Cleanup on Aisle One! Henry’s 1st Birthday

For Henry’s big day, he got to take over the JNP Studio—both inside and out.  Although his official first birthday fell last March, we waited for the perfect spring day to schedule his photoshoot.  (Fortunately, that didn’t take too long.)  On April 28th, we had sunny, warm weather; just right for a Cake Smash and cleanup.

The entire family made their way to New Market, Maryland that day, driving up from Arlington, Virginia.  I think the only person who might have been more excited about Henry’s birthday festivities was his older sister, Madeleine.  Now, she had paved the way for Henry—in true older sibling fashion—by having her own Cake Smash session with Jessica Neumann Photography.  In fact, I first met this family during her newborn photography session.  Then, I had the pleasure of repeating the process when Henry came along.

Realistically, though, no two photoshoots are ever the same.  I try to make each child the star of his/her own Cake Smash and let the day unfold naturally!  With Henry, that meant letting his personality shine through.  I prepared ahead of time by bringing a few props that would enhance the color palette Mom and Dad chose, including the cake.  Despite the peachy pink hues echoed in Madeleine and Henry’s outfits, we wanted to highlight bright blues and yellows, too. 

But when the time came to break into cake, Henry’s adorable button-up and argyle socks came off.  Since he had already tried cake during his first birthday party, his parents predicted he’d dig right into the Cake Smash portion of the shoot.  Even with this warning, I wasn’t expecting all the enthusiasm we got.  There was cake absolutely everywhere!  In his overalls, in between his toes—it was quite the cleanup here at the JNP Studio.

In all honesty, that ended up being the most fun!  Henry’s time in the tub brought him so much joy.  We watched as he splashed and giggled, seemingly unaware of the camera.  He made so many cute noises to express his delight at the entire concept of a bubble bath; it was all I could do to keep a straight face and snap as many pictures as possible.

Thanks again for celebrating this special occasion with Jessica Neumann Photography!  I had a great time with the whole family, and I consider the mess well worth the amazing photos we captured that day.  If you’d like to learn more about our options for newborns, one-year-olds, families, and more, contact us today.