J and P’s Woodbury Central Park Wedding
This late spring wedding was a joyful celebration. I was brought on at the last minute to cover for another photographer so I had to rush  to get to know everyone! The bride was a makeup artist so we spent a lot of time before the ceremony doing getting ready pictures. These can be so much fun!
I really loved the powerful use of color and the wonderful sense of community with their group of friends and family. We made the most of the space for portraits because the weather was a bit touchy. There are a lot of options for a Woodbury Central Park Wedding!
The bride and her father had a special dance surprise at the reception that had everyone on their feet. Such a fun group!
Thank you for having me be a part of your day!
K and J’s spring engagement at the Stone Arch Bridge
Outdoor photography sessions in the spring are always be a bit risky. It ended up being a very cold day when I photographed this engagement at the Stone Arch Bridge but K and J were happy to brave the elements. A cold wind, overcast skies and sinking temperatures couldn’t stop us from having a great time!
They were so fun to work with and I really enjoyed getting to know them. We worked hard to capture their amazing personalities and pull in some pops of color. Color and textures are so important for winter shoots when things tend to get a bit monochrome. All the blue elements really worked together for us!
I hope you enjoy this engagement session, their wedding is coming up on the blog soon!
Pratyusha and Tom’s Como Wedding
I don’t get to photograph very many weddings in March. Winter in Minnesota is exceptionally difficult to predict so not many are willing to take the risk! Pratyusha and Tom elected to have their state side wedding in March at the Como Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul, MN.
This gorgeous wedding features brilliantly colorful international flair, flowers, feathers and saris. There’s something really powerful about the bold splashes of color and the amazing feeling of family with this military wedding.
This was also the first time I had a penguin as a guest at a wedding! He was so much fun and a really big hit with all the guests. Everyone loves a Como Wedding and this was no exception! Always a stunning venue.
Thank you for having me be a part of your day!
The Long Black Veil – model shoot
One of my great passions has always been art. Exploring artistic themes with photography is a lot of fun for me. I borrowed a collection of black lace, enlisted the help of a model and experimented! I’ve always been compelled by the music and the imagery of the Long Black Veil and wanted to do my take on it as well.
I really loved how these came out!
Alex one year portraits at home
Having portraits done in your home is a really fantastic option. You don’t need to have anything fancy, just be yourself! Alex’s parents decided to do his one year portraits at home. He was so cute! Having your portraits done at home adds a really wonderful personal touch
His cousins were in town for the holidays so we took a few pictures of them as well. Additions are always welcome at portrait sessions!
It’s always great working with such fun families! Happy birthday little one!
Logan nine months old – library portraits
When the weather gets cold it’s harder to find unique settings for portraits. We can always visit the studio but sometimes you want something a little different. For Logan’s nine month portrait session we decided to visit his local library! Doing portraits in a library is a lot of fun.
This was such a fun location and we had an absolutely wonderful time. If you’re interested in doing a portrait session at your local library, make sure you call ahead and ask! I really do think library portraits should be a trend.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Logan and have had the privilege of taking his portrait a few times before. I’m excited to work with him and his family again in the future!
My Adopted Dog And Me
Something overcame me the winter of 2012. Winters are always hard for a lot of us in Minnesota. As much as we love the pristine powdery snow early in winter, it all tends to drag on.
I started to think about getting a dog.
Like most people I’ve always loved animals. As an adult, I’ve mostly stuck with cats and fish. I adore cats and their insane shenanigans. But if I had a dog… s/he could come out in the yard with me and garden. We could go places and hang out. It would be so much fun! I really struggled with the decision though. Getting a dog would be a big change and an even bigger commitment so I thought on it and we talked it over for months.
Eventually, I started to look around at dogs available for adoption. Wow. What an overwhelming experience!! After months of searching and agonizing, I finally emailed the people over at Safe Hands Animal Rescue about these adorable puppies they had.They invited me to come to a Meet and Greet to meet the dogs and I was so excited!
We went to meet the dogs and holy crap the puppies were crazy adorable. They were also FAR smaller than I thought they would be. It’s always a little hard to tell from pictures. My youngest child was only 2 at the time so a small puppy was just not going to be ideal. I was sad, but we decided to go home and keep looking.
On the way out I ran into a woman with this adorable black dog. She asked if we wanted to meet him and… I just fell in love. He was so cute and so sweet. He was also a little terrified! He huddled tightly against her but his little face was just so loving. He’s an all black mutt. My vet guesses that he’s a Cocker Spaniel/Papillon mix and his adorable, fluffy butt is perfect!
I was sort of surprised I hadn’t seen him on their website but when I went back to check, there he was. I just missed him because he looked like a very, very different dog! Also, he had a name I have super negative associations with so I must have just skipped it!
The next several weeks were incredibly hard. I emailed back and forth with my dog’s foster mom constantly. I filled out applications and got all my vet’s information. When the foster mom was finally able to bring him by for a visit it was just fantastic. My dogie just climbed up into my lap and hung out. The kids loved him and my cat just rolled her eyes.
I decided that yes, I was in love with this dog and I needed him to come live with us forever. Waiting for all the final paperwork to be processed was so hard. A week later, his foster mom brought him home to us to stay.
I named him Remy, which is short for Don Remington Quixote Lorca. He’s very fancy! We’ve spent every day since he came here together. In the years since, he’s gotten over his car anxiety and he recently let me trim his nails without any complaint! He’s a lovable angel and is never far from my side. He loves the kids, going for walks, chasing balls and frolicking in the snow.
I absolutely adore him and couldn’t imagine life without him! My adopted dog means the world to me. I’ve started to volunteer with Safe Hands since I adopted Remy and it’s a great organization. If you’re looking for a dog, remember to adopt not shop and if you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, check out the dogs available through Safe Hands.
This is the original profile image of Remy that I somehow overlooked! Thank you to Safe Hands for permission to use this image
Stone Arch bridge winter engagement
I loved this winter engagement. There was just enough color that made the whole session really sing. I love color in general but during the winter months, color becomes even more important. I found some contrasting colors on the buildings and it just makes everything pop. When there’s no color, there’s always texture and pattern!
Sometimes it’s something as simple as a new couple, a beautifully sunny day and an orange sweater to make a familiar location, brand new again.
Congratulations to M and B!
Winter Wedding in St. Paul
This is one of those weddings that I have been dying to share for ages. I sat on it because I didn’t want to post a gorgeous winter wedding in St. Paul during the summer. Sometimes the distraction of summer can detract from the fact that we do actually enjoy some aspects of winter!
This couple decided on a short engagement and I was booked a few scant months before the event. They told me they had originally planned on a fall wedding but decided they just couldn’t wait any longer!
The couple were married at the Our Lady of Victory Chapel at the College of St. Catherine. It’s always fun for me to work there since I once attended school there! Their reception was at the always stately St. Paul College Club.
I was with K and M all day and we had an absolutely fantastic time. Thanks for having me be a part of your day and braving the cold with me!
South Metro Winter Engagement
I don’t get to do very many winter engagement session but I absolutely love to do them! This session was done in the south metro in Bloomington and Edina. We hit a dog park first so we could have some fun with their giant puppy! He was so super fun. I love working with families that include pets. It’s always a fun addition to the session.
After the dog park, we went to Centennial Lakes Park in Edina and explored the bridges and ice. it was a rather cold day and I was slipping around on the ice far more than I expected. It’s always a little extra thrill to add a little danger in the work.
We walked up to Pinstripes to hit the fire pit so we could warm up. It was a nice change of pace. It was wonderfully warm and intimate. A really great way to cap off a fun engagement session.
It was great to work with you J and K!
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