Mother's Day Mini Sessions Are Open!
I am thrilled to announce that Bree Hulme Photography is once again offering Mother's Day Mini Sessions & Bookings are now OPEN!.
This year we are thrilled to be hosting our studio sessions in the Bree Hulme Photography home studio, and our outdoor sessions at the stunning Long Reef Beach.
Simple, beautiful, elegant and timeless. That is the theme for this years Mother's Day portraits, focusing on your and your beautiful family.
Sessions are 20 minutes and your session fee includes your choice of 5 digital images. Additional images and prints can of course be purchased at our special Mother's Day prices.
Sessions are $250.
Bookings are strictly limited to two dates - Saturday 12th April and Saturday 3rd May! Get in quick to secure your Mother's Day Mini Session this year!
Book now using our live booking calendar.
We can't wait to see you all!
Bree x
What to Bring With You - A Checklist
You have booked your session and the date is coming up soon.
Are you wondering what you need to bring with you to the session?
Don't worry I have all of your questions answered and a neat little checklist as well to make sure you a fully prepared for your session.
General Tips:
(These apply to any session that you book with me)
- Have your outfits ironed or steamed, hung up and ready the day before your session. This makes sure that no matter what life throws at you on the day of the shoot, your outfits are ready. And make sure clothes fit - we all know how quickly kids grow, and you want to avoid anything that is too tight and snug for the photos.
- Clean shoes - especially kids shoes which may have been out jumping in muddy puddles. If they are going to be worn in the photos, make sure they are clean.
- Pack yourself a little bag of wipes, even with older children you may need to wipe noses and sticky hands before the session starts.
- For your hair and make up - pack your lipstick to reapply and a brush for those fly aways. Remove old nail polish that is chipped and peeling. Wash off those kids tattoos and stamps from hands and arms.
- Snacks and water - have some non-messy snacks for little ones to have after the session and water for everyone.
- A sense of fun and willingness to play games is essential!
- Leave your phones in the car - disconnect to be fully present during the experience.
- Remove your apple and smart watches, along with hair ties from your wrists so they are not in the photos.
- And allow plenty of time to you are not stressed or time pressured before, during or after your session.
For Outdoor & Beach Sessions:
- Mozzie Repellent - especially if we are doing a dawn or dusk session in a bushy area
- Towels to dry off afterwards
- A change of clothes for after the session in case we get wet or messy during the session - I love finishing a beach session with a splash in the waves!
For Newborn & Baby Sessions:
- Special or heirloom items you wish to include in the session - a special blanket or toy.
- Extra nappies, burp clothes and formula (if bottle feeding)
- A dummy for settling baby between poses
- If older siblings are included in a newer session, some quiet entertainment such as a book or colouring, to keep them entertained when not having photos
For Cake Smash Sessions:
- A change of clothes for baby and parent s for after the session - babies just love to share their cake with Mum!
Hopefully this helps you feel prepared and organised for your session. And takes some of the stress out of getting everyone to the shoot looking their best.
What to Wear - Outfit Inspiration
What to wear for your Spring & Summer Family Portraits can feel overwhelming.
But I have you covered. I have put together mood and inspiration boards for a range of different colours and tones to suit every family. Whether you are having portraits in studio or out at the beach or bushland, I have pulled together some current season clothes for all the members of the family. All the clothes in these inspiration boards can be found either at www.theiconic.com.au or www.davidjones.com.au in the current 2024/2025 season. When choosing what outfits you want your family to wear for your portrait session, think about the colours that suit your family and the area of your house where you will be displaying your family portraits. From neutrals, to muted pinks, green and blues there is a mood board and colour story to suit everyone.
I always recommend choosing an outfit for mum first, and then building the family outfits around that. My top tips for Mums is to wear a dress, choosing a midi or maxi length dress to allow you freedom of movement. Short skirts and dresses limit the poses you are comfortable in and much of my sessions centre around movement and fun. Make sure you are comfortable and feel beautiful. For dads a collared shirt in beautiful rich linens and weaves can elevate a simple outfit. And for the children, make sure everyone is comfortable and can play easily. Finally, don't forget about everyone's shoes - if we are shooting in a park or bush setting these will be in the photos. If we are on the beach, kick off the shoes and get those toes in the sand. If you are planning to leave shoes on, make sure they match the outfits and are appropriate for the location (avoid hit heels in bushy and rocky areas.)
