# Cake Smash Tips??



## Unique Kitty (Feb 27, 2016)

Hey, I'm doing my first cake smash photo shoot tomorrow (I'm doing my cousins kids 1st birthday) & I was wondering what's the best camera setting to use? I've read to use f11 but I've only seen that on 1 post & now i can't seem to find it & I haven't seen many other opinions out there....  If anyone has any idea's or tips that'd be great 

It'll be taken inside, not 100% on the lighting (whether it's good or low) I'll be using a Canon Rebel T3 camera with the standard  lens and not 100% sure if I'll need to use the flash or not


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## dennybeall (Feb 27, 2016)

A "Cake Smash photo shoot", OK! I'm guessing they are going to smash a cake with a mallet?
Anyway from  a photography standpoint you want sufficient depth of field so f11 may be correct if you have enough light and the speed you need to capture the action will allow it. One factor does not stand alone. Shutter speed, aperture, ISO all come into play. Do you need extreme DOF, then chose f11 or even f16 and adjust whatever you have to get the shots you want.


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## beachrat (Feb 27, 2016)

The green one.
Full auto.
Obviously.


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## snowbear (Feb 27, 2016)

Welcome aboard.

Smashing a cake with a 200mm-400mm zoom?  I'd probably shoot in aperture priority to get some control and push the ISO.  Potentially mixed lighting so raw is good so you can even WB out in post.


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## beachrat (Feb 27, 2016)

snowbear said:


> Welcome aboard.
> 
> Smashing a cake with a 200mm-400mm zoom?  I'd probably shoot in aperture priority to get some control and push the ISO.  Potentially mixed lighting so raw is good so you can even WB out in post.



While my first post was somewhat in jest,how can you possibly answer a question like this without knowing whether it's indoors,outdoors,with flash,without flash,good light,low light,what lens or even what kind of camera is being used?
f11?? Why?


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## cherylynne1 (Feb 27, 2016)

I doubt there will be enough light indoors to get f11. Worry first about shutter speed...try to keep it above 1/160. 1/100 if you absolutely have to. I don't think the ISO on that camera can do much over 1600...I might be wrong on that. Try to get it under 800 if you can. Then the aperture...if you can get it to f8, that'd be good. I somehow really doubt you'll have that much light indoors. If you're in Shutter Priority, it'll probably open up as wide as it can go.  If so, you won't be able to get both the cake and the baby in focus.  If so, focus on the baby's face, in particular the eyes. 

As far as flash goes, are you talking about the pop-up flash? In these situations, that will make the picture look very bad. Try moving the baby closer to a window to get more light, or if it's at night, turn in more lights. If, however, you've purchased an external flash and mounted it on your hotshoe, definitely point it at the ceiling and bounce the light. That will help the situation immensely.


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## DandL (Feb 28, 2016)

Unique Kitty said:


> Hey, I'm doing my first cake smash photo shoot tomorrow (I'm doing my cousins kids 1st birthday) & I was wondering what's the best camera setting to use? I've read to use f11 but I've only seen that on 1 post & now i can't seem to find it & I haven't seen many other opinions out there....  If anyone has any idea's or tips that'd be great
> 
> It'll be taken inside, not 100% on the lighting (whether it's good or low) I'll be using a Canon Rebel T3 camera with the standard  lens and not 100% sure if I'll need to use the flash or not



I've only done one cake smash session and it was in my studio: Cake Smash Photos
Settings were f:8, 1/125, ISO 100   I used 2 strobes for lights...

Best of luck with your shoot.


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## Designer (Feb 28, 2016)

Unique Kitty said:


> Hey, I'm doing my first cake smash photo shoot tomorrow (I'm doing my cousins kids 1st birthday) & I was wondering what's the best camera setting to use? I've read to use f11 but I've only seen that on 1 post & now i can't seem to find it & I haven't seen many other opinions out there....  If anyone has any idea's or tips that'd be great
> 
> It'll be taken inside, not 100% on the lighting (whether it's good or low) I'll be using a Canon Rebel T3 camera with the standard  lens and not 100% sure if I'll need to use the flash or not


Definitely plan on using a flash attachment that can be turned toward a white ceiling or wall or bounced off some large white object near the child.  If you stop down (the aperture) then the background and any distracting objects will be muted with low light.  So I would say f/11 to start with, and then stop down more from there.  Try to have some control over the ambient lighting, by switching off the overhead room light, and/or making the lights "harmonize" with each other; i.e.: either all fluorescent, or all incandescent, etc.  Be sure to capture the raw file, and get one shot with something white in the shot to adjust the WB later.


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## beachrat (Feb 28, 2016)

I'll stand by my original statement,except to amend it to also offer "P"mode .
No way in the universe should this person need f11 indoors with what I assume is an 18-55 when they can easily get away with 5.6 -7.1 and save the flash recycle to get more shots and save a few. Assuming they have a flash unit. 
And if not,blast away with the pop up. 
At least they get the shot.


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## paigew (Feb 28, 2016)

I've done a few cake smashes. I use window light or they are done outside. My aperture is usually around f2-3.2


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## calamityjane (Mar 1, 2016)

Cake Smash? Is this now A Thing? FFS


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## beagle100 (Mar 8, 2016)

calamityjane said:


> Cake Smash? Is this now A Thing?



so do the people eat the smashed cakes ?


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## paigew (Mar 8, 2016)

beagle100 said:


> calamityjane said:
> 
> 
> > Cake Smash? Is this now A Thing?
> ...


Not sure if your being serious. But yeah cake smash = 1 year old with first birthday  cake. Most gobble it up [emoji12]


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## Designer (Mar 14, 2016)

beagle100 said:


> calamityjane said:
> 
> 
> > Cake Smash? Is this now A Thing?
> ...


The first time I had ever witnessed that was for my son's first birthday, about 48 years ago.  Unfortunately, there is seldom a second pristine cake for the civilized people, so you usually have to serve smashed cake or some pretzels.


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## cherylynne1 (Mar 14, 2016)

We always had a second cake just for the baby. Some people just do a large cupcake.


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