I absolutely love doing Cake Smashes. Its so much fun, from creating the setup to having a child enjoying themselves smashing up the cake and splashing in the bath.

A great photo shoot is an investment and special memories captured forever.

Most important is to find the photographer that matches your style and needs.
As a Photographer I would much rather prefer someone telling me sorry your style is not my style and find another photographer, than hearing afterwards that the photos was not what they expected, they wanted it in a different style. If you don’t like the photographers style then don’t waste your own time and money by booking them. Look at their work, look at the photos on their portfolio and if you like it then that’s perfect. I always encourage my clients to look at my work first, and if they like it then we talk about the how much, when and where 😉


Think Timeless.
You will want to treasure these images forever so they should always look beautiful and fresh. Ask yourself whether you will still love photos in the theme in 10 years. Boho, flowers, balloons, and nature are always classic. PJ Masks, on the other hand, will likely look dated and your child might even be embarrassed by it in ten years 😛
On the other hand, if a specific theme (even if its PJ Masks) has a special meaning to you or your child, that is a different matter, regardless of what others might think.

Communicate and Brainstorm with your photographer.
Be very open about your likes and dislikes. Make your vision clear by sharing a Pinterest board, pictures you found on the internet or your favorite images from the photographer’s portfolio. Get on the same page, and if you don’t like something, tell them. Don’t leave it for afterwards and then it is too late.

One thing to keep in mind when looking at the photographers past sessions, is that although it is the photographers hand creating the setup, it has been guided by the parents vision and likes. I have had the experience when almost all my parents want the same look, the same items in the setup. For instance in most of my sessions you will see the little tent and a white rocking horse. That is because everyone loves them!
You might be one who don’t like those things in the set, then don’t be afraid to say so. In the end almost anything can be done, so be clear and talk to the photographer and don’t be forced to follow the crowd.

Time for your baby to shine!

Schedule the session for when your baby is likely to be happiest.
If your little one  is cranky you won’t have the best experience. If baby tends to take an nap, don’t schedule the session during that time, maybe aim to schedule a shoot right after baby wakes up from their nap and had a light meal. You don’t want baby to be hungry, even if they will be having cake, its still not a proper meal and they will be hungry. Just make sure they are not extra full or they wont have any interest in the cake either. After all, they should have some space in their tummy for the desert!
One very strange thing that has occurred more than once though, is that mommies will tell me that usually baby takes a nap during this and this hour, but today they just wont! I have always believed that our feelings and emotions are carried over to them. If you are up and about, rushing here and there to get everything ready, nerves all over the place, they feel that. they will feel something is up and even if they don’t seem tense, might be too alert to nap.

Stick to the routine.
Babies thrive on routine, so try to disrupt baby’s regular routine as little as possible on the day of the shoot.

Arrive ready for action.
Be sure to try the outfits in advance and make any adjustments before the shoot. Make sure there are no too tight spots or that the diaper don’t show. If you are on set and fiddle with baby too much, they tend to get upset and then spoil their mood for the session. The more ready you are, the less disruptions you will have before you get started.

Prep the baby.
If your baby is not used to eating with their hands, a few weeks before the shoot is the perfect time to get them started. Give them some age appropriate foods to eat/play with and also some mushy textures to touch (mashed avocado, applesauce, or even eatable play doh – always supervised, of course!).
If your baby still don’t like the touch of messy stuff then be prepared for that, emotionally. Don;t force baby to do something they don’t like, it will only cause for your disappointment. I usually have wooden spoons on standby and its still enjoyable to watch them smash that cake with the spoon, they sometimes find it easier to lick or eat the icing stuck on the spoon than their fingers.

Expose those rolls.
Time goes by so fast, before you know it baby will be walking, running, jumping and probably slimming down. And how adorable are baby rolls??? And baby feet? So don’t be afraid to show some skin!

Outfits
Girls look so dainty in rompers or tutus. Accessorizing is always cute (headbands are almost a must for me) but try not to go overboard.
Boys look really cute in jeans or cargo shorts. Bow ties and suspenders are also great accessories.
A lot of mommies find it difficult to find something but you can really find something all over. Here in South Africa, Ackermans or even Pick N Pay Clothing can surprise you. TakeAlot so has some interesting items sometimes. Even if you google baby outfits or search on Facebook you are bound to find very interesting little online shops. Just give yourself enough time to order it 😉

Limit Wardrobe Changes.
Most babies don’t love being changed, so don’t plan for too many outfits. If the family will be involved it’s OK to have separate outfits to wear with the family and for the smash, but I wouldn’t suggest more than two.

