First birthdays
The playful way to close the first year, near home.
Cake Smash Photoshoot in Northwood for a First Birthday
A first birthday cake smash at the studio on the Joel Street parade, close enough to home that naps and snacks stay on schedule.
The short answer
Where can I book a cake smash photoshoot in Northwood?
At the studio on The Broadway, 21 Joel St, Northwood HA6 1NU, beside Northwood Hills station. Being local helps more than you might think with a one-year-old: you can come straight from a morning nap, and the trip home with a sticky, happy baby is a short one. The usual age is 11 to 13 months, once your baby sits up steadily. Allow one to two hours for the portraits, the cake and the splash. Call or WhatsApp 07956 505383 to pick a date near the birthday.
Really appreciated the effort that went into the photoshoot and getting my baby to smile for the photos. Lovely photos to take home. Would recommend.
I was nervous about my newborn’s photoshoot but Kaushik made the experience very unforgettable. He knew how to handle my two week old baby with care. The pictures came out very beautiful and were forever grateful. He’s honestly the best. Very experienced, patient and professional. I’ll definitely use him again.
We’ve been having pictures taken by Kaushik over 15 years. Very professional and brilliant pictures
Timing it
Fitting the smash around your baby's day
A smash goes best when your baby is fed, rested and curious. For most Northwood families that means a mid-morning slot after the first nap, with the short journey keeping the routine intact. If your little one is brighter later, tell us and we will find a time that suits.
We open with a few tidy portraits before the cake comes out, then let your baby explore it at their own speed. Interest usually lasts ten to fifteen minutes, and a warm splash set follows to wash the frosting off.
What to bring
The cake, the clothes and the clean-up
You bring the cake: a soft sponge with generous frosting crumbles best. Pack a second outfit, wipes and a favourite toy; we supply the backdrop and props. If the cake is from a bakery near home, collect it that morning so it travels a short distance.
Pick one or two colours for the cake and the outfit so the pictures hang together, and avoid anything stiff or scratchy for the baby to wear.
The first year
Newborn to first birthday in Northwood
Some parents mark the whole first year: a newborn sitting at home in Northwood or in the studio, a sitter session at around six months, then the cake smash. Each one is booked separately, so you can decide as you go.
Close to home
The studio for Northwood families
The studio is on the Joel Street parade beside Northwood Hills station, with parking close by for the car seat and the cake box. Northwood station is one stop north on the Metropolitan line, and the 282, 331 and H11 buses serve both parts of Northwood.
On a dry day you might finish with a picnic at Hog's Back Open Space on Northwood Way, which has picnic areas, or let older siblings run off steam at the playground in Northwood Recreation Ground on Chestnut Avenue.
Who it is for
Who it suits in Northwood
Busy parents
A short journey that leaves time for the party later in the day.
Siblings and grandparents
Join the clean portraits before the cake appears.
Take home
What you take home
The messy moments
First touch, the handfuls and the frosting everywhere.
Tidy birthday portraits
Taken at the start, before any cake.
The splash
A bath set to finish, with prints and albums to order.
Practical details
The studio in Northwood
- Address: The Broadway, 21 Joel St, Northwood HA6 1NU, on the Joel Street parade. Get directions
- On foot and by Tube: two minutes from Northwood Hills station; Northwood station is the next stop north on the Metropolitan line
- By bus and car: routes 282, 331 and H11 serve Northwood and Northwood Hills, and there is parking close by
- Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:30 to 18:00, Sunday 13:00 to 18:00
- Booking: by phone or WhatsApp on 07956 505383, or with the form on this page
- Prices: given on request by phone or WhatsApp
Good to know
Cake smash photoshoots in Northwood: questions answered
Yes. It is at The Broadway, 21 Joel St, Northwood HA6 1NU, two minutes from Northwood Hills station.
Yes, there is parking close to the studio, which helps with a car seat and a cake box.
Yes, please. A soft sponge with plenty of frosting works best; we provide the backdrop and props.
Yes. Newborn sessions can be held at home or in the studio, booked separately from the cake smash.
Prices are given on request by phone or WhatsApp.
Kaushik Bathia, FBIPP and FMPA, photographs every session personally and has done so from the Northwood studio since 2001, with five European Kodak Gold Awards along the way.
Birthday on the way?
Book a Northwood cake smash
Tell us the birthday and your baby's best time of day.