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Two small children laughing on a sofa under a soft cream blanket, a lit garland behind them

Christmas 2026  ·  Dubai

Not a backdrop.Three rooms, built from scratch.

The Christmas Room, the Christmas Kitchen and Christmas Morning. Real rooms we design and build ourselves, up for one season in a Dubai studio, with one photographer inside them. 20 November to 14 December.

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Booking is open. Choose your day and time online.

Last Christmas sold out

The idea01

What you are looking at is not a backdrop.

Every photograph we take is inside a room we built. This year there are three: the Christmas Room, our main family setting around the tree; the Christmas Kitchen, with real flour and a counter made to be made a mess of; and Christmas Morning, a children’s room made for play and cuddles.

Nothing is printed, projected or hired in. We design the rooms, build them in a workshop, and put them up in our studio in Dubai from 20 November to 14 December.

Then we bring the photographer, and for thirty minutes nobody is holding a phone and nobody is being told to tuck their chin in. You turn up. That is the entire job.

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Weekends go first. Ask anyone who wanted the 22nd last year.

This year’s setups02

Three setups, built from scratch.

Each one designed and built by us for Christmas 2026, and photographed from 20 November to 14 December. Below is a first look at each one.

01 / 03

Christmas Room

Our hero setup. The Christmas tree, beautiful family portraits, everyone together: that classic feeling of gathering at home for Christmas.

First look
Three generations of one family in cream and beige, gathered by the Christmas tree in the Christmas Room A rocking horse on a cream rug in the Christmas Room, a lit tree and wrapped presents behind it A father lifting his laughing son upside down by the Christmas tree as his daughter looks on Grandparents smiling together in front of the lit Christmas tree A mother-to-be in a white shirt beside the Christmas tree, the city lights behind her
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Christmas Kitchen

Where it gets a little messy, playful and real. Baking, flour, little hands and all the fun that happens in the kitchen at Christmas.

First look
A mother and daughter rolling biscuit dough together in the Christmas Kitchen The Christmas Kitchen: a cream fridge, candles and a cake on a floury table A mother laughing as her son sifts flour over the table in the Christmas Kitchen A rolling pin, a sieve and star biscuits on the floury kitchen table, seen from above A girl in a cream jumper placing star biscuits on a plate at the floury table
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Christmas Morning

Created especially for the little ones. A dreamy children’s room filled with soft winter magic, frosted trees and twinkling lights.

First look
A smiling toddler in a cream knitted suit among the stars and snowy trees of Christmas Morning Christmas Morning: a canopy bed between two snowy trees, paper stars above A girl in a knitted hat lying on a soft rug, smiling at the camera A canopy bed between two snowy trees in Christmas Morning, paper stars and fairy lights above A newborn asleep in white knitted blankets under the snowy trees A little girl asleep among white pillows and soft stars, fairy lights behind her
Sessions03

Shooting 20 November to 14 December. Days and time slots are open to book now.

Outside the three Something built around your family.

Nine or more people, a longer session, two families shooting together. Tell us who’s coming and what you have in mind, and we’ll price it.

Let’s plan it together
Book now

Booking is open. Choose your day and time online.

People means everyone being photographed, adults included. Christmas Mini is for children only.
Weekday sessions run Monday to Friday. Every session includes the same on any day of the week.

When you receive your gallery
  1. Within 5 days Your preview gallery, within five days of your session.
  2. Your selection You choose your favourites.
  3. 5 days later Your Christmas images, fully edited, five days after your selection.

Would you like your images by early December? A November slot is best.

Compare the three sessions
The Christmas EditThe Full StoryChristmas Mini
Who it is forUp to 4 peopleUp to 8 peopleChildren only, up to 3 from the same household
Length30 minutes45 minutes15 minutes
Setups2 of the 3All 3Christmas Morning
OutfitsOne eachUp to two each, we recommend oneOne
Edited images15255
GalleryPreview in 5 days, final 5 days after you choosePreview in 5 days, final 5 days after you choosePreview in 5 days, final 5 days after you choose
TimesOpen to book now, online
Weekday, Mon–FriAED 950AED 1,450AED 550
Weekend, Sat–SunAED 1,150AED 1,650AED 750

People means everyone being photographed, adults included. The numbers are ceilings: four of you can take The Full Story.

What families said04

A few of our hundred families, in their own words.

A father and his two daughters opening a wrapped gift at the table, the tree behind them

“The first photoshoot where I didn’t feel like I had to beg anyone to smile or pose.”

What I loved most was how natural and relaxed the whole experience felt. Being in a beautiful home setting made my kids — and even my husband! — feel so comfortable. It was the first photoshoot where I didn’t feel like I had to beg anyone to smile or pose; everything just happened so organically. The photos were absolutely gorgeous — beautifully festive without feeling staged or overdone. They felt like us, and we loved them so much we used them for our Christmas cards and sent them to family around the world. 🤍 Kate Kelly

Kate KellyPhotographed with us last Christmas
A mother and daughter in red gingham pyjamas laughing over the baking counter, flour everywhere

“My daughter can be shy in front of the camera but playing with the flour got her smiling and laughing.”

We loved our festive photoshoot with the setup collective because it was different from your typical family shoot. I loved how they made it interactive with the table, the presents and especially the baking station. There’s where we had the most fun. My daughter can be shy in front of the camera but playing with the flour got her smiling and laughing. We really enjoyed it 🤍

HarrietPhotographed with us last Christmas
A mother sitting by the tree with her twin babies in Christmas pyjamas, one on each side

“Much less daunting than a traditional studio photoshoot.”

