i’ve had a couple of awesome willette followers email me asking if i had a “shot list” for birthday parties. and, though i am not an event photographer or a kiddie party photographer, i DO have a little list here. i’m super happy to share it with all of you mommas, daddys and photographers. this is my “must have” shot list for children’s birthday parties!
i’m in the midst of planning baby girl flossie’s first birthday party as i write this (can you believe baby girl will be one in four short weeks). this is going to come in handy as i plan for her birthday (and, if you’re local to me and reading this….does anyone know any children’s birthday party photographers? i’m in the need for one for sunday, december 12th).
and no post is complete without a photo. this one is from my son’s birthday party two years ago (it was a star wars part at tidewater gymnastics academy).
- Photo of invitation
- Photo of child holding invitation
- Bday child alone (on chair in doorway light)
- Bday child wearing bday hat/crown
- Gift table
- Child with all the gifts
- Close up of gift tags with child’s name/cards
- Food table
- Cupcakes/cake
- Candles lit
- Child blowing out candles
- Child with parents next to child blowing out candels
- Balloons
- Streamers/banners
- Bday banner
- Special bday hat/crown
- Special bday plate
- Goodie bags
- Photo of all children with the bday child
- Child opening gift
- Child holding gift
- Child’s reaction to cool gift
- Child hugging person thanking them for a gift
- Child holding cupcake
- Child with friends
- Kids playing party games
- Child with mom and dad (wearing party hats)
- Child with entire family
- Child holding up fingers to show how old they are
About kelly mcmahon willette
Hi! I think this list is simple and great too. In the rush of birthday celebration you tend to forget almost everything you had planned to do during the party!! Isn´t it?
I have a birthdays blog in Spanish where I share all kind of creative ideas to celebrate birthdays finding the link between love and fun. I would really like to hold this as a guest post there, if you agree. Love,
Fernanda
Thank you soo much for sharing the shot list with us. Just yesterday was our birthday gathering with the grandparents for two of my kids. I tried really hard to follow the advice you have given in past “finding the joy” classes to help me get great shots without them all being “some kid” tearing open a gift but you aren’t able to really see them or their expression because daughters hair hangs in the way or son’s head is always hanging down looking at the gift in front of him instead of at me.
I’ve learned that I need to be a little more in control of where we will open gifts (move them off the floor and get them to a table under great lighting) to get those great photos.
I was even able to catch my mother playing a game of Candyland with my son! (She hates to play games! :0))
Thank you again, you are awesome!
Thank you for sharing this! It’s exactly what I was looking for!