Friday I was glad to be featured on Home Confetti, a cute blog focusing on being a place of creative ideas to make celebrations extra special. Check out this great blog!
closeFriday I was glad to be featured on Home Confetti, a cute blog focusing on being a place of creative ideas to make celebrations extra special. Check out this great blog!
Max and Carissa’s day could not have been any better! The April weather was perfect and so was the day! Many thanks to all the vendors that helped make this day beautiful.
Dress: The Wedding Shoppe
Carissa’s hair: Katie at Studio 4 Salon in Eagan
Jewelry (necklace, earrings & bracelet) were gifts
Rings: Jarrod and Kay Jewelers
Tuxes: Men’s Warehouse
Bridesmaid dresses: David’s Bridal
Florist: Dakota Floral
Ceiling draping, lights and table linens: Illuminations by Lori Cole
Cake: Taste of Scandinavia
Desserts: Sue Bernlohr
Chocolate fountain: Chocolate Cascade Heaven
For the first 2 years of my business I shot with an assistant. My husband. As much as I knew he loved weddings (insert sarcasm here) he loved me more. So he agreed to be my assistant for the day. He carried around my gear, helped me man my list of shots, told people where to go, and was a huge help. After we had our first child, and my business continued to grow, we knew it was time to move on to the next phase. He needed to be home with our daughter and I went on the hunt for another assistant/ second shooter!
My dreams came true when my sister volunteered to step into the role. With a love for photography, she was a perfect fit. Plus I got to hang out with my little sister who now worked full time. For the next 3 years, we toured throughout Minneapolis and Wisconsin on our weekends. But over time, after working a 40 hour week, my sister needed her weekends and I was on the hunt again.
I have to say the process was not an easy one. I had some assistants that were wonderful people, but just did not fit my style. Then Elena and I were introduced at a very random party for a mutual friend. We got to chatting and a few weeks later she was in my living room with her 6 month old son and portfolio. With a background in photography and a being at a similar stage in life, we clicked. We tested out the waters with a few weddings, and now 5 years later we are still working together.
There are so many benefits to me and to the client in having a long term second shooter. Not only is Elena my second shooter, she also shoots her own weddings. She is also a good friend and she knows me. All I have to do is look in one direction and she is there shooting at another angle and seeing with another pair of eyes. There is little direction that I need to give her because she knows the drill. When I am standing on one side of the ceremony, she is in the other. Also, Elena knows tabletop photography. She is amazing at it! She will do many of the details at the reception, while I am off photographing the Bride, Groom, and wedding party. She is my other pair of eyes on the day of a wedding. 
A few photo angles that Elena and I took together (mine on Left, Elena’s on right).
It really is wonderful. I am so thankful for Elena, her friendship as well as her gift.
Great post, Karen! I love the photos from our wedding that your assistants took too. They added such a unique perspective to the day!
Yay! It’s fun to see the side-by-sides! Rocking the gear too ya’ll!
LOVE! this session! Ethan and Amy were wonderful to hang out with! (although I probably scared them a few times with my overjoyed shreeks!!) I can’t wait to celebrate their marraige with them in September!
Welcome back to Monday’s! If you have stuck around and are keeping up with the blog, thank you! After about a month off and out of the cyber world, I am back and ready to get blogging again. I have just upgraded to the next Pro Photo (blog template!) version, and in the next few months, you should be noticing some changes! I have also been working on updating my logo and web-site, so more changes should come as time allows!
This past weekend, I was able to shoot my first wedding of the season! And with 70 degree weather, cherry blossoms in early bloom, it was a PERFECT day for a wedding. More to come of this wonderful couple, but here is one from their beautiful day!
Awesome!
Thanks, Karen! You do fantastic work!
This is very nice. I can’t wait to see the rest of them!
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!!)
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!!
Based in the Twin Cities area and available for travel worldwide.
