The Arnold Arboretum for Rustic Family Photos

A first birthday is such an amazing time, especially the first birthday of your very first baby!  You're celebrating your first year of parenthood, your first year as a family of three, and 365 days of this amazing little one that has changed your lives for the better.

This family reached out to me to capture their daughter's first birthday photos, and as always we combined Melody's session with a beautiful family session to capture the love and the amazing bonds shared between this sweet little family of three (almost four -- baby #2 is on the way!).  We headed to the Arnold Arboretum to a nice secluded area near Peters Hill for the most gorgeous fall photos.

This baby girl is so, so loved!!

boston baby photographer fall family photos

boston baby photographer fall family photos, arnold arboretum

boston baby photographer fall family photos

boston baby photographer fall family photos, arnold arboretum

boston baby photographer fall family photos

We enjoyed gorgeous fall colors and sparkling sunlight at Peters Hill in the Arnold Arboretum.  I always try to find unique areas for my sessions, and when we revisit a location with a new family, my goal is to discover amazing little spots that we have not captured on camera before.  This little area of the woods was perfect for that with so many gorgeous areas bathed in the most amazing light.  I absolutely love this spot for amazing rustic photos nestled off in the woods.  Melody was quite intrigued by the pine needles carpeting the ground.

boston baby photographer fall family photos, arnold arboretum

boston baby photographer fall family photos maternity photos

boston baby photographer fall family photos

boston baby photographer fall family photos

boston baby photographer fall family photos

Afterwards, we headed back to the studio for the rest of Melody's session, including her first birthday cake smash!  Be sure to check out her musical cake smash here.  It was so much fun, and she really got into her cake!

Happy Birthday, baby girl!

A Colorful Family Photo Session at Powisset Farm

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."  

~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

(Session was photographed in October, and published in November.  ;-)  )

When this family reached out to me for their yearly photo session, I immediately knew the perfect location with beautiful fall colors where their little girl would have room to run & explore.

Powisset Farm in Dover is becoming one of my new favorite locations.  After an incredibly fun & beautiful family session there this summer, I was eager to visit the community farm again with the change of seasons.  Driving along the road that leads to the farm was so breathtaking that I the moment the family jumped out of their car, we headed over to the quiet country road for a few quick photos to start our session together.  The vibrant colors, the falling leaves, the sparkling light -- backdrops don't come any more gorgeous than New England in the fall!

Chiara is three, and anyone that has a three year old knows that children this age have a lot of personality.  I love working with these little ones during our photo sessions and capturing their bright spirits on camera.  At this age, children need lots of space to run and play, so outdoor locations are always ideal.  While we always start with family photos, the moment I have the children by themselves they get excited, chatty, inquisitive, and playful.  Did you know that sometimes the best way to get amazing photos of your children is actually to give them a little room and let them warm up to the photographer by themselves?  It works every time!  Just look at that smile!  ;o)

And then it's right back to cuddles with mommy and daddy, which to a three year old are pretty much the best thing ever.  I just love it when moms and dads get in the picture with their little ones and show them some love.    

Thank you for such an amazing session together!  You're going to love a new gallery wall in your home with these portraits to enjoy every day!

Fall Portrait Session at Cushing Park in Framingham

Some of the best families to work with are the ones that just LOVE documenting their family's life. These are the families that see the value in capturing their love, their growth, and their memories every year.  They understand that childhood is fleeting, and that the curiosity, the magic, and the wonder is something that should be cherished.  They realize that you have to let the kids be little, because before long they'll be grown and may not smile for your camera.  They know that snuggles, laughter, and hugs are the best memories, and they enjoy reliving those moments by placing them prominently on their walls to bring a smile to their face every single day.

The S family has come to me for three sessions in two years, and I just love visiting them and seeing their walls filled with the memories that we created together during their sessions.  This latest session was pure magic, a beautiful fall family session at Cushing Park in Framingham, MA.  The light was sparkling, little Stephen's curiosity was at its peak, and we had such a playful afternoon together.

Enjoy your beautiful memories!

