simply be photography

{new blog}

2010-07-04T20:01:00.002-05:00

It is not quite done but I am lovin' the bigger pictures. New link simplybephotography.com.

{OMG}

2010-07-02T20:46:00.012-05:00

I have been drooling over this field with the black-eyed susans for weeks and I wanted to shoot there before all of the flowers were gone. My friend JV volunteered her daughter "R" and her friend "E" for the session. Thank you girls for your time. I appreciate it!

{l & j}

2010-06-27T22:47:00.014-05:00

Good thing we started early with this session! The humidity must have been 1000% in the afternoon. Twins "L" and "J" braved the weather to capture some images to mark their first birthday. They are such a joy to photograph! Of course I had to take a few minutes after the session to capture some other beauties on the grounds at Minnehaha Falls.

{"j"}

2010-06-08T19:51:00.010-05:00

It was such a pleasure to spend some time with this family. You can tell just how much "J" is loved! He is such a lucky boy!

There are just some images that I am drawn to and most of them happen spur of the moment. The one of "J" reaching for the plant was such an image. In the indoor image the light was low and it is somewhat grainy. I really like the feel of it even though it is not a perfect technical picture. The grain really gives it an old feel.

{just one}

2010-06-06T16:28:00.002-05:00

"J" is just one and I am posting just one pic as a sneak peek from our session today. More to come.....

{nature...amazing}

2010-06-05T21:11:00.013-05:00

I am just fascinated by all of the beauty in nature! While on a walk with my pups tonight after a very very rainy day I noticed the sky was beginning to brighten. By the time we got home and I went out to shoot we had beautiful blue sky! The shot of the purple flower in this series is not the greatest but I loved the color combination. I often take photos of things if I love the color and then use then later in card designs.

{beautiful E}

2010-06-02T22:13:00.008-05:00

What a beautiful newborn and big sister "A"! Baby "E" has such perfect skin and oh the hair! I tried to capture the fluff in the front but I don't think I did it justice!

{hangin with "S"}

2010-05-22T21:51:00.013-05:00

Before the rain this morning I had a chance to hang out with "S" in her back yard. She showed me her new play house, her swing set and the chicks her Mom had home from school for the weekend. We finished up in a near by park filled with flowers. So many beautiful things from this session!

{devin class of 2010}

2010-05-18T20:09:00.006-05:00

Loved the contrast of colors from this session. We have had a ton of rain so everything is so green! Good luck Devin in your future adventures!

{he loves me}

2010-05-16T11:02:00.008-05:00

K & T were up for anything during this session! It makes it really fun and produces great images. We spent some time in the city and the country...and the best thing is the locations were only minutes apart. I am looking forward to spending your wedding day with you!

{future assistant}

2010-05-11T20:58:00.005-05:00

It was so cute that 'M"s brother brought a camera to the session. He may have a future in photography!

{can't wait to work on this session}

2010-05-10T20:35:00.004-05:00

I have so much to do this week but I am being pulled to this session when I should be doing other things. Just a few for now....

{baby g}

2010-05-10T20:01:00.008-05:00

Baby G joins sister "A" and brother "P". He came to the shoot with props to celebrate his family roots. He also thinks his Dad's college team is number 1! Welcome baby "G". I hope to see more of you in the future!

{happy 16th birthday bug}

2010-05-03T22:01:00.004-05:00

My oldest is 16 today! Where did the time go?! Happy birthday bug you are the best. I love you very much!

{i just couldn't decide}

2010-05-03T20:50:00.015-05:00

so...I posted a lot of pictures! I would not want the dandelions in my yard but they are so cute in pictures!

{april showers bring april flowers}

2010-04-26T21:58:00.006-05:00

This is the earliest Spring I can ever remember. Lovin' it!

{chloe}

2010-04-04T22:22:00.008-05:00

I had the opportunity to spend a fabulous afternoon with senior Chloe. She is adventurous and beautiful. Can you guess where she will be in the Fall?! Hopefully, you will see my son there in a few years! Congratulations and soak up the experience!

{vinny returns}

2010-03-27T18:32:00.007-05:00

How adorable is V! Those eyes are killer! The lighting was a bit of challenge today...wish we had a little more sun...but Vinny made up for it in cuteness.

{100th post}

2010-03-27T18:24:00.002-05:00

Something pretty to brighten this cloudy day.

{brothers}

2010-03-19T09:35:00.004-05:00

He is only three weeks old but Baby "M" was bright eyed for the entire session! Can you ever get a baby to sleep when you want to!?

