{a few} Minneapolis, MN Family Photographer

Sharing a few of my favorites from a session on Saturday. I wish I had time to blog more. I have photographed this family for 3 years and was greeted at the door with a big hug from the oldest little lady. I say it a million times but I love to witness and record the growth and changes of families as they move through life. Enjoy!

{A few} Twin Cities Fine Art Portraiture

Sharing a few favorites from recent sessions. This time of year is quite busy and it is difficult to find time to blog full previews.
Enjoy the pics and this fabulous fall weather!

{Deliverance} St. Paul, MN Baby Photographer

“There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.”
Charles Dickens

{Snapshot} Twin Cities Family Photographer

"What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it."
— Gabriel García Márquez

{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.

{facts of life} Twin Cities Family Photographer

Ya Take The good
ya take the bad
ya take em both and there ya have
The Facts of life, the facts of life

There's a time ya gotta go and show and grow
And now ya know about the Facts of life
the facts of life

When the world never seems
to be living up to your dreams
and suddenly your finding out that the facts of life are all about you...

{The Facts of Life TV Show}

Bare with me as we wander through childhood nostalgia. I could not figure out what part of this song, from one of my childhood favorite tv shows, to put as my quote so I put the whole darn song and it probably will now be stuck in your head all day. My apologies. It just seemed fitting for this lovely family shoot with such a genuine and loving family of five. Anyone with family, family with small children, family with lots of people....Ok just family in general know that the facts of life involve simple pleasures, getting through your day, sniffles, tears, running to work and praying your kids don't miss the bus and realizing you have pj and j on your nice work t-shirt after you drop them off and walk into work. Yup. Sigh.

....and then at the end of the day, flopping at the couch, staring at your own facts of life and realizing as you trace through your day {the parts you can remember} that it is all about you. A bit philosophical? Zen? I guess I used to be a counselor so you can frame it in your own way. For me, this family was flat out fun to photograph. Not only are they simply beautiful, but the love they have for each other was not hard to capture. That fact of life cannot be faked. It is a blessing and I simply feel so lucky to be able to document these moments for life and print. It was simply wonderful to see you again Jen. Thank you for bringing your family to the studio and spending time among the love, laughter and chaos.

{enduring} Twin Cities Family Photographer

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."
-Thoreau

I've been meaning to post this preview for awhile now. On the tail end of the holidays {and the middle of achoo/h1n1/fevers/sniffle season} I'm afraid I got behind. Too bad it took so long. This session was a true blessing to photograph for myself. Over Thanksgiving I had the honor of celebrating the life and love of beautiful spirit Patricia and her family. This session was a gift to all involved as they gathered together and surrounded her and each other with celebration and memories. Thank you all for inviting me to your home and to share in Thanksgiving weekend. It was a joy to photograph and I left filled with gratefulness and a bounty of joy, laughter and love.

{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!

{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.

{between} Twin Cities Child Photographer

Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you,
And I'm wondering what it is I should do,
It's so hard to keep this smile from my face...
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you....
-Steelers Wheel

Brother, Sister...Sister...brother is there a middle or a more initmate bond from the beginning.I have the privledge of knowing this family since the tiny brother was only 6 months and now a year later, which doesn't seem like a loonnng timeeee....in adultttt worllld.... but he was just 6 month old a year ago and she was just a 3 year old a year ago. Then they came into my studio and they blossomed. Maybe I have a bit of a biased as I have an older daughter and and younger son and I know the mom who is an amazing kid supporter in the schools but what it comes down to in every shoot...Each child, each spirit, reveals, as they grow, bit by bit and it is absolutely amazing to witness. They love to play, learn, hug, jump and enjoy. Not too shabby of a job to witness. Happy Birthday to Ms. Pinkalicious (who happens to be a fan of my favorite book) and half birthday to Mr. T. Today was all play, no work and I absolutely adored being stuck in the middle with you-