Classic First Birthday Portraits with a Year of Baby Photos

Now this was a fun session! Baby Ari’s mama reached out and wanted to plan an extra special portrait session to celebrate her baby boy’s first birthday, and she was really excited about creating some truly classic and timeless portraits of her little guy. With all of the beautiful neutrals in my Saratoga Springs portrait studio, it’s easy to pull together simple setups that let your baby shine, and we did just that with Ari’s first birthday portraits!

You see the cute little stool he’s sitting on? It’s actually a custom cake stand his mama ordered for his birthday party, and it worked perfectly as a toddler bench!

Instead of a cake smash we compiled a collection of their favorite portraits from the past year and turned them into a truly one-of-a-kind backdrop to celebrate their birthday boy’s first year. I love how he pops against the black & white photographs!

No first birthday portrait session is complete without family portraits! We went to the nearby Saratoga Spa State Park for family portraits, and this little man was on the go! He was just at the brink of walking when we did his session, and it was so much fun to capture on camera!

Of course, it wouldn’t be 2020 without documenting the reality of our year: masks. For Ari and many babies, masks are just part of their version of “normal” and this will definitely get noted in their baby book. We’re all looking forward to the day when we can see everyone’s WHOLE face when out in public while still feeling safe.

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Loved this unique and classic milestone session? Pin this image or any from the post above!

Wide Awake Newborn Portraits - Saratoga Springs & Boston Newborn Photographer

I'm going to let you in on a little secret...

Whether it's a lifestyle newborn session at home, or a newborn session here in my Saratoga Springs studio, it's not always guaranteed that the baby will fall asleep!  

Of course, newborn sessions go much more smoothly (and quickly!) when the fresh new baby is asleep most of the time.  We're able to pose the baby into those adorable little curled up poses, wrap them in swaddles, unwrap them, and move them from one setup to another without disturbing them.  

But sometimes, babies are curious little things and they like to see everything that is going on around them -- I swear they must be wondering who this girl with the camera is!  So when we have awake babies during a newborn session, we go with the flow and capture their sparkling eyes and their powerful gaze.  And we hope that they eventually fall asleep by using the million-and-one tricks that I have up my sleeve as a newborn photographer to get tiny little babies to fall into Dreamland!

I do love it when we get those wide-eyed shots during our newborn sessions, though!  This typically happens more often during our lifestyle sessions at home, and it's a great opportunity to capture some portraits in their crib, and cuddles with mom & dad.  If we're bringing siblings in (especially toddlers) that is always much easier with an asleep newborn, though!

So many beautiful little babies!  Check back on the blog tomorrow for another post with a few of our favorite SLEEPY newborn shots from recent sessions!

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Did you know that the best time to book your newborn session is in the second or early in the third trimester?  We are now booking newborns for August, September, October, and November, and I would love to plan the perfect session with you!  

The Branding Series - Part 1 | Thoughts on rebranding & an interview with designer Erica Clayton of Refinery Original

Ohhhh, this post has been a long time coming!  

If you've been following along with our bimonthly business newsletters & blog posts, you know by now that I truly love sharing lessons I've learned along the way as a creative entrepreneur & baby photographer.  Today's blog post is extra special, and it's truly an inside look at one of the  best changes I have ever implemented in the past 5 years of business!

Only one and a half years ago, I had a website that didn't work, a generic logo from Etsy, packaging that didn't match anything else, and no other client touchpoints to really "wow" the families that I worked with.  That sounds pretty awful, right?
 

At the end of 2015, I knew that I needed professional help to not only define my brand, but elevate my brand's visual presence to the luxury & boutique feel that I was moving towards in my business.  With the broken website that I hadn't managed to fix on my own after more than a year of a malfunctioning landing page (because let's face it, coding and web design is so NOT my forte, but it is a definite strength for other individuals!),  I knew that it was time to seek a web designer & branding specialist to help me out!  

In January of 2016, I started working with Erica Clayton of Refinery Original.  We worked together to do a complete rebrand of my business.  I knew that my website & brand was not truly reflecting who I am and the service I wanted to provide to the families that I work with, but I felt completely stuck.  Honestly, I didn't even know where to begin!  

Erica sent me an incredibly detailed questionnaire, and we had a few FaceTime calls to get started and get to know each other.  This woman must have the most incredible intuition and be truly amazing at reading people and their goals, because somehow she was able to take me from being lost in a sea of ideas to narrowing it down the create the most perfect vision that would direct me in my business... and all of that happened in about 3 weeks!  

I spent hours on Pinterest searching for anything that inspired me -- fabrics, kitchens, quotes, clothing, fonts, paint colors, jewelry, home decor.  I sent her links to web layouts that inspired me, and pages upon pages of content for the website.  Through all of that mess of ideas (as you know, us creative spirits can be a bit messy sometimes!), Erica was able to see the threads of consistency that wove them all together -- a little bit of whimsy, a touch of femininity, the innocence of childhood, just a hint of sparkle, and a whole lot of emphasis on STORYTELLING.  What she came up with blew me away, and I remember thinking, "Wow, so THAT is what Nicole Starr Photography should look like!" the very first time she sent me my inspiration board, below:

But still, after the inspiration board I remember thinking, "Now how exactly is that going to be translated into everything I do in my business?  What does that look like?"  She figured it all out, and it was such a smooth process as she created my logo, website, and collateral pieces.  She frequently paused to ask me for more info on this part or that part, images for this section, or to really dig deeper into the heart and the WHY behind another part of the brand.

