Nicole's Maternity Leave

Can you believe it's June already?!?!

Our sweet little baby girl is almost here, and Jeff, Grayson, and I are so excited to meet our newest family member that we’ve been dreaming about and planning for during these past nearly-40 weeks!  The nursery is just about ready, our hospital bags are packed, and we are counting down the days and just waiting to welcome our new baby into the world in the next few weeks.

Of course, I’ve been busy behind the scenes to start preparing for maternity leave!  For a business owner, taking a break is a pretty big deal.  Luckily I learned a lot before & during my 2018 maternity leave when Grayson was born, and getting ready for time away from the business for baby #2 is a whole lot easier.

So, let’s get into the details!

When is it happening?  

It’s been a busy spring as I’ve been fitting everything in before the baby arrives. I have finished my last sessions, and I’m currently wrapping up client appointments and orders now so that everything is all set before our baby arrives. With Grayson, I was induced 3 weeks early and it was quite a surprise as first-time parents, so this time I’m making sure to leave even more time as a buffer before our little one’s due date just in case an early delivery happens again.

I will be on maternity leave for June, July, and August. My email auto-responder will be on for the whole summer as we spend time bonding as a family of four.

How do I reach you?

Email is best!  I imagine that the first few weeks I won’t be logging in much, but eventually I will be checking in every couple of days to stay on top of my inbox and get back to any urgent messages and new inquiries for fall portrait sessions.  

When you send me an email, you’ll receive an auto reply with more information about timelines and maternity leave, and I want you to know that I truly appreciate your patience as we spend time putting our family first. I will definitely get back to your message to help you plan your session, just know that it will take a little longer than usual while I’m juggling a baby and a preschooler at home.
 

When are you taking sessions again?

The fall calendar is filling up!  I am currently booking sessions for September 2022 through next winter. If you’re hoping for outdoor family portraits this fall, be sure to reach out early to get that on the calendar because dates are extremely limited. I also have studio availability this fall, so plan ahead for your cake smash, newborn portraits, maternity, or milestone session.

Wait a minute… why do I see new posts on social media? 

There are so many amazing tools out there for business owners to plan ahead and automate their businesses, so although I might be rocking our baby to sleep, my blog & social media accounts will still be churning out new content! 

With the help of my incredible virtual assistant, I’ve been prepping plenty of sessions, new blog posts, educational posts, and so much more to stay fresh online even while I’m on maternity leave. 

The best part?  I imagine I’ll be taking LOTS of photos of our two little ones, and I can’t wait to start sharing those with you, too!  Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on all of the baby cuteness!

---

So, that's the plan!  I can't wait to get back into our sessions this fall and to celebrate all of your babies' milestones with your family.  I am so excited for September already -- we have a bunch of birthday babies on the calendar for their cake smashes, and it's going to be such a fun month with all of those birthday sessions to look forward to!

Plus, it’ll be November before we know it, and that means holiday portraits are right around the corner! Be on the lookout for our holiday event announcement coming this summer!

Baby Starr | Grayson's Fifth Month

Time is flying by, and our sweet baby boy is already five months old!  Each day Grayson grows a little more into his amazing personality, those chunky thighs, and those two very expressive eyebrows!

We have been working so hard on tummy time this month, but our little man has decided he would much rather skip tummy time and go straight to sitting up on his own!  After weeks of sitting on our laps, we tried him out on his mattress without any support last week, and he surprised us by keeping his balance for much longer than we imagined he would!  There have been a few head bumps since, and maybe a face plant or two, but he is LOVING this new perspective! 

His favorite game is sitting in his crib and looking at us through the slats in the crib bars, and when we move to a new angle or up above the railing he follows us with his eyes and starts laughing hysterically.  It's adorable!

Speaking of adorable....  I had way too many favorite photos this month, so we're just going to fill the blog up with all of these cute Grayson moments!

Doesn't he look like he's reaching out for a hug in this one?

He hasn't found his toes yet, but I know that's coming next and I'm sure by next month he'll be playing with his feet non-stop, and even getting those little toes into his mouth.  For now, he is 100% about kicking his legs -- in his stroller, on the floor, while swaddled in his bed.  Those legs are pumping up and down all day long, and he gets so excited about it that he lets out happy shrieks.

This month Grayson spent another week on the Cape with me, and he got in lots of walks to the beach.  He enjoyed so much family time with a full house on the Cape, playing with his cousins Natalie & Nathaniel, snuggling up with my cousin Kori (who put him to sleep every time with her cozy hugs!), and walking up and down the street with Grandma to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine any time he got fussy.

We went to visit Daddy at work, and Grayson dressed up in his little suit to match Dad.  Everyone fell right in love with this little guy!

We had a lot of visitors this month!  We started off with Auntie Kirsten & Uncle Dave, and Grayson pretty much charmed their socks off.  My personal favorite part of the visit was when Dave asked, "Wait, so you haven't had 6 consecutive hours of sleep since April?!?!"  And Jeff chimed in that it was likely more like since December!   ;o)  

Travers Weekend has always been a special weekend for me & Jeff, and we don't even go to the track!  It's always the last weekend of the summer that we love enjoying downtown Saratoga Springs, and it happens to be the very first weekend we ever got together in 2012 when we started dating.  This year our little man put on his most dapper outfit and hat and charmed all of the ladies downtown.  

Then our friend Wendy came to visit with Addie (6) and Zack (8).  This was the highlight of Grayson's month and he looooooved watching these two kids.  Zack was obsessed with Grayson and kept asking me when he could give him a bath, so of course we sudsed right up on the kitchen counter and played "Splish Splash" on the radio.  We had many playground adventures, enjoyed lots of cuddles on the couch with Addie reading books to the boys, and got in lots of snuggles with Wendy every chance he got. 

---

A few milestones this month...

• Baby G, you've discovered your voice!  You babble nonstop, and you've recently discovered this fun little shriek that you enjoy making over and over again.  Your face lights up when you "talk", and it's really amazing to watch and listen to.
   
• You've graduated to a "big boy stroller", and you no longer need the car seat in the stroller when we go for walks.  Of course, you're very excited about this new perspective and your legs kick like crazy when we're out and about now.
   
• We're still waiting for teeth, and those hands are constantly in your month.  You grab anything you can reach to put it in there and chomp down -- our fingers, my wrist, our water bottles, your toys.  Nothing is out of your reach!
   
• You went to your first wedding!  Katie McIntosh & Jeff Torch got married in central NY, and you came to the ceremony.  We were excited that you were asleep in the pews, and we thought we were sooooo lucky that you would sleep the whole time.  We jinxed it, and you woke up right in time to start babbling during the vows.  
   
• We started taking you to a chiropractor to help with your (lack of) sleep and your (excessive) reflux.  You loooooove visiting her, and you get so calm and smiley in her office.  Now let's keep crossing those fingers that this works because we are desperate for sleep and clean clothes!

