{Times to remember} Minneapolis/St. Paul Photographer

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”
― Mother Teresa

{The space between} Minneapolis, MN Artist Life

The space between the tears we cry
Is the laughter keeps us coming back for more
The space between the wicked lies we tell
And hope to keep safe from the pain

But will I hold you again?

These fickle, fuddled words confuse me
Like, will it rain today?
Waste the hours with talking, talking
These twisted games we're playing

We're strange allies with warring hearts
What a wild-eyed beast you'll be
The space between the wicked lies we tell
And hope to keep safe from the pain
-Dave Matthews Band
The Space Between

{Brothers} Gilbert, AZ Child Photography

"I've got nothing to do today but smile."
— Simon and Garfunkel

Two years ago I photographed this lovely, energetic family and had the pleasure to do so again last week while in Phoenix vacation. The boys have grown not only in height but fine character. They were full of fun, smiles, delight and silliness . This was a session that was one of those " I get paid to do this" type sessions. After this long winter, it was selfishly, just what I needed.

More pictures to come but the smiles on this one gave me pure delight while editing!

Additionally they also gave me the workout of a lifetime as we chased, climbed and flew around the park for a couple hours. Whew! At least it was 70:)

To all those moms out there to three boys (or children in general), props to you and your patience, energy etc...

and to Ms. Amy who is the graceful, calm and beautiful mother to these young men...

Thank you for inviting me back!

{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!

{Back to School} Minneapolis, MN Child Photographer

First day of first grade. Excited about school. Less excited about me taking a picture before walking in.

{A Stroll with a Girl} Coon Rapids, MN Child Photographer

"There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars."
— Jack Kerouac

I have photographed this lovely girl and her family since she was six weeks old. I have watched her grow and her family are special clients and people to me.
Her curiosity, awareness, and soulful beauty has been present since those first few weeks and has blossomed.
She doesn't ask much.
Just to stroll by her side and take notice
of life and all of it's beautiful simplicities.

{Click} Twin Cities Family Photographer

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away-author unknown

Warning blog rant and picture overload coming up...

Here is my blog rant. Why does life go by so fast and why is it so hard to stay in touch and hold onto such special relationships as it passes at lightening speed. Hmmm. This makes me angry. I want to hold onto these people forever, and keep them recorded just like I remember. Am I asking too much. Am I just a tad of a control freak? No. Me. Never...Could I get an extra 2 hours in my day. Maybe?

In all seriousness, as I get older I realize the specialness and seasons of the people that enter, exit, re-enter, disappear and ebb and flow. Knowing this adult reality {boo to growing up...I'm a bit of Peter Pan} I try to stay in the moment and enjoy each precious exchange, laugh, breath and goodbye. Then to quote the Office, I take a mental picture and put in my vault for future memory surfing.

I was so happy to reconnect with a dear friend that I met when I first moved to Minnesota 11 years ago as a energetic and idealistic graduate student. We were both in the same program and, with along of few of my other dear friends, plowed through courses, studies, professor looongggg lectures, comps, papers and so on. As life goes, we fell out of touch for many reasons probably the biggest being she betrayed me and left the school counseling track and went into college student affairs....{kidding}. Well, long sweet story, we find each other over Facebook, caught up slowly but surely and when we met Saturday on such a sunny and gorgeous day in a week of wetness and dreary, it was a lovely reunion I cherished. Her family is absolutely beautiful. Not surprising, as she has always been an incredible woman with energy, a great sense of humor, fun and adventure. My dear friend, thank you for the pleasure of our session. I enjoyed our time together and capturing the beautiful, genuine love and connection your family shares together. It took my breath away. Don't exit too long now:) Click and Save...

{All in the Family} Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Family Photographer

Can you prove any of the stuff you believe in? my children ask me & when I said that's not how belief works, they nod and say that's what we thought but he was just checking to make sure we hadn't missed a key point.-Storypeople

Before traveling home, we headed to Pittsburgh to pick up my cousin Carolyn who was kind enough to travel back with my sister and myself to help with my two kids and the 15 hour ride home. I did a session with my Aunt Kathy, Uncle Jim and cousins Carolyn and David. When you live far away from family it is striking how fast time flies. I swear they were just little yesterday. Now my cousins are teenagers and have turned into some pretty cool young adults. I think I could be so lucky to have children turn out as remarkable as these two. Maybe my aunt and uncle could whip me up some parenting cliff notes and send them my way:) I mean as a parent to two teenagers it's not like they are...busy or anything.

Stacey Cordes Photography: Sneak Preview {Twin Cities Family Photographer}

"To know someone here or there
with whom you can feel
there is understanding
in spite of distances or
thoughts expressed
That can make life a garden."
~ Goethe

A preview for dear friends. Thank you for the pleasure of photographing your beautiful family full of energy and love!