I loved the entire process, and I had never been as proud of anything I've done with my business as I was when it was officially #NSPLaunchDay.  Finally, I was able to present the heart behind Nicole Starr Photography to the world in a way that I knew truly represented who I am, why I do what I do, and the type of experience I always aim to deliver to the families that I work with.

Back in January of 2016, I thought then that launching was the best part.  But I discovered that, as cheesy as it sounds, the best truly was yet to come!  

It's been one and a half years since I launched my new brand, and I am so pleased to say that it is now ever stronger than it was when we launched -- and I looooooved it back then, but I love it even more now that I've been able to grow into it!  That's what you want, right?  To create a business that represents who you are in such a way that you'll be able to grow into it for years to come!  

Ever since we launched I've carried the design elements that Erica dreamt up for me into my newsletter, my social media pages, my product offerings, and my packaging.  My album designs and birth announcements even show those elements that represent my business, right down to having the same two recognizable fonts on every piece of written material that ever goes out from me.  Everything goes together so beautifully, and it's now so much easier to create something new since I already know my fonts, colors, and layouts that work together for the best first impression!  

Rebranding professionally truly has made my life as a business owner so much easier.  I have created countless pieces of printed & digital marketing materials, and I now consider every little detail from the size, colors, and font, right down to what kind of paper they are printed on. 

Over the past 18 months, I have been at multiple events where I had potential clients comment on the look & feel of my marketing materials, be left breathless when going through my products (that is seriously such a compliment and I am so honored when that happens!), and others even tell me later on that the reason that sealed the deal and they decided to book me was because of how professionally I had presented everything to them.  Every time that happens I write Erica a quick little note to thank her again for her services, because I know that I never would have been able to do this on my own!

So today, I wanted to welcome Erica Clayton of Refinery Original to the blog as our guest blogger.  We are going to start a series of blog posts this summer focused on discovering & defining your brand, and Erica is here to get us started!  Check back in every two weeks for the next post in our series, or sign up for the newsletter to have the post delivered directly to your inbox!

So now, please meet Erica, my favorite designer who has a big heart for helping creative entrepreneurs make an incredible first impression!  (P.S.  She's also a member of The Rising Tide Society, one of the ways in which we first connected!)

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I’m Erica Clayton, the designer behind Refinery Original. We are a husband + wife team, he’s the visionary with the big dreams and plans to get there and I am the designer that takes the vision for our business and our clients’ businesses and bring them into a cohesive brand.  Or rather, he’s the brains, I’m the beauty. Our ultimate goal is to support, educate and CELEBRATE creative entrepreneurs. 

 

Tell us about you and your family:

We were married young, he was 22, I was 21 and we quickly grew our family over the last 10 years {we celebrate our 10 year anniversary in a couple weeks!!!}. We have 5 incredible kids — our girls, Noah (8), Shea (6) and Tatum (5) and our boys — Diesel (3) and Lincoln (1). People think we’re crazy for having so many but I wouldn’t have it any other way! They may drive us crazy sometimes but it’s worth every minute, even with every fight, every fit and every failure, there is always a victory in the end. We, as parents especially, and them as our kids, simply have to persevere {perseverance is a huge part of our family mission statement}. 

As a family, we are avid roadtrippers, like drive across the country in 3 days roadtrippers. A few summers ago, we conquered a 48 state road trip in 3 weeks. If you ever get the opportunity, do it. The sights and differences in topography are incredible. We also love adventure {hence roadtripping} and we try and make a new adventure happen every couple weeks. It’s a time for building our relationship as a family and our legacy as parents. Those times of motivation when hiking up a 700 foot waterfall with our then 5 and 3 year old and seeing their faces when they reach the top and feel like they conquered the world — that is when character is built and they view victory as attainable.

We are coffee connoisseurs, our current favorite is Kicking Horse Cliff Hanger {buy it on Amazon, it’s robust flavor is unrivaled}. More than the flavor, we enjoy coffee because of the feelings and emotions that are derived from a cup of coffee, comfort, warmth, nostalgia, safety, all the good feels in one cup. Also, Sunday dinners are our favorite, they include opening our home to our friends and family for a home cooked meal {I love cooking!} all in an effort to create a safe haven and opportunity for fellowship. Through our 10 years of marriage, we have found that all good conversation and growth happens over food or a cup of coffee, combine the two and you’re in for a sweet, satisfying time.

Tell us about your business, and your favorite types of client experiences:

I could talk about our family for days because I just love them so much and they are fun in abundance but let’s get down to business {to defeat the Huns — Mulan fans?}. We started branding and website design 7 years ago. After years of navigating the entrepreneurial world, we honed in on our target audience, nailed down our services and watched our business grow in ways we only dreamed of. Working with creative entrepreneurs not only made the design aspect of our business fun because I had beautiful images to work with but it made the nitty gritty business side of our company enjoyable because creatives appreciate the time and effort that goes into creating a brand. It’s not something slapped together, it takes thought, precision, and craft to take someone’s visions, dreams and goals and bring them into a visual reality. 

The client experience is the bread and butter of everyone’s business. It is in a sense, free marketing. Make the client experience something that leaves your client with jaw dropped — you can double down on the fact that they’ll be sharing your name with everyone they know. My absolute favorite part of the client experience is the feelings that rise up in your client. #1 goal — leave them with all the good feelings and they’ll never forget your experience. Brand visuals, gifts, collateral all go into creating that unforgettable client experience but the greatest component of your client experience is YOU. The way you interact with them, the communication, the support, the joy, that is the definition of your brand. 

