Telling a Story through your Cake Smash Session Images

I am a storyteller with a camera. 

As a cake smash photographer in Saratoga Springs & Boston, I am all about telling the story of my littlest clients’ first birthday celebrations.   Personally, I love doing this in a classic way with a first birthday cake smash session.  

But it’s not just about making a mess out of the cake.  

As a photographer, your job is to discover and tell a story.  There is an entire story that unfolds when you place a cake in front of a baby, and today’s post will help you discover the key elements so that you can capture the full story in your next cake smash session!

START AT THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY

While you can’t exactly have the words “Once upon a time” to obviously clue us in that this is the beginning of your cake smash, there are so many other ways to visually portray the start of the session and the beginning of the baby’s birthday story. 

I like to start my cake smash sessions with a pull back shot of the entire setup BEFORE the baby is even in the frame.  Capture the cake, the decor, and close ups of the little details.  Capture the perfection before the mess that occurs later on!  I do this while parents are getting the baby ready, and I tell them that I’m just testing out my light — which is true!   Sometimes I take a few test shots while waiting for the family to arrive as well, just to make sure there are no other adjustments I want to make to the setup.

After those couple of quick shots, the focus is no longer on the decor, and it’s 100% on the baby.  Forget about the decor and watch the story unfold!
 

Get ready for the action

Next we’re ready for the baby!  I explain to the parents where they will place the baby in the setup.  I ask them to place the baby behind and off to the side of the cake just a little bit.  This way, the baby can crawl or walk towards the cake, showing off their new gross motor skills.  It also gives you a great opportunity to capture the excitement, interest, and curiosity on the baby’s face as they see their colorful cake for the first time!

You are on camera duty, and the parents are on baby-chasing duty.  If you keep getting up to position the baby, you are going to miss a lot of incredible shots, so I make sure the parents know that they’ll bring the baby back into the set if the baby crawls (or walks!) away.
 

WATCH THE STORY UNFOLD

It’s all about the angles!  Start from far away and move in with your camera to capture the entire scene, and then close ups of the baby.  I like to get really close and capture the frosting on their feet, the little pieces of cake that they’re putting into their mouth, and those tiny fingers grabbing the cake.  

One of my favorite angles to capture in the middle of the shoot is the bird’s eye composition.  I grab my step stool and shoot from up above with my 35mm lens.  I sing, clap, and do anything I can to get the baby looking up at me.  It’s my favorite shot every single time showing those wide and sparkling eyes, their beautiful outfit, and the messy cake that they’ve enjoyed all in one shot.
 

FIND A NATURAL ENDING

The image that you use to represent the end of the session may be the very last frame that you capture that day, but I find that the image I choose to show the end often isn’t the very last frame, but one from earlier on when the baby was just over it.  

Maybe they’re crying or crawling away from the cake.  Maybe their big brother or sister came in for a few photos and for a taste of the birthday cake.  Maybe mom’s arms are reaching into the frame to pick up the baby at the end.  Maybe the baby is signing “all done” with their hands all covered in frosting.  Whatever it is, there’s your shot to show the end of the story!

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Some cake smashes last for 20 minutes, and others last for 5 minutes. If you prepare the family to expect this ahead of time, it will be no big deal if the sessions goes a little short because the baby is not feeling it.  Nevertheless, you can still capture a beginning, middle, and end to the story through your images by changing your angles, composition, and looking for storytelling transitions that occur naturally in the session.


Think they're all perfect and filled with smiling, happy babies?  No way!
If your next cake smash session doesn't go as planned, don't worry!  
Check out my favorite blog post that's a compilation of so many recent sessions: 

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After the Session

Don't let the story end with that last photo!  Take it to the blog to share behind the scenes pictures, details about planning the session, and tell your readers a little more about what happened in between frames to tell the full story of baby's first birthday cake smash!

A Pink & Teal Cake Smash in our Saratoga Springs Portrait Studio

One of my FAVORITE things about our cake smash sessions is getting to become fully immersed in the creative side of things while I make each baby's custom birthday set-up.  

When we started planning her daughter's cake smash, Addison's mom told me that she loved our blush pink paper flowers (you know these flowers by now, they're the super popular ones in this post, this post, and this post -- and they're for sale here!).  I wanted to do something unique for her session, and after seeing her inspiration boards that included pops of teal & gold as well as pink, I knew exactly what we would do for a shabby chic cake smash for her baby girl!

Addison LOVED IT.  When the birthday girl first realized that the sugary confection was just for her, she gave us the most awe-filled look that said, "Really?!?!  For me?!?!?"  And then she dug right in!

I first met this sweet family from Rutland, VT a year ago when Addison was only two days old.  I visited them in the hospital for a Fresh 48 session to celebrate her arrival, and we captured some of my favorite Fresh 48 moments ever in their light-filled hospital room.  And now she came to my Saratoga Springs portrait studio one year later, all grown up with the biggest smile and the most bubbly personality.   This little girl is pure sunshine, and I loved capturing these family photos of everyone together.  They adore their baby girl, and she very clearly brings so much light into their lives.  

Thank you so much for joining me at the studio for your first birthday cake smash!  

Did you love this whimsical cake smash? Check out a few of my favorite cake smash sessions here on the blog!

