Could there possibly be a more joyful way to celebrate your first birthday than with cake that you smash and eat?


We don't think so!


Impressions Photography Studio cake smash session, or a Smash & Splash session as we call them, allow kids to get messy, and then hop into a bathtub to clean up. We think it's one of the best ways to mark a special birthday, and thousands of parents agree - it's one of our most popular photography collections for Adelaide parents.


We want you and your family to have the best time in your session, so here are 7 tips for a great cake smash session:


TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY

We'll send you a Client Profile Form, which will include your theme and cake selections. It will also allow you to tell us about your family, which means we can design a session and tailor our environment to suit any special needs and sensitivities.


LEt your child squish CAKE LEADING UP TO THE SESSION

A little bit of pre session training goes a long way. We find that some one-year-olds don’t like to get their hands dirty, or they might not like sweet food. It might be worth trialling squishing and tasting cake at home (if they haven’t already) to get them used to the experience.


BRING SPECIAL ITEMS TO PERSONALISE YOUR SESSION

This will add a warm and sentimental element to your session with a beloved toy or item included in the setting.


BRing Snacks your child loves

It’s a good idea to pack your child's favourite snack, like blueberries for example, which we can poke into the cake to encourage them to explore. Some people have also brought other fruits like strawberries, oranges and lemons, or even flowers - whatever encourages your child to get smashing!


ALLOW THE CHILD TO EXPLORE THE SETTING

Even if your child seems unsure of the setting, letting them explore their surroundings will mean we may be able to capture some beautiful images. Encouraging them from the sidelines in the first instance goes a long way.


BRING SPARE CLOTHING

You might want to bring a second set of clothing for your child, but also consider bringing a second set for yourself. You might find that you need to pick up your child during the session, and chances are you'll get cake, icing and bath water on your clothes.


CONSIDER HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU BRING TO THE SESSION

We welcome you and your extended family members into our studio, but we ask you to consider if bringing grandparents and aunties as well as older children and parents is the right thing for your child.


As an experienced portrait photography studio, we find that the more people that attend a cake smash session, the more everyone tries to capture the child's attention, getting louder with their voice and more animated with their actions. Although we know this is with the best intentions, we find that children can sometimes get confused about where to look (it should be straight at the camera) and upset with the elevated noise and commotion. What you see as animated, they might see as unpredictable.


An Impressions Photography Studio Smash & Splash session is truly the best fun for your child! We have 18 themes to choose from, please visit the Smash & Splash page on our website to view the range.


Reach out in advance if you're after a custom setting. We're happy to use the props we have in studio and work with you to arrange a theme to suit.


Looking forward to seeing your child getting messy with cake from behind our lens!


Carlo & Silvana