“Santa sessions are one of my favorites. ... Every year, the day after Thanksgiving, Santa and I do ‘Surfing with Santa’ on the beach on Treasure Island, Florida. Santa wears his ‘Florida’ attire.”—J.R. St. Jean, CPP, St. Petersburg, Florida
“When parents book a session, we add an extra touch of magic by mailing a personalized letter from Santa’s elves, inviting the children to meet him because they have been good kids. This anticipation builds excitement and sets the stage for a memorable experience. Our interactive set, meticulously designed by a talented theater scenographer, is like stepping into a real-life North Pole.”—Wilenie Sepulveda, San Juan, Puerto Rico
“Get a 5x7 dye sublimation printer so you can deliver 5x7 Santa pictures on the spot and put the prints in a Santa folder. The reason I suggest 5x7 is it is perceived as a more ‘professional’ size, and the folder is a value-added item.”—Roger Salls, Stratford, Connecticut
“Organization is key. I use a signup sheet to reserve time slots—15-20 minutes is typically enough [as] kids aren’t very patient—but also welcome walk-ins. I make sure I have a legible email from each family, and write the time and number of the last image at the end of each session, identified by a sitting order number. For extra safety, I also take a cell phone snap of each family in order, which I can match with the time just in case there’s any confusion. With all the walk-ins, it can get pretty chaotic.”—Jeffrey Bennett, Pittsburgh
“As a pet photographer, I photograph Santa with dogs. People love it. I set up shop in three or four locations in town with different Santas and the same background (different background each year). I never make appointments and people usually wait in line. I charge a minimal fee of $50 for the digitals and one 5x7 print with a donation to a rescue. I figure this is kind of a thank you to my clients and a way to get new ones, too.”—Becky Smith Flaxer, Savannah, Georgia
Tags: child photography