Before the guests arrive
The room still tidy
I arrive early and photograph the setup just as you planned it. After half an hour of partying, it won't look like this again.
Children's birthdays
Birthday photos for children
The story of the party, from the second birthday onwards
from 2 years upwardsThe birthday photography session tells the story of the party as it happens: guests arriving, the games, the cake. Just one posed pause, for the portrait with the grandparents. You enjoy the party, I'll take care of the photos.
What the session includes
The session starts shortly before the guests arrive and continues until after the cake. If you'd like it to cover the presents and goodbyes too, we agree on that when you book. In between, I don't stop the party: the only posed moment is the family portrait.
The arrival and preparations
I start with the room still empty and the table laid. These are the photos that help you remember how it looked, and the only ones where the birthday child stays still long enough to look at you.
The games
It's the longest part of the party and the hardest, because the children run around and move from room to room. I stay in the background and move as little as possible: if I chase them, they all turn round together and the result is a row of faces looking at the camera.
The cake and candles
It lasts less than a minute and it doesn't happen twice. It's the only moment I prepare for in advance: where the cake will come from, who will carry it, and where the adults with phones in hand will stand.
The family portrait
A short pause, usually before the cake, while the children still look presentable. A few minutes are enough for the photo with the grandparents and the one of the parents with the birthday child.
The delivery
The edited photos arrive after the party. How many there are and how many days it takes to receive them is agreed when you book, together with the length of the session, and it all ends up written into the quote.
Smash cake or party: two different sessions
The smash cake is a studio session for the first birthday: a cake made specially for the occasion, a set background, and the baby touching and eating it with their hands. This page, on the other hand, is about the story of the party, with guests, at your home or in a venue.
The smash cake session is done from 8 months to 2 years, and the best time is between 11 and 18 months, when the baby can sit up alone and use their hands. If yours is in that window, the right page is the smash cake one.
I photograph the party with guests from the second birthday onwards, once friends start coming and games fill the afternoon. The first birthday stays in the studio, with the cake.
See the smash cake
How I photograph a children's party
I stay on the sidelines and let the party run its course. I don't call the children by name and I don't stop a game to repeat a scene: if they notice the camera they stop, and what they were doing was the photo.
With the little ones I always get down to their level. From an adult's standing height you photograph heads and hair; from a metre away you photograph faces, and the difference shows by the end of the session.
What I ask of you is very little. Tell me beforehand when the cake is arriving and from which direction. Keep the curtains open in the room where you'll be eating. And don't tell them to look at the camera: when an adult says "look at the photographer", children stiffen up and the photos all end up looking the same.
If there's an entertainer, I coordinate with them as soon as I arrive. They know when the big game starts and when the cake comes out, and knowing the order of things means I don't have to chase after it.
How the session runs at the party
The session starts shortly before the guests arrive and continues until after the cake. In between, I don't stop the party.
The arrival
Guests coming in
The hugs at the door, and the birthday child's face as the room fills up.
In the middle
The games
I stay on the sidelines and let the party run its course. I don't call the children by name and I don't stop a game to repeat a scene: if they notice the camera they stop.
One single pause
The family portrait
It's the only posed moment in the whole session. Who needs to be there is agreed when you book.
The cake
The candles
With the little ones I always get down to their level: from an adult's standing height you photograph heads and hair, from a metre away you photograph faces.
At the end
Presents and goodbyes
If you'd like the session to cover these too, it's agreed when you book.
These windows come from experience, not fixed rules: if your baby already has a few extra days, write to me anyway and we will see what we can do.
Where the party is photographed: at home, in a venue or outdoors
Wherever you hold it. What changes from one place to another is the light, and the light decides how the photos turn out.
In homes, the critical spot is the room where the cake is eaten. With the curtains open and the yellow ceiling spotlights switched off, the photos change considerably, because the light from a window is softer than any light bulb.
In party venues, the problem is the coloured LED lights on the dance floor: they distort skin tone and can't be fixed in post production. I arrive before the guests, walk round the empty room and look for the corner where the light is still clean. That's where the group portrait is taken.
Outdoors, it's best to hold the party in the late afternoon. With the sun high, children squint and hard shadows are left under their noses, and those can't be fixed afterwards either.
Studio Zitoli is at Via Umberto 230 in Trani, but for parties I travel to you. Bari is half an hour by car; Barletta, Bisceglie, Andria, Molfetta and Corato are closer.
When to book the photographer for the birthday
As soon as you've set the date and the venue. Birthdays tend to cluster on weekends, and two parties on the same Saturday can't share the same photographer.
If the party is coming up soon, message me anyway, as a date sometimes turns out to still be free. Getting in touch early also helps with something else: the curtains, the spotlights, the corner for the group portrait are things to check beforehand, not on the day itself.
If the child is turning one, this isn't the right page. The first birthday is photographed in the studio, with the cake, and that's the smash cake.
What's agreed when you book
A party varies a great deal from one case to another: how long it lasts, where it's held, and how far there is to travel. These are the three things to tell me in your first message.
From those I put together the quote, along with the length of the coverage and the delivery time.
Albums and prints are looked at afterwards, with the photos in front of you. Choosing them before knowing how they turned out doesn't make much sense.
Other photography sessions for children
The first birthday, the christening and the family portrait each have their own pages, with age windows and things to prepare.
Frequently asked questions
From what age do you photograph children's birthday parties?
From the second birthday onwards. Under two, children tend to watch the party more than take part in it, and the photos that last are the ones of the adults watching them. For the first birthday, the smash cake session in the studio works better, and that's done from 8 months to 2 years. From two onwards, there are friends, games and the faces that make a story worth telling.
How long does the session last and how many photos do I receive?
Length, number of photos and delivery time are agreed when you book, and they all go into the quote. Basic coverage runs from the preparations through to after the candles. If you'd also like the presents and goodbyes, the party runs longer and the quote changes, so it's best to say so beforehand rather than on the day.
Can I have the photos of the other children who were invited?
Yes, I deliver them to you along with the rest of the party. If a parent would prefer their child not to appear, tell me beforehand and I'll keep them out of the shots. On social media I don't post a photo of a child without permission from whoever is responsible for them, and for the children of your guests that permission is given by their own parents, not by you.
How do I secure the date, and what if the party is moved afterwards?
The date is secured once the booking is confirmed. I set out the conditions, including the deposit, together with the quote, so you know in advance what happens if the party changes day. If it does move, let me know as soon as you find out: the sooner I hear, the more likely I am able to move too.
What if the birthday child doesn't want to be photographed?
I don't chase after them. I photograph the other children and come back to them later. What doesn't work is calling out to them, putting them in front of the camera or promising them something in exchange for a smile: from that point on, every shot is a photo of a child posing reluctantly. If they'd rather stay out of the photos, they stay out of the photos.
How do I ask for a quote?
On WhatsApp or at info@alessiazitoli.it, whichever suits you best. I'll reply telling you first of all whether I'm free that day, because everything else only makes sense after that. In the quote you'll find the length, the delivery time and the booking conditions: if anything isn't clear, ask before confirming.
Check availability and request a quote
Message me with the date, the time, the venue and the child's age. I'll tell you whether I'm free, send you the quote, and let you know in advance what's worth sorting out at home or in the venue before the guests arrive.
Tell me what you need
I answer personally. If you prefer, message me directly on WhatsApp: it is the fastest way.