Our 2024 Client Appreciation Event: Gorgeous Motherhood Portraits with Spring Florals

This summer, I’ll be celebrating 12 years of running Nicole Starr Photography - and the last 8 of those years have been here in New York. None of the last 12 years would have been possible without my incredible clients. The last few years, I’ve held a Client Appreciation Event in my Saratoga Springs studio because each of my clients is worth celebrating. I want each and every one of them to know how deeply I appreciate them. Being their chosen family and newborn photographer is a gift - not just because I get to do what I love, but because I genuinely enjoy working with each of them and building relationships as we see each other over the years. Watching their children grow and being able to document more special memories is something I will never take for granted.

My Client Appreciation Event really started as a way to celebrate and thank the mamas. I wanted to thank them for choosing me but also, I wanted to pamper them! As mamas, we’re often the last one to be taken care of or spoiled. Thus, this event was born. My mamas are invited to my studio for motherhood sessions. The #1 goal is for them to feel pampered, loved, and update portraits with their little ones, creating artwork I hope they will treasure forever. It’s so much fun! We have a hair stylist at the studio and they have full access to my Mama Wardrobe to choose a beautiful dress to wear for their portraits. On top of that, they get to leave with an incredible swag bag filled with goodies from local businesses I love! 

While I always document families with their babies when they come in for newborn or milestone sessions, I think it’s important for these mamas to have a chance to be photographed with their babies. It’s special to see them shine with their little ones. I know as a mama myself, we’re always behind the camera, and so rarely in photos with our little ones. But these are the photos that our kids are going to want to look back on when they are grown, and they are the ones that tug at our own mama hearts now and many years from now. My favorite photos in our home are the ones with my babies, and I will cherish them for many, many years. I hope these mamas do, too. These portraits are super special to me and I hope that my clients love them as much as I love making them possible! 

I just want to give a huge shout out of thanks to all of the amazing Saratoga Springs vendors who made this year’s Client Appreciation Event possible with their contributions to our setup or goodie bags for our mamas! Without them, I would not have been able to celebrate and spoil the families who support my small business every day. 

Make sure you check out these amazing businesses! 

Samantha Nass Floral Design
Jessica Lee, A Saratoga Stylist of LaLume Salon
Simply Stated NY
Cookie-tastic
Slice of Saratoga
Advanced Dentistry of Clifton Park - Dr. Katie Tonkin
House of Colour Saratoga Springs
Fit4Mom Queensbury-Saratoga Springs
Glampover Events
The Hair Fairy at Hive Salon
Festivefetti

Thank you again to every business that contributed - and to every client that has worked with me in the last 12 years. I literally couldn’t do this without you! Enjoy a peek into our Client Appreciation motherhood portraits this year! 

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Springtime Motherhood Portraits with Florals and a Boho Egg Chair

I have been doing a springtime Celebrating Motherhood portrait event for as long as I can remember. It’s one of my favorite times of year to create something beautiful with lots and lots of flowers and photograph mamas just loving on their babies.

This year I went with a boho floral setup incorporating our wicker egg chair, and I absolutely loved how it photographed. It’s the perfect size for some cuddles, and it looks stunning with the white walls and giant white window in the studio. Plus, with the new (bigger!) studio, I was able to keep our egg chair setup all spring and we even incorporated it into a few other families’ portrait sessions for a shot or two here and there.

As always, neutrals are my go-to outfit recommendation in the studio. A few families did a gorgeous pop of color combined with those light neutrals, and it all came together beautifully. Scroll down for a peek at some of my favorite portraits in our boho floral egg chair prop this spring!

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Celebrating Motherhood Sessions with Boston & Saratoga Springs Portrait Photographer

It's hard to believe that we just wrapped up our THIRD year of Celebrating Motherhood sessions!  This was the first year I brought the sessions to Saratoga Springs, and my third year capturing these special moments for our Boston-area mamas.  (Check out the 2015 and 2016 sessions here!)

This year's event was extra special.  In Boston we enjoyed hair & makeup by Tiffany Cantin, HMUA of Six Bay Road Salon.  In Saratoga, Breeanna Nicholas Artistry and Laura Graver pampered our moms with hair & makeup.  

Sweet Ivie was one of our sponsors, providing lots of lovely headbands for the little girls to enjoy, while Simply Made created beautiful bandana bibs and bowties for the baby boys.  And special thanks to Crown City Bread Company for the sweet treats, and Butterfly Baby for goodies in the swag bags for the moms.  And of course, our beautiful and whimsical wardrobe was supplied by Rainey's Closet!

Now, let's get to the fun part!

Ohhhh, these moms & their babies were just the sweetest!  I always love capturing these sweet little moments between them, slowing it all down to celebrate the beauty of motherhood and of this sweet but fleeting stage of having little ones at home.  Pampering the moms with hair & makeup always makes them feel extra glamorous, and these moms were such naturals in front of the camera!  They showered their little ones in cuddles and kisses, and we captured so many beautiful moments for them to enjoy!

