A Fresh 48 Session at St. Peter's Hospital for Baby Kinsley, Albany Newborn Photographer

Our newest Baby Planner is here, and she is absolutely perfect! I was lucky enough to meet this sweet baby girl when she was only one day old at her Fresh 48 session at St. Peter’s Hospital.

It was absolutely magical getting to watch her family cuddle and kiss her, completely in awe of her tiny stretches and yawns. The very best part was watching her big brother Killian get to know his new baby sister! Killian came to the studio for his newborn session only two years ago, and now he’s a big brother!

World, meet Kinsley Eileen.

Check out the new bassinets at St. Peter’s Hospital! It’s only a thing that Albany Fresh 48 newborn photographers would notice, but I love that these new ones are unscratched and let so much light shine on the baby from the windows!

Killian loved tickling his baby sister, and he couldn’t stop giggling!

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Inspired by this newborn session? Pin this graphic or any from the post above!

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.  

A Fresh 48 Hospital Newborn Session at Albany Med - Welcome Baby Oliver!

World, meet our newest Baby Planner: Oliver Cody.

This sweet baby boy arrived a few weeks ago and I was lucky enough to be invited to the hospital to capture him at only two days old during his Fresh 48 hospital newborn session at Albany Medical Center. I always love walking into these rooms to watch a new mommy & daddy cuddle their baby that only came into the world days (or sometimes hours!) ago. It really is such a magical time, and it’s always an honor to be trusted to capture these moments for the families that I work with.

Oliver is already so, so loved. All of his grandparents were at the hospital, eager to hold him and shower him in hugs, kisses, and cuddles. Just look at those proud grandparent smiles!

This baby boy had really big feet! I’m so glad we got a photo of these little stretching toes so that they can always remember what his skinny baby feet looked like! In a few months they’ll be plump and round, but for now they are the cutest little newborn feet I’ve ever seen.

Outfit change! All bundled up in his “Hello” outfit and ready to take on the world!

Right outside their hospital room was the landing pad for the medical helicopters. We could hear the whirring of the helicopters during the session, and it was so cute when Oliver looked right up at the roof as if he knew it was there, too!

Thinking of a Fresh 48 Hospital Session? Advice from a Saratoga Springs and Boston Newborn Photographer

Our Fresh 48 hospital newborn sessions are always the ones that steal my heart and make me melt into a puddle right there in the hallway of the hospital.  

These magical newborn sessions are such a treat because families invite me into their postpartum room just hours after their baby was born to celebrate their little one’s arrival with them.  I could photograph these first moments together as a family all day, every day, and never grow tired of these sessions!
 

Our Fresh 48 sessions are completely different from all of our other sessions, and if you’ve explored our website even a little bit you know that we offer three different types of newborn sessions (studio portraits, lifestyle portraits, and Fresh 48 hospital portraits).  Some families choose to do just one session, while others do two or all three!  Today’s blog post is all about our Fresh 48 sessions so that you can see if this relaxed style of storytelling is the right fit for your family.

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A Fresh 48 session is the perfect fit for your family if…

 

You are ready to embrace the unpredictability of having a baby.

Some babies arrive early, some babies arrive late, and very few babies actually arrive “on time”.  
We will pencil your due date in on the calendar a few months before the baby arrives, and I will check in with you beginning at 38 weeks.  We’ll remain in touch right up until the baby is born through quick texts or emails.  I leave enough wiggle room in my calendar during these on-call periods to drop everything and come to the hospital within 24-48 hours after the baby’s arrival for your Fresh 48 session.

But speaking of unpredictability… these sessions are RELAXED.  We truly go with the flow.  I do ask that you let the nurses know ahead of time that we’re planning to close the door to your room for an hour, but sometimes social workers come in for a moment, or your lunch gets delivered mid-session, or an alarm goes off and a nurse needs to come in to check on everything.  That’s okay!  Embrace the unpredictability and know that I will do everything possible to help you create a calm and enjoyable environment within those four walls as you get to know your little baby in front of the camera.

