Brian & Family | Winter fun!

I received the nicest email last week. Brian is a photographer from CO and is in town visiting relatives in MN. He told me that I had shot his sister-in-law's photos a few years ago and they all loved the photos so much that it inspired him to pick up a DSLR and get into photography! He now has a business back home in CO but booked a last-minute session with me while they are in town.

We had so much fun playing in the snow. Apparently, they left snowless Colorado and arrived to our winter wonderland! They have such a great family and this shoot really was just fun and games! Here are some of my favorites from the session:










Poor Brian... he got the brunt of the snow that day! I loved how they just let loose and didn't care about being wet or cold.

So nice to meet you Brian! I was happy to be able to capture you on the other side of the camera.

Baking Contest Photos!

Rochelle and Adriana were the winners in my holiday baking contest giveaway. I spent the afternoon at their home while they baked batches of Christmas cookies. We had so much fun and I got some great "real moment" captures. I would love to have these with my own children!

If you would like to book a session like this please contact me for details. Baking is not necessary, it can be ANY fun activity that you love to do with your children! Posed photos can be great, but these photos are priceless images that can be handed down to your great-grandchildren. These types of photos are truly an investment in the preservation of your family.










What Rochelle had to say:

My family truly enjoyed sharing our home with you. The images you captured are treasures that will be enjoyed forever. I have been telling people that part of the magic of these pictures is that we were not stressed trying to get the "perfect" shot. We were just ourselves, in our home, doing things we do all the time. Cooking in the kitchen, Adriana playing with toys, and laughing. You just happened to be there to capture the moment, which is exactly what I had hoped for. My favorite is the black & white of Adriana with her chin on the counter. Like you said it wont be long before I wont have to lift her to reach the sink, or that she will be taller than the counter. Now I have these photos to remember those little details that are currently part of daily life.

I would encourage any family to consider this kind of photo shoot. It conveys who you are so much better than sitting in a photo studio and saying "cheese." I'm amazed how much more heartfelt a smile can be when it's genuine. I have hundreds of pictures of Adriana smiling, but knowing that Adriana was smiling because she got caught licking her fingers after dipping in the sugar makes the memory so much better. I'm looking forward to our next session!

Oliver 10 months | Real moments

I swear the next photos I post won't be of Oliver, but these were too cute not to share! Oliver turned 10 months this week and since I haven't had time to plan an elaborate photo shoot, I focused on getting some "real moment" images during lunch today since mealtime can be so much fun! I served his lunch on a plate vs. the high chair tray and these were the results:

Please note the food particles mashed into his hair.
Although it may seem like it, it's not always smiles from him.
He thought it was pretty funny when I put the plate on my head.

Sticky food makes for a useful hair gel.
Happy 10 months baby boy!

Holiday ordering deadline

Any CD orders intended to be received by Christmas Eve must be received by Friday, December 17th. Rush ordering is available for $35. Please inquire for details.

I do intend to take some time off over the holidays between Christmas and New Year's Day so please try to wrap up your requests quickly. Thanks!

Oliver | eyelashes

What is happening to my baby? He's growing by leaps and bounds. I have always wanted to shoot those eyelashes of his and I finally did it. There are so many signs that he is becoming a little boy... look at those teeth! His hair is really filling in and growing out past his ears.

Happy Holidays | from the Wagner Family

I have been so excited to post our holiday card! I mailed them out last week and by now everyone out of state has had a chance to see them. I will be posting more photos from our session soon. My friend Tasha did such a great job!

Oliver | Real moments

I had the best break over Thanksgiving! I got some much needed down time visiting with family who we don't get to see very often. We made a special trip out to the country to visit with my husband's grandparents and I got some great captures with Oliver and his 85 year old great grandpa. These are the kinds of moments I strive to capture for families in 2011. How many people have photos of themselves as a baby with their great grandparents?





It's so beautiful and peaceful out there. I hope to have a farmhouse out in the country someday!
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Vote now! | Baking Contest

Head over to my facebook fan page. "Like" the photo of your choice and the photo with the most votes will win the free session valued at over $500. Who would you like to see me photograph?

Contestants- round up all of your friends and family and get them to vote! Voting will end Friday, December 3rd at midnight. The winner will be announced Saturday, December 4th.

Contestant 1: Christa | Alyssa, 12, Carter, 9, Anna, 8
Contestant 2: Rochelle & Adriana, 5
Contestant 3: Jenny | Jasmine, 6, Jordan, 5, & Joelle, 3

The Judds | Lakeville SuperTarget

Imagine my surprise when I arrived at the Lakeville SuperTarget for my weekly grocery run only to find 3 huge tour buses parked out front. As Oliver and I sat down to lunch in the cafe, there was a buzz of conversation going on amongst the Target employees. I finally asked what was going on and they told me that Naomi Judd was there with a camera crew filming her new reality TV show (which is to air on the Oprah Winfrey Network). I'm no country music fan, but this is just something you don't see everyday. Especially in the outermost suburbs of the Twin Cities.

I just had to check it out and snap some photos. The cashier who checked them out was giving me the scoop when I checked out. He said she bought a lot of stuff including lots of make-up and fake eyelashes. As you can imagine, it caused quite the buzz around the store. Surprisingly, I was only one of the few customers who was gawking. It was mostly Target employees hanging around. I think most people feared being filmed in their "going out to get groceries" outfit.

I would have been a little more excited if they were filming Kendra. (Go Kendra!)

Cyber Monday Sale!

Book a session today for January or February 2011 and receive 25% off your session fee! No deposit required, session must be booked on Monday, November 29th by midnight CST. Gift certificates also available but must be prepaid. The session must be redeemed in the months of January or February.