Family portraits at Empire Plaza in Albany

When your baby turns one, it’s definitely time for updated family portraits - and that’s exactly what Luke’s family planned! Luke recently turned one and he and his parents celebrated with family portraits at the same spot his parents were married at a few years earlier: Empire Plaza in Albany, NY. It was a beautiful spot for their portraits! We had a gorgeous sunset the day of their session that worked in our favor. The sunset gave us beautiful light, and the light color of the building reflected so much of it back on these three. It made my job so easy!

Luke started walking just a few weeks before our session and he was so excited to be showing off all over the New York State museum grounds. I can’t believe how big he his now - I still picture him as that little baby in his newborn portraits a year ago!! He’s such a fun handful now and I know his parents are excited to be watching him grow and change.

I love that the Underwood family wanted their portraits at the place they were married - it’s such a special way to see how your family changes over time, and honor a place that means a lot to you. I’m always open to sentimental locations for your portraits, especially if they’re as beautiful as this spot in Albany!

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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 in Saratoga Springs

Another sun-soaked family session today! Ella and her sweet family joined me at Saratoga Spa State Park for their fall family portraits, and I loved playing games, chasing after a toddler, and singing her favorite songs to get her attention. We had so much fun together and captured so many relaxed family portraits for this family of three.

At this age our family sessions are always on-the-go. We move from one part of the park to the next, giving toddlers room to run and explore while capturing a mix of candids and more posed portraits together. It’s always the candid moments when life is unfolding that families love the most!

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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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How to Care for your Artwork | Saratoga Springs Baby & Family Portrait Photographer, Nicole Starr Photography

Yay! Today’s the day! You have your beautiful new artwork from your portrait session, and you can’t wait to display it in your home. You know just the perfect spot to hang it up, but wait… did you know there are a few simple tips to keep in mind that will help your artwork stay beautiful and last longer???

Today on the blog I’m sharing a few tips for how to care for your artwork. Don’t worry! It’s nothing too complicated, just a couple of little things to keep in mind so that your family can continue to enjoy your portraits for many, many years to come!

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Photographic Prints

1. Keep your artwork out of direct sunlight to prevent fading and damage to the paper. All of our artwork is treated with a UV protective layer, but it is still a good idea to display your prints in a room that does not receive extreme heat or sunlight.

2. Photographic prints are meant to be displayed under glazing such as glass or acrylic. This is to protect the print from UV exposure, dust, and other elements that can be damaging to the composition of the material. Prints should be framed with acid free mats and acid free tape to avoid any moisture reaching your print and damaging it.

Wall Art

Canvases, framed portraits, wooden wall art. These tips are good for any heirloom pieces that are displayed on your walls! Follow these simple tips to enjoy your artwork for many years at home.

1. Keep your artwork out of direct sunlight, and avoid displaying it in a room that experiences extreme atmospheric changes (heat, cold, humidity).

2. Dust your artwork with a soft rag or cloth, or a wool duster.

3. Display your artwork in a room away from mess or a high traffic area — right near the stove in the kitchen is probably not a good idea since over time it can accumulate a thin layer of dust, grime, and cooking pollutants that could damage the artwork.

4. Prints should be framed under glass, while canvas is meant to be displayed without glass to allow it to breathe.

5. When transporting your artwork, pack it in a sturdy box and with bubble wrap, and avoid placing prints with glass on a flat surface to move them — they will break more easily if stored flat. I use painter’s tape to make an X across the glass of all of my artwork when moving them to prevent glass from going everywhere should one of them break. Luckily I’ve never broken a frame when moving, but I’m glad to take that extra step to prevent a big, dangerous mess!

Books & Albums

All of our albums are printed on archival photo paper, which means that your portraits are crisp, vibrant, and true to color on paper that is designed to last 100+ years. Our albums have ultra thick pages, making them durable for even the littlest pair of hands in your family to turn and enjoy. My toddler looks through our family albums all the time, and I never worry about him messing them up because they are meant to be enjoyed, and there is a coating on the pages that even protects against fingerprints!

