Boston Area Family Photography

As parents, we surely are constantly trying to find new ways to celebrate the milestones in children's lives. With these celebrations come the exciting opportunities to document them. What better way to celebrate kids getting older than a photoshoot that they can take the reins on?

One popular photoshoot among babies is a cake smash session which literally means a small cake is placed in front of your baby and their reaction is fully documented in a series of photos.

A lot of parents are hesitant to have professional photos done when their baby is at such an unpredictable age, but that unpredictability is what makes these photos so special. The beauty of a cake smash shoot is that your little one can really be in charge and their personality can truly shine through in the photos.

There are three stages of the cake smash.

1. CUTE SHOTS

The baby wears a cute outfit allowing the parents to get some photos in before the mess begins. I often use this as an opportunity to get some family shots.

2. MESSY SHOTS

This is when the magic happens although things might get a little messy! The outfit of choice for the little one is usually just a diaper covered by a nice diaper-cover. Aside from there is less to clean up, it also keeps the focus on your baby. These shots are the most spontaneous and always come out amazing. Babies all react differently when the cake comes out and there's nothing better than being able to see their personalities shine through in the photos.

3. BATHTUB SHOTS

What's better than finishing off the day with a clean baby! We like to end with the child all cleaned up and in the bath. The photos from this stage end up so beautiful and you will cherish them forever.

A major reason that more and more families and photographers across the country are choosing to use this style is how easily it is to personalize it for each family. Depending on what the parents are looking for, the cake smash photos can be as elaborate or as simple as they would like. Many families opt for a themed shoot, which could be based on anything from a favorite children's book to a circus theme. Everything from the cake, to the outfits, to the decorations can be up to whatever the parents envision.

Whether or not you decide to have the shoot outdoors or indoors will significantly impact the final results of the photos. Having the entire shoot take place fully indoors creates a very professional energy to the photos whereas outdoor photos are beautifully enhanced by the natural background and feel more spontaneous. It is important to decide this on a case by case basis. Every family is so different and it is important to make sure that each shoot fully matches the parents' vision.