{self} Twin Cities Pet Photographer

"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed.
For after all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog.
(Snoopy, at his typewriter)"
— Charles M. Schulz

{half-dozen} Twin Cities Child Photographer

There are lives I can imagine without children but none of them have the same laughter & noise.

-Storypeople

{Hanging On} Twin Cities Lifestyle Photographer

There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself. ~Ruth Stout

or in this case the city...

{Steep} Twin Cities Fine Art Photographer

“Say you were standing with one foot in the oven and one foot in an ice bucket.
According to the percentage people, you would be perfectly comfortable.”
Bobby Bragan

{Toolbar} Twin Cities Lifesyle Photographer

The busiest and most abundant of the senses is that of sight. The sense of sight has been served and illuminated by the visual arts for as long, almost, as we have been human. For a little over a hundred years, it has also been served by the camera. Well used, the camera is unique in its power to develop and to delight our ability to see. Ill or indifferently used, it is unique in its power to defile and to destroy that ability. It is clear enough by now to most people, that "the camera never lies" is a foolish saying. Yet it is doubtful whether most people realize how extraordinarily slippery a liar the camera is. The camera Is just a machine, which records with impressive and as a rule very cruel faithfulness, precisely what is in the eye, mind, spirit, and skill of its operator to make it record.
-James Agree {A Way of Seeing}

Oh and if anyone wants to buy me this book feel free. It's a bit too expensive for me at least now on amazon. sigh.

{Timeline} Twin CIties Lifestyle Photographer

A collection of favorites from my client sessions/weddings this past year.

2009 Stacey Cordes Photography from Stacey Thayer-Cordes on Vimeo.

{Life} Twn Cities Child Photographer

“I do it for the joy it brings, cause I'm a joyful girl. 'Cause the world owes us nothing, we owe each other the world.” Ani Difranco

{Passages} Twin Cities Lifestyle Photographer

“A good memory is one that can remember the day's blessings and forget the day's troubles”
-unknown
I finally got to put together a personal project of mine. Today I featured a video of the year full of personal family, friends and fun. Just a disclaimer, I am still figuring this video thing out so the pictures end wayyyyy before the very longggg (but good) Coldplay song does. So feel free to watch and either leave when the show is done or Jam out to some hip tunes.
I plan to put one together for my favorite clients- shoots this week. It truly has been a remarkable year. Bring on 2010!

Untitled from Stacey Thayer-Cordes on Vimeo.

{Discovery} Twin CIties Child Photographer

I believe it was Plato that said that you can discover more about a person in an hour of play than an hour of conversation. Play was our first work, before getting too serious. You know, the mortgage, the job to pay for the mortgage, the rat race..etc....etc...But back to play. Oh yes. because Play could take us anywhere. I recall childhood, where most days I lived on Jupiter and made visits to Mars. (I hear the snicker from the peanut gallery. Feel free to laugh. It release endorpins, we need it...people are wayyy to serious... and we are in a recession). There was the most beautiful woods next to my house with a tree straight out of Swiss family Robinson. My friends, sister and I would tumble through the sumac trees (itch itch) armed only with the broken sticks and leaves that served as swords, wands, flashlights or whatever we pleased. And at night the firebugs would filter through the trees and well...it was just magical.
Looking back, I remember distinctly my own imagination was more exciting to me than most video games , star wars figures, barbies and episodes of the "Facts of Life." Although each of those were a fun pastime, I was simply swept away by where my creativity and play could take me. While I love where technology and advancement (Wii, text, facebook, photoshop) has opened up other doors, I mourn and worry that simple, imaginative play is just. Lost. Sigh.
I can say, to this day I dream in technicolor and while it is a wild and often crazy ride (yes. crazy. we can talk 'bout that later), I would not trade it for the world. And now, I get this great opportunity to sit back and watch my children play. It is one of the few activities that can bring me into the moment. Where I watch and there 100% because, my friends, they too live in technicolor. Such raw and true art. And while I'm tempted to get the wii and love the text, for now I will simply relish in the lost art of play.

{new year, new website, new options} Twin Cities Lifestyle Photographer

Happy New Year, My new website is live and I encourage you to check it out and let me know what you think. There are many exciting changes and new collections available in 2010. After two years in the business I feel excited about the upcoming year and feel that the new options offer a good mix of portaits and products that will meet my wonderful clients needs. As always, returning clients receive $25 off session fee. Teachers and military also quality for special discount. Please email me for specifics.

Two announcements for the month of January...

{1} Pre-purchase a collection by January 31st and your session fee is waived. The collection must be paid in full by the end of January to quality for this special. You do not need to know the exact date of your session to purchase a collection.

{2} Portrait RED special- At the risk of sounding of pulling a Target "let's pull out the school supply section when it's only June" I am offering a sweethearts special in celebration of Valentine's Day and love in general. After all, it is what makes the world go round {swoon}. This special costs $200 and will be offered through the month of February

Session Highlights:

1/2 hour session at in-home studio or on-location

(10-20 high resolution digital files in color and b& w)

digital copy of a 5x7 valentine card with your favorite photograph to print as you choose

The cost of this special is $200 and must be booked by January 27th. For further questions please email me.

{zonked} Twin Cities Child Photographer

I've been working hard to update my website and looking forward to posting in the next few days when it is finally completed. I hope everyone had a wonderful new year. It is hard to believe we are a decade into 2000. Really gets you thinking...hmmm....talk to you soon! Please stop by.