You want to capture siblings meeting for the first time.
 

There is nothing more magical than watching your first baby meet your second baby.  I love being there to document these moments for families as their toddler enters the room and is curious (or sometimes not so curious!) about the tiny little baby in the bassinet. 

You value natural, unposed, beautiful, real-life moments. 

These sessions are not about planning the perfect outfits, having a full face of makeup, or making sure every hair is in place.  These sessions are about EMOTION.  We freeze this instant in your lives and celebrate the beginning of this new chapter for your family.  

You’ll look back at these images and remember the weight of your baby in your hands, the feel of them cuddled up against your chest,  the moment your firstborn sang “Happy Birthday” to the baby, and that indescribable joy you felt when looking over at your husband holding your newborn.  These moments are real, raw, and ones that you will never get back.  That’s why I want to slow down time and help you relive them again and again.  

The grandparents will be traveling to town for the arrival.
 

Everyone loves coming together and celebrating a new baby’s arrival, and grandparents are often a part of these sessions!  We make sure to spend 15 minutes with the grandparents in the hospital room to capture candid grandparent portraits and three generation portraits as you all get to know the new love of your life.

You want to remember every little detail about your newborn baby.

Their wrinkly knees, the flaky fingers, that swirl of hair atop their head, and the way their tiny mouth opened into a silent yawn.  You know that these first few days will pass in a blur of appointments, feedings, and so much sleep deprivation, but you don't want to forget a thing.

Trust me to capture your perfect miracle just as they are in this moment, showcasing their tiny newborn freshness at just a few hours old.  These are some of the most important moments of your life, and they deserve to be beautifully documented for your family.

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Intrigued?  Check out this post where new moms & dads talk about why they chose to document their baby's arrival with a Fresh 48 session!

Best of 2017 Fresh 48 Hospital Newborn Sessions with Saratoga Springs & Boston Newborn Photographer

You know I love a good Fresh 48 session, and that there is nothing better than being invited into a family’s hospital room just hours after their precious new baby arrives to celebrate their growing family with them.  That’s why I am so excited to share a few of our favorite Fresh 48 images from 2017!

This year the most popular hospitals for these newborn sessions were Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, Saratoga Hospital, St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, and The Snuggery at Glens Falls Hospital. 

So many beautiful babies, magical moments, and the cutest sibling meetings unfolded in those hospital rooms, and they already have me looking forward to all of the hospital newborn sessions we have planned for 2018!

Enjoy a peek at a few of our most memorable hospital newborn 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 Beach Sessions on Cape Cod
Best of 2017 Maternity Sessions
Best of 2017 Family Sessions
Best of 2017 Brothers & Sisters: Candid and Fun Sibling Portraits

Welcome, Lillian Wynne! A Fresh 48 Session at Brigham and Women's Hospital with Boston MA Fresh 48 Photographer

Every time I get a text that says, "The baby is here!", my heart skips a beat and I get so excited to head into the hospital to celebrate this new arrival with the baby's family.

Lillian Wynne was born right on time, and this sweet baby girl was a surprise to her family, who didn't find out her gender until her arrival.  I joined them at Brigham & Women's Hospital for their Fresh 48 hospital newborn photography session in Boston. 

As we do with all of our Fresh 48 sessions, we started off with some individual portraits of Lily and plenty of detail shots of her hands, hair, and feet before moving to family portraits and meeting her big brother, James.  

This family lucked out with a large, light-filled hospital room that had two walls of windows overlooking Boston.  It was one of the best rooms I've been in at Brigham & Women's, and the light in the room that afternoon was gorgeous.  These backlit portraits against the windows are always some of my favorites during our Fresh 48 sessions!

Just look at that beautiful head of hair on sweet baby Lily!

Big brother James came to meet his baby sister for the first time, and we captured the sweetest moments of him coming to check her out in the bassinet and giving her cuddles and kisses. 

