The magic of this Christmas, made into artwork
A gentle, storybook Santa. A beautifully styled set. An unhurried, fully guided session that ends with a finished heirloom portrait your family keeps forever.
There is a single moment when a child first sees Santa, and the whole room goes quiet with wonder.
We built an experience worthy of that moment — and a portrait worthy of keeping it.
Not a line at the mall.
A portrait to keep forever.
Our Santa is the real thing. A gentle, storybook Santa, a beautifully styled set, and a calm, guided session where your children are truly seen, never rushed.
What you take home is not a snapshot. It is finished, gallery grade wall art that holds the magic of this Christmas for a lifetime, created with the same artistry as any Blackwater commission.
Reserve Your DatePhotographed in fall, hanging by Christmas
Artwork Takes Time
Real wall art is designed, hand finished, and framed. Photographing in October means it is ready and hanging well before the holidays.
An Unhurried Session
Ten sessions across two days, and no rush. Your children set the pace and we follow it.
Gifts, Handled Early
Finished portraits, albums, and gift pieces are in your hands in time to give, not in the last week of December.
How it works
Your retainer reserves your family's session date and time on our styled Christmas set, and it is credited in full toward the artwork you choose at your reveal. It is never an added fee.
Reserve by Friday, August 7 and your retainer is $149 instead of $299. Your retainer credits back to you as artwork, so it is never an added fee. Wall portraits begin at $549, and most families invest in a collection designed at their reveal.
From reserving to artwork
Reserve
Send us your family's details below. We confirm your date and time personally.
Plan
We guide your wardrobe and answer every question before the day arrives.
The Session
An unhurried, guided Santa session on our styled Christmas set.
Your Reveal
Design your artwork together, with your retainer applied.
Ten sessions. Two days.
We are photographing only ten families this Christmas. Once the ten times are filled, they are filled.
Questions, answered
It is Blackwater's fine art Santa experience: a gentle, storybook Santa, a beautifully styled Christmas set, and an unhurried, fully guided session that ends with finished heirloom wall art.
Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25 at the Bellaire, Ohio studio. We are photographing only ten families across the two days, and we confirm your exact time with you when you reserve.
Ten. We keep the group small so every session stays unhurried and every family gets our full attention. Once the ten times are filled, they are filled.
Because finished artwork takes time to create properly. Photographing in October means your portraits are designed, hand finished, and hanging on your wall well before Christmas, instead of arriving in the last week of December.
Send us your details through the form on this page. We will call or email you to confirm your time and collect your retainer, which reserves your spot and credits in full toward your artwork.
Reserve your Wonder of Christmas date by Friday, August 7 and your retainer is $149 instead of the usual $299. It still credits in full toward your artwork, so it is never an added fee.
Your retainer reserves your session date and time on our styled Christmas set, and it is credited in full toward the artwork you choose at your reveal.
Wall portraits begin at $549. Most families invest in a collection designed at their reveal, and your retainer is applied toward whatever you choose. You can see more on our investment page.
Timeless holiday tones and warm neutrals photograph beautifully and never date. Once your date is reserved, we provide personal wardrobe guidance so your family looks effortless and cohesive.
Yes. Siblings of every age are welcome together, from newborns to bigger kids. Some of the most beautiful frames are the whole set of children with Santa.
That is completely normal, and we plan for it. Our Santa is gentle and our sessions are unhurried and fully guided. We let your child set the pace and never rush a single moment.
Yes. We create for families across the Ohio Valley, Belmont County, St. Clairsville, Wheeling, and Northern West Virginia.
Tell us about your family
Only ten sessions across two days. We reply personally to every family.
Ten families. One Christmas.
The magic of this Christmas, made into fine art your family will treasure for generations.