Santa’s got more than a brand new bag this Christmas. In fact, he’s got a new, trendy look because The People Picture Company is offering holiday sessions with Hipster Santa this Christmas season.
GR|Mag spoke with Bri Luginbill, photographer and owner of The People Picture Company, to learn more about this new rendition of the rosey cheeked gift giver.
GR|Mag: Where did the idea of Hipster Santa come from?
Bri Luginbil: The idea for Hipster Santa originally came from Abbey Fowler at 6.25 Paper Studio. She wanted to offer something fun and unique to her customers during Monroe Center’s Holiday Open House on Dec. 9th.
People Picture Co. and 6.25 Paper have been long time collaborators and friends, so she approached us to make it happen. I was tired of doing the same sort of backdrops and setups for holiday mini sessions at our studio, so when she came to us with her idea, it was a breath of fresh air. Something more out of the box and creative — something new for both her customers and mine to look forward to. We sat down over some brunch at Sanchez to hash out the details, and the first Grand Rapids Hipster Santa became reality.
GR|Mag: What makes Hipster Santa different from the traditional santa claus?
BL: When I think of the traditional Santa, I think of an older gentlemen that is reserved, jolly and has lots of white hair. Hipster Santa is younger, vibrant and less reserved. He is quite kid-friendly. But he can provide entertainment for everyone, not only the traditional family unit. He also wants to hear what adults want for Christmas. This is a fun opportunity for young couples or besties to get a silly photo together. We’re also happy to include pets!
GR|Mag: Can you describe to us what a Holiday session with Hipster Santa entails?
BL: We have two options for holiday sessions with Hipster Santa based on what people are looking for.
Option 1: $10 Quick photo with Hipster Santa. Digital download of the photo to use as you wish.
Option 2: $100 15-minute holiday session with Hipster Santa. These are for the people who want more than just a photo with Hipster Santa. They want the experience of that and something different, but they also want a good collection of photos from a longer session. We offer Santa to step out for some photos, so they can take advantage of the backdrop and vintage styling. There will be a vintage typewriter, rustic crates and all the props to make it look different than the average holiday photo session.
To reserve their session they can go to Hipster Santa at The People Picture Co.
GR|Mag: Why do you think this uniques experience will appeal to people in comparison to other holiday photo opportunities?
BL: I think this will appeal to people because it’s not just a portrait sitting, it’s an experience. You get to interact with a fun Santa in a super casual setting. You also get the freedom to bring in pets and the opportunity for those who may not have family in town or a partner to get a fun photo for themselves. We even have a fake wine bottle so you can be funny and send a not-so-tradition holiday photo to family and friends.
Since 6.25 Paper Studio will also be throwing their Holiday Open House that same day, our clients can take advantage of giveaways, sales, sips and treats within the store. They’ll also have a station for letters to “the real” Santa Claus for kids. We look forward to seeing how the energy of this collaboration will provide a fun day for all of our customers.
GR|Mag: How does this compare to what you have done for the holidays in previous years?
BL: This is definitely something much different than what we’ve done in the past. It’s the first year we’ve stepped outside of our own studio space and into another venue to host the sessions. It’s also the first year we offered a Santa to be in photos with people. We wanted to curate a unique holiday experience that our clients as well as the west Michigan community hasn’t experienced yet.
GR|Mag: Will the Hipster Santa Photo session only be on Dec. 9 or will there be other days?
BL: As of right now photos with Hipster Santa is only on Dec. 9 during the Holiday Open House on Monroe Center at 6.25 Paper from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. If there is a lot of interest, we will extend the hours past 2 p.m.
GR|Mag: Do you think this will be an annual tradition?
BL: We aren’t sure yet. We’ve had a positive response on social media and lots of interest. We will definitely see how this year goes and if people want us to bring it back annually, we will.
GR|Mag: Is there anything else you want GR|Mag readers to know?
BL: We want them to know that everyone is welcome to visit Hipster Santa. It’s not just for kids and families. For more information or to reserve their session they can go to The People Picture Co.
*Photos courtesy of The People Picture Co.
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