Somewhere between a third and a half of one-year-olds want nothing to do with the cake. Plan for that to be fine, because it is.
The three stages
Clean portraits first, on the themed set, while the child is fresh and the outfit is still an outfit. This is where the framed print usually comes from.
Then the cake. We shoot this at burst speed because the genuinely good frames last about four seconds — the moment of first contact, the expression, the hand going in.
Then a splash tub to finish, which photographs beautifully and solves the cleanup at the same time. Wet hair, bubbles, a very pleased baby.
The palette is the whole trick
What separates a considered set of images from a photograph of a baby covered in icing is that the backdrop, the outfit and the cake share a colour palette. We agree it in advance and order the cake to match, in an egg-free or vegan version if you need one. Tell us about allergies on the enquiry rather than on the day.
Please do not train your child to like icing
We have genuinely been asked about this. A one-year-old poking a cake suspiciously and refusing to touch it makes a funnier and frankly better series of photographs than a compliant one. The session is designed to work either way.
The mess
Considerable, and ours to deal with. Cleanup is included, including the child. Bring a spare set of clothes and a towel for the journey home; everything else is our problem.
Timing
Right around the first birthday, once a child sits confidently and can be left to explore something in front of them. Some families do a half-year version at six months, which works if the baby sits well. Book three to four weeks before the party if you want the images on an invitation.