Your little one’s first year is an experience like no other, and you deserve to capture the memories to look back on with professional baby photography. Portraits for the milestones of your baby’s first year are always precious, but a custom photo shoot for central PA cake smash photos is the perfect way to close out your little one’s baby album.
Tell the Story of Your Baby’s First Year
As a photographer and a parent, I know that every photo shoot for a young family is special and one of a kind. But they take on such a new life when you can see portraits from several milestones one after the other. Suddenly you’re reliving those moments and the moments in between, watching your baby grow all over again.
That’s the beauty of finishing your baby’s photo album with cake smash portraits for their first birthday. When you put them together with your baby’s other portraits like their newborn photos and sitter session portraits, they tell the story of this magical first year of life and all of its new experiences and discoveries.
Aligning with the Aesthetic of Your Baby’s Other Portraits
This is particularly the case if you hire the same professional baby photographer for all of your baby’s photo sessions. Not only do your cake smash photos and your baby’s other portraits come together to tell a story but they do it in a cohesive and beautifully coordinated way. Home snapshots will always have their place in your heart, but professional portraits have the quality and lighting to really bring their image to life.
Highlighting Your Baby’s Emerging Personality with Customized Central PA Cake Smash Photos
One of the reasons that cake smash photos are so beloved is because of where your little one’s development is at their first birthday. As your child turns one year old, they’re starting to be able to show you their preferences. That could be a particular color they seem to gravitate toward (like the lovely shades of green we used for this baby girl’s cake smash photo shoot) or a song that always makes them do that adorably wiggly baby dancing. A custom photo shoot for this occasion is the perfect way to complete their baby album because it shows how your little one has changed and grown in their first year and is starting to develop their own interests.
If your baby has their first birthday coming up, I’d love to celebrate the occasion with you with a custom cake smash photo shoot. Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography in Harrisburg and let’s chat!
If your baby’s first birthday is coming up, a custom first birthday photo session is the perfect way to mark the occasion in a fun way that also creates sentimental portraits your family will love. It’s become a popular tradition to have Mechanicsburg cake smash photos as part of your baby’s first birthday photos. Should you have a cake smash photo session for your little one like the little guy in these photos? What are the pros and cons, and some fun alternatives if you decide to go a different way?
First Birthday Photographer near Mechanicsburg PA
Why is Cake Smash Photography a First Birthday Tradition?
Why do we take cake smash photos as a first birthday tradition, anyway? It’s become popular in the US in the last decade or so. No one’s quite sure where the tradition started - it may be an homage to a Mexican first birthday tradition, or a callback to the tradition of brides and grooms smashing cake in each other’s faces at their wedding. Or maybe it’s just because when you give a baby a cake or cupcake to celebrate their birthday, they mostly just smash it between their fingers and play around with it, and cake smash photos capture that cuteness in a more aesthetic way than taking snapshots during their birthday party.
Regardless of where it started, cake smash photography can be a cute and fun way to celebrate your little one’s first birthday!
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Are Mechanicsburg Cake Smash Photos the Best Option for Your Baby’s First Birthday?
Cake smash photography is entirely a question of personal preference. I love working with families to honor their baby’s landmark first birthday, whether they choose a cake smash or not!
There are, of course, pros and cons. A lot of parents love cake smash photos as a fun and lighthearted tradition. It can be so cute to watch your little one playing in the cake and exploring something new, getting adorably messy in the process.
Some parents just aren’t fans, though. You might not like the messy aesthetic. Some parents feel that a cake smash encourages their kids to eat sugar or exposes their kids to sugar before they’d like to, or that it encourages their baby to be messy with food.
It all comes down to your vision for your baby’s first birthday photos - there’s no right or wrong here.
Baby boy first birthday studio photoshoot
Ideas for First Birthday Photos Without a Cake Smash
If you don’t want cake smash photos, you can still get a fabulous first birthday photo shoot for your baby! In fact, my first birthday photography sessions include many different portraits and sets, and for parents who want cake smash photos, this is just one part of the session.
