reasons why you should book with us…
1. why families come back…
Every parent books Santa photos with the same quiet worry; my kid's going to take one look at Santa and lose it. Sometimes they do, BUT isn’t that a rite of passage for so many of us! (we promise we take our job of Christmas memory makers very seriously and will always do our best to make your loved ones feel comfortable).
Katie (photographer) is a mum of three neurodiverse little people; so she knows exactly how it goes and she'll get you photos you love whether your child beams or bawls (Ask Nicole, whose daughter "screamed with Santa", but she still walked away with "AMAZING family photos").
Our Santa is a Pop and a dad, genuinely INCREDIBLE with kids and endlessly patient with the furbabies who won't sit still (sometimes we have to cut the dog cuddles short to keep sessions running on time!).
Santa’s helper is also a mum, early childhood educator and keeps the vibes high, babies shaded, dogs entertained and Santa loaded up with lollies.
Sessions are high energy and fun: a short wait, five minutes on the sand and ten fun, candid photos in your inbox within seven days. And people don't come once, most of our messages end with "see you next year."
2. The #sotbcc Team
Our Santa is the real deal. A genuine Pop and dad, brilliant and patient with children and dogs. Santa Mal is so dedicated to you and your families that he grows out his real Santa beard each year! The families who've met him say it themselves: the best Santa on the Coast.
Santa's helper; our Girl Friday. Ash is a mum to two primary age children and fur child PLUS an early childhood educator who keeps sessions running on schedule with high vibes, shaded babies, happy dogs and a Santa never short on lollies.
Photographer Katie is a professional photographer all year round, not a seasonal hire, so your five minutes on the beach are shot and edited with the same eye as a proper commissioned session. Mum of three neurodiverse kids and the reason nervous little ones are in such patient hands.
We're not a franchise that rolls into town for December and disappears in January. We all live here on the Coast and this is our third year on the sand at North Shelly. Bringing Christmas joy and magic to Coastie families is genuinely our favourite thing we do all year and a lot of you feel like regulars now.
When you book with us you're booking the people down the road, not a name on a national roster and helping us support our own young local families. We are all passionately invested on delivering your families with fun and festive Christmas memories.
Behind the scenes: every one of us holds a Working With Children Check and both our photographer and Santa's helper are first-aid qualified. All editing is done in-house. Your kids are in careful, capable hands from the first hello to the final gallery.
3. you don’t get dolphins in a studio or the mall!
4. you can bring your family pet
Dogs, cats, birds, bearded dragons, snakes….. we've photographed them all and they're every bit as much a part of your family Christmas. Bring them along (on a lead, please) and we'll make sure they're in the picture.
5. Booking with us is easy and low-risk
Only pay 50% to secure your spot. Lock in your session now and pay the rest closer to the day.
Klarna and Google Pay now available. Split the cost into instalments with Klarna, or check out in a tap with Google Pay. Christmas is expensive enough already.
Free reschedule with 24 hours' notice, if life gets in the way.
Can't make it? Pass it to a friend. Transfer your session at no charge rather than lose it.
Weather's our call, not your risk. If we ever have to cancel for weather, you're first in line for a priority reschedule or a full refund if we can't find you a spot before Christmas.