Toddlers are often unpredictable during these sessions, so we go with the flow, give them lots of encouragement, and follow their lead to make sure they are comfortable as they meet the baby who is making them a big brother or sister for the first time. 

James was clapping with a huge smile on his face in no time, and he did an amazing job!  (The cookies that his dad had as a reward might have helped just a little bit, too!)  

This is one of my favorite father-daughter portraits, and I love how tiny Lilian looks in her daddy's hands!

If you're thinking of booking a Fresh 48 session for your baby's arrival, be sure to reach out right away!  We only take on two Fresh 48 clients each month and the calendar fills up quickly.
 

Welcome Baby John! A Fresh 48 Session at Brigham and Women's Hospital with Boston Newborn Photographer

There is just something so breathtaking about the story told in our hospital newborn photo sessions.  This recent Fresh 48 session at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston is one of my favorites -- the soft light was pouring through the windows, and there was so much love surrounding this sweet baby boy as they welcomed him into their family. 

Add in a head of downy soft blonde newborn hair, and the most adorable blankets and swaddles, and this session simply stole my heart!

One of the things that makes our Fresh 48 sessions so special is that they truly document this moment for your family. 

We leave on the hospital bracelets, we embrace the tiny hospital rooms and the plastic & metal hospital furniture, and we weave that all together into the most beautiful story.  Your outfits aren't perfectly coordinated, and most moms wear a robe, yoga pants, or hospital gown.  We want to capture you just as you are, and showcase these first few hours and days with your new baby.

Without fail, our hospital newborn photo shoots always have a bed in the middle of the room and we get those rumpled white sheets in your photographs.  I love having the new parents cozy up on the narrow bed with their infant for a few family portraits, and the small space always encourages closeness and connection.

Plus, with the light pouring through those huge hospital windows, magic happens.  

You never want to forget these first moments getting to know your son or daughter.  A cell phone photo simply cannot do your family's legacy justice.  Have you booked your Fresh 48 photographer yet?  

Welcome Teagan Rylee | A Fresh 48 Session at Saratoga Hospital | Saratoga Springs Newborn Photographer

Do you remember the day you met your sibling for the first time?  Do you remember walking into the hospital room, running over to your mother, and peering at that tiny bundle in her arms?  

One of my latest Fresh 48 clients told me right away that they wanted to capture the moment their oldest two daughters met their baby sister for the first time.  They wanted to see their reactions, watch the three girls together, and relive those moments from the day their family became 5 for the rest of their lives.

And you know what?  It was pure magic that unfolded in that hospital room at Saratoga Hospital for this Fresh 48 newborn session.  

These big sisters were so in love with their new sister, Teagan Rylee.  They couldn't give her enough hugs and kisses, loving on her from Day 1.  They wanted to know everything about their new baby -- why is she sleeping?  Where are her fingers?  What's that bracelet for?  What color is her hair?  These girls soaked it all up, and it was such a beautiful moment!

I am always so grateful to be invited into a family's life to capture the moments they welcome their new baby to their family.  I love just stepping back and taking it all in.  

The bassinet is one of my favorite things in a postpartum hospital room.  It so classically tells the story of your baby's arrival, and of so many babies around the world.  It's the first bed your baby will sleep in, and those flannel receiving blankets with the pink and blue stripes are the perfect accent to show the beginning of your baby's story in the hospital.  The transparent walls of the bassinet are perfect to let in lots of light while framing your perfect little bundle of joy just so, and the information tags with name & weight are just another little part of your story.  

Of course these proud big sisters wanted to help take care of their new baby, and I'm sure the oldest will remember helping with that first diaper change as she sees these images in their album years from now. 

Like all little/middle sisters, it took her awhile to warm up to her new baby, but once she decided that she was interested in this tiny little bundle, we couldn't tear her away from the bassinet!  She proudly wore her "Big Sister" sticker that the nurses dropped off during their session, and even wanted to share one with the baby.

