closeOh how I love the cake smash. You never know what you are going to get when you put a cake in front of a one year old. Sometimes it is the messy mash and (like this case!) bug crocodile tears! Evelyn was a trooper, but when we put that cake in front of her, the waterworks came out. But even when she cried, she was still a cutie pie!!
After one incredible, amazing, beautiful Minneapolis weekend, it is hard to sit back down at the computer and get back into work! This weekend I only had one shoot on the calendar, and then I got to spend some much needed quality time with my own kiddos.
After photographing a maternity session (more to come soon!!) The thought was to TRY to get some photos of my own kids downtown, but as my camera came out and my kids said, “No way fool!! Come BE with us.” Even though I rarely take out my camera with my kids (I wish I did it more!) they know that it is work for me. They know as soon as my finger touches that button, I am in work mode not mom mode, and what they needed at that moment was mom and my 100% presence and attention.
Before I went into the “I-NEED-to-capture-you-at-this-very-moment-because-you-are-only-young-once-and-I-will-blink-and-you-will-be-grown” speech, I thought long and hard. Recently I have been reading Hands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford and been SO convicted every time I pick up my phone, camera, or to do list. I am now constantly asking myself the question, why. Why put this on social media? Why am I picking up my phone? Why am I deciding that whatever I am looking at on a screen is more important than the people in front of me? Why do I need to post this or that or comment here or there? (Let me tell you as a side bar, this has been so good for me and so incredibly hard and convicting!)
Not that I don’t value a good session or good photos or see the need to push my kids to do things they don’t really feel like doing, but Saturday was not that day. I finally had a free weekend and a free day with my kids and instead of thinking about how we could enjoy the day together I was thinking how I should portray my life on social media and turing more of my attention on that than on the little people in front of me.
So instead of trying to capture the memories with my kids, or show how “perfect” my life is (which it is VERY far from!!), I decided to make and LIVE the memories with them. Unfortunately I got zero photos on my camera, about 3 on my phone, but had one incredible day getting to know my own kids more and investing into these lives. So my camera spent the day alone and I spent the day 100% fully invested in the people in front of me, and the rewards came that night, and hopefully for years to come.
Spring has sprung and I am SO thankful!! Here is one of my favorites from last year of the trees and flowers in full bloom with one of my favorite families that I have been photographing since their oldest was one! I can not wait to be breathing in these heavenly scents very soon!
And just a quick reminder, if you have not yet scheduled your May mini session, the Rose Gardens are just one of the two locations I will be shooting at this year and hopefully (fingers crossed!) it will be just as lovely this year!! Feel free to e-mail for more information and to see what slots are still available!
Jumping, running, playing and smiling. All things I LOVE about toddlers and boys! It was so wonderful to see this sweet family again this spring and capture the essence of this sweet period of time!
It seemed like only yesterday I was photographing sweet Finn’s photos and earlier this spring, I was able to meet his new baby brother. What a gift this sweet family is!!
What a joy it was to capture Lizzy and Ryan and their now family of five! Adding these two sweet twins to the mix definitely brought life and so much joy to their session! Congratulations to you both!!
From their engagement session, to their wedding, to the birth of their first daughter and now to their second, it’s been a joy and honor to be able to photograph couples like the Wargo’s as their life changes.
It’s what makes my job so meaningful and fulfilling! Congratulations Hannah and Jake, your family is beautiful!
Including siblings in your newborn session… yes or no?
My answer is always yes.
It might feel a little chaotic in the moment, but those are often the images you end up treasuring the most—the real connection, the tiny interactions, the beginning of a new family story.
I’ve loved watching the Luong family grow through all three of their children’s newborn sessions, and those sibling moments are always some of my favorites.
If you’re wondering how it all works (and how we make it easy), I wrote a full blog post about it! Check it out in my stories
#newbornphotography #minnesotaphotographer #familyphotography #siblinglove
NEW WEBSITE. SAME HEART.
After a long time behind the scenes… it’s finally here.
And I want YOU to be one of the first to experience it.
So I made it a little more fun 👇
✨ I’m giving away TWO mini sessions for 2026 ✨
How to enter:
• Visit the new website (link in bio)
• Look around
• Enter the giveaway
That’s it.
If you’ve been thinking about booking photos this is your sign!
Tag a friend who should enter with you below and add to your stories for another entry!! (Make sure to tag me!!)
Based in the Twin Cities area and available for travel worldwide.
