Celebrating a 5th anniversary with fall family portraits in Congress Park - Saratoga Springs family photographer

Emily and Chris came up to Saratoga from Brooklyn to celebrate their fifth anniversary and brought along their sweet baby boy, Bennett. Bennett is already 4 months old and was so adorable our entire session! Their portrait session coincided with the last week of Emily’s maternity leave, and they wanted to celebrate all the things that had been going on recently for their little family, and slow down time with some gorgeous family portraits.

We met up for their family portraits in Congress Park in downtown Saratoga Springs. It’s one of my all-time favorite spots in Saratoga Spring! The day of our session, we had the coziest green colors throughout the park and it was a little grey… but honestly, it worked for the vibe of Emily, Chris and Bennett’s outfits. 

Speaking of… I love the outfits that Emily planned for everyone! The matching cable knit sweaters on Chris and Bennett were too cute. Her dress gave off the perfect fall vibes, and her loose waves were gorgeous on camera (and in person!). I love that she chose a beautiful patterned dress and the boys had more solid colors - everything looked amazing together on camera! The fall weather also led to lots of cuddles with Bennett, which was super sweet. 

I hope that Emily and Chris will always look back on these portraits with fondness and that they captured this special time for this beautiful family! 

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A Generational Family Portrait Session in Saratoga Springs

I’ve photographed this family many times since Elliana was born, and we’ve now done generational portraits for both the mom’s side of the family & the dad’s side of the family, too! It is beyond special to document a family over and over, but also to be able to capture portraits of three generations together. This year’s session with Nicole’s dad and his wife took place in Saratoga Springs. We had the dreamiest light and I couldn’t be more pleased with how their generational family portrait session went. 

I absolutely loved capturing this session. Elliana and Colton’s grandparents are SO much fun and absolutely wonderful to be around. It’s clear they all have a good time when they’re together. We had lots of laughs together and the sweet and playful bond they share with their grandchildren is very apparent. Elliana and Colton loved the chance to show off their grandparents to me - and I loved capturing new portraits of the two of them, too. They’re growing so quickly! 

I am confident that everyone is going to love the heirloom album that we created from their session, and I hope they spend many hours flipping through the pages on the couch with Elli and Colton! It makes me happy to know that these portraits will be enjoyed for many years. I truly believe generational portraits are simply the best!!

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Light and airy fall family portraits with Saratoga Springs family photographer

I absolutely adored working with Lauren, Will, Charlotte, and Harrison! This was such a fun session, because it took place in one of my favorite new spots in Saratoga Springs. This little spot is just perfect with gorgeous golden light streaming through the trees before sunset. It resulted in the most glowing light for this sweet family - and how amazing do their outfits look?! 

With family sessions, you never quite know what’s going to happen with the little ones. But Lauren and Will’s kids are so sweet. Harrison loved the camera and he gave us so many adorable smiles. Charlotte enjoyed the great open field to run around and loved playing games and snuggling with her little brother. We captured some truly beautiful portraits of them and their growing personalities. 

My secret weapon for getting toddlers excited this fall has been using little squeakers like the kind that go inside of dog toys. I buy them these clear plastic squeakers in bulk, and they fit perfectly in little hands without being seen in photographs. Plus, kids have fun squeaking them and tucking them into their shoes to make them squeak while walking. This was a hit with Charlotte and really got her engaged in the session! It was so fun - and I love the natural smiles we got.

Lauren, Will, Charlotte, and Harrison: thank you so much for a beautiful session. I adored working with you all and had a great time making you laugh! You’re all so sweet and this was definitely the perfect fall portrait session! 

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Simple and candid family portraits in our Saratoga Springs studio

Lyndsay, Niral, and Ari come to me every year to capture portraits around his birthday. It’s hard to believe that Ari is already 4! It seems like I just met this beautiful family yesterday.  Lyndsay and Niral love documenting their sweet boy’s personality and celebrating each new stage as a family, and I always adore our sessions together. Whenever they leave my studio, my heart feels so full and I feel beyond grateful for another session together. 

