Cake smash...

[SleepingStandingUp]

I know I am. But if people can convince me I'm not I'll be much happier 😁😁

When DS was 1 I was opposed to cake smash photoshoots because it was a waste of cake. And he was tube fed all wouldn't have touched it and was actually in the middle of a 4 month awful hospitalisation for his birthday and when he came out he ate even less than when he went in and he had/has sensory issues that just would have made it not viable.

Now I have twins who would devour a cake shop between them, who don't seem to have any issues touching messy stuff or eating ANYTHING and I really want one.

But I know they're terrible.

Would I be unreasonable to bury my principles for some cute photos of fat babies covering in icing and cream?

@Ginfordinner I'm inclined to agree with you generally speaking. The couple of photos I have if my dc were taken more with the intention of showing my dh (who was away for long periods) progress being made or asking the question how the feck can someone so small make so much mess?
Can't pretend that 18 years later there isn't an element of cuteness about them, although that's more likely nostalgia now that dc is all grown up.

@ftm202020

YABU. Tacky and chavvy. But I guess, if that is your scene, fair enough.

😂😂😂 #blessed

@LolaSmiles

That's an awful lot of speculation about a theoretical photo shoot of a child with a cake Alternatively it was a reply to the OP asking opinions about photoshoots in general and a tangent discussion between a few posters.

I said that I feel the same about staging cake smash shoots as I do about the need for everything to seemingly require professional photoshoots, people asked why, I replied.

So no, not 'an awful lot of speculation' about a hypothetical cake smash.

It's a total conflation, which amounts to the same thing. As to why you think people who book family photo shoots do it for "everything" and for only the most terrible of reasons, well, I guess that's the same question. But you're not alone, for sure. The amount of projection on here over a photo shoot of a child with a cake is just bizarre.

YABU. But only because cake is DERLISHUSSS and should be eaten (preferably by me ) and not smeared...

It's a total conflation, which amounts to the same thing
No it doesn't.
OP asked opinions about other photo shoots.
I shared my view on the growing culture of photoshoots for everything because seemingly every event comes with an associated photoshoot (thinking every event seems to have an associated photoshoot does not equal someone who does one must do all, though now you've said it there's probably an overlap).

As to why you think people who book family photo shoots do it for "everything" and for only the most terrible of reasons, well, I guess that's the same question.
I haven't said it's the most terrible of reasons.

I've said I find the culture of everything having an associated photoshoot (eg. Engagement / save the dates / pregnancy announcement / gender reveal / maternity shoot / newborn shoots / shoots because it's autumn / cake smashes etc) to be quite a self-absorbed culture, but each to their own.

I also find it amusing that staging shoots that are designed to look like families having a nice day out isn't considered to be fake, but then in the same post they have to be staged to get the lighting right, certain movements need to be timed to get the look right etc. Getting dolled up and pretending to go for a walk to take staged photos of a 'family walk' which will then be photoshopped is fake.

The amount of projection on here over a photo shoot of a child with a cake is just bizarre
People not liking something and having an opinion about a trend isn't projection.
Next up, why disliking certain trends in interiors/fashion/celeb culture is also projection.

I also find it amusing that staging shoots that are designed to look like families having a nice day out isn't considered to be fake, but then in the same post they have to be staged to get the lighting right, certain movements need to be timed to get the look right etc. Getting dolled up and pretending to go for a walk to take staged photos of a 'family walk' which will then be photoshopped is fake
The thing is though that whilst you might pay a photographer to take photos of a family walk, and get the kids to throw leaves 5 times, it's a reminder of a memory of previous walks and leave tosses, not a novel experience that you've never done before.
"Hey honey, I know we've never taken the kids for a walk in the woods but let's have a photoshoot in one"
So the setting is fake but the memories it evokes isn't, and hopefully they'd also have fun doing the shoot

Not a tangent, but relevant to the language used on this thread.

I despise the word 'chav' far more than the word 'cunt'. 'Classy' is almost as bad, and in most of the contexts it's used in the word is anything but. Classy aspirants and chav deriders tend to have a snideness and smug self-satisfaction about them that's pretty sickening (and so very British, with our bizarre fixation on social class).

Irks me that word cunt is more socially taboo than its male equivalent (prick) but at least it does what it says on the tin.

But who thinks that doing a photoshoot is normal daily capture of kids as they grow up? This is what I can’t understand. Does it have to be captured professionally to be “real”?

I honestly can't think of anything less cute. But I do get unusually grossed out by messy food / babies eating so I'd really, really not want to look at pictures of it.

Just NO. So tacky and cringeworthy imo. The pic of the little boy looks cute but he's just put his hand in the cake, something any child would do on an average day. Anything more and I just think, what a mess! Why would you want to frame a mess? Lol.

Cloudtraffic
My thoughts entirely.

I have snapshots of genuine family walks to look back on with fondness and real memories of places we've visited. Why would I need a staged professional photoshoot on a fake family walk to remind me of all the excellent memories on trips that actually happened?

"Hey kids, let's all look at these photos of us walking in a line several ways down a narrow road, you throwing leaves several times and choreographing your puddle jump as a reminder of totally different trips out where we actually did the outing instead of pretending we did the outing. I'm sure the photoshopped images of our pretend outing where we all got dolled up are a brilliant reminder of all the real outings we did".

Like I said earlier, each to their own but it's not a mentality that I can identify with.

@LolaSmiles

Cloudtraffic My thoughts entirely.

I have snapshots of genuine family walks to look back on with fondness and real memories of places we've visited. Why would I need a staged professional photoshoot on a fake family walk to remind me of all the excellent memories on trips that actually happened?

