Here We Come a Wassailing ... Minneapolis Snow Day Photo Shoot

The only thing better than a walk in the snow is a photo shoot in the snow. Well, and a dog wearing a bow-tie. I had a blast at our mini photo shoot the other day with the Oberle family. We bundled up (I was actually wearing snow pants!) and met at the Minnehaha Creek in South Minneapolis. I love all the texture and contrast the snow added to the pictures, I almost wish it was snowy year-round ... almost. Can't wait to see what these look like on some Christmas cards!

Sarah + Caleb: Engaged!

This post has been a *long* time coming. And by that I mean I've had these pictures sitting on my computer for six whole months, just waiting for me to jump in. Of course the only person who would accept such tardiness would be my youngest sister. Do you know Sarah? Let me introduce you:

As the youngest sister of four in our family, she has learned to be patient and lacks any selfishness whatsoever. And, like in your typical fairy tale, she is indeed the fairest of them all (or at least in my biased older-sister opinion). 

And then one day she met Caleb.

And they said Hey, let's get married! 

Read their story here, it's a good one. 

Now they're planning an August 2014 wedding in North Carolina, and I can't wait to eat BBQ, dress in mint (great wedding color!) and dance the night away.

S + C got some special treatment for their photo shoot: two locations! 

... that were some 4,000 miles apart! 

Location #1: Fairbanks, Alaska.

Location #2: Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

C is from Fairbanks, so when these two lovebirds were visiting his hometown this past June, I decided to swing on up there for a quick visit and an impromptu photo shoot (no I'm not crazy or rich, just lucky) ... and a visit to Denali, of course. It was fun to see where C grew up and where they lived together for a year. Experiencing that midnight sun was pretty awesome - I think we took these photos at 9pm or something crazy like that. Later that summer they moved down to North Carolina where C is now attending UNC, so I thought it would be fun to capture them in their new home together. The photos with the pops of pink were in NC and the others were up in the "last frontier." 

They recently adopted a new lil' pup, so I think I need to visit them again for photo shoot #3, don't ya think?

Enjoy the slideshow!

(Note: Photo quality in slideshow is not accurate representation of final product. 
See still photos for full resolution.)

Sister + Caleb: Engaged from Carolyn Pierson on Vimeo.

Leaves and Fleeces and Fall - Oh My! {Victoria Family Photos}

A few weeks ago I met this darling family over at the Lowry Nature Center in Carver Park, about an hour west of Minneapolis. It's such a fun place for a photo shoot, with lots of running space, trees, and natural play areas. It was a chilly November day but I'm so glad the W family braved the elements with just their light fleeces because they added such fun pops of color! I can't remember who pointed it out, but isn't that the coolest "heart" tree?

Enjoy the photos then scroll down to view the slideshow!

(Note: Photo quality in slideshow is not accurate representation of final product. 
See still photos for full resolution.)

Minnestrista Family Fall Photos from Carolyn Pierson on Vimeo.

You Better Watch Out ...

You're about to view some adorable Christmas family photos!

And now for the slideshow!

(Note: Photo quality in slideshow is not accurate representation of final product. 
See still photos for full resolution.)

Minnesota Family Christmas Photos from Carolyn Pierson on Vimeo.

Sneak Peek: Witschorik Family

On a scale of one to ten, how adorable is this family? 

Yup, I thought so too : )

The Duke of Earl {Lake Calhoun Children's Photography}

This photo shoot has been a long time coming. A few years ago Earl's grandfather came to me inquiring about a photo shoot capturing his newly adopted grandson and his amazing moms. I heard tales of young Earl, of his spunk and curiosity, and how seamlessly he assumed his new role as the center of the family. Finally our schedules aligned and I was able to meet five-year-old Earl at his grandpa's house just blocks from Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. We rode bikes (or rather, he did), played catch, chased the ducks, climbed trees, smelled flowers, searched for berries, and gave great big hugs. What a joy it was to share the day with this lovely family and to capture these childhood moments of the one-and-only Duke of Earl. Enjoy the photos and slideshow! (Note: musical selection was specially chosen by Grandpa Al.)