A Butterfly Cake Smash in Saratoga Springs
A Cookies & Milk Cake Smash in Saratoga Springs
"I Love You to the Moon & Back" Cake Smash in Boston
 

A Rainbow Cake Smash for Lucas | Boston Cake Smash Photographer

Sometimes our cake smash sessions are SUPER COLORFUL (like this Very Hungry Caterpillar cake smash here!).  When Lucas' mom told me that she wanted bright rainbow colors in her son's cake smash, I was thrilled to find a creative way to develop this set in a whimsical way without overpowering her sweet little boy.  Some balloons, garland, and a felt banner did the trick!  Oh, and lots and lots of sprinkles on his birthday cake!  His parents own an ice cream shop, so how could we not include sprinkles?  

This sweet little birthday boy wore the cutest striped romper from June and January, and I just love how well it coordinated with his set.  Plus, it was simple and playful, and perfect for a little baby boy.  By the way... he LOVED his cake.  

This is definitely my favorite shot as he's reaching for his first bite of cake, and I love how he is suspended in midair with those bright blue sparkling eyes looking right at me.  

Lucas' big sister, Ella, came and joined in the fun.  She was so excited to show her brother how to eat his cake like a puppy dog, and she really got into it.  There were sprinkles everywhere, and we loved every second of watching these two sweet little siblings interact.  

Of course, all of our birthday sessions also include family photos, and we had so much fun playing and laughing together to capture some fun memories for this family to enjoy.  Want to see how much Lucas has grown?  Check out his lifestyle newborn session here on the blog to see this cutie when he was only a few days old!  Even back then, his big sister was so sweet and attentive!

The One with All of the Tears | A Collection of our Favorite Crying Cake Smash Images

Alright, let's be real...

I talk with families every single week that are so excited to celebrate their baby's first birthday.  Most moms & dads seem to have this vision of how the cake smash will go.  Of course, this is based on all of the happy babies they see on Pinterest that are smiling, enjoying their birthday cake, and having a grand old time. 

But like I mentioned above...  We're going to get real here in today's blog post because sometimes THIS is what might happen during your cake smash. 

And you know what?  It's totally normal.  Actually, I love it when this happens just as much as I love it when we have giggling babies that are fascinated with their cake.    (P.S.  I personally think that this is the cutest image I captured of these twins in their entire first year of portrait sessions!)

Crying babies are absolutely adorable, and these are definitely the moments that you want to capture on camera to look back at one day (along with the smiling ones, of course!).  

10, 20, 30 years from now you can look back at these moments with all of the cuteness and none of the noise, and you'll laugh when you remember how your baby reacted to their first birthday cake!

Think about your baby's first year.  There were probably A LOT of tears.  

Too hot, too cold, too hungry, too messy, too tired, too bored, too overstimulated.  You know that there are so many reasons that might cause your little one to shed a few tears, and you know that this is just their way of communicating with you before they have the words to take the place of crying.  

Sometimes during their cake smash session, babies just want to tell you that something is a little different and unknown for them.  

Maybe they've never touched something the texture of frosting.  

Maybe they don't like getting messy & sticky.  

Maybe they can't figure out why they're sitting on the floor to eat rather than in their high chair.  

Maybe they want more puffs or cheerios, or maybe they just want another hug.

Oftentimes, the tears only last a few short minutes or seconds.  A quick little distraction is all a baby needs to turn their mood around, so we bring in a new snack, a favorite toy, or sing a song.  We start dancing, play peek-a-boo, or take a little walk around the studio to look out the windows.  And we get the happy babies back, and your gallery is filled with smiling images!

No, really!  Go see these same babies smiling during their
cake smash sessions in this other compilation blog post here!

But I embrace the tears, the temper tantrums, and the fits when they happen.  I always make sure to snap a few quick shots of these moments because 30 years from now when you remember your first few years of parenting, you will remember the moment you held your baby in your arms for the first time.  You'll remember their first smile, their first Christmas, the first visit to Grandma's.  You'll remember those squishy cheeks and what it felt like when they wrapped their tiny hand around your fingers.  You'll remember the sleepless nights, the potty-training, the birthday celebrations.  

And you'll remember the tears, mixed in with all of the good things you'll remember what were the moments that really brought on the waterworks.  

Plus, it's not very likely that your grown child will face plant in her birthday cake when she cries 30 years from now, so you really want some proof to show her that this happened once upon a time...

Are you wondering why I'm sharing this post with you today?  I want you to know that all portrait sessions (and all cake smashes!) are unique.  We go with the flow and work around your little one's schedule and mood.  There are many tricks that I use in every session to keep babies happy and bring out their vibrant personalities, and we always capture images of your baby smiling and laughing at every single session.  

But if you're really lucky, we might even capture some teary images that will make you smile every time you remember their first birthday.  

By knowing this ahead of time, you'll be prepared for absolutely anything to happen during your session.  We really do go with the flow.  Trust me to capture all of these beautiful moments for you as they unfold.  In the end, you will create memories that make up part of your family's story, and you'll have heirloom portraits to show your children one day.  

Besides, most of the families wind up framing the crying portraits more than the smiling ones anyways, so at least they have my same sense of humor when it comes to working with the littlest of clients in our studio!