The little scientist is hard at work observing and classifying pinecones in the "enchanted forest" that we wandered into during our session.  When a cluster of pine trees becomes a forest, and when pinecones are the most fascinating thing you've encountered... that is when childhood is magical.I just love this playful photo of Stephen & his dad, a piggy back ride with a great loud monster's "ROAR" right as I clicked the shutter.  

Thank you for such a wonderful session!  I look forward to capturing many more memories with your beautiful family.

Looking for tips to rock your family's portrait session?  Check out our 6 tips for an amazing session with babies and young children here!

Spunk & Sass {A Family Session}

I was so excited to get to meet up with this beautiful family again.  We first met two summers ago for our session at a gorgeous beach down in Eastham during low tide.  It was one of my favorite summer sessions to date, and after working with them again I realized that they are just such a darling family to photograph no matter what the location.  The four kids -- Jack, Ella, Charlie, and Lulu -- are so full of spunk and personality, and both sessions have just been filled with real laughter and truly beautiful beaming smiles. And now, without further adieu, the beautiful G family at home for a stunning fall session...

Charlie is a little clown and I love that I got a toothy second-grade grin and a bubbly laugh out of him in just about every frame.  His big brother Jack is a little more reserved, but I love the moment I got him to crack up just as I was hitting the shutter and caught his true smile peeking through.

Lulu is like a little elf running around her family spreading cheer and happiness.  I love all the different expressions I was able to capture on this little doll!

And big sister Ella was such a joy with her piercing eyes and her beautiful smile.

The moment I saw the color of Ella and Lulu's dresses, I knew I wanted this exact picture.  And right after clicking the shutter and stopping to look at my camera?  I just about died -- LOVE the colors here, love how they complement each other and just pop!, love that beautiful bond captured between sisters.

These kids love the "hold hands and run" pics, just like the last time when we were on the beach together.

And finally, one last family pic on the porch.  The first one up above was what we were aiming for, but this is what we got when the youngest little one insisted on doing a "gangster" pose... why not get the whole family do cross their arms for a silly pose!  :o)

G family -- you are wonderful and I absolutely adore capturing the six of you on camera!  Thanks for ANOTHER stellar afternoon together.

Mark {6 months}

I was so excited to finally meet up with this sweet little family on a gorgeous fall afternoon by the lake.  The mother Katie and I had been planning our session since early in the summer, emailing back and forth between the States and Siciliy to share our ideas for her little baby boy's first photo shoot. ::: On a side-note, one of the many things I love the most about meeting and getting to know the families I photograph are all of the connections we are able to make.  While I was spending the summer on a military base in Sicily, Katie told me how she spent her vacations in her college years over in Italy when her own family was in the military.  After so many Italian phrases and food exclamations later, our session was on! :::

It was such a fun session!  The light was perfect and the colors and locations around the lake were just begging to be photographed.  Little Baby Mark (6 months) was happy, cheerful, and loving the camera.  He never took his eyes off of my lens!

I LOVED the family's outfits -- jeans, plaid, stripes, boots.  What a perfect fall combination.  This is an example of mixing and matching patterns and colors that works so beautifully.

I love this series of B&Ws.   We had the most fun taking these pics here.  We were standing on a bridge, and Mark's attention wandered off to the side and everyone burst into laughter and smiles.  It just so happened that a friendly jogger decided to come by and coax some smiles out of Mark by making silly faces at him.  Best reactions ever!

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Thank you for a gorgeous session!  I can't wait to work with you guys again!

Fall Photo Specials!!

How about some fall photographs? I know, I know -- it's the middle of summer!  The dog days of August are just beginning.  It's 100 degrees outside.  Your #1 mission is avoiding the back-to-school aisle at Target (trust me, I am too!).  You can't even imagine warm sweaters, crispy leaves, apple picking, and pumpkins when your days are filled with sprinklers, air conditioning, beach trips and kiddie pools.

I get it.

BUT......  I'm so excited to share this beautiful fall season with you.  There are so many gorgeous, colorful, sun-dappled and laughter-filled moments to be created and captured on camera.  Let's do it!