You truly have a magical way of connecting with your clients & tapping into who they really are to represent that in their websites and branding.  How do you do that?:

When designing alongside my clients, we dive deeper than just the pretty things they think they want. We go into their goals, the dreams they have, the legacy they want to leave. We get to the root of their story. Your story is where it all began, what drives you, what will keep you motivated when the trials of business come. It’s your why and the most important step when developing your brand. Establish your why and everything else will follow. 

I have included a short tutorial, The Refining Process, for you that will walk you through. These 3 simple steps will help you narrow down your why, your ideal client and how you’ll deliver your why to your ideal client. So — we go into their why and evolve from there, sorting through aesthetics, creating content that makes an impact and tells a story, curating a cohesive portfolio and choosing collateral piece that only further enhance the client experience. From your first touch point to the last and even years beyond, your brand should be strong and cohesive, always delivering a story. 

What advice do you have for photographers or business owners who are looking to get started with developing a brand for the first time?

There is so much that goes into developing and designing a brand but when it comes down to it, telling a story is the greatest thing you can do. People are consumers, they consume content. You want your content/your story to be one they can’t get enough of. Outline your story, make a plan of deliverance and put it into motion. 

You don’t need a completely custom website design to build a strong brand and honestly, if you are just starting out, your money can be spent better elsewhere {like marketing} BUT you do need a logo and website and it is ALWAYS better if it is aesthetically pleasing! 

With creative entrepreneurs in mind, I have designed prebuilt brands and websites that can be customized for your business. This alleviates the need for a $5000+ budget and puts a powerful, beautiful tool in the hands of those with more conservative budgets. On June 2, Refinery Original will be launching 7 new brand experiences, from the logo to website to collateral, all cohesive, all gorgeous. Follow along with us for more details about our launch {it’s going to be a big one!} and if you sign up for our newsletter, you’ll get first access to our designs with an exclusive subscriber discount.

I’ll close with this, establish who you are in your business, how best your business can serve others and how you can deliver an incredible experience and you are set with the essentials of a growing business. 

REFINERY ORIGINAL

www.refineryoriginal.com

Instagram: @refineryoriginal

Facebook: Refinery Original

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I would love for you to have an amazing experience digging into the heart & soul behind your brand, and to work with a designer who will help you make the very best first impression with your potential clients.   Just because we're photographers & business owners, doesn't mean we're good at web design and branding and every other task that we take on as creative entrepreneurs.  

Take my advice, and hire a professional who surpasses all of your expectations!  If you're thinking of working with Erica, please let her know that I sent you!  Be sure to follow her page for info on the exciting new templates she is launching on June 2, too!

The next post in our Branding Series is coming on Monday, June 5!  Check back then to learn all about discovering your branding style!

5 Tips to Refresh Your Photography Business This Spring

Hey there, photographer friend!  

Wow, the Open Letters to a Newbie Photographer were a huge hit!  (Did you read them?  Catch Part 1 and Part 2 here!)  

After publishing those two posts, I received countless messages, emails, and even a few phone calls from friends about how much they connected with what was written there.  It was truly amazing to hear your feedback, and I find it so valuable to know that you’re finding inspiration here in between my keystrokes on the computer.  So thank you!

A few people asked me to continue writing to the newbie photographers, and I have a few ideas in mind to make this a regular series on the blog.  But today’s post is for EVERYONE, not just the newbies.

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So…  It’s the end of February, and you have officially made it to the end of the notorious “slow season” for baby photographers.  Your studio may have been a little quieter than usual, but if you followed the 12 Tips to Grow Your Baby Photography Business in the Slow Season, then you still enjoyed a productive couple of months! 

Now that spring is coming, it’s time to refresh your business.  Keep reading for a few simple ideas to get your baby photography business ready for spring!

1.  Plan ahead for Mother’s Day sessions.  

Did you know that Mother’s Day is only 11 weeks away?  In order to run an effective marketing campaign for your Mother’s Day sessions, I recommend starting to plan at least 8 weeks in advance.  This ensures you will have enough time to put all of your sign-up and ordering systems in place, gather inspiration for your set design, shop for your set, style and photograph your model sessions, plan your promotional materials, and prepare your clients. 

Now is the time to get started, so plan ahead this year so you’re not scrambling to pull something together on May 1.  

2.  Create a new backdrop with a hint of spring, just for fun.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I am a huge fan of crafting.  I make more trips to A.C. Moore and Hobby Lobby than I do to the gas station.  I have countless boxes, shelves, and bags filled with cardstock, tissue paper, fishing wire, glitter, fake flowers — you name it!  

Spring is the perfect time to spend a day creating a beautiful new backdrop with some soft spring colors.  I love flowers, and they are one of the most requested backdrop items in my sessions.  Check out this helpful tutorial to make your own paper flower backdrop, or grab a bunch of faux greenery and blooms at the store this week and play around in the studio to see what you come up with.

3.  Bring some flowers into the studio.

Nothing says “Oh hello, spring!  Nice of you to finally make an appearance!” like a bouquet of fresh flowers decorating your studio.  Even better, you can incorporate these fresh blooms into your portraits! 

I’ve been known to bring real (or fake) flowers into the studio for our portrait sessions, and my husband has even caught me picking apart a bouquet he gave me to find the perfect stem to adorn some product photos.  Totally worth it!

4.  Do some spring cleaning with a destash!

Every spring I always have this strong desire to open the windows, let in some fresh air & sunshine, and declutter!  You’ve been cooped up in your studio all winter, looking at the same four walls and the same collection of props.  It gets boring, doesn’t it?  Now is the perfect time to do a destash to get rid of the props you no longer use.

