closeWhen she saw her, she cried. After having two boys already, she was sure another baby boy was on the way. She was completely wrong and her are of little men has welcomed this sweet little girl into their family! What a joy and a gift she was to photograph! More sweet babies please!
It was such a joy to photograph little Ethan and his family. I have loved photographing Neal and Emily for a long time and seeing them with their sweet little boy was such a joy to my heart. I was in awe of the way his nursery was decorated. Because Neal loves airplanes, Ethan’s nursery was decorated i an avation theme. He was perfect throughout the entire session and the session was much different than their maternity session! I love photographing newborns and their families, so if you are expecting a new little one, I would love to connect!
Even though I have been shooting weddings for years, I still get those butterflies every wedding I shoot because I know what a big deal it is for coupes to allow me into this incredible once in a lifetime day. I know that the adrenaline rush is a good thing because it keeps me focused and on track. I also feel like it actually makes me work harder! So much so that sometimes during the day I forget to eat and don’t realize it until I sit down to dinner and realize how ravishingly hungry I am!
When I do a newborn session I really love holding your baby. Please don’t freak out at all, and it will never be something I ask of you (unless maybe I do..) but I really do love babies. Plus it gives me that baby fix I need to keep me from wanting another. Having almost three tweens in my home, I don’t get as much time to hold babies. So just let me. I promise I will love it!
Often times, especially during the slow season when I am able to look around me, I am ready to throw in the towel. I often find myself comparing. When I look around to all the amazing and incredible photographers in the Twin Cities area, there are days I feel like I can’t measure up. I know this is not true and I’m not asking for accolades, but I want you to know that if you struggle with comparison, you are not alone at all. On days like this, I have a friend that I confide in and I have found that it’s best for me to shut off all social platforms.
Seriously, this can be a little freaky to some people. Even if we have met for a short time, I will probably remember you. Maybe not your name, but your face for sure! I blame it all on social media and the hours of editing after a wedding looking at faces!
In this crazy world where we can see other peoples lives on social platforms, I know I remember people and what is going on in their lives even if they don’t know me! Recently at a networking event, I started talking to someone that I thought I had met before! We had only talked through social platforms and half way through the conversation (she was so gracious!) she asked me politely who I was and how I knew her. (You can imagine my embarrassment!) So if I come up to you and start talking like we are BFF’s, and you have no idea who I am, you have complete permission to interrupt me and tell me we have never met in real life!
I’m not really scared to tell you this, but I feel like I should! Almost without a doubt there is someone on a wedding day that will come up to me and ask me if I really love my job. I’m not really sure what they are expecting me to say, but let me answer this question so you don’t have to ask it. I really, really do.
Coming to someone’s home, as I talked about HERE, and doing an in home lifestyle session is so wonderful. I was able to head out to the Cree Family’s home a few weeks ago as they welcomed their sweet son home! As his big sister finished up her nap, I was able to photograph this lil man. When she woke up, we did their family photos right in their living room while sun poured in!
As a young mom, it only took me one time to decide why, as a mom, I would not do an in studio newborn session again while my kids were young. I had found a studio 20 minutes away and found the perfect out fits for my girls. Knowing we would need mid-morning naps and feedings, I purposefully scheduled my 30 minute session around the those times, and after sweating through getting myself and them ready, headed out.
Upon arrival the studio was running behind, so I took my kids to the play place to burn off some steam. When we arrived back for our now 30 minute late session, my youngest was ready to eat and my toddler was ready to bolt! I fed my youngest as quickly as I could, but of course babies are on their own schedules (and to this day, she is still on her own time line!)
We headed into the studio and a woman quickly told me that I only had 15 minutes left of my scheduled time because I had took time to feed my baby. She then proceeded to treat the kids as if they were school-agers by telling them to “smile, and say cheese”.
In the end, I ended up with one photo that was semi decent and a terrible taste in my mouth toward studio sessions.
Recently I had the conversation with a friend as to why I don’t do many newborn shoot in the studio. As much as I would love this, I have found some amazing benefits of being able to photograph a session in client’s homes from my own experience and from others I have talked to.
Celebrating Sidney and Ryan today!!
Happy one year anniversary to you both!! What an incredible day we had, I hop your year has been just as amazing. Many blessings to you both!
Well… that sure went fast.
It feels like just yesterday we were dropping Lydia off at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, wondering what these next few years would hold for her. Today, we’re celebrating her graduation with a degree in communications.
Watching Lydia grow into such an incredible, Godly young woman has been one of the greatest gifts. Through her time serving students with Cru, she has poured so much love, encouragement, and faith into the lives of others. She leads with kindness, serves with humility, and cares for people so deeply.
We are endlessly proud of the woman she has become and so excited for this next chapter as she begins working in HR with Mayo Clinic in Wisconsin. There’s no doubt she will continue making people feel seen, valued, and cared for wherever she goes.
God has been so faithful through every step, and we can’t wait to see what He has ahead for you, Lydia.
Becoming an entrepreneur wasn’t easy. It took a lot of hard work in understanding what I wasn’t good at before understanding what I was good at. I failed a lot in the process.
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We often only see the good things and success stories on social media, but getting to the point where we are confident in ourselves and our work takes time and lots of failures. Trust me. 25 years and still working at it!!
Spring at Lake Harriet gave us the dreamiest backdrop for Lindy + Arend’s engagement session. The blooms were at their absolute peak, the flowers were full and vibrant, and every corner felt like something out of a painting. These two made the whole evening feel effortless as we wandered through all the beauty that comes with Minnesota spring.
Now we’re counting down to their September wedding, when the scenery will look completely different filled with rich autumn colors and falling leaves but just as beautiful. I cannot wait to celebrate these two in a whole new season of life together!
If you’re recently engaged and dreaming up your own engagement session or wedding day, I’d love to connect
Based in the Twin Cities area and available for travel worldwide.