Family Wardrobe
For the family, try to coordinate the outfits in color and style. They don’t need to be matchy-matchy but it’s always nice if the colors of the outfits complement the colors of the setup created.

Sharing anxious cues.
Some parents can get very anxious before a shoot and babies can sense the anxiety. An anxious parent makes for an anxious and more clingy baby.
One thing that has occurred more than once, is that mommies will tell me baby usually takes a nap during this and this hour, but today they just wont! Again your feelings and emotions are carried over to them. If you are up and about, rushing here and there to get everything ready, nerves all over the place, they feel that. They will feel something is up and even if they don’t seem tense, they might be too alert to nap.
So always try to relax and trust the professional. Call or e-mail them as many times as you need before the day of the shoot – but when the day comes just try to relax.

Being overly involved.
Everyone knows that you are the best at getting your baby to smile. But every photographer has his or her techniques. Unless the photographer is asking for your help, your job is to sit back and relax. If everyone is trying to get baby to smile and look at the same time, it makes the photographer’s job much harder. And most of the time causes baby to look everywhere but at the camera. The last thing that you want is for your child to get overwhelmed by directions from multiple people.

Bringing the entire crew.
While the entire family would love to attend the shoot and watch such an endearing moment, babies get distracted easily. So if Grandma, grandpa, aunt Judy, uncle John and puppy Rex are in the crowd, the baby might not even notice the cake!
Keep it simple and only mommy, daddy and sibling (if sibling don’t need to attend, maybe even better, less distraction or negative reactions). You can always schedule a family session of another time where everyone is involved. The cake smash is about your one year old baby 😉

Expectations
This might be a topic that not all will agree with or not like what I say. But don’t have any specific expectations of your baby..
Your baby might be the one that always smiles when you take a pic with your phone, or they might be the cutest baby who are never grumpy. Being in their own environment, routine and people they know daily, make for a relaxed happy baby.
When they come for the photoshoot, firstly they are in an unknown place, with unknown stuff and an unknown person with a big unknown black thing (the camera) which is most of the time in-front of her face. They can be a bit shy or even more quiet than usual. They might not smile in all the photos. They might even be concentrating on smashing the cake and not smile.

Give your baby time to relax, show them that you are relaxed. I will always try my best to make baby smile, I don’t mind joking and pulling face if that will help. 😛 But don’t be disappointed if baby don’t smile all the time. Again they might feel your disappointment and stop wanting to go on with the session completely.

One thing I  learned over the years and something I apply even in my family session, is that baby watch you as a parent. If you allow the photographer to touch you, maybe even hug you, baby will see that as a sign of you trusting the photographer. Its someone you allow close to you, so baby will see it as OK if this person touch them(to adjust something or help with posing). I sometimes ask the parents to touch the camera too, look at the pictures and smile. Make wow and oo’s and aaah’s, it show baby you are excited about this big black thing they don’t know and its OK to have around.

Some babies don’t like the cake at all, believe me I have had them. They wont smile, or touch the cake, and its a quick one and done. I usually let myself be guided by baby, they will tell you soon enough when they are done smashing that cake. Others wont sit alone on the set for their portraits but if mommy and daddy are with them, they are OK. Then you get the ones that absolutely love the bath, and that is where we get the smiles. So relax and let your baby find her joy 🙂

Make sure you know exactly what to bring along to the Cake Smash. There is nothing as frustrating as realizing you forgot something.
Here is a list of thing I ask my clients to bring along:

  • Anything you want to use in the shoot – Props, clothing etc
  • Clothes for the little one to wear after the session to go home with
  • Towel and facecloth, to clean the little one after her session and if little one uses a specific or special soap bring that too.
  • Socks for mom and dad to walk with in the studio (no shoes please as the cake smash is quite a mess)
  • Container for left over cake to take home.
  • If you have arranged for the cake, remember the cake 😉
  • Usually the bath is either a milk bath or a bubble bath, if you have specific bubble bath you want to put in tub you can bring that, or I will provide bubble bath.
    For the milk, every baby’s skin is different. So I usually ask the parents to bring the milk themselves (to avoid allergies), it can either be long-life full cream milk (1 container is usually enough) or can even be baby formula.

Again remember to talk to your photographer, be clear on what is needed, what you need and what you need of the photographer.

The shoot is a very fun experience so let’s have some fun! Leave all stress and anxiety out the door and come enjoy the cuteness of your baby having their first taste of a treat. If you  are having fun, baby will have fun.

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