Best of 2023 Family Portrait Sessions in Saratoga Springs NY

2023 was truly an amazing year here at Nicole Starr Photography. This year, I had the honor of working with many repeat families for their new portraits as well as lots of new faces! Every time I show up to a family session, I am humbled and overjoyed that these families trust me to document their memories. I am so grateful to each and every one of them for believing in me to capture the best moments for their families. 

While I will never take this honor for granted, I also love how much fun I have every day at work. My family portraits are never boring! I’m all about laughing and finding genuine moments of connection between everyone. This year was filled with lots of tickles, games, and silly prompts to help bring out the belly laughs! I even brought some fun tricks along with me - like squeaking dog toys - to capture a toddler’s attention. Worked like a charm! 

In 2023, I captured my families all over the Saratoga Springs and Cape Cod areas. From beaches to parks, from benches to picnic blankets, and the city sidewalks… I loved every moment exploring with my 2023 families. This year brought some new locations to me and I am so happy that we have even more options for the future now, too! It’s important to me to find a location that feels authentic and genuine to each and every family I work with.

While I’m thankful for all of the fun and all of the beauty we found, I’m incredibly grateful that I was able to help all of these families create beautiful heirloom albums that they will be able to enjoy for years. Our albums and heirloom artwork are so important to me. I want to create something tangible and meaningful that my families will enjoy for decades to come with their children. It’s such a huge honor to be a part of creating something so important. 

All of our 2023 clients will be invited to our second annual Client Appreciation Event in a few months, and I look forward to seeing them for this extra special celebration to capture some new portraits for them to enjoy! Thank you again for trusting me to document your family and I hope that I’ll see many of you again in 2024!! 

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Spring family portraits with Saratoga Springs Photographer

Katie and Zach are the sweetest parents. I’ve loved getting to know them over the last few years as their boys Carter and Bennett have grown up. I’ve had the joy of photographing these brothers for their milestones in my studio over the last two years and each session is better than the last. There’s some real magic that happens when a family trusts you as much as Katie and Zach trust me. 

All of my cake smash sessions include time for updating family portraits. We were all so excited about the blossoms on the stress in my favorite spot in Saratoga Springs. It’s such a short-lived season here in Saratoga, and it’s my absolute favorite time of year to photograph families.These pink blossoms just lend themselves so well to soft pastel colors in the spring! 

Katie and Zach dressed the boys in super cute blue, green and pink colors. They worked perfectly in the park! You can never go wrong with blue and white, and chambray is one of my favorite fabrics for spring and summer. You always want to aim for a mix of patterns and solids, but keep in mind not to have too many people in patterns or the outfits will be visually competing for your eye, and you won’t be able to focus on the happy subjects. Katie and Zach did a wonderful job of balancing out the patterns and solid colors for their portraits. I’m just in love with the final images! 

Katie and Zach, thank you for trusting me to capture your sweet boys again! I absolutely adore working with all of you. 

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Boho Family Portraits in a Field | Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

I've been photographing this family every year since Johnathan was a newborn. We've done portraits in every season and every stage so far, and I always look forward to our sessions together. Johnny is now 3 years old, and he’s just a joy! This year, we planned fall family portraits at one of my favorite hidden gems in Saratoga Springs.

This little spot is just beautiful this time of year. With tall grass and lots of trees, it’s a lovely quiet location for family photos with a boho vibe. The grass grows tall in this spot during the late summer/early fall, and I drive by constantly in the final weeks of summer to be sure the town hasn't mowed it yet. It's perfect for early morning sessions, especially with toddlers who are early to rise! Here, we can walk and play - even bring a small stool or box for your little ones to sit on. I seriously can’t get enough of this little gem!

Speaking of boho vibes, Kristen and Matt planned the most perfect outfits! Kristen’s dress was on point and I LOVED her hat with the this gorgeous long dress and jean jacket. Everything was perfect!! Johnny even looked adorable in his little overalls during our session too! After working with this family for the last few years, I can say I still adore watching them interact and now, seeing even more of Johnny’s personality come out in our session. Enjoy a little peek into their perfect fall family photos!