Waiting for baby is always such a special time filled with anticipation & love.  Laura joined us with her son, who is about to be a big brother!  He leaned in close to listen to his baby sister, and he was just the sweetest!  Plus, seriously now... how amazing does Laura look?!?!  She has such a beautiful glow about her!

Funny story behind this image below...  So often little kids lean in for a quick peck on the cheek, and they pull back before I can click the shutter.  Laura told her son to "pretend you're a zombie sucking brains out" to get him to slow down for a kiss.  I doubled over laughing, so surprised at this description.  But it worked!  

Sofia was an only child last year when she came with her mama to our motherhood sessions, and her mom was waiting on Baby #2's arrival.  This year I was so lucky to get to meet her little baby sister, Catania.  Their grandfather was there for moral support, and he truly saved the day by capturing the girls' full attention and getting them to smile for us.  They lit up the moment he walked in the room, and it's clear to see that he shares a very special bond with his granddaughters.

And the twins!  Bella and Finley have been coming to me since their newborn portraits, and I was so happy to see these girls at our Motherhood event this year.  Their mama appeared so calm & relaxed, which is definitely a feat for a mama of two little ones under two!  The girls looked like princesses in our dresses from Rainey's Closet, and we had so much fun capturing the sweetest cuddles of them with their beautiful mama.  

The last time I saw Michael and his mama, he was a tiny six-pound newborn baby!  Now he has such a big personality, filled with smiles and ready to give hugs to everyone in the room.  We had so much fun in their three-generation session, and his mother and grandmother were such a joy to capture together for their portraits!

This was Elyse's first year at our motherhood event with her son, after meeting at my DSLR workshop a few years ago.  Her little boy loved being the center of attention, and jumping on the bed was definitely his favorite part!  He curled right up into his mama's arms, enjoying lots of cuddles.  He won't always be this small, and he won't always come looking for hugs and kisses, which is why it's so important to enjoy every single one now while you can!

Heather came to our event for a three-generation session with her two little ones and her mother, and I loved capturing some sweet moments of all of them together!  Plus, their outfits were beautifully coordinated with the pops of pink and teal that went so well with her maxi dress.  Looking for more tips on how to select outfits for everyone in your family?  Check out this helpful blog post on wardrobe ideas for your session this spring!

Book your Celebrating Motherhood Portrait Session!

This unique event has been designed just for the mothers and their children as we gather together to celebrate YOU.

You are amazing.  You are strong.  You are wonder woman.  You are beautiful.  You have the hardest and the most rewarding job in the world.  You are raising these tiny humans filled with compassion & love, and you are doing a spectacular job. You deserve this.

We believe that moms are beautiful.  We believe that the love that a mother shares with her babies is the most breathtaking thing in the world.  We believe that you deserve to be pampered, you deserve to feel gorgeous, and you deserve to have stunning memories captured on camera with your little ones.

We believe that these moments should be enjoyed and shared with your children over the next many, many years.  Rather than always hiding behind the camera, it is your turn to step in front of it and capture this amazing love you share together. Document it, cherish it, and show it to your children when they are grown.

What is the Celebrating Motherhood Event?

If you've been following my page for awhile now, you're familiar with the most popular event that I host all year!  This is the third year hosting the motherhood event, and my very first year bringing it to mamas in two states!

Join me at the studio for some portraits and pampering!

Attleboro  |  May 6

Saratoga Springs  |  May 20

Arrive early and treat yourself to our complimentary hair & makeup services to make you feel and look your best.  Sip on a mimosa from our mimosa bar and enjoy a sweet treat while our team gets you ready for your portrait session!

This year we're really creating an unforgettable experience with:

• Hair & Makeup for mom
• Boutique gowns available for little girls
• Swag Bags filled with goodies from our favorite small businesses
• Gorgeous portrait keepsakes
• A three-generation package to include grandma, too!

Your children will only be this little for a little while, so capture them in this beautiful & fleeting stage that they're in.  Give them memories to look back on with you 20 years from now.  Let them see how happy they made you as a mother, how you gave the very best cuddles, and that they got their smile from you.  

As a mom, be sure to get in the picture because you will never, ever regret giving your children these memories with you to look back on one day.

This is my favorite event and I love watching mamas and their babies, taking the time to make them feel beautiful and so amazing about this incredible job they're doing with their little ones.  You are ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, and I would love to celebrate that with you!

A very special thank you to our team of vendors that is making this day happen!

Tiffany Cantin, HMUA (Attleboro)

Brianna Nichols, Makeup Artist (Saratoga)

Laura Graver, Hair Stylist (Saratoga)

Simply Made

Sweet Ivie

Butterfly Baby

Merry Go Sweets

Crown City Bread Company

Coconut Crowns

Rainey's Closet

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!