Some parents like to split the difference and still have a “smash,” but with something besides cake. These can be a fun way to do a twist on the tradition! For example, instead of cake you could use:
Watermelon or other fruits
Donuts or other pastries
Pasta
Pancakes
Pie
Cake Smash Photoshoot Mechanicsburg PA
Booking Your Mechanicsburg Cake Smash Photos or First Birthday Photos
First birthday photography is a beautiful way to celebrate a milestone for your family, and whether or not you want a cake smash, I’ll create fun and sentimental portraits you’ll be able to cherish. Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s start planning your baby’s session!
Your little one’s first birthday is an occasion you start dreaming about as soon as your child is born. It marks the end of what might be the most life-changing year for your family, and a year of amazing growth and change for your little one. What better way to celebrate than with first birthday photos in Hershey PA?
If you’re looking ahead to your child’s first birthday cake smash photos, how soon should you book your session and start planning? As a baby photographer, I’m happy to share my advice.
Custom First Birthday Cake Smash Photography Sessions near Hershey PA
The Short Answer: Book a Couple Months Ahead
I accept a limited number of photo sessions each month to make sure that I can give every client my undivided attention to make their portraits special. That means my schedule tends to book up a few months in advance. If you want your baby’s photo session to be right around their first birthday, I recommend that you contact me 1-4 months in advance to schedule your session.
Hershey PA First Birthday Cake Smash Photoshoot
The Longer Answer: Taking Other Factors Into Account
Booking a couple of months before your child’s birthday is great if you don’t have a particular date you want their portraits to arrive. But if you do have specific plans for your photos, you’ll want to plan ahead further.
For example, some parents want to unveil the portraits at their baby’s first birthday party. In this case, you’ll need to plan the photo session far enough in advance to allow time for editing and for ordering your wall art or any other display you choose. How far in advance you book can vary because some displays and prints may take longer to arrive than others, and we can discuss your specific plans when you book your session.
Ultimately, if you do have a specific date when you want to have your child’s cake smash portraits or one year portraits, reach out to my studio as early as possible. That way, we can talk it through and I’ll give you a recommendation on when we should schedule your session.
Cake Smash Photography Session
Planning Your Baby’s First Birthday Photos in Hershey PA
Your baby’s first year is one of the most unique and incredible experiences of life, getting to know your new child and watching them discover the world. If you want to do something truly special to mark the occasion, what about cake smash photos in Camp Hill PA? A cake smash session is a beautiful gift for both yourself and your child, giving you both a fun and exciting experience along with portraits you’ll always treasure.
Why is a cake smash session the perfect first birthday gift? I’ll tell you!
Baby Girl First Birthday Photography in Camp Hill PA
Celebrate a Once-in-a-Lifetime Milestone
Your baby only turns one year old once! This is a fabulous milestone to celebrate - it’s the transition from infancy to toddlerhood, and before you know it, your baby will be walking and talking like a pro. Celebrating with a party is great, and you can still throw a party, but cake smash photos create a gift that will become an heirloom for the whole family to enjoy.
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Participate in the Fun Tradition of Cake Smash Photos in Camp Hill PA
Cake smash photography is a tradition that families throughout the US have loved and it only seems to be growing in popularity. Think of it as a more lasting version of the tradition of everyone gathering around to watch your baby playfully dig into their first birthday cake…with the benefit of a professional photographer.
Cake Smash Photoshoot in Camp Hill Baby Photography Studio
Get Portraits Full of Personality
One year is such a fun age for babies. Their little personality is starting to develop and shine through, so every day feels like a new discovery. That makes cake smash photos even better because you can capture those precious giggles and quirks on camera. I can even style your baby’s cake smash session to fit your child’s personality and your family’s style so it’s a true memento of this time in your family’s life.
Baby First Birthday Cake Smash Photography near Camp Hill PA
Booking Your Cake Smash Photos in Camp Hill PA
Have a beautiful baby that’s nearing their first birthday? Let’s chat about a cake smash session! Book your cake smash photography today.