{baby "A" and friends}

2010-03-16T22:55:00.005-05:00

After a week of fog we FINALLY saw the sun! It was just in time for a session with Baby "A" and her fuzzy friends.

{reminding me of spring}

2010-02-12T11:57:00.004-06:00

Even though it is a ways off and there are still piles of snow outside, adorable L&J brought the sunshine and a glimpse of spring. They were a joy!

{santa}

2009-12-07T16:41:00.005-06:00

This session was held at Krueger's Tree Farm in Lake Elmo. What an adorable place! They had a great selection of pre-cut trees and you can also cut your own. Plus a place to warm up and most important...SANTA. The first photo in this post is one of my all time favorites!

{my brother vinny}

2009-12-07T16:28:00.007-06:00

Twins "E" and "G" stopped over for a session with their new baby brother. I typically only photograph children who are not yet walking at my home because the space is pretty small and there are many distractions. I am dreaming of a studio...maybe some day...

{what would i do without you}

2009-11-21T19:25:00.008-06:00

I met K in 4th grade. We shared a locker in high school. She moved away and we lost touch for a bit. A chance meeting several years ago got us back together. We needed each other. It was meant to be. What would I ever do without you! There were too many of this fabulous family to pick from! LOVE the colors.

{finally....a SMILE}

2009-11-16T22:04:00.006-06:00

I have been on a mission to get a smile from "T". Finally, at this recent session to celebrate his 1st birthday...a smile! He is so darn cute even without a smile!

{brand new}

2009-11-16T21:54:00.004-06:00

Most brand new babies sleep A LOT. Especially during the day when they should be awake! "M" had other plans. We could not get him to sleep! Maybe he was watching the Vikings game with Dad and he did not want to miss a play.

{just for p}

2009-11-11T07:27:00.005-06:00

P had a hard time during our last session. It was cold and snowy and he was just not having a session that day. That happens when you are little. I was determined to get a few images of him so I stopped by his house for a short session. Of course, I had to take just a few more of the rest of his family. How could I resist! Next year, you will see an addition to these family photos! P will be getting a brother or sister in the Spring.

{good luck}

2009-11-08T21:49:00.006-06:00

This will be my last session with the "D" family...for a while anyway. They promised to look me up when they come back to town. I sure hope they do so I can see these beautiful girls grow up! Good luck with your new adventure.

{birthday celebration}

2009-11-08T21:23:00.006-06:00

I met "H" and her parents for a session at the beautiful Minneapolis Sculpture Gardens. They were married in the garden of the last picture. The session is extra special when there is a connection to the location. Can you guess how old she is? Happy Birthday H!

{beach in november}

2009-11-08T20:28:00.011-06:00

After the crazy October weather, we had a stunning weekend of WARM weather. It worked out perfectly for a visit to the beach with the "E" family. They share this beach with their neighbors. What a fantastic way to spend your days. There are so many places to explore and I am sure so many memories have been made here.

{T&B engaged}

2009-10-31T20:35:00.007-05:00

They met through mutual friends and were taken with each other. So it was good that they attended college close together when they started dating. Now, they are planning for the next chapter in their life. Congrats T&B! Thank you for indulging me with the leaf fight! It was a fun way to end the session!

{bff}

2009-10-25T20:07:00.003-05:00

"B" has been at my side through thick and thin. I met her in junior high and we have grown up together. "S" came along in high school and can always be counted on for a drink and a smile. Their oldest was home from college and we took some time to capture a few images of the family. College! How time flies!

{neighboorhood session}

2009-10-25T18:15:00.009-05:00

Mom requested an indoor session in their home. I do not do much indoor work especially with moving subjects! We compromised and did some indoor and then went outdoors and walked the neighborhood. Little "D" lead our way with his adorable squeaky sneakers.

{vintage truck}

2009-10-25T17:31:00.006-05:00

How cool is this vintage truck that "Z" drove to his senior session! It is special to this family and I was thrilled to have it included. I loved the colors and contrast in this session and the truck fit in so perfectly with everything.

{almost 4}

2009-10-25T16:35:00.007-05:00

"C" brought his family and cousin to his almost 4 photos. It was again a chilly morning but better than weekends past. The setting is a park in a beautiful small town along the St. Criox River. It was awesome to see some color left in the park!

{more of b}

2009-10-22T18:21:00.004-05:00

I promised more of "B" in my sneak peek post. "B" have a fabulous senior year!

{apples}

2009-10-22T17:36:00.006-05:00

Our weather had been crazy and this morning was still a little chilly. It was nice to go indoors and take in all of the goodies. The apple orchard is such a fun family tradition!

