Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Photography Tips For Capturing Your Family's Holiday Celebration


Can you believe that Christmas is just days away? I can't wait to celebrate with my family and I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday!   This time of year gives us so many great opportunities to capture precious memories in photos. As Christmas morning quickly approaches, I've put together a few tips for capturing your own family celebration this year:

1. Get that camera ready!   Make sure your camera battery is fully charged and put in a fresh memory card.  If you like to take video clips along with your photos (as I do!) have an extra card on hand since videos can take up a lot of space. Once your camera is ready, put it in a place where it's easy to grab. 

2. Capture the excitement.  Some of my favorite holiday photos are those that capture true expressions. Whether it's the excitement of everyone opening gifts, or the focused attention while decorating cookies, or grandma's laughter while playing with the grandkids…these are priceless shots! Try to capture real emotions as they unfold, and then afterwards ask your subject to look at you for a posed shot.  Take lots of candid photos, and get in close to your subject. 

3. Don't forget the details. There are so many beautiful details to photograph during the holidays.  A special ornament,  a plate of cookies, presents wrapped under the tree, stockings hung by the chimney. These are so fun to look at years later and to remember all the small details of that favorite ornament or special gift.  Get in close for these shots and try to eliminate distractions in the background. 



4. Document family traditions.  In addition to Christmas Day, there really is a whole month of holiday events and traditions that make the season special.  Capture these family traditions like baking cookies, decorating the tree, or going to see a holiday play.   

5. Photograph mealtime memories. With all the preparation that goes into holiday meals, it's always nice to have a photo to remember who was there and what was made.  Snap a few shots in the kitchen of the meal prep and also the table setting. I always love to take a quick photo once everyone has gathered at the table. 

6. Have fun and get yourself in some photos.   If you're the person who is generally behind the camera, make sure to hand it off to someone else every once in a while and get yourself in some photos.  Even if being in photos is not your favorite thing, your family will love it! 

7. Make a photo book.  After you've captured all of these wonderful holiday memories, you might want to make an album or scrapbook.  Below is a photo of my Christmas scrapbook.  While I usually don't do much scrapbooking these days, I still always add a few pages to my Christmas book every year. 



I hope you try some of these tips as you capture memories and celebrate this year. Happy Holidays!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Nature Walk | Family Photos in White Bear Lake, MN

I love the beautiful light we have in the Fall when the sun peeks out from behind the clouds. It was just that kind of morning for my photo shoot with this adorable family. We took our time exploring the woods of Tamarack Nature Center and took some great photos along the way.

Thomas was eager to explore and climb on any tree stump or picnic table we encountered.

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Katherine was full of smiles and ready to show me her best poses!

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Katherine had a very minor tantrum along the way (let's just say it involved Twizzlers....) and she had such a cute pout going that I just had to sneak a picture.   A couple hugs from dad and she was all smiles again. :)

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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Fancy Frames | Holiday Photo Gifts

Fancy Frames 
Turn your favorite photo into fancy, fun art. 



  • Four shapes to choose from (Ornate, Bombay, Tuscan and Hampton) 
  • Four color choices (black, white, baby blue and pink) with distressed detailing. 
  • Sizes include 8×10 and 10×10 sizes 
  • Come ready to hang with print mounted on styrene and framed 
  • Lustre coating added to print for protection (glass not available with Fancy Frames) 
  • Use a photo from your session with me, or email me your own photo. (need not be a past client to order.)

  






Visit my website to purchase Fancy Frames and other holiday photo gifts. 





Friday, November 18, 2011

Baby Chloe | Minneapolis St. Paul Newborn Baby Photography

Just in time for the cold weather, I finally have my home studio set up and am ready for indoor sessions this winter! I have lots of pretty new backdrops that I'm excited to share with you over the next few months.
For my first session, I was so lucky to have a sweet new baby to photograph. Meet Baby Chloe! Chloe surprised everyone by arriving well before her expected due date. (I think she just wanted to be sure to arrive before Halloween so she didn't miss out on the fun!)  Chloe is just about a month old here and was so sweet and full of sleepy smiles.
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Friday, November 11, 2011

Sofia at Six Months | Minneapolis Children's Photography

Sofia recently turned 6 months old and we had such a nice fall day for her photo session with her mom and dad. Although Sofia wan't quite sure what to make of the crunchy leaves, the colors were at their peak and made for some beautiful photos! Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket

Friday, October 28, 2011

Meet Baby William | Minneapolis Newborn Photography

This little man was just the sweetest baby for his first portrait session. William was named after his grandpa who is a pilot, and his mom had the cutest little aviator hat for him to wear. It was such a nice fall day that we were able to sneak outside for a few outdoor shots too. Welcome Baby William!

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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Gorgeous and Glowing | Baby Bump Photography - Plymouth Maple Grove MN


My dear friend, Nikki, is expecting her first baby, a girl, in just a few short weeks! I was able to snap a few photos after her baby shower last weekend and wanted to share a few of my favorites with you. As you can see, she is gorgeous and glowing and all belly! Nikki and Ron, I can't wait to meet your baby girl in just a few weeks!
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p.s. For those of you who know Nikki, you will appreciate the fact that she's still wearing her high heels in month 8 of her pregnancy! :)

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

What to Wear Wednesday - Fall Edition! | Minneapolis St. Paul Family Photography

For today's What to Wear Wednesday, I have a real life example from last weekend's mini-sessions! This adorable family came dressed in matching red shirts and jeans and I loved how the colors popped against the backdrop of fall leaves.  This is a great look for a fall session or for a holiday card photo. So cute!

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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Custom Designed Holiday Cards | Minneapolis, MN Photography

Tonight I'm unveiling my new Photo Card Designs for the 2011 Holiday Season! Head on over to my website to view the designs, and to imagine your photos beautifully showcased in these unique cards. There are 17 designs at the moment, with plans to add a few more. Be sure to leave a comment and let me know which are your favorites!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Using Props in your Photo Session | Minneapolis St. Paul Photographer

You've scheduled your photo session, found the perfect outfit and your new haircut looks fantastic. What else could you possibly do to make your photos even more amazing? Props!
Props can add a personal touch to your photographs by incorporating items that are special to you or that show off your individual style. They can give your portraits a certain look and make them really unique.     (And in shots with children, props can work wonders in keeping the attention of a squirrelly toddler!)
Some ideas:
--Umbrellas
--Balloons
--Signs
--Pets
--Bubbles
--Hats
--Chairs

See below for some examples, and contact me for a list of props that I have available for your next session!

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Monday, September 26, 2011

Jenna | High School Senior Photography, Plymouth, MN

Meet Jenna, class of 2012. We had a great time during her session with lots of clothing changes, an awesome location and beautiful day. I had a hard time choosing which to post here because we got so many amazing photos! 

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