#cakesmashphotographereastgrinstead

[sarahfishphoto]

If you're Happy and you Know it...

Learning a new skill is exciting at any age but this guy is really enraptured with clapping, and he’s very good at it so that’s fair enough!

He simply lit up when he was showing off his applause skills and that’s true of a lot of babies – when they’ve mastered something new, they are super proud and excited to show it off.  Sometimes, that can be a great way to settle babies that aren’t feeling super confident in the new environment of the studio.  For example, when a baby can stand supported, sometimes I get them to pose for their photos that way if they’re not feeling very happy.  Concentrating on their new achievement and also the praise they get for it is a real confident boost and once we’ve got this nailed, then it’s easier to move on through the rest of the session. Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

All the Ducks - All the Fun!

So if the Boho Vintage style isn’t your thing (and I posted one example of a tub splash set up in this vein earlier this week) then I think this would count as it’s polar opposite.

This set up features my miniature white roll top bath and my ever popular duck accessory set.  It’s actually a mash up of two accessory sets as it also features the ‘Splish Splash’ sign – which is a commonly requested added in and the turquoise and yellow work really well together!When you come to visit, you can pick from a choice of backdrops, tubs and accessories to create the perfect look for your photos! Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Introducing New Acrylic Cake Toppers

Introducing a brand new type of cake topper that you can order in advance of your cake smash photo shoot!

Designed to be more resilient than the normal paper versions, you can reuse these on your baby’s actual birthday cake and they make a lovely keepsake of the occasion. You’ll be able to order these when you book your cake smash and it will be waiting for you when you arrive at your session.They are available in pink or blue and cost £5. Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Peach Balloons & Milk Bath

There’s a lot of things that I like about this photo from a recent first birthday photo shoot in the studio.

Firstly it features one of my brand new studio backdrops – peach balloons – and I love seeing it in action. It’s just as pretty as I would have hoped.Secondly, the milk bath – it’s not the option that is more commonly selected but I do think it’s really pretty.  If you’re going for this option, you literally just need a splash of milk (any milk will do – breast milk, oat milk, good old semi-skimmed…) to colour the water so you don’t need to bring along much of it.Thirdly, all the flowers.  I really love styling photo shoots with flowers and I have a pretty large collection of artificial blooms at the studio so we can match colour schemes.Last but not least, the super smile of the gorgeous little model. She absolutely loved being in the water and have a good old splash. It’s true to say that the milk bath is a lot smaller than the other two options but that doesn’t make it any less fun for sure!

Choosing a Tub Splash to Celebrate a First Birthday

Capturing the perfect first birthday tub splash bath photo shoot requires a combination of skill, creativity, and patience. The main objective is to capture the pure happiness and curiosity that comes with this new experience. My studio offers a comfortable and safe environment for the child, allowing them to freely explore the water while capturing each precious moment. I’m experienced in capturing them and I love the unpredictable nature of a child’s reactions – my job is to make sure that every giggle, splash, and expression is perfectly frozen in time.To create the shots, we can use various props and backgrounds that complement the child’s age and personality. Brightly colored rubber ducks, floating bubbles, and playful bath toys can add a touch of whimsy to the images. We focus on the big picture but also on capturing the tiny details, such as the water droplets on the child’s skin or the twinkle in their eyes, to truly evoke the joy and innocence of the moment.First birthday tub splash bath photo shoots are not just about capturing beautiful images; they are about preserving precious memories for years to come. As parents, we understand the fleeting nature of childhood and how quickly these precious moments pass. The photographs from a tub splash bath session allow us to relive and cherish these memories long after our children have grown.As the years go by, these photographs become a priceless reminder of the child’s first experiences and the love and joy that surrounded them. They become a tangible representation of the child’s personality and their journey of growth and development. Sharing these images with family and friends also allows us to spread the joy and celebrate our child’s milestones together. Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Let the Smile do the Work!

When it comes to first Joey Club session, I recommend waiting until your baby is really strong on their tummy before coming to visit.

That way I can offer you more variety in your finished image gallery and generally means that families come to visit around the 4 – 5 month old mark.  Of course, even when babies are great on their tummy, they are still pretty limited in supporting themselves in other ways and so the session tends to centre around working on my giant beanbag. I also have a specially designed cushion that we add in so they can comfortably sit up while remaining safe and supported.Naturally this means that, at these sessions we use less props, and sometimes I think this simplicity can be an advantage as it keeps the focus on your baby in all their natural glory.  I mean, for instance, just look at this little guy’s smile – it just sparkles all by itself! Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

First Teddy - You Never Forget

I still have my first Teddy, he sits on my jewellery box in my bedroom – I imaginatively named him Ted – and he’s missing a great deal of his fur where it was loved off over the years.

There’s no way I could bring myself to throw him out as he’s been a stalwart friend to me since before I could remember despite the fact that he’s definitely seen better days.  I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in not being able to part with a childhood friend of the bear variety.That’s part of the reason why I think that they are such a great choice to include in your baby’s photo shoots. Those special first toys might well be sitting somewhere in your grown up child’s house one day and they’ll be able to look back and see them when they were still fluffy! Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Smashing vs Splashing

When it comes to a first birthday photo shoot, then you have time to both smash a cake and splash in the tub in your session.

