08/26/2026
Alright guys. This one's scary to post.
But I need to speak very transparently for a minute.
In April, I announced a very special type of “mini” session that I have poured my whole heart into, and I cannot figure out why bookings have been so slow.
This will not make or break my studio, but it is something I truly love. If things don’t change, I likely won’t be able to offer it again. So, at the risk of being too vulnerable, I’m asking for honest feedback: what’s going through your mind?
Quick backstory:
Over this past year, I have built what I hoped would feel like a true childhood experience, not just another Santa picture.
I didn’t want any Santa. I wanted Papa Noël. A character children could believe in. So I brought in Hick Cheramie, a professional SAG-AFTRA actor from this area with the perfect custom suit and down-the-bayou accent. He can take a little note from Mom, “she’s proud of learning to read,” and naturally work it into conversation so that child feels seen.
That matters to me.
So much care has gone into every piece of this and while I’d love to give you reasons to our decisions (like: why we’re shooting in September and not closer to Christmas), I won’t bore you with details you haven’t requested.
And yet… books opened in April, and bookings have been dismal.
I’ve tried flyers, posters, reels, behind-the-scenes videos, product videos, school newsletters, donations back to our school, social media ads… everything I can think of.
I even thought maybe the full experience felt like too much, so I created a simple 5-minute option with two digitals. Still slow.
At this point, the production is coming out of my savings, and I need to stop guessing.
So I’m asking you point blank: what is the deterrent?
My job as a business owner is to listen to what people want and create something that serves them well… but I can’t fix what I don’t understand. And yes, if these sessions don’t pick up, I probably won’t be able to do them again next year and that’s the part does make me emotional, because the children who modeled for me in March are STILL talking about it today. One ran into the studio recently saying, “I can still smell Mrs. Claus’s cookies!” My own little boy asked if he could hug Papa Noël. That’s the kind of magic I’m trying to create.
So please, be honest with me. I’m a real person asking a real question. I can take constructive feedback; I just ask that you be respectful in the process. Thanks, guys.
Book Santa photos in Thibodaux, Louisiana. A private Papa Noël experience with heirloom portraits, cookies, story time, and magical Christmas memories.