But a few tips to keep your album looking just as beautiful as the day you brought it home:

1. Store your album away from direct sunlight to prevent UV damage and fading.

2. The pages are heavy and thick. To prevent them from separating from the spine of the book, store the album flat on a shelf or a coffee table (and not standing up on its side). I stack our family albums vertically on a bookshelf, and I love seeing the colorful linen spines all facing out into the room!

3. Keep your album in a room where the humidity does not fluctuate too much. If it gets too humid, the pages may warp as they absorb excess moisture. If this happens, simply place a heavy object on top of the album (with a dishtowel between the album and the object for extra protection) and let it flatten out again in a room that is not too humid.

4. Spots of stains on the cover? Wipe it down with a damp, white cloth.

Matted Portraits & Collection Boxes

These portraits are meant to be displayed under glass or acrylic glazing, so find a few of your favorite frames and pop them in around the house! The mat protects the portrait from touching the glass, and it is made from acid free paper to prevent any damage to the photograph over time.

You can also store your matted portraits inside the collection box when they are not on display. Be sure to keep them in a room that is not too humid.

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The most important tip for caring for your artwork?

Put it somewhere where you can enjoy it every day!

Choose a spot that will bring a smile to your face when you see it — in the living room over the mess of toys, at the top of the stairs to look at after a long day, over your little one’s crib to enjoy at bedtime. Put your album on a low shelf in your living room with other favorite family books to encourage little ones to enjoy it with you, and don’t tuck anything away out of reach. Out of sight, out of mind, right? And I don’t want you to forget about these beautiful memories we created together!

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Lazy Days of Summer - A Fun portrait session at an ice cream shop!

I always have so much fun photographing this family, and when mom told me she was up for a nontraditional session of her boys this summer, I knew just what we should do:

ICE CREAM!

We’ve done cake smashes and milestone sessions together, holiday portraits and family photos outdoors in the summer and fall. But with two toddler boys, you know what we’ve never done? MADE A REALLY BIG MESS AND JUST PLAYED!!!

I suggested we meet at a playground adjacent to an adorable little ice cream shop, and she loved the idea! This is my favorite local ice cream shop because not only is the ice cream delicious, but the red and white striped umbrellas are picture perfect!

Oscar & Miles were definitely up for the challenge of enjoying their ice cream cones, and they didn’t mind one bit that it dripped everywhere with sprinkles raining down all over their clothes. I couldn’t stop laughing with their mom & dad, and we had such a blast watching these boys enjoy such a carefree summer activity. My favorite part is that they’re going to get to look back on these summertime photos for yearssssss and remember their boys just as they were at this stage, with ice cream dripping down their elbows and sprinkles dotting their tiny fingers.

Are you considering a more relaxed and non-traditional portrait session for your little ones? Let’s chat about what you LOVE to do, and what you want to remember most about this stage of life with your kids!

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An Extended Family Session at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs NY - Saratoga Springs NY Family Photographer

Let's bring together all of the cousins, aunts, uncles, grandchildren, and grandparents and CELEBRATE YOUR FAMILY.

Extended family sessions are always a lot of fun, and when this family reached out to me about a session with 17 family members, I knew that we were in for a very memorable evening together!

The grandkids were so much fun and they had us running all over Congress Park chasing the ducks.  During these sessions we always capture portraits of the grandkids all together, with their grandparents, and individual portraits, too!

This session was a special gift to the grandparents to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.  In 50 years, they have created this huge and loving family.  That's pretty amazing that they are all together today all because two people fell in love 50 years ago!

So playful!  These brothers kept me on my toes and we had a lot of fun and shared a lot of laughs during their family's portraits.  And every time that Connor, the littlest one, wasn't looking at me?  It's because he was looking at the ducks!  Ducks are clearly much more interesting than photographers.   ;o)  

Alexzandra was home from college and joined us for their session.  She was also the professional cousin wrangler a few times during the shoot!

These boys just blew me away with their compassion.  When I asked what his favorite thing was about his brother, one of them replied "I think his best quality is that he's always very complimentary.  He makes everyone feel good."  What an insightful young man, who completely melted my heart with that comment!

Thinking of a family session for mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and the grandkids?  How about some cousins, aunts, and uncles?  Let's get together and plan your session today!  
 