Enjoy looking through these colour stories and choosing your families outfits for your family portraits, whether it is for a newborn, baby or family session. If you want some more inspiration head over to my Pinterest Board.
Why Sitter Sessions are the Best!
Did you miss out on newborn photos, but you still want to capture some gorgeous photos of your baby, and you just aren't sure what is the best stage or age? Or maybe you have had your newborn photos and you’re wondering, what’s next?
Don't worry! You don't have to wait long! The next best age for capturing your little one is when they are between 7-10 months old. This is the stage when your baby isn't quite walking or crawling yet, or perhaps they have just started to be on the move. Portrait sessions at this stage are called ‘Sitter Sessions’, simply because it’s the time when your little one can sit independently. With my natural style of photography, we’ll capture some gorgeous photos of their big eyes and tiny toes, giggly smiles and chunky thighs!
Older baby sessions are one of my favourites, as there is just so much to love that marks this stage for your baby.
Exploring – whether they can move around or not, their curious natures is on full display.
Learning to clap and play peek-a-boo.
Laughing at their parents being silly!
Playing with their tummy and toes, and showing us their big bright beautiful eyes and smile.
At a sister Session you can capture just your baby or combine it with some family photos as well. It is completely up to you.
So, when should we book?
As soon as possible! My diary can fill up between 6-8 weeks in advance, so it’s really important to book in as soon as you can.
All shoot dates and times are flexible. If we book a date in and then a month before you realise it coincides with your baby’s current nap time, don’t stress! We’ll simply adjust the date/time as needed.
Book your Sitter Session today!
Christmas Mini Sessions Are Open!
I am thrilled to announce that Bree Hulme Photography is once again offering Christmas Mini Sessions & Bookings are now OPEN!.
This year we are thrilled to be offering a beautiful new Christmas Tree Farm location for gorgeous outdoor portraits, as well as the much loved Studio sessions.
The Studio sets this year are two gorgeous new themes - Pine Arch & Christmas Wreath. These bring all the feelings and joy of Christmas to your family portraits.
Sessions are 20 minutes and your session fee includes your choice of 5 digital images. Additional images and prints can of course be purchased at our special Christmas prices.
Sessions are $250.
Bookings are strictly limited to two dates in November - Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd! Get in quick to secure your Christmas Mini Session this year!
Book now using our live booking calendar.
For the Christmas Tree Farm location sessions BOOK HERE
For Studio sessions BOOK HERE.
We can't wait to see you all!
Bree & Rachel
1st Birthday Family Portraits
Celebrate your babies 1st Birthday with some gorgeous 1st Birthday Family Portraits at Bree Hulme Photography!
Is your baby turning one? Would you love to have some family portraits to mark this important milestone? But perhaps you are not too sure about the whole cake smash concept? Maybe the idea of giving your baby a cake to destroy just isn't your idea of the perfect family photos. But you do want to find a way to celebrate and mark this occasion.
The in-studio 1st Birthday Family Portraits are the way to go. Full of fun and play, capturing all the beautiful, tiny, precious details of your 1 year old baby, and the beautiful love and connection between your family, this style of session is perfect for you.
Having this session in studio is perfect for this age group. For those babies who are still crawling, it is warm, bright and clean, and for those who are just starting to walk, but might be a bit unsteady on their feet, the floor is flat and even for easy toddling around the studio.
We can capture all the beautiful little details of your baby - those chubby wrists and fingers, those gorgeous baby eyes, and those big smiles.
Games and play form the basis for these session, lots of cuddles and tickles, some peek-a-boo in the curtains and even a little play with a favourite stuffed toy.
If you love the idea of the "splash" at the end of the cake smash session, then we can incorporate the fun bubble bath at the end of the session as well. Bubbles and water always bring out the most beautiful smiles and pure joy with babies.
Cuddles and kisses are definitely a huge part of the session.
So let's celebrate your babies 1st birthday with some beautiful, simple, natural 1st Birthday Family Portraits at Bree Hulme Photography. Book your session now!
Choosing Your Newborn Photographer
"That it will never come again, is what makes life so sweet."
