Quiet Grace: Capturing the Beauty of Intimate Maternity Portraits

Taylor and Brian’s maternity session was truly one of my favorite maternity sessions of 2024. I loved this studio session, and I felt so creatively inspired working with this couple. Taylor wanted a more intimate maternity session to embrace the beauty of her changing body as they awaited the arrival of their baby girl. We planned a more bare-bones style session with simpler outfits and flowy fabrics. Taylor and I love how it turned out!

When mamas-to-be go through pregnancy, there are so many changes in their bodies that can unearth many emotions. From feeling amazing, confused, inspired, awesome, jarred, and even exhausted - the experience can be overwhelming and so special. One of the things I love about maternity sessions is being able to embrace all of those feelings in their portraits. My goal with every session is to help mamas feel incredible and inspired by what their bodies are building and to embrace the beautiful changes as they get ready to welcome their babies. I know it can be so much, but I love when mamas like Taylor aim to document and showcase what’s so special about this journey. 

Before their ordering appointment, Taylor told me she was a little nervous to view her portraits. I was thrilled to be able to help her turn those nerves into excitement and awe.She later shared with me how grateful she was and how beautiful the session made her feel as an expecting mother. I’m so happy I got to work with you, Taylor and Brian. Thank you for trusting me with this special experience!

---

Save this post for later:

Casual Maternity Portraits with Jeans and a White Tee

Stephanie and Matt are welcoming their first baby soon and reached out about studio maternity portraits. I loved the idea, especially after they began telling me about their vision. Stephanie and Matt wanted a more casual look and a dressier option, but everything would be photographed in the studio. I think their maternity session turned out so, so classic! 

Much of Stephanie and Matt’s portraits centered around their outfits. For their more casual look, they decided on jeans and a white t-shirt. I think it’s a great classic look that will stand the test of time. They both looked super relaxed, which I’m always striving for. After that look, Stephanie wanted a dressier option. She chose one of my gowns from my studio’s Mama Wardrobe and looked incredible! Both looks were stunning on my new hand-painted canvas backdrop. I love this option for a more fine art look for portraits here in the studio. I’m so happy I got to use it for Stephanie and Matt! It really added a stunning vibe to their portraits. 

After their session, I have to admit I LOVED going through their gallery with both Stephanie and Matt.They’re both so excited about this season of life and were thrilled to see their portraits come to life. I’m so happy I could help them document this special time for their growing family. 

---

Save this post for later!

Autumn maternity portraits with a toddler

Andrea and Robi are expecting their second baby girl and reached out to me about family portraits in Congress Park this fall to celebrate their pregnancy! I love these two and their sweet daughter, Giuliana so much. It was a joy to see them all and hear about how things have been going for Andrea through her pregnancy.

The day that we planned to meet in Congress Park turned out to be stunning. We had the most beautiful fall colors all around us and I was just obsessed with capturing this family of three (almost four!) in them. Their little girl, Giuliana, had a great time playing in the leaves too. She looked so sweet in her little blue dress and boots. Her parents had a great time hugging and snuggling up on her, making her laugh!

Andrea brought two looks to the session - a dressier maternity gown and a casual fall ensemble. I think the mix was perfect! She picked a beautiful pink gown to start the session and it popped against the yellow trees. I always love a good maternity gown! Afterwards, she changed into a more casual outfit for the rest of her portraits. The black shirt and leggings were a great option for the fall colors around us.

I’m so excited for this sweet family and hope to meet their second little girl soon!

---

Save this post for later!

Classic White Gown Maternity Portraits for One of My Dearest Friends

This was such a special portrait session for both of us. Katie is a long-time friend of mine from Massachusetts, and she’s that special kind of friend that can brighten any day with a text or a call. I really treasure our friendship, and I love how fate brought us together as friends. When she told me that she and her husband were expecting, I was soooooo excited for them! They waited a long time for this news, and we talked about it a lot over the years while wishing and waiting and hoping. Their little baby is proof that miracles really do happen.

Of course I told her that I would love to document all of their milestones for them, and the very first one was with maternity portraits here in the studio when she was visiting for a few days! Katie looked so gorgeous and radiant in a few of the white gowns from the studio’s Mama Wardrobe, and she was the very first mama to wear this beautiful new gown with the crocheted sleeves.

