Santa photographers use tricks of the trade
The first customer of the day was a squirmer.
About 18 months old, baby fat bulging under her red tights, the little girl arched her back and threw a few high kicks as mom struggled to place her on Santa's lap. Photographer Lisa Kauffmann knew just what to do. Grabbing both the purple light-up squeaky toy and the rattle, she swooped in quickly.
"Come on sweetie," Kauffmann beckoned. "Look up here! That tickle monster is gonna get you," she said with a huge grin. A few quick pops from the flash ... and success. Maybe not a Hallmark moment, but good enough.
In the day-after Thanksgiving shopping madness at Gurnee Mills, dozens of parents stopped by Santa's throne hoping to capture the moment as their kids smile and pose with the jolly gift-giver. And Kauffmann is there with bells on. Literally.
"We do whatever we can to get the kids to smile," she said. "We have a whole bunch of tricks that usually work."
Kauffmann and fellow photographer Linda Hecht work in tandem. While one dons the battery powered elf hat with the bobbing bell on top, the other is behind the Nikon camera ready to shoot when she sees the whites of the children's teeth.
Making noises like whippoorwills, the ladies weave, jump and wave. Anything that might squeeze a smile out of the often dazed and confused toddlers.
Kauffmann and her husband, Ted, have been photographing children with Santa and the Easter Bunny for the last six years. The couple from Sturtevant, Wis. owns an event photography franchise from the Ohio-based company, IPI.
"It's a lot of hard work, but we really enjoy it," she said. "You meet a lot of personalities. It keeps you hopping."
Gurnee Mills is one of 16 malls in the Midwest where the couple sets up shop.
Though Kauffmann enjoys the work, she knows a good shot makes a good profit. The instant digital prints can be framed into key chains, ornaments and even snow globes.
Their success rate at getting smiles is pretty high. But sometimes they don't even bother trying.
"Some kids show up pretty tired or even sleeping," Kauffmann said. "If they are sound asleep, we let them be. But we'll tell Santa to pretend he's sleeping too and take the shot. It's a nice moment."