5 Tips for Out of the Box Cake Photos! Many people will capture their kids blowing out the candles, and then put it down to enjoy some cake themselves. Next time, take a moment and capture a few more shots to take your storytelling with your camera a step further. If you’re like my son, you think the entire reason to have a party is to eat cake. Okay, he gets that from me, I admit I LOVE cake. Cake is a big part as you sing happy birthday before blowing out candles. It is a tradition of parties that I fully support. And no one enjoys a cupcake like a child. So let’s make sure we capture the magic of them having their cake and eating it too!
Last week we talked about capturing the details of the party. The full cake or cupcake should be included in the detail shots. Make sure you take the time before it is devoured and no longer available for pictures!
Here are a few photos you won’t want to miss at your next party. There’s so many more fun shots after the candles are blown out!
1. Admiring the Cake. You will want to make sure you’re ready with your camera when that cake is handed to your child, because the moment of admiration is truly a moment! For capturing the image below, I set my aperture wide open and focused on the cupcake. I wanted to get both the cake and Milo in the shot, so I got down low, shooting up at him. By focusing on the cupcake, Milo is a soft blur, which I think adds to the feel of the image – the cupcake is truly worth admiring!
2. The First Bite. This next shot is easy to capture just after the admiring shot. By having my camera on continuous shooting mode I’m able to capture him admiring the cupcake and then his first bites all close together. I used the same angle as before with the same low aperture, but this time I focused on Milo’s mouth since I knew it would be a mess!
3. Capture the Guests . If you’re at a kids party, there will be other guests enjoying their cake too. Make sure to capture them digging in! I just love this shot of a friend’s son. I think this was his first time enjoying cake! For this shot, I focused on his hands and how they were gripping the cake. I cropped in close to let him eating tell the story.
4. Try Different Angles. While they are eating their cake, try different angles to see what you like best. For Sawyer’s party, I liked getting down low and shooting up and straight on. I chose to break the rule of thirds and put her right in the middle of the shot to have a little more power. I still used a low aperture to let her be the focus and let the background blur out.
5. Practice! Why not practice the cake shot before the big day? I’m sure your kids won’t mind some cake a few days/weeks/months before the party. Take the chance to see the best place to have your child sit to capture the best lighting, and to really take risks and try new angles.
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