Photos of kids with Santa

[Jim B.]

I've just committed to a 2 hour shoot doing kids with Santa for a local charity.
I would love to have some feedback.

My plan so far:
2 camera bodies with appropriate lenses.
2 flashes and a reflector(I probably won't need to use both flashes).
I'll have plenty of time to get my lighting setup dialed in.The lighting is the least of my concerns.

I have a mobile printer coming that has Pictbridge.I'm hoping to print straight from the camera, if it is a faster option,I'll take my laptop and shoot tethered and print from the computer.
Prints will be 5X7.I'm not going to matte them but want to have sleeves to put them in.
Should I use paper sleeves or can I go with vinyl?

I want to get as many kids as possible,so I'm going to try and keep it to 3 minutes per kid.Am I being realistic with the time?
I would appreciate any ideas,tips etc.

[DavidGee]

Jim,
I did something similar last year for my wife's Special Needs's School and had planned to use a school printer which was set up for me and get the photos to the parents during the afternoon in a special Christmas folder.

After the third kid with Santa I abandoned the idea of getting the photos back that afternoon and sent them home with the kids the next day after a bit of pp on the shots and printing them at home that night.
Maybe if you use a couple of cards in the camera, rotate the cards and have someone else doing the printing it may work.

I also had a two hour time frame but mothers kept turning up just on the two hour limit and pleaded to have a photo of their kids with Santa so the two hours quickly became three hours.

The teachers were the worst, they wanted a photo with Santa well after the three hours had come and gone.

Oh and guess what.... yep you guessed it....... I am doing it all again this year....

David

[Dave Humphries]

Hmmm, not as easy as it sounds

How about you get together with Santa and arrange for them to return to the North Pole after two hours?

I mean, can't you call them a sleigh?

[Jim B.]

David,

The problem is that this will be "open to the public".I won't have the luxury of printing later or doing any PP.That's another point,I've never shot jpeg and will have to get the camera dialed in also.
I'm already planning on going over the 2 hour window.It will depend on Santa agreeing to go over the limit.

[Dave Humphries]

It will depend on Santa agreeing to go over the limit.

A tipsy Santa, that should be fun

[DavidGee]

David,

The problem is that this will be "open to the public".I won't have the luxury of printing later or doing any PP.That's another point,I've never shot jpeg and will have to get the camera dialed in also.
I'm already planning on going over the 2 hour window.It will depend on Santa agreeing to go over the limit.

Jim if you do not have the "luxury" of printing later then I would seriously consider getting someone to help with the printing.

Good luck with this "venture"

David

[Jim B.]

David,

Thanks,I have a helper now.I called a friend this morning about helping me.
I appreciate the input.

[Jim B.]

A tipsy Santa, that should be fun

Thanks,Dave!
I'll give him a sobriety test....stand on one foot,touch your nose with your left index finger, and sing the 12 Days of Christmas...backwords.