Your baby is turning ONE! Hurray-it feels like yesterday that your little one was placed into your arms and now he/she is slowly transitioning into a little toddler wanting to gain more and more independence. It is also time to take those cute little first birthday photos. For this I have put together some tips, ideas and themes for preparing the First Birthday shoot that you have booked with me.
Themes:
I love creating set ups for little ones and I am always brainstorming new ideas for new ones, whether it is studio or outdoors.
When choosing a theme for your little one, it would best to stick to the theme that you will be going for the birthday party however of course this is not necessary. My recommendation is to first and foremost have a look at my website and my social media pages- Instagram and Facebook for an idea of what I offer. I have saved some behind the scenes on my instagram page- Cake Smash highlights where you can have an idea of what I have done already in terms of set ups-
https://www.instagram.com/littleblushphotography/
Of course, I always rotate props and backdrops so it would be best to consult with me as to whether a particular set up can be done. I am always open to new ideas from parents so if you have gathered some ideas from apps like Pinterest I will happily discuss with you. Here are some of the themes that you can think about when choosing what set ups you would like me to create. Most of the themes are gender neutral whereas others are more appropriate for girls and/or boys and can be done either in studio or outdoors depending on your preference:
Themes:
Cookie Monster
Boho
Farm Animals
Zoo Animals
Woodland
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Mickey Mouse
Minney Mouse
Winnie the Pooh
Pink and Gold
Pink and Silver
Blue and Gold
Blue and Silver
Royal Prince
Royal Princess
Lion King
Under the Sea
Mermaid
Nautical
Construction
All White
You are my Sunshine
Lemonade
Strawberries
Dinosaur
Classic Creams and Beiges
Teddy Bears
Rainbow
Boho Rainbow
Floral
Alice in Wonderland
Space
Wild One
Butterflies
Fairies
Donut Grow Up
Circus
Cars
Little Chef
One in a Melon (Watermelon)
Bees
Hot Air Balloon
Rodeo
Bunnies
Swans
Sunflowers
Alice in Wonderland
Snowwhite
Autumn
Pumpkin
Winter Onederland
The Hungry Caterpillar
Travel
Unicorn
The Cake:
The Cake is not offered in any of my packages and needs to be brought by the client so here are a few tips:
A basic two layered 6-8 inch cake is my go to recommendation. A white naked cake with a little topper (which can be personalised) is ideal.The topper will only be used for the first few shots and removed once the baby tries to pull it out for safety reasons.
Vanilla sponge is the best go to for the inside of the cake.
Remember: the cake is there to be destroyed! Don’t go overboard with expensive creations. If you do have a budget and can bake a cake yourself, then do it! If not, I can recommend a few great bakers that I usually work with.
Avoid decorations that can pose a choking hazard for the little one, such as small edible beads. A few colourful sprinkles are your safest bet.
Buttercream or Cream cheese can be used to cover the cake.
Always consider potential allergens to avoid dangerous adverse reactions. Some babies are allergic to one or more common cake ingredients, such as wheat, eggs, and nuts.
Avoid brown and red as a colour for both inside and the outside of the cake. They do not make for pretty photos!
Leave the cake out of the fridge for about 15-30 minutes before the shoot so that the icing softens. This is especially important during the colder months.
If the cake smash photo shoot is your baby’s first time experiencing the feel or touch of frosting or cake, you might be surprised by their reaction. Many babies have tactile reactions to the slippery feel of frosting. Others are shocked by their first true taste of sugary sweetness. My recommendation is to let them have a touch and a try ahead of time of the actual cake smash to eliminate that initial surprise.
The Outfits:
Your baby's dress will get all stained and it could possibly be left in the condition that it can not be used again. Therefore, please do not select any special expensive or meaningful outfits as you never want to ruin it after a single photography session especially if you also plan to use the same outfit for the actual party. You can go for something cute and trending item that can be bought at a reasonable price from various local or international stores. I can send you a few recommendations of online as well as in store shops.
If you are not going with a theme-related costume, then choose colours that complement the colour of the cake. You can experiment between a diaper cover, suspenders, a bow tie, and an adorable hat for boys. As for girls you can dress your baby girl in a pretty dress with frills for example. To enhance her charm, add some cute accessories like headbands and necklaces Rompers are also a great idea and can be used for both genders. A hat with the number One could also be used for the cake smash part although some babies do refuse to wear it!
One outfit would be recommended for the Mini Session and two outfits for the Plus Package. As for the Plus package I always start with family portraits, so think of that as the starting outfit. Babies are usually best left barefoot for the cake smash part so they can dug in the cake with their cute little toes!
I am so looking forward to working with you and your little one on their first birthday smash the cake session! Feel free to message me for any questions that you may have.
Regards,
Angele x
Comments