2017 Best of Siblings - You've Got a Friend in Me | Saratoga Springs NY Family Photographer

We’re continuing with our BEST OF 2017 blog post series, and today we’re sharing a peek into some of our favorite sibling images from last year. 
 

Brothers & sisters share a special relationship that is part friend, part soulmate.  They know how to make each other laugh and how to cheer each other up.  They know how to tattle on each other to mom & dad, and how to push each other’s buttons and annoy them the most. 

But at the end of the day, they love curling up together and just enjoying each other’s company.

2017 was filled with family sessions, newborn sessions, and cake smashes where the siblings truly stole the show and made for some memorable moments captured on camera.  Digging into their baby brother or sister’s birthday cake, the sweetest newborn cuddles, and tickle fights on the beach were just a few of the top sibling moments of the year!  

Enjoy a peek at a few of our most memorable sibling moments from 2017, and be sure to check out our other “BEST OF 2017” blog posts!

Enjoy a peek at a few of our most memorable family sessions from 2017, and be sure to check out our other “BEST OF 2017” blog posts!

Best of 2017 Cake Smash Sessions
Best of 2017 Lifestyle Sessions
Best of 2017 Studio Newborn Sessions
Best of 2017 Maternity Sessions
Best of 2017 Fresh 48 Sessions
Best of 2017 Beach Sessions on Cape Cod
Best of 2017 Family Sessions

A Playful Outdoor Fall Photo Session at Larz Anderson Park

This is what happens when you bring two brothers outside for a photo session on a chilly November day: Giggles, laughter, wrestling, running across the park to warm up, and SO.MUCH.FUN.  Nathan & Noah were an absolute blast to capture on camera, and I am so happy that we fit in a last-minute photo session for these boys in time for their family's holiday cards.

These two arrived to Larz Anderson Park ready to play, and the beauty of our laid-back sessions is that playing is always an option.  It's even encouraged!  I always aim to capture the real you -- your real smiles, your real laugh, and the real way that you elbow your brother in the ribs when you think no one's looking.   ;o)  After all, these are the moments their mom will remember in 20 years, and these are the ones I want her to treasure right now.

I love the smirk in this photo below!

This next photo was captured after the boys were jumping off the wall, and I'm pretty sure they were trying to fly.  Any mom of boys knows that this is just how your photo sessions go.  So, like any mom of boys, this mom was worried about what we did or didn't capture during our session together.  Of course, I told her that it's not all of the crazy moments that we capture -- though we do get a few of those, too!  It's the millisecond in between, and knowing right when to click that shutter button to capture the photo of her boys that she will have on the wall for the next 20 years.

This one right here.  That's the one.

Are you a parent living in Newton, Brookline, Brighton, JP, Roslindale, West Roxbury, Chestnut Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods?  Check out Macaroni Kid -- Newton-Brookline!  The boys' mother, Ali, runs this weekly e-newsletter and website bringing you a list of local family-friendly events.  There is so much amazing information for families on their website, including DIY projects, recipes, local events & festivals, shopping guides, crafts for your kids, and coupons for some special savings for your family!

Macaroni Kid is also on Facebook, so be sure to follow their page for daily updates for family fun!

Macaroni Kid featured Nicole Starr Photography earlier this fall after hearing about our photo sessions for National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  Check out the featured post here.

Powerful Love: A beautiful in-home session with newborn twins

Lifestyle photography.

It's exactly what it sounds like.  A private glimpse into your life to capture those moments that happen behind closed doors.  Sometimes those moments are loud and colorful, and sometimes those moments are quiet and calm.  These are moments that are shared with your family.  They shape you and your loved ones, and they are the ones that you'll remember many years from now as some of the happiest and most fulfilling moments of your life.

A cuddle with your newborn baby.

A quiet glance over to your husband, admiring him in this new role as a father.

Reaching down to stroke the soft wisps of hair atop your baby's head.

Sitting back, looking around, and falling in love with this life you've created together.

