Hey there friends. Thank you so much for following along and to all of you who reached out in ways of supporting me throughout this time! As of today, the stay at home order has been lifted in MN and we can get back to work safely!
May mini sessions are here and I will be doing a variety of them this summer and fall. Please e-mail me directly for times available, I hope to see so many of you! Sessions in the future will be held outdoors for summer and fall at a 6 foot distance and I will be complying with all CDC measures. Depending on where we are in November, I will be hoping to have sessions in the Minneapolis Studio.
Getting family photos isn’t even easy for me. I hire my sweet friend Gina every year for a session and even after years of doing this, my family still doesn’t always love it!
Some ways we have learned over the years to make it more fun and easy for our teens…. 1) Promise dinner after the session 2) Organize a shopping trip where they get to pick out the outfit they love and feel comfortable in. (I typically pick a color scheme and tell them they get to pick out an outfit within that scheme!) 3) Make it a short (we love mini sessions) 4) Bring in all the dad jokes and use them 5) Help them understand that they will appreciate and even be able to use the photos for their social pages and that it is a gift to mom. My husband always preps our kids by telling them that this is a gift to me. For some reason that seems to help!
What about you? Any tips you can share with me for the future? We are always looking to add to our list!
Happy Friday to you! Thanks for dropping by the blog today! I know there are about a thousand different places you could be right now, so thanks for taking a little time here! Amongst all that is going on in the world, I am choosing today to take a break, breath in deep and just be me. So here are a few things you may or may not know about me….
I am not a Sushi fan. Friends have tried and tried me to like it, and I have give in on some occasions, but the idea of seafood in my mouth disgusts me.
I love online shopping, unless I am at TJ MAXX/ Home Goods. I so wish I could wander the stores, but it bores me to death. (My daughter can attest to this!) I am hardwired to be a do-er and there has to be a purpose for things, like shopping. So I kinda don’t like it and get a lot done online! However there is one exception to the rule, and that is TJ MAXX and Home Goods. I have no idea why, but it is pretty typical that you will find me there (of course when it re-opens!) scoring amazing deals and strolling through the aisles.
Marco Polo is my new jam and I am totally a Karen (and somebody tell me how this became a thing?) when it comes to SnapChat.
I ran cross country/ track and cross country skied all through high school. When 2:30 still rolls around I get anxious to work out and still do. It doesn’t always include running, but you can typically find me working out then!
I had my first daughter when I was 25, my mom had me when she was 25, and my grandma had my mom at 25. If I played the lottery, I am pretty sure 25 might be one of my winning numbers!
Now you go, tell me something I might not know about you!
I love photographing families, and especially am loving lifestyle newborn sessions. If you have had a new baby, or are prepping for one, I would love to document this incredible stage for you.
These are just a few tips I have laid out to past clients as they get ready to open their homes to their new bundles of joy. Hope it will help if you are preparing this season for a new little one in your home. Below are some tips on helping our session to go smoothly with your new little one!!
1) Schedule your session for the first 14 days of life, if you are able to. Typically newborns are still in that tiny scrunched up stage and are easy to move from one area o another. They are also sleeping a LOT, so it makes the session go quickly! Typically with my Newborn clients, we put 2 dates on the calendar, one a week before baby is due (in case he/she comes early) and one a week after the due date. I will be in touch with you as to when baby comes so we know the correct date of the session!
2) A Hot Home or Room! A hot home is best for getting baby to sleep as well as keeping baby comfortable. I would suggest putting the thermostat up to about 80 and I will typically bring an electric heater to make one well-lit room really hot so baby can go to sleep easily and quickly! Remember, your baby just came from a 98 degree “home”, so getting him or her nice and cozy will make sleeping for the session much easier!
3) Working around Baby’s schedule. Newborns sleep a lot. Typically in these first few weeks of life they are just getting their schedules straight, so don’t feel bad if you have to feed baby, or rock baby, etc. Don’t feel rushed in any way. Newborns are on their own schedule!
4) Props. I am not a huge prop girl. But I do have a few neutral colored rugs and blankets that I will bring and you are free to use. Feel free to pull out any headbands, outfits, blankets, baskets or items you wish to include in your session. Getting some cute diaper covers are great, but if you don’t have one (or one that fits!) no worries.
5) Siblings. If you have other siblings that you would like to be a part of the session, make sure they are fed when the session starts and that if you have toddlers, we are working around their nap schedule. I find a really great time for sessions is between 9 and 10am. For some reason that seems to be a sweet spot in the morning hours!
6) Lighting. We will probably work out most of the session nearest to windows, so clearing out an area even in your living room, baby’s nursery or your bedroom is helpful, but not necessary. Congratulations on your new baby! I hope to see you soon and get my baby fix as you know I will be asking to hold your sweet one!! Contact me for direct pricing and availability!
These days navigating social media can be tough. With anxieties high for those laid off work or not getting work, having stay at home orders extended, distance learning taking up more time than we’d like, social media can heighten all the feelings we’d (I’d?!) rather not have to feel.
In recent days, I have limited myself to only being on social media at certain points of the day and taking Sunday’s off. For this 100 percent self employed girl, social media can also be a place where I feel frustrated and disheartened as I watch people berate one another and throw words around like swords just to get their point across.
Is this really what we as a culture need? I’m not really convinced we do.
All that said, I believe we can be strong for one another, encourage one another and build one another up. All it takes is a kind word and noticing someone. If we can’t be together physically, why not bring encouragement to others virtually. Instead of scrolling these days, I am really challenging myself to connect with people as people. And when I get on social media, I have a goal and a purpose so that I am not overtaken with fear or frustration.
Here’s my small and free plan. I hope it can be encouraging to you and bring joy to those you interact with throughout your time on social media.
Connect and comment on at least 20 different pages per day
Highlight vendors and clients three times weekly on my social pages
Leave reviews and shout-outs for small business and restaurants I love
It’s not a lot, but I hope vendors, clients, and small businesses feel seen and loved though this time because, we really are all in this together.
No one said you had to do newborn photos inside! Taking lifestyle newborn photos outside and making them true to your style makes them even more meaningful and significant!!
If you’re expecting (whether it’s your first baby or you’re adding to your crew), this is one of the most common questions I get
The sweet spot? 7–14 days after your baby arrives
Those early days are something special… Your baby is still sleepy, snuggly, and curled up in that fresh, just-born way—and it changes so quickly.
But here’s what matters just as much:
You don’t have to go anywhere.
My newborn sessions take place in your home whether it’s a quiet morning with your first baby or a full, beautifully busy house with siblings running around.
No pressure. No perfect expectations. Just your family, exactly as you are in this season.
If you’re thinking about newborn photos, I recommend reaching out during your second trimester so I can save space around your due date
I shared more about what to expect (and why timing matters) over on the blog link is in my bio!
If this season is coming up for you, I’d love to connect
On this gorgeous spring day, I find myself reliving Connor and Kristen’s wedding at Bavaria Downs.
An effortlessly timeless celebration layered with refined details, soft summer light, and a kind of beauty that never asks for attention, it simply exists. Every moment felt intentional, elegant, and deeply meaningful… the kind of day that lingers long after it’s over.
Truly, a wedding that defines what it means to be both classic and unforgettable.
If you’re envisioning a day that feels elevated, seamless, and entirely your own, I would be honored to document it.
