Olive Studio had the pleasure of photographing 1 year old Josie's Smash the Cake Session, along with her 3 big sisters! These sessions came about when people started recognizing the importance of the big 1st year birthday. Perhaps they were created following suit of the Korean 1st Birthday which is a big deal in Korean tradition. In any case, the session is a mini photo-shoot of your 1 year old child tasting cake for the first time. Some people make them their very own cake that they can truly get messy with! The photos capture the pure delight and fun reactions of your toddler tasting sugar (often for the first time).
Planning a Session
For some people, the idea of planning a family portrait is stressful. You have to corral the entire family, deal with different personalities, and for those shy people, pose in front of a camera. It certainly isn't always candy and butterflies and I will admit, some families are easier than others to photograph! BUT it is always worth it in my opinion! Documenting a stage in your families' lives is so precious. Children grow up so quickly and before you know it, you are plucking out your first white hair while you drive! As much as family portraits aren't always the most "creative" photographs, they are the true reason photography became a big deal.
Top 5 Family Portrait Tips
You can find some of my most used tips for family portraits here:
Make sure everyone is fed and hydrated. No one likes a hangry model.
Choose outfits that you love. Usually I recommend choosing a palette or colour story of no more than 5 colours. Your family doesn't have to be dressed as replica's of one another either! Just dress to impress and stay away from anything too patterned or distracting logos.
Let your photographer direct the shots and direct the kids. Often times parents have too many expectations for their kids and try to get that perfect smile. Sometimes letting a stranger or pro direct the kids gets a much better and more candid reaction. Let kids be kids and enjoy!
When your kids get crank...let them take a break. Pushing your kids to keep going usually ends up in disaster. Bring snacks, or a toy and give them a break if their losing their cool. Many times I will get my subjects to play games or run off some steam. Help them forget the purpose of your session.
Try to be you!!! The best shots are candids of your family being real. The only way to let that be captured is if you relax and make it fun for your family!!!!
My Pleasure
As my clients' families mature, I have photographed more and more family sessions. Truly it is a blessing to witness their families grow and change and get to know each personality as they age.
When Carlie called me up to document her 4 girls under the age of 8, I actually wasn't worried because I had been there for the newest additions' newborn photos. I remember being shocked at how quiet the full house was! I don't know if Carlie and Mike have magical super parent powers, but either way, their kids are like little flecks of gold. They are all peas in a pod, waiting for one another, helping putting on the smallest one's shoes. These girls were a dream to photograph!
In fact, this photoshoot was really to mark little Josie becoming a 1-year-old. This hybrid family/smash the cake session was accompanied by Josie's 3 big sisters!
It was truly a pleasure photographing your beautiful girls Carlie and Mike. I hope I will be back again for another milestone. Maybe capturing 4 difficult tweens? Lol. I'm definitely sending you prayers that that doesn't happen!
xx - April
Olive Studio had the pleasure of photographing 1 year old Josie’s Smash the Cake Session, along with her 3 big sisters! These sessions came about when people started recognizing the importance of the big 1st year birthday. Perhaps they were created following suit of the Korean 1st Birthday (Doljanchi) which is a big deal in Korean tradition. In any case, the session is a mini photo-shoot of your 1 year old child tasting cake for the first time. Some people make them their very own cake that they can truly get messy with! The photos capture the pure delight and fun reactions of your toddler tasting sugar (often for the first time).
For some people, the idea of planning a family portrait is stressful. You have to corral the entire family, deal with the different personalities, and for those shy people, pose in front of a camera. It certainly isn’t always candy and butterflies and I will admit, some families are easier than others to photograph! BUT it is always worth it in my opinion! Documenting a stage in your families’ lives is so precious. Children grow up so quickly and before you know it, you are plucking out your first white hair while you drive! As much as family portraits aren’t always the most “creative” photographs, they are the true reason photography became a big deal.
You can find some of my most used tips for family portraits here:
Make sure everyone is fed and hydrated before you begin your session. No one like a hangry model.
Choose outfits that you love. Usually I recommend choosing a palette or colour story of no more than 5 colours. Your family doesn’t have to be dressed as replica’s of one another either! Just dress to impress and stay away from anything too patterned or distracting logos.
Let your photographer direct the shots and direct the kids. Often times parents have too many expectations for their kids and try to get that perfect smile. Sometimes letting a stranger or pro direct the kids gets a much better and more candid reaction. Its time for you to just enjoy your family and let kids be kids!