You’ve made it through your baby’s first year! How do you celebrate? Why not with a cake smash photo session? For several reasons, a baby boy cake smash session in Mechanicsburg is a gift that just keeps giving, a birthday celebration you and your family will treasure.
First Birthday Photography near Mechanicsburg PA
Celebrate a Special Occasion
Your baby’s first birthday is a major milestone! It’s the first of many birthdays you’ll have with them and it’s a time to reflect on all the amazing ways they have changed in a year. A photo session isn’t just a birthday celebration, it’s a birthday celebration that will last forever because the portraits will be a lifelong memento.
Mechanicsburg PA First Birthday photoshoot
Enjoy the Fun, Unique Tradition of a Baby Boy Cake Smash Session in Mechanicsburg
Cake smashes are a hollowed first birthday tradition, and your baby deserves to be part of the fun! As much fun as it is to do a cake smash at your baby’s birthday party, it can be tough to get good pictures of the experience in this setting. A cake smash session gives you the best of both worlds: you can have professional portraits of this fun tradition, but during your baby’s party, you can relax and enjoy the experience.
First Birthday Cake Smash Session in Mechanicsburg PA Photography Studio
Complete the Picture of Your Baby’s First Year
Getting pictures of your baby’s most monumental milestones in their first year is something you’ll always be grateful for as a parent. A cake smash photo session is the perfect way to complete that picture, creating a compilation of portraits from this incredible year in your family’s life.
First Birthday Milestone Portraits
Celebrating Your Little Guy with a Baby Boy Cake Smash Session in Mechanicsburg
If your little boy is turning one year old, a cake smash session is a unique way to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. If you’re in the Mechanicsburg area, contact Karissa Zimmer Photography today and let’s start planning this beautiful occasion together.
The first year of your baby’s life is an incredible time of learning (for both you and your baby) and constant changes from one day to the next. Their first birthday is an incredible milestone, so why not celebrate with the time-honored tradition of cake smash portraits? As a Harrisburg baby photographer, I love celebrating little ones with these one-of-a-kind portrait sessions!
If you want to make sure your baby’s cake smash session is as smooth and successful as possible, you’ve come to the right place. Follow these top tips for your cake smash portraits.
Harrisburg Baby Photographer Cake Smash
Consider the Photography When Ordering Your Smash Cake
The cake, of course, is an essential prop for cake smash photos. While I’m happy to source a cake for you for an added fee, most of my clients prefer to get their own cake so they can get exactly what they want.
If you’re getting your own smash cake, though, make sure you think about how the cake will photograph. I suggest cakes with either white or pastel icing. Chocolate cake doesn’t photograph well, nor does chocolate icing or red icing. Frosting with very deep colors and strong dyes can stain your baby’s skin, and we want to make sure they look fantastic for the rest of their portraits.
Make sure you also tell the bakery that it’s a smash cake so they don’t put anything inside the cake to stabilize it, like a stick which can be dangerous. I also recommend that you don’t get a cake with fondant because this can present a choking hazard.
Consider a Practice Run Before Meeting Up with Your Harrisburg Baby Photographer
Not sure how your baby will react to the smash cake? You can do a practice run to let your baby try it out. Get them a small cake or a cupcake a day or two before your photo session and let them play around with it, discover that it’s tasty, and figure out how to dig into it.
Don’t Stress About Your Baby’s Reaction to the Cake
Every parent wants those adorable pictures of their baby covered in cake and giggling with absolute glee. I’d love to get those for you too! Truthfully, though, some babies love their cake smash and others don’t. Your baby may just not like the feel of the cake or frosting on their fingers.
All of that is okay! I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve to get great portraits, and honestly, portraits of babies that aren’t quite sold on their cake can be precious too. They’ll bring back memories you can laugh about, so don’t worry about how your baby will react to the cake.