(Note: Photo quality in slideshow is not accurate representation of final product. 
See still photos for full resolution.)

The Duke of Earl from Carolyn Pierson on Vimeo.

Eagan Family Christmas Photos: Sneak Peek

What better way to spend a weekend morning than by sipping on hot chocolate with these kids? Enjoy this sneak peek at our Christmas photo shoot!

Sneak Peek: Earl

What better way to start a Sunday than getting a glimpse through the eyes of a five-year-old boy? I had so much fun this morning chasing after the ever inquisitive, always expressive Earl. Enjoy this sneak peek of two of my favorites from our fall photo shoot!

Wedding and Family Photography Workshop

Last spring I attended a photography workshop by Noemi, an established photographer here in the Twin Cities. It was a blast! We spent the evening chatting about light, the value of accessories in a photograph, posing clients naturally, and the timeless "Cinderella story." Oh, and we dined on some amazing thai chicken salad, cupcakes, and other tasty goodies. This was the first workshop I've ever attended, outside of the two photography classes I took in college (way back then we used film cameras!) so I was just soaking up all of the helpful tidbits and advice. I especially enjoyed connecting with other like-minded photo nerds, which is actually somewhat of a rarity. It's unfortunate, but most often photographers keep to themselves so as to preserve their "secrets," when there is such potential for collaboration.

I can't believe I am just posting these photos now, four months after the event, but I hope you enjoy rewinding time and browse through some of the "gems."

You can tell in this photo that this was a workshop and not an actual photo shoot because no one was looking at my camera. But still, cute family, right? Rocking all the accessories!

And here's Noemi, showing us how to make a bride look good getting out of a car. 

She was so much FUN! I can see why clients feel comfortable being themselves around her; she makes even the rain that started falling during our family shoot an exciting adventure. (See two photos above.) A large part of being a successful photographer is definitely knowing how to run a shoot, manage people, and keep everyone in a good mood. It's a lot harder than she makes it look!

Love in Chapel Hill

It's about time I post a photo from one of my photo shoots with my sister Sarah and her fiance Caleb. They were engaged earlier this spring while on a layover in Amsterdam and bound for Africa (read their story here), and since then I've been lucky enough to meet up with them four times, despite the miles between us. I'll be posting more photos from our shoot in Alaska soon, but here's a peak at our second session down in their new home of Chapel Hill, where Caleb is pursuing his doctorate in philosophy at UNC (they are standing in front of the philosophy building). In just under a year they will be married on a farm just outside of Chapel Hill. Let the countdown begin! 

click photo to enlarge

Here's to new adventures together!

Rounding Third and Headed for the Alter: Riley + Jon

We turned off the highway and onto a gravel road, the end of our long journey home from Colorado. If I was completely honest with myself, I'd have realized I was a bit nervous. It's not every day you meet your boyfriend's family. We had just enjoyed a weekend skiing with college friends, and since we were driving right by Evan's hometown, we figured we might as well stop and say hi. As we pulled up to the farm, I was struck by how quiet it was. The drifted snow muffled our tires and we slid into the garage, like a couple of stealth undercover cops. I bet no one knows we're even here, I thought. But no sooner was old Berta (E's old Beretta) in park and we exchanged a "well, we made it!" grin, then the door to the house cracked open and out came a rush of energy and excitement I now know can only be associated with Riley. She whisked us into the house with tales from her day at school and the latest small town gossip, an endless stream of chatter that made me feel right at home. 

I can't believe it's now been 11 years (eleven!!!) since I met Evan's little sister. But she remains the spunky Riley I met that day in the garage, and always a joy to be around. I'm so excited for her to walk down the aisle in just two weeks. It was a special treat to tromps around the farm with these two lovebirds - enjoy the slideshow! (scroll down)

(Note: Actual photo quality not represented well in slideshow)

Turn up the music! 

Lover of the Light by Mumford & Sons

Here's their sneak peek on my blog!

Sneak Peek: Farm Girl Love

My sister-in-law Riley is getting married in May, and I had such fun trompsing in the snow, fields, and barnyard with these lovebirds this past weekend. Can't wait to edit the rest of these ... and for May 17!