We’ve done sessions in gardens and fields, pathways and parks, but it had been awhile since we had done family portraits in the studio. So when the endless rain wasn’t working in our favor this fall, Lyndsay sent me some photo inspiration and told me she wanted really candid, simple portraits with minimal color. Basically like our Little Loves portraits, but for the whole family. I was absolutely on board with the idea. If you’ve been around at all, you know that I believe less is more when it comes to portraits - whether it’s your baby’s milestone photos or family photos in the studio. 

Lyndsay, Niral and Ari kept their outfits very minimal so the focus would be on their interactions with each other, and on Ari’s adorable expressions. I feel like they were definitely channeling a 90s vibe with the matching white button downs and jeans, and it looked amazing on them! Simple and sweet, and it totally works to show their personalities here. Sometimes the simplest ideas really do pay off. 

Lyndsay, Niral, and Ari: thank you for letting me capture another beautiful session for you. I am so grateful to get to work with you year after year and watch Ari grow up! I’m already counting down to next fall!! 

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Spring family portraits with Saratoga Springs Photographer

Katie and Zach are the sweetest parents. I’ve loved getting to know them over the last few years as their boys Carter and Bennett have grown up. I’ve had the joy of photographing these brothers for their milestones in my studio over the last two years and each session is better than the last. There’s some real magic that happens when a family trusts you as much as Katie and Zach trust me. 

All of my cake smash sessions include time for updating family portraits. We were all so excited about the blossoms on the stress in my favorite spot in Saratoga Springs. It’s such a short-lived season here in Saratoga, and it’s my absolute favorite time of year to photograph families.These pink blossoms just lend themselves so well to soft pastel colors in the spring! 

Katie and Zach dressed the boys in super cute blue, green and pink colors. They worked perfectly in the park! You can never go wrong with blue and white, and chambray is one of my favorite fabrics for spring and summer. You always want to aim for a mix of patterns and solids, but keep in mind not to have too many people in patterns or the outfits will be visually competing for your eye, and you won’t be able to focus on the happy subjects. Katie and Zach did a wonderful job of balancing out the patterns and solid colors for their portraits. I’m just in love with the final images! 

Katie and Zach, thank you for trusting me to capture your sweet boys again! I absolutely adore working with all of you. 

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Spring family portraits in Congress Park with Saratoga Springs family photographer

During each cake smash session I do, one of my favorite parts of the session is family portraits we make time for. It’s important to me that every family has updated portraits as their little one grows up, so we make time before the baby gets messy to pop outside or down the street for new portraits as a family. Jordan’s family decided to use Congress Park for their family portraits! 

Jordan and his family were in the studio for his cake smash to celebrate his first birthday! He brought his parents and big brothers, Jacob and Jonas, along to Congress Park. We were in luck, because Congress Park always has such beautiful blooms in the spring. The blossoms on the trees are always my favorite part of spring! As usual, the boys’ mom absolutely nailed their outfits - leaning into a gorgeous blue and white palette. All of the boys looked adorable and I loved watching them help Jordan walk through the park! 

I’m so happy that we had the chance to update their family portraits because I’ve been working with this family for many years now. They have been coming to me ever since their oldest was born! This was their last session in Saratoga Springs, and they are moving to a new state this summer. I’ll miss them terribly! It makes these gorgeous spring photos in Congress Park even more special for me - and for them. 

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Capture us happy: family portraits in our Saratoga Springs Studio

When Jen first reached out to me, she was nervous about how her toddler would behave during their session. The last time she tried to do a session with another photographer, they were not able to capture many portraits that she loved and her little one wasn’t in the mood to cooperate. I reassured her that this time, we would take our sweet time and let her daughter warm up to me & the studio, play games, and have lots of fun together. The thing that this mother wanted most was to “capture us happy.” We did just that.

I asked them all about Julianne’s interests and favorite things ahead of time, and had a few toys in the studio that I knew would capture her attention and motivate her to participate. From the moment she entered, she was eager to participate. As a mom of two littles myself, a former teacher, and a photographer of many years, I know how important this prep work is to help make sure little ones stay happy and engaged in the studio.