A fun little side note for you: Were you a loyal fan of the TV show This is Us? I was, and the moment I saw Katie in this dress I couldn’t help but tell her that she reminded me of Sally, Uncle Nicky’s hippie girlfriend in the 60s. Maybe this came to mind because I happened to be rewatching the entire series while on my maternity leave, which is when I did Katie’s portraits, but either way, this became known as The Sally Dress and I think it’s so fitting.

---

Save it for later!

Saratoga Springs Maternity Portraits with a Horse

I can’t believe I’m finally getting to share Jillian’s maternity portraits with you! When she reached out to book her portraits, she mentioned the idea of having her session at Rolling Oaks Stable with her horse. I was absolutely excited for that! What’s more classic Saratoga than portraits with a horse?!

Jillian, her husband, and I all met up at the stable for their maternity session. I couldn’t wait to meet Jillian’s horse, Zita. Zita was an absolute dream for us - even wearing a sweet floral garland while Jillian cozied up next to her. I know these two (well, three with Zita!) are excited to welcome their baby girl Gianna to the family. This sweet mama can’t wait to bring her little one out here and introduce her to the stables. What a special moment it will be for Gianna and Zita to meet one day soon!

For her session, Jillian chose to wear two of the maternity gowns I have in my mama’s wardrobe. Both looked amazing against the backdrop of the stable. I can’t wait to see which portraits they choose to display in their home as they await Gianna’s arrival. I’m so excited for this sweet family! Enjoy this absolutely dreamy Saratoga Springs maternity session featuring Zita!!

TIPS TO FEEL YOUR BEST AT YOUR MATERNITY SESSION!

Save it for later:

Summertime Maternity Portraits - Saratoga Springs Maternity Photographer

I love celebrating new babies’ arrivals with their families, but one of the stages that I also really enjoy is the maternity session! There is so much anticipation and excitement as couples await their little one’s arrival, counting down the days until they become new parents.

These parents-to-be joined me for some classic portraits in our white, light-filled studio. This glowing mama borrowed a few dresses from the studio’s Mama Wardrobe, and she looked absolutely amazing in them!

Did you know I have a client closet filled with dresses for mamas to wear during their portrait sessions? This takes all of the work out of planning outfits and wondering what to wear and how it will fit you — these dresses are neutral colors in flowy fabrics with gorgeous lace details that photograph beautifully. Just look at how perfect they are on this stunning mama!

Then we went to downtown Saratoga Springs for some outdoor portraits at sunset. This mama is having a baby boy, and she chose a blue infinity wrap dress from the client closet for her outdoor portraits. I love how this color pops in the summer sun! And check out the beautiful bokeh with the sun streaming through the trees!

Can’t wait to celebrate their sweet baby boy’s arrival with them soon!

---

Save it for later:

Maternity Portrait Session at SPAC with Saratoga Springs Maternity & Newborn Photographer

With everything reopening in New York, we were able to capture this mama-to-be’s maternity portraits just days before her sweet little girl arrived! I absolutely loved meeting these excited new parents at SPAC in Saratoga Springs for their maternity portrait session. This little corner of Spa State Park is one of my favorite spots for portrait sessions because there is so much variety within walking distance, plus it is absolutely gorgeous at almost any time of day!

I swear this mama has Beyonce hair here! The wind was blowing just perfectly, and she looks like a goddess! She wore dresses from our studio’s Mama Wardrobe, and they fit her perfectly.

This mama is one of the essential workers who worked tirelessly during the covid pandemic to keep everybody safe. We had to document this extra special pregnancy, and her white coat & mask were the perfect way to do that!

---

Pin this image or any from the post above for inspiration!

Winter Maternity Portraits in the Snow

Sometimes the stars align and we get the most beautiful snowfall the morning of our portrait session. That is exactly what happened for Jaana and Rathish, and I loved capturing their excitement & anticipation for their new baby during their maternity portrait session in the snow at Saratoga Spa State Park.

The pine trees were absolutely gorgeous with every branch dusted in fluffy white snow! And this mama’s red gown absolutely popped against the wintery backdrop!

Wondering what’s the trick to staying warm during a session in the snow? For Jaana, she smiled through it! And a pair of feet warmers in her boots and leggings underneath her dress helped, too! Plus, we wrapped her up in her coat every few minutes for an extra burst of warmth! The good thing about these snowy portrait sessions is that we work quickly to capture a great variety of images in a short amount of time to limit time in the cold. She was a trooper and kept saying, “Not yet! Let’s do just a few more!”

I love this one of this sweet couple!

