1st Birthday Photography Houston | Planning a Cake Smash Is Easy As Pie!
The whole reason for a cake smash party is to celebrate baby’s first year milestone. Who couldn’t be excited & pumped on such an occasion! Let me be your guide & let’s follow 5 easy steps to a successful, happy event.
First, we need a theme—an idea that could be tied to the season (pool party!), baby’s nursery (Western, princess, etc.) or perhaps baby’s favorite book or toy. Once you know your theme then the fun begins. Be creative or enlist the help of someone who is. You can make an inexpensive backdrop incorporating your theme that will be yours alone! And if you don’t have a creative bone in your body—no worries. The backdrop doesn’t have to be elaborate—some of the best shots I’ve done have been all white backdrops with colorful balloons.
Second, plan your color scheme. For really great cake smash shots I like frostings in white, yellow, light green or pinks that aren’t too subtle. The cake itself should be white inside (chocolate is hard to clean & looks funny on camera). Top the cake with the most visible “1” or any decoration that shouts first birthday! FYI: Most of my parents assume that “bigger is better” when it comes to cake size, but that’s actually not so. I like a 6” round (2 or 3 layers) which doesn’t overwhelm the shot. You can make the cake yourself to control what goes in it (i.e. helpful if your baby has any food allergies).
Third, how do you get that baby to smash the cake? Easy enough, right? Not always. Some babies clam up in front of the camera or a roomful of adoring family. And then to push this pink or yellow thing in front of them—well, what would you do—cry probably! The answer is usually to ease into it. If baby is more comfortable with a spoon then provide one. Keep anxious family out of the way & let baby explore at his own pace. Most of all, have fun! You will be surprised at the results if everyone just chills & enjoys the experience. Be camera ready—I can’t stress this enough. I’ll repeat—have your camera ready at all times! Be prepared to photograph anything & everything. You can never have too many images.
Fourth, it’s clean up time. I keep a handy supply of wipes, paper towels, towels, baby soap & a baby bath in my studio for just this. Also, you never know what kind of photos may result in the post cake smash bath! There’s something about babies & water—they seem to love it so take advantage of the opportunity. Try adding rose petals or favorite toys to baby’s tub for added pizzaz!
Last but most importantly, take time when picking & editing your photos. There’s no need to push the anxiety button just because you don’t have years of experience. You can Google search for Photoshop editing cake smash photos. You are creating memories to last a lifetime.
Tip. Call me when you realize those are not the photos you dreamed of for your baby's most memorable 1st birthday photography session.
