The Capture Sweet Moments Blog

It’s been a joy to watch this family grow over the years. I first met them when their oldest son, Will, attended the same preschool as my kiddos, Magothy Cooperative. Will was their only child at the time, but it wasn’t long after he graduated that Nicole contacted me about newborn photos, as they had […]

Watching babies grow has to be one of the most joy-filled parts of my job, and when Nicole contacted me to do sweet Nicholas’s cake smash photos, I was so thrilled to document this milestone. I had the privilege of capturing Nicholas’s newborn photos, at their home in Pasadena, Maryland, exactly one year before we did his in home cake smash photo session. It was so fun to see how much he had grown and how very much he is loved . . .

Cake smashes are some of my favorite sessions, because they are a celebration of life, of a little human life’s first trip around the sun. What joy has this little life brought to all of the other lives they have touched in their first 365 days, what parts of other lives has this little sunshine lit up?

Victoria, I can tell by the light in your mamma’s eyes when she looks at you, that you have brought so much joy to your family . . .

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since sweet little James made his way into the world (about a month early, just like his older siblings had). It’s been such a privilege to watch this little guy grow. He is the youngest of five siblings in the Largen family, and from the time I did his newborn photos, after he arrived home from the NICU last year, I could tell he was adored.

Victory of the People. The name Cole means Victory of the People, of a triumphant people. I cannot help but think how appropriate it is that Cole’s cake smash was the first session I was able to do after the majority of the world spent a few months staying “safe at home,” trying to shelter ourselves and our families from a global pandemic.

I cannot believe it’s been a year since I drove to the hospital to capture Fresh 48 photos of Penelope and her family. It feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago at the same time. I am so thrilled that her mama, Cate, booked a multi-session package before she was even born because it has given me much to look forward to over the past year, culminating in a cake smash celebration . . .

A year goes by so fast. It feels as if it was just yesterday that Amanda and I were talking about doing Adelyn’s newborn photos. And here we are a year later and Miss Adventure, Miss Personality, the Pilkerton Wild One is smashing her cake and wrapping up her first trip around the sun.

I’ve done some location scouting in my area. It starts with an internet search, creating a list, driving around to attempt to check out parks during golden hour, even doing some self portraits at these locations to test them out. I’m always looking for places with beautiful backgrounds, not too crowded and yet not too difficult to access. And yet, the truth is that my favorite location is the one that my client suggests.