Tips for a perfect Houston Cake Smash Photography Session, from a pro

Baby looks up at camera while licking icing off her fingers from her houston cake smash photography session.

Find the right Houston Cake Smash Photographer for you

Selecting the right Houston Cake Smash Photographer isn’t as easy as just choosing someone you know of, that is running a special. Think about it, babies are finicky. One year olds are very finicky. They can be shy, overwhelmed, and scared by strangers easily. You need a photographer who is used to dealing with these types of situations and is accustomed to warming babies up gently. A photographer who has all of the supplies and has a workflow that is efficient and effective to reach the desired outcome of the session. If you don’t have a trusted photographer who specializes in Houston Cake Smash Photography, I’d love to chat, as this is one of my favorite genres to photograph!

Tips for your Houston Cake Smash Photography session

Consider allergy friendly cakes, especially if your baby is sensitive to foods to begin with. While it’s likely a new food, they probably won’t actually eat a lot of it, but just to be safe–it’s food for thought.
Bring utensils for getting the cake off of the tray it’s on, or ask your photographer if they are bringing that.
Decide if you want to light a candle, or stay safe and do a cake topper (I suggest cake toppers!)
Unless you are going for a specific theme during your session, sticking to white cake with neutral decorations is always a safe option.
Decide if you want baby to be in a diaper cover, totally naked, or in an outfit for the cake part of the session.
Be ok with getting messy!It’s gonna happen, in fact, we want it to happen! So, let go of the control and accept the mess.

The Cake, Itself

You can always go to a bakery for cake for your Houston Cake Smash Photography session, but you don’t have to. I personally love H-E-B cakes! They taste amazing, are quick to order, and they always do a great job. In fact, if it’s for their first birthday, they get a free smash cake! Just ask the bakery about it. Don’t forget to think about the type of cake stand you want as well. I always take care of these things for my clients, but some photographers do not, so you need to be sure to ask.

Do not have a cake smash session without doing this first

Let them eat cake! (before their session). Yep, I said it. Give that baby some cake to explore, taste, and play with before their session, because 99% of babies are experiencing it for the first time that day, and that adds to the overwhelm they experience. Most babies don’t actually like the taste of it the first time, don’t know what to do with it, and are very unsure of it. This leads to an anticlimactic experience for everyone. When baby has a relaxed opportunity (without lots of eyes on them) to explore cake before their birthday, or the session, they tend to do better overall during their session.

During the session

Overwhelm can happen naturally for anyone when they experience something new. Even if they like it and it’s fun, it can fire off so many neurons in our brain, that we become overwhelmed. Try to relax, and baby will follow. When you set the cake down in front of baby, expect them to not know what to do. That’s OK! You may need to eventually take their little hands and put them into the cake to show them what to do. Most of all, set your expectations to the side and just let baby BE.

What a mess!

You had a successful Houston cake smash photography session if your baby made a mess! Make sure you bring a spare change of clothes (pjs are a great option!) for baby, wipes, and anything else you need to clean them (and yourself) up. Another option that I like to present to my clients is extending the photoshoot into the bath portion. It’s always fun to set up a little tub with some warm water and bubbles and let them splash and play while cleaning up.