Matthew Brady was one of America’s great photographers, shooting over 10,000 photographs of the Civil War. He died penniless in New York City in 1896. Brady was always looking for ways to make money from photography. If he had only thought of photographing children with Santa, he would have made a fortune. I don’t know who first photographed children with Santa, but I’m sure the person died with a sizeable bank account. When I had my son photographed with Santa, it took several weeks to get the proofs, place the order and wait for prints. No more! With digital photography you can have your kids photographed, edit the photos on a computer, and walk out the door with prints. Santa has finally hit the jackpot! He just sets up a Santa’s House photo studio on Pioneer Courthouse Square, and thousands of other locations, and the money rolls in. It’s really sad that Matthew Brady didn’t cash in on this bonanza, and he wouldn’t have died penniless.
