a boy covers his mouth while he laughs in a tiny bathtub at his one year photos

Lion King Cake Smash Photos


This session was really my first ever themed cake smash photo shoots and it ended up inspiring a huge passion for me. I've since created quite a few cake smash sessions based on a theme and even compiled a list of cake smash theme ideas.


This family contacted me after seeing and loving some of my past work! They kind of knew what they wanted for their son when they booked the session. Even at such a young age, he had this love for animals. He especially loved The Lion King movie, so they wanted his one year photoshoot to reflect that.

a boy smiles with his head towards the sky during cake smash photos with a cake in front of him
a boy crouches over a smashed cake in a lion king themed studio
a boy sits in a studio with an orange backdrop during one year photos

The One Year Photoshoot


Besides the theme of the Lion King, they gave me a lot of creative freedom around the decor for the cake smash photos! So, I set out to create something they would really love. In the planning and creating and decorating of the studio for this session, I found I really enjoyed the process. My passion and creativity thrived.


When the day for the session came, this family drove nearly an hour to my studio. When they finally saw the set I'd created, they were in LOVE.


This kid was such a joy. He had so much FUN with the session. The cake was, well, a smash. He LOVED the bubble bath. It was such an enjoyable session for all of us. It was the one year photoshoot at its best.

a boy sits in front of cut outs of timon, pumba, and simba during his cake smash photos
a boy smiles while sitting on a wooden toy bike during one year photos
a boy laughs with a toy in his mouth during a bath in a tiny bathtub
a boy sits in a studio for cake smash photos with smashed cake in front of him and cake in his mouth
a boy looks up with curiosity with a smashed cake in front of him
a young boy makes a face from a tiny bathtub during his one year photos

Connection Through Cake Smash Photos


This family ended up loving their cake smash photos and they still come back to me for photos at least every year.


At this point, they are more like family than clients to me. They invite us to birthday parties and special occasions. They even just invited my and my assistant's families over! It truly is such a blessing.


I came to Minnesota from India and most of my family is still there. To be in another country and find people that feel like family is so beautiful. Becoming close with this family is something I deeply cherish. The way something like cake smash photos has sparked connection is truly beyond my wildest dreams.

If your little one is ready for their one year photoshoot, we can create cake smash photos that are personalized to them for you and your favorite people to cherish forever. Read more about my cake smash photo sessions and get in contact to book your session!

a boy laughs from inside a tiny bathtub in a lion king themed studio