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Did you know that we only take on 2 Fresh 48 sessions each month to give our clients the time & attention that they deserve while being "on call" for their baby's arrival?  We're now booking Fresh 48 sessions through March of 2018, and I would love to welcome your baby with your family!  Click to read more about these unique hospital sessions.

Welcome Willem Todd - A Fresh 48 Newborn Session at Glens Falls Hospital | New York Newborn Photographer

Fresh 48 sessions steal my heart every single time!  I love being invited into the hospital to visit a family as they grow +1, and meeting their newborn babies at only a few hours old is such an honor.  

Those few days in the hospital after your baby's arrival pass in such a blur, and we slow down time for an hour.  We close the door and capture your precious new arrival and your sweet family just as you are in this moment -- messy hair, hospital blankets, and a collection of food & drinks on the hospital table.  This is your family, right now, right here.  

Just 24 hours ago that beautiful baby was inside of you, and now here he is.  Smiling, grasping your finger, nursing, and crying.  

World, meet Willem Todd.

This handsome baby boy is so perfect, and so loved.  His parents couldn't stop staring at him.  They gave him all of the best cuddles, and his proud papa loved taking photos on his cell phone to send to family overseas.

Willem's mama was born at the same hospital as him.  The maternity ward at Glens Falls Hospital is called "The Snuggery," and years ago when Amy was born she received this little T-shirt.  Her mother kept it all these years, and we put it on Amy's son to celebrate his arrival at the same hospital his mother was born at!

They bought the cutest "Hello, my name is Willem" onesie to share the news of his arrival with family and friends, and they waited to post online until I gave them their first sneak peek 24 hours later.  This was the first portrait that friends & family enjoyed of their sweet baby boy on social media -- isn't he perfect?!?!  That little mohawk just melts my heart!

Depending on the season, we only book 1-2 Fresh 48 sessions per month since we need to allow plenty of flexibility on the calendar for your baby's unpredictable arrival.  Do you think this could be the right fit for you?  Let's chat!

A Fresh 48 Hospital Newborn Session: Camilla Appel

Sometimes families like to enjoy a few quiet moments alone as they welcome their baby to the world.  We close the door for a little while.  The new parents cuddle up with that sweet little baby, and it's just the three of them in their own little blissful world. 

Other times, families like to invite their loved ones in to the hospital to meet their newborn baby during their Fresh 48 photo session.  Grandma and Grandpa come in bearing gifts, more grandparents fly in from out of state and come from the airport straight to the hospital, and the new mom's sister is a proud new aunt, beaming at the sight of her first niece.  Hugs are shared, happy tears are shed, and the baby is passed around while whispers of "Ohhhh, she's perfect!" float through the hospital room.

Less than 24 hours old, Camilla was passed from one pair of loving arms to another, soaking up the smiles and adoration as two families came together to meet their granddaughter and niece.  

This one right here?  It's one of my favorite photos from Camilla's session.  Three generations of incredible women, a beautiful moment contained in a small rectangle of space.  The way that the mother (a brand new grandmother!) is looking right at the camera with her girls all around her is so beautiful.  She did that.  Because of her, they are all in this world to light up HER world.  It's a true example of surrounding yourself with the people that you love.  THESE are the stories that photographers love to tell through their cameras!

Fresh 48s have become my absolute favorite type of session this year, and it's easy to see why.  Going through the images from Amelia & Michael's hospital newborn session truly transports you to that June day in their hospital room, making you feel like you were right there celebrating with them as they welcomed their daughter to the world.  There is so much emotion woven into such a beautiful story, and capturing these moments during such an intimate time in a family's life is always an honor.

Happy Birth Day, baby girl!  You are already so, so loved.  

Have you been dreaming of your little one's arrival?  A hospital newborn session is the perfect way to document their arrival and celebrate the newest addition to your family.  Contact me and let's chat about how this type of relaxed, lifestyle newborn session may be a good fit for your family!

