Older Awake Newborn Photos With Lots of Smiles

I recently welcomed baby Kiran to my Saratoga Springs studio for his newborn portraits. This little guy was a month old when he and his parents came by, and we were able to enjoy lots of eye contact and adorable expressions during his session because he was a little bit bigger and more awake! I absolutely loved working with Kiran and his family to create their heirloom portraits celebrating his arrival to the world! 

For Kiran’s session, we incorporated lots of neutrals with white. I’m obsessed with their family portraits with everyone in white. They’re stunning! We included a few pops of soft sky blue and sage green, which coordinates nicely with his nursery and their decor at home. I always encourage families to think about where they want to display images when deciding on a theme or color palette. I know Kiran’s portraits are going to look perfect displayed at home! 

My favorite part of working with Kiran and his parents might be that we were able to create a special gallery wall in their home to feature their favorite portraits. I love knowing that they’re going to enjoy these images on their wall every single day as their little boy grows. That’s why I do what I do: I want you to remember these moments and be able to relieve them as time slips away. 

Kiran, thank you for being such a sweet boy for me in the studio! Your session brought me so many new favorite portraits and I hope you’ll always see how loved you truly are in these moments. 

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Welcome Baby Nathan! Newborn Portraits with Big Brother

This blog post comes with a story about your favorite photographer, too many boxes arriving in the mail, and the big reveal of this family’s heirloom album. ;o)

This sweet family ordered an album with all of their favorite newborn portraits, and I placed the order the day before I left for a week and a half on the Cape. For me, a week and a half by the sea is like hitting the reset button, so when I came home I could barely remember what I had done before leaving for the Cape.

When I came back to my studio I had a mountain of boxes waiting for me from my different portrait labs, and opening them felt a bit like Christmas morning because I couldn’t remember what was inside of them. Blame it on the mom brain, or blame it on the salt air.

But then I got to this one box. When I opened it up I saw the gray album box inside, and I remember lifting the cover and thinking, “Who’s album is this one?” Then I saw the sky blue linen and the soft colors in Nathan’s newborn portraits, and honestly I gasped when seeing how beautiful it all was together. This family wound up choosing the most perfect linen to complement their portraits, and the finished product was truly breathtaking. That was my favorite package I opened this summer, and I definitely enjoyed watching the family unwrap it a few days later to enjoy it for themselves!

Big brother Aiden was soooooo excited about his new role as big brother, and he gave us all the smiles! We captured so many sweet portraits of these two brothers together and I love all of the family ones, too. I’ve loved watching this family grow over the past couple of years, and it’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago they were brand new parents bringing their son to my old studio for his portrait session! Check out big brother’s newborn session from almost 3 years ago here!

We used some of the same colors and layers in Nathan’s newborn portraits as we did in his big brother’s a few years ago. I’m a huge fan of blues, grays, creams, and whites in newborn portraits, and I love how seamlessly they all go together!

Nathan’s mama gave me the biggest compliment when she was sitting in the studio during their session. She looked around and told me that the studio was so relaxing to be in, and that nearly three years ago as a new mom she had felt the same way. Despite all of the crazy unknowns of motherhood and the countless things that all of us mamas have to figure out in those first few weeks with a new baby, somehow I helped her feel more comfortable at least during those couple of hours she was here for her session. That made my heart so happy to hear.

Because yes, I want to give you beautiful portraits and artwork that you’re going to enjoy for generations. But more importantly I want you to embark on this journey of motherhood (or the next chapter of it if you’re welcoming baby #2 or #3!) and feel a little more confident, a little more understood, a little more prepared to take on the crazy unknowns. I’m a mom, too. I’ve literally gone through this exact same journey, and whatever it is you’re feeling, you’re not alone. That’s why I try so hard to connect with all of the families that I work with to see how they’re doing and offer any little tidbits that might make those first few weeks at home a little easier with the new baby.

Because your newborn session is not just about the photographs. It’s also about taking your baby out of the house for maybe the first time besides the pediatrician appointment, and connecting with another mama who has been in your shoes who can help you feel a little less lost and a little less alone.

Wondering what to expect in your newborn session? I’ve done this hundreds of times and my job is to make it as easy and stress-free as possible for you as a new parent! Check out this blog post for what to expect!

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Studio Newborn Portraits for Baby Jacob

I’m always so honored when families bring their new babies to me for their newborn portraits, and I especially enjoy when those babies grow up and become big brothers & sisters who visit the studio with their brand new sibling.

I’ve been capturing portraits for Jonas’s family since he was born, and now he’s a big brother! He visited the studio with Baby Jacob and we captured the most adorable family portraits. Just look at how mom & dad look at their boys!!

This sweet baby boy was a dream to pose. He was so sleepy and cuddly, and he curled right up into the sweetest poses. We used a mix of cream, white, blue & gray to match big brother’s newborn portraits and to complement the decor in their home.

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Vivienne's Older Newborn Portraits

One of the things I love most about this job is connecting with families and watching their little ones grow. This family has trusted me to capture ALL THREE of their babies’ newborn portraits, and they have 24” canvases hanging in their home from each session. I’ve loved watching the boys grow, and I was so excited to celebrate their baby girl’s arrival with them.

We originally planned on capturing newborn portraits for Vivienne, but she was born right when everything started shutting down with the quarantine so we had to postpone. We eventually got into the studio for her milestone session, and we even managed to capture a few sleepy portraits of this sweet girl! She’s starting to show more personality now, and those rolls on her arms and legs are one of the many perks of waiting a bit for her older “newborn” portraits!

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Pretty Mauve Flowers for a Studio Newborn Session

Little Anaís is our newest Baby Plan member, and I loved welcoming her family into our Saratoga Springs portrait studio for her newborn session! We incorporated mauve florals and soft greenery to coordinate with her nursery, and I just love how it all came together for this sweet baby girl. Plus, this new mauve headband from my favorite boutique coordinated perfectly!

I always love wrapping the babies up so that we can see their tiny arms and legs, and Anaís looked so beautiful in this peach wrap against our white blanket. All of these headbands are also from Polka Dot Poppy, which is where I’ve been buying our studio headbands for years! They are all handmade, and I love how the designer incorporates such dainty details and beautiful colors into each one!

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Welcoming Baby Brother - A Studio Newborn Portrait Session with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

I have been lucky enough to create portraits for this sweet family ever since they had only two little ones… and now they have FOUR! I absolutely loved celebrating their SON’S arrival with a studio newborn session. The big sisters were extra excited about their baby brother, whose gender was a surprise until birth, and they showered him in love and kisses the entire time.

We captured the sweetest cuddles with mom and dad, too. Lynsey rocked a flowy white gown from our Mama Wardrobe in the studio, and it looked so beautiful on her! I just love how clean & classic these mommy & baby portraits are in a neutral color palette!

Being their first boy, we had to pull out some blues for his portraits! The studio is stocked with gorgeous handmade knit layers in so many colors, and I love this navy on him.

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An Open Letter to a Newbie Photographer: Part 1

Hi, there.  

I see you over there, a newbie photographer who is just getting started.  A girl with a camera and a dream, so excited to get subjects in front of her camera that she’s giving away her time for free.  You’re looking around and seeing so many beautiful posts in your newsfeed, wishing your own images looked like the ones from the photographers that you admire so much.  

You’re eager to do everything you can to become an amazing photographer, so you shoot 1,256 images at every session.  You spend hours every night culling & editing while trying to learn Lightroom and Photoshop, agonizing over which of these fourteen similar images is the very best.  You tilt your camera at just the right angle to make your photos look “artsy” and more creative.  Your camera becomes a permanent extension of your body, and you almost never leave home without it.  You’re in all of the photography groups on Facebook, and whenever someone mentions a prop vendor, a camera bag that you absolutely must have, or a DIY project, you jump right on it.  You are certain that this is the thing will change your life and your business. 