{baby girl}

2009-10-12T23:45:00.003-05:00

I had just come home from a session and thought I would get a few photos of my pups. This photo just cracks me. This is my baby girl Sidney. My other pup, Guster, was no where to be found. It is bad when even the dogs avoid me when I have the camera!

{simply sweet}

2009-10-12T23:31:00.004-05:00

I am editing this session tonight and can't resist posting just a few more.

{cool places}

2009-10-12T23:02:00.005-05:00

An extra benefit of being a photographer is exploring such cool places. Either at the shoot or scouting new locations it gets you out to enjoy our beautiful surroundings. On the way to our second site I saw this field of almost white grass. It was so cool! Senior "B" was nice enough to stop for a few photos at this location. The other locations were pretty cool too!

{glimpse of fall}

2009-10-12T22:19:00.005-05:00

After the snow, this location still had a glimpse of Fall. The leaves fell in an area that the snow had not touched. They were so vivid next to the dark bank of the Falls. This was a perfect setting for this fabulous family photo.

{simply cold}

2009-10-12T21:37:00.006-05:00

What the heck happened to Fall!? The "K" family braved the elements for our session. The reading when I left was 30 but feels like 15. Between breaks in the car I did get a few shots. The park was gorgeous and empty (imagine that!). It sits on top of a hill overlooking the St. Croix River. It was a sight to see such colorful leaves falling on the snow!

{light snow}

2009-10-12T11:22:00.002-05:00

The forecast today is for "light snow". See if you agree.

{sneak peek}

2009-09-29T21:00:00.003-05:00

Just a few tonight...more to come later....

{the winds of change}

2009-09-28T18:11:00.005-05:00

We had every lighting situation during this session! We started with a bit of sun and only 45 minutes later we had rain! The rain disappeared on the way to the second location but the wind picked up and you could feel the fall in the air! I think the temp dropped about 20 degrees between the start and the end of the session. Mom came prepared with some fun jackets and hats!

{where do I start?!}

2009-09-27T22:31:00.003-05:00

Only with a few tonight but many more to come from this fabulous session with the "V" family!

{dahlias}

2009-09-21T20:39:00.005-05:00

I wish I had been a few weeks earlier to photograph these wonders! They are breathtaking! The flowers are all different and very intricate.

{beautiful morning}

2009-09-20T20:06:00.005-05:00

It was such a gorgeous September weekend! It was actually hot at the end of the session. For being so nice there was no one around the park. That made for a beautiful back drop for this fun family session. LOVE the tall grass.

{this family rocked, part 2}

2009-09-16T23:14:00.003-05:00

I just finished editing this session tonight and it was so fun I thought I would share a few more!

{fascination}

2009-09-16T21:12:00.006-05:00

There are so many distractions when you are 1! "E" was fascinated by the fountain and then by the sand on the paths. It is hard to compete with that! I was fascinated by her shoes. Check out the peek toe!

{"N" Class of 2010}

2009-09-14T21:37:00.003-05:00

It was a little early for senior "N". There were a few yawns during the session! Hopefully it was the early hour and not me! Maybe it was his Mom and I talking about granite counter tops. I am sure that would put any teenager to sleep!

{just "N"}

2009-09-08T21:22:00.004-05:00

I had a family session with "N" a few weeks back but I felt like I did not get that great image of just him. Check out the eyelashes on the boy! Why is it that the boys always get the long beautiful lashes?!

{the city, part 2}

2009-09-02T21:45:00.004-05:00

Another beautiful and peaceful night along the Mississippi River (yes I was spelling it in my head). I drive by this location every day and I have not taken the time to appreciate the beauty of the city. I was able to spend some time admiring it before my session with senior "B". His Grandpa frequently walks the river with the family dog "C", featured in our shoot today! "B" I hope you get to the other big city. Good luck!

{the city, part 1}

2009-09-02T21:00:00.003-05:00

No...not the spin off of the hills. This city is even better! Less traffic, more space and home to high school senior "A".

{j&b engaged}

2009-09-02T11:18:00.005-05:00

I was thrilled when "J" &"B" agreed to a session in our historic city of Stillwater. It was great because they actually met there while working at a popular local bar. It makes it extra special when there is a connection to the location. Congratulations and good luck with your planning!

{this family rocked}

2009-09-02T10:47:00.003-05:00

This family was laid back and full of smiles! Thanks "A" family for a fun session.

{natural}

2009-08-30T21:32:00.003-05:00

I have photographed "K" a few times and she is definitely a natural in front of the camera!