Instead of just bringing them all to your nearest thrift store, you can sell your props to other local photographers and make some money back on your investment to purchase new props for the studio.  Photograph all of your props for sale.  Skip the cell phone shots and take a few extra minutes to pull out your DSLR.  Style the props, bring those photos into Photoshop for a little brightening, and then write their prices right there on the image.  

Post an album of your props in a local photography group, on your business page if you have other photographers following you, or start a separate destash group if you’ll be selling a lot of items. 

5.  Fill up your calendar with birthday babies!

Follow up with your newborn clients from last spring and talk to them about booking their baby’s birthday session with you.  Offer a returning client discount or include a special gift for them when they return to you for the birthday session.  Then, have fun styling new sets and capturing some very sweet birthday memories for these babies that you’ve held and snuggled since their very first days in the world.  

Need some inspiration for your cake smash sessions?  Join our Cake Smash Inspiration for Baby Photographers group on Facebook!

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A few more ideas to get your business ready for spring:

-Refresh your client gifts & client experience.

-Update the images on your studio walls and website.

-Step away from the computer for a coffee date with a business owner friend.

-Head outside to take some new head shots for your website & social media.

-Take a day off and just enjoy the changing weather and signs of spring where you live!

The One with All of the Tears | A Collection of our Favorite Crying Cake Smash Images

Alright, let's be real...

I talk with families every single week that are so excited to celebrate their baby's first birthday.  Most moms & dads seem to have this vision of how the cake smash will go.  Of course, this is based on all of the happy babies they see on Pinterest that are smiling, enjoying their birthday cake, and having a grand old time. 

But like I mentioned above...  We're going to get real here in today's blog post because sometimes THIS is what might happen during your cake smash. 

And you know what?  It's totally normal.  Actually, I love it when this happens just as much as I love it when we have giggling babies that are fascinated with their cake.    (P.S.  I personally think that this is the cutest image I captured of these twins in their entire first year of portrait sessions!)

Crying babies are absolutely adorable, and these are definitely the moments that you want to capture on camera to look back at one day (along with the smiling ones, of course!).  

10, 20, 30 years from now you can look back at these moments with all of the cuteness and none of the noise, and you'll laugh when you remember how your baby reacted to their first birthday cake!

Think about your baby's first year.  There were probably A LOT of tears.  

Too hot, too cold, too hungry, too messy, too tired, too bored, too overstimulated.  You know that there are so many reasons that might cause your little one to shed a few tears, and you know that this is just their way of communicating with you before they have the words to take the place of crying.  

Sometimes during their cake smash session, babies just want to tell you that something is a little different and unknown for them.  

Maybe they've never touched something the texture of frosting.  

Maybe they don't like getting messy & sticky.  

Maybe they can't figure out why they're sitting on the floor to eat rather than in their high chair.  

Maybe they want more puffs or cheerios, or maybe they just want another hug.

Oftentimes, the tears only last a few short minutes or seconds.  A quick little distraction is all a baby needs to turn their mood around, so we bring in a new snack, a favorite toy, or sing a song.  We start dancing, play peek-a-boo, or take a little walk around the studio to look out the windows.  And we get the happy babies back, and your gallery is filled with smiling images!

No, really!  Go see these same babies smiling during their
cake smash sessions in this other compilation blog post here!

But I embrace the tears, the temper tantrums, and the fits when they happen.  I always make sure to snap a few quick shots of these moments because 30 years from now when you remember your first few years of parenting, you will remember the moment you held your baby in your arms for the first time.  You'll remember their first smile, their first Christmas, the first visit to Grandma's.  You'll remember those squishy cheeks and what it felt like when they wrapped their tiny hand around your fingers.  You'll remember the sleepless nights, the potty-training, the birthday celebrations.  

And you'll remember the tears, mixed in with all of the good things you'll remember what were the moments that really brought on the waterworks.  

Plus, it's not very likely that your grown child will face plant in her birthday cake when she cries 30 years from now, so you really want some proof to show her that this happened once upon a time...

Are you wondering why I'm sharing this post with you today?  I want you to know that all portrait sessions (and all cake smashes!) are unique.  We go with the flow and work around your little one's schedule and mood.  There are many tricks that I use in every session to keep babies happy and bring out their vibrant personalities, and we always capture images of your baby smiling and laughing at every single session.  

But if you're really lucky, we might even capture some teary images that will make you smile every time you remember their first birthday.  

By knowing this ahead of time, you'll be prepared for absolutely anything to happen during your session.  We really do go with the flow.  Trust me to capture all of these beautiful moments for you as they unfold.  In the end, you will create memories that make up part of your family's story, and you'll have heirloom portraits to show your children one day.  

Besides, most of the families wind up framing the crying portraits more than the smiling ones anyways, so at least they have my same sense of humor when it comes to working with the littlest of clients in our studio!

So if your cake smash doesn't quite go like you thought it would, please know that IT IS OKAY.  It is completely normal, and we will love every single image no matter how your baby reacts to their cake.  This session is all about celebrating your little one and showcasing their multifaceted personality, and no matter what happens in your session, we will let their personality shine!

Now that you've enjoyed all of the fussy babies, head on over to this blog post to see these same babies with the biggest smiles during their cake smashes!

Ready to book your cake smash session to celebrate your little one's first birthday?  I'd love to chat with you to plan the perfect session for your baby!  

Please email me at hello@nicolestarrphotography.com and let's celebrate 365 days of your amazing baby together!

Holiday Session Sneak Peeks!

