Face covered with soot, his suit remarkably clean, Santa moves into high gear before making his rounds. He set these groups up in his studio at the North Pole having the tripod mounted camera record an image every 15 seconds. fixed focus point, center weighted meter and bags of merriment.

Featured with me in this gallery are some of my students, some current, some back from university. It is a tradition at my school to have a Santa shoot at Christmastime in my office/studio.

My own kids are now at university. Twenty one years ago (my hair was white even then) I had my older son in a pouch slung over my shoulder so that he was up against my chest. Across from us was a mother and her 2 year old child and the child would not stop looking at me. He tugged his mother's sleeve and said "Mommy, LOOK! It's Santa Claus!" Yes, yes, his mother replied, not really paying attention. "No Mommy....I mean the REAL Santa Claus." She looked up at me and smiled wearily. From that moment on that's who I became at this time of year. I never wear the hat, but I love the hood.