My very first photography session was my oldest son’s cake smash for his first birthday. I knew why I wanted to capture that milestone—preserving such a special moment—but I’m not entirely sure what made me dive headfirst into a cake smash session.

I remember scouring Pinterest for DIY setup ideas that I could pull off on a tiny budget. I ended up at the local hardware store, where I found a large turquoise drop cloth that just happened to match the color scheme I had in mind. I strung up balloons, made a bunting banner in orange, turquoise, and white, and even baked a three-layer ombré cake for my little guy to dig into. Then I transformed my dining room table and wall into a “set,” plopped my son down, and started clicking away.

That session was also the very first time I used a DSLR camera. Naively, I thought putting it on Auto mode would guarantee amazing photos. While the images weren’t technically perfect, they turned out pretty darn cute. At the time, I had zero knowledge of Photoshop, so I uploaded the pictures to an inexpensive editing website and made quick adjustments there.

Looking back, it’s kind of amazing to think that this simple, imperfect little session was the spark that lit my photography journey. Part of me wishes I could redo it now with all the knowledge and experience I’ve gained over the past nine years—but another part of me treasures it just the way it was. It’s a reminder of where I started, and how far I’ve come.

If your little one has a big milestone coming up, I’d love to help you capture it in a way you’ll treasure for years to come. Cake smashes, first birthdays, and growing-up moments only happen once—let’s make sure they’re beautifully preserved.