Kirsten & Dave: An Anniversary Session in the Outer Banks

This summer I fell in love with the Outer Banks.  Specifically, Hatteras Island and the little village of Avon.  

In July my husband and I went on vacation with his sister and her husband.  They happened to be celebrating their five-year anniversary, so of course that was the perfect opportunity for us to plan a sunset session at the Avon Pier!  I mean, just look at that pier.  Who wouldn't want to shoot there?!?!

Kirsten and I were roommates, and we first met 8 years ago when we started sharing an apartment in the Boston area with a few other girls.  The four of us quickly came to call ourselves the "Stepford wives" because we all loved baking, family dinners, house decorating, hosting, and wine nights at home.  Now we joke that I was Kirsten's wife long before I ever married her brother, Jeff.  ;o)  

But back to Kirsten & Dave.  Kirsten & Dave are the absolute sweetest couple, and they are so perfect together.  At one point in the evening I commented how natural they were in front of the camera, and she told me, "Of course!  Tell me to make out with my husband and we're all good!"  They cuddled up together, told jokes, and just made it an easy and relaxing evening for the four of us at the beach.

Jeff was there, too, and he definitely photobombed us a time or two while taking his job as assistant/camera gear pack-mule very seriously.

When I told Kirsten I had the perfect dress for her session, I was thrilled that she was as excited as I was to try out a few styles of this infinity wrap dress.  The color was perfect with the sand & surf, and it looked amazing on her.  I am officially hooked on the classic style that a long gown gives to any session, and you will definitely be seeing more dresses like this in our sessions!

Happy 5 years, Kirsten & Dave!  Thanks for an incredible vacation together!

Breastfeeding Babies with Down Syndrome | Saratoga Springs and Boston Baby Photographer

Sometimes the stars align and you find yourself exactly where you were supposed to be, surrounded by people that are going to inspire you & change you.

That is exactly what happened when Ella Gray Cullen, the founder of the nonprofit Julia's Way, contacted me and together we organized this session on the beach with 10 strong mamas and 10 warrior babies.  

But here's the catch -- all of these babies rock an extra chromosome and happen to have Down syndrome, and we gathered on the beach to celebrate their journeys in nursing and their mamas' journeys in breastfeeding.

I loved every minute of this evening together -- cuddling the cutest babies, hearing their stories, and laughing together as the babies were just being their sweet little selves!  

From Ella Gray Cullen, enjoy a little peek into the heart behind the photo session that has since begun to inspire a movement to help others reimagine life with Down syndrome, and check out her full blog post here.....

"I was disheartened by hearing from women who had been told that their babies likely wouldn't nurse. Some were told by their doctors or other medical professionals that they shouldn't even bother. My breastfeeding relationship with my daughter is one of the greatest treasures I have and I felt sad to hear women say they felt they couldn't have that just because their child had Down syndrome.

Many, if not most, babies with DS can breastfeed and for those that can, and whose mothers would like to do it, the benefits are immeasurable. Feeding your child is always a personal choice, but some of these women didn't have a choice because of their medical professionals. Somehow, my vision of posting a photo of myself nursing my daughter on my personal Facebook page to create awareness spawned a non-profit dedicated to reimagining life with Down syndrome and suddenly we had 10 women who volunteered their time.

These women nursed their babies and children despite challenges most people could never have imagined including months' long NICU stays, heart failure, open heart surgery, pulmonary hypertension, duodenal atresia, leukemia, prematurity, and hypothyroidism. These women came together to give a gift to new and expectant moms, something many of them feel that they didn't have enough of: encouragement from real moms, like themselves, who struggled through the early and difficult days and eventually met success, usually when they least expected it. We want to say you can do it! We are here cheering you on! and go, mama, go! "

You know the most amazing thing that has come out of this evening on the beach?  

It's not that the story has started going viral online, but it's the reaction that so many mamas have had to our posts.  The comment sections have been filled with mothers sharing their own personal journeys, telling us about their little ones with Down syndrome, and giving a glimpse into their breastfeeding journey.  What we love the most is hearing other mothers tell us that they are advocating for their little ones and doing everything possible to open a whole world of possibilities for their babies.  Keep it up, mamas!  You're doing an amazing job!