New season, new school year, new backpacks and books... why not some new photos on the walls, too?  Real photos of your kids laughing, smiling, playing together and showing the world their personalities.  You can't get those with a school picture against a tired blue backdrop.

And let's not forget about the family photos for the holiday cards.  I love lights, and when the last delicious rays of autumn sunshine go away, there is nothing more beautiful than those sparkling holiday lights.  Put them in a photograph?  Challenge accepted!

So as a natural light photographer, my autumn days fill right up squeezing in all of those beautiful sessions with the last rays of sunlight and color.  Last fall filled up quickly, and after having to turn a few clients away because of a busy calendar this spring, I want to give you all a heads up to start thinking about your sessions NOW so that we can plan them together and not miss out on capturing these precious fall days that will slip right by.

NOW ANNOUNCING.............  FALL SPECIALS!

Here are some ideas of how THESE sessions and packages can work for YOU:

Package One: This is great for senior photos to get that one shot for the yearbook and a few for your walls, or for your baby's developmental milestones (tummy time, sitting unassisted, walking, first teeth).  Capture them before they're on to their next milestone!

Package Two:  This package is great for the whole family if you want a few fresh updates to your walls and a few stunning images for your holiday cards.  This is also a great package for a maternity session if you'd like to incorporate a big brother/sister and your significant other, giving you a few photos to share and a few photos to hang.

Package Three: I offer stunning canvases that will draw everyone's attention straight to your walls to exclaim, "Wow, what a beautiful family!"  Save the artwork for yourself, or give it as a gift to the grandparents this winter.  Then you can use the print credit towards a few images to frame for your family.

Package Four: This is my favorite package, and it is a great bargain since many families often purchase the CD with all of their images from the session.  This is a great option for those that would like to make photo books with their images from our session together.  Plus it includes print credit, because after all, photographs are nothing if they're only on your computer and not in your hands or on your walls.

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Do you like what you see here?  Are you thinking about it now?  See, it's never too early to plan for your next portrait session.  Tell your friends, tell your family, and then email me at nicoleschwalmphotography@gmail.com to start planning your fall session today!

One more thing!  Let's put our minds together early and head to some great locations -- apple orchards, pumpkin patches, barns, open fields, a woodsy area, a nearby lake that will reflect the foliage, a garden center... the options truly are endless!

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***Please note that these specials are not valid for newborn photos (under 3 months) or event photography.  These are both unique situations and shoots that require a great deal of care and planning, and I like to give them all the attention that they deserve.

***Also, additional family members can be added on to the packages at $25 per person.

And Baby Makes {3}

A few weeks ago I met up with Kate & Matt at Veteran's Park in Westborough for their maternity shoot. It was the perfect fall day, and it was becoming quite a baby-anticipation-filled day for this happy couple... right after our session they went to their first baby class!  I'd like to think that our belly-kissing session was a nice jump start to their class.  :o)

{Matt meant this as a joke, but little did he know I'd capture it and it would become one of my favorite images from the session!}

Kate & Matt's little girl is going to be a winter baby.  She's due to arrive with the snow in late January/early February, and everyone is eagerly anticipating her arrival!  Kate and I teach together, and her husband is also a teacher.  In fact, they are commonly known as two of the math gurus around town  ;o)  We kept joking about how the newborn session would be staged with their little girl propped up on math books, and when collecting props for the maternity shoot, Matt leaped into the room with a calculator and suggested, "Should we bring this?"

Off to the park we went with a bundle of balloons.  I have a theory about balloons after doing a couple of shoots with them now.  So a baker's dozen is 13, right?  And that would make a klutz's dozen 11.  Well, a dozen balloons is never a dozen balloons! We had barely gotten them out of the car and started walking when we looked up at the sky and saw one floating away.  At which point we stopped to count and found that we only had 8 balloons left.  NO IDEA where the rest disappeared to, or when they disappeared, but they did!  And then our mathematicians started constructing story problems based on the disappearing balloons!

{Whimsical: my new favorite word to describe my photography.}

Aren't these little shoes adorable?  They were the first gift that Kate & Matt receive for their little girl, and they came with the most adorable hand-knitted dress, too!