Kati & Pete dreamed of their babies' arrival for many, many months.  They prepared a beautiful space to welcome their newborn twins home with the most thoughtful touches -- a rustic wooden wall, sweet and simple quotes, pictures from their favorite children's book, photos from their travels around the world, the cutest little elephants, and an adorable handmade mobile.  Their twin sons were born on July 21, 2015.  After spending a little extra time with the doctors and nurses, both boys finally arrived home and they were welcomed with so much love.

One of my favorite experiences of being a newborn photographer is capturing the way that new parents look at their babies.  It's a mix of awe, wonder, and overwhelming love.  It truly is the most incredible moment to capture on camera.

Birth.  Nailed it.  (Cutest onesies ever!)

boston twin photographer

Max & Owen were the sweetest little boys, and being exactly one month old (our session was held on their original due date), they were wide-eyed and wanted to take in everything going on around them.

Is there anything cuter than a little baby yawn?  No, I didn't think so either...

One of the meaningful benefits of a lifestyle newborn session in your home is that it allows us to showcase your family, your love, your personality, and YOUR HOME.  That gorgeous space you've created together that tells your story becomes a living and breathing part of your photos, and it is pure magic.  I absolutely adored this gallery wall in Kati & Pete's home, and the moment I saw it I knew we needed to use it as a backdrop for their family photos.  This wall tells their story, and now their sons will find a spot right there among all of their other memories and loved ones.

Congratulations, Kati & Pete!

What a beautiful family and a beautiful life you are creating for yourselves.

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Are you eagerly anticipating your little one's arrival?  Send me an email by clicking on the "Contact" tab and I'd love to chat with you to plan your baby's newborn session.  We'll talk and discover if a studio session or an in-home lifestyle session is the best fit for your family.

Read more about our newborn sessions here.

Camilo Jose {Boston Newborn Portraits}

He's here!  He's here! I've been friends with Isabel since our grad school days of analyzing Spanish literature in the basement offices of Boston University.  When she and Dallas were pregnant with their first child, she found her way into my kitchen at 7:30 on a snowy Saturday morning to share the news with me.  That first baby came along, grew up into a little boy, did a fun little photo shoot with me when I was first starting out, and before we knew it she and Dallas were back for a maternity shoot in the Arnold Arboretum last fall.

And now, I'm so excited to share photos my friends' newest bundle of happiness right here with you.  His arrival was marked with lots of loving, sweet little baby kisses, domestic and international flights, M&Ms, and mustaches.  (Read on, you'll see...)

Camilo Jose

11.12.13

7 lbs, 3 oz

18 inches

Oh!  Those soft little back wrinkles!

The dark hair and eyelashes on this little guy just have me mesmerized! What a cutie.  And this new soft gray background is admittedly one of my new favorites for newborn shoots.  Absolutely loving it here!

It was so much fun watching Camilo's big brother Nicolas learn how to be a big brother -- wanting to be involved, trying to give him kisses, seeking the attention of all the adults in the room, wanting to show off his baby, wondering why his baby brother was taking over his play room.  Such a fun time with these two!

(And yes, we may have resorted to carefully positioned M&M candies for a few of these kissy shots!  ;o)

Isa excitedly told me weeks before the baby was due about this adorable elephant hat and bottoms that a friend had hand-made for her and that her mom had brought over on the plane from Ecuador.  Such an adorable outfit!  Love this sweet and peaceful shot.

The boys were lucky to have their aunt visiting from Tennessee for the weekend.  We got a few beautiful backlit shots of them all together.  And a few more of that lucky baby boy in his family's loving arms...

(Yes, there was a mustache joke going on  ;o)     )

And finally, 'Tis the Season!

Wishing this family the most wonderful of Christmases with their two boys.....  And a Happy New Year to all of you!

Bienvenido al mundo, Camilo Jose.

Spunk & Sass {A Family Session}

I was so excited to get to meet up with this beautiful family again.  We first met two summers ago for our session at a gorgeous beach down in Eastham during low tide.  It was one of my favorite summer sessions to date, and after working with them again I realized that they are just such a darling family to photograph no matter what the location.  The four kids -- Jack, Ella, Charlie, and Lulu -- are so full of spunk and personality, and both sessions have just been filled with real laughter and truly beautiful beaming smiles. And now, without further adieu, the beautiful G family at home for a stunning fall session...