A huge thank you for all of the shares on our posts, including:
La Leche League USA
Love What Matters
PopSugar Moms
Hanover Wicked Local

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JULIAS WAY has big plans to continue the momentum we've gained from the shoot, and part of this advocacy involves an informational video, publishing a book, and spreading the word in medical offices across the country.  Please consider donating to support this cause!

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What to Wear for your Beach Family Portraits | Cape Cod Family Photographer

The 4th of July means that summer is officially in full swing!  I am looking forward to spending some time on Cape Cod later this month, where I can't wait to get together with so many families for their family portrait sessions!  But of course, there is always that one popular question...

What should we wear for our photoshoot on the beach?

Since our Spring Wardrobe blog post was such a hit, I've decided to share some wardrobe inspiration for your beach session this summer!  Enjoy lots of visual inspiration, plus a couple of simple tips to make choosing outfits for your family session a breeze!

Keep it simple.  

Choose 2 colors plus a neutral and weave those into everyone's outfits.  Above you'll see that light blue, navy, and white pull all of the outfits together!

You can't go wrong with stripes.

I am a huge fan of stripes for our Salt Air sessions on the beach, and I love how classic and New England-y (we're just going to pretend that's a word!) they look.  When choosing stripes, choose ones that have only 2 colors so that the pattern isn't too busy and distracting -- white & blue are so classic!

Enjoy a little pop of color!

Teal & coral go really well together, and they are such eye-catching summer colors that are perfect for a photo session in the warmer months.  Tie the outfits together even more with matching accessories -- a coral bowtie on the baby, or a hat with a teal band on dad.

Leave the jeans at home.

At the beach, you want to lighten up and relax.  Heavy and dark jeans just don't make sense in such a relaxed and airy setting.  Choose lightweight fabrics (khaki, linen, cotton) rather than heavier ones.  Shorts are great, too!

Glam it up!

If you really want to make it a special experience, check out Rainey's Closet for your daughter (we have an entire post about this incredible rental service for little girls' dresses).  For your own dress, Rent the Runway has fabulous options, and you can also purchase beautiful dresses on Lulu's and even Amazon -- yay for 2-day shipping!  I have a growing collection of gowns in the studio as well -- ask me about it, and I'm happy to bring a dress or two for you to borrow!

Choose colors that complement your home decor.

These portraits are going to be proudly displayed on the walls of your home.  Make sure you keep your colors in mind as you plan your wardrobe so that they flow seamlessly into your decorating, enhancing the space rather than looking out of place!

Now, wasn't that easy?  Comment below and tell me what's your family's favorite activity to do on the beach!  

Salt Air Sessions: Cape Cod Family Photographer

Memorial Day Weekend always signals the start of summer -- longer days, warmer weather, ice cream trucks, sprinklers, and counting down the days until summer vacation!

Looking ahead at the calendar, I am already planning a few weeks spent enjoying the lazy days of summer on Cape Cod.  This year I am excited to offer exclusive dates for our Salt Air Sessions filled with lots of seaside memories.

There are so many gorgeous beaches on the Cape -- let's make some memories together at your favorite beach!  These are perfect for milestone portraits, first birthdays, immediate family, grandparents, or extended family.  

If you don't have a beach in mind, leave it up to me!  I've been enjoying summers on the Cape for more than 20 years and have so many favorite locations that would be perfect for a fun & playful session with your family.

Your salt air session will include a pre-consultation, a one-hour session at the beach, a sneak peek on social media, and a gallery reveal appointment where we will go through all of the images from your session to create artwork for your home!  Your session will also include two 8x10 fine art prints!

Dates are filling up quickly!  At the time this post was published, these are the remaining dates for our salt air sessions this summer:
June 20, 21
July 26, 27, 28
August 8, 9, 10, 11

Ready to plan your family portrait session?  Let's chat!  These will fill up on a first come, first serve basis, and I'd love to save a date for your family.

**All beach sessions begin at 7pm to catch that perfect golden sunset, and it is best that you reserve two evenings in a row so that we have a rain date available in case the weather does not cooperate.**