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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A Mommy and Me Session in the Boston Public Garden

Meet Jack. The smiliest, most adorable little boy who I had the pleasure of photographing in the Boston Public Garden this spring with his mama. This sweet 4 year old is constantly on the go, and we spent a playful hour together filled with giggles, laughs, and bubbles for an extra special Mommy & Me portrait session.

Boston is such a beautiful city in the early spring, and tulip season is always breathtaking. The misty weather didn’t dampen our spirits, and Jack and his mama layered on their rain gear and enjoyed splashing in the puddles in the garden.

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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, and she also works with families at her Attleboro, MA studio and on location in Boston and on Cape Cod. 

Our sessions are relaxed and fun, and we’ll enjoy an hour together laughing, cuddling, and capturing authentic smiles and belly laughs with your little ones.  

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!