{historic park}

2009-08-30T21:17:00.004-05:00

Mom and Dad were married in this beautiful park. The land around the park overlooks the Upper Landing of the Mississippi River. Some of the homes in the area are as old as 1850. Thanks "F" family for the fabulous new location!

{Blue Eyed Boy}

2009-08-26T20:46:00.004-05:00

Wow! What great eyes! You are a heart breaker baby "G".

{Future Photographer}

2009-08-24T21:31:00.003-05:00

How cute is baby "T" with his new camera! His first image is a self portrait.

{Class of 2010}

2009-08-20T20:23:00.005-05:00

What an exciting time in your life! Good luck "S".

{game on G}

2009-08-17T21:46:00.004-05:00

I got the camera out, he ran. Tried to distract him, he still knew it was there. Ran some more. I will eventually win! I went easy on him since it was his birthday. The rest of his family was nice enough not to run. Am I that scary?!

{long overdue}

2009-08-15T21:06:00.004-05:00

I had really good intentions to get this post done before I left on vacation! You know how that is? Here are cousins "G" and "L". It seems like I just photographed baby "G" as a brand new baby. Where does the time go?!

{before it got really hot}

2009-08-15T11:49:00.008-05:00

It was early enough before it got really hot but I think we all needed showers or a dip in the lake after this one! Both "N"s mom and I used to hang out at this location when we were in high school. Today the park was quiet and peaceful. Definitely not what I remember from high school!

{time away}

2009-08-14T22:51:00.005-05:00

My boys and I and my beautiful niece "N" spent some time away last week. I miss the ocean already! My only regret is not taking more pictures. I am sure my boys would disagree!

{round two}

2009-08-14T22:24:00.004-05:00

Our first session had some yucky (yes this is a technical term) light and I had to use my flash for most of the images. Although the images were cute I was really disappointed with the lighting. "M" was brave enough to bring her three boys back for round two! Thanks...it was so worth it! Check out the beautiful light!

{butterflies}

2009-08-14T22:00:00.003-05:00

and I had them in my stomach too! I am working on getting sharp images and the morning was calm and sunny so I decided to go out and shoot some flowers for practice. I went to a usual location and not finding anything exciting decided to scout another location. The flowers were beautiful! Then I saw the butterflies (ok....and a snake too, twice)! I even went home to get a different lens. It was well worth the trip!

{spring wedding}

2009-07-25T13:06:00.003-05:00

Here are some images from a spring wedding. The trees and flowers were just beginning to bloom. I wish that lasted longer than it does!

{park fun}

2009-07-20T21:03:00.004-05:00

It was great to meet "K" and "A" at the park and have some fun. They were some of my first clients and it is awesome to be able to photograph them each year. Happy Birthday "K"!

{love}

2009-07-19T21:16:00.005-05:00

This family came from across the US to be together. You could just feel the love and support. It was such a pleasure to be part of their day!

{treasures from spain}

2009-07-07T18:18:00.005-05:00

Grandma and Grandpa recently traveled to Spain and brought back some fabulous outfits for the grand kids. It was a great reason to get the family together for a few hours in the park. Thank you for inviting me to come along!

{photographers paradise}

2009-07-05T22:02:00.006-05:00

Next to people, my favorite subject to photograph is flowers. I spent some time after a session tonight on the grounds near the Como Park Conservatory. These photos are just from the outside, I did not even go in! I absolutely love this picture of the Conservatory! This area reminds me of my Grandmother. Every year we had her company picnic on the grounds and I have so many happy memories. The post is long! I just could not pick.

{last click}

2009-07-04T08:16:00.007-05:00

We were all wondering if this session was meant to be. You can't tell from the pictures but this place (the beautiful Como Park Conservatory) was crazy with people! We lost each other a few times! I rarely if ever feel stress during sessions but I know that the parents can get stressed because they want the session to go well. At the end of it all, the last click, one of my favorite images of the day...Mom and Baby "S".

{watching him grow}

2009-07-04T07:53:00.008-05:00

It is so fun to be able to watch kids grow. I photographed baby "T" as an infant and now he is already 1. **sigh** As with most 1 year olds, he was too busy to stay in one place for too long! His sister "K" came along to help and I could not help getting a few of her too!

{a few favorites}

2009-06-28T19:45:00.002-05:00

I don't always post my favorites from a session so the parents can be surprised when they get their final gallery of images. Here are a few of my favorites from a recent session.

{Almost 1}

2009-06-28T13:14:00.006-05:00

Little beauty "N" is almost 1. We had a great but very windy session this morning!