So if your cake smash doesn't quite go like you thought it would, please know that IT IS OKAY.  It is completely normal, and we will love every single image no matter how your baby reacts to their cake.  This session is all about celebrating your little one and showcasing their multifaceted personality, and no matter what happens in your session, we will let their personality shine!

Now that you've enjoyed all of the fussy babies, head on over to this blog post to see these same babies with the biggest smiles during their cake smashes!

Ready to book your cake smash session to celebrate your little one's first birthday?  I'd love to chat with you to plan the perfect session for your baby!  

Please email me at hello@nicolestarrphotography.com and let's celebrate 365 days of your amazing baby together!

A Butterfly Cake Smash with Saratoga Springs Baby Photographer

With all of the snow outside, I am more than ready for a little bit of spring here in our Saratoga Springs portrait studio.  When Victoria's mom told me that she was thinking of a butterfly cake smash for her daughter, I knew that we had to plan the most magical & whimsical session for this baby girl.  After all, this sweet little girl has spent her entire first year growing up inside of a favorite local toy store, and her hashtag on Instagram is #toystorebaby.  So of course, I was very excited to create some magic for her first birthday portraits!  

Plus, she was my very first cake smash baby to come celebrate with me at the studio on the very same day that she turned one!

I just love how she's lounging here with her purple birthday cake!

Every first birthday session at the studio also includes some classic baby photos on a simple cream backdrop.  These are always some of my favorites!  I have a collection of adorable little outfits and headbands, and here Victoria is using our studio wardrobe.  I love that it just adds to her sparkling personality!

Remember my famous paper flower backdrop?  It's back in action, this time on the floor rather that on the wall!  What do you think of this new angle?  (P.S.  You can purchase this backdrop from Baby Dream Backdrops to use in your own photo sessions, too!)

And of course, our family photos are always some of the most treasured memories that our families enjoy after their sessions.  One day these two will show these portraits to their baby girl and tell her about the day she turned one, and they celebrated with lots of cuddles, tickles, and laughter before bringing out a very special birthday cake for their daughter.

Happy birthday, baby girl!  You light up so many lives.  Keep on shining!

A Valentine's Day First Birthday | Saratoga Springs Albany Cake Smash Baby Photographer

This Valentine's Day cake smash was simple and sweet, and I loved styling this February baby's first birthday backdrop.  Lila's mom was so excited to plan a red & pink Valentine's Day session for her daughter's first birthday, and we kept it simple with just a banner and a few hearts on her cake, allowing the birthday girl to be the star of the show.

As much as moms (and photographers!) dream of babies that love their birthday cakes, who dig right in and leave little bits of frosting on their hands and cheeks.... that is not always the case.  And it's normal and totally alright if your baby is like Lila and really isn't a fan of her cake!

P.S.  My favorite part of this image below is the combination of angel wings & the great big, angry scream!

Though she did make a few adorable kissy faces for us -- Valentine's babies certainly love their smooches, and Lila enjoyed making this little face with her lips again and again!

Below is my favorite angle that I try to capture at every single cake smash session.  Look at those beautiful, big eyes of hers!

The angel wings weren't really Lila's favorite, so they certainly didn't last long.  We managed to snap exactly one photo of this baby girl in her angel wings, but I still think it's pretty adorable!  Find a photographer with a sense of humor who will go with the flow when your baby is fussing, and know that images like this one below will be among your favorite ones to show your daughter when she is 17 years old one day.

Of course, Lila loved cuddling up with her mama on the bed and she was all smiles and giggles when crawling around and giving her mama lots of hugs and kisses.  These were the perfect "mommy & me" portraits, and I'm so happy we were able to capture these for this family!

A Cookies & Milk First Birthday Cake Smash Session | Saratoga Springs & Boston Cake Smash Photographer

When I was designing our new Saratoga Springs portrait studio, I knew I wanted it to be light & airy.  It's not a huge space, so every item in the studio needs to serve many purposes.  Each piece needs to be beautiful AND functional.  

The white walls work to reflect light back on the space, and they make the perfect backdrop for family portraits.  The wooden floors are durable enough for a cake smash, but beautiful enough for a milestone session.  The leather sofa is the most recent addition to the studio, and it had to be comfortable enough for newborn parents to relax on while I'm posing their baby during a three-hour session, but pretty enough to double as a prop in the studio.  And that's exactly how we used it during Miles' first birthday session here in the studio.  

This new sofa is my favorite piece in the studio because it makes for comfortable, casual & relaxed family and baby portraits.  Plus, it folds down into a bed for all of the crisp white bed images that I love including in our galleries!

I just love the casual family portraits that we captured with Miles and his parents to celebrate his first birthday.  They are a local family that came to our Limited Edition Holiday Sessions for their Christmas portraits, and I was lucky enough to see them again a few weeks later for a very fun first birthday session!

If you look really closely at this image above, you might see a few puffs hidden on the sofa... another reason why it works so well in the studio!  Puffs and cheerios blend right in for our littlest movers to enjoy during their portraits!

Miles is SUCH a happy little boy, and we got the biggest smiles out of him!

For his birthday portraits, we originally planned a Cookie Monster cake smash.  Then we decided to start with some Cookies & Milk portraits before the cake smash.  Miles was a huge fan of the chocolate chip cookies, and all of those melted chocolate chips looked adorable framing his great big smile.  I love how he reached out to share his cookies with us a few times -- what a sweetheart!  