---

And some of our favorite cell phone shots from Grayson's Fifth Month!

---

Watch him grow!

Grayson's Newborn Photos
Grayson's First Month
Grayson's Second Month
Grayson's Third Month
Grayson's Fourth Month

Baby Starr | Grayson's Fourth Month

I can't believe that our little baby boy is now FOUR MONTHS OLD!  

Grayson, you charm us every single day with your sweet personality, your bubbly laugh, and those round rosy cheeks that we seriously can't help but squish and kiss all day long!  

Your personality is coming out more each day, and you really are a chill, mellow, happy baby who loves to relax.  You're very observant and you take in everything around you through those bright blue eyes of yours, and now you're starting to interact with your surroundings more now that you've discovered all the cool things you can do with those hands & feet that, as it turns out, ARE ATTACHED TO YOUR BODY!  Seriously, that was the best discovery ever for you when you realized you could make things happen simply by waving your hand through the air!

You've become a super vocal baby, and you're always testing out new sounds when we leave you by yourself on your play mat or in your crib.  It's not uncommon to hear a sudden "Whooooaaaa!" emerge from your corner of the room, and all sorts of little shrieks. 

You love "talking" to anyone that will talk back to you, and the cutest thing ever this month was when you sat on Grandpa Schwalm's lap and talked so earnestly to him, back and forth with a whole little conversation between the two of you!  You're so earnest when you're talking, and you pause for us to answer and ask you questions, and your whole face lights up as you babble away.  These photos below are a few of your "talking faces".  ;o)  

You and I spent two weeks on Cape Cod visiting Grandma & Grandpa Schwalm in July.  You were a pro road tripper, and that 5 hour drive was no big deal to you, little man!  It was a pretty big adjustment for you to learn to sleep in a new space (we're still recovering from that one!), but you loved all of the extra cuddles and play time with your grandparents, plenty of fresh air, and you got to see the ocean for the first time!  (Though, the first two visits to the ocean you passed out the second you heard those waves, so you didn't actually "see" it until your third trip there.  Must be all those ocean sounds we listen to at night and during nap time to help you fall asleep -- they really work!!)

This month Daddy taught you how to stick out your tongue as a little game when you're on the changing table, and now you want to do it all the time.  It's pretty adorable.  You're also teething, and while no teeth have poked through yet, you drool like crazy and everything you find goes straight into your mouth.  Your favorite are my fingers, and you've gotten pretty good at chomping on them to massage those little gums of yours.

We've been working hard on tummy time, and while you're not the biggest fan, you've started trying to wiggle out of it.  Most babies roll.  You choose to inch forwards and sideways while on your tummy, as if you can just skip this whole tummy time thing and go straight to crawling.  Slow down, baby boy!

You adore your dad, and your face lights up every afternoon when he comes home from work.  You have the biggest smile just for him, and you're always cuddling up close to him.  You've even started to let him put you to bed at night, which is a nice little treat for you & for me!    Everyone says you look just like your dad, and you're really his little mini-me.  Lucky me, I get to share my house with the two most handsome guys!

This is the smile you give us when we say "I love you."

You really do light up our lives.  Love you lots, little man.

---

A few of your firsts this month:

• The big one for you is that you've discovered how awesome sitting upright is. You're still too little to sit on your own, but you love when we pull you up and support you on our laps (or on a table, the floor, the bed -- anywhere that puts your head above your legs!).  You get the biggest smile, and when we hold both your hands you even start to pull yourself up to sit to show us that you want to go up.  
   
• You met Nana for the first time.  She's 91 years old, and she loved getting to cuddle her newest great-grandson, and show you off to everyone that lives in the retirement home with her!
   
• Your first trip to Cape Cod was a success!  We went to mommy's favorite beaches in Dennisport, the ice cream shop where she used to work, and met up with a few friends while on the Cape, too!
   
• You had your first (two!) visits to Urgent Care, where they misdiagnosed conjunctivitis both times.  Oh well!  You're a trooper, little man!
   
• You also had your first official diaper blowout... All over mommy's lap.  It was followed by a string of funny texts to dad letting him know what had happened, including an "Omg!  It's still coming out!  I'm afraid to stand up now!"  Daddy of course said, "Good job, buddy!"
   
• You also had your first trip to the Saratoga County Fair!  You loved the colors and the sounds, but eventually you fell asleep before we made it back to the car.  Mom & Dad's priorities?  Fried dough, play a carnival game, win a toy for the baby.  But really, fried dough.

---

Some of our favorite cell phone photos this month...

---

Watch him grow!

Grayson's Newborn Portraits
Grayson's First Month
Grayson's Second Month
Grayson's Third Month

Vivian Jane's 3 Month Milestone Portraits | Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

With the launch of our new Baby Plan & Milestone Sessions in 2018, I am so excited to see so many of my newborn clients return to the studio for their milestone portraits throughout their baby's first year!

I first met Vivian Jane during her at-home lifestyle newborn session.  Her parents mentioned then that they would be doing a traditional 100 day celebration for their daughter, and so of course we started planning her 100-day portraits!  We added a bit of sparkle to this sweet girl's session to fit the mood of the celebration, and her sweet smiles just lit up the room!

Her mama brought the cutest little knit outfit & beret, and this sweet 3 month old looked like a little French girl with that beret perched on her head just so!  The white bed is always a classic look in our milestone sessions, and I love how simply it complements this adorable baby girl.  

So, what is a good milestone to photograph?  Honestly, the first year flies so quickly and you're going to want to remember all of them!  Here are a few of my favorites to photograph during our milestone sessions:

• Tummy time
• Smiling
• Before the first teeth come in
• Celebration of the first tooth
• Discovering their toes 
• Sitting up unassisted
• Crawling
• Standing
• Walking

Rocking your business & your baby: Planning for maternity leave as a business owner

Hey, mom-preneurs!  

This one is for you.

We’re starting a new series on the blog called “Rocking Your Business & Your Baby.”  As I enter into motherhood with the arrival of our baby boy this spring, I am excited to connect with so many other mamas out there who have learned (and are still learning!) how to balance business & babies.

I’ve been a business owner for SIX YEARS.  Think about that for a second — my very first newborn clients are going to be first graders in the fall.  Wow.

For 6 years, this business has been my baby.  It’s held my hopes and dreams, it’s connected me with so many amazing people, it’s been the big thing that I work hard on every single day.  I’ve truly loved watching it grow and evolve over time, and seeing how I have grown and changed as a business owner in that same time, too. 

And now I’m adding on a new role, the most important role of them all: MOM.
 

I know that things are going to change for me as a business owner with the arrival of our baby boy.  This little business of mine won’t be my only "baby" anymore.  Working from home will hold a whole new meaning, and my time is going to look a lot different moving forward.  I’m excited to connect with other business owners who are rocking their businesses while rocking their babies, and to share some insights with all of you as I learn as I go!