Plan Your Schedule Accordingly
Over my years as a Harrisburg baby photographer, I’ve learned that you can’t rush portraits, especially when there are babies involved. Your baby might need some time to get comfortable with me and get comfortable in front of the camera, and that’s perfectly fine. Just make sure you plan your schedule accordingly so you’re not feeling rushed.
I also do my first birthday portraits a bit differently from some photographers. I take the cake smash photos in my studio in the morning and then you go home to get your baby cleaned up and rested. We’ll meet back up in the late afternoon for some gorgeous outdoor portraits. Make sure you arrange your day so you can take your time and enjoy the milestone experience.
Bring Outfit Options - Your Harrisburg Baby Photographer Can Help
Trying to figure out what you should have your baby wear for their cake smash portraits? It’s always a good idea to bring several different options. You want your baby to be comfortable and be able to be their active, mobile self, and that might mean that your favorite outfit isn’t the best choice. I can help you decide between your options at the studio.
Relax and Enjoy!
This is your baby’s first birthday - have fun! You earned it! Relax, enjoy the session, and be joyful. It will make your baby’s photos even better because they take their cues from you so they’ll be happier and more relaxed too.
Booking a Harrisburg Baby Photographer for Your Baby’s Cake Smash Photo Session
The little boy whose Mechanicsburg first birthday portraits are featured in this blog, TJ, is one who is especially close to my heart. I’ve had the absolute joy of watching him grow and photograph his adorable milestones throughout his first year. Along with his newborn portraits, I created TJ’s six-month sitter session portraits and, recently, his one-year portraits.
Not only is TJ the happiest little cutie, but his portraits make me reflect on a topic I wish more clients knew about: the benefits of using the same photographer for all your baby’s milestones and your family portraits.
Why Use the Same Photographer for Your Mechanicsburg First Birthday Portraits and Other Milestones
Finding a family photographer you love isn’t easy. Did you know that you could do yourself a favor in multiple ways by revisiting them for every milestone and portrait session as your family grows?
As a portrait photographer who specializes in newborn portraits as well as maternity, family, baby, child, and senior photography, I have had the honor to do this for countless families in the Mechanicsburg area. There are several perks beyond the convenience of never needing to find a new photographer again.
Portraits That Feel Personal
When you visit the same photographer numerous times, it lets us get to know you and your family. With every photo session, we understand your aesthetic tastes and your personality better. Each session’s portraits will feel more and more authentic to your family.
Comfortable Photo Sessions for the Whole Family
The best portraits always come when my clients are comfortable enough to be their genuine selves. Sure, getting experience in front of a camera helps, but it also comes from getting to know your photographer. When your family feels at home during your photo sessions, it allows me to capture more authentic smiles and it makes your sessions more enjoyable.
A Cohesive Gallery of Portraits
While I cater to your aesthetic tastes in each session, photography is an art form at the end of the day, and every photographer has a natural style. When you get all your portraits from the same photographer, you can more easily display your portraits together because they’ll all have the same artistic style.
Hiring Your Long-Term Family Photographer for Mechanicsburg First Birthday Portraits
Your beautiful baby is turning one: congratulations! You’ve made it through that magical yet chaotic year of infancy, and now it’s time to celebrate while also capturing this amazing milestone in your baby’s life. What better way to do that than with a first birthday photo session?
As much fun as a first birthday photoshoot is, it can be intimidating if it’s your first time. Where do you begin? How do you plan for it? What should you bring? Don’t worry, I’m here to help with your ultimate guide to your baby’s 1st birthday cake smash photos.
First Birthday Cake smash session with photographer near Camp Hill PA
What Can I Expect from a First Birthday Photoshoot?
While every photographer has their own process, I’ve been working with one-year milestone photos for many years, so I’m happy to guide you through my process when I book a first birthday photoshoot near me.
We always begin with a consultation. This is when we’ll discuss your vision for your baby’s portraits and what you want from your photoshoot. We’ll talk about where you want your session to be, what specific types of images you love, and so on. I can also answer all your questions about outfit ideas for your baby, how to prepare for the session, and so on.
