1st Birthday Photo Sessions in Portland


Turning one is a major milestone in a baby’s journey; it is also one of my most frequently requested sessions. Some of the questions I receive from inquisitive parents about a 1st birthday photo session are: what do I need to supply in terms of props? Should I have a cake? Can we shoot outdoors? Do we need to purchase a backdrop? Allow me to answer those questions visually! For your ‘pinspiration’, scroll down for a handful of past session examples.

Book a 1st Birthday Session

Q: Do we need to purchase a backdrop? Nope! In this session, I used an empty wall in my client’s home. The props and cake were supplied by mom and dad. The fun was supplied by baby.  🙂

1st birthday photo session with cake smash

1st birthday photo session in portland with adorable dinosaur cake

1st birthday photo session cake just before it's smashed!

Q: can we shoot outdoors? Yes! 1st birthday setups don’t need to be elaborate. A blanket, a cake, and a bowtie clad puppy are the only elements needed for a successful session. 😉

1st birthday photo session outdoor with family dog

First birthday photo shoot - mom, dad, baby, cake, hat

Mom holding first birthday cake after the big smash!

For this little sweetie, we sat her down in front of a wall of balloons. I’d like to take a moment to point out that cake smashes don’t always go according to plan, and that’s ok! She didn’t love her cake. She didn’t love her foot *in* her cake. Personally, I will never understand this logic, but hey – it’s her birthday. She can cry if she wants to. 🙂

Excited one year old with her personal birthday cake

first birthday cake smash - more like cake stomp!

first birthday cake smash - crying, it's to be expected.

first birthday cake smash with foot!

Smiling birthday girl just after she smashed her 1st birthday cake

Just because your 1st birthday setup doesn’t *need* to be elaborate, doesn’t mean it can’t be. For this session, mom and dad went all out. Balloons and bubbles really make it pop! (Pun intended…)

Beautiful photo of first birthday cake and surrounding balloon decorations.

Professional first birthday photo with bubbles.

Let’s not forget about the little cowboys! Wanting to embrace the country aesthetic, I photographed the birthday boy outside with his loving horse, a bale of hay, and his very own off-road vehicle. 😉 Then we moved inside for a Finding Nemo-themed cake smash (supplied by Mom and Grandma)!

First Birthday photo shoot with hay bail

Cowboy theme first birthday photo shoot with horse

Black and White photo from cowboy themed first birthday. Boy with denim jeans, jacket, and cowboy hat

First birthday outdoor photo of boy in power wheels jeep and balloons

birthday boy in power wheels jeep at his outdoor birthday shoot

professional photo of first birthday cake - finding nemo

happy birthday cake smash professional photo by liz wade

Don’t forget – the whole family is invited to participate! Mom, Dad, the dubious sister cats – there is no rule about who should or should not be in the photos. The more the merrier!

why not turn the first birthday photo shoot into a family portrait with the cats!

first birthday photo waiting for the cake

Champion of the first birthday cake smash!


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