Holiday LE's - Inspiration

[Brenda Eckhardt]

I'm planning my "Christmas in September" LE promotion, and am looking for some samples. Both with Santa & without. I know there are a lot of new members here, and I bet some of them have done some great Holiday LE's!

Here are some of mine from two years ago (we skipped last year). The last one still makes me LOL! The family said they got more than 30 phone calls when they sent that image out on their Christmas cards. I think the greeting was "Wishing you a joyful Holiday Season!"

[Kim Bradford]

Here are some of mine from last year...so excited for this year, I am in a new studio with a fireplace so I can't wait!

[Kim Bradford]

and more...

[Guest]

Brenda,

Remember this thread by Cathy Zaragoza?

http://www.pro4um.com/4um/showthread.php?t=57547

[Christy Key]

I am brainstorming myself and I am looking into getting a Santa this year. I am curious to what you all pay Santa for these sessions? So you mind sharing? Thanks.

[Brenda Eckhardt]

Kim, those are so sweet!!!

Ann, thank you. Those are adorable! I like that idea a lot!

Christy, I just left a message for my Santa, asking for his current rates. I'll post as soon as I hear from him. I believe two years ago, it was $25/hr. I thought it was a tad expensive, but after seeing his patience and what he had to put up with, he deserved $50. No lie.

[Kim Bradford]

I pay mine $60 per hour...and he is sooooo worth it...he is GREAT with the kids and so patient with the ones who are scared of him!! We always do the Santa sneaking in behind the backdrop and doing the finger over his mouth thing in case the kids refuse to sit on his lap.

[Kaela Domenico]

I am so excited for Christmas pictures this year!!! I try to get away from the quick-takes approach and the more traditional Santa outfit and also give the kids more time with Santa. Last year I did a Winter Wonderland setup with a white Victorian style of a Father Christmas robe with 30 minutes for each session. These two cuties were twins and had so much fun going thru santa's bag of gifts and checking to see if they were on his naughty or nice list.

This year I found a fireplace to use and I'm going to do a Christmas Eve theme with kids in their jammies and have them hang up the stockings, decorate the tree, putting cookies and milk out for Santa. Then have them pretend to fall asleep in a chair waiting for santa and have him come in. I'm also planning on putting together a small storybook of their images for a Twas the night before Xmas type of storybook and see if I can use that to upsell the moms and maybe make it a yearly thing for them. Going to plan on Santa's workshop for next year!!

[Melissa Gilbert]

Kaela,

Would you mind telling me what backdrop that is? I'm planning on doing a winter wonderland setup this year and I'm looking for a versatile background that isn't too busy.

[Kaela Domenico]

It's one I picked up from Knowledge Backgrounds last summer when they were running a special on holiday backgrounds. I'm pretty sure it's style SM532 here: http://www.handpaintedbackgrounds.co...%205/SM_5.html

[Melissa Gilbert]

Thanks Kaela!

[Teri Mason]

these are all really cute.

[Brenda Eckhardt]

Kaela, your images are so cute! I love the idea of having the kids in their jammies!

Would you mind sharing where you found the "Father Christmas" robe? I'm looking for a Victorian style robe for my Santa this year.

[Guest]

http://www.pro4um.com/4um/showthread.php?t=56521&highlight=rooftop

Deanna Cathcort's up on the rooftop le was awesome too.

[Kaela Domenico]

Kaela, your images are so cute! I love the idea of having the kids in their jammies!

Would you mind sharing where you found the "Father Christmas" robe? I'm looking for a Victorian style robe for my Santa this year.

A very talented and patient friend that put it together for me! We found a pattern for a halloween robe that we liked and bought fabric for it out of the home decorator fabric section of JoAnn's I think. She did an amazing job. This year I'm going back to traditional colors but with a longer coat and more embellishments on it.