~ Emily Dickinson
The newborn stage is so very fleeting, and often so blurred with sleep haze and overwhelm. Choosing to have a newborn shoot is an investment in your family and your memories. It will be a way to look back at this time in your newborns life, when they are so tiny, so new and all the emotions that come with new life and new parenthood. These images will last more than a lifetime, and they will still make you smile years later.
Every day your newborn baby changes and grows. Their little toes get bigger, their cheeks start to fill out and they generally lose that fresh newborn look. This is why it’s so important to capture these moments with the right photographer for you. There are a range of newborn photographers out there, all with slightly different styles and approaches to what they do.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the options, so I’ve written a few questions that you can ask yourself to help make your decision easier.
Do you love their work?
If you can imagine a photographer’s work displayed on your own walls, then they’re the right fit for you. After all, you wouldn’t purchase a piece of art that you didn't like! Look at their lighting, the colours that they use and the style of the images. Ask yourself if you can imagine these photos still on your wall in 20 years’ time - are they timeless? Imagine your family in these photos and if you feel inspired, find out more!
At Bree Hulme Photography, I focus on using whites and other natural colours, with minimal props to ensure that your baby is the focus of every image. Giving you timeless pieces of art for your home.
Newborn safety and comfort
A professional newborn photographer will know how to handle your newborn safely and have all of the skills needed to create a set of beautiful images of your family. It’s good to look through their portfolio and ask yourself, ‘does this baby look comfortable?’ If the answer is yes, then it’s likely that they are experienced and know exactly how to capture your baby at this age. If the babies look uncomfortable, with screwed up hands and limbs forced into awkward positions - they may not be the right photographer for you.
Ask your photographer about how they run their sessions. Does every baby get put in the same position regardless of their comfort and positional preferences? Every newborn has slightly different preferences about how they like their bodies, often this is reflective of their position in the womb- do they like their head to the left or right, are they comfortable on their tummy?
At Bree Hulme Photography I achieve my images with a baby-led-approach. We are led by your babies preferences, pace and needs. If they don't like their tummy that is ok, we focus on images with them comfortable on their back. If they prefer their head in a certain direction then we rotate them to suit their comfort. Every baby is different and we move slowly to make sure they are content and happy.
I do not do constructed newborn poses, as I don’t think it’s natural to see your baby propped up on their hands or sat bolt upright. Although some photographers do these poses well, they’re just not for me.
Are they passionate about what they do?
When you talk to a photographer, you’ll be able to tell whether they are passionate about what they do. Whether it’s in person, over the phone or via email, they will tell you everything you need to know, answer all of your questions and put your mind at ease. It’s essential to find someone who is completely transparent about their pricing, as you wouldn’t want to be surprised with any unexpected costs.
As well as being passionate, it’s crucial to find someone who is also professional. They will be able to show you a varied portfolio with lots of different babies, and have reviews from previous clients for you to read. If they don’t have all of these things then steer clear - don’t waste this precious time in your life on someone’s hobby.
Have they been recommended?
You wouldn’t hand your newborn baby over to a stranger, so it’s important to choose a photographer that has either been recommended by a friend, or who has plenty of reviews that you can read online. Don’t be afraid to ask questions - a professional photographer will be happy to answer them all and put your mind at ease. It’s ideal to find someone who is not only good at what they do, but is someone who you are drawn to as a person.
At Bree Hulme Photography, people arrive at my studio as clients and leave as friends. For me, it’s important to build a good relationship with my clients in order to provide them with the best experience possible - both at their shoot and in the future.
How would you like to display your images?
These days, digital images are increasingly popular. You may think that this is what you’d like to take away from your session, but consider this - what if in years to come, your files become corrupted and you can’t open them, or they end up on devices that become useless over time (anyone remember floppy disks?!).
After your newborn session, it’s important to ask yourself how you’d like to display your images. Do you want them on the wall for all to see, or would you prefer an album that you can pass round your friends and family? Ensure that your photographer offers the product that you would like at a high quality, as your images will last for generations to come.
As a society, we’re in danger of having children with no printed record of their lives (see this amazing project by Julia Boggio here). We take so many photos, but they stay on our phones and other devices. Imagine the difference it will make to your child if they grow up surrounded by photos of their family - showing them how much they are loved every day, just by seeing their photos on the wall.
