Planning Your First Birthday Portraits

Are you planning first birthday portraits for your baby? A First Birthday Portrait session is a wonderful way to capture precious memories of your child’s birthday milestone. Whether you choose a cake smash session or traditional portraits here in our Cuyahoga Falls studio, be ready for a fun and busy session! Our sessions are custom-designed to fit your vision, Ashley is always happy to make recommendations to make your session extra special!

Choose a theme for your First Birthday Portraits:

Choosing a theme for the photoshoot can vary from family to family. Many families stick with their first birthday party theme as their main set. Others like to keep it more traditional with timeless neutral sets. Need help choosing a theme or color scheme? Ashley is always happy to schedule a planning call to help bring your vision to life!

Our first birthday portraits are typically scheduled in the studio to allow Ashley to customize and build your sets. Are you dreaming of a session on location? No problem, we can chat about the details!

What to expect during the session:

Warm-Up:

When you arrive, we will allow some time for your child to get comfortable with the surroundings and the photographer. Before the session, we can determine if your child prefers a quiet and calm atmosphere, playful and silly with music playing in the camera room or something in between. It is completely normal for babies this age to need a little time to adjust to a new location.

Timing:

First Birthday portraits are often scheduled when the baby is 11 months old, so that finished portraits can be ready and printed for birthday parties, announcements, or thank you cards. Our milestone sessions are typically about an hour, although we are used to being flexible! We schedule time at that studio based on your baby’s happiest time of the day. It is best to choose a time when your child is usually happy and well-rested, preferably in the morning or after a nap.

Engagement:

First birthday sessions are busy and so much fun! Plan to engage with your child throughout the session to elicit genuine smiles and expressions. Sing songs, play games, or use their favorite toys to help keep them entertained. Ashley has a whole stash of toys and props to help encourage engagement as well! Parents are involved in this milestone session by helping the baby sit on the props, dig into the cake, or try out the different sets. Having parents involved shows the baby that they are in a safe and trusted environment.

Family Inclusion:

First birthday portraits are typically about an hour. This timeframe gives us plenty of time for family portraits, sibling breakdowns, and a variety of your baby on their own. Many babies wear 2-3 outfits for their birthday portraits. I encourage sessions to include family members in a few of the portraits to document the special bond and shared joy.

Flexibility:

Be flexible and patient if your child needs breaks or becomes fussy during the session. Allow time for rest and refreshments as needed.

Follow these tips to help you prepare for a fun and memorable first birthday portrait session! Please reach out to book your session today!

See you soon!
Ashley