---

Today we’re going to talk all about preparing for maternity leave as a business owner.  If you’re waiting on your little one to arrive — CONGRATULATIONS!  You must be so excited as you count down the months and the weeks until the day you finally get to meet your sweet little baby.  But if you’re anything like me, you might also be a little bit nervous wondering,
How in the world am I going to get everything done? 
How will I continue running a business with a baby at home? 
What will happen if I just drop off the face of the earth for a few months when the baby arrives? 
Can I even afford to take maternity leave?

I have had all of the same thoughts, worries, and concerns over these past 9+ months, so I’m sharing a little insight into a few things that helped me prepare for maternity leave with the idea that hopefully they will help you as you embark on this new adventure, too!

It’s never too early to prepare.
 

I hired a virtual assistant long before we even decided to have a baby.  Kristina started working with me a full 16 months before my due date.  I knew back then that there were so many things in my business that I could outsource to free up my time and attention that would be better spent focusing on other areas, and I found the perfect assistant to do that for me.  

We spent more than a year establishing a solid workflow where she completely took over some of the behind-the-scenes tasks that allowed me to focus on growing my business in other areas.  For example, because she took over social media and blog prep, I could streamline my marketing to bring in even more clients, and my sales to bring in even more revenue. 

Which leads me to number two…

Save, save, save. 
 

Save up as much extra income as you can before you go on maternity leave to cover your expenses so that you can enjoy some downtime at home getting to know your new baby.  You’re going to want to take time off to rest, bond, and find your groove at home as a family of 3 (or 4, or 5!).  Having the financial freedom to do that will give you one less thing to worry about.

As soon as we got pregnant, I started saving every penny because I knew that I wanted to take a few months off once our little one arrived, but we would still have bills to pay.  Actually, you’re likely going to have even MORE bills to pay than you do now because of hospital bills, baby items, formula, diapers, and all of the other expenses that come along with bringing a little 8-pound human home with you.  So plan to grow that business well before your due date so that you have enough saved up to cover at least 2-3 months of expenses during your maternity leave.

Automate your business as much as possible.
 

Preparing for my maternity leave felt a lot like what it was like to prepare to take a sick day when I was a teacher, times about 1,000!!!  I wanted my business to continue running, so I scheduled blog posts, social media posts, and newsletters that would go out automatically during the weeks I planned to take off.

This way, I can be out for a walk with my baby and a new blog post goes live.  I might be struggling through a sleepless two-day stretch, but my social media posts are still fresh and my followers see that we’re still an active business with a lot going on.  We could be visiting with the grandparents, and  a newsletter will go out advertising our summer sunset sessions.  

As a business owner, you are always marketing and reaching potential clients and past clients.  It's important to stay fresh in their minds so that they remember, "Hey, I really want to work with you!"  Automating some tasks to keep your business running even while you're taking a break will help to do that for you.

Your business can run itself if you prepare ahead of time.  IT’S A LOT OF WORK, but it’s worth it not to have to worry about a thing when all you really want to do is stay at home and marvel at how perfect your baby is. 

Block off time on your calendar, and stick to it.
 

I stopped traveling for sessions 1 month before my due date.  Since I drive back and forth between two states for sessions, I didn’t want to worry about going into labor while crossing the Berkshire Mountains, so early on in my maternity leave I planned which weekends would be my last ones in Massachusetts, and I made those dates known to all of my clients, stacking them full of sessions to save time and maximize profitability.

I also planned to stop working around week 37, so I wrapped up all of my client work by then.  All orders from sessions were completed, albums were designed, print orders were placed with my labs, and everything that I could package and deliver was sent out so that I wouldn’t have to worry about anything being left unfinished in case the baby arrived early.

I knew that I could still do behind the scenes work after week 37 (blogging, social media, newsletters), but it was important to me that all client work and obligations be done to have one less thing to worry about.

Plus, you’re going to want to take it easy before the baby gets here!  I was in full-on nesting mode and I spent months looking forward to having a few weeks “off” to clean, organize the nursery, prepare food for after the baby arrived, and spend some extra time with just my husband.  We fit in a few extra “date days” and other little things that we wanted to do that would be so much easier without a baby in tow, so take your time to relax and enjoy that end stage of your pregnancy without working up until the end!

Have a plan in place in case your baby arrives early.

It happens.  Babies arrive whenever they are ready, and if you’re counting on your little one not making an appearance until you’ve accomplished x, y, and z…. well, you might find yourself in a sticky situation!  So be prepared to be flexible and just go with the flow.  

If you allow yourself enough time to wrap things up before your due date, hopefully you won’t have to deal with too much of a surprise and be scrambling to get things done.  But let those clients towards the end of your workload know that you’re approaching your due date and that it’s possible you might need to reschedule their appointment if the  baby arrives early, or mail their order to them if you can’t deliver it in person, or that you might wind up meeting through video chat or FaceTime if you can’t be there in person for an appointment. 

This actually wound up being a blessing in disguise since our little one arrived THREE WEEKS EARLY, as soon as I had finished up many of those loose ends with my business tasks!   I had to reschedule one gallery reveal appointment, and one cake smash session.  Thankfully those clients were incredibly understanding and knew that my due date was right around the corner back when we booked, so it was no issue marking a new date on the calendar for them.  I was even receiving messages from them "just checking in" while I was at the hospital with our baby, and I thought it was the sweetest thing that we were on their mind!

Give them enough heads up, and thank them for their flexibility.  They’ve been in your shoes before, and they will definitely understand and be accommodating!

---

The most important thing is don't stress too much about stepping away from your business to focus on your family for a bit.  Your business will be there when you're ready for it, and you're going to find a whole new balance to your life as you adjust to being a mom AND being an entrepreneur.  

Do you have other topics you'd like to see in our "Rocking Your Business & Your Baby" series?  Let me know by sending an email to education@nicolestarrphotography.com.  I'd love to hear from you!

---

Celebrating 6 Months | Lila's Floral & Hearts Milestone Session with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

Lila's mom & dad wanted to celebrate her first 6 months with a perfectly whimsical & girly session filled with pretty little details, soft colors, flowers, and hearts.  Of course, they came to just the right photographer because I LOVE creating sets like that here in our Saratoga Springs studio!

This sweet baby girl was so happy to show off her new sitting skills, and she loved playing with the hearts in our little Valentine's set-up.  We also created this set-up to honor CHD awareness and her personal medical victories, and I love that we were able to incorporate something so special that meant a lot to her parents during the session.

But the very best part of Lila's session?  These SMILES!  Only her mama was able to get her to laugh like this, and this beautiful baby girl couldn't take her eyes off of her mom.  She adores her, and that shows so clearly in her expressions in these portraits!

Our Baby Plan is the perfect way to celebrate your baby's milestones throughout the first year!  Come to the studio for the first smiles, tummy time, sitting up, crawling, the first tooth... there are truly so many possibilities!  

