Why Your Baby’s 1st Birthday Photoshoot is Worth Every Moment

Why a Professional 1st Birthday Photoshoot is Worth It

Why would you actually spend money and book a professional photographer for your baby’s first birthday photoshoot?

This is a question you might genuinely ask yourself, or it might be asked by someone else — often dads. They can think of so many other uses for the photography money: that golf club outing, new alloy wheels, or a shiny new putter (there’s a golf theme here because I do live in a seaside golfing town).

But the short answer — which might end up being a long one — is that there are very few times in your baby’s life when you’ll book a professional photographer, and their first birthday is one of these milestones. Your baby won’t remember the party or the gifts, but they will grow up knowing that their first birthday was special enough to be remembered in photographs.

And it’s not about buying them a special outfit to wear to the studio (I take care of all that for you, and it’s always something simple and white). It’s about spending fun, relaxed time as a family and just fooling around with your baby while I capture the moments. I don’t expect them to sit still or smile at the camera — they just need to be their very own little self.

A First Birthday Photoshoot Isn’t About Perfection

By the time your baby turns one, you’ll know this: they are wonderfully unpredictable. One minute they’re clapping, the next they’re crawling at speed, and then suddenly they’re trying to eat their own toes or hand you a soggy biscuit.

That’s exactly why this age photographs so beautifully. I don’t expect your baby to perform, pose, or do anything on cue. If they want to stand, crawl, wobble, explore, or cuddle in close, that’s perfect. Those little mannerisms, expressions, and movements are what make the photographs feel like them.

Some babies sit confidently, some are on the move, some are happiest tucked into mum or dad’s arms. All of it is normal. All of it is worth remembering.

You Don’t Need to Plan or Prepare

One of the biggest worries parents have is whether they need to do anything special beforehand. The answer is no.

You don’t need to practise sitting. You don’t need to bring a bag of props. You don’t need to worry about outfits. I keep everything simple and timeless so nothing dates the images and nothing distracts from your baby.

You just need to arrive, take a breath, and enjoy a little time together.

Most parents tell me afterwards how surprised they were by how relaxed it felt. There’s no pressure to rush, no expectation that your baby behaves a certain way, and no need to apologise if things feel a bit chaotic. One-year-olds are allowed to be one.

Cake Smash

Now, we all love cake. I’m a particular fan of anything chocolatey, but I can’t think of anything worse than introducing real cake to a 12-month-old. Yes, I’m talking about a cake smash. I just don’t get it, and I won’t do it.

Instead, your baby will love playing with (or demolishing) my tiny three-tier wooden cake stand, complete with miniature wooden cupcakes and a wooden birthday cake. We can all sing Happy Birthday, and usually that’s enough to get the party started — without any creamy mess.

If you’d like to see more about how I photograph first birthdays — without a messy cake in sight — you can read more on my first birthday photoshoot page.

Why Professional Photos Last

Your phone is probably full of photos already: everyday moments, silly faces, blurred action shots. And that’s exactly how it should be.

But professional photographs serve a different purpose. They’re the ones that get printed, framed, and kept. The ones that stay on the wall long after the toys have been donated and the clothes passed on. The ones your child will see as they grow up and recognise themselves in.

And often, they’re the ones a second child will later ask about too. “Where are my first birthday pictures?” It’s a question parents smile at… and sometimes quietly wish they’d planned for. So yes, baby number two deserves their moment as well.

Bringing along an older sibling can add even more fun — and a little chaos — to the session, making it extra special and capturing the family dynamic exactly as it is.

A Pause in a Year That Flies By

A first birthday photoshoot isn’t really about turning one. It’s about pausing, just briefly, in a year that has gone impossibly fast.

These photographs capture the essence of your baby at a unique stage — full of curiosity, personality, and wonder. They remind you, as parents, how precious every day is, and give you a memory to treasure forever.

If you’d like to celebrate your baby’s first birthday with a calm, fun, and timeless photoshoot, I’d love to help you capture these precious moments.