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Family portraits at Yaddo Gardens in Saratoga Springs

I’ve been photographing this beautiful family for several years now. In fact, I can’t believe Ari just turned 3! This has to be one of our most silly and smile-filled sessions to date. Each year, they plan a special family portrait session in the late-summer/early-fall to celebrate Ari’s birthday. It’s always so special to see these three and I truly can’t believe how big Ari already is!

For this year’s session, we met at the beautiful Yaddo Gardens here in Saratoga Springs! This was our first time at Yaddo Gardens, which had been closed since March 2020. I was so happy that they reopened, and it was wonderful to see the beautiful gardens in bloom and return to some of my favorite spots for family portraits. I can’t wait to be back here more now that it’s open again!!

This was Ari's happiest, most smiley portrait session to date! He surprised all of us with his good mood, and he loved being in front of the camera. He could not stop smiling and giggling, and he absolutely adored loving on his mama. It was special to capture all of these beautiful moments for them. I can’t wait until next year!!

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Studio Family Portraits in Saratoga Springs

I truly believe that there’s no special “season” for family portraits. While it’s easy to think there might be, especially in the fall and around the holidays, there’s no magical date you have to update your family photos by. After all, aren’t your family portraits for more than just a Christmas card that will hang on your friend’s wall until January 1?

I was reminded of this when Amy’s beautiful family came to the studio this winter. We weren’t trying to capture family portraits for a Christmas card or a gift, but we were slowing down time and freezing these moments with her adorable toddler and baby. We captured their cozy cuddles, their joy, their giggles, and their dimples. We played, we laughed, and I clicked the shutter the whole time to document this stage that their family was in. Honestly, it was pure magic and these are the portraits that I know this mama is going to look back on in 5 years when her kids are tossing their backpacks on the floor, and in 15 years when they’re getting ready to head to college. These will last longer than any Christmas card, and they truly are the pieces that make up this family’s LEGACY.

That’s why I’m so happy to offer family portraits year-round in our Saratoga Springs studio. You know the weather around here is only nice for a few months a year when we can head outdoors for sessions, but these studio sessions are so timeless and cozy, too. Your family’s story deserves to be told, no matter what time of year it is.

As you can see with Benjamin and Josie, kids still grow and your family still has a story - even when the leaves aren’t starting to change to orange and red, and when the holiday decorations are tucked away for another 11 months. If family portraits are still on your to-do list at the beginning of the year, that’s 100% okay! Let’s plan for a cozy studio session together so that you can update your family’s story for the year. Family portraits always matter.

Psst!! A quick update about 2022’s outdoor portrait season! This year we’re only scheduling outdoor family portraits this for May, September & October. With limited availability, I expect the calendar to fill up even faster than ever. Be sure to reach out early to reserve your spot! If you’re thinking of an outdoor session in 2022, NOW IS THE TIME TO SCHEDULE.

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Cape Cod Family Portrait Session at Corporation Beach

I look forward to summer every year, counting down to the couple of weeks each summer that I’ll spend on Cape Cod, just a quick walk from the beach with sand constantly dusting my flip flops and the breeze ruffling my hair.

One of the highlights of my summers on the Cape is meeting families for their portrait sessions at some of my favorite (and their favorite!) beaches on the Cape.

I absolutely enjoyed meeting this adorable family at Corporation Beach in Dennis for their family portrait session this summer. We had so much fun together, and the kids had us all laughing and smiling the entire time. Big brother was so sweet, and his little sister was all cuddles and smiles. Their sibling portrait is going to look so nice hanging on their wall, isn’t it?!

I love the outfits that they pulled together for their portraits, and the colors photographed beautifully at the beach! For more outfit tips, check out this blog post before your next beach session!

I love how joyful and playful these family portraits are! I always look for sand dunes at the beaches where I do portrait sessions. They provide a little seclusion from the rest of the beach, and also some shade from the sun. Plus they are perfect for seated family portraits, as well as some fun running ones with older kids scurrying down the dunes!