I offer first birthday photo sessions in two parts – usually on the same day if the weather permits. The first part is a cake smash session for your baby in my studio early in the day, where we’ll capture all those adorably messy cake smash photos. All that fun tends to make babies pretty tired, so I’ll then send you home with your baby so you can get them thoroughly cleaned up and they can enjoy a nice rest.
Then, we’ll meet back up outdoors in the late afternoon/early evening (or “golden hour” as it’s often called) for a small outdoor session. Throughout the session, you can relax, watch, and enjoy as I capture a mixture of posed portraits and candid photos that showcase your baby’s personality. We can also incorporate you and the rest of your family into these photos if you would like.
Afterward, I’ll hand edit all the best photos from your session. We’ll schedule a viewing and ordering appointment for two to three weeks after your photo session. That’s when you’ll see all your baby’s beautiful photos in a presented slideshow and you can choose the images and products you want.
Baby’s First Birthday Photo session by Karissa Zimmer Photography in Camp Hill PA
Where Do I Get a Cake Smash Cake?
If you want to make it simple, I can source your cake smash cake for you for an additional fee. However, a lot of families choose to get their cake from any local bakery, or you can even bake it yourself if you’re so inclined. There are a few things to keep in mind, though.
First of all, if you’re getting the cake from a bakery, make sure to tell them that it is for cake smash pictures. Sometimes bakeries will have a stabilizer stick inside the cake, and you want to be sure there isn’t one for a smash cake.
Second, while you can get any color and type of cake you want, there are a few things to avoid. It’s best to steer clear of chocolate cake or chocolate icing because it doesn’t photograph well. The same is true for red icing. I also suggest getting a cake with icing instead of fondant, because fondant is hard to chew so it can present a choking hazard.
First Birthday Photographer near Camp Hill Karissa Zimmer Photography
Do I Need to Do Cake Smash Photos for My Baby’s First Birthday Photos?
Absolutely not! Your baby’s first birthday photos are memorializing a special milestone in your family’s life, and you can make it whatever you want it to be. While 1st birthday cake smash photos are a popular tradition, you can do whatever you want for your photos.
Should I Choose a Theme for My Baby’s Milestone Photos?
Whether or not to have a theme for your baby’s milestone photos is entirely your decision. Some families want their portraits to center around a special interest the family has like their favorite sports team or their baby’s favorite cartoon. But a theme isn’t necessary. When I’m doing a 1st birthday photoshoot near me, I typically combine candid photos of the baby being their amazing self with some first birthday décor so the occasion is clear to see.
One year old baby girl cake smash photos in Camp Hill PA Photography Studio
What Should I Bring to My Baby’s Cake Smash Photo Session?
When you’re getting ready for your cake smash photography session, there are a few items you’ll want to bring along. These sessions generally last one to two hours, so bring anything you might need to keep your baby (and you!) comfortable during that time. That can include diapers, wipes, bottles, snacks, and so on.
It’s also a good idea to bring an extra outfit for your baby’s trip home. I always save the cake smash photos for the end of the session because babies get MESSY! Still, you’ll want to bring anything you need to clean up your baby afterward as well as an outfit for them to wear on the way home. You might get messy in the process too, so it’s a good idea to bring an extra outfit for yourself as well.
Camp Hill PA Cake Smash Photographer
Making Your Cake Smash Photos Special
Your baby’s first birthday is an amazing occasion to celebrate, and I’d love to help! Now that you have the lowdown on everything you need to know, it’s time to get your session on the schedule. Contact my Camp Hill photography studio today.
Camp Hill PA Baby Photographer Cake Smash PhotoshootFirst Birthday Photoshoot near Camp Hill PA by Karissa Zimmer PhotographyFirst Birthday Cake Smash Photography Session near Camp Hill PA
Look at awesome little Aiden and his Mamas! He is such a happy and adorable guy! He has definitely got to be one of my most easy going kiddos to work with…just the cutest! <3