It's that time of year again... holiday portrait season!  We hosted four days of Limited Edition Holiday Portrait Sessions between our Saratoga Springs studio and our Boston-area studio.  So many families brought their sweet little ones to the studio for fun & playful sessions, and I love all of the sparkly and snowy memories that we created together.

I absolutely loved being able to offer a unique portrait experience to my clients this year with two gorgeous hand-painted backdrops from Heidi Hope's line of artist's backdrops.  I can't even begin to count how many families "ooooooh-ed" and "aaaaaah-ed" when they walked into our studio and saw the set ups for the very first time, or how many moms sent me excited messages before their sessions to plan the perfect outfits for their little ones.  

These were a huge hit with our clients in Boston & New York, and I am so happy to have been able to enhance their experience with these gorgeous set ups! Plus, you know how much I adore creating magical scenes to lend that element of whimsy to our photo sessions, so these were everything I wanted and more!

Tomorrow is the day our galleries go out and families will get to see all of their images for the very first time.  I'm so excited to share these magical holiday memories with everyone, and I can't wait to create their holiday cards & portrait gifts for their families to enjoy!

For now, enjoy our photo overload, and be on the lookout for many more gorgeous holiday memories on our Facebook and Instagram pages in the coming weeks!  Actually, you should head over to our social media pages right this very second to enjoy one MORE sneak peek that isn't shown in this blog post for each family!  

Did you miss out on joining us for our holiday sessions at the studio?  Not to worry!  

We still have a few more openings for holiday sessions in November and the first week of December, and we would love to invite your little ones into our Saratoga Springs photography studio for a playful session that will give you gorgeous images for your holiday cards and stunning artwork for your home.   Email us at hello@nicolestarrphotography.com and let's pick a date!

A Dr. Seuss Cake Smash | Boston & Albany Baby Photographer

JJ's cake smash was extra special. It wasn't just the Dr. Seuss theme that I created to match his nursery, or the sweet little outfit that his mom found on Etsy with the most adorable bow tie. It's the story behind what you see in these photos.

I first met JJ in October as a part of our gift sessions to local families for National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. With his 1st birthday coming up, his mom knew she wanted to celebrate with a photo session in December. When we first talked about celebrating with a birthday session for JJ, I could tell how important this was to her to give her son this amazing and fun experience that is so typical for one-year olds.  

Though she did have one lingering question -- What about the cake?  JJ receives his nutrition through a feeding tube, and he is a healthy and happy little boy thanks to an amazing team of doctors and two loving parents.  Because he has Down syndrome, JJ may take a little longer to reach certain milestones such as sitting and eating on his own, but he is still their little baby who is turning one later this week, and it was so important that we document this milestone by adapting our cake smash to meet his needs.  His mom really wanted the cake, the messy frosting, the whole experience. So of course, we made it happen!

JJ's cake is actually filled with two pieces of styrofoam that I then decorated to look just like a giant cupcake. His frosting is extra squishy for those little fingers to explore.  I went out searching for the perfect vintage high chair to support him comfortably in a seated position, and I found it at a new antique & gift shop in Sudbury, Laurel Grove. These were two easy little tweaks that allowed this handsome baby to enjoy his cake smash.  JJ got to celebrate his first birthday with a birthday cake & a sugar high, just like his big sister did 5 years ago when she turned one.

So while the photos are oh-so-sweet, it's the story behind the images that truly speaks to my heart, and I hope to yours as well! Leave this birthday boy a little loving below in the comments, and tell us what you liked most about his session!

And of course, these photos of JJ pre-cake smash (and pre-blue frosting!) are too cute not to share.  I love how he is just chilling in the first one!  Such a cutie!

Would you like to see more photos of JJ?   Check out our post from Down Syndrome Awareness Month that features this little guy and so many other heart warming stories from local families.

Finally, want to learn more about Nicole Starr Photography's photo sessions in the Down syndrome community?  Read this amazing post about our collaboration with the National Down Syndrome Society for a series of rockin' photo shoots in NYC earlier this month!

Making Spirits Bright | Our Studio Holiday Sessions

Fa la la la laaaaaa, la la la laaaaaa. As I type this post, my studio smells like a Christmas tree, tiny lights are twinkling behind me, a peppermint marshmallow candle glows on the table, and Ella Fitzgerald is singing Christmas carols on Pandora.   There are presents to be wrapped, cookies to be baked, and cards to be mailed.  And there's definitely a mug of hot chocolate waiting for me somewhere.  It's mid-December, and our holiday cheer is officially at 100%.

I love the holiday season.  Could you tell?  ;o)   The lights, the traditions, the scents, the cozy foods, the gatherings with friends & family.  There is nothing better than those first few weeks of December when the world is a truly magical place.  These are the weeks when everyone is talking about their elves, Santa, and flying reindeer.  The tree in your living room inspired breathtaking wonder, and the colorful lights in your neighborhood fill your evenings with cheer.  The magic of childhood is more tangible than ever.  That same magic that I adore capturing all throughout the year is on full display this month, and I feel so, so lucky to be able to preserve that for the families that I work with.

We hosted our first in-studio holiday sessions, and I had so much fun creating the perfect dreamy set up for our little ones.  We turned the studio into a winter wonderland, a soft cloud-like space where children sat beneath golden stars and told me all about their wishes for Santa and what their elves had been up to lately.  There were giggles, jingle bells, Christmas jammies, candy canes, and songs.

Our holiday sessions were short and sweet, and allowed just enough time for a simple rustic set up, too!  After all, I acquired a vintage sled from another photographer over the summer, and I couldn't let a holiday season pass without using it for some adorable photos!

