What Equipment for Santa pics?

[ElizK]

I was asked to take pictures of kids with Santa at an event in a couple of weeks (please note - I did NOT volunteer ) I JUST got my Oly e510 a couple of weeks ago, so I'm not even very familiar with my camera! That part I can do... I need your help to make sure I'm not forgetting a crucial piece of equipment. Here's what I've thought of:

Camera (duh)
tripod
cable release
lighting (help with this, please!)
external flash
computer
photo printer (recommendations here, also- quality should be decent, doesn't have to be tops)

backdrop
something to hang the backdrop from
chair
Santa

What am I missing? This is an outdoors event. We'll be under a white canopy during daylight hours, probably with tarp walls (hopefully white... I'll have to clarify with the coordinator). I've never done anything remotely like this. The wedding I did a couple of months ago may have even been less stressful. I don't have unlimited funds, and little time to throw it together. Have you had luck finding used items? I'd be fine with used, too.

Thanks so much for letting me pick your much more knowledgeable brain!

 

[ElizK]

Oh, and if you have any helpful tips, I'd appreciate that, too!

<---that's me. Clueless.

 

[garate55]

You will need something to distract the kids like bubbles or stuffed animals or something.
You might also want to bring something to clean Santa's suit if the kids happen to do something to him.
If your going to be under a canopy you can probably hang the backdrop off of that but at night what are you doing? Under the stars? Snow?

 

[ElizK]

We'll be finished by 4pm, so we won't be doing anything at night.

Good idea for the distractions for the kids. Hadn't thought of that. Thanks!

 

[MontanaZoo]

I was just asked to do this for free from 6-9pm indoors in bad lighting on the 17th, 20, 21, 22 and 23rd. Thank you so much for backing up what I said I'd need and why it wouldn't be possible. I'm emailing the events person your list of equipment.

Plus it's at a zoo and I told them that they can take Santa photos at the mall, if it's a zoo Santa photo, if I were a parent, I'd expect some kind of zoo type of flavor to the picture.