How much are your images worth?
There are a range of prices that you can pay for newborn photography. The newborn stage is so fleeting that you can’t afford to choose a sub-standard photographer based solely on price. By the time you’ve received your images back, it’s too late to re-shoot if you’re disappointed. It’s a moment in time that you’ll never get back, so it’s worth investing in something that you know you will love.
Professional photography can be expensive, but this is because most of the work is done when you’re not there. From all of the training, to equipment & studio costs and all of the behind-the-scenes work - everything takes time. It takes years for a photographer to get to a place where they’re confident in the service they provide, and can really put their clients’ needs first by creating a relaxing experience in what is otherwise an intense time in their lives.
While money can’t buy happiness, it can buy quality. Choosing to have a newborn shoot is an investment in your memories. These images will last more than a lifetime, and when your children show them to their children, they will still make you smile all those years later.
At Bree Hulme Photography I have over 10 years of experience as a newborn and family photographer, I am a mother of 3 and aunt to 9.
Don’t let these precious moments pass you by. It’s recommended to book your newborn shoot whilst you’re still pregnant to ensure that your photographer is available around your due date. For more information on the shoot experience, please get in touch.
Choosing a Cake Smash Outfit for Your Baby
Cake smash portrait sessions are such a beautiful, fun way to celebrate your little one's 1st birthday. Last week I wrote a couple of blog posts about choosing the decorations for your little boy's or little girl's cake smash session. Today I am writing about choosing the outfit, or outfits for this milestone portrait session.
Cake smash sessions are split into 3 parts:
- The Birthday Portraits
- The Cake Smash
- The Bubble Bath
I recommend choosing one or two outfits for the session - one for the birthday portraits and one for the cake smash.
The Birthday Portraits
This part of the session is when we capture some traditional portraits of your little baby. I recommend babies wear a little party outfit, perhaps a little party dress for little girls or a collared shirt for boys.
For Boys
There are so many sweet options for little boys when choosing an outfit for the birthday portraits. Collared shirts, bow ties, and suspenders are all adorable. Cute overalls, knitted rompers and even teddy bear onesies are perfect and you don't need to look too far in the shops these days to find something special that matches the colour scheme and decorations you have chosen for this special day. Even Best & Less and Big W have adorable little outfits.
If you are still unsure, don't worry, I have a growing wardrobe of little boy clothes perfect for birthday portraits, including handsome onesies, overalls and rompers. My preference is always for outfits that are both very cute, but don't overwhelm your adorable baby. The clothes should never be the star, your baby is what we want to focus on.
For Girls
And for girls, the choices are just as gorgeous. Party dresses and gorgeous little rompers, sweet little onesies and simple little skirts are all ideal, and there are so many options to match with your colour scheme and decorations. Special party dresses are definitely the favourite outfits for these portraits, but a sweet little romper or onesie can be just as stunning, simple and beautiful. Again we don’t want to overwhelm your baby, we want them to be the star.
Accessories for little girls are so sweet as well, and I have many different little headbands and tiebacks here in the studio which we can use during the session to help tame that wild hair. Once again, if you just aren't sure if you have anything for your little one to wear, don't worry, I have that growing wardrobe of little girl party dresses and rompers which are perfect for these birthday portraits.
I love how the lace of little Colette's dress below adds so much texture to the beautiful detail photos that I love to capture during a session. Lace is one of my favourite fabric choices as it adds textures without taking away from, or overwhelming, your little baby.
The Cake Smash
Now for the fun part! Getting messy with the cake smash. For these portraits, I recommend to my clients that baby shows a little more skin. After all, they are going to be covered in icing by the end of this part. For some clients that is as simple as removing the little shirt or top that went with the cute little pants or skirt they were wearing for the Birthday Portraits. For other's it is a whole different outfit. And for other clients they choose that their little one will stay in the same outfit for the whole session and that is gorgeous as well.
For Boys
Knitted shorts with suspenders are a definite favourite outfit of mine for little boys and the cake smash portraits! And they are just everywhere in the shops at the moment. I love how these add some beautiful knitted textures, but still give us that adorable baby belly, show off those baby thighs and allow baby to get really messy and covered in icing!
