Raleigh Santa Mini Sessions & Holiday Photos | J.Crane Photography

The holiday season with little ones is magic and chaos all wrapped up together.

There are outfits to coordinate, schedules to juggle, children who may or may not be interested in smiling when we’d like them to, and approximately 47 things happening between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Your holiday photos shouldn’t be one more thing to stress about.

My Santa and Holiday Mini Sessions are intentionally short, simple, and fun. A little preparation beforehand will help us make the most of our time together and, hopefully, create a really sweet memory in the process.

Here’s everything you need to know before arriving at my Raleigh photography studio in North Hills for your session.

Santa Mini or Holiday Mini: What’s the Difference?

I offer two different holiday experiences at my North Hills studio.

Santa Mini Sessions are 5 minutes and designed for children. These are about more than getting a photograph with Santa. We’ll photograph the little conversations, laughs, hugs, high fives, Christmas wishes, and, of course, a few classic portraits too.

Holiday Mini Sessions are 10 minutes and can include the whole family. These are photographed on my holiday set without Santa and include a mixture of traditional portraits and more natural interactions.

Pets and grandparents may also be included in Holiday Minis with prior approval. Larger families or other additions should always be discussed with me beforehand so we can make sure there is enough time.

Families with more than four children should reserve an additional time slot.

What to Wear for Holiday Photos

You can go in two completely different directions here, and I love both.

Cozy Christmas pajamas are perfect for a relaxed, nostalgic holiday feel. Bare feet work beautifully with pajamas and keep the look feeling cozy.

Or dress everyone up! Dresses, sweaters, beautiful textures, and those sweet little “church shoes” you don’t get to see nearly enough all photograph beautifully for a more classic holiday portrait.

One little detail to remember: feet will show in some of your photographs, so don’t forget about shoes when planning everyone’s outfits.

Families who have booked will receive my holiday style guide with more specific recommendations for this year’s set, so don’t feel like you need to figure it all out on your own.

Please Arrive 10 Minutes Early

This one is important.

Santa Sessions are only 5 minutes and Holiday Minis are 10 minutes. Sessions are scheduled back to back, which is what allows me to offer these special events to so many families during a very busy time of year.

Please plan to arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled session time.

You’ll be able to wait comfortably on the other side of my studio until it’s your turn. If someone needs to change clothes after arriving, that’s completely fine too, but please plan to do that during your 10-minute early arrival window.

When your scheduled time arrives, everyone should be dressed and ready to photograph.

If you arrive late and another family is scheduled immediately after you, unfortunately I cannot extend your session beyond its scheduled ending time.

Five or ten minutes may sound quick, but that’s intentional. We start right away, keep things moving, and these shorter sessions are often perfect for little ones.

A Fed Kid Is a Happier Kid

This may be the most practical advice in this entire post:

Please feed your children before their session.

Meeting Santa while hungry is a tall order, even for the jolliest among us.

Try to make sure everyone has eaten before you arrive. If someone needs a last-minute snack during your early arrival window, a small, non-messy snack is absolutely fine.

And I’m not above a little bribery. If the promise of a special treat afterward helps us get through five happy minutes together, you will receive no judgment from me.

Before You Step Onto the Set

Right before your session, give everyone one final check.

Empty bulky items from pockets. Wipe little faces and runny noses. Take Apple Watches off. Check wrists for forgotten hair ties.

These seem like tiny details until we’re looking at the photograph you love and there’s a bright Apple Watch staring back at us.

Then take a second and relax.

Once we begin, I’ll take the lead.

You don’t need to stand behind me calling names or telling everyone to smile. I’ll engage with your children, direct everyone, and keep things moving. If I need your help getting someone’s attention or making them comfortable, I’ll let you know.

Preparing Your Child to Meet Santa

For the third year in a row, I’m so happy to have the same wonderful Santa joining us.

He is truly fantastic with children, and I love that so many families are beginning to have photographs with the same Santa year after year.

Before their visit, children will also receive personalized snail mail from Santa himself. Use that as part of the excitement! Talk about how Santa is looking forward to seeing them and that they’ll get to visit with him soon.

If your child would like to make a Christmas list or draw something for Santa, bring it along.

Santa can look through their list, ask what they’re hoping for this Christmas, tell jokes, give hugs and high fives, and just spend a few minutes getting to know them.

That interaction is part of what I want to photograph.

You don’t need to spend the week practicing a perfect smile.

Instead, talk about coming to visit Santa.

What If My Child Is Afraid of Santa?

First: please don’t worry.

If you already know your child is nervous or fearful of Santa, let me know before your session. It helps Santa and me approach their visit a little differently from the very beginning.

And please don’t feel like your child has to sit on Santa’s lap.

We don’t need to force an unsure child into something that feels scary just for a photograph. We can give them some space, let them warm up, interact from a distance, or have Mom or Dad sit nearby or join them if that’s what they need.

Sometimes children surprise us.

Sometimes they don’t want anything to do with Santa.

And sometimes we get the crying Santa picture.

If your child is safe and you’re comfortable with it, I’m always happy to take that one too. Those imperfect photographs have a funny way of becoming family favorites years later.

The goal isn’t perfection.

It’s remembering your child exactly as they were this Christmas.

After Your Santa or Holiday Mini Session

Within approximately two weeks, you’ll receive your online proof gallery.

From there, you’ll be able to choose and download your favorite included images, with the option to upgrade your gallery if you decide you can’t leave some behind.

Your gallery store will also include options for prints and gifts.

And if you’d like something a little more special, please reach out. I’m always happy to help with ornaments or other custom orders using your holiday photographs.

One Last Thing

These sessions are short, but they’re some of my favorite days of the year.

Maybe your child runs straight into Santa’s arms.

Maybe they very seriously hand him the list they’ve been working on for weeks.

Maybe siblings dissolve into giggles.

Maybe your toddler wants absolutely nothing to do with the man in the red suit.

That’s childhood at Christmas.

My job isn’t to make your children perform for five perfect minutes. It’s to work quickly, follow their lead, and create a mix of beautiful portraits and real moments that feel like them.

So arrive a few minutes early. Feed everybody. Dress them in something you love.

And then let me take it from there.