Using Rainey's Closet Dress Rentals for my Portrait Studio Wardrobe

Can I let you in on a little secret?  It's the way that every little girl can feel like a princess for her portrait session.  It's called Rainey's Closet.  

Every photographer (and mom!) wants to find the perfect outfit for their portrait sessions.  You want something unique, fun, and just a little bit whimsical.  Something a little bit fancier than your everyday clothing, because photo sessions are a time to have a little fun and experiment with something new!

But that can get a little expensive, especially if you're just going to wear it once, and even more so if your little girl will outgrow it in no time at all.

The solution?  Rent the perfect dress for your session!

Rainey's Closet is a boutique rental company, similar to Rent the Runway, but with couture dresses and adorable little outfits for babies, little girls, and even some items for little boys!  Their website is filled with the most popular brands that photograph so beautifully -- Tutu Du Monde, Dollcake, Nellystella, Well Dressed Wolf, Joyfolie...  The list goes on and on!

I adore this service because for about $35, you can rent the most perfect dress that will truly make your session that much more magical.  A dress that is perfect for twirling, with little hints of sparkle and lots of movement that looks amazing on camera.  

I have discovered so many gorgeous brands and gowns through this website, and it's definitely a favorite resource of mine that I recommend to all of the families I work with.  Planning a beach session this summer?  Rather than spending $30-40 on a dress at the store that you may or may not love, and one that may or may not photograph nicely, rent one from Rainey's Closet that will look STUNNING for your session and that will make your little girl feel like a princess.

I would love it if you'd use my unique referral code
when you rent from Rainey's Closet!  

It's 141372.

Many moms like to send me pictures of the outfits they are thinking of before the session, and then it's so easy to pick one of the dresses from Rainey's Closet to coordinate.  Their colors are soft with lots of neutral tones that will go well with every combination you could possibly dream up.  I have marked dozens of their dresses as favorites, and pinned even more on our wardrobe inspiration boards on Pinterest.  Stuck on outfits?  Start with Rainey's Closet and the rest will come together beautifully!  

For more wardrobe inspiration, check out these helpful links!

Pinterest: Spring Wardrobe Inspiration for Family Portrait Sessions

Pinterest: Beach Wardrobe Inspiration for Family Portrait Sessions

Blog: What to Wear for your Family Portrait Session

Happy Father's Day! | Boston & Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

Happy Father's Day weekend!

This weekend, I want to give a shout out to all of the dads who are absolutely rocking this whole parenthood thing.  I meet so many amazing families every single week, and I love being able to capture these sweet moments between dads and their little ones.  These little babies are going to grow up and have such a special bond with you, unique from every other relationship in their lives.  Enjoy every second of it, because they won't be this tiny to curl up in your arms forever!

For today's post, enjoy a peek at a collection of some of our favorite images from dads celebrating their first (or second, or third!) Father's Day this year.  Happy Father's Day to all of these amazing men.  Enjoy the weekend!

Family Portraits in our Saratoga Springs Studio

While I spend most of my time in the studio with sleepy little newborns, birthday babies enjoying their first taste of cake, and toddlers who are filled with curiosity & excitement, every now and then I have a family visit me whose children are grown and they want to capture this new stage that their family is in.

The D. family came to me for a family portrait session while both daughters were home from college on break, and I was excited to welcome the girls, their mother, and their grandfather in for a fun and relaxed portrait session together.  Being a small family, they share such a close bond and it was so beautiful to see.  We spent an hour together and they regaled me with stories of innocent pranks the girls used to play on their mother, adventures they've had together, and so many moments that had us all laughing.

Their grandfather was so excited to tell me all about his daughter & granddaughters, and he was happiest when surrounded by these three beautiful women that he helped raise and shape.  He truly was beaming the entire time, though my favorite story of him came after our session when I received this message about the first time he saw his family's photographs:

"I went out to visit Dad for the long weekend, and you would have gotten a kick out of him.  Jossie texted the images to us while we were at lunch at a restaurant, and he was nearly in tears over them.  But he quickly recovered, and began practically tackling people -  from our waitress to the folks at church and store clerks  – so he could show them the photos on his phone!"  

That just made my day!  

Thank you for such a wonderful session together, D. family!  I hope your family will enjoy these memories up on the walls of your home for many, many years.