Blake is ONE! A Sparkly Pink and Gold Cake Smash with Boston Baby Photographer

I love when our newborn clients come back to celebrate their first birthday at the studio!  It's hard to believe that it's been a year already since Blake's newborn session, and I truly enjoyed getting to celebrate this vibrant baby girl's first birthday with a very special cake smash session at our Attleboro baby photography studio.  

Our popular paper flower backdrop is at it again, this time with a little SPARKLE!  This drop is now for sale with our Designer Line at Baby Dream Backdrops.  Check it out here!

Blake LOVED her cake, especially once she was able to dig in with a spoon!  She surprised us all by keeping her birthday crown on the entire time (rare for a one-year old!), and she had the best time giggling away while we did her cake smash.  Isn't she adorable?!?!

Of course, I can never resist clicking the shutter on a good crying photo, and Blake ended the smash with the perfect reaction.

No birthday session with Nicole Starr Photography is complete without some family portraits!  We did some classic portraits for this Boston family, with neutral colors and a simple background to let them shine together.  This sweet little girl is so, so loved!

Oscar & Miles: Simple Studio Portraits with Brothers | A Milestone Session at the Nicole Starr Photography Studio

We have been celebrating so many baby milestones in the studio since launching our new Petite Milestone Sessions and Baby Plan for 2018!  Oscar came to the studio to celebrate his first 6 months, and his big brother Miles joined him to celebrate his second birthday! 

I saw Miles last year for his first birthday cake smash, and again in the fall for family portraits when his brother was still teeny-tiny, so it was especially nice to watch the two interact now that they've gotten to know each other for the past 6 months.  One thing is clear: little Oscar ADORES his big brother, and when he's nearby he can't take his eyes off of him!

Milestone portrait sessions at 6 months are some of my favorites.  Usually between months 6-8, babies are sitting up solidly on their own.  They have great neck strength and can rock tummy time, enjoying it just as much as they do laying on their backs and playing with their little toes.  Babies are truly perfect, and you know I don't use a lot of props to distract from this perfection.  We keep the focus on the baby and create truly timeless portraits that let your little one's personality shine!

And boy, did their personalities shine!!!  :o)  

Have you been wondering if a milestone session is right for you?  Check out more of our milestone sessions here:
 

Go Patriots! A Football Cake Smash Session with Boston Baby Photographer Nicole Starr Photography

This family LOVES the Patriots.  Their son was born in 2017 during the Super Bowl, and of course they wanted to incorporate their favorite sport into his first birthday session.  Ryan is probably the tiniest Pats fan in New England, but you can bet that be brings a lot of spirit to cheer on his family's favorite team!

We planned a football cake smash for Ryan's first birthday session at our Attleboro portrait studio.  I love getting everything ready for these sessions down to the very last detail, including this adorable Pats jersey cake topper that I designed just for his session!

Like a true rough-and-tumble football player, Ryan did not mess around when it came time to dig in.  Look at him shoving fistfuls of cake in his mouth!  We couldn't stop laughing at this cute baby boy's enthusiasm!

What does your family enjoy doing together?  Watching sports, reading books, painting, cooking, dancing, listening to music, playing make believe?  Whatever you love, we can incorporate it into your little one's session to infuse your family's interests and personality into your portraits.  Let's chat and plan your session together!

After the Cake Smash : 11 Ideas for what to do with your cake smash photos

12 months have flown by, and in the blink of an eye your baby is 365 days old.  You're going to celebrate with a first birthday portrait session, of course.  But what will you do with the images AFTER the session?  

The last thing you want is to let them sit on a USB in a drawer somewhere, to forget about these moments that you captured of your baby's big smile, excitement, and curiosity.  You want to remember the dimples on their finger, their first few teeth poking through, and those tentative first steps.  But maybe you don't want to fill every wall of your home with cake smash pictures.  Read on for 11 ideas on what you can do with your cake smash photos after the session!

1.  Design birthday party invitations.

This is a perfect option for families that plan their cake smash at least 1.5-2 months before the baby's first birthday party.  Most families do a theme for the party, and we can incorporate that theme into the invitations.  From the shoot, to the gallery reveal, to holding your artwork in your hands, the entire turnaround time is typically one month from start to finish.  So plan ahead and get those invites printed with your photographer!

2.  Or, use the images for thank you cards!

Most families plan the cake smash close to the baby's actual birthday, so it's not always possible to send them out on party invitations.  This is where thank you cards are the perfect alternative -- we'll even leave a little blank space on the back for a heartfelt handwritten note!

3.  Hang them up at your party!

Many families like to share a canvas or a fine art album with their family & friends that come to celebrate at their baby's first birthday party.  Bring a little easel and set it up on the gift table, or find a spot on the wall!  After the party, move the canvas into the nursery for a playful pop of color on the walls!

4. Create a keepsake album.

Our fine art albums are my absolute favorite product that we offer, and they are the perfect way to enjoy every single image from your cake smash session.  This will quickly become your child's favorite book, and you'll spend hours curled up on the couch telling the story of their first birthday while they point out "mama", "dada", and "baby".  Bring it out every year on their birthday for a new tradition!

5. Complete your baby's first year book.

No baby book is complete without a first birthday.  Use your cake smash images to end with a celebratory note!

6. Give the grandparents their favorite gift EVER.

Grandparents love photos of their grandbabies.  Print a few 8x10s, or give them a small album from the session.

7.  Enjoy an accordion album!

Speaking of albums, our accordion albums are wonderful grandparent gifts!  These pocket-sized books hold nearly a dozen photos, and they are available in sets of three so that you can give a few away and keep one for yourself!

8. Tell a story with a storyboard collage.

A cake smash is all about the story -- weave 9 images together in a 3x3 grid and share all of the sweetest moments from your baby's session!

9. Hang a gallery wall in the nursery.

These playful images are the perfect addition to your nursery, and they're going to put a big smile on your face every time you see them -- even on the sleepless nights!  Hang them in a spot in your home where you'll enjoy them every single day, and where they'll bring a little bit of joy to your day!

10.  Do a "Smash & Splash", and hang them in the bathroom!

I love finishing our cake smash sessions with a splash in our adorable white clawfoot bathtub that is the perfect size for one-year olds.  Most babies love water, and they have so much fun splashing around.  We capture so many smiles and excited laughs during this portion of the session!  This makes great wall art for your bathroom, and it's definitely a talking piece that all of your houseguests will ask you about, sure to put a smile on everyone's face!
 

11.  Create a keepsake you'll add to every year with mementoes and letters for your child.

Next to our fine art albums, the wooden keepsake box is my favorite interactive product and the perfect way for you to enjoy your child's birthday memories.  Frame the photos, or display them in the little wooden easels that are tucked inside of the box.  Keep the box, and every year add little mementoes from your child's birthday -- a photo of them blowing out their candles, their birthday party invitation, a special card that they received.  Or, have friends and family write them a letter each year on their birthday and tuck them away inside of the box for an extra sweet surprise to gift them with when they turn 18!

