Some babies attack the cake. Some prod it cautiously. Some look at it like it might bite back. This little guy had absolutely no such hesitation — he got straight to work and did not stop. Smiling was not on the agenda. Smiling would have wasted eating time, and he had priorities.
His parents had gone for a neutral palette, which I love for cake smash sessions because it lets the baby be the focus rather than the styling. Warm beige tones, fluffy white clouds, a simple tassel garland and a banner. Calm and considered, and it works beautifully.
This was actually his fourth session with me — we started together at his newborn shoot and he’s been in three times since as part of Baby Club. It’s one of my favourite things, watching them come back through the year and seeing how much changes. He arrived as a tiny newborn and here he is, a whole one-year-old with very strong opinions about cake consumption.
His parents brought along a little birthday hat for the session, which he tolerated for approximately no time at all. We tried. We negotiated. Eventually we got a few shots of it during the tub splash, once he was sufficiently distracted by warm water. Standard procedure for babies with firm opinions on headwear.
Happy first birthday, little one. You earned that cake.