All of our sessions on Cape Cod are done at sunset, which often means keeping kids up a little bit past their bedtime. The reason why we do this is because of this PERFECT GOLDEN LIGHT. Just look at these final portraits from their session!

I know how hard it can be to shift bedtimes and fit in a session in the evening. I have a toddler, too, and I truly understand! That’s why I’ve come up with these tips to make those sunset sessions easier for families with young children. Definitely go check them out before your next session!

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Organic and Candid Family Portraits in a Field of Wildflowers

I love it when families come back to me year after year to capture their portraits.

This sweet family has trusted me to capture their portraits since late-2018 when Nora was 6 months old. Now she’s a big sister and three years old, and we have created so many beautiful portraits in the studio with her, her baby sister, and her big brother! This time was extra special because the whole family joined in (mom and dad, too!) for an outdoor family portrait session in Saratoga Springs.

The field close to the studio was filled with wildflowers, and we met there on a warm summer evening for a beautiful session together. In the summer we do our outdoor sessions in the evenings to capture that beautiful golden light. In the early summer the sun doesn’t set until late, so our sessions often begin around 7pm (and then they get earlier and earlier as the summer fades into fall, approaching 4:30pm in October!). Wondering how to avoid toddler meltdowns when your session is scheduled for sunset? I’ve got you covered! Check out this blog post below for tips!

This sister portrait just melts my heart! I loooooove the energy in this one, and their little sisterly bond is so joyful here. Definitely one to hang on the wall for many years to come!

Even the dog joined in their family portrait session!

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Outdoor Portraits for Adorable Sisters in Saratoga Springs

The start of spring welcomed so many beautiful family portrait sessions at some of my favorite photo shoot locations around Saratoga Springs! I truly loved seeing this sweet family again for their family portrait session in Saratoga Spa State Park. We captured so many beautiful images of their girls, and the most adorable sister portraits of the two of them together.

Now they are going to have so many gorgeous portraits to enjoy in their home, and their hallway will look amazing with their new artwork hung in frames of their two little girls!

If you’ve been putting off your family portrait session, check out these 10 excuses to stop making and schedule your portrait session this year!

Clara was all smiles, and she loved getting her turn to sit and be the star of the show! The last time I saw her was for her milestone session at the studio, and she wasn’t quite sitting up yet! Now she is an adorable toddler with so much personality, and she brought so much joy to the session!

Big sister Hannah brought all of the smiles to their sibling portraits, and some adorable sass to her individual portraits, too! She loved looking for caterpillars on the sidewalk and finding curiosities in nature at the park, and we had so much fun watching the little insects cross the path in between clicks of the camera.

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

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

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

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

1. Be comfortable in your clothing.

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

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

2. Hydrate!

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

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

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

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

4. Consider getting your hair & makeup done professionally.

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

5. Know your most flattering angles.

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

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

• Tilt your top half slightly towards the camera.

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

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

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

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

6. Choose everyone’s clothing carefully.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Slimming arms and legs

• Filling in a sparse hair line

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

• Removing bra straps, bra lines, panty lines.

• Fixing flyaway hairs

• Removing a stain on a shirt or piece of clothing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. Remember to HAVE FUN!

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

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Why 2021 is the year to finally schedule your family portrait session

Earlier this week I shared a roundup post with some of my favorite family portraits from 2020. Did you miss it? Check it out here, and then read on!

Today’s post is for the mamas. And dads, if you’re reading this you can keep reading, of course, but I know that it’s usually the moms that schedule family portrait sessions, so this one is for them.

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I am 100% that person that makes resolutions every January with goals for the new year, things I want to work on, little changes to my daily life that I want to get better at. You know the deal.

And the #1 thing I always say every single year is I want to
GET IN THE PICTURE.

How many other moms out there say the same thing? How many other moms out there look back through their family photos and notice that one key family member is missing from almost all of them?