Wishing you all a magical holiday season!  Take the time to slow down, create memories, and start a new tradition with your family.

Create magic, and inspire wonder.  After all, that's what childhood is all about!

A Personal Post: From Teacher to Photographer

You know what I loved about being a teacher?  The one thing that absolutely fired me up and never got old?  Bulletin boards. I was the first grade teacher that fell in love with bulletin boards long before I ever had my own classroom.  As a child, I loved the stacks of colored construction paper in my third grade teacher’s closet and the way they magically transformed into a beautiful scene on our walls overnight.  At 16 I started working at a preschool center, and it wasn’t long until the owner was paying my sister and I to come in extra and decorate the lobby with seasonal and thematic murals made from cut paper.  In college, our education professors actually graded us on our bulletin board creations, and by then they were these elaborate 3-D projects.

And then I had my own classroom, and I was the teacher that found pure bliss in having a room filled with 24 students, the floor covered in construction paper, and the children running to the hallway eager to place their creations on our bulletin board.  Whenever the week was feeling a little too long, you know what we did?  Art Day.

I was the teacher that found value in teaching my first graders how to cut, glue, trace, follow step-by-step directions, collaborate, and negotiate amongst themselves.  I loved the sense of pride that they developed when they marched into the hallway and pointed out their handiwork to their peers.  I loved the wonder and the exclamations of “WOW!” when they turned the corner and saw their hard work come together in a beautiful creation.  I loved the sense of ownership that was fostered, and the little community that grew from our Art Days.  I loved the way that from those bright squares of construction paper, a fun & whimsical scene was born that really pushed their imaginations while brightening up the bare cinder block walls of our school.

So, yeah.  Bulletin boards.

But what does that have to do with photography?

Well, yesterday I spent the entire day crafting.  The floor of the studio was covered in tiny paper hearts.  I was up and down a ladder, hanging fishing line from the ceiling for my next studio set up.  At one point I had to hang up the phone because of what can only be described as a “tissue paper explosion”.

The past two weeks have been spent hand-painting frames, giving a vintage high chair new life, creating a dreamy Christmas bed, drawing Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss’s books, and prepping for a cake smash.  I make more trips to AC Moore in one month than I do to the gas station, and my collection of upcoming projects for the winter months just keeps growing.

Pure bliss.

I feel so fortunate to enjoy a job that I can do with such passion, weaving together all of the things that I love:  creating, storytelling, and working with babies & children.

My husband came home from work yesterday and told me about this meeting and that meeting, these customers, this paperwork… And I told him about the floating hearts in our Valentine’s set up, the Dr. Seuss backdrop for the next baby boy’s cake smash, and the styrofoam cake I’ll be making tomorrow (more on that later) for one sweet little boy.

So while I may not be a teacher anymore, I’m happy to see that the one thing I have always loved is still a huge part of my day-to-day life.  After all, when you do what you love, it doesn’t feel like work.

Here’s to many more playful days spent crafting and creating.

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!

Extraordinary Stories | Photo sessions for the Down syndrome community

As many of you who have been following my Facebook page know, October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  Down syndrome is considered the most common genetic condition, and one in every 691 babies is born with Down syndrome.  According to the National Down Syndrome Society (www.ndss.org), there are more than 400,000 individuals living with Down syndrome in the United States. This month I started a photo & community outreach project to connect with local families whose children have Down syndrome.  My best friend’s son, Zack, was born with Down Syndrome 5 years ago.  I'll never forget the night my best friend told me that her brand new baby boy had DS.  I'll never forget the incredible journey of love, learning, and acceptance that this little guy's family and all of his loved ones embarked on. I'll always be SO thankful for that blessing. We count ourselves lucky to love this little boy who is blessed with an extra chromosome and lots of hugs and kisses to go around.  Because of Zack, I wanted to give back to this community and bring their stories to life through my photographs.

This month I decided to offer complimentary sessions to families who have a little one with DS.  When I reached out to this (not so little) community, I was amazed at the overwhelming response from families across Massachusetts and New Hampshire who got in touch with me.  My inbox was flooded with the most amazing, heart-warming stories, and every single one brought happy tears.  They opened their arms to me, welcoming me into their lives and sharing their stories with me.  They allowed me to play with their children, capture their true personalities, and let their little ones shine in the spotlight of my camera.  We shared hugs, giggles, tickles, “peek-a-boo” games and “ready, set, go” races.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little “extra”.

These children are not defined by Down syndrome.  That extra chromosome is a blessing in disguise, helping the families to love deeper, dream bigger, and advocate more strongly.  Their stories are the ones that deserve to be heard.  Enjoy their stories:

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Meet Audrey  (age 9)

“Audrey is a very funny clever girl who has the most wonderful sense of humor. Her smile can light up a room and she has the most contagious little laugh and the BEST hugs that come with a pat on the back.  Some of her favorite things to do are to sing and dance to her favorite, Taylor Swift. She also loves swimming.  She could literally swing on a swingset for hours. She loves to play with her sisters and is great at bossing her dog, May, around.”   ~Audrey’s mom

“The best part of having a sister like Audrey is the way she brings us and everyone that meets her so much happiness. I like having Audrey as a twin because it makes us unique.”  ~Audrey’s twin sister

Meet Drew  (age 3)

“Drew has the ability to make people fall in love with him, his outgoing personality and endless expressions. His sense of humor, curiosity and attention to detail make me smile and fall in love with him even more, if that's possible. He loves to learn, and run around and will no doubt change the outdated perceptions of what it means to have Down syndrome. I will continue to teach him to know no boundaries, and to dream bigger until he reaches the stars!

