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! 

Turkey-Day Photos and Slideshow: Part II

Here are a few more photos from the other weekend when I photographed this happy family:

Don't these sisters make you want to go buy a cute fall sweater?

The whole family

Grand- and great-grandmother's hands

Enjoy the slideshow!

 

Sneak Peek: Turkey Day Family Photos

I come from a large family: three sisters, 15 cousins, and four grandparents who all enjoy getting together for holiday festivities. So I felt right at home at this large family photo shoot over the weekend. With four generations all in one house, they must have had a festive Thanksgiving! Here's a sneak peek from our morning shoot. 

I love this picture of all the cousins!

All the grandchildren

Isn't a grandmother's (and great grandmother's!) hand a beautiful thing? I can't wait to post the others from this series. Thanks to Jackie for recommending this.

 More to come!