And then, how many of those same moms keep putting off scheduling their family photo session? There are a million excuses that I have heard for why years have gone by without slowing down for a portrait session. I even did a blog post about them a few years ago! But you know what? This is your year to stop making excuses and get in the picture with your babies — because no matter how old your kids are, they will always be your babies!

Reason #1: Let’s start with the obvious. Did you see the year we just survived? Now we all deserve to celebrate with the ones we love!

2020 was something else. But it’s finally over, and 2021 is going to be amazing! Make this the year that you have something to look forward to. Make this the year that you finally do that thing you’ve been telling yourself you’ll get around to scheduling. Book that family portrait session!

Reason #2: Your walls are starting to look a little boring. It’s time for some fresh wall art!

We’re all spending a lot more time at home, and if your walls are looking a little uninspiring these days, isn’t it time you did something to change that? All of our portrait sessions include a complimentary design appointment where we plan artwork to fit your home and your lifestyle. Trust me. We’re going to create something that will be absolutely perfect for your family that you are going to love seeing every day!

By the way, one of the most interesting blog posts that I read years ago was about how when children see themselves in family photos on their walls it boosts their self-esteem. This is so powerful, and every year I keep coming back to this blog post to reread that fact. Check it out here!

Reason #3: There’s never going to be a time when you’re not busy, but you’re less busy now than you used to be!

I know what you’re thinking. Planning a portrait session feels like a lot of work! Picking a date, picking a location, finding outfits, worrying about whether your kids will behave. Who has time for that?

Thankfully, I literally take all of those worries off of your plate when you schedule your portrait session with me. That is why I provide such a hands-on experience to every family that I work with. I’ll help you find a date & rain date. I’ll recommend beautiful locations for the season and time of day. I’ll help you find outfits, and I even have outfits at the studio you can borrow for moms and babies! As for the kids’ behavior? I have a toddler at home and in my past life I was a first-grade teacher. I’ve seen it all! I expect kids to act like kids, and I have a million games and tricks for your session that will make it so much fun for everyone. No stress. No tears. Just laughter and smiles! I promise. :o)

So, with none of that to worry about, you’re not too busy for a session now, are you? One hour. That’s it. Let’s do this!

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Best of 2020 Family Sessions - Saratoga Springs Luxury Portrait Photographer

Happy New Year!

I always love starting the new year off with a recap of some of my favorite photos from the past year, and today we’re getting it started with the best family portraits of 2020! These are a mix of portraits from Saratoga Springs & Cape Cod, and I am so excited to share them with you today!

I have been photographing families since 2012, and each and every session is still such an honor. I truly am grateful for all of the families that trust me to capture their memories for them year after year. It really means a lot that you place your trust in me to beautifully document this time in your lives.

And you know what? I know that 2020 was a rough year. For most of us, it was one of the hardest years we’ve ever been through. There was so much change. So much fear. So much isolation. So much loss.

But the thing I noticed while going back through all of these portraits?

There was also so much joy. So much bonding. So much time for soaking in those little moments that you might have overlooked before. So much slowing down. I spent all of 2020 talking about the silver linings, and I love that the families that I captured in portrait sessions felt the same way.

So without further adieu, here they are! A collection of some of my favorite family portraits from 2020!

Can’t get enough? Check out our Best of 2019 Family sessions here!

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Fall Family Portraits with Teenagers, Boston Family Photographer

I have been photographing these kids since 2012, the year my business began. I have loved watching them grow up (and grow taller than me!), and I always enjoy seeing them and capturing their family’s portraits. Even their dogs have been making an appearance in their portraits since we started all those years ago, and it is extra special to get to see the whole family now, dogs and all.

One of the best things about using the same photographer year after year (truly making them YOUR FAMILY’S PHOTOGRAPHER, and not just any family photographer) is that your kids feel comfortable in front of that person. The whole family knows what to expect, the kids can joke around and be themselves, and the photographer is truly invested in creating artwork that reflects your family, their personalities, and your style. When you get to know the photographer and the photographer gets to know you, it is easier to create an end product that they know you will love. Plus, the experience is 100 times more enjoyable, too!