---

Let's get real for a minute here -- who has time for all of this?  

Time to design albums, party invites, thank you cards, and keepsake boxes?  That's where hiring a professional photographer comes in.  Let me do all the work for you, and you can sit back and enjoy your baby's birthday celebration, knowing that I will create the wall art, the heirlooms, and the thank you cards so that you don't have to worry about a thing!

Behind the Scenes of our "Three of Hearts" Cake Smash | Down Syndrome Awareness

Three babies.  Three cakes.  And one very special cake smash.

Enjoy a behind-the-scenes peek into our "Three of Hearts" cake smash with Mae, Harper, and Catherine.  This was such an amazing session with three beautiful babies, that we couldn't help but share a peek into the making of their cake smash images!  Check back later this week for the full cake smash gallery to see the stunning & hilarious moments that we captured together with the birthday girls!

The full story will be coming to the blog later this week, but these three little girls all happened to celebrate their first birthdays three days in a row, and they all underwent lengthy hospital stays and surgeries due to heart complications when they were born in Boston last summer.  These heart warriors pushed through and were all able to successfully breastfeed this year, too!  They also happen to have Down syndrome, and they met for the first time at our photoshoot with Julia's Way in June, just a few short days before they all turned one!

Of course, these little heart warriors rocked their Julia's Way onesies before the cake smash got underway.  Just look at how excited Harper is to show off her stylish onesie!

We had all three moms in the studio for this session, plus the founder of Julia's Way, Ella Cullen, with her little girl Julia Grace.  A huge thank you to our behind-the-scenes photographer and my good friend Jamie of Koss Photography for capturing the event for us!

When designing a setup for these little heart warriors, of course we went with a heart theme!  Catherine, Harper, and Mae rocked the most beautiful tutus and pearl necklaces that perfectly framed their heart scars on their chests.  

The girls all LOVED the camera, and they did such an amazing job during their session!  I went in fully aware of the possibility of three meltdowns, but we didn't have any -- well, at least until the very end!!  Their curiosity & sweet personalities all shone through, and it was such a joy to capture them individually and together on camera!

So what happens when you put three cakes in front of three babies?  

Some babies love it, others hate it.  Some are curious and cover their whole body in frosting -- Harper!!  Others think about face planting into the cake and rock their body back and forth to get their mouth closer and closer to the cake -- Mae!  And others are much more interested in playing with their pearls than actually getting any frosting on their fingers -- Cate!

Follow us on social media to see the first sneak peeks later this week, and we will update this blog post with a link to the gallery post as soon as it goes live!
 

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!   

4 Essential Props for a Baby Photography Studio

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

My prop closet isn't huge.  It isn't overflowing with baskets, crates, and wraps.  Every time I add a new item, it's usually right after I've taken away two or three other items that I just don't use, don't love, or they don't fit the way my style has evolved.

When you're just getting started, you usually think that the very first thing you need to do is get lots of props for your sessions.  I still remember going basket shopping before my very first newborn session almost 5 years ago, thinking that was all I needed to prepare for my session -- haha, boy was I wrong!  We've all been there, thinking that these wraps and this stool and that fancy carriage is going to transform your artwork.  

There are some photographers that have a gorgeous style and produce stunning artwork, and their prop closets are bigger than my bedroom!  That works for some people, and they are so good at what they do!  But if you're just getting started or you're leaning towards a more minimalist style like I do, this blog post will be so helpful for you as you find the essential props for your baby photography studio.

When I moved my studio from Boston to New York last year, I had to carefully choose which items were my absolute favorites and which ones I wanted to use in my new studio.  Narrowing down my props was a blessing in disguise, and it helped me weed out the items that I never used anymore and find new homes for the ones that were too bright and colorful for my style.  I was able to focus on which materials really spoke to me (ALL of the natural wood tones, lace, and hand knit items!) and refine my collection to include just the essentials.  

Looking back at my images from the past year, I notice a few props that I use over and over again in almost every single session.  For me, these are the essential items that every baby photographer should have in their studio because the ways in which you'll use them are truly endless.  Read on for more details!

---

A White Bed

I adore how a bed immediately creates portraits that are more relaxed, intimate, and cozy.  Babies are able to roll, crawl, and explore safely on a soft surface.  Families sink into each other and cuddle up even closer than they would if they were standing next to one another.  Toddlers cuddle, jump, and play.  It's the perfect spot for all of your sessions in the studio!  

Add some crisp white bedding (I like this one from Amazon and this one from Target), and it will give you a clean and classic backdrop that reflects so much light back onto your subjects.

Whether you use an air mattress that you can pack away when not in use, or a futon that folds down into a bed during your sessions, both of these are simple & beautiful solutions for your studio!  I've even seen a few photographers place the duvet covers and pillows on the floor for a faux bed.  While it's not as soft and cozy, it still gives you that bedroom look for your images!

A Cream Flokati

Alright, where are all my Savage Seamless fans at?  Bone is my favorite.  I buy it in bulk since I'm always using it my sessions, and I even painted a wall in my studio to match the bone seamless.  

A flokati was one of my very first prop purchases before I even had a studio, and it's still one of my most-used items.  Because I am a bit more minimalistic in the studio, I do not have flokatis in every color of the rainbow (though Luneberry has so many gorgeous colors that are very tempting!).  Occasionally I will change the color in post-processing, but more often than not I just adore the creamy combination of the flokati against the bone seamless for a classic and clean look!

If you're just starting out, Rugs USA often has 70% off sales and you can score a flokati there at a fraction of the price!  They're not as high quality as Luneberry, but they still photograph exceptionally well!

A (few) Wooden Stools

Okay, moment of truth...  Mayyyyybe I have two wooden stools and a few crates that I love to use as a seat for little ones during their sessions.  These are so versatile and I use them indoors and on-location as well.

The curved bench from Mr. & Mrs. and Co was definitely a stool that I had my heart set on for a solid year before purchasing it.  Best prop decision ever!  It can be used for newborns, sitters, toddlers, and preschoolers during their session.  

Then I have a three-legged stool from Hobby Lobby in natural wood tones that I love for a little bit of a "pop" against the flokati or wood wall.  Stools are perfect for first birthday sessions because the babies stay still a little bit longer when they're focusing on their balance, allowing you a few extra seconds to capture the shot before they crawl away from your set-up!  

Plus, if you get a sturdy stool with wide legs or a solid crate, you can flip it upside down and use it as a step stool in newborn sessions to give a big brother or sister a little boost when standing up in the family portraits!

