by Kristin Vacca | Jan 25, 2024 | Babies, Cake Smash, Flash Lady BLOG
There’s something truly magical about capturing the joy and wonder of a child’s first birthday, don’t you think?! We had the delight of celebrating this sweet little boy with an enchanting Pooh-themed cake smash session. The studio was “buzzing” with excitement on the day of his session! His proud big sister joined in on the fun, so we could capture sibling portraits to document this precious moment in time for mom and dad! Finally, it was time for the main event – the Pooh-themed cake smash! The little birthday boy couldn’t contain his excitement as he explored his “Hunny”-themed cake. His adorable expressions and genuine delight painted a picture of pure happiness, creating memories that the family will cherish for years to come. After the cake smash fun, it was time to wash off in the studio tub for some squeaky clean fun. The laughter echoed as water playfully splashed around, capturing the carefree spirit of childhood. This additional element added a delightful touch to the overall session, creating a perfect blend of messy and clean fun. As the session concluded, the family had the delightful task of choosing their favorite digital files, creating a gorgeous photo album, and selecting a framed print to adorn their home. These tangible memories would beautifully complement the images captured during baby brother’s cake smash session!
by Kristin Vacca | Jan 25, 2024 | Flash Lady BLOG, Maternity
This studio maternity portrait session in Newington, CT, was not only a celebration of the mom-to-be but also a glimpse into the couple’s journey and their excitement for this baby! This gorgeous mom-to-be had a clear vision for her maternity photos, and she was a joy to work with! During the session planning, she shared her desire for three distinct session styles to capture a diverse set of images that truly tell the story of her pregnancy! Our studio maternity session captured a casual look, a dressed-up ensemble, and a breathtaking sequence of images showing her beautiful bump.
For the dressed-up segment, our mom-to-be radiated sheer elegance. The studio became a backdrop for capturing the couple’s anticipation and excitement, dressed in attire that mirrored the grace of this momentous occasion. The careful selection of outfits, combined with the artistry of the photography, truly brought out the essence of their connection.
A particularly poignant moment in the session was when the mom chose to bare her bump, revealing the incredible beauty of pregnancy. The simplicity of this moment spoke volumes, reflecting the pure joy and anticipation for the upcoming addition to their family.
by Kristin Vacca | Oct 16, 2023 | Christmas, Flash Lady BLOG
The Best Santa Pictures in Newington, Connecticut
As moms, we want to make the holidays magical for our kids. It isn’t until we become moms that we realize all the work behind the scenes to make the Christmas magic happen for our children! What’s a core memory that you have from Christmas? For many, it’s meeting Santa Claus.
When I was a kid, the only opportunity to take Santa pictures was to wait in a reallllly long line, probably at the local shopping mall, and I remember only one, maybe two, frazzled minutes with Santa. I had to wait in line with my three siblings, so we all went together. It’s kind of tricky to enjoy a special moment when you’re a Quadruplet! And the end result? Six exhausted family members, multiple crying children, and maybe, 1 5×7 loose print of the entire experience. It’s not something we aim to pull out of the archives as adults.
It’s not that my experience seeing Santa was that of the classic holiday movie A Christmas Story, but the truth is that meeting Santa is such a big deal for kids, and creating a unique Christmas memory is something families look for each year. What if you could create a magical holiday memory with your family, or meet Santa Claus without waiting in a long line and praying your child can say what they want for Christmas in 60 seconds or fewer? That’s too much pressure on all of you! Christmas is about soaking in the holiday cheer and making memories with your loved ones. And, don’t you want to cross that Christmas card off your list, too?
Have you considered a Santa picture session this year? Here are six benefits of taking private, professional Santa Pictures with your kids.
Christmas magic!
7 Benefits of Private Christmas Mini Sessions
1. No Waiting in Line – Ditch the line! Once you book your Santa pictures with me, all you have to do is arrive at your time slot—no waiting in a super long line. You’ll know exactly when your child gets to meet Santa. Our Elves will check you in efficiently and tell you when it’s time for the big moment. Once you’re booked, you can start the countdown!
