Dinosaur Birthday Photoshoot - Kitchener, Ontario

This weekend, I had the honour of welcoming back a handsome little dude who I saw last year at his 1st birthday cake smash! Another year older and a whole year cuter, Mum and I decided on a Dinosaur themed 2nd birthday photoshoot! It's amazing what you can do with a wee bit of extra time to plan the perfect session! In this case, I had enough time to shop for a special backdrop to use for his session, and of course, it was covered in Dino's! I sometimes have flexibility to book a cake smash session a week or so in advance, but a little extra time in advance lets me plan an intergalactic photo session!

I loved setting up for this session... After getting the backdrop up and placing in a few props, I don't know what made me wander over to the window at the studio, but there down in the parking lot were some hanging vine-like branches that would look absolutely amazing in the set. Off I went. *snip snip* and presto! Extra dimension to the set! My creativity must have been on fire that day. lol I must say I was rather proud of myself!

His reaction when he walked in and saw the dinosaur backdrop was absolutely priceless to me! He knew exactly which was the T-Rex and has mastered the sound of roaring like the Dino's themselves!

This little sweetie has been introduced to Tim Bits, but this was his first time sitting down to a plate of 1 dozen doughnuts!! I actually can't say I personally have ever been presented with 1 dozen doughnuts on a fancy plate!! I feel kinda envious about that! lol I think it was the perfect alternative to a cake which is often used for 1st birthday session. Needless to say, he was a happy camper. Mum, Dad and I just loved it and had so much fun!

Here is a collection from our session. I hope you like them as much as I do! Apparently this is going to be one hot little set as its already been requested by 3 other families! I just love hitting the nail on the head when coming up with specialty themes. This was client-collaboration excellence!


If you have an idea for a specialty themed session, we should 100% chat and make it happen! It's so fun creating new and exciting photos that have a special place in your heart, because your little one is currently in love with that particular subject! (Ie: Dino's!!!) #memoriesmade!

I hope you like this session as much as I do! Let me know below what you think! I'd love to hear some themes ideas that you'd like to see in the future!

Kitchener Mermaid Cake Smash - I'm One Now!

I have to talk to you about bucket lists. :-) Many of us photographers secretly have a "Bucket List" of sessions we dream of photographing one day. And when that special client comes along and plucks at your heart strings requesting one of your beloved bucket list sessions, there is only one thing to do! Go big or go home! lol

I present to you, one of my bucket list sessions! A Mermaid Cake Smash & Splash! For those of you who don't know what this is, let me explain...

Firstly, a Cake Smash is a photoshoot that has become wildly popular over the past 5-7 years. It is done when a wee babe is turning ONE, and along the way has become a silent rite of passage you could say. Photographing this milestone is an absolutely wonderful way of capturing some glorious memories of a big stage in their life. The toddler years are coming, and they will continue to change and grow so fast. It's great to have memories like this. They could come in handy one day at their wedding..... ;-)

At my studio, it starts off with a few portraits in one outfit, and then we change the Birthday Boy/Girl into a special outfit that usually matches any theme we have put together. There are tonnes of birthday themes parents can select. It can be anything from child's current interests, so something that might be currently trending to their very favourite foods! This year Unicorns, and Doughnut Smashes have been wildly popular. Once adorning said outfit, we plop a beautiful and tasty cake in front of the Birthday boy/girl and let them smash and/or eat to their hearts content, all while I photograph the excitement! We finish the session of with a Splash in my customized, toddler sized claw foot tub, which is always requested by parents!

I always seem to have best results when children have had the opportunity to play with food at home, get a little messy and have fun. But that isn't always the rule! I have definitely had some "smashers" come in with little to no experience having something as grand as a cake in front of them. Those sessions are usually pretty hilarious, as myself and Mom & dad sit on pins and needles with anticipation for what comes next!

In this particular blog post, I will show you a MERMAID theme! Ooooh am I excited to show you! Little Miss B was absolutely wonderful during this session. She laughed, smiled and played. Her big brother was such a cutie! The whole family came to celebrate and I think it's safe to say we all had a very good time. :-) A very big thank you goes to Mum for helping plan such an awesome shoot, finding the perfect outfit and accessories and in the process, knocking one off the ol' Bucket List!

Tell me what you think!

Kitchener Cake Smash - "Smash & Splash!"

I'm pretty blessed to get to work with some wonderful families as they transition and grow while adding a new family member along the way. It's always a treat for me to photograph Newborn photos and then a year later celebrate a huge milestone with that same little person that was so wee and small not that long ago. I think I have it in the back of my mind that when they leave the studio from the Newborn session that somehow they'll stay tiny, but when they walk through the studio door as a toddler, it never fails - I'm always blown away by how much growth and change has taken place over the year!

Here is the perfect example! I photographed this little Miss when she was new to the world and in she came, all personality and smiles! She rocked her session in every way possible. I always like to start with a Portrait, followed by the Cake and wrap up with a good scrub in a bubble bath. Bubble baths never fail to please, and my little claw-foot tub is always requested by my clients.

Over the past few years, the infamous "Cake Smash" has almost become a right of passage for little people. The popularity has grown and trended and many variations have popped up along the way too, allowing for a whole new variation of creativity to come about. Instead of traditional cake, folks have requested doughnuts (a VERY popular alternative!). I've seen examples of 1st birthday sessions using all kinds of different foods that are the current favourite of the birthday Boy or Girl.

Here are some of my favourite photos from L's Unicorn-themed cake smash session. I hope you love it as much as I do!

If you have a little one celebrating a big milestone and are curious to know more about these super fun and adorable photo sessions, reach out today! I'd love to chat and brainstorm the perfect session for you, and of course, the studio is always stocked and ready to go for almost any ideas you might envision.

xox

D