Eugene, Oregon baby photographer: Hattie is ONE!

Hattie’s mom, Shanna, brought her in last month for a one year birthday cake smash photography session. Shanna (yes, her name is both spelled and pronounced the same as mine!) wanted to do a strawberry theme to go along with the banner and adorable outfit she had made for Hattie. What a talented lady! Looks like when it comes to the sewing machine she is a force to be reckoned with! Both the outfit and the banner were so cute and I was more than willing to figure out something a little different to match. 

Shanna was wanting a more natural feel instead of the brighter colors and balloons I typically use for cake smash photography, so I did some brainstorming with my baker and we decided on a pale pink “naked” cake with fresh strawberries to top it off. Naked cakes are becoming quite a thing, and I can see why. They are just as pretty as traditional frosted cakes, and as a baby photographer I have lots of experience with babies not being super excited about the sugar overload in icing. Hattie did enjoy nibbling a bit of her cake, but really got into eating the strawberries. As a berry fan myself, I don’t blame her one bit. They looked delicious!

Hattie is never quite sure what to think at our sessions. It seems like every time I have her in my photography studio in Eugene, Oregon she’s smiling and giggling one minute, and screeching the next! I couldn’t help but laugh as she ran through the gamut of emotions this time. I think she just likes everyone to know what her opinions are—the problem is, she hasn’t quite made up her mind, so instead she shows us all the possibilities she’s running through as she decides. It’s pretty funny to watch, and has the added benefit of letting me get a great range of facial expressions during the session! 

I pulled in some props and florals to complement our pink and red strawberry theme, and I love the way the pictures turned out! Since Shanna was going for a more natural look, I used some distressed wood props and a cute little wheelbarrow that I thought was appropriate for strawberries and summer, and that happens to be just the right size for a baby gardener. As a Eugene, Oregon photographer, I am always on the lookout for props, and I’ve collected quite a variety over the years. My collection comes in handy all the time and I love it when I get the chance to use something a little more unusual during a session. 

It was so much fun to have this adorable birthday girl and her mama in my studio again. I especially enjoyed the chance to play around with our theme, and I’m thrilled with the way it turned out. Shanna has great taste and it was wonderful to work with her talent and creativity as we set up the perfect birthday photo shoot for Hattie!