When should you book a cake smash photoshoot?
Cake smash photoshoots are usually done to commemorate a baby’s first birthday. So, if your little one’s birthday is fast approaching and you’re considering a cake smash session, now is the time to act!
However – and this may go against everything you’ve heard about cake smash sessions before – cake smash photoshoots don’t have to be done on your child’s first birthday.
It’s entirely up to you whether you choose to book your cake smash session to coincide with your baby’s exact birthday (availability permitting). Or, you can have the session either a few days or weeks – or even months – before or after the actual day.
There are no hard and fast rules here at KW Photography. I like to be flexible and accommodate my client’s wishes, and there have been several occasions in the past when parents have asked me to photograph babies older than one-year-old.
KW Photography Cake smash sessions
If you decide not to book a cake smash photoshoot around the exact time of your little one’s first birthday, rest assured, we can work round it!
I’ve photographed two-year-olds enjoying a cake smash session before. And I have photographed children at their eighteen-month milestone. And everything in between.
You are very welcome to book a cake smash photoshoot at any time from when your baby is comfortable sitting up unsupported and started eating solid food.
When to book a cake smash photoshoot
In terms of when should you book a cake smash photoshoot, I’d recommend the earlier the better. After all, once you’ve decided you want to have one, what’s the point in waiting?
By booking your cake smash photoshoot early (and by early, I mean several months in advance), you can have the peace of mind that your booking is confirmed and in the diary.
And it’s another thing off your to-do list!
But, in contrast, if you book a cake smash photoshoot at late notice – just weeks or days in advance of the date you’d like to attend – there is a real risk that I may not be able to fit you in around my other pre-booked photo sessions.
And I hate having to disappoint people or, worse, turning people away because I’m too busy.
Relaxed, flexible portrait sessions
The beauty of my cake smash photoshoots is that they are just one-hour long. This is enough time for me to get lots of great cake smash pictures for you, but not too long that your baby gets fed up.
And, by being quick and fuss-free, you can pop into the studio either in the morning or afternoon, and fit the session in around your schedule that day.
Cake smash photoshoots won’t take up lots of your precious time. And you’ll be so glad you went ahead once you receive the pictures from me. (You can view more examples here, in my cake smash gallery).
Book your cake smash photoshoot today
Cake smash photoshoots are great messy fun and the children really get stuck in most of the time.
It’s hilarious to watch them delving their hands into their coloured iced cake and to making a complete and utter mess! That’s when I get the capture their cheeky grins and excited little faces. And that’s before all the fun that’s to be had in my miniature roll-top bubble bath too!
Have you seen my cake smash video?
For more of an insight into what happens during one of my cake smash photoshoots, don’t miss my cake smash video. This went viral on social media last year and has been watched by more than 5.5 million people around the world! Take a look to see what fun it is!
Introducing my new fruit smash photoshoot!
Here at my Poole-based studio, I’ve literally done hundreds of cake smashes and still love doing them! My cake smash sessions are among the most popular of my baby photography services.
(Take a look at this video to see behind the scenes. It reveals what happens during one of my cake smash sessions. As you’ll see, there are smiles all round!)
But if you’ve been put off booking one, then perhaps you may prefer a new twist on the traditional cake smash photoshoot?
I’m now offering fruit smash sessions!
Fruit smash sessions are a fun alternative to a classic cake smash.
You’ve guessed it! I use lots of lovely, colourful fruit rather than a giant cupcake, but the concept is exactly the same.
Your baby has an absolute blast munching and scrunching their way through the delicious fruit. I capture all the fun in adorable pictures that will make a colourful addition to your walls at home.
On my Facebook page, I’ve shared this cute video showing a small baby sitting in a watermelon. Worth taking a look if you missed it!
The baby was so happy and loved chewing at the fruit, as your baby would do at their own fruit smash photo session! It’s a healthy snack too!
What’s involved in a fruit smash photoshoot?
A fruit smash session includes portraits of your baby before the messy fun begins! I’ll capture a variety of cute images of them sitting and playing against a colourful backdrop from my signature backdrop collection.
If the photoshoot has been organised to coincide with your baby’s first birthday, I’ll also use large wooden letters spelling out the word ‘one’ in the photos. Some children try to eat the letters! Thankfully, they’re pretty indestructible!
Older babies also welcome though as I explain in this blog about when to book a cake smash session.
Then, the entertainment begins when I bring out the fruit. I’ll arrange a display of brightly coloured, fresh, seasonal fruit.