Julianne wowed her parents with how she sat right in the chair and giggled and smiled for me. She was so adorable, and wanted me to see her unicorn necklace in a few photos. We were careful with transitions, bringing mom and dad into the portraits when she was ready and giving her some say in everything because as we all know, toddlers like to be in charge!

With some patience and practice, we captured the cutest cuddles with mom and dad, and my squeaky toys were a big hit – they even found their way into a couple of photos! I was able to edit them out of a few images, but we left them in others because it’s part of the memory of their session and it’s what made her smile the most. Julianne did a phenomenal job, and really had a lot of fun. The whole time I kept “capture us happy” in mind, and I think we really managed to do that. In the end, Jen and Josh loved the gallery and we printed their favorites as an heirloom album so that they can relive these moments again and again with their little girl.

I’m so happy that we met our goal together - and had a great time doing so! As a family photographer, my job is to really listen to you and your needs so we can capture the moments that matter to you.

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Family portraits with a toddler in their own front yard

This fall, I had the absolute pleasure of capturing the sweetest one-year-old, Violet, and her parents Morgan and Dan. We met for a session at their home in the early fall, and it was so perfect! We wanted to capture how much Violet has grown over the last year and all of her sweet mannerisms, personality, and the family’s interactions.

Violet was full of personality and gave us so many different expressions! I love photographing this age, because they always have so many new skills to show off. And, show off she did. She loved showing me how she stands, claps, and crawls. She’s so close to taking her first steps unassisted! Honestly, she was so adorable the whole time. I loved watching Violet’s little personality come out through the entire session.

It was really important to Morgan to capture some portraits of her and Violet together. Mom is usually behind the camera, so I always make sure to capture a few extra portraits of mom loving on her little ones, and I was thrilled that Morgan treasured these moments with her baby, too. I’ll never tire of capturing moms and their babies!

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Fall family portraits on a sunlit path in saratoga springs

Fall family portraits might be one of my favorite parts of the year. When the Coppola family reached out about a session in Saratoga Springs, I couldn’t wait! I loved working with Mariesa, Benji, Benjamin and Nora for these sunny fall portraits. During our session, we tried to keep things super light and fun - relaxed for the kids AND their parents. Family portraits don’t have to be stressful, trust me! 

Throughout the session, one of my goals was definitely to bring everyone’s personalities out. While Benjamin was a little more reserved and shyer, Nora was all about the camera. It was a lot of fun to watch them interact and see Benjamin open up a little bit as the session wore on. Nora being silly definitely helped him relax a little bit! We also made sure to capture lots of cuddles with mom and dad in the photos too. 

Mariesa and Benji chose a great color palette for their portraits. With navy and creams, they stood out against the yellows and greens of the Saratoga Springs path we were on. I also love that the guys had their puffer vests on - they looked so cute together! Choosing what to wear is not only about picking colors you like together, but also making sure you’re comfortable and can move. I want us to play, run, and cuddle up during your portraits! 

Enjoy a peek into this beautiful fall session here in Saratoga Springs! 

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2022 Holiday Sessions in Saratoga Springs

Happy holidays!! I’m so excited to share a little sneak peek into our holiday sessions this year. I was so happy to see a lot of repeat families this year, and I love when they visit the studio year after year for their holiday portraits. It’s so much fun watching the kids grow, and this year I loved when the children walked in and asked right away about the toy corner and told me, “I remember this toy! We played with this last time!”. It’s seriously such a special moment for me each time a family comes back to my studio. 

The all white studio is so versatile for these classic holiday portraits, and I keep adding to our furniture collection of chairs, benches, and loveseats with linen upholstery and weathered wood.  Every year I add more trees or greenery, and I love how it all comes together so beautifully and I can mix and match furniture, wreaths, and trees across the setups while still keeping everything classic and minimal with the focus on the family and not too overwhelming with props. This year, I created three different setups. 

The one I was most excited about was a collaboration with a talented local floral designer, Samantha Nass Floral Design.  She absolutely nailed the design with the inspiration photos that I sent her and incorporated the most beautiful greenery, winter stems, and a hint of red flowers.  

