Our 2024 Client Appreciation Event: Gorgeous Motherhood Portraits with Spring Florals

This summer, I’ll be celebrating 12 years of running Nicole Starr Photography - and the last 8 of those years have been here in New York. None of the last 12 years would have been possible without my incredible clients. The last few years, I’ve held a Client Appreciation Event in my Saratoga Springs studio because each of my clients is worth celebrating. I want each and every one of them to know how deeply I appreciate them. Being their chosen family and newborn photographer is a gift - not just because I get to do what I love, but because I genuinely enjoy working with each of them and building relationships as we see each other over the years. Watching their children grow and being able to document more special memories is something I will never take for granted.

My Client Appreciation Event really started as a way to celebrate and thank the mamas. I wanted to thank them for choosing me but also, I wanted to pamper them! As mamas, we’re often the last one to be taken care of or spoiled. Thus, this event was born. My mamas are invited to my studio for motherhood sessions. The #1 goal is for them to feel pampered, loved, and update portraits with their little ones, creating artwork I hope they will treasure forever. It’s so much fun! We have a hair stylist at the studio and they have full access to my Mama Wardrobe to choose a beautiful dress to wear for their portraits. On top of that, they get to leave with an incredible swag bag filled with goodies from local businesses I love! 

While I always document families with their babies when they come in for newborn or milestone sessions, I think it’s important for these mamas to have a chance to be photographed with their babies. It’s special to see them shine with their little ones. I know as a mama myself, we’re always behind the camera, and so rarely in photos with our little ones. But these are the photos that our kids are going to want to look back on when they are grown, and they are the ones that tug at our own mama hearts now and many years from now. My favorite photos in our home are the ones with my babies, and I will cherish them for many, many years. I hope these mamas do, too. These portraits are super special to me and I hope that my clients love them as much as I love making them possible! 

I just want to give a huge shout out of thanks to all of the amazing Saratoga Springs vendors who made this year’s Client Appreciation Event possible with their contributions to our setup or goodie bags for our mamas! Without them, I would not have been able to celebrate and spoil the families who support my small business every day. 

Make sure you check out these amazing businesses! 

Samantha Nass Floral Design
Jessica Lee, A Saratoga Stylist of LaLume Salon
Simply Stated NY
Cookie-tastic
Slice of Saratoga
Advanced Dentistry of Clifton Park - Dr. Katie Tonkin
House of Colour Saratoga Springs
Fit4Mom Queensbury-Saratoga Springs
Glampover Events
The Hair Fairy at Hive Salon
Festivefetti

Thank you again to every business that contributed - and to every client that has worked with me in the last 12 years. I literally couldn’t do this without you! Enjoy a peek into our Client Appreciation motherhood portraits this year! 

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Classic newborn & family portraits in our saratoga springs portrait studio

Welcome to the neighborhood, Kiran! Another beautiful baby was born in our neighborhood this year. We’re now up to SIX babies born within the neighborhood in the last year. I love that these little ones are going to grow up together. This newborn session was also special to me because I photographed Kiran’s big brother’s newborn portraits in 2019, too.

I loved seeing Ravi as a big brother. He was soooo excited and 100% into cuddling up with Kiran and taking pictures of the two of them together. We got the cutest sibling portraits! Amy and Raj also loved watching their boys together. I had a wonderful time catching up and hearing how the adjustment from three to four has been going for this sweet family.

For Kiran’s newborn portraits, we chose a classic setup and color palette featuring white and ivory setups and blue accents. Kiran looked so sweet nestled into all of the blankets and wraps during our portraits. He’s so precious and I adored the chance to meet him in my studio! Congratulations to this sweet family. I can’t wait to watch Kiran (and Ravi!) grow up!

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A Tour of Our Brand New Portrait Studio in Saratoga Springs

Ahhhhh, I am so excited to share this with all of you! Welcome to my new baby portrait studio in Saratoga Springs!

I have had a home studio since 2015 when we lived in a tiny little apartment in Boston. That was the year I decided to leave my full-time teaching job to focus solely on my business. Back then we turned our living room into a full-time studio and I crammed way too many props into that itty bitty space. I look back at photos of that first studio now and think, “Really?!?! How did we do that?!”

But the space didn’t matter and my clients were happy, which is all that really mattered!

