Tag: first birthday

Whether you are a momma taking your own little ones first birthday cake smash photos at home, or your a photographer about to do your first (or 50th) cake smash portrait session.. Here is my list of 10 must get shots during the cake smash session, and 3 bonus shots.

These are all images I strive to get during each of my cake smash photography sessions. Being in the business for almost 5 years now I can’t even count how many cake smash sessions I have done. They are one of my favorite types of sessions to capture because they are so much fun! Some babies love it, some hate it, and some don’t mind it but don’t really get into it. The cake smash can be anywhere from 5 minutes (baby not having it at all!) to 15 minutes and baby still wanting to play. So it is always good to go in with a plan and have a shot list on your mind to ensure you get enough for your client.

1. Baby on set up without cake
2. Just cake with the full view of set up
3. Close up of just cake – I like to tag or send these to the baker
4. Baby’s first reaction once sat down in front of the cake (Remove cake topper once baby starts getting into the cake)
5. Close ups of baby’s feet, hands, eyelashes
6. Baby taking a bite
7. Close up of baby’s face with frosting on their lips
8. Baby smiling
9. Baby crawling away
10. Baby in bathtub

Bonus Shots:

1. Let older sibling (or parent) go into the set up and feed baby some cake
2. The cake alone all smashed up
3. Baby standing or walking on the set

Make sure you get different angles; get on floor level with baby and shoot straight forward at them, get horizontal and vertical shots, stand up and shoot from above baby, also get close ups and pull backs.

This little guy loved playing with the balloons and being in the water for the bath portion, but he really wasn’t too interested in the cake. Cake smash portrait sessions with me also include a regular portrait set up so clients get a variety of looks.