I’ve been wanting to do another giant wreath setup.  The last time I did an oversized wreath was in 2017, but since then I’ve refined my studio style and I am in love with flocked evergreens, so a flocked wreath with frosted berries mixed in was just the perfect look for the studio.  This was so much fun for some casual family & sibling portraits, and the perfect spot for fun Christmas pajamas!

I added the ornament wall the day before our sessions began when I saw that we had enough room for one more simple setup.  I love everything in muted neutrals like gold and champagne, and this wound up being a favorite setup for just about every family! I love that I have the flexibility and space to do that for families in the studio. 

Happy holidays! I hope everyone has a cozy year with their loved ones. 

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Boho Family Portraits in a Field | Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

I've been photographing this family every year since Johnathan was a newborn. We've done portraits in every season and every stage so far, and I always look forward to our sessions together. Johnny is now 3 years old, and he’s just a joy! This year, we planned fall family portraits at one of my favorite hidden gems in Saratoga Springs.

This little spot is just beautiful this time of year. With tall grass and lots of trees, it’s a lovely quiet location for family photos with a boho vibe. The grass grows tall in this spot during the late summer/early fall, and I drive by constantly in the final weeks of summer to be sure the town hasn't mowed it yet. It's perfect for early morning sessions, especially with toddlers who are early to rise! Here, we can walk and play - even bring a small stool or box for your little ones to sit on. I seriously can’t get enough of this little gem!

Speaking of boho vibes, Kristen and Matt planned the most perfect outfits! Kristen’s dress was on point and I LOVED her hat with the this gorgeous long dress and jean jacket. Everything was perfect!! Johnny even looked adorable in his little overalls during our session too! After working with this family for the last few years, I can say I still adore watching them interact and now, seeing even more of Johnny’s personality come out in our session. Enjoy a little peek into their perfect fall family photos!

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Family portraits at Yaddo Gardens in Saratoga Springs

I’ve been photographing this beautiful family for several years now. In fact, I can’t believe Ari just turned 3! This has to be one of our most silly and smile-filled sessions to date. Each year, they plan a special family portrait session in the late-summer/early-fall to celebrate Ari’s birthday. It’s always so special to see these three and I truly can’t believe how big Ari already is!

For this year’s session, we met at the beautiful Yaddo Gardens here in Saratoga Springs! This was our first time at Yaddo Gardens, which had been closed since March 2020. I was so happy that they reopened, and it was wonderful to see the beautiful gardens in bloom and return to some of my favorite spots for family portraits. I can’t wait to be back here more now that it’s open again!!

This was Ari's happiest, most smiley portrait session to date! He surprised all of us with his good mood, and he loved being in front of the camera. He could not stop smiling and giggling, and he absolutely adored loving on his mama. It was special to capture all of these beautiful moments for them. I can’t wait until next year!!

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Family portrait inspiration for spring family photos

Spring is one of my favorite time to photograph families. Everything is blooming, there’s pastel and soft colors everywhere and the weather is always so lovely. No matter what season we’re in, I’m asked about what colors or outfits families should wear to their sessions. I LOVE helping my families determine their outfits because I want them to truly love their final portraits. Here’s a few things to consider when planning your outfits for spring family photos.

What colors do you have in your home?

If your home leans towards darker and richer colors, then the fall might be better for your artwork. But if your home is filled with light neutrals and soft colors, the spring is a better fit. The softer colors outside will be the perfect complement to the decor in your home. Those are also some of the colors you should consider when planning outfits, so that when you display your portraits, they fit in naturally!

How to choose colors and patterns:

No matter when we photograph your family, the principles of outfits remain the same. You want to try to avoid matching completely with each other. Instead, lean for complimentary colors, like a pastel palette. I recommend starting with one family member’s outfits (usually mom’s) and then choosing the rest around that piece. Pull the colors to compliment for everyone else’s outfits. Try to avoid large or loud patterns.

Plan age appropriate outfits and outfits you can move in.

