Isabella is a beautiful little girl who is about to celebrate her very first birthday. Naturally, mom wanted to document such a momentous occasion because who doesn't want adorable images of their children in the midst of a sugary sweet mess! When mom first reached out regarding her daughter's cake smash session, she filled me in on a little info that made this sweet baby even more special. The theme of the cake smash was going to be "rainbow" and for very good reason. Little Isabella was a rainbow baby. For those of you who may not know what a rainbow baby is or what makes these little darlings so very special, it is that they are miracles blessed and born after a miscarriage. Being a mother of not one, but two rainbows myself, I jumped at the honor of doing this cake smash session for this wonderful family.
After discussing with mom on setting and ideas, we decided a studio setting would work perfectly and allow for mom to create her own unique props for the session. I was excited to be able to use my dear friend and fellow photographer's studio space for this session. She has a great space with various backdrops, props, and endless ideas within her imagination! When I book cake smash sessions, especially those in studio, I try to encourage the parents to get crafty and share ideas of what they would like the session to look and feel like. Together we come up with a plan for outfits and décor to make the session unique to their child. Isabella was going to be using a couple of props very special to her, a blanket and headband she had worn just a year prior for her newborn session. I love when parents incorporate something from momentous occasions in children's lives, whether that be a favorite blanket or teddy bear, or the very first book they ever learned to read. Bringing these little things to the session is what makes them unique. Mom had decided on using the simple flat seamless backdrop which was perfect for keeping this cake smash simple and clean with the focus all on our gorgeous little subject.
Once we had settled on décor ideas and outfits, next was to plan the cake. Mom was new to the area and was unsure where to begin to look for bakers, so I took the images that she shared with me of the cake that she wanted and began the hunt for the perfect baker to make this perfect cake. I must have reached out to at least six different local bakers, most fellow spouses because I love supporting fellow small business owners. Finally, I had found a baker who wasn't just happy to bake a cake for us, but she went so far as to take time to test colors to get the tones just right to match the headband that Isabelle would be wearing. Purses & Pastries did such a phenomenal job on the cake and provided such speedy service as well. I will gladly say, I will utilize her for any and all future cake smash sessions. The cake wasn't just perfectly made and beautiful either. The icing was a sweet & rich buttercream and the cake inside was moist with layers of more wonderful vanilla buttercream that left your mouth watering for more.
Now that everyone is hungry ;) We were all set for Isabella's special cake smash session! Anytime I go into these sessions, I am always a little cautious because I never know how baby is going to be. Sometimes they want nothing to do with the cake, setting, or camera and we are lucky to get a few smiling shots. But this was not the case with little Isabella. She came ready for her close up and boy were her eyes stunning! Isabella was thrilled to be in front of the camera and made fast friends with the studio owner who apparently is the baby whisperer and I should tote along to all of my sessions. Isabella enjoyed playing with the strands of beads while I just snapped away. She was all about crawling around and being herself which made for the best and cutest expressions. I always start cake smash sessions with a few portraits of the child and the setup to showcase who they are at this age. This is also a perfect time to snap a few photos with the whole family or with any siblings. Cake smash sessions are about celebrating this baby's first year of life and why wouldn't that include the whole family.
Once we have captured a few images of baby sans mess, we then do a quick wardrobe change to the cake smash outfit, should parents request such, and add the cake. At this point, baby just dives in. Sometimes they are a little reluctant, unsure what to do with this bright mound in front of them, while other's know exactly what to do and immediately dig right in. It didn't take Isabella long to go straight for the cake! She was ready to get her hands dirty and eat some deliciousness. Mom had barely stepped out of frame before I had to start shooting away, trying to catch every little taste and expression.
After a few minutes tasting cake, Isabella decided she was ready to be cleaned up. With little ones, when they are done, they are done. I always follow the cues of children when doing sessions because if they are not happy, there is no getting those great shots. Even though she wasn't enthralled in that cake for very long, Isabella did not disappoint when it came time for image upload. There were so many images that truly captured this little girl's personality. As a photographer, this is often the hardest part. Sorting through and deciding which images to keep and edit and which to discard. Just as with all of my sessions, I enjoyed spending time with this client and her beautiful daughter and being able to capture a moment so special to their family. I look forward to working with them again in the near future for their Fall Family Session as well. Repeat clients are the best.
*Tips for Cake Smash Sessions*
-Bring the cake out of the fridge at least an hour before heading out to the cake smash. Cold cakes are hard to dig into and often leave the babies reluctant to touch the cold.
-Keep props simple. We want to showcase your beautiful little one and tend to focus on them and all of the tiny details, so those big elaborate props just end up blurred in the background
-While a cake smash session can take up to an hour, most are done sooner than that because children are done when they are done. Follow the cues of your little one to know when the session might be at an end
-Try not to schedule these during normal nap times. Cranky babies don't like anything, even sweet treats
For info on the baker used for this session, please go to the link below! She has so many wonderful cakes! Go check them out!
https://www.facebook.com/PursesandPastriesbyRachel/
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