We booked a Christmas family session in 2025 for our twins’ very first Christmas, and it was such a special experience from start to finish. The villa setting made everything feel so natural and welcoming, and much less daunting than a traditional studio photoshoot. Rather than simply posing in front of a backdrop, it felt like we were creating genuine family memories together, and the children were comfortable and engaged throughout. As parents, the whole experience felt relaxed and easy, and when we received the final gallery, we absolutely loved the photos. They captured such a precious milestone beautifully, and we’ll treasure them as a reminder of our twins’ first Christmas for years to come! Really excited to come back this year, Nikki x 🤍✨🎄

NikkiPhotographed with us last Christmas
A family decorating the tree behind a laid table with lit candles

“So much more relaxed than a normal Christmas photoshoot.”

We honestly loved it! 🤍 It was so much more relaxed than a normal Christmas photoshoot and the kids had such a good time. Even our dogs came along and had so much fun! We loved the set and the photos are just so special ❤️ Charlotte

CharlottePhotographed with us last Christmas
A small girl in a burgundy dress reaching up to hang an ornament on the tree

“So much more magical and personal than a typical Christmas photoshoot.”

Honestly, the TSC experience felt so much more magical and personal than a typical Christmas photoshoot. My little one was so comfortable and excited throughout the session, which made everything feel really natural and fun rather than posed. We absolutely loved the final photos they captured the magic of Christmas and our personalities so beautifully. 🤍 Rachel

RachelPhotographed with us last Christmas
1 / 5
Last Christmas05

We ran out of weekends before we ran out of families.

A hundred families. Fifteen days. One villa. These are their sessions.

We are building the 2026 rooms now and they are not these ones. Same light, same quiet, different rooms.

Two parents sitting on the floor reading a picture book to their baby, a lit tree behind them
The book
A mother in a deep green sequin dress turning to look at the baby she is holding, between two snowy trees
The green dress
A dusted chocolate bundt cake on the table, a boy reaching across behind it, tree lights out of focus
The cake
A small boy in a burgundy bow tie pulling the ribbon off a green striped present at the table
The present
A girl in reindeer antlers holding her small white dog on the sofa in front of the tree
The dog

Warm light, deep green, brass, and enough room that a four-year-old can run.

See our 2025 setups

01

The Forest

Flocked trees and snow deep enough to sit in. Children run into this one.

The one they run into
A small girl in cream hugging a teddy bear in deep snow A girl in a white tulle dress with her chin in her hands, snow-covered branches behind her Two girls in cream sitting in the snow with a teddy bear between the flocked trees A boy in a white shirt grinning up at the camera in front of the flocked trees A mother in a green sequin dress holding her baby in a white bobble hat, seen from behind in the snow Three sisters in pink pyjamas sitting together in the snow
See more photos from this set
02

The Tree

Warm light and brass, wide enough for everyone in one frame.

Christmas morning
A mother and father on a sofa with their small son between them, a lit tree and a paper star behind A small boy in a white shirt and bow tie tearing into a green wrapped gift at the table A boy reaching across a laid table, a chocolate bundt cake and tall candles in front of him Two boys in cream pyjamas on the sofa holding a small white dog, the tree behind them A dachshund in a Christmas bandana sitting on a lap at the table, pink napkins on the plates
See more photos from this set
03

The Kitchen

Real flour, real cookies, a kitchen built to be made a mess of.

Around the table
A father and two boys in fair isle jumpers cutting gingerbread shapes A small girl in a green velvet dress rolling dough with a red rolling pin A mother and daughter in matching navy jumpers pressing dough on a floured counter A boy in a red knitted hat with a rolling pin, flour everywhere Three boys in striped pyjamas at the counter, one of them blowing flour A family in tartan pyjamas at the counter, a cloud of flour in the air
See more photos from this set

From our 2025 season. Tap any setup to see all of it.

Book now Follow the build on Instagram
Who we are06
Melozina smiling in a black shirt, sitting in front of a lit Christmas tree
Melozina, who shoots

One director. One workshop. No franchising.

TSC is Melozina, who shoots, and the people who build the rooms. That is the whole operation. There is no rota, so the person you meet on the day is the person editing your gallery a week later, and she remembers which of your children hates the camera.

We design and build all three rooms ourselves, in a workshop, for this one season. Not rented, not shared, not up anywhere else in Dubai. By the middle of December they are back in boxes.

Last Christmas sold out. This year is 20 November to 14 December, and around a hundred sessions. Then that is the season.

Questions07

The bits people ask about.

Nobody gets told to tuck their chin in. We set the room, you play in it, we shoot what happens. The good frame almost never arrives while everyone is looking. It arrives about four seconds later, when your son says something to his sister.

If you want one everybody-at-the-camera shot we will try, and we are good at it, but a three-year-old has their own plans and we are not going to promise you that one.

One outfit each for The Christmas Edit and Christmas Mini, and up to two on The Full Story, though we recommend one. We’ll send you an outfit guideline after booking.

Up to four on The Christmas Edit, up to eight on The Full Story. Those are ceilings rather than brackets, so four of you can take The Full Story if you want the longer session and all three sets. People means everyone being photographed, adults included. Christmas Mini is for children only, up to three from the same household. Nine or more, or anything you want built differently, we price on request.

Of course. Your first pet comes free, and an extra pet is AED 150, up to two in total.

Within five days of your session you’ll receive a preview gallery. You make your selection, and five days later your Christmas images arrive, fully edited. Would you like them by early December? A November slot is best.

Everything that looks like a candle is LED. There are no open flames anywhere in the studio.

Sessions are paid in full at booking and are non-refundable. If your plans change, you’re welcome to pass your session on to another family once. Just let us know.

Only if you tick the box. It’s optional and it changes nothing about your session.

Dubai, in JLT. The exact location and everything you need for the day are shared when you book.

All the questions, in one place →

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