Remember, kids will be kids during our sessions. And we want that! So, make sure whatever you choose, they’re comfortable in. If they’re not, it will show. I’m all for special outfits for your photos, but I recommend making sure your little ones wear them at least a little bit of time before our portraits. Otherwise, choose something you know they’ll be happy in and will smile for us wearing. In fact, that goes for everyone. Make sure your entire family is comfortable and can move during our portraits. I like to have my families move, walk, and play during our time together!

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Making Memories with Grandparents & Grandkids: Extended Family Portrait Session in our Saratoga Springs Studio

Nicole and Chris are longtime clients and I've photographed their two babies and all of their milestones ever since they were born. It’s such a special gift to be able to see my clients year after year and watch their kids grow up. I absolutely adore Elli and Colton. So, when Nicole and Chris reached out about surprising his mom with a portrait session for Christmas, I was absolutely on board! Together, we planned an extended family session with Chris’s brother and his family.

The day of their session was so much fun. I loved watching Elli and Colton with their cousin, Easton. Easton and Colton are only a few days apart, so their bond is incredibly special. Extended family portraits are SO important to me because I love photographing all the relationships, especially grandparents and their grandkids. It’s so sweet. I loved watching Nicole, Chris, and their family just be together in the studio.

I also absolutely loved the colors of the outfits they chose! When planning extended family portraits, coordinating outfits can be a bit tricky. Obviously the images will wind up in multiple homes, so try to consider where they’ll be displayed as you choose your palette. Stick to a color palette of 3 or 4 total colors for everyone’s outfits. This family did a great job with that - definitely use it for inspiration! When you’re thinking about studio portraits, too, the lighter colors will photograph so beautifully!!!

Psst!! A quick update about 2022’s outdoor portrait season! This year we’re only scheduling outdoor family portraits this for May, September & October. With limited availability, I expect the calendar to fill up even faster than ever. Be sure to reach out early to reserve your spot! If you’re thinking of an outdoor session in 2022, NOW IS THE TIME TO SCHEDULE.

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Studio Family Portraits in Saratoga Springs

I truly believe that there’s no special “season” for family portraits. While it’s easy to think there might be, especially in the fall and around the holidays, there’s no magical date you have to update your family photos by. After all, aren’t your family portraits for more than just a Christmas card that will hang on your friend’s wall until January 1?

I was reminded of this when Amy’s beautiful family came to the studio this winter. We weren’t trying to capture family portraits for a Christmas card or a gift, but we were slowing down time and freezing these moments with her adorable toddler and baby. We captured their cozy cuddles, their joy, their giggles, and their dimples. We played, we laughed, and I clicked the shutter the whole time to document this stage that their family was in. Honestly, it was pure magic and these are the portraits that I know this mama is going to look back on in 5 years when her kids are tossing their backpacks on the floor, and in 15 years when they’re getting ready to head to college. These will last longer than any Christmas card, and they truly are the pieces that make up this family’s LEGACY.

That’s why I’m so happy to offer family portraits year-round in our Saratoga Springs studio. You know the weather around here is only nice for a few months a year when we can head outdoors for sessions, but these studio sessions are so timeless and cozy, too. Your family’s story deserves to be told, no matter what time of year it is.

As you can see with Benjamin and Josie, kids still grow and your family still has a story - even when the leaves aren’t starting to change to orange and red, and when the holiday decorations are tucked away for another 11 months. If family portraits are still on your to-do list at the beginning of the year, that’s 100% okay! Let’s plan for a cozy studio session together so that you can update your family’s story for the year. Family portraits always matter.

Psst!! A quick update about 2022’s outdoor portrait season! This year we’re only scheduling outdoor family portraits this for May, September & October. With limited availability, I expect the calendar to fill up even faster than ever. Be sure to reach out early to reserve your spot! If you’re thinking of an outdoor session in 2022, NOW IS THE TIME TO SCHEDULE.

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Best of 2021 Sibling Portraits

Another year has come to an end! 2021 was full of so many family and newborn portraits with my families. I loved getting to see everyone again to update their portraits. As I was starting to go through my portraits for my end of year recaps, I realized I had captured some truly beautiful moments between siblings and I decided it was worth these moments in their own blog!