Then we moved to Saratoga Springs in 2016 and I had a larger, separate studio space in our basement. It worked great for what I needed, but it still had its limitations and things that wish I could change in an ideal world. However, moving a fireplace and getting rid of necessary doorways wasn’t in the cards for our starter home, so I made it work the very best I could and it was a wonderful space where I welcomed so many babies and families over those 4 years!

Then in October 2020 we moved into our dream home in Saratoga Springs, and that home has my DREAM STUDIO SPACE!!! When we first toured the house I realized that the huge basement had so many possibilities for a portrait studio in terms of layout, shooting space, and prop storage. There is a lot more wall space, which is perfect for backdrops and displaying samples, plus the drop ceilings are my favorite way to hang props and garlands for a 3D effect in our cake smash setups.

Everything about the space is truly a dream come true.

When we moved in we had to give the entire space a facelift. It had green walls and red vinyl flooring, which we tore out the very first night we bought the house. We spent 1.5 weeks painting and installing new flooring, and setting everything up just so before my holiday sessions in early November. It was crazy how quickly we were able to get it done, and the transformation in such a short period of time was truly mind-blowing!

Now a few months later I have put the finishing touches on most of the studio space. There are a few more changes and additions I will be doing this winter, but when I look at the studio now I still can’t believe it’s mine. All of these years of hard work, all of these years of pinning studio inspiration photos and saving beautiful studio posts on Facebook, and I have pulled it all together and brought it to life in my very own home. I am truly grateful and still in disbelief that it’s mine!

Without further adieu, welcome to the new home of Nicole Starr Photography, my boutique portrait studio in Saratoga Springs, New York!

The studio is filled with wraps, handmade outfits, and tiny headbands and hats for your newborn session. This is the posing bed where we photograph your newborn baby, and when you arrive at the studio you are able to choose your favorite layers, wraps, and headbands for your little one’s portraits.

All of my props are natural textures and colors, and I favor wood, whitewashed wood, natural fibers, and woven baskets for truly classic and clean portraits. Learn more about why I love neutrals for baby portraits here!

I have also amassed quite the studio wardrobe filled with adorable little outfits for babies and toddlers, and stunning dresses for mamas!

And yes, I have more cake stands than most professional bakers! Perfect for our cake smash sessions!

My ultimate goal is to make the studio a welcoming place for every family that walks through the door. That is why we have a comfy couch to relax on. A changing pad to make diaper changes a little easier for you. An allergy-friendly and kid-friendly snack cart. Coffee and tea. A toy corner to entertain toddler siblings during newborn sessions. I want you to be able to sit back, relax, and let me take care of you so you do not have to worry about a thing while you are in the studio. Just enjoy the experience!

This is the “white room,” my main shooting area. We do most family portraits here, as well as baby portraits!

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into our studio, and I hope you’ll visit in person sometime soon! Be sure to reach out to plan your session a few months in advance since the calendar does fill up quickly!

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Lots of Cozy Cuddles during Aiden's Studio Newborn Session

Now that the temperature is dropping, I’m excited for lots of cozy newborn sessions in the studio! Tiny little Aiden was an absolute dream and he slept through his entire newborn session, letting us fit in parent shots and so many individual set-ups without making a peep!

During every newborn session, I always love to start with a few wrapped shots of the baby in a simple white & cream set. The baby is the star of the show, and white is so clean and classic. Plus we can transition him into a few new poses without moving him!

I mean, can you even deal with the cuteness here?!?!?! Look at how he kept his hands under his chin like that when I unwrapped him!

I have so many tiny handknit outfits, and Aiden rocked this gray sweater onesie during his portraits. Doesn’t he look so cozy all cuddled up on his back?

I can never resist a baby toes shot!

Quinn's Neutral Newborn Session at our Saratoga Springs Portrait Studio - Saratoga Springs NY Newborn Photographer

Ohhhhhh my goodness!  Quinn Madlina officially melted my heart during her newborn session.  Please bring me all of your cute, cuddly, smiley little babies!

I just loved photographing this sweet baby girl.  She was so calm and peaceful the entire session, and such a beauty, too!  I don't think I've ever seen a baby with more perfect lips than Quinn, and those dark curls just framed her face perfectly!