We headed back to the studio (only two miles from the Hall of Springs!) for some indoor portraits with a gown from our studio’s Mama Wardrobe. I love the simplicity of these portraits. Doesn’t Jaana look like a goddess?

---

Inspired by these gorgeous winter maternity portraits? Pin this image or any from the post above to save them!

A Sunset Maternity Session at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga

Summer sunsets. There is nothing more beautiful for an outdoor portrait session, and I absolutely loved getting to know Kristen & Paul during their maternity session as they start counting down the weeks to their baby girl’s arrival later this summer.

We got together at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs with their first baby with four paws, Kubo. Kubo absolutely stole the show and I can’t wait to see him with their new baby soon!

The beautiful buildings at the Hall of Springs are the perfect backdrop, and I always enjoy the gorgeous white columns and the impeccable landscaping. It truly is such a lovely spot in the summer!

Seriously, how sweet are they?!?! This is my favorite portrait from their session, and I’m so happy it’s going to be hanging on their wall at home to always remember this time of sweet anticipation while waiting to meet their baby girl.

---

Save this image or any from the post above for your maternity session inspiration!

---

About Nicole Starr Photography 

Nicole Starr specializes in newborn, baby & family photography and has been serving families in New York and Massachusetts since 2012.  She has a portrait studio in Saratoga Springs, NY for families in the Capital Region, and she also works with families at her Attleboro, MA studio and on location in Boston and on Cape Cod. 

The portrait studio is filled with neutrals, luxe fabrics, and very minimal props to keep the focus on your perfect little baby.  Our sessions are relaxed and fun, and we’ll enjoy an hour together (or up to 3 hours for a newborn session!) laughing, cuddling, and capturing authentic smiles and belly laughs with your little ones.  

A Saratoga Springs Maternity Session

This maternity session at our Saratoga Springs portrait studio was extra special to me.

I met this sweet family when they were waiting on their first baby to arrive a little over 2 years ago. Their son was born in April 2017, and we did a few different portrait sessions in his first year. They were just so much fun to work with, and I always looked forward to catching up with them at their sessions while capturing some beautiful family portraits!

Then as we were coming up on the date for their cake smash, I wound up going to the hospital to have our own baby and I had to postpone their session. Our son Grayson was born ON THEIR SON’S FIRST BIRTHDAY! So now the two boys share a birthday, and it’s so sweet to look at Killian who is exactly one year older than Grayson and picture what our little blonde haired, blue eyed boy might be like a year from now!

When they told me that Baby #2 would be here this spring, I was so excited for them! I can’t wait to watch Killian with his baby sister, and I’m really looking forward to welcoming them into the studio soon for their daughter’s newborn portraits.

But first we enjoyed a little maternity session to document their last days as a family of three.

---

Did you know that we have a studio closet filled with beautiful gowns for mamas and mamas-to-be? Book any session with Nicole Starr Photography and you’ll have access to all of the dresses in our Mama Wardrobe to help you look & feel your best in your portraits!

---

Inspired by this gorgeous studio Saratoga Springs maternity session? Pin this image or any from the post above!

---

About Nicole Starr Photography 

Nicole Starr specializes in newborn, baby & family photography and has been serving families in New York and Massachusetts since 2012.  She has a portrait studio in Saratoga Springs, NY for families in the Capital Region.  Nicole also works with families year round at her Attleboro, MA portrait studio, and on location May through October in Boston and on Cape Cod.  Nicole has a clean and classic style, and the studio is filled with neutrals and luxe fabrics.  We use very minimal props to keep the focus on your perfect little baby.  Our sessions are relaxed and fun, and we’ll enjoy an hour together (or up to 3 hours for a newborn session!) laughing, cuddling, and capturing authentic smiles and belly laughs with your little ones.  

A Classic Maternity Session with Saratoga Springs Maternity and Newborn Photographer

I just love it when husbands plan portrait sessions as a surprise gift for their wives! It’s extra thoughtful, and really the best gift!

Zach reached out to me to book a maternity session for his wife when she was 13 weeks pregnant. He was so excited about their little one’s upcoming arrival that he wanted to surprise Katie with portraits of her pregnancy, and we started planning this top secret session months before we would actually take their portraits to give that baby bump some time to grow. :o)

They came to our Saratoga Springs portrait studio, and basically won the award for cutest and most in love couple ever. How sweet are these two?!?!