A Wooden Bowl

This is another one that you may collect a few different versions of, but to start you really only need one!  I love using bowls for our newborns to capture them all curled up and snuggly in the bowl.  Then they are perfect for sitters who need a little help to maintain their balance by holding on to the edges.  And when you have a baby on the go, the bowl keeps them in one spot a little bit longer before they crawl away from you!  For safety, be sure to only use bowls that will not break (no plastic or glass around babies!), and check all wooden bowls for splinters, nails, and sharp edges before each session.  

---

That's it!  Four essential props for your baby photography studio, and a great start to your prop collection.  Remember, don't get overwhelmed by or envious of the full prop closets that you see in other photographers' studios, and know that you can create gorgeous images with just a few key items in your prop stash.  

What else do you consider essential?  Leave a comment below and let me know!

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.

---

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!

---

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!

A Valentine's Day First Birthday | Saratoga Springs Albany Cake Smash Baby Photographer

This Valentine's Day cake smash was simple and sweet, and I loved styling this February baby's first birthday backdrop.  Lila's mom was so excited to plan a red & pink Valentine's Day session for her daughter's first birthday, and we kept it simple with just a banner and a few hearts on her cake, allowing the birthday girl to be the star of the show.

As much as moms (and photographers!) dream of babies that love their birthday cakes, who dig right in and leave little bits of frosting on their hands and cheeks.... that is not always the case.  And it's normal and totally alright if your baby is like Lila and really isn't a fan of her cake!

P.S.  My favorite part of this image below is the combination of angel wings & the great big, angry scream!

Though she did make a few adorable kissy faces for us -- Valentine's babies certainly love their smooches, and Lila enjoyed making this little face with her lips again and again!

Below is my favorite angle that I try to capture at every single cake smash session.  Look at those beautiful, big eyes of hers!

The angel wings weren't really Lila's favorite, so they certainly didn't last long.  We managed to snap exactly one photo of this baby girl in her angel wings, but I still think it's pretty adorable!  Find a photographer with a sense of humor who will go with the flow when your baby is fussing, and know that images like this one below will be among your favorite ones to show your daughter when she is 17 years old one day.

Of course, Lila loved cuddling up with her mama on the bed and she was all smiles and giggles when crawling around and giving her mama lots of hugs and kisses.  These were the perfect "mommy & me" portraits, and I'm so happy we were able to capture these for this family!

A Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday: Boston & Saratoga Cake Smash Photographer

Amalia Marie has been looking up at me with those sparkly blue eyes of hers since she was a newborn baby.  I first met Amalia's family last winter when they visited me for her newborn session, and then we got together last summer during a visit to Cape Cod for a family portrait session on the beach.  

When Amalia's mom started planning her birthday portraits months ago, I was so excited to help her bring her first birthday party ideas to life in a colorful portrait session!  

Amalia celebrated her first birthday with a Very Hungry Caterpillar cake smash inspired by Eric Carle's popular children's book.  This was definitely my most colorful cake smash to date, and I love how perfectly her outfit came together with our rainbow cake and banners.  Bringing together all of these creative elements is always my favorite part of preparing for our cake smash sessions, and of course watching our littlest clients taste their sugary treat is always a fun experience, too!

Just like with all of our birthday sessions in the studio, we made sure to capture some family portraits to celebrate Amalia's parents surviving their first year of parenthood.  Amalia's grandparents taught her how to throw her hands up when they exclaim, "TOUCHDOWN!", so of course we got an action shot of her and her daddy scoring a touchdown together.

I have loved capturing the three of them together this past year.  The walls of their home are now filled with so many beautiful memories from the past 12 months, and I'm certain that they're going to love adding many more memories to their walls as their daughter grows.  

Happy birthday, baby girl!

---

Did you know that we often start planning a baby's birthday session when they are 7-10 months old to ensure a space on the calendar close to their first birthday?  I'd love to chat with you about your little one's cake smash this year!  

Meet Robyn: Nicole Starr Photography's Newest Spokesmama

YOU GUYS!!!!  I've been keeping a secret... a very huge & exciting secret that I dreamt up almost a year ago and that has taken nearly twelve months of planning, designing, connecting, and searching... And today's the day for the big reveal!  

I would love to introduce you to Robyn Racheotes, Nicole Starr Photography's newest Spokesmama.  (WAIT, WHAT'S A SPOKESMAMA?!?!  READ MORE HERE.)

Robyn and I met last spring at our Celebrating Motherhood Event.  She was the first mom to arrive that day, and we hit it off over makeovers and baby cuddles.  

We connected again last summer for a family session on the beach in Harwichport, which coincidentally turned into a pregnancy reveal session when Robyn discovered that she was 8 weeks pregnant at the time we got together.  

After spending a few hours together during her gallery premiere talking about all things babies, pregnancies, gallery walls, interior design, and blogs (she is an amazing blogger with a focus on style, design, and motherhood), I knew that I had finally found the perfect fit for our very first Spokesmama!

Read on to learn more about Robyn & her family!

Tell us a little about you & your family.  

We are currently a little family of three, soon-to-be four. We spend our weekdays in Boston, but most weekends we can be found on Cape Cod. We love being by the ocean and we are currently working on updating a little home by the ocean. It’s been a fun project and I can’t wait to share our home with friends and family next summer. 

Nicholas is a fun and busy 15 month old and we have another little boy due in early April. Life is about to get really fun, not to mention hectic. 

What do you enjoy most when you get some mommy-time all to yourself?  

Even though my alone time is very limited these days, I try to carve out moments throughout the day where I focus on my passions and what I enjoy, which includes photography, blogging and searching for interior design inspiration. There are days when I’m not able to slip away, but it’s important to me that I still focus on what I love and my passions. 

Share a favorite image from one of our sessions together, and the story behind what you love about it.

My first photoshoot with Nicole, and when we met, was so special because it was a mother’s day session. The shoot documented my first mother’s day as a mom and I will never forget that session.

The smile on my son's face, his excitement and me realizing that even though I’m not perfect, I’m still doing a great job in my new role as “mom”. 

Share a favorite image from your personal family photos, and the story behind what you love about it.

There are so many great memories in this photo. I was 8 weeks pregnant in this picture and hadn’t shared the news with family and friends yet. We didn’t know the gender and I hadn’t had my first appointment yet. Looking at this picture, our first as a soon-to-be family of four truly holds a special place in my heart.

This picture was also taken on the beach near our home that we had recently purchased. It’s also the beach that my husband grew up going to as a kid and there are so many fond memories of this beach. I look forward to creating new ones as our family continues to grow. 

After visiting your family’s home, I fell in love with the many gallery walls throughout your house.  Why is it so important to you to surround yourself with these memories?  Do you have any tips on creating the perfect gallery wall in your home?

Pictures, similar to a song, can bring you bring back memories and the exact emotion felt in a moment, at event or point in your life. I also think there is beauty in the everyday moments in life and capturing your life through photos can truly tell a story. 

