{unconditional} Twin Cities Family Photographer

A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if your rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?
-Marley and Me

The closer I get to the holidays the more I feel like a character out of "It's a wonderful life." This season is a time to reflect on the year, ourselves, what is important, what has passed and what is yet to come. And truly, what better time to be a photographer and to be alive. The holidays make us stop and believe, love and take time. Yes we should do it all year but life is life and we all get busy and it gets kicked, most of the time without knowing, to the bottom of our list. So I digress, another beautiful family session with one old time friend and collegue, mixed with a beautiful spunky daughter added with exceptionally beautiful and real wife and in-laws finished off with a adorable and energetic dog. Yes. Life is great. How many people make you feel pure, special and extaordinary. I am lucky to say many. I am thankful to say my life is overfilled with blessings. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Klopp for a visit to photograph your life party. It was a pure pleasure to reunite, watch how your strong and incredible your daughter has grown, meet new (and very talented family) and to share in Thanksgiving. Happy Holidays!

{blessing) Twin Cities Family Photographer

The first time her laughter unfurled its wings on the wind, we knew the world would never be the same-Storypeople

For anyone who know Meghan and her beautiful family you are blessed. She is a dear friend I have known for a long time, along with her wonderful husband Jere. Like me she is a mom, wife, daughter, friend, school counselor and just a joyful spirit. Throughout the years we have grown together through significant parts of our lives. A true friend who sees the good and bad and sticks by you is rare in these times, and Meghan is one of those compassionate souls that has done that for me and the other people blessed to be in her life. I am lucky to call her, Jere and the boys my friends. I would have been lost if not for the times she made me laugh through the tears and rough punches that life often gives. And simply the encouragement she has given as I transitioned into my dream leaves me amazed and grateful. Her family is simply as special, unique and loving as she is. Thank you friend for your visit to the studio and for all the other ways you have lightened up my life.

{round and round} Twin Cities Family Photographer

Slowly, oh so very slowly

Accept that
There's no getting off
So live it, just gotta go with it
Coz this ride's, never gonna stop...
Don't forget enjoy the ride
-Jem

Family sessions are pure enjoyment to me because within an hour of time you can see the dynamics and preview into what someone calls their home. I think this family can understand what I am saying. Family systems. Correct Kari? I'm lucky with this job that it reunites me with favorite people from past, present and future. Kari and I attended graduate school together and spent many colored days learning psychology of human, community and family spirit and soul. She always had a way to make me laugh even during the most stressful periods of our program. When I greeted her at the studio door, with her family now (please note this was missing in grad school and husband was then only boyfriend), her smile and wit was just what I remembered and made me very happy. Our session was full of giggles, energy, family systems and psychology....ok ok.. forget the CSP talk...yes giggles and yes...parenting and marriage and getting your kid to sit still for a photograph and snuggling right after. Whew...and. Oye! I can't believe eight years later, here we are. Different and the same. What a journey, what a ride.
Thank you so much for your visit to the studio, for introducing me to your beautiful family and providing a session that gave me quite the work out. We are planning that reunion. Life is too short not to.

{holiday bazzar} Twin Cities Fine Art Photographer

This will come as no surprise knowing me but I wanted to tell you about a great even happening today. Yep. Real short notice but read on. Today, Saturday, November 14 I will be spending 9-3pm selling and showing my find art prints at my church's holiday bazzar. If you have time stop by and say hi. The entire event is held annually and features a variety of local artists and in general, if craft shows excite you, guareenteed a fun time. There is even a special store just for little kids where they can show for holiday gifts for the special love in their life.

Minnehaha United Methodist Church is located at 3701 E. 50th St. Minneapolis. I'd mapquest for directions because I am a visual person and and afraid you might end up in south Iowa if I tried to tell you:) Have a great day.

{aware} Twin cities Senior photographer

“Humor is perhaps a sense of intellectual perspective: an awareness that some things are really important, others not; and that the two kinds are most oddly jumbled in everyday affairs.”

Christopher Morley

Here's what I love about seniors, they are at a cusp of such an adventure. There is miss hayley. Who has such a sense of herself, her strength, her talent and together it forms such a dynamic person. I am just amazed when I meet people like this, because this poise and strength is hard at my age let alone 18. We had her session and her confidence, humor, talent and beauty blew me away. I'm continually amazed at the wisdom and courage of this generation. It is hard to put into words the knowledge they have at this age that I was not faced with, how they navigate through the changes and face their future with idealism and an expectation that the world better be ready and capable to handle them. I like that and and I am sure lucky to capture this point of the journey through pictures.
Congratulations to Ms. Hayley Grams. Little Falls Senior high school class of 2010. Head up, Plow forward strong woman.

{flip} Twin Cities Family and Landscape Photographer

"Whatever good things we build, end up building us"
-Jim Rohn

I'll make a small confession my brain is a bit of a tornado. I understand it completely well but looking in one may be confused, horrified, laugh or be fascinated depending how you think and be. But I understand it just well, how to use it to create for my clients beautiful pictures that capture love, art and life. As it is. Magnificent and Real all tied together. So, I'll confess to Kristin that when I came to her session I was turned for a loop. I thought I was shooting a couple session by their barn on a new hobby farm for their Holiday card. This was true... but, to my delight, there was so much more.
When I arrived, she was so warm, brought me into her renovated house and told me their story. Her husband and herself had purchased a 10 acre hobby farm in desperate need of major renovation and repair. Through the mess, they saw the potential and fell in love with the land. When finally it was theirs to have, work began and they poured their hearts and hands into making it a sanctuary that I could tell was their true home. Flipped House. Flipped Photographer. Yup. They wanted some shots of themselves of course, but they wanted to capture the beauty of their new home. As art.
Ok, you two no problem! How did you know this was my Dream Job. Thank you. The work you have done to your home blows me away {me=no talent in this area) and I only hope I have captured a small bit of the beauty that blankets your end of the world.

{A story} Twin Cities Family Photographer

Lovely. Lovely. Isn't it just absolutely just lovely? -Jan Brady {The Brady Bunch}

They jokingly call themselves the Brady Bunch which I just love. They are two families coming together about to unite in marriage this spring and working through all the newness, challenges, love and work that comes with a new story. I happen to have known half of this story for awhile and think the new half is enriching and growing the story quite nicely. The family is absolutely lovely. Five children with energy and spirit like I've never seen. Two parents that love each other and the entire lot a whole "Bunch." It was a complete joy and honor to spend the time photographing their story. The truth is there are all sorts of ways to form a family and that is why, I love, they call themselves the Brady Bunch.

{sorta} Twin Cities Family Photographer

If I’m honest I have to tell you I still read fairy-tales and I like them best of all."
— Audrey Hepburn

If I had to be honest. I'm an idealist. Dont' stone me. I believe most days the glass is half full, people are good and love will conquer all. Feel free to surf a new blog or puke in your nearest trash can but, for me, as person, as photographer, it's the truth. When it comes down to it, what I've learned from my job as a counselor and one as a photographer is that human relationships trump all. When it comes down to it, we all want to be accepted for who we are. Dare to show our worst and best as we are and still have the people we love the most stare...unfased and say "ok, come on, that's it, let's hug".
My most recent session is just that. I love this family. They are so loving. So spirited. So real. Their love breathtaking. (grab your trash can ok) I'm sorry. I love my job. People are beautiful. Families are beautiful. And I love my job.