First birthday photoshoot | London family photographer

Cake smash alternatives

First birthday photoshoots have become popular in the recent years, although it's been mainly cake smash sessions done in photo studios. As the name suggests, you would get a one year old smash a cake, smother it all over themselves, and the photos captured would often be used as birthday party invitations (so the cake smash sessions tend to be booked before the actual birthday). But imagine a cake smash alternative. Imagine capturing your baby's first birthday at your home - without travelling to a studio, and without smashing any cakes. Imagine natural, candid and joyful photos of your baby. That's where I come in with a birthday photoshoot at home!

I am an advocate for having a family photo session done at your home, because that's where your baby feels the most comfortable. They are in a familiar place, surrounded by people they know and love, and they can be themselves in front of the camera. And imagine capturing your birthday boy or girl on their actual birthday, with the dearest and nearest in the same room, all celebrating your not-so-little baby!

This is exactly what happened at this session. Little Henry turned one that particular day, and the whole family celebrated this special occasion with a little get-together. We didn't have the cake smash per se, but Henry definitely enjoyed eating the cake with his hands and making a sweet mess with it as a result. That's the kind of cake smash alternative I am on board with!