My approach to gallery walls isn't precise or calculated. I play around with different frames, colors and textures and try to mix it up so that it feels natural and not too perfect. Pick a variety of layouts, mix and match and select pictures that you will enjoy looking at daily. I also think making it easy and using companies like Framebridge for custom framing can help pull together a personal gallery wall to fit any décor preferences and style. 

Can you share any tips for other moms to make it easy to print their artwork and get their photos off of their hard drives?  

I am obsessed with printing photos and think that printing is just as important as taking the picture. I love apps like Timeshel where you can commit to have iPhone photos printed and shipped monthly (they also remind you to upload your pictures every month). These keeps you from storing great moments on your phone. The print size is also great for a baby book or scrapbook and they are perfect for framing and gifting photos of your little ones.

I also use Shutterfly as the app is easy to order prints, gifts and make albums. I also enjoy Artifact Uprising and their clean and simple approach to prints. And lastly, Chatbooks because it’s so easy to make a photo book from your phone and it’s the perfect way to pull together a collection, a year in review or gift photos from a special event.

In addition to working a full-time job and being a mom & wife, you also find time to write a blog, www.amodestlife.com!  Tell us a little about your blog, your mission, and the inspiration behind your website that focuses on “Navigating Motherhood with Style”.  Also, I hear that there are some exciting new changes coming for A Modest Life… What’s up next?  

I started my blog back in 2008 (yes, that long ago) and it was right around the time that blogs were starting to take off. I started it with the intent of posting daily and focusing on fashion. I was very committed and would only post occasionally.

I decided that the content was marginal and as my personal life shifted (I got married, had a baby) I thought the content and focus need to be adjusted to reflect my new reality. I decided to rebrand and redesign my blog to include a focus on motherhood.

I’ve been working at slowly over the last few months and I’ve really enjoyed coming up with new content. I have some great posts on the horizon and I look forward to growing my following of moms. 

Interested in learning more about our Spokesmama program?
We're currently accepting Spokesmama applications in
the Saratoga Springs/Albany area, and the Boston area.

Click on the Spokesmama tab above, and email us at
hello@nicolestarrphotography.com.
We'd love to chat to see if this would be the perfect fit for you!  

A Whimsical Pink & Teal Cake Smash with Albany and Boston Baby Photographer

Be sure to read all the way to the end for a special announcement about our upcoming Limited Edition Holiday Sessions...

When Eliana's family visited me for her milestone session this past winter, I loved every single image that we captured together of this sweet little girl.  She has the most beautiful eyes, and when a camera is nearby she turns her full attention on you.  

As we talked about planning her cake smash session to celebrate Ellie's first birthday, I was excited to see this sweet little girl again and capture those big, beautiful eyes of hers!  I always love watching my littlest clients grow, and it was so amazing to see this sweet TODDLER walking around and showing off her big personality that had blossomed so much since the last time I saw her family.  

Just like her milestone session, we planned a clean, classic, organic, and neutral look for her session, and this time with just a touch of whimsy.  Her mom wanted a beautiful pink and teal theme for the cake smash, which I was excited to also carry into another little set up for Ellie before her cake smash began.  I'm having such a hard time choosing just a few favorites, so I hope you'll enjoy these whimsical photos from her session!

These next photos with the miniature hanging mason jars and fresh blooms?  Oh my goodness, I love this set up so much!  Can't wait to use these jars again for some upcoming sessions!  They are definitely my new favorite decoration for our whimsical set ups!

Just a reminder to mark your calendars!  

We're planning stunning holiday sessions this year, and I can't wait to share all of the details with you.  Sign ups for our Limited Edition Holiday Sessions will be released on October 3, and if you subscribe to our newsletter you will have priority access to scheduling your family's session.  Trust me, these are going to be SO GORGEOUS and you don't want to miss this!  Join our newsletter list today!

SESSION DATES:
October 29 & 30, Attleboro, MA
November 5 & 6, Saratoga Springs, NY

9 Tips for Surviving Life with a Newborn

I am so excited to announce our next collaboration with you!  Over the next few months we will be sharing the blog space with local moms & mompreneurs.  Our guest bloggers will share with you a peek into their personal lives, the moments they were able to laugh about, and their expertise from what they have learned on this journey called motherhood.  

I truly believe that the relationships I love to cultivate with families I work with are about more than just photos.  These relationships are about your stories, the experiences that connect us all together, and the experiences that every single one of you who comes to this blog can relate to.  

With that, I am happy to introduce you to Melanie Venuti, our first guest blogger.  Melanie is a mom to an active little toddler, with Baby #2 on the way.  Through MV Breastfeeding Support (www.mvbreastfeedingsupport.com), Melanie supports families individually through counseling as well as in group classes, sharing her expertise on breastfeeding and parenting success. Melanie is excited to share her 9 tips for surviving the first few weeks at home with your newborn.

As we left the hospital after the birth of my son, my husband encouraged me to sit in the back seat because he said "that's what you’re supposed to do!", he drove slow on the highway and kept the music low so we didn't wake the sleeping baby. Upon arriving home, we walked into the house, placed the car seat down and gazed at our new beautiful baby and each other. They let us leave the hospital and we are now responsible for this tiny human being! What now...? 

 The first six weeks of your baby’s life are a series of ups and downs. But here are some tips and ideas that may make the transition easier for you.

As a new mom, I felt like I needed to do it all to be the best mom, super mom, super woman! But who was I kidding? Boy did I wish I didn’t forbid my husband from laundry that time he washed the white and navy towels at the same time, boy do I wish my friend came over every night with grilled chicken and butternut squash, boy do I wish I took advantage of all my friends and family who said ‘what can we do for you?’. After the birth of your baby, you are responsible for caring for your baby, so allow for your friends and your family to nurture and care for you.

It's ok to mourn the loss of your old life, but laugh about it. Those moments when I would wear the nursing pillow, feed my baby, and attempt to eat my own meal while trying to weed off my dog from stealing my sandwich all at the same time, Hubby and I would look at each other, and say ‘What did we do?’. We laughed about it, and joked about what used to be and how we used to be able to do xyz! Don’t expect perfection, having a baby is a lifestyle adjustment, and you want to do the best you can.

Remember, you are also recovering from delivery and adjusting to life with a newborn, aka a tiny human who consumes your every moment. For the first week or 2, pay attention to what your body is telling you and don’t hesitate to say no to visitors.  

You have probably heard Sleep when the Baby Sleeps, but to be honest, I never found this to be realistic. I could never get into a deep enough, restful sleep during the day, and there are other things that I want to do while baby sleeps…like shower, eat a snack, and/or watch an episode of The Walking Dead. So I think Rest when the Baby Sleeps is a better and more obtainable goal.

You may not have the time to prepare the most balanced meals in the early days, so keeping some easy and healthy grab and go snacks on hand will be a huge help. Things like cheese sticks, yogurt and granola, fruits with nut butters, or other snacks that offer a protein boost will keep you energized.

