Planning a First Birthday Photo Session
First Birthday photo sessions require a bit of thought and planning so it's never too early to book these and get the process started.
STEP ONE: Decide whether you want to do the Mini or Deluxe First Birthday session. You can see the difference in packages here.
STEP TWO: Decide on a theme or colors for the Birthday backdrop. First Birthday sessions are unique in that parents get to choose a theme for the backdrop and I create a "set" to match. When I saw "set" I mean a backdrop and decorations. Its the same idea as coming up with a theme or decorations for their birthday party. Some people choose a very specific theme like, baseball, Buffalo Bills, boho floral, mermaid, space, Alice in Wonderland, etc. Some people don't have a specific theme in mind but want something simple like a solid blue backdrop with a balloon garland in different colored balloons, or pink and purple florals. And some people want to keep it very simple with just a simple "one" banner hanging on a solid colored backdrop. I can do whatever you'd like. We can even skip the cake smash part if you don't want to do it, and just photograph baby with a decorated birthday backdrop. I've done many themes in the past and I have an album on my fb page that shows most of them. I recommend looking through that album first to see if anything catches your eye. You can see that album here. If you find one you like just screen shot and send to me. Most of the sets can be customized and changed. For example, lets say you like one set that uses a bunch of flowers and you like the look of everything but want to change the color of the flowers, or add in a second color of flowers. I can add, subtract or change specific things to your liking. Just let me know ahead of time.
If the "set" requires a lot of props that I don't already have then I'll ask you to help by bringing some items in. Most of the time this isn't necessary though, especially if you pick a theme I've already done before. If you choose a theme I haven't done I just ask that you be very specific in letting me know what you want. Sending example photos and a photo of the outfit you plan on having baby wear helps.
The cake is included with the session and I order all my cakes from a local baker. The cakes I order are simple in design. If you want a more elaborate cake then you're welcome to bring one in.
STEP THREE: Once you have the theme set you'll need to start thinking of the other backdrops you get with your session.
- If you're doing the Mini First Birthday Session it comes with the birthday/cake smash backdrop then one additional backdrop. This option is for baby only, no family/sibling photos included. The other backdrop can be chosen from here. There's a tab at the top of that gallery that says "large backdrops for families" and one that says "small backdrops for kids". Choose one from the "small backdrops for kids" category. I just ask that you let me know which ones you want at least 1 week before your session.
- If you're doing the Deluxe First Birthday Session then you get to choose 2 additional backdrops. These backdrops can be found here. There's a tab at the top of that gallery that says "large backdrops for families" and one that says "small backdrops for kids". If we're doing family/sibling photos then choose one backdrop from the "large backdrops for families" tab. then the other from the "small backdrops for kids" tab. I just ask that you let me know which ones you want at least 1 week before your session.
- A NOTE ABOUT FAMILY/SIBLING PHOTOS: The focus of all my sessions, be it newborn, older babies, 1 year olds or older kids, is always on the baby/children. Family/sibling photos are done first and we only spend a few minutes doing them. Typically I'll do family photos with family sitting, then also standing. Then sibling photos of kids sitting. 1 year olds don't last long before they're ready to be done with the session so too much time spent on family/sibling photos means less time we'll have to photograph the star of the show. If you want a session thats heavily focused on group family photos and different variations of poses then you'll want to schedule an Outdoor Session. See here for pricing and info on these sessions.
STEP FOUR: Start thinking about the outfits you'll bring. You can bring 1 outfit for baby for each backdrop. If the outfits you choose to have baby in has a pattern or multiple colors in it then it's best to go with a more simple backdrop like a solid color or wood, stone, etc. I have a bunch of solid colored and neutral backdrops that are great for busier outfits. I also have a lot of backdrops that are busier and patterned, especially floral backdrops so if you like one of those then having a solid colored outfit will look best. If you need help choosing backdrops you can send me photos of the outfits you want to use and I can send backdrop recommendations.
Most babies do best for their sessions in the mornings. It's best to schedule at a time your baby is generally happiest. Most of the time I can accommodate any time you need so just let me know what time is best for you. If baby ends up changing their sleep schedule right before your session date we can always change the time of your session if we need to.
A lot of parents like the idea of letting baby have their first taste of sugar when they get their cake for their First Birthday session, and thats ok, but just keep in mind that a lot of babies don't like that first taste of sugar and wont actually eat any more of the cake. It happens all the time and I get a lot of disappointed parents when baby wants nothing to do with the cake. If you want baby to eat the cake then I recommend giving them frosting at least once, if not more, before you come in. It doesn't have to be a lot, just a little spoon with some frosting on it so that they can get used to the taste. Another thing that happens a lot is baby will refuse to touch the cake if they aren't used to getting their hands messy/sticky. If you have a baby that doesn't like food on their hands you can always try to get them used to the feeling for a few weeks before you come in.
Lastly, most 1 year olds do pretty good for their sessions and we're able to get lots of smiles but some babies are a little more shy and hesitant to warm up. I have a bunch of things I can do to get them comfortable and smiling but sometimes it's only mom and dad that can get baby to smile. Don't be afraid to be silly and make weird noises if you know it gets smiles. Try to make a mental list of some things you can try if baby isn't interested in interacting with me. Musical and light up toys, noise makers, funny sounds, songs you can sing, and music you can play on your phone are all things we do to try to bring out smiles. Sometimes even these things don't work though so at that point we just go with it and embrace the serious side of your little one.
ABOUT THE STUDIO: The studio is located at 28 Lafayette st in Silver Creek. The building is at the end of my driveway so you can come to that door when you get here. You can park right in the driveway behind my car. There is no bathroom or separate changing area, the studio is just one large open room. If you need to use the bathroom you're welcome to use the one in my house. If older kids need to change I will step out of the studio while they do so. I ask parents who are being photographed to come already dressed in their outfits. Babies can be dressed when you arrive.
