Milestones and Special Events
£60 1 -2 Hours
Cake Smash & First Birthday Photography Sessions in Orpington, Kent
Your baby’s first year is full of incredible milestones, and a cake smash photoshoot is a fun and memorable way to celebrate their first birthday.
At my boutique photography studio in Orpington, Kent, I create relaxed and enjoyable cake smash and milestone sessions for families from Bromley, Sevenoaks and across South East London.
With over 30 years of experience photographing babies and young children, I understand how to keep sessions fun, flexible and stress-free. Some little ones dive straight into the cake, while others prefer to explore more gently — and that’s all part of the experience.
Sessions are designed to include a mix of portraits before the cake smash, the cake itself, and often a clean-up or splash session afterwards, creating a beautiful variety of images.
My style is simple and timeless, keeping the focus on your baby while capturing their personality, expressions and those wonderfully messy moments.
These sessions are a joyful way to celebrate your child’s first birthday and create lasting memories you will treasure for years to come.
Cake smash sessions are just one part of milestone photography. I also photograph older babies and children to celebrate birthdays beyond the first year, as well as seasonal sessions such as Christmas photoshoots and other special occasions. Many families return year after year to capture how their children grow and change, creating a beautiful collection of images that document each stage of childhood.
Session Info
Sessions are relaxed and unhurried, typically lasting 2–4 hours, allowing plenty of time for feeding, cuddling and settling.
Many families choose me for my calm approach and years of experience handling and safely posing newborn babies.
These sessions should be booked as early as possible after your 20 week scan which will ensure your booking and assist me in managing the diary. If however your baby is due fairly soon or already born feel free to call me as I may be able to fit you in. Generally these shoots take place in the first 14 days while the babies are all curled up, sleepy and partners are on paternity leave. I tend to do older children, families and maternity shoots on weekends as they are shorter than newborn shoots and I do multiple shoots in a day but with newborns I like to keep things flexible so these are done during the week. I tend to book up far in advance it can be best to avoid disappointment it is best to book as early as possible.
“My partner & I had so much fun doing our maternity shoot with Sue! We brought some of our own inspo pics which she recreated really well, as well as her own creative ideas which we loved…”
~ Elisabeth S.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using carefully crafted lighting, beautiful fabrics and simple styling, I create maternity photographs that can be soft and elegant, dramatic and artistic, or relaxed and natural — always focused on celebrating your pregnancy and the connection between you and your baby.
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Most mums choose somewhere between 28–34 weeks — that gorgeous stage where your bump is beautifully visible but you're still comfortable enough to relax and really enjoy the experience. This can be different for each person — for example, mums-to-be carrying twins or triplets may need to come earlier, as they can be slightly bigger sooner. There's no exact "right" week though, so if you're not sure, just get in touch and we'll find the perfect time together.
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Sessions usually run 1–2 hours, and honestly, that time flies by. We'll chat beforehand about what you're hoping for, so on the day we can play with a few different backdrops and lighting styles — giving you a lovely variety of images to choose from. We aim for a mix: some dark and dramatic, some light and bright, and something in-between. I see it as a collaboration, so your input is really important to me.
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Don't worry — this is one of the things clients ask about most, and I promise it's the easy part! It's usually a mix of pieces you bring along and options I provide. Once you've booked, I'll send over some styling ideas to get you inspired, and on the day you'll also have access to my collection of flowing dresses, beautiful fabrics, and a few lovely props to choose from.
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Absolutely — please bring them! And yes, the dogs are welcome too. This is your story, and some of the most beautiful images come from the little in-between moments shared with the people (and pets) you love most.
Wherever possible, I really recommend partners are there too. This journey to becoming parents — or growing your family — is something you're going through together, and I love capturing that connection: the quiet glances, the hand resting on the bump, the way you naturally lean into each other. It's not just a portrait of you, it's a portrait of your families story I also love doing before-and-after style images, showing the contrast between this moment and the one you're both about to step into.
If you've got older children, bringing them along adds another beautiful layer too — this is their story as much as yours, the start of them becoming a big brother or sister, and those images often end up being some of the most treasured of the whole session.
Just let me know beforehand who's joining, so I can plan for the whole gorgeous crew.
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