One of my favorite holiday traditions is a simple one; I love to take out all of my kids’ Santa pictures in Philadelphia that I’ve framed over the last ten years, and display them on a bookshelf by our Christmas tree. Our children love looking at how they’ve grown over the years, comparing their reactions and the Santas. As a photographer who has had the honor of photographing over 250 families with Santa, I have some tips and tricks that I’d love to share to ensure a great experience with Santa!
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5 Helpful tips for Santa pictures in Philadelphia
Make sure children are fed before their visit to Santa
A hungry child is an unhappy child, and an unhappy child generally does not want to be photographed. Ensure your child has a good meal (or snack, if it falls between mealtimes). Consider avoiding anything that has food dyes or colors in it, as it can stain their mouths and hands. Try to feed them before getting them dressed so that their outfits don’t get dirty. For babies, if possible, you may want to give a small gap between their photo session time and their feeding time, so they don’t spit up on their outfits (it happens more than you’d think!). When booking your Santa pictures in Philadelphia, try to plan around mealtimes if possible!
Look at videos of Santa before their Santa pictures in Philadelphia
In all of the years that I’ve offered Santa pictures in Philadelphia, one thing stands out to me the most: Santa in theory is great, but Santa in practice can be a different story. Kids love seeing pictures of Santa, reading books about him, and watching movies – but sometimes it can get scary or overwhelming in person. Show your little one lots of videos of Santa (think more behind the scenes snippets than movie Santa) or look at Santa from afar at the mall.
Encourage children to bring a favorite toy or book to their Santa pictures in Philadelphia
Tapping into my teacher experience here – kids love to feel like they have a job or something important to share. Allow them to bring a favorite stuffed animal, toy, or book to their Santa session to show to Santa. This lets them feel safe, but also gets them closer to Santa for the photographer to snap some pictures of them interacting together. Consider making a wishlist together to bring to Santa. Some children like to cut out pictures from the Amazon catalog and glue them to paper to give to Santa.
Talk to children about what will happen at their Santa pictures in Philadelphia
Even now that my own kids are older, there’s something that I say at least once a day: “Let’s talk about what we’re going to do before we do it.” Helping to explain to your children what happens at their Santa pictures in Philadelphia can help them prepare so they’re not walking in with zero expectations. Telling them that the photographer will be there to take pictures of them together, and that they’ll have the chance to talk to Santa and show him their list can be a good place to start!
Act like Santa is your BFF when you walk into the room!
Kids look to their parents to see what is safe – when you walk into the room, you can show your kiddos that Santa is safe by walking up to him with the biggest smile on your face and giving him a big hug. You can even introduce Santa to your child! I encourage parents to spend a minute talking to Santa so their children see that he’s safe.
5 Helpful tips for Santa pictures in Philadelphia
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Awarded “Best Main Line Maternity Photographer” & “Best Main Line Newborn Photographer” by Main Line Parent
Veronika Paluch is an award-winning and highly sought after maternity, newborn, baby, and family photographer offering luxury, organic fine art portraits and an impeccable client experience. She specializes in documenting authentic connections and simple moments of children & families and the quiet beauty of motherhood. Stripping away all of the extras – the costumes, the props, the rigid posing – leaves room for her to capture classic, timeless images that showcase love & family connection.
Veronika serves clients in her beautiful natural light studio, as well as on location throughout the Greater Philadelphia area including the Main Line, Wayne, Plymouth Meeting, King of Prussia, Devon, Malvern, Paoli, Exton, West Chester, Swarthmore, Media, South Jersey, and Northern Delaware.
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