Hi there! and Welcome!

I want to thank you for considering me for capturing the first year memories of your little one(s)! Before our session, please fill out the questionnaire at the bottom of this page so I can better gauge your expectations, ideas, and goals for baby’s session. Preparation and communication are the keys to a successful photoshoot, so make sure to share all your ideas and concerns with me on your questionnaire! As we prepare for your session, here is some information about what to expect:

Location and Timing

Milestone sessions can be done indoors at my home studio in Corinth, NY, or outdoors at a location of your choice. If you prefer an indoor studio session at my home Studio, it can be done at anytime during the day as we will be using studio lighting. More info is below about my in-studio styles.

If you’d like more of a lifestyle/documentary session, I can come to you and can utilize different areas of your home (ex. crib, bassinet, bed, etc.). In home lifestyle session are scheduled on weekend during mid-day to ensure the maximum amount of light for the shoot. Prior to your session, we will discuss the best timing for you and your baby. Ideally we would like to time the shoot after baby has taken a nap and is feed so they are at peak comfort and contentment.

For outdoor session, I have a few favorite places in the Saratoga/Glens Falls region I can recommend depending on the theme of the shoot you’d like, but I always welcome your location ideas. I love to shoot when the sun is working to my advantage. Lighting is ideal for outdoor shoots during the Golden Hour, or the hour before the sun sets or just comes up. So typically summer evenings or early mornings work best, but in the spring and fall, both early mornings and evenings may be possible! If you choose to have an outdoor session mid-day, then we will typically strive for a location that has some shady areas. If you are brave enough to bear the cold, you can always book an outdoor sessions in the winter (with snow!!). Similar to indoor sessions, I will work with you to figure out a time that works best for you and baby’s needs.

Click the button below for a map of various outdoor locations suggestions.

Types of Baby Milestone Sessions

So what exactly is a Baby Milestone Session? Typically milestone sessions take place between ages 3 month to 13 months. The session focuses on capturing natural, timeless photographs of your baby to document all of the beautiful details and wonderful new skills - whether that’s rolling, sitting, crawling or even walking. Below are the different milestone groups and a little about the uniqueness of each one.

3 to 6 Months

Your baby is past the newborn phase and has started showing expressions! Your little one hasn’t quite mastered the skill of movement yet so your photos will feature them on their tummy or back. Those wonderful details will be captured at all different angles from their cute little hands and feet to their long eyelashes. We will be setting your baby up on a cushioned floor, a well-filled bean-bag or in a bed, crib or bassinet if done at your home.

6 to 9 Months

You’ve moved into the fun part of parenting where your baby is starting to explore their surroundings and their mobility increases. At this age, there will be some photos of your baby sitting, perhaps some them on all fours as well as pictures of them on their tummy and back. Baby closer to 8 or 9 months may even be crawling around. They will have all sort of expressions to show me and there will be much more variety in the images captured. We will typically be sitting on the floor for a majority of the shoot with some cushioning around.

1 Year

Your baby has made it through an entire revolution of the Earth! They will be very active, crawling, standing and may even be walking at this point. This is typically the most popular milestone to shoot as your baby is now full of personality and will be able to express much more emotion. Many like to incorporate that wonderful smash cake into the session as well (we will get to that info further below!). We will capture your kiddo in a variety of shots, mainly seated and standing poses, as they don’t like laying so much on their back or tummies anymore.

2-3 Years

You little one is not so little anymore…You’ve reached the Toddler Era! Expect lots of activity on during these toddler sessions as we snap each and every expression. We will capture a variety of shots including smiles, laughs, activities they enjoy, dancing, and much more. Typically, these sessions are held outdoors as kids at this age are very active and love to explore the environment they are in. I do also offer indoor sessions for this age as well if that is more your style (See more info in the below sections).

Clothing

I’m currently in the process of building a baby client closet, where you can select outfits and headbands for ages 3 - 18 months. Feel free to ask me about it and I’d be happy to show you what I have.

You may already have a set outfit in mind, but if you don’t, I have a few things to for you to consider when selecting outfits:

• Dress your kiddo in clothing that they will be comfortable to move around in.

• I usually recommend natural material whenever possible. Cotton, linen, silk, and wool photograph beautifully and add some texture to the images. They are also soft and safe on babies’ delicate skin.

• When choosing the color of the clothing, it is always safe to go with a neutral or pastel colored outfit. Things to keep in mind when selecting clothing shades is the color of the backdrop (if in a studio setting) or natural surroundings (if outdoors or indoors at your home). If you are dead set on a particular backdrop or themed color, then start with that and plan the color of the outfit around it. This can also go the other way around…if you have a particular outfit you are in love with and want baby to wear, then we can try to figure out the best color or outdoor backdrop that compliments baby’s clothing color/style.

• What should you avoid clothing-wise? Heavy patterns, bright and super dark colors (unless you have a specific vision or artistic look in mind) should be avoided. To keep the look timeless, try to avoid trendy clothing with words or logos. Synthetic fabrics like nylon, polyester, and acrylic are also not recommended for babies. 

• How about shoes? It depends on the type of photo session and the look you are going for! If your session takes place in a studio, barefoot is usually the best option. Baby feet and toes are adorable and it is a cute detail that I love to capture! If the session is outdoors, coordinate with your outfit. I usually recommend avoiding sneakers, unless it is the style that you really want to see in your final portraits.

• Have a shirt/pant or two you can’t decide on? Bring a few options with you! It’s always good to have a few choices and extra clothing on hand, especially with the non-potty trained kiddos, you never know when poop will happen!