When your kids get crank…let them take a break. Pushing your kids to keep going usually ends up in disaster. Bring snacks, or a toy and give them a break if their losing their cool. Many times I will get my subjects to play games or run off some steam. Help them forget the purpose of your session.
Try to be you!!! The best shots are candids of your family being real. The only way to let that be captured is if you relax and make it fun for your family!!!!
The longer I have been in business, the more I have been commissioned to document my clients’ families as they mature. Truly it is a blessing to witness their families grow and change and get to know each personality as they age. It is truly so much more fulfilling than I anticipated it being.
When Carlie called me up to document her 4 girls under the age of 8, I actually wasn’t worried because I had been there for the newest additions’ newborn photos. I remember being shocked at how quiet the full house was! I don’t know if Carlie and Mike have magical super parent powers, but either way, their kids are like little flecks of gold. They are all peas in a pod, waiting for one another, helping putting on the smallest one’s shoes. These girls were a dream to photograph!
In fact, this photoshoot was really to mark little Josie becoming a 1-year-old. This hybrid family/smash the cake session was accompanied by Josie’s 3 big sisters!
It was truly a pleasure photographing your beautiful girls Carlie and Mike. I hope I will be back again for another milestone. Maybe capturing 4 difficult tweens? Lol. I’m definitely sending you prayers that that doesn’t happen!
Olive Studio is a documentary based photography studio, specializing in unique, intimate and off-the-beaten track weddings. Our candid shooting style allows for couples to...
Olive Studio had the pleasure of photographing 1 year old Josie’s Smash the Cake Session, along with her 3 big sisters! These sessions came about when people started recognizing the importance of the big 1st year birthday. Perhaps they were created following suit of the Korean 1st Birthday which is a big deal in Korean tradition. In any case, the session is a mini photo-shoot of your 1 year old child tasting cake for the first time. Some people make them their very own cake that they can truly get messy with! The photos capture the pure delight and fun reactions of your toddler tasting sugar (often for the first time).
Planning a Session
For some people, the idea of planning a family portrait is stressful. You have to corral the entire family, deal with different personalities, and for those shy people, pose in front of a camera. It certainly isn’t always candy and butterflies and I will admit, some families are easier than others to photograph! BUT it is always worth it in my opinion! Documenting a stage in your families’ lives is so precious. Children grow up so quickly and before you know it, you are plucking out your first white hair while you drive! As much as family portraits aren’t always the most “creative” photographs, they are the true reason photography became a big deal.
Top 5 Family Portrait Tips
You can find some of my most used tips for family portraits here:
Make sure everyone is fed and hydrated. No one likes a hangry model.
Choose outfits that you love. Usually I recommend choosing a palette or colour story of no more than 5 colours. Your family doesn’t have to be dressed as replica’s of one another either! Just dress to impress and stay away from anything too patterned or distracting logos.
Let your photographer direct the shots and direct the kids. Often times parents have too many expectations for their kids and try to get that perfect smile. Sometimes letting a stranger or pro direct the kids gets a much better and more candid reaction. Let kids be kids and enjoy!
When your kids get crank…let them take a break. Pushing your kids to keep going usually ends up in disaster. Bring snacks, or a toy and give them a break if their losing their cool. Many times I will get my subjects to play games or run off some steam. Help them forget the purpose of your session.
Try to be you!!! The best shots are candids of your family being real. The only way to let that be captured is if you relax and make it fun for your family!!!!
My Pleasure
As my clients’ families mature, I have photographed more and more family sessions. Truly it is a blessing to witness their families grow and change and get to know each personality as they age.
When Carlie called me up to document her 4 girls under the age of 8, I actually wasn’t worried because I had been there for the newest additions’ newborn photos. I remember being shocked at how quiet the full house was! I don’t know if Carlie and Mike have magical super parent powers, but either way, their kids are like little flecks of gold. They are all peas in a pod, waiting for one another, helping putting on the smallest one’s shoes. These girls were a dream to photograph!
In fact, this photoshoot was really to mark little Josie becoming a 1-year-old. This hybrid family/smash the cake session was accompanied by Josie’s 3 big sisters!
It was truly a pleasure photographing your beautiful girls Carlie and Mike. I hope I will be back again for another milestone. Maybe capturing 4 difficult tweens? Lol. I’m definitely sending you prayers that that doesn’t happen!