Charlie is a little clown and I love that I got a toothy second-grade grin and a bubbly laugh out of him in just about every frame.  His big brother Jack is a little more reserved, but I love the moment I got him to crack up just as I was hitting the shutter and caught his true smile peeking through.

Lulu is like a little elf running around her family spreading cheer and happiness.  I love all the different expressions I was able to capture on this little doll!

And big sister Ella was such a joy with her piercing eyes and her beautiful smile.

The moment I saw the color of Ella and Lulu's dresses, I knew I wanted this exact picture.  And right after clicking the shutter and stopping to look at my camera?  I just about died -- LOVE the colors here, love how they complement each other and just pop!, love that beautiful bond captured between sisters.

These kids love the "hold hands and run" pics, just like the last time when we were on the beach together.

And finally, one last family pic on the porch.  The first one up above was what we were aiming for, but this is what we got when the youngest little one insisted on doing a "gangster" pose... why not get the whole family do cross their arms for a silly pose!  :o)

G family -- you are wonderful and I absolutely adore capturing the six of you on camera!  Thanks for ANOTHER stellar afternoon together.

Nicolas & Luca

I absolutely adore Sunday mornings.  Out of all the moments in the week, Sunday morning is the time that I just relish it's calmness, happiness, and anticipation.  There's something about those mornings that are just hugged on both sides by a day off from work, off from routine, and off from the go-go-go of the weekdays.  I'll wrap my fingers around a warm mug, find a spot of sunshine on my porch, and soak up the beginning of another great day. A little while back I got to soak up the love and the joy of a Sunday morning with this sweet family.

In typical Sunday morning fashion, when they welcomed me into their home one brother was playing in a puddle of dappled light on the carpet while the other was finishing his breakfast, the grandparents were visiting and enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee, and the mom and dad were moving around trying to get everything done because the one thing about Sunday mornings is that the clock always moves much too quickly and they fly right past you, unaware.

It was a lifestyle session, an on-the-go capture of the boys at play.  During our pre-session planning, we decided that we wanted to show Nicolas and Luca in their home, playing with their toys, exploring, and just being curious and playful little boys and brothers.

Have I mentioned yet how amazing this rug is?  Chevron stripes, soft backlit windows...  As a stripe-lover, ooooooh, this was the perfect setting for these photographs!!  Love how the rug photographs as simple, classic, and fun.

Check out the thick eyelashes on these two boys.  Their mom and I lamented over how the boys will never grow up to appreciate those eyelashes like a girl would.  But still, that sweet little fringe is absolutely beautiful to capture!  Love this angle.  :o)

Thanks for sharing your beautiful Sunday morning with me!  It was so much fun meeting your family and capturing your little boys together.  I hope these photos really do convey the joy, calmness, anticipation, and sheer magic that is nestled into each and every Sunday morning.

Jack, Adam & Evan {3 Merry Brothers}

Talk about a kick-start to your Sunday morning!  A few weeks ago I knocked on the front door and had it open to these three merry little boys inside.

It was a whirlwind of activity and we went from one thing to another -- homework, toys, drum sets, trophies, snow boots, beyblades, M&Ms...  There was so much LIFE in that home on a sleepy Sunday morning and it was a great way to start the day.  The boys were so much fun and clearly very comfortable in front of the lens of my camera.

I loved catching them in between... in between all of that activity, in between the moments when they were looking right at the camera, in between the "cheese" smiles.  I loved capturing the giggles, the hugs, the silly and confused and amazed expressions, the wonder...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few of my faves...

Adam, in amazement, telling me that he can see my "eye" in the lens of my camera.  It was really the shutter, but then he watched it until it "blinked".  And he got his brothers to do the same!  That's quite a simple way to stop three excited brothers in their tracks.  Pure focus, attention, and wonder.  And their bright blue eyes just make you melt!

Jack and his grandmother.

Adam & Evan.

And this little mouth here?  How adorable!

And here is one of my absolute favorites from the day.  I was lying on the floor, clicking away, and when I came home and started processing the photos I just about died laughing when I saw Jack's expression in this one.  Everyone knows the feeling that he's showing here when looking at his little brother.  Too funny!

And here, boys will be boys: