Milestones & Special Events — 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.

I take things through a few distinct stages to give you real variety across the shoot. We start with clean, styled portraits of your little one looking their very best, wearing their own clothing — a little like a classic portrait shoot. We then get some updated family shots — these can be wild and fun, or simple, just you and your little one (or ones). Next comes the birthday part of the shoot: we might start by using letters to mark the occasion — ONE, or the number 1 — before we let them loose on the cake! By this point they're usually full of cake, so we move into what we call the splash stage — a little dip in water to capture all that gorgeous "bath time" mess in a completely different way, before they head off for a well-earned snooze in the car. Depending on how fast your little one moves, these can be fairly fast and furious shoots — but they're always fun!

My style is simple and timeless, keeping the focus on your baby while capturing their personality, expressions, and those wonderfully messy moments.

Cake smash sessions are just one part of milestone photography, though — this isn't limited to the first year. I also photograph older babies and children to celebrate birthdays beyond the first, as well as seasonal sessions such as Christmas photoshoots and other special occasions. A party dress or dapper outfit and a few balloons — we can create some stunning images at any age. 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.

Each October and early November, I also run Christmas-themed portrait sessions — a lovely way to capture the whole family together for festive cards, gifts, or simply a beautiful seasonal keepsake. Existing clients are notified by email when booking opens, and new clients are welcome to get in touch to discuss availability.