You also have time to add in clean photos and a family picture into the mix. It’s a relatively fast paced session for sure but we can easily get all that done – the sessions are scheduled for an hour but generally we shoot for about 45 minutes before your little one is worn out.There’s a general idea that all babies will love to get messy and go nuts when they get unfettered access to a cake but that really is a bit of a misconception.  Many babies are a little bit confused initially when they’re sat behind a cake and, while there are a few that really do go to town and create a whole heap of mess in the process, most of them don’t!That’s not to say that you don’t get great cake smash images if they aren’t smearing it everywhere – you definitely do!  Total cake devastation isn’t necessary to get perfect pictures to celebrate that first birthday milestone!The tub splash is actually the part of the session that more babies tend to really relish.  I guess it’s just a bit more a familiar set up for them and who doesn’t love a good old splash in the tub? The added advantage of including the tub splash part is that you do get to take home a baby that is a bit less sticky from the icing so that’s always a benefit that’s worth considering! Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

How it Started v How it's Going Beatles Edition

This guy was named for one of the Beatles most well known songs and his parents wanted to reflect that in his newborn shoot.

He’s been a few times in the intervening year but we came full circle at his cake smash with a little nod to wear we started with our musical theme – this time including drumsticks, a Beatles vest and a set of headphones.  Plus a much bigger model!It’s lovely to create a connection between your photo shoots as that way, when they are hung on the wall together, they really do tell a story. This might be including a specific theme at each of your shoots or bringing along the same toy, blanket or other item to be included. Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Baby Photography & Personalised Items

Personalised items are the perfect addition to your baby photo shoot.  Plus they are quite often also received as gifts so, as well as making a great photo in themselves, the image is a fab way to say thanks to the gift giver.

There are lots of options available from clothing with your baby’s name on, to toys, blankets, signs and even nursery decor and they’re all a great idea to bring along to your photo shoot. As a rule of thumb, I’d say if you’re not sure if something will work in the studio or not, bring it anyway and we can work out as we go! Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Cake and Birthdays - a Winning Combo

Cake and birthdays go together like, well lots of things but there’s no denying that they are a very good combination.

I guess that kind of explains the rise of the cake smash photo shoot! You don’t need to give me too much of an excuse to set up a party in the studio and this guy was more than happy to join in the fun.Actually you don’t even need your baby to eat a ton of the cake or make a huge mess to get great cake smash photos.  Just images of them being their happy selves and enjoying the play experience can create a wonderful gallery of photos to celebrate and commemorate this important milestone.  The natty outfit helps of course! Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Brick Wall Backdrop

OK, the backdrop is not what your eye first goes to in this image – it’s the happy little dude in front of it but still…

It’s a pretty new backdrop that I’ve added to the collection so I haven’t had a whole lot of opportunity to see it in action yet and so it was fun to try it out.  It looks fantastic paired with my dark wood floor and despite it offering a darker toned background to the image, it’s far from gloomy and actually works well to highlight the little model in front of it.You’ll get a choice of all of my backdrops when you complete your options form before you come to visit – there’s normally time for at least two so definitely feel free to mix and match to create your finished image gallery. Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Under the Sea!

My underwater set is one of my newest and is already fast becoming one of my favourites in the collection.

I just love the colours, from the backdrop to the friendly underwater pals and of course my sparkling treasure chest!  Plus there’s the added advantage of having another reason to turn on the bubble machine to get some real under the sea vibes going.The basics of this set up were also featured in my Mermaid event day last weekend and they were a smash with my smaller mermaid visitors! Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

You're Never Fully Dressed without a Smile

As the saying goes, you’re never fully dressed without a smile and this guy was definitely in his Sunday best with this cheeky grin.

When babies are little (he was about four months or so) we don’t tend to use a lot of elaborate props and accessories. Instead, we keep things simple on my giant beanbag with my specially designed posing cushions and just let their natural personalities shine out.  If they really confident at tummy time, there of course is a range of props that you can choose from to include if you’d like to but most of our work will be on the beanbag.I definitely recommend waiting until they’ve got really good at lifting their head when they’re on their tummy – they don’t need to able to do it for super long periods obviously – but that way you’ll get much more variety in your finished images whether you include props or not. Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Keeping it Simple - Baby Portraits

I offer a lot of options when it comes to props, accessories and backdrops for your baby photo shoot and I try to have items that reflect all different styles, taste and insterests.  However, it’s sometimes nice to strip it all back and just let your baby’s gorgeous face do all the work.

This shot was not really a planned one, the little girl just happened to be lying on my giant beanbag while we were setting up for another shot and her mum pointed out how cute she was looking so we just took the shot and I think it’s one of my favourites from the session.  It’s simple but then, when you look that cute, what more do you need?We always have a rough plan for the session but things sometimes don’t go as expected so we just go with the flow and if a great, unexpected opportunity pops up, well, we just grab it. Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Twinning with my Flower Wall

When you visit the studio, you pick the backdrops that you would like at your session before you come so I can have everything ready for you when you arrive.

This lady’s mum had picked out the perfect outfit to match my purple flower wall and I have to say it looked fantastic.  There’s always time to change outfits at a baby photo shoot and so you’re welcome to make changes to your little one’s attire to match the backdrops or props that you’ve picked out.  If your baby isn’t a fan of getting changed, you can think about layering their outfit so you can simply remove pieces rather than doing a complete change to get a few different looks with the minimum of upset. Read the full article

[sarahfishphoto]

Baby Photography - Marvellous in Mustard

This was a lovely session with some returning clients although it did highlight something that troubled me – the mum asked if I had bunting to match this cutie’s outfit and I was alarmed to find I did not!

If you’ve ever been to my studio, then you’ll know that this is something that I simply cannot accept!  So I’m busy putting that to rights as we speak with my mustard colour fabric on order.  It’s such a beautiful shade and it’s really popular at the moment so it will be great addition to the studio. Read the full article