My experience in the Ds community has changed my life. Quite literally. We were given information on the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress while in the hospital after Drew was born. And they were the first organization to reach out to us when we got home. From them, we were connected with our local Ds group, the Morning Travelers, where I've met dozens, if not a hundred families, many who are close friends now. When you find a community that understands, encourages and celebrates similar life journeys, you never want to lose touch. I've been empowered to step outside my comfort zone in many ways by Drew, one being taking the Chairperson role for our local MDSC Buddy Walk! I was honored to address over 3,000 people in our community this past October, 11th and applaud all of them for being a strong community of advocates. Together with the help of the MDSC, we are bringing awareness, inclusion and opportunities to live fulfilling lives to individuals with Down syndrome in Massachusetts and across the globe.”  ~Drew’s mom

Meet JJ  (9 months)

JJ is a very social little boy with big, curious eyes that are made that much cuter by his new glasses.  He is incredibly expressive, and we captured so many of his little faces on camera during our session together.  He loves to laugh and babble, and it’s clear that he brings so much happiness to his mom, dad, and big sister every single day.  This little guy is a fighter, and he had heart surgery at only 2 months old. He rocked our session together — even the tummy time, which you wouldn’t know by looking at the amazing photos that he’s not the biggest fan of.  ;o)

I just love how he's talking to his little toy in the photo below.  What a sweetheart!

Meet Lucy (2.5 years)

“Well, let me tell you about Lucy... She's very much "a Lucy". She's bright,  hilarious, loving, and clearly the prettiest girl I've ever seen. She loves cats, music, and Frozen! She's incredibly expressive, she's speaking more lately but has about 100 signs.  Sign language has been amazing for her.  She shines brighter than a diamond, and that's what I would most like to capture.

The definition of the name 'Lucy' is 'light', and that's exactly what she is. When we found out that she had Down Syndrome, I can honestly say I was not scared. I have never feared for how her life would be. She's been through so much in her tiny little life, I have no doubt she can and will achieve whatever it is she wants to do. That extra chromosome is part of who she is and I would not give it back for the world. She is exactly the little girl I always knew she would be.”  ~Lucy’s mom

Meet Maeve  (8 months)

“I found out when I was about 6 months pregnant that there was a 99% chance Maeve would be born with Down syndrome. We found out about her having Down syndrome and the fact that she had a heart defect that would require surgery within a couple of weeks. Needless to say, that was a rough time. But we decided pretty quickly that we would do what we needed to do for her and stayed pretty positive for the rest of my pregnancy so by the time she arrived we were more excited than nervous.

She had open heart surgery when she was about 3 months old. Her first 3 months really just seemed like a lead up to the surgery day. But she did great, she was in and out of Children's in 6 days. And now that it's been months, it almost seems like it never happened. I say a lot that I wish we could go back in time to when we first found out about all of this and tell ourselves "Don't worry. You'll love her like crazy and she'll be awesome."

I guess I'm biased but Maeve really is the best baby. She's happy, super chatty, sleeps well, smiles a lot. Honestly, we don't even think about Down syndrome all the time. She may get to milestones a little later than other kids her age, but for the most part she's just like any other baby. She sleeps, eats, cries, poops, smiles, and makes us laugh every day. She just got her first 2 teeth a couple of weeks ago and in the past week she started sitting up on her own! Something new every day.”  ~Maeve’s mom

Meet Liam  (23 days new)

“We love so many things about Liam. His beautiful eyes, that always appear so alert and attentive when he is awake, are adorned with gorgeous eyelashes. He is happy and content to be held and cuddle when he's not eating. He sometimes shows off an adorable pout that may be hard to say no to when he is older.

The first few days were a mix of a lot of different emotions. Much of Liam's arrival was a surprise. I delivered at a birthing center because we wanted an out of hospital experience. My labor moved at a rapid fire pace and only lasted  4 1/2 hours. My husband travels for work and missed Liam's birth by just 2 hours. When I first held Liam in my arms, I had a feeling he might have Down syndrome, but I didn't want to ask the midwife until my husband arrived. I learned later that the midwife noticed physical characteristics right away but decided to wait until my husband was with me to say anything. I will forever be grateful for these first few hours when I was able to meet my son, hold him, and bond with him before I knew he had Down syndrome. I knew him as Liam first, before I knew he had a disability. He was my perfect, beautiful baby boy who I loved immediately and unconditionally. Learning he had Down syndrome did not change any of this.

When my husband arrived we asked the midwife if she thought he had Down syndrome. She explained that she noticed the palmar crease, low set ears, and large space between his first and second toes. Then we discussed being transferred to the NICU to check his heart and lungs. The NICU was an incredibly hard experience as we didn't even want to be in a hospital in the first place.

We drew strength from taking one moment at a time and the love of our family. Our parents flew out immediately to be with us. They shared in our sorrow, but also rejoiced in Liam's arrival. This was so important for me. As a new mom, I so wanted people to celebrate and gawk over my beautiful new baby. I needed to see people delight in his presence. This helped get us through the 10 days in the NICU.

Right now we are still in the process of letting go of some previous expectations we had before we knew he had Down syndrome.  We are making room for new ideas as we begin the journey with Liam. We are trying not to focus on Liam's limitations but all of his potential and gifts.