Sibling portraits are so special. These relationships are meaningful and I love knowing that so many of these moments are the ones their parents love when they come in the studio. I can’t tell you how many of these images wound up as beautiful wall art or in heirloom albums to be enjoyed for years to come. It makes my heart so happy!!

Have you updated your family portraits yet this year? I’m booking studio family portraits this winter and opening my outdoor calendar through May 2022, so make sure you hit the button below and get on the books! I can’t wait to see you. Until then, enjoy some of these sweet sibling moments from 2021!

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Fun Fall Family Portraits with Brothers - Saratoga Springs Family Photographer

I can’t believe that I had another chance to work with this sweet family! I’ve been working with them since their oldest, Miles, turned one (you can see his cake smash below!). Now he’s grown so much and he’s a ton of fun. Every time I see these four, I consider myself so lucky. Over the last 4 years, we’ve had many sessions together and they’re always a great time.

We captured their most recent fall family portraits at Pitney Meadows this year - which is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots for portraits! I’m loving the fact that it’s close to the studio and has provided such beautiful fall foliage for me and my families. For this session, there were lots of laughs as we explored Pitney Meadows together. The boys were so excited to play games and follow my prompts and we captured their portraits.

Looking back over their session, the portraits of Miles and his brother Oscar are some of my favorites - and I know their mom couldn’t wait to get prints and gorgeous wall art with them to hang up. They were so sweet together and I hope their relationship continues to grow like that for years to come!

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Fall Family Portraits with Young Children at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs

I’m so thankful I had the chance to capture another beautiful fall portrait session for Henry, Emma, and their parents! I’ve been working with this family since Emma turned 1 and now they’ve recently celebrated Henry’s first birthday, too. Over the years, I’ve watched them grow and become such an incredible family. I feel so lucky that they’ve trusted me with their memories, including this fall family portrait session at Congress Park.

We truly lucked out with the most beautiful day for their session at the park. Early October turned out to be the best time for peak foliage all around this year - and I’m so happy we caught it in time. Henry and Emma were amazing our entire session, playing together and enjoying the leaves. Henry has just started to walk and he loved chasing after Emma as we were together. She was the best at making him laugh, too! It’s clear they’re going to be amazing friends.

I can’t wait for you to see this beautiful session!

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Fall Family Portraits at Pitney Meadows in Saratoga Springs

This family is so special to me because JB is one of Grayson’s best buddies. He and Grayson were born 2 weeks apart and I’ve had the honor of watching him grow up - and documenting him along the way. Since JB was a year old, I’ve captured annual family portraits for him and his parents. They welcomed Henry to the family last year during the pandemic so it’s been an extra joy to watch him grow, too! Our boys are all so adorable and I feel so lucky that I get to work with Allison and her gorgeous family over and over again.

This year, we planned a sunset fall family portrait session at Pitney Meadows in Saratoga Springs. Sunset sessions with young kids can be tricky but with the right tips and tricks up our sleeves, anything is possible! We definitely may have bribed JB and Henry with some snacks for those smiles :o) But it was so worth it! JB and Henry are SO cute and I loved this year’s session.

Planning an evening session? Check out more tips for sunset sessions with kids below!

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Fall Family Portraits in Saratoga Springs

I am going to miss Henri and his sweet parents SO much. This family has been with me for a few years now and it has been an honor to capture their little boy as he grows. I’ve photographed milestone portraits and annual family portraits since Henri was born, and I cannot believe he’s growing up so quickly! When Jaimie reached out about a fall family portrait session at Pitney Meadows, I was thrilled. However, she told me that they’re moving out of the area and I was immediately a bit sadder. I really will miss these three and the chance to catch up with them every year.

This year, we met at Pitney Meadows in Saratoga Springs. This is such a beautiful spot - especially in the fall! There’s such gorgeous fall colors, so vibrant around us. They had just cut the tall meadow grass but it was still the perfect spot for this family of three. Henri was able to run around as his parents played with him and enjoyed the evening. We lucked out with some super vibrant yellow trees behind us during our session - and it worked perfectly with the outfits they chose. The yellow totally matched Henri’s shirt! It was so cute!

8 Tips for a Meltdown-Free Session with Toddlers

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