Today we celebrate Sterling’s birthday and what better way to celebrate than to share images from his Stars Cake Smash & Splash session!
Sterling’s mama picked out the perfect setup to compliment his colouring! The blues and browns work so well with his fair skin and light eyes.
But let’s chat about how the photoshoot went… because it took a little work to catch the perfect images of this sweet little guy.
Babies born in the past 12 months (our Pandemic Babies, if you will) struggle a bit more with photoshoots. Their whole lives (basically) they have had very limited interactions with adults aside from their parents. Stranger anxiety is super common, but it is definitely a bigger hurdle than ever!
To do sessions right now I need to wear a mask and then I hold a giant camera which, from a 1-year-old’s perspective, must be a bit intimidating. All the old tricks for helping put babies at ease aren’t quite as useful in the circumstances we find ourselves in.
The plan for Sterling’s photoshoot was to start with his portrait and right off the bat he let us know he wasn’t interested! We visited for an hour, but it wasn’t the right day for him to do the Stars Cake Smash & Splash. Kid’s are so temperamental
When Sterling came back a few days later, there were still some nerves, but with a little bit of coaxing he started to warm up.
It helped to have his mama near, so she and I chatted while she and Sterling snuggled.
The key to getting this sweet little babe ready to smash that cake? Why, letting him get a taste of it, of course! Special thanks to Sweet Stells Bakery for another amazing cake!
An integral part of the Stars Cake Smash & Splash session… is letting the little guy splash! Sterling had a little bubble bath and his sister was there to help make sure he had fun (and I made sure to sneak a few quick shots of them)!
Things to bear in mind for Cake Smash & Splash sessions:
- Book some time to visit before beginning the photo shoot. These sweet little babes need a chance to warm-up to a new environment and new people.
- Snuggles are required! Staying flexible on timeframes certainly helps keep the mood light and fun. Mamas are integral to helping their baby feel comfortable in the space, and those snuggles are important!
- Tasting the cake is a sure-fire way to get babies interested in eating the cake. Don’t be afraid to offer a little nibble to get them in the mood to eat.
Big shout out to Sweet Stells Bakery for creating this gorgeous cake and to Pup and Frank for making this super cute romper! Most of my sitter outfits come from Pup and Frank. I can’t recommend them enough if you’re in the market for rompers!
