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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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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Love these fall minis? Pin this image or any from the post above for inspiration!

What's the difference between a mini session and a regular session? | 2019 Fall Mini Sessions with Saratoga Springs & Boston Family Photographer

Summer & fall are our most popular seasons for family portraits, and every fall my inbox is flooded with families looking for family portraits for their holiday cards and gifts. Trust me, I get it! It’s such a beautiful time of year in the Northeast, and everyone adores the fall foliage and the vibrant colors that we’re lucky enough to enjoy for just a couple of weeks a year. It’s the perfect season for your family portrait session!

One of the most frequently asked questions that I get from families is, “What is the difference between a mini session and a regular session?” So today, I want to clear that up for you and also give you the details about our availability this fall!

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Let’s start with what is included with each session.

Full Length Family Portrait Session
-client prep guide and wardrobe guide filled with inspiration for your session
-pre-session consultation and design appointment at the studio or on a video call
-complimentary use of studio wardrobe for mamas and babies
-location of your choice within 20 miles of 12866
-up to 1 hour of shooting time
-includes immediate family up to 5 people ($25 per additional person)
-gallery reveal appointment after the session to select your favorite images for holiday cards, wall art, gifts, albums, and digitals

Investment: $225 session fee plus your choice of products after the session.
Many different collections are available to fit all budgets.

Mini Family Session
-welcome email and wardrobe guide filled with inspiration for your session
-one specific location chosen by the photographer
-15-20 minutes of shooting time
-includes immediate family up to 5 people
-images delivered via online gallery within two weeks of the session
-5 digital images available for download, with the option to add on additional images, cards, artwork, gifts, and albums

Investment: $275 - $375 depending on location and session type

Mini sessions are perfect for families that are looking for just a couple of beautiful portraits for their holiday cards and gifts, and maybe one or two for the wall. These sessions are short & sweet, and do not require much of a time commitment.

Our regular (full length) portrait sessions are my personal favorite because I love the opportunity to really get to know the families before & during our session, and then visiting with them after the session for their gallery reveal appointment to plan how they want to enjoy their portraits at home and as gifts. These sessions are longer and allow for more variety in the location and in posing, and we also have plenty of time for the kids to warm up to me and the location when they arrive because we are not pressed for time. If the kids need a break for a snack or a quick cuddle, no problem!

The full length sessions also include more help with wardrobe, including access to the studio closet and my help with finding the perfect outfits for your whole family! So many moms (and sometimes dads!) worry about how to coordinate outfits for the whole family. This is probably your first or second time doing this, but me? I’ve done this literally hundreds of times with all of the families I photograph each year. I’m happy to help make this easier for you so that your session is stress-free and that you adore your family portraits!

Full length sessions are perfect if you’re including Grandma & Grandpa and all of the grandkids because we will capture plenty of variety with all of the different groupings of people.

You also want to consider your plans for your images after the session. Do you want one framed family portrait on the wall? Or a couple for your holiday cards and gifts? Maybe a mini session is right for you!

Are you looking for a gallery wall in the living room, a few more in the office, and a couple in the hallway? Do you dream of turning the pages of one of our gorgeous linen albums filled with beautiful portraits of your family having fun? Definitely go with the full length session.

Here’s a peek at a sampling of images from a mini session and from a full-length session. This is not the entire gallery, it’s just to give you an idea of the variety in images included with each type of session.

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Let’s talk about timing.

I’ve been photographing families since 2012, and every year I hear families tell me how they really want to take their portraits in the fall when the foliage is so pretty. REMEMBER, IT’S THE MOST POPULAR TIME OF YEAR FOR PORTRAITS. DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!!

I stop photographing outdoors before Halloween, so plan ahead! By November, most of the leaves have fallen down and been raked up, and the temperature is usually too cool for little ones to be comfortable outside in just a light sweater. This is why we plan our sessions early in the season.

You want to book your session for September or early October if…

September is when we enjoy the beautiful days of early fall. It’s still warm outside, the sunlight is perfectly golden, and the trees aren’t quite so vibrant yet. If you’re planning on decorating your home with your family portraits, think of the color scheme inside your home. If you have a more neutral style or lots of cool colors (gray, blue), then maybe vibrant orange and red won’t coordinate so well like you would get from a late October session. However, a September session lends itself to more neutral tones and would look perfect on your walls! September (and early October) is also perfect for families who have little ones under age 2 who might be too cold outside in late October when the weather has cooled off. If it’s a family with just the parents and a baby, I’d recommend planning for a session earlier in the fall so keep everyone happy!

And mid to late October might be a better fit for you if…

If color makes your heart do a little happy dance, then you definitely want to plan your family portraits for October! The trees are bursting with reds, oranges, and yellows, and the whole landscape looks like the sunset. These sessions are always some of my favorites every year, and I love when the leaves have fallen down and the kids can have fun throwing leaves in the air and jumping in piles of leaves to hear the ::crunch::. Mid to late October sessions are especially great for older kids, or very easy-going little ones who might not mind the slight chill in the air.

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We’re opening our 2019 fall calendar on Friday, August 23!!!

This is when we’ll begin filling the mini session dates as well as our full length session dates. Our newsletter subscribers will have first dibs on their date & time of choice, and our calendar is already halfway full with previous clients already!

If you’re not on our mailing list, be sure to join so that you can receive early access to our fall session dates! There’s one for our Massachusetts families, and one for our Saratoga Springs/Albany families!