• For in-home lifestyle sessions, family members are welcomed (and encouraged!) to join in on a few shots. Make sure the rest of the family wears color/styles that will compliment the baby’s outfit and/or style of the session.

• Always feel free to text or email me your clothing options laid out before our session!

Session Tips and Tidbits

• Seeing a new face may make your baby a little wary, especially if they have a shy personality. The first few minutes of your session I will work with your baby to get them to warm up to me and show them I’m really not that scary. If we do have a stage 5 clinger, I will have you work closely with my during the shoot so your baby can see you at all times and feel more comfortable.

• I will have a few toys on hand to grab their attention, but I may enlist the parent to help out getting those big smiles and happy reactions from their baby. If we need to grab baby’s attention toward the camera, I most likely will have you stand behind me to help get them to look up, smile, etc. so that we can get a few shots of baby looking at the camera. A majority of the shoot I will be moving all around to get different angle of your baby. Some cases too many faces and commotion can overstimulate them so I may have you stand back (so long as you & your child are comfortable) to allow me to work one-on-one with your little one.

• If your child becomes restless at any point during the session please know that it's not uncommon for me to set down my camera and play with your child for a few minutes. This gives your child a break and helps them trust that I have their best interest in mind. If your little one is on the verge of tears at any point during the session, we can take a break and I’ll have you hold them for a few minutes to get them to calm down.

• Our best behaved children are usually those that are well fed before our session. Feel free to bring treats to reward good behavior at the end of our session!

Themes, Props and In-Studio Styles

For indoor sessions in my home studio, I typically do a very simple setup, as we want to focus the majority of attention on the baby…not the other stuff! I offer two types of standard styles: Natural Rustic/Earthy and Solid Background.

Natural Rustic/Earthy

This style includes a white or dark brown real wooden backdrop and flooring. I have natural themed props including faux furs, natural colored wraps/blankets, faux greenery/florals, and a selection of wooden chairs/baskets. I can also bring some of these props along if you’d want an outdoor session. If you’d like to see what specific items I have, feel free to ask and I’d be happy to show you!

Solid Background

The solid background style includes a solid paper backdrop and flooring. You are also welcomed to use the assortment of prop I have included in the Rustic/Earthy style. I have various colors on hand, but if you’d like a specific colored backdrop that I do not have, I am able to order various color paper backdrop prior to the session at an additional cost. Color backdrop orders are required to be selected at least three (3) weeks prior to the shoot so that we give enough time for delivery and setup. Feel free to ask me about the color options and I can provide that info to you!

Specialized Theme

If you have a specific theme for the session that you have in mind and you’d like to incorporate some props in, I’m all for it! However, for specialized themed sessions, I do not typically provide detailed props and background items. I can provide balloons and simplistic banners we can combined with the solid background or Natural Rustic/Earthy styles. If you have a vision for a backdrop, I’ll try my best to put it together for you! (may have additional fees). If you’d like to bring decor or props of you own, you are more than welcomed too. Choose props that you like and you hope to still like in 20 years when you look back at your portraits. For example, a wood toy or a blanket is perfect for playing peek-a-boo and keeping baby happy and entertained.  Bringing a baby’s comfort toy or blanket is also a great way to keep a memory of this special object.

Smash Cakes!

Looking to celebrate your little guy or gals birthday photoshoot with a face full of cake? We can totally set up a smash cake portion to your session! Here are the cake-obtaining options : (1) If you are feelin’ creative (those Food Network baking shows will do it to ya!) and you want to make a cake yourself, by all means, create away! (2) If you have no ambition to bake said smash cake, feel free to order one of your creative choosing yourself at a local bakery/grocery store (3) If you want a more complex, decorated cake related to the theme of the session, I do have a few vendors I can look into for you who can provide said complex/decorated cake at an additional cost. I will just need four (4) weeks in advance prior to the session to place the order.

If you choose to have a smash cake involved, we will typically end the session with the destruction of the cake as, well you know…it’s messy! And you are probably going to want to get that kiddo in the bath as soon as possible. Please bring an extra set of clothes for your child to change into following the session. You are welcomed to use my bathtub to rinse off of their child if done at my home studio. Scrub-a-dub!

Additional Family Members

Want to bring in a sibling for a few shots, you are more than welcomed to bring them them. If you or any other immediate family member want to sneak in a photo or two with baby, there is no extra charge. Typically, in-studio session are done with baby solo and a few shots including a sibling(s). For the lifestyle feel at your home, I will capture a few more photos of you and/or other family member interacting with the baby, as well as solo shots of baby.

After the Session

Once your session is over you'll receive your digital proof gallery within the week for you to select your favorite images for me to do full edits on. If you’d like to purchase additional images beyond the set amount of your package, each additional image is $15. In 2-3 weeks, I will provide you with a final gallery with all your selected fully edited images. You'll be able to download them and also be able to share with family and friends easily. You can also purchase prints/canvases with my selected professional laboratory through your gallery as well!

If you’d like me to post a few sneak peeks on Facebook, I can do that for you. If you’d rather wait to get all the images and post the photos on your own social media first, I will totally respect that.

Questionnaire

Please take a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire below so that I can better gauge the feel for your session style and goals. Questions with an * are required, while others you can choose to fill out if applicable. Once your answers are submitted, I’ll be sending you a contract and model release (via e-mail) for your review and signature prior to your session. Contract must but signed and submitted prior to the date of your session. I look forward to creating memories for you and your little one!