It is a repeat client session for today’s cake smash! This family have been longtime clients, ever since their first baby, little H., came in for his 6 month sitter session. He was as well behaved and delightful at 2 as he was for that session. Seriously, he was a fantastic listener, kept his hands to himself until asked to hug or help his sister, and occupied himself nicely when not being photographed. Not all 2 year olds are like that and that’s ok! It was just surprising and I’m sure his mom was a little more relaxed because of that.
There must be a family gene, because baby N. was also both extremely photogenic and easygoing. At this age when parents bring their baby in for a cake smash there is often very normal stranger danger. She took a few minutes to warm up but then was all smiles! She even liked her cake – not all babies do. Sometimes they find the frosting texture strange, or they aren’t sure what the cake even is and if they can eat it. Parents can come in and feed them a little cake or frosting, and often that is the cue they need. Other times we stick puffs or blueberries in the cake to give a little familiarity to their treat.
We started the cake smash as usual with family portraits and I was so happy when mama chose both her with her children and separately a portrait of their dad with the kids, in addition to a family photo. I think it’s nice for children to have portraits with their parents individually, since there is usually one parent behind the camera. Secondly, I like the relationship it highlights, since there are plenty of times that one parent will be in the mix as the sole caregiver when the other parent has to take care of things. The family unit is composed of overlapping circles!
If the baby is in a good mood, we’ll often finish with a cute little tubby-time portrait. Those are great for babies who love water and bathtime. It’s a time where not all kids will do this, simply because not all of them like baths. When they do, it’s an adorable way to wash off all that frosting.
See more cake smashes and one year old portrait examples in my portfolio for inspiration!