A special thank you to Jamie of Koss Photography for her assistance with this session.  

A Timeless Fresh 48 Hospital Newborn Session: Addison Olivia

This is the Fresh 48 hospital newborn session that spanned four states.  

No, really!  FOUR STATES.  Let me explain...  It started in Massachusetts, when I left my then-home, driving all the way up to Lebanon, New Hampshire to meet this sweet little family at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.  They drove to the hospital all the way from Rutland, Vermont to deliver their baby girl.  After their session, I drove down to Saratoga Springs, New York to sign papers with my husband and celebrate the purchase our first home!  It was a busy, busy day and so full of celebration.  

I am excited to finally share this baby girl's session on the blog today!  With everything that has been going on with moving our lives and my business to a new state, I can't even believe that it has taken this long to blog this sweet girl's session.  Many apologies for the delay, but here she is.

Beautiful, perfect, tiny little Addison Olivia.

I simply adored this family.  They were the absolute sweetest, welcoming me into their lives and inviting me into their hospital room for a newborn session to celebrate their baby girl's arrival.  We chatted, laughed, snuggled up with the baby, and created so many beautiful memories together.  

This session was so important to them, and they truly wanted to capture Addison's arrival into their lives by documenting these moments and preserving them with keepsakes for their family to pass down to her one day.  

It really stuck with me when they told me that they opted not to receive a 3D ultrasound because they wanted to save some element of surprise for her arrival.  They knew her gender, they knew her exact due date, and they knew her name.  But they wanted to get to know her and see what she looked like face-to-face, rather than with a 3D ultrasound.  So they asked me to join them for a Fresh 48 session at the hospital to capture those moments when they got to know their little girl for the first time.  I just love watching them get to know their daughter & sister, memorizing every detail and soaking up her newness.   Welcome to your family, Addison.

Welcoming new life is such a magical experience, and watching big sister Hailey with her baby sister was just that.  Pure magic.  Hailey's mom asked her to sing a lullaby to her sister, and she stood over her bassinet and let the soft melody wash over everyone in the room.  We were all completely mesmerized by the moment that unfolded between these two sisters. 

One of the things that I love doing while editing my Fresh 48 sessions is editing a handful of photos in black & white.  These sessions are filled with so many emotions, and sometimes color can compete with the emotions in your photographs.  When you convert the image to a clean B&W, all of the focus is on the powerful emotion, the story, the love.

Welcome Baby Frankie: A Fresh 48 Hospital Newborn Session

Frank Peter
January 20, 2016

This little boy is already so, so loved.  Baby Frankie (named after his father) arrived on a chilly winter day, and his big sisters rushed to the hospital to shower him in kisses and to visit with mom and dad.  

Although their postpartum room in the hospital was bustling with activity, there was an intense calm that surrounded the family as they "oooohh-ed" and "aaaahh-ed" over their newest addition while the most magical light came streaming through the windows. 

I just love the LOVE captured in these moments.  The way the new mom watches her oldest daughter while she meets her baby brother?  Oh my goodness, it melts my heart!  This has got to be one of my favorite stories I have ever captured on camera.

It is such an amazing moment, welcoming a new baby and slowing it all down to meet your new little brother.  You've waited a very long time for this moment, and it is truly magical to hold that little boy in your arms and know that he is all yours.

It took Little Sister a little while to warm up to the new baby, but surrounded by the ones that love her the most, she was definitely intrigued enough to cozy up close and meet this new member of her family.

Watching this family of 5 bask in the happiness and love that comes with their baby's arrival was truly magical.  They are just the sweetest and I had such a wonderful time getting to know them as they celebrated this huge milestone in their family's story.  

Thank you so much, B family, for inviting me into your lives to capture this story for you.  You will truly treasure these moments for the rest of your lives.

And of course, tiny baby yawns and teeny baby toes are my favorite details to capture.  Baby Frankie was no exception, and he makes yawns and toes look oh-so-adorable.  Such a sweetheart!