As with my traditional cake smash portrait sessions, the baby will probably love the colours and also the taste of the fruit. So, they’ll be delighted to have the chance to tuck in. They’re welcome to make as much mess as they like!
I’ll also take photographs as your child gets cleaned up afterwards. Warm water and bubbles are the order of the day and are included in every session. Your baby can even have a fruit-filled bath! It’s another fun, sensory experience for them!
Cake Smash or Fruit Smash photoshoot? What would you choose?
Cake smash sessions have been popular for many years now and their popularity shows no sign of slowing down! The reason is clear. It’s a messy but 100% fun-filled session that both children and parents love. The photographs are a fantastic memento.
As well as being perfect for your walls at home, the cake smash or fruit smash portraits can also be used to personalise party invitations, gift cards, photo gifts and calendars. There are so many ways you could use the photos. I’m confident that they’d make you crack a smile each time you looked at them!
Book a fruit smash photoshoot today
If a fruit smash session sounds like something you think your baby would love, get in touch today. Complete this form to secure a date for yours. I look forward to having you in the studio soon!
Karen x
The joys of a cake smash and bath splash session
If you’re a toddler, splashing around in warm, silky bubbles is just so much fun! Which is why I always include a bubble bath splash session in every one of my popular cake smash photoshoots.
Today, I wanted to share with you some of the fun my little clients have during a cake smash and bath splash session here at KW Photography.
Bubbles, bubbles and more bubbles!
It’s certainly a highlight of my day seeing babies and children enjoying themselves during their photoshoot with me. The smiling faces and squeals of delight during a cake smash and bath splash session are just so adorable!
I bring the warm bubbles into the photography studio towards the end of the cake smash session. At this point, the cake has usually been well and truly destroyed and baby needs a good clean up!
I have the cutest miniature roll-top bath which is just the perfect size for little ones. And I always use plenty of bath mixture to ensure they have lots of bubbles to play with.
A Cake Smash and Bath Splash: Messy fun for everyone!
As you’ll have probably seen if you’ve taken a look at my cake smash portrait gallery already, cake smash sessions can get very messy!
So, the bath splash is not only a great tactic for keeping your baby entertained during the cake smash shoot, but it also allows me to create a greater variety of images for you to feature on your walls at home.
And it also has a practical purpose, of course – I wouldn’t want to be sending you home with a child covered in cake! I don’t think it would do the upholstery in your car much good!
Happy babies, happy memories
My years of experience as a baby photographer has taught me that I get the best portraits of your little ones if they’re enjoying themselves during their time with me.
So, whether you’re visiting for a cake smash session, for one of your ‘My First Year’ baby portrait sessions, or a family photoshoot, I’ll be sure to keep them entertained.
Cake smash and bath splash sessions
Follow these links to discover more about what’s involved in a cake smash, when to book your cake smash photoshoot and to see a cake smash session in action!
And if you’re interested in booking a cake smash or baby portrait session please get in touch by completing this contact form.
Karen x
Cake smash portraits and a celebration of all things cake!
Today I’d like to share with you some of my favourite cake smash portraits from recent sessions.
First birthday cake smash
As you probably know if you follow my Facebook page, my cake smash portrait sessions for one-year-olds are extremely popular. Particularly since this video of mine went viral last year and was watched by over 5.6 million people!
There is usually not one single week in a typical month when I am not doing at least one cake smash. And very often I can be busy doing several in a week. I love them and it’s great that my clients do too.
Celebrating a baby’s first year
Cake smash portraits are certainly becoming the popular way to celebrate a baby hitting that first-year milestone. And as a result, I buy a LOT of cake!
Themed cake smash photoshoots
Each child, as part of my cake smash photoshoot, gets their very own professionally made, giant cupcake to devour during their session.
Yes, some are reluctant at first. But most really go for it after a while, and the parents and I are usually laughing throughout the entire session! It’s such fun to watch!
My shoots are fully themed; mummy and daddy choose from a selection of colours and themes in advance. I provide the cake and the themed outfit, I setup a themed backdrop and we start the messy play.
I capture all the fun as your baby squeals with delight, smashing up and eating the cake. Then afterwards, I get them all squeaky clean again (you’ll be pleased to hear)!
They have a splash around in my miniature roll-top bath, and that’s also another opportunity for me to capture some great photographs to finish the session.
Baby becomes a toddler
A first birthday cake smash is a fantastic way to celebrate your child turning one and officially transitioning from a baby into a toddler.