But it's a good thing we started with the cookies, because he later decided that he much prefers cookies to cake, and he was not a fan of his Cookie Monster cake smash!

We finished with a little splash in the bathtub, and this little boy made the studio wetter than it's ever been.  He LOVED bathtime, and we captured so many awesome images of him doing his thing in the water!  Our baths are definitely a fun addition to our cake smash sessions, and I adore finishing up with lots of baby smiles and a bubble bath!

If you loved this cake smash, check out a few more recent birthday babies!

A Very Hungry Caterpillar Cake Smash

I Love You to the Moon and Back Cake Smash

And my favorite...

Our top cake smashes of 2016!

A Rustic Winter Wonderland Cake Smash | Saratoga Springs, Albany & Boston Baby Photographer

I first met sweet little Addison Elizabeth exactly one year ago at the hospital when she was only twenty-four hours old.  Addison was my very first Fresh 48 session that I ever photographed, and it was such an honor when her mama (also a photographer!) invited me to capture these moments for them in the hospital as they got to know their baby girl.

Following babies and their families throughout their journey during the first year always makes my heart so happy.  I have loved watching Addison grow this year.  Getting together for coffee dates with her mother and FaceTime calls where Addi would get so excited and start clapping her hands to see the screen -- those are the moments when I feel so lucky to have clients as friends, and friends as clients.

For Addison's first birthday we planned a rustic winter wonderland cake smash.  This was so much fun to put together using neutral tones and natural materials -- burlap & wood were the perfect combinations to add a little bit of texture to her backdrop!  I love the hanging snowflakes, and Addi was definitely intrigued by them, too.  

But before the cake smash, we pulled out my teepee for some airy and whimsical portraits of the birthday girl.  She may or may not have been bribed with puffs to stay on the rug when we were taking her pictures (seriously, puffs and Cheerios save the day at every single session!).

Love the teepee?  Check out our DIY tutorial to make your own!

When your mama is a photographer, of course you get a few photos together with your wooden camera toy!

If you loved Addison's rustic winter wonderland cake smash and her portraits with the teepee, you will love this boho-inspired cake smash with twins!  

The One with ALL OF THE CAKES! | Saratoga Springs Cake Smash Photographer

Cake smash sessions are one of my favorite ways to celebrate your baby's first birthday.  I love welcoming families to our Saratoga Springs studio (and our Attleboro studio!) for a very sweet portrait session.  You have survived 365 days of parenthood, so let's celebrate!

One of the things that I love the most about our cake smash sessions is unleashing my creativity on our custom-designed backdrops and sets.  Each session is unique, so I plan a custom backdrop for every baby based on the theme that their parents give me.  

This year we saw everything from superheroes & construction trucks, to Lilly Pulitzer & Cookie Monster.  Some parents use favorite books for inspiration (The Very Hungry Caterpillar cake smash, by Eric Carle), while others come to me with a favorite quote to incorporate into their session ("Love you to the moon and back").  

Just look at how CREATIVE parents were this year in coming up with themes for their little ones' birthdays!  I absolutely adore pulling their theme inspiration into a whimsical cake smash just for your baby.  I can't wait to take our backdrop creation to a whole new level in 2017!  Just wait until you see what we have in store for you this year!

One of the challenges that I enjoy in designing these creative sessions is that every single one is unique.  Even if a family comes to me months later requesting the same theme that another family used, I make sure to plan an entirely new set up for them so that their baby can shine in his or her own way.

This year there were some tears...   (Actually, a lot more tears than just these twins!  But this is my favorite image!)

And some helpers...  I think mom & dad always enjoy the cake as much as the baby, sometimes even more so!  

And there were a whole lot of cute babies (almost toddlers!).  Seriously, I can't believe I get to spend my days with babies, cake, and craft projects.  I must have the best job ever!

Need some inspiration for your baby's first birthday photo shoot?  Here’s a list of all of our favorite cake smash themes this year!

Lilly Pulitzer cake smash

Construction Trucks cake smash

Boho Chic cake smash

Cookie Monster cake smash

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star cake smash

Floral cake smash

Make Way for Ducklings cake smash

Where the Wild Things Are cake smash

Love You to the Moon and Back cake smash

Oh the Places You’ll Go cake smash

The Very Hungry Caterpillar cake smash

Cookies & Milk cake smash

And here are cake smash themes we'd love to do in the studio in 2017 to celebrate your baby's first birthday cake smash photo shoot!  Plus, any other ideas you have for your session!

Rocket Ship cake smash

Day at the Beach cake smash

Hot Air Balloon (Oh the Places You'll Go) cake smash

Rustic Woods cake smash

Winter Wonderland cake smash

Pirate cake smash

Unicorn cake smash

Jungle cake smash

Baseball cake smash

Glitter & Gold cake smash

Boho Chic cake smash

Airplane/Aviation cake smash

Under the Sea cake smash

Floral crowns with a "naked cake" (minimal frosting) cake smash

Nautical cake smash

And a few alternate foods/items we'd love to do for your session, because remember that not every baby is all about the cake!

Spaghetti smash

Watermelon smash

Pumpkin Pie smash

Finger painting smash

Muffin smash

One thing we added as an option to our sessions this year was a little SPLASH!  Our "smash & splash" sessions are becoming increasingly popular, and who doesn't love a little tub bath at the end of their portrait session?  

A Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday: Boston & Saratoga Cake Smash Photographer

Amalia Marie has been looking up at me with those sparkly blue eyes of hers since she was a newborn baby.  I first met Amalia's family last winter when they visited me for her newborn session, and then we got together last summer during a visit to Cape Cod for a family portrait session on the beach.  

When Amalia's mom started planning her birthday portraits months ago, I was so excited to help her bring her first birthday party ideas to life in a colorful portrait session!  

Amalia celebrated her first birthday with a Very Hungry Caterpillar cake smash inspired by Eric Carle's popular children's book.  This was definitely my most colorful cake smash to date, and I love how perfectly her outfit came together with our rainbow cake and banners.  Bringing together all of these creative elements is always my favorite part of preparing for our cake smash sessions, and of course watching our littlest clients taste their sugary treat is always a fun experience, too!

Just like with all of our birthday sessions in the studio, we made sure to capture some family portraits to celebrate Amalia's parents surviving their first year of parenthood.  Amalia's grandparents taught her how to throw her hands up when they exclaim, "TOUCHDOWN!", so of course we got an action shot of her and her daddy scoring a touchdown together.

I have loved capturing the three of them together this past year.  The walls of their home are now filled with so many beautiful memories from the past 12 months, and I'm certain that they're going to love adding many more memories to their walls as their daughter grows.  

Happy birthday, baby girl!

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Did you know that we often start planning a baby's birthday session when they are 7-10 months old to ensure a space on the calendar close to their first birthday?  I'd love to chat with you about your little one's cake smash this year!  

"I Love You to the Moon and Back" First Birthday Cake Smash

You've spent the past 365 days getting to know your little one -- getting to know their likes, their dislikes, their personality.  Memorizing every birthmark, tracing the curve of their cheek, and marveling at their tiny toes.  

You've spent 365 days deciphering their cries, figuring out their ticklish spots, and showing your silly side just to get a belly laugh out of this tiny human of yours.  You've lost countless hours (or entire nights!) of sleep and changed who knows how many diapers... but you've also earned smiles and snuggles from your baby that make up for the sleep deprivation.

And now, your little baby is turning ONE.  They are right on the edge between infant and toddler, and you're getting used to a whole new reality filled with crawling, walking, climbing, a few first words, finger foods, and SO MUCH PERSONALITY.

This is a huge milestone, and it's why I love our first birthday sessions so much!  Our birthday portrait sessions (often combined with a cake smash!) are a chance to celebrate your baby's first year, and to celebrate not just surviving but ABSOLUTELY CRUSHING your first year of parenthood!

I was so excited when Marin's family contacted me to plan a birthday cake smash session for their little girl at our Attleboro studio during one of my trips back to Massachusetts.  Marin's mama had so many ideas for the cake smash, and I absolutely loved bring her concept to life.  Her favorite book is Guess How Much I Love You, and she adores the "Love you to the moon and back" quote at the end of the story.  I was thrilled to create a whimsical set up for the cake smash with stars, moons, soft fluffy clouds, and a quote hand-painted on the backdrop.  

Of course, I've been excited to plan a celestial backdrop with stars & moons -- with my last name, how could I not be?  ;o)  So I was very happy to create the perfect whimsical and soft scene for this sweet baby girl's birthday session.  Her mother and I planned this together right down to the dress and the little crown on her head, and I just love how it all came together on the day of her birthday photo session!

(By the way, in even more exciting news, this backdrop is now on sale at Baby Dream Backdrops as a part of my designer line of drops for photographers!  Go check it out today!)

Our popular birthday cake smash photo sessions typically book 2-3 months in advance.  I would love to plan your baby's birthday celebration with you!   We're now booking for 2017 -- and we're running an AWESOME Thanksgiving Weekend Sale this week to give you some major savings on all 2017 sessions, including cake smashes!  Preview our sale here in our online storefront.

Read more about our cake smash sessions here, and then email us at hello@nicolestarrphotography.com and let's chat about celebrating your baby's first 365 days with your family!

A Cake Smash & Splash Session at our Saratoga Springs Portrait Studio

For Ryan's birthday session, we tried something a little different for his cake smash... by following it up with a SPLASH!  This little boy absolutely loves the water, so it was only natural to have a smash & splash, with a bubble bath after his session to capture a few more adorable photos of him as he celebrates his first birthday.  I was thrilled to finally be able to use this vintage washing tub that I found at the Brimfield Flea Market last year, and to use our brand new wooden boards backdrop for the very first time in our new studio!

Ryan's family came to our Saratoga Springs studio to celebrate 365 days of parenthood.  365 days of smiles, 365 days of cuddles, and 365 days of an amazing little boy who has brought so much light to their world.  Seriously, this little boy is ALWAYS HAPPY.  He smiled the entire time we were together, and he never got fussy for even a moment.  That is a rarity when photographing little ones (check out some upcoming blog posts — we are going to show you ALL of the crying babies!), and I was thoroughly impressed.  I could photograph happy babies all day, every day!  