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Did you find this blog post helpful? Then you are going to love this next one that is filled with tips on what to wear for your family portrait session this fall!

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Want to save this helpful blog post? Pin this image or any from the post above!

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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.  

The More the Merrier! A Peek at our Holiday Sessions | Saratoga Springs and Boston Family Photographer

I love Christmas.  Every year I look forward to the holiday season because it is filled with twinkly lights, delicious aromas, cozy family traditions, and so much festivity everywhere you look. 

That's why our holiday sessions are always some of my favorite sessions of the year here at our studio.  So many families come and visit, and many are families that I have photographed for years, plus there are always a few new families that I'm excited to meet, too!  This year we did holiday portraits with families in Saratoga Springs and in Boston (at our Attleboro studio), and it was so much fun creating a little holiday magic with these babies and children!

Our set-ups were simple & classic this year:

A fluffy red and white bed that was adorable with Christmas pajamas.
And a huge wreath filled with twinkly lights for some family portraits.  

CUTENESS OVERLOAD with these adorable twins!!

We're planning limited edition holiday sessions!

These two gorgeous backdrops just arrived to the studio, and we can't wait to start using them for our holiday sessions!  We're excited to offer two weekends of holiday sessions, one for our New York families and one for our Massachusetts families!  These are the ONLY dates that we will be offering holiday sessions in the studio.

Attleboro, Massachusetts
Saturday, October 29
Sunday, October 30

Saratoga Springs, NY
Saturday, November 5
Sunday, November 6

Here's are sneak peeks of both sets that we'll be offering -- aren't they adorable?!?!

Full details and session reservation details
will be coming your way on
Monday, October 3!

Mark your calendar!

Making Spirits Bright | Our Studio Holiday Sessions

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spring Fling Mini Sessions!

I am so excited to announce the limited spots available for my Spring Fling Mini Sessions.  Two spring days.  Two gorgeous locations.  Sixteen beautiful families.  And a whole lot of fun, laughter, and memories to create and share.

WHERE TO GO

On Saturday, May 4 we'll meet at Cushing Park in Framingham.  If you're not familiar with the location, it's a beautiful area that just comes alive in the spring.  There are so many backdrops right there to incorporate into your photos -- vast expanses of green grass, tall sweeping pine trees, the stone walls of the chapel, a gazebo, benches, and right across the street some of my favorite clusters of trees standing tall before a pond.  Check out a Cushing Park mini session here.

But I'm going to make it even better.  For my Framingham sessions I'm going to have a stylized shoot set up.  The theme will be "Family Picnic".  I'll bring a great big colorful quilt, my vintage picnic baskets, some fun classic toys for the kiddos (pinwheels, anyone?), and some other colorful picnic props.    The idea is to have a fun, colorful, classic background for your family pictures and to capture some real and raw moments with your family or of your kids.

On Sunday, May 5 we'll meet at the Boston Public Garden.  Please, somebody, tell me that they're bringing their littlest kids to get some adorable pics by the bronze ducks from Make Way for Ducklings.  There's that gorgeous bridge over the pond, the stone arches underneath the bridge, the weeping willows, the pathways and flowerbeds.  The options are truly endless and I can't wait to meet all of the families there for some stunning photos.

WHAT'S INCLUDED?

The mini session is just that -- mini.  If you've been hoping to book another session with Nicole Schwalm Photography, if you've been waiting for a special offer to afford a session, if you'd like to give a session as a gift to the grandparents, if you'd like some fresh springy photos on your walls to shake off the winter... then this is it!  The mini session is a taste of what my full sessions are like, and they're a great way to "try it on for size."

What are my full sessions like? Check out the testimonials page for some rave reviews from NSP families!

Sessions are 20 minutes long.

You can bring up to 5 people.

You'll have access to an online gallery for viewing, sharing, and ordering.

You'll receive 5 fully retouched digital images with printing rights.

You'll also get a special 30% off your print order and have access at an unbelievably low price to my high-quality and stunning lab prints and canvases -- trust me when I tell you that these are way above and beyond what you'll get at the drug store or hour photo lab!  What a great way to showcase your family and artwork on your walls!

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

When you refer a friend, your session fee will be lowered from $125 to only $99.  You still get all the great benefits of the mini session, only at a lower price!

FOR THE MOMS

If you want your pics in time for Mother's Day, just let me know and I can get the retouched gallery to you by Monday evening.  If you order prints right away (prints, not canvases), I'll have them ready for you to come pick up by the Friday before Mother's Day.  What perfect timing!  Grandma is going to LOVE this.

ARE YOU READY TO HAVE SOME FUN?

Let's create some memories together!  Email me by clicking the "Get in touch" button on the right hand side of my page and let's reserve a spot for your session.   Please tell me:

Your name

A little something fun about your family

Number of people and ages

Location

Time preference

Then I'll get right back to you and we'll be counting down the days till our spring fling mini session!  There are limited spots available, and they are going FAST.  (I emailed my previous clients last week, and a mere 4 minutes later had already booked the first slot!)  You'll want to jump on this!  And at this price, how could you pass it up?

**Please note that the mini sessions are not  appropriate for newborns since I cannot give newborns the full attention they need.  They are ideal for families with babies that are older than 3 months along with older siblings, or single babies that are 6 months (sitting up stage) and older.  If your baby is too young, contact me and I'd be happy to chat with you about how else we can work out a session for your little one!