This park is right near their home and it was the perfect spot for their fall portrait session. I love how the dappled golden sunlight peeks through the trees and the colorful leaves blanket the ground. This family portrait will look amazing as a 30x40 on their wall, don’t you think?

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Fun and Laid-Back Fall Family Portraits in Saratoga Springs

Just look at these two brothers! Aren’t they the cutest, most adorable little guys you’ve ever seen?!?!

We had so much fun during this fall family portrait session in Saratoga Springs at Saratoga Spa State Park. It was unseasonably warm and the family had to swap out their sweaters and boots for short sleeves and sandals that afternoon, but we still captured so many fun and cozy moments of this beautiful family together!

My favorite thing about this session? The minion shoes! In typical toddler fashion, little brother decided that he only wanted to wear his brand new yellow minion shoes that day, so they made an appearance in their family portraits! I love that this will be a part of their story forever!

One of my favorite ways to get kids to cuddle up and smile during a portrait session is to get them really close together and have them take turns telling jokes, tickling each other, and trying to squeeze a laugh out of the other one. It works every time!

This portrait session really was so much fun. It was filled with laughs and giggles, and so many games! The boys had a blast and they were surprised when we were all done! Wondering how to make your family session this easy? Check out the link for more tips!

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A Summertime Family Portrait Session in Saratoga Springs with an Outdoor Cake Smash

What a cute family!  This mama was excited to capture some summertime portraits for a mommy & me session, and she dressed her little ones in coordinating nautical outfits to match the dress that she found for her daughter.  We had a blast running around Spa State Park for their portrait session, and the kids were all smiles.

I always love capturing a few extra special mom & baby portraits, and I love how cuddly Ronan was with his mama!  Just look at his adorable little smile, and those cute baby teeth!

We celebrated Ronan’s first birthday with an outdoor cake smash! We typically do our cake smash sessions in our Saratoga Springs studio, but due to the reopening restrictions after covid and the timeline of this session, we opted for an outdoor session for everyone’s health & safety. It did not disappoint! We did a fun little beachy theme for the birthday boy, and he loved digging into his cake!

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Summertime Family Portraits at SPAC in Saratoga Springs

One of the best parts of quarantine has been spending more time at home & out in our yard. This is the first summer that Grayson is mobile and able to walk around & really play outside in the yard. One of the big perks of being home and out in the yard more (rather than just rushing in and out from work & the grocery store!) is that our neighbors are home and hanging in their yard more, too! With the slower pace, quarantine has brought so much connection to so many families. It’s definitely a silver lining to all of this!

Grayson asks us nearly every day to “go play with the girls”, and he loves talking about them and the cool toys in their backyard. He’s especially obsessed with their dump truck & sand box! He listens for their voices when he’s outside, and he’s always the first one to comment when he hears them outside playing. These kids have had snacks together on the driveway, blown bubbles through the fence, and watched the leaf truck come and pick up our leaves. They have shrieked in excitement when the fire hydrant sprayed all over the road when getting flushed, waved to the school bus that comes by every morning, jumped in a kiddie pool together, and shared countless homemade baked goods from one porch to the other.

It’s been a blast, and Grayson loves having these new friends to play with next door!

Naturally, we celebrated the end of quarantine with a socially distant portrait session at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, which is only 2 miles from our house! This family enjoys attending many shows at SPAC every summer, and it wound up being the perfect backdrop for their family portraits.

Genevieve and Lucy were all smiles and they loved the attention of the camera! They enjoyed skipping & dancing, and we shared lots of giggles during their session.

This portrait of the sisters together is everyone’s favorite, and it’s going to be a beautiful canvas for them to enjoy at home! I can’t wait for it to arrive back from my photo lab, and I know Grayson will love watching me unwrap it from the box and be so excited when he sees his friends in the picture. He’s always my little assistant when it comes to photo deliveries, and he’s going to love being my assistant for this extra special delivery when it comes in!