Skip the long line and see Santa sooner.
Checking Santa’s Nice List!
2. Time to Warm Up to Santa –Meeting Santa is a BIG deal. Some kids happily jump up on Santa’s lap and start talking, while others need a few minutes to feel comfortable or need a parent nearby. Both are totally normal, and we’ll work with ALL of the feelings! Santa is very experienced in working with children of all ages. He’ll take the time to ensure your child is comfortable and able to share what they want for Christmas. With certain ages or desires, we can even take pictures without Santa first, and slowly introduce him for the best result. Our themed scenes mean the kids can DO fun things with Santa, too, not just sit on his lap!
Reading a book with Santa.
Spending quality time with Santa.
Unforgettable memories.
3. Privacy – When it’s your turn with Santa, it’s just your family, me, and Santa! No prying eyes of the people behind you in line or pressure to hurry things along. You and your family can just relax and enjoy Santa pictures this year. We also pay a lot of attention to cleanliness and germs this time of year. So you won’t need to worry about waiting with all sorts of other kids either! All shared items are sanitized in between sessions, hands are sanitized upon arrival (including Santa!), and we have air filtration & exhaust fans in place.
4. Professional Images to Treasure for a Lifetime – Put your phone down; I have you covered. Soak in this amazing moment that I created for your child and your family! I’ll capture professional images of this experience for you and your child to treasure forever. Year after year, we’ll watch them grow!
Capturing moments with those you love the most.
5. Attention To Detail – Well before your photoshoot takes place, we’ll have contacted you about how to plan for your session with Santa, the best tips for success, what to wear, what colors to choose for your outfits, and how to check in on the big day! You’ll know exactly what to do and what to expect all the way through – when you’ll receive your gallery and even what items you can order afterward. There’s no guessing working with The Flash Lady Photography!
We’ll send you tips on how to prepare for your session.
6. Done-for-You Custom Gifts and Cards – Imagine creating a beautiful collection box just for Christmas with a matted print that you get to hang up every year for the holidays. Or, the look on your parents’ faces when they unwrap their own portrait book with images of their grandchildren. Or your child hanging this year’s photo ornament on the tree. Christmas cards are such a great way to stay connected to loved ones near and far. After your Christmas mini session, I can handle all of this for you efficiently, with professional quality and fast shipping. You won’t have to worry about missing deadlines or poor quality from consumer labs. They’ll be the easiest Christmas gifts you’ve ever sent.
The easiest family photo you’ll ever take.
7. Stress-Free Holiday Tradition – As I shared at the beginning of this post, it’s a lot of work to create holiday magic. Trust me, I know it well. If you want to bring your child to see Santa or take a holiday Christmas card image with your family, let me take care of all the details for you. You deserve to make stress-free holiday memories, too!
Private Santa Pictures | Newington, Connecticut
As a Newington mom myself, I’m with you on making holiday magic. I love seeing the glow of the Christmas lights in my daughter’s eyes and knowing how excited she is for the holiday season. Take the pressure off creating the “perfect moment” because I’ve already created it for you!
During the summer, my husband, daughter, and I (and our parents!) spent weeks creating my custom Christmas mini session set. It’s custom-built, and so unique that you won’t find it anywhere else! Santa is so excited to meet your kids, too! But please know that these sessions will sell out! Book your Newington Christmas photo sessions here to secure your spot before November. You don’t HAVE to see us for Santa Claus either; we can just do your Family Christmas photos, too!
Do you have any questions or wish to book a full photography session with me? Please contact me here. We also have a LIMITED amount of weekday Private Individual Christmas Sessions!
Are you reading this blog at a later time? Join my VIP email list and never miss out on my Christmas Mini sessions again!