At this age, they are growing in confidence by the minute and their personality shines through the in the adorable photos.
To view more examples from my cake smash portrait portfolio, visit my gallery here. And to book a cake smash for your child, call me on 07749 270431 or contact me via my website to book your preferred date.
Before I go, I’ll leave you with one final tip for parents coming to a cake smash session …prepare to get messy!
Karen x
Viral Cake Smash!
March 2016 – My Cake Smash video goes viral!
As I write this I’m in complete shock.
I recently had a professional video created to show my customers what happens behind the scenes at one of my Cake Smash sessions. You may well have seen it if you follow me on Facebook?
Well, after I posted the video to Facebook last Thursday, it has gone viral!
Unbelievably, as of today, the video has reached over 7.5 million people and over 2.5 million people have watched it. And that figure keeps on growing!
So, why all the attention? Why now?
I’ve been photographing Cake Smashes for years. I’ll admit, it’s certainly not a new concept.
So I hadn’t expected my video to go viral and to have it shared over 50,000 times!
What a week!!!!
The power of Facebook
From what I know of how Facebook works, video content uploaded directly into Facebook does enjoy great reach when compared with standard text or image posts.
So, I can only presume that the video enjoyed great feedback initially, from the people who follow my page. Then Facebook decided to increase the reach and show the video to many others off the back of this initial positive reaction.
That effect has now been intensified. Reach hit 1 million by Tuesday, 2 million by Wednesday, and as I write this on Thursday tea time, total reach has exceeded 7 million!
By the time you are reading this, perhaps it’s reached even more?
As a result of these millions of views, I’ve been inundated with over five thousand lovely comments from people all around the world who’ve enjoyed it.
Bookings for cake smashes are also up!
Cake Smashing Fun
If you’re familiar with what a Cake Smash is, you’ll know that I love them as they are a great way of celebrating a baby’s first birthday. (If you’re not, read more about what happens at a cake smash photoshoot here).
The photos are a great memento of baby hitting that all-important first birthday milestone.
Parents love them too, as I get adorable, cheeky photos – the kind of photos that parents can’t take themselves at home.
I photograph all the crazy, messy fun!
A big thank you
So, huge thanks to all of you who have liked, commented or shared on the video already. You have helped my cake smash video to reach an unbelievable number of people.
And if you haven’t already, please take a look at my video to see what all the fuss is about.
Let’s aim to get 3 million views by the weekend!
Karen x
Cake Smash Photography
Cake Smash photography Dorset
Smashin’ cakes and bath time bubbles
A Cake Smash photoshoot is a brilliant way to record the all-important milestone of your baby turning one. It’s a messy, fun, and unique way of celebrating. Kids and parents love it!
I’ve been very busy lately because of a flurry of cake smash bookings being the go-to Cake smash photographer Dorset. Many of the babies who came to me as newborns last autumn are now turning one, and it’s been a real pleasure to have them back in the studio again for some messy play!
I’ve recently invested in some gorgeous new props for my cake smashes too. My pride of joy at the moment is my new roll top bath. Check it out! Uber-stylish and the perfect size for a one year old covered in cake! I love it!
Wondering what’s involved in a Cake Smash?
A Cake Smash photoshoot lasts approximately one hour. After some initial photos and allowing time for your baby to become comfortable in the surroundings of my studio, the messy part of the photoshoot begins.
Fully themed to your unique requirements, the shoot involves getting baby dressed into a cute outfit (bring your own or I have lots of options for you to choose from on the day) and then I let them loose on their gorgeous giant cupcake. They are encouraged to dig in and get as messy as possible!
Cake smash setups
They are set against a coloured backdrop, complete with balloons, bunting and accessories. My cowboy and pirate themes are a huge hit with the boys. Girls just love the princess set up and my cute Kath Kidson colours and fabrics.
The final part of the cake smash photography Dorset shoot is where the baby is popped into the bath for bubbles and more fun and photos. A Cake Smash shoot is undoubtedly a sensory treat for babies, and clients often tell me that they sleep extremely well afterward (always a bonus!).
Capturing the key milestones in your baby’s early years with photography, like this, is a brilliant way of recording these wonderful happy moments. And because you come to my studio in Poole, there’s also the added bonus that there’s no mess for you to clean up afterward!
Find out more about my Cake Smash session here.
You can also view my Cake Smash gallery for examples of how messy it can get! Enjoy!
Karen x