Katie wore a few of the gowns from our Mama Wardrobe, and she was absolutely breathtaking! This mama has such a calm presence about her, and really has the sweetest personality. I’m so excited to capture her with her baby boy soon!

Enjoy a sneak peek at our beautiful new mama gowns in the studio

One of my favorite things about our maternity sessions is helping these mamas-to-be feel like radiant goddesses for their portraits. I love celebrating their baby bump and talking with them about their little one’s upcoming arrival, and getting so excited to plan their newborn session together.

However, one thing that clients always ask me is:
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR???

It’s hard. I get it! You want something that is going to photograph beautifully, and when you’re pregnant, you want an outfit with a soft & flowy fabric that is going to accentuate all of the beautiful parts of your shape that you want to show off. It sounds easy enough, but when you go searching for an outfit it turns out they are incredibly hard to find.

That is why I have a studio closet filled with gorgeous gowns for our clients — maternity clients, new mamas with their tiny babies in their arms, and even mamas with older babies and toddlers!

Melissa came to the studio with the most adorable baby bump to model a bunch of our new gowns, and I love how beautiful these classic styles are on her!

Our mama wardrobe has something for everyone.
Flowy fabrics
Lace
Cap sleeves
Strapless
Off the shoulder
Sheer
Floor length
Short
Lots of white
And so many colors, too!

We have a bunch of infinity wrap dresses like the ones below, which can be tied a million different ways to create a different style of dress every time. I love these dresses because they flatter every single body and they help mamas feel amazing and so, so beautiful!

Winter Maternity Portraits with a Red Gown

When Lorraine first reached out to plan her maternity session, we talked a lot about leaving some wiggle room in our calendars to try and align it with a snow day. After a few snowstorms that promised 7 inches of snow simply disappeared from the forecast, we decided to go with a wintery session (minus the snow!) at our original location. The end result? Absolutely lovely maternity portraits!

Lorraine & Moe brought their THREE fur babies with them. I always love incorporating dogs into our sessions, and these three were pretty amazing. Can you even believe we got a portrait with all of the dogs facing forward? No Photoshop head swaps or dog swaps necessary!

This mama-to-be looked radiant in her red gown, and it popped against the neutral and cool winter landscape.

This might be one of my favorite shots from this session! I LOVE the excitement on their faces here!

White Lace Maternity Portraits with Saratoga Springs Maternity Photographer

Oh my goodness! These studio maternity sessions make my heart skip a beat. I love meeting couples as they are right on the edge of starting the most amazing adventure of their lives. These sessions are full of so much excitement and anticipation, and it’s always incredible to capture that on camera as they celebrate their baby’s upcoming arrival.

Plus, how gorgeous is this mama? Such a goddess!

Chanel & Jason came to our Saratoga Springs studio for a maternity session just a few weeks before meeting their baby girl. They were full of smiles telling me all about their plans for their daughter’s arrival, and they were counting down the days to being able to hold her in their arms.

Maternity sessions are a great time to do an outfit change as you showcase that beautiful baby bump. This floral dress was the perfect pop of color and it looked amazing in our all white studio.

Maternity Portraits in Upstate New York

We have had so many beautiful maternity sessions lately, and I’m excited for all of these mamas-to-be who are counting down the weeks and days to meet their babies this fall & winter! This sweet family brought me to a secluded area of their neighborhood that just so happens to have a bike trail and this incredible bridge that was perfect with all of the fall foliage surrounding it.

How beautiful are these three?!

This little cutie is going to be the best big sister!

This gorgeous mama rocked it in her gown from Pink Blush. They have so many beautiful dresses that are perfect for photo shoots (and baby showers!) and I recommend them to all the mamas I work with when they’re looking for the perfect outfit for their maternity portraits.

Maternity Portraits at the Beach, Cape Cod Family Photographer

I miss the lazy days of summer already, but with this family getting ready to welcome their sweet baby boy very (VERY) soon, I’m excited to share a peek at their beach maternity session!

Plus, look at how fun these two big brothers are! This baby will be so lucky to have such awesome (and hilarious!) brothers to look up to!

This quiet little beach in Harwich is quickly becoming one of my favorites for our Cape Cod portrait sessions, and I love how soft & airy the misty salt air makes our portraits. This family was a dream to work with, and we had so much fun with the four of them laughing, playing, and cuddling on the beach.

Dads are the best at turning their children into flying superheroes!!

Baby #3 is so loved already!