Of course, there are lots of options for little boys, including a cute pair of shorts and even overalls, all make for adorable little outfits for a cake smash. And accessories should never be overlooked either, a sweet little beanie or a bow tie can add just the smallest little colour pop, or texture without overwhelming your baby boy.
For Girls
Once again the choices for girls are never ending! My biggest tip for choosing an outfit for little girls is trying not to get anything that is too big it overwhelms your little one. That giant fluffy tutu is super cute, but if your baby can't walk or crawl in it they will soon get frustrated and upset. Less is more when it comes to 1 year olds and outfits.
A sweet little romper, perhaps with a soft floral pattern or lace details is perfect. Maybe just a lace tutu skirt or a simple party dress. Accessories again are adorable at this age and can help to add a little detail, but many babies of this age will only tolerate so much on their heads, and large party hats are often only tolerated for a few seconds. A soft headband or tie back might be all you need, and I have plenty for you to try on if you aren't sure what to get.
Rest assured if you just aren't sure what you want your little one to wear for their cake smash I have lots of options available for you to choose from. Little rompers, overalls, onesies and simple skirts are all here ready for you to use if you wish. And that saves your clean up afterwards as well! So it is a win-win.
The Bubble Bath
No clothes required.
For more cake smash inspiration, you can see my Pinterest Boards and my Cake Smash Gallery. Are you ready to book your cake smash session in? Contact me here.
Baby Girl Cake Smash Decorations
When planning a cake smash for your little one's first birthday one of the biggest decisions you need to make is about decorations. Decorations, colour scheme and the cake. Of course, the possibilities are endless and once you start searching on Pinterest for some inspiration the rabbit hole you dive into can be very deep indeed. Yesterday I wrote about choosing your little boy's cake smash colour scheme and decorations and today is all about little girls!
When I talk with my clients about the types of decorations and colours I love to see in your portraits, I always start with the premise that your baby is the star, the focus of the set up. The decorations and colours just add a few little details in the background.
I want to keep the focus on your baby, on all the beautiful little details, features, and personality quirks that your little one has right now, on their 1st birthday.
There are generally two styles of decorations that I offer in my studio for cake smash sessions. The traditional balloons and bunting set up, or a more natural, botanical theme. Both of these offer beautiful backdrops for a cake smash, and I love to keep them simple and classic.
Choosing which of these set ups you want to use can be as simple as deciding on what types of colours you want to see in your photos.
For the traditional balloon set ups, the colour palette of the backdrop can vary, and some of my most popular set ups are on white or peach backgrounds for little girls. Choosing one or two complimentary colours of balloons and a simple bunting adds just enough contrast without detracting from your beautiful baby.
I do not very often use helium balloons in my set ups for a number of reasons. The main one being they end up being much higher than the baby and the cake for many of the portraits. That being said, they can offer some beautiful details when paired with either some air-filled balloons or pom poms as in the set up below.
I do love being a little bit creative with the background decorations in a little girls cake smash. The examples below shows some beautiful pink and mauve paper butterflies in the background. This set up is just beautiful and subtle for a little girl celebrating her first birthday.
For the natural, botanical set ups I love shooting with eucalyptus varieties, as they offer a softer, blue-green palette which is less neon green than other greenery varieties. Adding in some flowers to match in with your colour theme gives some beautiful pops of colour and adds some soft texture and contrast. Flowers vary depending on what is available at the market on the day of the shoot, and are chosen depending on what matches best with the colour scheme of the session.
Once you have decided on your background set up, colours and decorations, the cake is the next big decision. There are so many possibilities for little girl cakes, and here are just a few of my favourites from my amazing baker, Jo over at The Bakehouse 698 in Brookvale has created for me and my clients (they are beautiful AND delicious!).
Semi naked cakes are so popular and look amazing with both coloured icing or simple white icing! Using soft (& delicious) buttercream icing makes these cake so easy for little fingers to get messy in! It is just perfect, and the semi-naked cakes have a perfect amount of icing to get covered in!
Adding some texture to the cake with this rosette style cake is stunning as well and so gorgeous for little girls. The beauty of these cake is that the icing can be a few different shades of the one colour. In the examples below you can see 3 shades of pinks.