Ryan LOVED his cake.  His mom told me before our session that he loves to eat, and she wasn’t kidding.  He ate more of his birthday cake than any other baby I’ve ever photographed.  Ryan set a record in our studio for being the very first baby to devour his entire cake.  And then, he was looking for more cake by leaning in to lick every crumb off of the cake stand.  What little bit wasn’t stuck between his toes and fingers was inside of his belly, and at the end of his session there was no solid cake left on our seamless paper!  We couldn’t stop laughing at his eagerness to devour his sweet little birthday cake, and we were so glad to capture that excitement on camera during his cake smash.  

If you loved Ryan’s cake smash, you should check out these other birthday babies:

A Superhero Cake Smash

A Where the Wild Things Are Cake Smash

Oh the Places You'll Go First Birthday Cake Smash

Is your baby turning one in the next few months? 

Email us at hello@nicolestarrphotography.com and let’s chat about planning the perfect birthday celebration for this milestone! 

Use the contact tab above to get in touch, and you can also browse more cake smash inspiration in the “Sessions” tab above!

A Boho-inspired Cake Smash Session for Twins

Oh my goodness, I just love these little girls!  I’ve been so lucky to watch Finley & Bella grow through their entire first year, capturing all of their milestones from their newborn session to their first birthday.  Just look at them now!

It is always an honor when a family trusts me to capture their most precious gifts on camera, and when they continue to bring their babies to me as they grow — that is the very best feeling for my baby-loving and photo-loving heart.  

I have loved watching these girls together, and I can’t believe that these babies who were only FOUR POUNDS when I first held them last year are now these healthy, happy, and beautiful little girls on the brink of toddlerhood.  Aren’t they gorgeous??!?!

Family photos are always some of my favorites to capture during our birthday sessions.  Mom & dad have survived 365 days of this whole parenting thing, and they are in an entirely different place than they were when they first welcomed their girls to the world a year ago.  Plus, they are on their way to mastering the art of being parents of TWINS, which is a whole other ballgame!  

So when Finley & Bella felt more like crying during the cake smash portion of our session, you know what their parents did?  They didn’t panic.  They didn’t start crying, too.  They just rolled with it — they know that there have been so many moments over the past 12 months where their little girls expressed themselves this way, so they rolled with it. 

Besides, I happen to think that crying babies are pretty adorable and I always make sure to capture those little tears on camera when they do happen.  Just imagine pulling this photo out at their 16th birthday party or on their wedding day — classic, right?  

Happy birthday to these sweet little girls, tears and all!  

If you loved Finley & Bella’s cake smash, see how they’ve grown by checking out their newborn session, first Christmas session, and milestone session last Mother’s Day!

A Dreamy Session with Newborn Twins

Celebrating Motherhood Photo Event with Twins

Holiday Sessions with Twins

Is your baby turning one in the next few months?  Email us at hello@nicolestarrphotography.com and let’s chat about planning the perfect birthday celebration for this milestone! 

Use the contact tab above to get in touch, and you can also browse more cake smash inspiration in the “Sessions” tab above!

Do you love this boho teepee as much as I do?  Learn how to make one for your home or for your next photo session!  Our DIY teepee tutorial has become very popular over on the blog, and we'd love for you to save this to Pinterest, too!

A Whimsical Pink & Teal Cake Smash with Albany and Boston Baby Photographer

Be sure to read all the way to the end for a special announcement about our upcoming Limited Edition Holiday Sessions...

When Eliana's family visited me for her milestone session this past winter, I loved every single image that we captured together of this sweet little girl.  She has the most beautiful eyes, and when a camera is nearby she turns her full attention on you.  

As we talked about planning her cake smash session to celebrate Ellie's first birthday, I was excited to see this sweet little girl again and capture those big, beautiful eyes of hers!  I always love watching my littlest clients grow, and it was so amazing to see this sweet TODDLER walking around and showing off her big personality that had blossomed so much since the last time I saw her family.  

Just like her milestone session, we planned a clean, classic, organic, and neutral look for her session, and this time with just a touch of whimsy.  Her mom wanted a beautiful pink and teal theme for the cake smash, which I was excited to also carry into another little set up for Ellie before her cake smash began.  I'm having such a hard time choosing just a few favorites, so I hope you'll enjoy these whimsical photos from her session!

These next photos with the miniature hanging mason jars and fresh blooms?  Oh my goodness, I love this set up so much!  Can't wait to use these jars again for some upcoming sessions!  They are definitely my new favorite decoration for our whimsical set ups!

Just a reminder to mark your calendars!  

We're planning stunning holiday sessions this year, and I can't wait to share all of the details with you.  Sign ups for our Limited Edition Holiday Sessions will be released on October 3, and if you subscribe to our newsletter you will have priority access to scheduling your family's session.  Trust me, these are going to be SO GORGEOUS and you don't want to miss this!  Join our newsletter list today!

SESSION DATES:
October 29 & 30, Attleboro, MA
November 5 & 6, Saratoga Springs, NY

Oh The Places You'll Go First Birthday Cake Smash | Happy Birthday, Mallika!

One of my favorite things about being a cake smash photographer is when I get to work with clients who are just as excited about planning their baby's birthday photo session as I am!  