After your baby is born, and you and your baby are learning to breastfeed together, sometimes it can be a little bit uncomfortable, and this is when you want to ask for help. When breastfeeding is painful, it typically means that something isn’t right with positioning, latch, engorgement, or even water retention or swelling. A Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) can help! An IBCLC has specialized skills in breastfeeding management and uses a problem solving approach and makes appropriate recommendations as needed to ensure breastfeeding success.

A newborn baby is not born with a handbook, and most certainly is not going to respond to a strict schedule early on. They are born into a world that is very different than their ‘norm’ in the womb. They have to experience things like hot and cold, gravity, lights, the sensation of being hungry, the sensation of having to poop…tough life! It takes them a bit of time to adjust and we want to be able to support that with having realistic expectations for their needs and demeanor.  It will take some trial and error to find a good balance for what works for your baby and for you.

All joking aside, a newborn baby does require quite a bit of sleep, but it may not necessarily be during the times of day that you would like to or are used to sleeping. Help your baby differentiate between day and night early on by doing things like keeping the rooms bright during the day and dim to dark at night, or changing their clothing in the morning to play clothes vs. pajamas which are for night time. I am also a HUGE fan of swaddling a baby for sleep. There is lots of research that supports swaddling being an essential to quality sleep for the first several months of baby’s life. Swaddling a baby with their arms down will help them feel safe, warm, and sleep longer.

Childbirth and new parenthood can trigger a jumble of emotions from joy to extreme fear, as well as something unexpected: depression. About 9-16% of women experience Postpartum Depression (PPD) and up to 80% of women report having some degree of Baby Blues after delivery. Baby Blues may include symptoms of anxiety, mood swings and crying spells, and almost always resolve after the first 2-3 weeks. Some women, however, experience more severe symptoms and this is characterized as Postpartum Depression. If you experience symptoms of Baby Blues or PPD, help is available so talk to your health care provider.
 

My son is now 15 months and we survived, we did it, kudos to me and Hubby! We thought we did such a great job that we are doing it again, Baby #2 arriving this summer. Having a baby is a life altering, scary, joyful, wonderfully exciting and the most fun you will ever have. Although the first few weeks are a bit overwhelming, and perhaps not quite as blissful as the movies make it out to be, you get through it, it’s just a faze, and remind yourself, this too shall pass, you're doing a great job!

---

What other tips would you share with new parents about surviving life with a newborn?  We'd love to hear them and help out the new moms & dads that follow our blog.  Leave them in the comments below!  

---

Our New Brand & Website #NSPLaunchDay

The day is finally here to unveil our beautiful new website & brand!  I am head over heels in love with how everything has come together to create a beautiful, airy, whimsical & pure storytelling look and feel.  

I have spent so many months digging deep into the heart behind my business, into finding the true story behind why I do what I do and how this best serves the families that I work with.  At conferences, in workshops, and in every business article written for creative entrepreneurs they tell you to find the WHY behind your brand.  Friends, I've found it.

I've realized that I've always had a fascination with stories (read more about this on the "Meet Nicole" section of our website!).  Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone's story is worth celebrating.  Being invited into my clients' lives to capture these stories and preserve these memories is such an honor, and I've worked hard to show this throughout my website.

So, how did this all happen?

I first connected with Erica at The Refinery in the fall when I was looking for a designer to help me with a full rebrand and website design.  I had heard amazing things about her, and I loved the clean lines and simplicity of her work.  After a few FaceTime coffee dates to share our ideas for the rebrand, we set a date to begin working on the content!

It all started with pinning pretty & sparkly images on Pinterest, and then turning them into an inspiration board for my brand.  This board represents the look, feel, focus, color scheme, and fonts of the new Nicole Starr Photography.  Three weeks ago, this was just a dream.  A pretty little collection of images.  Today, I can clearly see how it all comes together in my website, logo, and collateral materials.

From there, we pulled together all of my favorite elements to create a truly stunning logo that represents everything pure, magical, and airy about my website.  We went through a few different versions of the logo, and my friends and other creative colleagues lent their opinions to help me find the one that best represented my business.  

Here is the gorgeous logo that we settled on for the primary logo.  I love the stars, the soft colors, and the whimsical script paired with a timeless and classic serif font below.

Then came the web design!  But first, I had to decide what I wanted to include on my new website.  This was the difficult part.  I spent hours upon hours sketching ideas, writing content, and editing everything to perfection before sending it all off to Erica to work her magic.

I have been dreaming big ever since returning from the Creative at Heart conference last November, and there were so many new changes I wanted to implement and start offering to the families that I work with.  Among those were Fresh 48 sessions, a Baby Registry, and a SpokesMama program.  All of these are to better help you tell your story.  I'll be featuring each of these this week on social media through "In the Spotlight" posts sharing a little bit about each one.  In the meantime, be sure to check them out here on the website because I am oh-so-excited about each and every one.

Erica is a genius at web design, and before I knew it she had turned all of these big ideas into a beautiful, cohesive, and stunning website!  I woke up one morning and saw that she had sent me the first draft of the website in the middle of the night (there was a slight time difference with me on the East coast and her on the West coast).  My first response?  "OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's so beautiful!"  

I was speechless and couldn't even believe that this beautiful webpage featuring images of so many stunning families was mine!  She took this dream and turned it into something concrete and oh-so-beautiful.  I'm still in awe.

I started this business 4 years ago as a creative outlet, and it has turned into something so much more beautiful & powerful than I ever imagined.  There have been so many milestone markers along the way that have made me feel like this dream is really going to BE something. Every single one has felt like a celebration to me.  Including this one, the latest one.

The first time I saw my images printed.  
The first time I published a blog post.  
The first time I held my business cards in my hands.  
The first time I hung a 16x20 canvas of my work.  
The first time I reached a $1000 sale.  
The first time I took my time to develop a real packaging style.
The first time I hosted a family in my studio.  
That time when I left my teaching job after 6+ years in the classroom to pursue my dream.  
The first time I hosted a beginners photography workshop.
The first time I followed a family through their entire baby's first year of photos.
That time I was asked to go to NYC for the NDSS photo shoots.
The first time another photographer hired me for her family's portraits.  

And now... the first time that my vision and my dream has truly been brought to life thanks to the amazing work of The Refinery.  

To all of my creative friends: if you're thinking of hiring a web designer to bring you to the next level of your business, just do it.  It's truly the best decision I've made for my business and I know that it's going to serve the families that I work with so much better.

To all of the families that have followed me on this journey and been so incredibly supportive: thank you.  Your stories mean the world to me, and your family's images are the best thing on this new website of mine.  I can't wait to capture more magical moments for your family, and I look forward to helping you tell many more stories that you & your children will cherish for a lifetime.

One last thing...  To thank you for being so amazing, we're hosting a giveaway on our Facebook page.  Be sure to enter the contest before Friday at noon!  You can view all of the details on our Facebook page.