A Dubai Cake Smash session is an awesome way to celebrate your little ones first birthday! Make the most memorable day out of it! Celebrate yourselves! You made it! You are superheroes of the parents!  I do remember my little ones turning one and how special it felt. I am so grateful my photographer friends could capture those moments for us! Now as kids get older they love going through those photographs too! 

Some tips before you book :

• Book your Cake Smash session in advance to secure your photographer is available and allow yourself time to choose the theme, the outfits 
• Choose your cake provider carefully. There are lots of wonderful licensed small businesses in Dubai along with bakery shops. You may always outsource your cake or have it included in the package. We have a wonderful bakers working with us – CakeSmash & NiCookie Dubai
• Let your little one try something sweet before the session! For most babies cake smash session day is the first time they get to try cake. Reactions to texture, taste can be different. To ensure little one is familiar with the taste try giving a tiny bit of desert in advance.
• Take an extra set of clothes for both your little one and yourselves. Cake smashes get messy! Bring along a towel and wipes! 
• Bring along your little one’s favorite toy for them to have something familiar in a not so familiar place. Think of songs your baby might smile to. It’s art to get those smiley portraits with one year olds at time so whatever works! 
• Enjoy! Most importantly don’t forget to enjoy the day! Whether the little one smashes or not smashes the cake, the portraits will be gorgeous and the day will be memorable! 

A Sitter Session Photography is a celebration of your baby sitting independently, unaided. It’s a key milestone of your baby’s development and the idea is to celebrate this key new phase of your little one’s life. 

It’s a wonderful time to photograph as they are sitting independently yet not crawling or running away, which is coming in the next few months.

Booking your Dubai Sitter Session is a great opportunity to see how your baby has grown and changed in such a short period of time, capture those precious facial expressions , smiles and cheekiness this milestone comes with. 

Whether you captured the newborn stage or missed it, the Sitter session is a beautiful milestone that should not be missed. 

I often get asked by parents whether waiting till big one and cake smash would be a good idea. I’d say if you are in a position to have both sessions happen, just do it! They are totally different milestones and sessions and offer different set ups, vibes, expressions of your baby! During Sitter Sessions we can get beautiful portraits of your little one little on the tummy , grabbing his toes, sucking the thumb ( as they are usually teething), smiling and staying still. Wait till they are one – cake smash sessions are quite a workout for both – photographer and the parents! 

Those are amazing sessions to style. I provide families I work with with beautiful outfits for either genders to choose from to complete the look on a day! 

To book your baby sitter session, please stay in touch.

After every post I do get numerous messages from fellow photographers asking where I got my props from. 

Having photographed newborns and babies for over 10 years, I have built up the most beautiful collection of props and accessories for newborns, babies, sitters , one year olds and toddlers. 

There are some vendors that I will always come back to :

1) The Original Photo Blocks – European based newborn photography shop. You may find beautiful variety of props from rattan to wooden; gorgeous mattresses and pillows; posing beans ; outfits and hats. I proudly owe a lot of products from that shop and have more in post for summer babies! 

2) Rozzy Rayne Props – Most beautiful posing props – beds, crates, chairs; gorgeous burlap layers; metal props, macrame. Love that shop for years and am a loyal customer 

3) R2Backdrops – If you are looking to freshen up your studio with new backdrops, whether it’s flooring, floral design, cake smash backdrops – don’t look any further. Most beautiful backdrop I owe are from that shop and I absolutely love them in use. 

4) Red Owl Props – Practically all wraps I owe are from that shop and they are soft, comfy in use and beautiful to photograph. Come in double length as well, which is a huge plus in swaddling 

5) Lavender and Moss Most beautiful florals and flower crowns , gorgeous outfits 

6) Knit Baby Outfits – I have ordered from Natalia for years and her outfits are out of this world

7) Little Pink Elephant – Beautiful outfits and bonnets. Really stylish and stand out

8) For Newborn – Flower crowns and tiebacks for baby girls! I love all of them and have beautiful collection from this vendor

9) Korban Natalia – If you are looking for Newborn posed photography or Sitter Photography outfits and hats, pillows, etc , Natalia is a great match. Owe lots of wonderful sets from this talented lady and highly recommend her! 

You are most welcome 🙂 

I believe some things are meant to be! When I started offering Dubai photography sessions my key focus was on family, maternity, cake smash sessions. Then all our friends started having babies and presumed that I would be a great fit to photograph their bundles of joy! 

Trying new genres is never easy and I pretty much shortly realized that newborn photography does require lots of investment. Equipment, posing props, supporting props, outfits, wraps, accessories and most importantly knowledge.  I invested lots in masterclasses and props to be able to offer those luxury and stylish set ups you see in my portfolio. All props are shipped from the US, Australia, Europe, etc 

I fell in love with photographing little humans and there was no way back! I devoted all my budget, time and energy in mastering my skill of being the best Dubai Newborn Photographer, the best version of myself. 

I often wonder why I developed such a passion for newborn photography in particular and there are a few thoughts that come to mind: 

• I am very maternal myself. Now a mum of three. At the time I started I hadn’t had my own children yet, but cuddling and settling babies always felt super natural to me. I just love it 
• I clearly love challenges. Newborn Photography is very rewarding as it can be quite challenging. Getting those poses, angles, taking control over the non settling newborn and getting the most beautiful galleries always feels like an incredible achievement. Baby Photography definitely contributed in my own growth as a human and mum and teaches me a lot of patience, which all of us need 
• Welcoming new parents is what I really love! Newborn sessions are not rushed and generally take around 2 hours. That allows us to have the most wholesome chats I’ve ever had, share our birth experiences, talk about anything new mums would love to from breastfeeding to postnatal anxieties. I feel like a safe place for those new mums who are just starting to navigate their way in motherhood with all the joys and challenges it offers. I’ve become really good friends with so many mums I’ve worked with and it’s pure joy watching the little ones grow! 
• Being a Dubai Newborn Photographer definitely fills my creative cup. I love styling my set ups and getting ready for those sessions. Buying the most beautiful props is another obsession of mine. My clients are well aware how beautiful my collection of props , accessories, outfits is. 

To check it all out and have your own experience of Sasha Gow Photography, please feel free to contact me

While I always recommend scheduling your newborn sessions during the second – third trimester of pregnancy, I do accept last minute bookings too if availability allows. 

Currently living and photographing babies in Dubai, I have noticed that culturally a lot of families do not leave the house with the brand new baby till day 40 unless it’s a doctor’s appointment.  I do have a lot of inquiries to photograph slightly older newborns. Sometimes I do refer those sessions to lifestyle photographers , but if availability allows I always take on the challenge. 

Some babies do have to stay in the NICU longer than expected and we photograph them as soon as they are discharged and given green light by the doctors. 

So not all baby photography sessions happen on days 4-15; some are scheduled when the baby is 2 months or slightly older and it’s totally fine. With my experience and patience, I do make it work. It just might take a little bit more patience and time. ( link to the blog about How Do I Make My Newborns Sleep) 

Baby Lyhaan in the photographs above was born at the end of January but we only got to photograph him in April due to prematurity. The session went excellent and we made sure Lyhaan felt comfortable and very looked after. His newborn photography gallery looks as newborn-ish as it possibly can and is cherished by his wonderful family!