snack drawer filled with all of the kids’ favorite things, a custom “tree house” in the back yard with bunk beds for each grandchild, a zipline through the trees, a giant tree swing, and so many more fun things, these kids are going to treasure these memories of hanging out at their grandparents’ house.

We got together for an extended family portrait session in their own back yard, a place that is so special to all of them and that the grandparents have meticulously maintained with gorgeous landscaping. There were so many beautiful spots for portraits, and plenty of vibrant colors from all of the flowering plants.

Everyone had a blast!

Our extended family sessions are relaxed but fast-paced (because kids are fast-paced!). They are filled with games, tickles, lots of running around, and so many hugs.

This is their tree house. Amazing, right?!

This was such a fun family session, and I’m so grateful that we were able to capture these memories for them in their favorite spot!

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A Relaxed Family Session at Home

This lifestyle session in the S family’s new home in Saratoga Springs was so perfect! I absolutely loved capturing the four of them together in the space where they are most comfortable — at home!

We started off playing in big brother’s room, and he was so happy to show me his little tent and play peek-a-boo with his baby brother.

My favorite room in the house was the nursery. There was a wall of windows, and it was perfect for lots of family cuddles and kisses! Big brother Henry was so sweet with baby Charlie, and I loved watching these two adorable brothers together!

Like all of our in-home family sessions, we always love cozying up in the master bedroom and capturing the whole family together on the bed.

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Family Fall Portraits with Grandma and Grandpa - Boston & Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

Three generation sessions are always so much fun!  Grandma & Grandpa always bring a whole new level of excitement to our family sessions, and I love watching them interact with their grandchildren. 

In these sessions we always make sure to capture the more traditional "looking at the camera" shots (because that is what grandparents are always looking for!), and then we add in lots of playful candid moments as well!

Josslyn has been coming to me for her portraits since her first birthday, and this was the first time I watched her with her grandparents!  She loved cuddling up with them, and she was a huge fan of tickling them to make them laugh for the camera.  We definitely shared a lot of laughs during their fall family session!

Family Portraits on Saratoga Lake with Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our set-ups were simple & classic this year:

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

CUTENESS OVERLOAD with these adorable twins!!

Portraits of Motherhood: Slowing Down to Capture the Moment (Saratoga Springs & Boston Family Photographer)

I just love our motherhood sessions.  Every time that I am so lucky to capture a mama and her babies in front of the camera, it's my absolute favorite experience!  So often moms hide behind the camera, shying away from stepping in front of the lens, focusing instead on just their children and saying that another day, another time, another month, then they'll get in a picture with their children.  For so many moms, it just isn't a priority right now.

But I like to think otherwise.  

I think that motherhood is such a beautiful journey (even the tough bits!), and that you deserve to capture this on camera.  I believe that getting moms in front of the camera with their babies is one of the most amazing gifts that you can give to your children.  

During every single phone call I have with moms before their sessions, I always tell them how they will be so grateful they spent a few minutes capturing a handful of portraits with their babies, because soon their little ones will grow up.  They won't cuddle up in your arms anymore.  They will no longer fit on your lap.  You'll forget how their cheek felt rested against your shoulder, and the way their tiny hands wrapped around your fingers for comfort.  They'll go out into the world as independent children, then teenagers, then adults.  And that is the moment when you'll be so grateful for these images that take you back in time.  

These images freeze a moment and bring you back to the early days of motherhood filled with chubby baby cheeks, melodic giggles, and that amazing baby scent that you'll be so nostalgic for when they are grown.  These images will remind you of sticky fingers, goldfish cracker crumbs, and boo-boos covered in colorful bandaids.  You'll recall the way they sang their favorite songs in a high-pitched voice, making up the words to the parts they didn't know yet.  You'll remember the way they held their baby brother and sang lullabies while giving their new sibling a kiss on the forehead -- you'll even remember the part where the kiss turned into a toddler tackle because... well, toddlers!!  

And then one day, when your babies have babies of their own, you will give them these portraits of the two of you.  You'll show them just how tiny they were, how loved they were, and how much happiness they brought into your life.  They will see a glowing and confident mom who was proud to be in a photo with her little one, a mom who put herself first sometimes and made it a priority to capture these beautiful moments with her baby rather than always hiding behind the camera.  

And they will understand, and treasure these portraits that much more when they have a glimpse of you as a new mom.

If you've been hesitant about getting in the picture, giving a long list of reasons why you shouldn't be in front of the camera right now... stop.  And think of the even longer list of reasons why you SHOULD step in front of the camera.  

Or, just think of the one reason why, the most important reason in the world: your child.

Motherhood is a crazy beautiful journey, and you're doing an incredible job.  Celebrate it!

Our popular Celebrating Motherhood Sessions will be on May 6 (Attleboro) and May 20 (Saratoga Springs).  I would absolutely love to see you there!  

Registration opens on April 3, and spots are expected to fill very quickly as this event always sells out within a couple of days.  Be sure to join our newsletter for more info, and follow our Facebook page for announcements and links when registration is open!   

A Rustic Family Photo Session with the Perfect Blue & White Wardrobe

Wondering what to wear for your family's portrait session?  Look no further than this family's stylish post!  

I was completely in awe of the beautiful styling that this mom pulled together to coordinate outfits for her family of five, and I love the shades of blue and complimentary patterns that really make her photos pop.  All families receive a what to wear guide before their session with helpful wardrobe tips, and they can also view this post for inspiration.  This mom pulled it off flawlessly, and I love how the colors look so amazing against our rustic scene, too!

This mom is always behind the camera capturing amazing photos of her children, and like many moms out there, she is rarely in those photographs with her kids.  I always encourage moms (and dads!) to get in the frame with their children and capture some special moments of all of them together.  Your children are going to look back on these photos in 20, 30, 40 years and they are going to love seeing how loved they were, how beautiful you are, and how happy everyone is together.  Plus, doesn't she look like a supermodel with the wind gently blowing her hair just so?  ;o)

Finally, I just love the personality that shines through from the big brother in this image!  Watching Jack & Lily with their baby sister was so beautiful, and seeing how they took care of her, watched out for her, and knew just what to do to get a smile out of her was absolutely amazing.  They truly are such a beautiful family, inside and out.