Hoboken Grace’s Photo Team is always ready to capture special moments. And in just a few days they’ll do just that for nearly 200 families receiving gifts at the Hoboken Christmas Exchange.

Those attending the event for the first time this Saturday will have the surprise of being able to pose for and take home a family portrait. Those familiar with the event will no doubt be looking forward to adding another portrait to their collection.

“Last year we knew we wanted to do as much as possible to go above and beyond just handing out gifts,” says Al, who leads the Photo Team. “We wanted to give as much as we could, and family portraits seemed like that little extra something.”

For some families, it might be their first professional portrait. For others, it might be the first time they’ve taken a portrait together in years. And for everyone, it will be a visual snapshot of what is shaping up to be a memorable evening, thanks in part to the Photo Team.

Pulling double duty by providing portraits and taking pictures of the event itself, these photo elves will do their best to capture each special moment. This being the second year of Hoboken Grace’s involvement, lessons learned last year will help ease the process.

Setup for the event presents several logistical challenges. The team needs a makeshift studio with the right lighting, and the ability to print photos on-site. But despite those obstacles, it was a huge success last year, says Jeremy.

“Families stepped in front of the camera with large smiles, and it wasn’t just smiles because we told them to smile,” he said. “They were smiling because they were excited about everything going on and thrilled to be getting their picture taken.”

While the Photo Team will be taking pictures, there are plenty of other ways you can help put a smile on someone’s face this Saturday. Several hundred children and their families will be welcomed by a small army of elves at the ready to check off lists, hand over gifts and help with the event overall. The more elves there are, the smoother the process, so please consider volunteering some of your time to help make this a successful event. You can sign up to volunteer here.