I see you over there, saying yes to everyone and everything that comes your way.  Yes, I’ll do a cake smash for your baby.  Yes, we can do your family’s session at noon on Sunday.  Yes, I’ll shoot your wedding for free because the exposure would be great.  Yes, I would love to take photos of your five dogs in your red living room with one tiny window.  Yes, I’ll give you an extra sneak peek and all of the RAW files and spend hours editing that hair elastic off of your daughter’s wrist in every.single.photo because I forgot to tell her to remove it before the shoot.  Yes, yes, yes.

You’re up at all hours of the night, finishing another gallery and answering another email.  You’re exhausted.  You’re wondering why your images are so grainy and what camera settings you’re supposed to use.  You can’t figure out why the newborns won’t ever sleep for you during their sessions.  But you’re still so excited to call yourself a photographer, so excited to capture these moments for families that will value your artwork.  You are chasing this dream, and you’re loving every minute of it.

I want to tell you something…
YOU ARE DOING JUST FINE.  KEEP AT IT.  CHASE YOUR DREAM.  DON’T GIVE UP.

When I started my business, there was so much I didn’t know.  So much.  Actually, I wasn’t even trying to start a business, but somewhere along the way that happened.  Like every photographer, I have learned so many lessons during my first years in business.  Here are a few, and I hope that they will help you!

Don’t overshoot.  

You don’t need 1,000 images from every session, and your clients don’t need a final gallery of 100 images.  They’ll probably only display 5-10 images in their home, so a gallery of 20-25 is more than enough without overwhelming them.  Get the shot, and then move on to get a new angle, new pose, new location, new outfit.

Don’t overbuy.

That new wrap, basket, bucket, bag isn’t going to make you a better photographer.  Set a budget for your props, and stick to it.  Only purchase items that fit your style, and remember that if it looks cheap, then your photography will look cheap.  To become a high-end photographer, your images and everything in them need to look high-end.  Invest in a few quality pieces and use those in every session. 

Learn posing & safety.

This is especially important for newborn sessions.  Please educate yourself before you start working with newborns.  Most of the images you see online are composites of two or more images woven together in Photoshop to create a final image.  Babies are fragile little beings, and it’s important to know what their bodies can and cannot do.  They are your most precious little clients, so you never want to hang them in mid-air, place too much pressure on their joints, put them in a glass bowl, or place them in any precarious situation where they can tip over and hurt themselves.  Safety first.  

Be fearless with light.

For years I was worried that studio lighting would be too hard to learn, too expensive to invest in, and that it wasn’t the “right” thing to do because other photographers that I loved so much advertised themselves as “natural light photographers."  But you know what?  Making the leap to studio lighting was the best thing I ever did for my photography.  My images are more consistent than ever before, and I am confident to shoot in any situation and environment.  

Learn your gear.

Learn to shoot in Manual.  Learn to shoot and edit RAW images.  Learn to shoot in challenging lighting situations.  Once you can figure it out in camera, you’re going to spend a lot less time editing your images.  You’re also going to be a lot less frustrated when your images start turning out exactly the way you imagined them to be.

Invest in quality gear.

Figure out what you need to create truly beautiful images, and save up for the very best that you can afford — even if it takes a few months to save up enough money, it’s worth it.  Making the switch to a full-frame camera will be a game-changer for your portraits, but only if you know how to shoot in manual (see above: Learn your gear).  Rather than getting cheap lighting off of Amazon, save up for an Alien Bee or an Einstein. You’ll love it the very first time you use it, and it will last you for years with an amazing customer service team that is ready to help, fix, and replace it should anything go wrong.  This goes for your props, too.

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Whew!  Thanks for reading, but that’s just the beginning!  Once I started writing, it just kept flowing and this is only the first half.  Be sure to check out Part 2 on the blog, too!  

Oh, and by the way… remember that camera tilt I mentioned in the beginning of this letter?  Drop it.  It’s not artsy, and your client shouldn’t have to tilt their head at an uncomfortable angle to get a better look at their family’s portrait.  We've all been there, and we've all tilted the camera.  Learn from it, and keep your horizons straight.  Your images will look much more timeless!

With love (and a nice little kick in the pants if that’s what you needed in your business today!),

Nicole Starr

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