{outtake}

2009-06-16T20:04:00.002-05:00

Baseball was canceled tonight due to the rain so it has given me some time to work on editing a session that is a surprise for Father's Day. I could not resist posting this outtake! I hope it makes Mom smile too.

{diamonds}

2009-06-16T19:02:00.003-05:00

I have noticed this before but have never taken the time to go back and photograph it. After a rain this patch of lilies appear to have diamonds on their leaves. I found it fascinating but I am sure my neighbors thought I was odd! Plus a few more treasures from Spring.

{rain break}

2009-06-12T08:39:00.006-05:00

We had rain and overcast for almost a week straight. Yesterday the sun broke through and I had fun with session with "L", "G" and "H". Just in time as it is a surprise for Dad for Father's Day.

{she is loved}

2009-06-08T21:26:00.002-05:00

I posted a sneak peek of "MJ" a few weeks back. I finished editing the session with her family yesterday and could not help posting a few more images.

{K&S}

2009-06-08T18:33:00.008-05:00

I feel very honored to spend such a special day with a couple!
The wedding party got ready in the part of the church that is normally the preschool. We asked "S" to write a message to his bride. It was so sweet!

{so proud}

2009-06-06T10:32:00.004-05:00

I still call him "Bug" even though he will be sophomore in high school! He is the last 9th grade class to graduate from his middle school. Next year, he is off to a brand new high school. I am so very proud of you! Take advantage of every opportunity and experience. Love you!

{my boy}

2009-05-25T20:09:00.004-05:00

It is always difficult to photograph your own children! I insisted on a few photos of my boy before he got braces last week. He picked his baseball team color for the bands. He loved the extreme close-up!

{a special visit}

2009-05-25T19:49:00.003-05:00

What a nice way to spend the morning! "MJ's" Grandparents were in town from LA and Dad arranged for a session with the extended family. Thanks for getting me to the other side of the river and showing me the beautiful park!

{weekend wonderful}

2009-05-25T19:42:00.003-05:00

The weather this weekend was amazing! Perfect temp and lots of sun. Beautiful "S" brought lots of smiles to the session. It may have been the chocolate ice cream treat she enjoyed with her parents after the session. What a great ending to a wonderful day!

{beautiful day}

2009-05-18T19:37:00.002-05:00

The day started out sunny but very windy. It was amazing right around the session time the wind died down and the weather was perfect for this session in the park!

{simply stunning}

2009-05-13T22:40:00.002-05:00

There is just nothing more to say.

{on a roll}

2009-05-13T21:05:00.002-05:00

I have had the opportunity to photograph such great families recently! This little one looked like a doll.

{my mission}

2009-05-13T21:01:00.002-05:00

My mission is to get a HUGE smile from baby "T". As some point he just has to give in!

{finally spring}

2009-05-13T20:42:00.002-05:00

We finally have some warm weather and can get outside and enjoy it! I had a fun session with these brothers and their baby sister.

{a rare day}

2009-04-27T22:23:00.003-05:00

The beautiful girls were in a wedding on St. Patrick's Day. It was a rare March day here in Minnesota with temps in the 60s and I was thrilled to be able to get some outdoor shots.

{the thaw}

2009-04-22T20:46:00.004-05:00

We are finally seeing signs of Spring! I had a beautiful day for this session with three-year-old twins. Look at the post from October to see how much they have changed in such a short period of time.

{where does the time go?}

2009-03-04T19:43:00.003-06:00

Here is little "T" just a few months ago and look at him now!

{winter}

2008-12-09T18:37:00.005-06:00

Ahhh...winter in Minnesota. Since almost 100% of my sessions are outdoors, the snow and cold really slow things down. We tried and tried to get this session in before the snow but it just did not happen. The only good thing about the weather is that it was perfect for the adorable sweater dress and boots worn by adorable "S"!

{a boy & his dogs}

2008-10-28T21:09:00.004-05:00

"D" arrived to the session with two furry friends. Well...one was more furry than the other.

{sisters}

2008-10-28T21:07:00.004-05:00

I love the focus and the light in this photo of sisters "E" & "C".

{mmm.....}

2008-10-28T20:38:00.005-05:00

I met "M" and "M" last fall and I was thrilled when they came back again this year! They also had a surprise. A new brother, "M".

{finally.......a sunny day}

2008-10-17T19:35:00.004-05:00

After a soggy weekend, finally a sunny day! These are the kind of days that make winters in Minnesota worth it! "E" brought her new sister "S" for the session. I kept getting their names mixed up. That is a sure sign that I becoming my mother!

{2X2}

2008-10-17T15:46:00.004-05:00

Two-year-old twins "G" and "E". Double the energy, double the fun!