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Our studio's COVID health & safety policies.

Updated January 2022.

Yes, I am fully vaccinated and up to date on boosters.

We’ve all adapted to this new reality to keep our families safe, and I want you to know that your family’s health & safety is as much a priority in running my business as my own family’s health & safety is.

Because I work with so many babies with vulnerable immune systems, I’ve always made it a point to sanitize and disinfect the studio and props between clients, and now we’re taking a few extra measures to protect everyone as well. Read on for how we’re keeping families safe during their portrait sessions.

Overall safety precautions during Covid

• In accordance with the current NY mask mandate, I ask that everyone over the age of 2 wear a mask during their session. You may remove the mask when being photographed.

• I will wear a mask the entire time.

• If you have a 2 or 3 year old who has a really difficult time wearing a mask, and having them keep a mask on is going to only cause a mini meltdown, let’s skip the mask for them. We want them in their best mood in front of the camera, so if that means we don’t ask them to wear a mask, that’s okay.

• Fever?  Cough?  Shortness of breath?  No problem at all.  Let’s keep everyone safe and reschedule.  

• If anyone in your household or any immediate caregivers have tested positive for coronavirus in the 14 days prior to your session, please notify me immediately and we will reschedule.

• All pre-consultations will be done through video chat. You have the option of scheduling your ordering appointment either through video chat or in-person at your home, whichever you feel more comfortable with!

What can you expect with our studio sessions during Covid?

Please follow all of the guidelines above.  In addition, we are implementing extra safety measures in the studio to keep everyone healthy and worry-free.

As always:

• Studio will be cleaned & disinfected before every session.

• Fabric and props will be sanitized between sessions.

• No shoes in the studio.

Extra precautions:

• 48 hours between studio sessions.

• Immediate family only.

• No outside props.

• All clients will wash or sanitize hands upon arriving to the studio.

• Hand sanitizer and face masks will be available.

Thank you for your understanding & cooperation as we all work together to keep our families healthy!

8 tips for a meltdown-free portrait session with your kids

You found the perfect photographer.  You picked a date and rearranged your family’s schedules.  You shopped for the most perfect outfits that coordinate but aren’t too matchy-matchy.  You even know which wall you’re going to hang that new family portrait on after your session.  You are 100% ready for this portrait session!

But, wait… what if your kid melts down?  What if he loses it and you don’t capture a single smile?  What if your kids start fighting halfway through the session?  

That’s every mom’s worry, right?  I’ve never met a mother who didn’t have those same panicked thoughts running through her head before a portrait session with her little ones.  

Lucky for you, I’ve worked with hundreds of families and getting kids to laugh, listen, and smile comes pretty naturally to me!  My teaching background plus a solid 20 years of working with kids has made that pretty easy for me, and it sure comes in handy during our family portrait sessions!

Here I’m sharing a few tips to help your family portrait session go more smoothly.  But the most important thing that I want every parent to remember is that I never expect to show up to a portrait session and have the kids be little angels.  I expect them to act like kids, and kids like to run, jump, spin, be loud, get silly, sing, show off, say no, and assert their independence.  When they are free to do all of those things, that is when we capture the best portraits that showcase their beautiful personalities.  That is when we have fun and create memories that your family will laugh about twenty years from now.  

So please, mama.  Don’t put too much pressure on yourself or on your kids, and let’s just have fun together! 

The most important thing to remember is that your kids will feed off of your energy.  Stay calm, happy, and relaxed, and your kids will, too!  

Give your kids a snack before the session.  With a full belly, they’ll be able to run and play without getting distracted by hunger.

Healthy babies are happy babies!  If your child is sick, please reach out to postpone!  I promise you we’ll capture better smiles when your little one is feeling 100% like themselves.

Plan the session around nap times, and if it’s a sunset session, sneak in a late afternoon nap.

Talk with your photographer and let your photographer know what interests your child.  Tell them about your child’s personality, songs that they love, characters that they like.  Your photographer will use this information to help your child feel comfortable and open up in front of the camera!