I really like this last image.  Their whole family is there, including little Rudy the dog!  And the way Matt is looking at this momma-to-be... love!

Such a wonderful session.  Thank you, Kate & Matt, for many laughs and many wonderful moments to capture.  I'm already eagerly anticipating the next time we get together with a camera to photograph your little girl.

*~*~* Belly to Baby Package *~*~*

Capture the anticipation, the wonder, and the excitement wrapped up in those nine months of waiting!  Then once your little one arrives, capture the little toes and the sleepy yawns before the moments pass you by much too quickly.  Contact me for more information today!  This is a GREAT gift idea for all those moms-to-be on your holiday list.  Spread the word -- now booking sessions for 2013!

Aliya, Adlani & Norah

The leaves may all be gone now after the hurricane and the snowstorm that we just had, but going through this session brought back all those fun colors and crunchy leaves that come to New England each fall.  For such a beautiful season, it is much too short-lived.  This was such a fun shoot -- we scheduled it right in the last week of the full-color season and decided to meet on the quaint town common in Framingham with all of the interesting buildings to lend texture to the photos. The Common was in full color, every inch of space filled with orange and yellow leaves... Amazing color and instant props -- a photographer's dream!  I was greeted coming out of my car by Adlani, Aliya, and Norah.  They were full of energy and excited for our shoot with promises of leaf fights, tree climbing, races, and handstands.  At one point I found my hair being decorated with leaves by the youngest, Norah.  You never know what you're in for with this job!

I really like the next two images... look closely and you'll see the "before" and "after", telling you exactly what it is they're laughing about!

These next two images of Aliya and Norah are a few of my favorites, too.  Love this angle with the leaves and the grass surrounding their smiling faces!

And finally, what would a shoot of mine be without a couple of images that just begged to be in black and white?  :o)  Love Adlani's laughter in this one, and the serious expression on Norah!

Happy Fall, everyone!

Laughter & Leaf Fights

  While I loved the summer for all it's warm ocean breezes and hazy light, the fall is also quite the dream season for a photographer!  There's just something about that crisp air, the warm and cozy sweaters, and those bright harvest colors that beg to be photographed.  A few weeks ago I was able to bundle all of fall's goodness into a deliciously fun session with this family.  Can you believe how beautiful these two kids are?

Katie was a student of mine my first year in the classroom, and I was lucky to get to photograph her now as she's turning into quite the young lady with her little brother Gordon.  (Look at his little toothless smile, above!)  We had such a great time during our session and they were both so eager to be my assistants and scout out the next amazing location for each of our shots.

I love Katie's fiery red hair in these shots.  It really pops in these fall photos!  She was great for the whole session, just going around her backyard exploring and coming up with creative places for our photos.  She's quite the scientist and I really enjoyed watching her in action!

Gordon is a little firecracker. He was full of energy and had so many things to say.  He took his "assistant" job very seriously and even found himself climbing a couple of trees to show me his ideas for photo locations.  Such a great kid!

My favorite was when he ran up to their porch and called out, "How about we do one like this?" and just popped this cute little pose out of nowhere!

(Above: Gordon's melting face!)

The best way to work with kids through a photo session?  Promise them a leaf fight at the end!  :o)  Actually, looking back on the photos, I'm pretty sure their mom was the first one to throw the leaves and the rest was history!  So much fun -- love the whirling colors and the look of pure exhilaration and wonder on their faces in these ones...

Before...............................................................................................................   And after!!!

Happy fall!!!  Next year I'm making sure to book lots of fall sessions in advance while we still have all of these gorgeous leaves to work with.  I can't wait!

Fall into Fall

I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." ~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I'm working on a few fall sessions for clients right now, so while I wait to post their photos, I have a few of my own that I wanted to put up here.  Fall is one of those seasons that is much too short and way too beautiful.  I love the crisp air, crunchy leaves, bright colors, cozy sweaters, and warm mugs in my hands.  Not to mention the pumpkin.... I have a fall-ish affinity for everything pumpkin!

Here are a couple of my fave pics that I've snapped lately.  Thank goodness for Instagram and camera phones!