When I hold Liam in my arms, I just see my beautiful baby boy who is an absolute gift. Sometimes I think, "oh yeah, he also has Down syndrome." But that's never my first nor most important thought when I hold him. I hope this is always the case. First seeing Liam for the amazing person he is, while learning about and embracing all of his unique qualities including the fact that he has Down syndrome.”  ~Liam’s mom

Want to learn more about Down syndrome?  Check out the National Down Syndrome Society's webpage here:  www.ndss.org

Do you know someone who would love this post?  Share it with them!  :o)

25 families contacted me this month about sessions for their little ones with DS.  I'm excited to make this an ongoing project, and I've compiled a list of families that I will be in touch with for photo sessions throughout the year.  Want to share your story with me?  Email me at nicolestarrphotography@gmail.com.  I can't wait to meet your little one and hear your heartwarming story!

Vivian's Pink & Floral Simply Baby Session

baby girl pink and flowers

Not all babies are as smiley as sweet little Vivi.  Sometimes, photographers luck out with the happiest of babies that love being in front of the camera.  (And sometimes we need to use a few of these tricks for a successful portrait session.)  She came to the studio and that smile didn't leave her face for even one minute.  Her eyes were sparkling, she was playful, and she loved the attention that her mother and I showered on her.  This little girl is such a model, and I had so much fun capturing her personality on camera during our pink and floral Simply Baby session.

baby playing peekaboo with a blanket

Peek-a-boo!  This is one of my favorite games for babies 5 months and up.  Tummy time & smiles.

nicole starr photography

After a quick little outfit change, Vivian was ready to snuggle up with her lovies.  I love it when parents bring the baby's favorite blanket or stuffed animal to our session, and it's always so sweet to capture them together.  That blanket will one day be worn and gray, but you'll remember how much your little one carried it around, how you had to have a back-up at day care, at home, and at the grandparents' house, and how she never fell asleep without it.  You'll remember how she was the same size as her little pink bear, and how that bunny brought the biggest smile to her face every single time.

baby with stuffed animal lovies

baby girl in a basket

smiling baby girl

Powerful Love: A beautiful in-home session with newborn twins

Lifestyle photography.

It's exactly what it sounds like.  A private glimpse into your life to capture those moments that happen behind closed doors.  Sometimes those moments are loud and colorful, and sometimes those moments are quiet and calm.  These are moments that are shared with your family.  They shape you and your loved ones, and they are the ones that you'll remember many years from now as some of the happiest and most fulfilling moments of your life.

A cuddle with your newborn baby.

A quiet glance over to your husband, admiring him in this new role as a father.

Reaching down to stroke the soft wisps of hair atop your baby's head.

Sitting back, looking around, and falling in love with this life you've created together.

Kati & Pete dreamed of their babies' arrival for many, many months.  They prepared a beautiful space to welcome their newborn twins home with the most thoughtful touches -- a rustic wooden wall, sweet and simple quotes, pictures from their favorite children's book, photos from their travels around the world, the cutest little elephants, and an adorable handmade mobile.  Their twin sons were born on July 21, 2015.  After spending a little extra time with the doctors and nurses, both boys finally arrived home and they were welcomed with so much love.

One of my favorite experiences of being a newborn photographer is capturing the way that new parents look at their babies.  It's a mix of awe, wonder, and overwhelming love.  It truly is the most incredible moment to capture on camera.

Birth.  Nailed it.  (Cutest onesies ever!)

boston twin photographer

Max & Owen were the sweetest little boys, and being exactly one month old (our session was held on their original due date), they were wide-eyed and wanted to take in everything going on around them.

Is there anything cuter than a little baby yawn?  No, I didn't think so either...

One of the meaningful benefits of a lifestyle newborn session in your home is that it allows us to showcase your family, your love, your personality, and YOUR HOME.  That gorgeous space you've created together that tells your story becomes a living and breathing part of your photos, and it is pure magic.  I absolutely adored this gallery wall in Kati & Pete's home, and the moment I saw it I knew we needed to use it as a backdrop for their family photos.  This wall tells their story, and now their sons will find a spot right there among all of their other memories and loved ones.

Congratulations, Kati & Pete!

What a beautiful family and a beautiful life you are creating for yourselves.

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Are you eagerly anticipating your little one's arrival?  Send me an email by clicking on the "Contact" tab and I'd love to chat with you to plan your baby's newborn session.  We'll talk and discover if a studio session or an in-home lifestyle session is the best fit for your family.

Read more about our newborn sessions here.

Valentina Hope {Boston Newborn Photographer}

June 9, 2014

8 pounds, 13 ounces  

20 1/2 inches

3:49 am

I was so happy to start my summer off with a cuddly little newborn session.  Valentina Hope was born in June, right at the end of the school year (perfect for her mom, a teacher who works with me).  We got together for our beautiful little session, and this little girl really made us work for these images.  That morning, Valentina wanted nothing more than to be held.  However, once she fell into a deep slumber she was simply angelic.

Isn't this blanket gorgeous?  A friend of the family made it for this little girl's arrival.  She spends all winter knitting blue and pink blankets to give to those close to her.  What a beautiful handmade gift!

Big brother Sebastian was so proud of his baby sister, and he wanted to be involved in everything.  As I was setting up my posing pillow (for those of you that haven't done a newborn session with me, it's a giant bean bag puck), Sebastian disappeared for a few minutes and came back with his own bean bag.  "We can use this one for the baby!"  He was so adorable, and I loved watching him with his new sister and capturing that magic on camera for the first time.

This last one is definitely one of my favorite images from our session together.  What a stunning mama-and-baby photo!

Be sure to follow my Facebook page for the latest updates and photos!  I've been one lucky photographer this summer with so many newborns that I've been able to meet and photograph.  Check out their sneak peeks on Facebook!