Jo even makes beautiful watercolour-inspired cakes with a soft mix of colours such as this beautiful pink, purple and white cake with some rice-paper butterflies to finish off the theme for this butterfly set up.
For some more inspiration for your little girl's cake smash head over to my Pinterest Boards, to see more examples of beautiful little girl cake smash sessions we have created here at Bree Hulme Photography. My Cake Smash Gallery also has many beautiful cake smash portraits for you to look through.
I have also put together a little guide in choosing outfits for your little girls cake smash which you can find here. That is another big decision.
So let's create some beautiful milestone portraits to celebrate your little girl's 1st birthday! Book your cake smash session now!
Baby Boy Cake Smash Decorations
When planning a cake smash for your little one's first birthday one of the biggest decisions you need to make is about decorations. Decorations, colour scheme and the cake. Of course, the possibilities are endless and once you start searching on Pinterest for some inspiration the rabbit hole you dive into can be very deep indeed.
When I talk with my clients about the types of decorations and colours I love to see in your portraits, I always start with the premise that your baby is the star, the focus of the set up. The decorations and colours just add a few little details in the background.
I want to keep the focus on your baby, on all the beautiful little details, features, and personality quirks that your little one has right now, on their 1st birthday.
There are generally two styles of decorations that I offer in my studio for cake smash sessions. The traditional balloons and bunting set up, or a more natural, botanical theme. Both of these offer beautiful backdrops for a cake smash, and I love to keep them simple and classic.
Choosing which of these set ups you want to use can be as simple as deciding on what types of colours you want to see in your photos.
For the traditional balloon set ups, the colour palette of the backdrop can vary, and some of my most popular set ups are on white, grey or blue backgrounds for little boys. Choosing one or two complimentary colours of balloons and a simple bunting adds just enough contrast without detracting from your beautiful baby.
I do not very often use helium balloons in my set ups for a number of reasons. The main one being they end up being much higher than the baby and the cake for many of the portraits. That being said, they can offer some beautiful details when paired with either some air-filled balloons or pom poms as in the set up below.
I do love being a little bit creative with the bunting in a little boys cake smash. The two examples below show examples using paper planes and hot air balloons in the background. These two set ups are both very sweet for a little boy celebrating his first birthday.
For the natural, botanical set ups I love shooting with eucalyptus varieties, as they offer a softer, blue-green palette which is less neon green than other greenery varieties. Adding in some gum nuts can add some beautiful texture, and the addition of a hessian bunting can help to just add that touch of natural contrast.
These silver leaves in the set up below are my absolute favourite. When I arrive at the flower market and find these you can see me doing a little happy dance. The colour is just stunning and they have a beautiful soft texture as well. Unfortunately, these are seasonal and not always available.
Once you have decided on your background set up, colours and decorations, the cake is the next big decision. There are so many possibilities for little boy cakes, and here are just a few of my favourites from my amazing baker, Jo over at The Bakehouse 698 in Brookvale has created for me and my clients (they are beautiful AND delicious!).
Semi naked cakes are so popular at the moment and look amazing with both coloured icing or simple white icing! Using soft (& delicious0 buttercream icing makes these cake so easy for little fingers to get messy in! It is just perfect, and the semi-naked cakes have a perfect amount of icing to get covered in!
Adding some texture to the cake with this rosette style cake is stunning as well and so gorgeous for little boys. The beauty of these cake is that the icing can be a few different shades of the one colour. In the examples below you can see 3 shades of green. It also looks gorgeous in blues as well.
Jo even makes beautiful watercolour-inspired cakes with a soft mix of colours such as this beautiful blue and white cake with some rice-paper clouds to finish off the beautiful sky theme for this paper planes set up.
And mixing colours and some stunning custom-designed sprinkles from Something for Cake, can make the cake simply beautiful.
For some more inspiration for your little boy's cake smash head over to my Pinterest Boards, to see more examples of beautiful little boy cake smash sessions we have created here at Bree Hulme Photography. My Cake Smash Gallery also has many beautiful cake smash portraits for you to look through.
I have also put together a little guide in choosing outfits for your little boys cake smash which you can find here. That is another big decision.
So let's create some gorgeous portraits to celebrate the milestone of your babies 1st Birthday! Book your cake smash today!