For little ones, bring a favorite toy or have a song queued up on your phone ready to go in case they need a little extra familiarity and motivation.

If you have older children who are in the “awkward smile” phase, spend some time encouraging them to smile naturally in the week leading up to your session.  Help them see and feel what their natural smile feels like versus what their “forced” smile feels like.

If you have a baby and we’ll be doing a family session on grass or sand, be aware of possible sensory issues that the baby may have of the grass or sand against their bare legs.  Have you seen those funny videos of a mom or dad putting the baby in the grass, and the baby holds their legs straight up into the air so it doesn’t touch their skin?  Cute on video, but it can be stressful during your portrait session, especially if baby bursts into tears and won’t stop!  Ease the baby into it by letting them play in grass or sand in the weeks leading up to your session, and bring a neutral blanket (or swaddle, or scarf) to sit them on top of. 

Finally, don’t feel awkward about doing a small bribe to get everyone through the session!  It’s amazing what kids will do when they know they have a treat to look forward to!

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful!  I can’t wait to see your family to capture some beautiful memories for you!

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Best of 2019 Family Sessions

Whew, what a year! We do most of our family sessions outdoors from May through October, and it’s always so much fun scouting out new locations, bringing clients to my favorite picture-perfect spots, and watching magical moments unfold with the sweetest families and their little ones.

Today on the blog we’re sharing a peek into some of our favorite family portraits from 2019! From the beaches of Cape Cod and foliage-lined sidewalks in Boston, to gardens, park & neighborhoods in Saratoga Springs. Enjoy a look at some of the most beautiful moments that we captured on camera last year, and then start dreaming up your own family’s next portrait session!

In the cooler months we headed indoors for some lifestyle family sessions! I love light-filled homes for these cozy family sessions!

It really was such an AMAZING summer on the Cape! Definitely filled with some of my most memorable family sessions on so many gorgeous beaches.

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Golden Fall Family Portraits in Saratoga Springs

When your friends become clients, that’s always an extra special session!

I first met Allison in prenatal yoga when we were both waiting for our baby boys to arrive. The boys were born about two weeks apart, and they’re the best of friends. They give each other the cutest hugs, they reach across the strollers to hold hands while we’re on walks together, and Grayson is constantly shouting “JB! JB! JB!” when I tell him we’re going to get together with his friend. It’s adorable.

So when they asked me to capture their fall family portraits? How could I possibly say no?!?! We met at one of my favorite fall spots in Saratoga Springs and enjoyed all of the cuddles, tickles, and laughs with this family of three.

JB clearly loved the camera! This sweet boy is full of personality and he has the best smile. He is a little adventurer and he is always on the go. It was so much fun to capture this toddler stage of exploration and curiosity!

I’m pretty sure we made his whole week when he got to swing in mommy & daddy’s arms! Just look at the glee on his face!

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Fall Mini Sessions with Boston & Saratoga Springs Family Photographer Nicole Starr Photography

The beautiful fall colors were on full display for our mini sessions in New York & Massachusetts this fall! I absolutely loved working with so many gorgeous families and capturing these fall memories for them.

This is always one of my favorite times of year to head outside for portrait sessions, and I love how the foliage gives us one last golden wave before the winter arrives. This year was no exception, and our mini sessions were filled with vibrant colors, lots of cuddles, and the most adorable smiles.

Enjoy a peek at some of our fall family portraits from our mini session events!

This golden tree-lined path turned out to by one of my favorite new locations in the Saratoga area this fall!

We did our Boston mini session event at a brand new location this year, and I loved every second of it! After spending years at a park that had become all-too-popular with other photographers for family portraits, we found the perfect spot right in the heart of the city. It was quiet, colorful, and easy to find! We’ll definitely be heading back here next year!

How do I luck out with so many adorable families every single year?!?! Love, love, love this job!

I truly enjoy welcoming our returning clients like old friends, and meeting new families for the very first time! Can’t wait to see all of you again in the new year!

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