When Mallika's mom first contacted me about her daughter's cake smash, I instantly knew that we would be a great fit.  She had so many beautiful ideas for her daughter's birthday session, and it was really important to her that we create just the right look & style for her cake smash set up.  After many conversations, we decided that what she really wanted was a simple, classic, and minimalist look with a focus on the baby.  That is just my style!  :o)  Bring on the pure white seamless paper!  She also wanted to incorporate the soft colors and a quote from her favorite book, Dr. Seuss's "Oh the Places You'll Go".  

After I saw a picture of her beautiful little romper from The Stag and the Swan, the whole set came together in my mind and I loved bringing it to life!  I've been dabbling in calligraphy ever since attending a hand-lettering workshop with Sip & Script Boston (check out their page for a fun ladies' night out, and a new alternative to a paint night!).  Creating this calligraphy backdrop was my largest project to date, and I couldn't be more pleased with how it all came together for this charming little girl's birthday.

The little birthday girl, Mals, sure looks like she loved it too, doesn't she?  

One of my tried & true tricks for engaging one year olds during their photo session is to hide puffs in the frosting or on my white flokati rug.  If you are around any babies at all, you know that puffs are everyone's favorite snack and they are always a huge hit with these little ones.  Plus, they blend into the carpet or frosting, are small enough to fit into their tiny hands, and they do not leave a trace of crumbs on their teeth.  They are the perfect photo shoot snack!  

Mallika loved her puffs, and they kept her quite entertained while sitting on my curved bench prop.  I just love that in this photo, she has everything she could ever need -- a helping hand from her mom, and a snack within reaching distance.  Full bellies make for happy babies!  

This is the face of a girl who LOVES her puffs:

In typical one-year old fashion, it's not uncommon for our cake smash sessions to end with a couple of tears.  After all, if someone gave you an entire cake and let you go to town on it, and then took it away from you just when it was starting to get really fun, wouldn't  you want to cry, too?  I think that these moments are just as cute & frame-worthy as the happy clapping, the bubbly laughter, and the sparkling eyes.  I always make sure to keep shooting when the tears start to come out, and it definitely makes for some fun memories!

Finally, a couple of family photos to celebrate surviving (and thriving in!) their first year of parenthood.  Congratulations, P. family!  Your family is absolutely beautiful, and I am so thankful that you invited me into your lives to capture this milestone for you to enjoy.

Saratoga Springs Cake Smash Photographer: A Whimsical First Birthday Photo Session

Where to begin?  I loved everything about this cake smash session in the studio to celebrate Valentina's first birthday.  Every single thing was MAGICAL.  When her mom first contacted me and told me her dream for a whimsical, soft, and feminine cake smash, I knew that we would be the perfect fit to bring this dream to life in the perfect portrait session for her baby girl.  

Every flower on the backdrop was handcrafted by me, and though it took hours upon hours to create, I am so pleased with how it turned out.  When I first posted a sneak peek of this baby girl on social media, it got a lot of love in my baby photography groups.  

The biggest surprise of all was that an amazing opportunity came out of this session, and I am now designing a line of custom photography  backdrops for Baby Dream Backdrops to sell on their site, with this sweet floral design being the first one!  I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity, and it just goes to show you that hard work pays off and your dreams can really take on new directions when you do what you love.  You can purchase the backdrop here, and more designs will be coming soon! 

Now, back to Valentina Rose.  She is the sweetest little thing, and her infinite expressions made us laugh throughout her session.  She was so happy and playful, and I could seriously photograph babies like her all day long and never grow tired of it.  

Going back through her images, I had the hardest time narrowing them down because so much personality shines through in each and every one.  We got together on her exact birthday for her reveal session, and her parents fell in love with every single photo of their baby girl who was right on the brink of toddlerhood.  Though she wasn't walking yet at the time of our session, two weeks later she was taking solid steps around the kitchen while we oooooooh-ed and aaaaaaaaah-ed over her photos.  This baby girl amazes her parents more and more each and every day!

Now are you starting to see why I had such a difficult time choosing favorites from her session?  She is seriously the cutest!  On to the cake smash, my favorite part of these birthday portrait sessions.  Between her outfit, the floral crown, the whimsical backdrop, and the swirls on the cake... this might just be my new favorite cake smash!  I will definitely be making some large framed prints and canvases to hang in the new studio, that's for sure!

Looking to plan your baby's cake smash session?  The recommended age for these sessions is between 10 months and 12 months, and families book as early as 3 to 4 months in advance!  I would love to talk with you more to plan the perfect session for your baby's birthday!  I'm booking cake smash sessions in our new Saratoga Springs portrait studio starting in early July, and I will continue to return to my Boston clients for cake smash sessions after the move to New York.  Use the contact tab above and let's chat!  

A Sesame Street Cake Smash for Aiden's First Birthday!

One of the things that I love the most about our studio cake smash sessions is planning a unique theme and set up for each baby.  From the outfit, to the cake, to the custom decor and backdrop, every little step along the way comes together to create the perfect session for celebrating this little one's birthday. 

For Aiden's Sesame Street session, we used bright primary colors, simple shapes, and a delicious Cookie Monster cake to pull it all together, with a little nod to the classic television show with a green & yellow street sign like those you might see on Sesame Street.  This cake was especially fun to make, and I love that it is covered in lots of ooey-gooey frosting perfect for smashing!

Aiden, however, was not a huge fan of cake or frosting.  He was much more interested in the cookies than in the cake, and thankfully the baby-sized cookies kept this little baby happy during his session!  