I always tell families that if they have a special family heirloom they'd like to incorporate into their newborn session, to bring it along with them.  Quinn's mother told me she still had the newborn blanket that was made for her when she was a baby, and I was thrilled when she pulled this beautiful handmade pink & white blanket from her diaper bag.  Quinn was a fan, too!

I've been having so much fun incorporating our new chunky knit layers into our newborn sessions at the studio lately, and I just love how these soft textures complemented Quinn's beautiful complexion.  Doesn't she look amazing against cream fabrics?!?!  Such a beauty!

Grandma joined us at the studio for their newborn session, and I always love it when grandparents jump in for a three generation portrait and a few individuals with their new grandbaby.  She was absolutely beaming while holding her new granddaughter, and I can already tell that she is going to have so many wonderful adventures with this sweet baby girl.  

Did you know that the best time to book your newborn session is in the second trimester?  But don't worry, sometimes we're able to fit in an appointment at the last minute, too!  Be sure to reach out right away to save a date on the calendar for your little one -- sessions are best done within the first two weeks of their arrival!

A White & Cream Newborn Session with Matthew | Saratoga Springs Newborn Photographer

Ohhhhh, sweet Matthew.  There is nothing I love more than a brand new baby, all squishy & soft against a simple, clean white backdrop.

It's always an honor when a family invites me into their lives to capture their newborn baby's portraits.  What makes it even better is when they come back to me later on with Baby #2.  I first met this sweet family when their first son was born.  (Check out big brother Joey's newborn session here!)  Then when they told me that Baby #2 wouldn't be far behind, I was thrilled to plan their next session with them!

One of the things that left me awe-struck was just how much big brother Joey and baby brother Matthew look like each other.  Heads full of dark, soft newborn hair.  The same eyes and tiny little chins.  They are so adorable and handsome, all rolled up into such a tiny bundle!

One of the (many) amazing things about working with families who return to the studio with each baby is witnessing the tiny changes that only I would notice in their family & parent images.  The way that their expressions change from surprise/awe/wonder with the first baby, and settle into an easier, contented joy with the second baby.  You can see it in the way they relax their eyes, their face, their shoulders.  In the way that they are 1,000% more comfortable and natural holding the baby the second time around.  It's like, "Yeah, we're parents now.  We've done this before.  We've got this!"  I love watching that transition!

There is just so much love in these family portraits, and it's multiplied when we bring big brother in to get to know his baby brother!  Family portraits with a toddler and newborn are always tricky, but so, so worth it!

A Sparkly Simple Studio Session in our Saratoga Springs Portrait Studio

As we move further into 2017, I love that my style is evolving to include even more soft, airy & whimsical session designs.  Give me all of the creams, whites, blush pinks, florals, flowing fabrics, chiffon, and a little bit of sparkle and I am one happy photographer.  Add in an adorable baby and a twirling little girl, and it's pure bliss here in our Saratoga Springs portrait studio.

When Kahini and Aarnya joined me for their spring portraits here at the studio, I was thrilled to use a few of our sparkly dresses & rompers from the studio wardrobe collection, as well as these beautiful new headbands from Sweet Ivie.  

If you have not heard of Sweet Ivie yet, you must check them out!  The owner of this Etsy boutique lovingly creates the most beautiful felt flower headbands I have ever seen.  Each one has the perfect combination of colors, and they are so wonderfully made that they will quickly become a favorite for special occasions and day-to-day hair accessories for your little girl.  Plus, the nylon headband is super comfy and will stay put on your little one's head without sliding off, and it's stretchy enough to fit all sizes and ages!  Seriously, I kind of want to start wearing their headbands...   ;o)  

Look at that sweet little twirl!  Kahini looks like a flamenco dancer with the swirl of her skirt and a flower in her hand, don't you think?  

While baby sister Aarnya was a little unsure of the camera, we found a few songs and snacks to keep this little girl happy during the session.  You never know how your baby will react during their portrait session, and I always suggest parents come prepared with an easy snack (puffs, cheerios, a bottle) and a favorite song ready to go on their phone.  It does the trick every time to keep babies in a happy mood as they get used to their new space!

We are now booking springtime sessions at our Saratoga Spring boutique portrait studio.  The studio is fully stocked with dresses, rompers, diaper covers, headbands, backdrops, and adorable little props to complement your little one's session while not overpowering the star of the show -- your child!  Contact me today at hello@nicolestarrphotography.com and let's plan your session!