"Hey kids, let's all look at these photos of us walking in a line several ways down a narrow road, you throwing leaves several times and choreographing your puddle jump as a reminder of totally different trips out where we actually did the outing instead of pretending we did the outing. I'm sure the photoshopped images of our pretend outing where we all got dolled up are a brilliant reminder of all the real outings we did".

Like I said earlier, each to their own but it's not a mentality that I can identify with.

Yes, all of this. I don't get it either exactly because of what you've described

@Cloudtraffic

But who thinks that doing a photoshoot is normal daily capture of kids as they grow up? This is what I can’t understand. Does it have to be captured professionally to be “real”?

Of course not. I have photos around my house of my kids that I've taken. Some, like of of FIL holding PFB are far more prescious than any posed photo taken my a professional. But that doesn't mean I can't also appreciate ones with good lighting and a proper photographer, or ones of all of us that aren't a funny selfie taken at a weird angle where no one is looking in the same direction. I have photos of PFB dressed a superhero, they aren't just nice photos, they're an adventure across the country to get them done, the memory of the actual shoot and the image on him sitting on the old sofa hanging instead of in front of the green screen, of watching his photo montage to "setting inside" and sobbing like a baby whilst he sat on the floor playing oblivious. It isn't a tense hour of someone posing your limbs and barking directions and telling everyone they mustn't have fun. Bit it's also fine that it's your idea of absolute hell

@LolaSmiles

Cloudtraffic My thoughts entirely.

I have snapshots of genuine family walks to look back on with fondness and real memories of places we've visited. Why would I need a staged professional photoshoot on a fake family walk to remind me of all the excellent memories on trips that actually happened?

"Hey kids, let's all look at these photos of us walking in a line several ways down a narrow road, you throwing leaves several times and choreographing your puddle jump as a reminder of totally different trips out where we actually did the outing instead of pretending we did the outing. I'm sure the photoshopped images of our pretend outing where we all got dolled up are a brilliant reminder of all the real outings we did".

Like I said earlier, each to their own but it's not a mentality that I can identify with.

I don't understand why some is photoshooting country walk pictures though?? I've never had one. And I do think the staged thing etc depends on the photographer. Vours said ooh I'll get rid of that one. I asked which one. It's now the one on my wall. It was a second too late, and he's yawning. It's adorable. They're normally delete it because it wasn't perfect but we adore it

I have photos of PFB dressed a superhero, they aren't just nice photos, they're an adventure across the country to get them done, the memory of the actual shoot and the image on him sitting on the old sofa hanging instead of in front of the green screen, of watching his photo montage to "setting inside" and sobbing like a baby whilst he sat on the floor playing oblivious. It isn't a tense hour of someone posing your limbs and barking directions and telling everyone they mustn't have fun.
Bit it's also fine that it's your idea

But will your DC remember all this? Is this not just for you not them? Why did this become “normal”?

I have photos of PFB dressed a superhero, they aren't just nice photos, they're an adventure across the country to get them done, the memory of the actual shoot and the image on him sitting on the old sofa hanging instead of in front of the green screen, of watching his photo montage to "setting inside" and sobbing like a baby whilst he sat on the floor playing oblivious
That all sounds extremely odd...

OP - I’m not judging you for what you want to do but am struggling with your rationale. Do you think your original fears re DC1 are the issue and not the intricacies of a photoshoot?

@Thisismytimetoshine

I have photos of PFB dressed a superhero, they aren't just nice photos, they're an adventure across the country to get them done, the memory of the actual shoot and the image on him sitting on the old sofa hanging instead of in front of the green screen, of watching his photo montage to "setting inside" and sobbing like a baby whilst he sat on the floor playing oblivious That all sounds extremely odd...

Well I have no issue with that. Riley we say in a hostel waiting room discussing the apples faking on our heads, one rolled off and giggled. I don't think odd is a word I overly worry about. Bit equally I'm not sure what's odd. I'm doing yes we have nice photos but I also have nice memories of getting them. He won't remember them any more then the photo I took if him dressed as a pumpkin in the park. But surely when kids look at photos of their younger selves you tell them the story behind it? Otherwise we wouldn't take any photos of anyone before they're 5?

@Cloudtraffic

OP - I’m not judging you for what you want to do but am struggling with your rationale. Do you think your original fears re DC1 are the issue and not the intricacies of a photoshoot?

No I think the conversations have just massively veered 😂😂

Well I have no issue with that. Riley we say in a hostel waiting room discussing the apples faking on our heads, one rolled off and giggled. I don't think odd is a word I overly worry about
Sorry, I have no idea what this means either. Does it actually mean anything?

Not cute at all. Complete waste of food. But do what you like, especially if it means you will be #makingmemories

Do it, for everyone saying its a waste of food we took the smashed up old cake home and had it for pudding for about a week, no way was an entire cake going in the bin!!

@Thisismytimetoshine

Well I have no issue with that. Riley we say in a hostel waiting room discussing the apples faking on our heads, one rolled off and giggled. I don't think odd is a word I overly worry about Sorry, I have no idea what this means either. Does it actually mean anything?

Oh god me neither, sorry 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

No I think the conversations have just massively veered 😂😂

Obviously - do what you want then OP - you raised the emotive issued around wanting to do this as a consequence of DC’s difficult start in life

The fact you reduced my genuine concern for you and them to shite emojis tells me all I need to know about you

Why are you keeping this thread going when people were initially sympathetic and now have no idea about what you’re motives are beyond wanting to sign your other two up to some social media-sequel photoshoot

Shouldn't multitask typing and other stuff. It was just an anecdote that being described as odd isn't new