Stress-free holiday photos.
by Kristin Vacca | May 16, 2023 | Flash Lady BLOG
Korean Dol Ceremony | Danbury, CT
Ever since I photographed a Korean Dol Ceremony for a first birthday at my Newington, CT photography studio, I truly loved everything about this tradition! One of my favorite photos from this photoshoot is still hanging in the stairwell heading down to the studio and everyone always comments how lovely that it is. When I was give another opportunity to work with a Korean family for a family ceremony event, I was very happy to participate and give them beautiful photos to enjoy to commemorate this special occasion. This time, I traveled to a rent home in Danbury, CT where everything was set up for us in advance. The home was the perfect setting for event photography as it had beautiful natural light throughout, large windows, and plenty of room for the entire family to participate. The main living room was set up with a background and traditional table filled with the decorated cake, flowers, props, candles, baby’s photo, and the Dol board of items. Baby will later choose from these and they believe whatever they choose will signify something about their life in the future (job, prosperity, education, etc). After arrival, I found out the start of the show was still napping, so I spent the time photographing all of the special details for the family to enjoy later. They had decorated the event beautifully with balloons, pictures of the baby each month of her infant stage, etc. Once baby was ready to be photographed, we took some family portraits and then proceeded to the ceremony itself. Baby was a little bit hesitant, but she eventually choose a few items with her big sister and parents watching along with the rest of the family. We then moved on to cutting the cake, the grandparents presented some Tibetan and Korean items to her, and other family members presented gifts as well. A traditional Korean lunch arrived for the family to enjoy which ended our time together. I was so happy to give this family beautiful photos to enjoy of their special day! Here are some of their many favorites below. Did you know? The Flash Lady Photography loves to photograph your special birthday, family reunion, or other type of event as our schedule allows. Please contact us at least 4-8 weeks in advance when possible to ensure availability.
by Kristin Vacca | May 9, 2023 | Cake Smash, Flash Lady BLOG
Mickey Carnival Cake Smash | Southington, CT
Since our cake smash sessions are all custom designed with real props, it makes it easy to combine ideas into something personal that parents love! This family has been coming to see me for Christmas photos over the years, and this time was hoping for a birthday photoshoot for her son. She loved both of our Mickey Mouse and Carnival themes and asked if we could combine them into a Mickey carnival cake smash – of course! I love coming up with something new and creative and in the end it came out great! Baby brother and big sister came along with their parents and were hoping for some sweet photos together as well. If we have time, we’ll do our best to sneak in siblings (although we usually recommend bringing them home as they can get jealous at a young age about the lack of attention!). Big sister looked so adorable in her Minnie Mouse dress and she was so good sitting with her little brother, who was a little unsure about doing photos by himself! We played with balloons and blocks and got him warmed up before moving into the set. He enjoyed playing with some of our props before it was cake time. Sometimes we need to help entice the baby with some snacks that are familiar, and once he tasted those snacks with frosting on them he was very happy to explore his cake! A tub bath cleaned him off and he watched the bubbles falling before it was time to get dried off and ready to go! Although he had a little bit of a tough day, we know how to get those special pictures for families no matter what happens! Check out some of the adorable photos they chose below, and don’t forget to contact us around 4-6 weeks in advance to plan for your child’s custom birthday photoshoot!
by Kristin Vacca | May 2, 2023 | Flash Lady BLOG
Grandmillennial Swan Princess Cake Smash | South Windsor, CT
It is so joyous to see my clients come back to me for their photoshoots as their family grows! It seem like just yesterday that her big brother was turning 1 and at my Newington, CT photography studio for his own cake smash session. Years later, it was time for a little sister to join us for her own! Mom was so excited to plan a theme. She really loved my previous swan princess set and hoped that I might be able to incorporate something a little bit more grandmillennial. Now for me, grandmillennial was a newer style request and one that I had to do a little bit of research on, especially as it related to a baby girl’s photoshoot theme! With some patterns, swans, florals, and just a touch of pink, I put together a theme that Mom was in love with but still allowed for that classic clean white feel! Although she was definitely a bit more cautious than her brother, she loved playing with beads and the confetti and throughly enjoyed her cake too! We had a great cake smash grandmillennial swan princess cake smash and her parents loved choosing their digital files, gorgeous photo album, and framed print to hang in their home to match her brother’s. Contact us today about creating your child’s custom birthday theme!