I just love the big smile that he showed us here!  Happy birthday, baby boy!

On a sidenote, we are in the process of moving to Saratoga Springs, NY (did you miss our moving announcement?).  I spent all day painting our Saratoga Springs photography studio today, and I cannot wait to welcome some birthday babies in for cake smashes starting in July!  Is your little one turning 1 this summer or fall?  Use the contact tab above to get in touch!

A Lilly Pulitzer First Birthday Cake Smash: Saratoga Springs & Boston Baby Photographer

When Kennedy came to the studio for her first birthday cake smash, we had the perfect theme for this classic New England coastal baby.  Her mom loves the bright colors and patterns of Lilly Pulitzer, and when she mentioned that she had found a few cute Lilly dresses, we knew that Lilly Pulitzer would be the perfect theme for her birthday portrait session.  

I loved creating the backdrop for this cake smash, hand-painting the popular Lilly "She She Shells" design on the backdrop.  With the busy patterns in her design and outfit, it was important to keep the cake simple with just a classic white buttercream.  I make all of the cakes for our cake smashes, and I've loved rediscovering my love for cake decorating through our studio sessions.  This one has turned out to be one of my favorite cakes to date!

After the first few bites of frosting, Kennedy REALLY got into the cake and truly smashed it!  I love how excited she was during her cake smash!  Sometimes we have babies that are hesitant and swoop at the frosting one finger at a time...  This little girl was not one of those babies!  She loves cake like I love cake.  :o)  

I love her expressions in the images below...  While eating her cake, it's the best day of her life and she is as happy as can be!  But when you tell her the cake is all done, cue the scrunched up angry face and baby tears!

As with every cake smash session, we also make sure to capture beautiful family portraits to celebrate your little one's birthday.  Just think, how amazing that you will be able to look back on these photos in 20 years and show your child how loved they were as a baby!  My favorites from this session are with Kennedy and her mama.  I love the fashionable sense of style that they share, and the silly moments that peek through, too.  These photos showcasing their shoes & feet just melt my heart, and I hope that they'll show these photos of their baby girl at Kennedy's wedding one day.

Is your baby celebrating their first birthday soon?  Let's chat about celebrating with a portrait session and cake smash!  I would love to hear your ideas for the session, plus now that it's warming up, we have the option of heading outdoors for some amazing portraits, too!  

Check out this beautiful cake smash at a local park from last spring!  I'm already dreaming of a few new sets with flowers hanging from the trees and the perfect bit of sparkle in your session... let's bring those dreams to life!

A Rock & Roll Cake Smash with Twins!

It all started with a KISS onesie...

Have you ever had one of those days where you look in your closet and you have nothing to wear?  Who am I kidding, of course you have!  We all have!  Now, has that ever happened to you when planning outfits for your family's portrait session?  It's not easy figuring our what to wear and how to coordinate outfits for 2, 3, 4, 5, or even 10 people!  That's why I always tell families that when inspiration strikes, you go with it!

(Or you can check out our helpful What to Wear blog post here!) 

When the twins' mom was trying to come up with outfits for her babies for their cake smash, she was also trying to come up with a theme.  After going back and forth a few times, she finally told me that she had a KISS onesie in the basement that she had given to her husband when they were expecting their first baby.  KISS is her husband's favorite band, he has been to hundreds of their concerts, and all three of her children LOVE rock music.

The answer was clear... yes, yes, YES!  Let's do a rock & roll themed cake smash!

I'm a little bit vintage.  They're a little bit rock & roll.  Everything came together perfectly for Emily & Nicholas's first birthday celebration from the handmade backdrop to the individual cakes.  Plus, getting to watch these babies play with their cakes for their first taste of sugar?  So adorable!

I've captured the sweetest moments of Emily and Nicholas together since they were newborns, and I've absolutely loved watching them grow.  Getting to celebrate their first birthday with them was the icing on the cake!   ;o)  

A Superhero Cake Smash: Saratoga Springs & Albany, NY Baby Photographer

It's a bird...

It's a plane...

It's... SUPERBABY ANTHONY!

I have been having so much fun designing our cake smashes lately!  It helps that the families are coming up with the most amazing themes.  (Did you see our "Where the Wild Things Are" smash?  So adorable!)  When Anthony's parents told me that they were planning a superhero bash for his first birthday party, I knew that I wanted to do an airy cityscape for his set.  That combined with his vibrant cake and the smiliest baby I've ever seen, and this is certainly topping the charts as one of my favorite cake smash sessions so far!

One of my favorite parts of Anthony's cake smash session actually happened AFTER the cake smash.  We got together at his family's home for their reveal session, and his parents fell in love with every single photo in their slideshow.  When they showed the baby the photos of himself, Anthony put on the biggest smile and erupted into the most adorable giggle.  This baby LOVES seeing photos of himself, and he stared and stared at them, taking in every detail.  Such a sweet moment, and I was so happy to be there in person to witness that!

For me, first birthdays are about more than just the baby.  They are about celebrating as a family -- you have survived your first year of parenthood, and that is a major accomplishment!  I always love capturing the love, the joy, and the celebration of parents with their babies just as their little one is about to become a toddler.  Enjoy a few sweet moments of Anthony with his parents...