Simple Sophistication
Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ • Sessions by appointment only
Southern California & Arizona
Orange County ● Phoenix
At Gilmore Studios, we are parents as well and have had years of experience photographing little ones. All it takes is a well-placed distraction and letting them have a little fun! Over the years of being in business (since 2002), we have learned the secrets of letting kids be kids and capturing the perfect moments in-between.
The growing years of our children is significant and MUST be documented. It is a special and magical phase of life where we watch our babies go from being newborns to teenagers. It’s also a great way to reminisce with them in the future and go over the days gone by together. What better way to do that than with portraits? Actually, it’s the best way to do that!
Any parent who has attempted to take even a selfie with their kid will tell you how impossible it is to take a single perfect shot. Taking portraits of any age group is hard enough and photographing children, especially the very young ones is an exercise in patience best left to the professionals.
As your child grows up, it is a good idea to document the stages through childhood; right from their first birthday to their graduation – every part of it will be wonderful and bring back great memories when you look back at the photographs later on. It might be their first participation in a sports game or another event in their life which you do not to forget very quickly.
Session includes:
Photography products, digital files, and wall collections are purchased separately from your session fee. Please see our product guide for photo product collections & pricing.
Free Download
Mini sessions are very popular and only happen a few times a year. Gilmore Studios Mini Sessions are typically designed around holidays and are always fun and unique. These sessions are perfect for young children.
Pick something you love and make that your career. Honestly, that’s kind of what happened.
I never imagined that setting up backdrops, planning themes, making silly noises to get a baby to smile, and celebrating first birthdays would become my job.
But here we are. 🥹
And after all these years, I still get excited watching a theme come together and seeing a little one’s personality shine once they step into the studio.
Because cake smash sessions aren’t really about the cake.
They’re about celebrating a milestone that only happens once.
And getting to be a small part of that never gets old. 🎂
What’s something you could talk about or do all day and never get tired of?
Pelican Hill Resort + a gorgeous sunset + incredible food = an evening I didn’t want to end. 🧡 Had the best time covering this event for ABOG (Dallas, TX). The boho vibes were unmatched and decor was beyond. This is what happens when a great group of people gathers in a beautiful place.
This is just me being sarcastic - but some might be a little true. 😂
Top 5 Horror Movies for a Photographer
• can you send the RAW files
• wind. just. wind
• wearing neon orange at sunset
• the tide is too high
• making videos while being a photographer
The question that starts almost every cake smash conversation:
What themes can we do?
Honestly — almost anything.
But here is what I actually recommend.
Choose something they are into right now. Whatever phase they are in at this exact age. The dinosaurs. The rubber ducks. The princesses. The trucks. The thing they carry everywhere and sleep with and talk about constantly.
Because here is what nobody tells you about cake smash sessions: in ten years that photo is going to show you exactly who your child was at this age. Not just what they looked like. Who they were.
That is worth capturing.
We have a full theme library on our website — but if you do not see something that fits your child we will build it custom. No two sessions have to look the same because no two kids are the same.
For this session we planned everything together from the start. Rubber ducky theme. Portraits first. Then family photos. Then cake.
And before we ever talked about the set — we talked about what she wanted to do with the photos.
She chose an album.
Because digitals are beautiful. But an album is something her daughter will open when she is grown and understand immediately.
What theme are you thinking for your little one? Drop it in the comments — I want to see what phase you are in right now.
Newport Beach and Gilbert AZ. Link in bio. #cakesmash #cakesmashphotographer #cakesmashphotography
DM me BIRTHDAY and let’s start planning yours.
Photography started as something I loved.
I never picked up a camera thinking it would become a business, support my family, introduce me to thousands of incredible people, or still be part of my life 20+ years later.
But somewhere along the way, a hobby became a career.
Then a business.
Then a huge part of my life. 🤍
I’ve photographed weddings, newborns, seniors, families, birthdays, and milestones for people I’ve known for decades.
And honestly?
The greatest part isn’t the photos.
It’s the people.
The families who come back year after year.
The babies who become seniors.
The clients who become friends.
That’s what keeps me showing up every day.
Do you have a hobby you secretly wish could become your full-time job?
Comment LEARN if you’d like to see how I turned photography into a 20+ year business.
Newport Beach, CA & Gilbert, AZ
Session by appointment only
