Northfield, MN Wedding Photographer | Rob and Felicia

Since it's so cold today in Minnesota we thought we'd take a look at a wedding that's sure to warm you from the inside out. Rob's and Felicia's rustic nuptials at the Red Barn Farm of Northfield (www.redbarnfarmofnorthfield.com) were special for so many reasons.

We love the way the bride and groom made family the focus for the entire day, right down to couple's children rounding out the roster for the bridal party, and providing readings during the ceremony. A portrait gallery of the kids was also installed inside the main barn.

The country and harvest theme was tastefully applied throughout the site without the treatment becoming too romanticized or corny. And the vintage details were a real treat.

Best of all, the day truly celebrated what the event was all about — bringing together two families. Sure, the wood-fired pizzas made with ingredients grown on the farm, and perfectly sweetened lemonade with fresh mint were fantastic, but the love Rob and Felicia have for each other and their children took center stage.

To view more wedding pictures from this event, visit our Facebook gallery.

Montgomery, MN Engagement Photographer | Matt and Lori

I first met Lori while she was being set up for a proposal and I was in on the scheme put in motion by her then-soon-to-be fiancé Matt. (See more photos from the event HERE). With Lori being such a good sport about the surprise, I knew working with the couple on engagement photos was going to be a breeze.

However, when Matt and Lori first suggested we use the Montgomery Orchard (www.montgomeryorchard.com) as the location for their engagement photos I was a bit taken aback. After all, they don't have too many ties to the area. But I figured we'd have some great opportunities to photograph in the groves of trees ripe for the picking, and that it would make for an easy theme for the fall photo session.

What I completely forgot was that the orchard's six-acre, Be-A-Mazed Corn Maze was also groomed and available to challenge all those who enter — including engagement photographers! Always up for adventure, Matt and Lori suggested we go for it. The eight-to-12-foot stalks would make for a good wind break and hopefully warm them up a bit from the chilly autumn air.

I'm used to working on the spot, and having to make do with whatever conditions are thrown my way, but I have to admit, I was a bit worried about photographing a couple in such difficult surroundings. There's not much space for me to distance myself from the couple, the corn made tough lighting conditions, and honestly, it seemed as though there weren't too many options for compositions to make when you're surrounded by wall-to-wall corn!

Thank goodness for happy accidents, because I ended up being quite pleased with the results. Oh, and the maze is by no means simple. Be sure to stop by fall 2012 if you're up for the challenge.

Eagan, MN Family Photographer | The Christophers

When the Christopher family first contacted me they had a dilemma: with triplets, they were often approached by photographers seeking to photograph their adorable toddlers, but they were never too pleased with the "cutesy," posed shots. They had seen my work and wanted me to try a different approach, one that wasn't so contrived.

I knew the perfect alternative was to call upon my background as a photojournalist and simply capture the entire family playing together. And, rather than focus on the triplets as a unit, observe and photograph their individual personalities.

For the Christopher family photo session, we simply used the family's Eagan, MN property as the setting, allowing the children to feel more comfortable than working in front of foreign backdrops and unsettling studio lighting. At home, the children were able to romp in the leaves, start some new family traditions and even get some chores done in the process. Oh, and we were able to create some beautiful family pictures, too!

Thank you so much, Christopher family, for allowing me to document this wonderful fall memory for you!

Minneapolis/St. Paul Cyber Monday photography event

Reserve your "Let it Snow" mini photo session today!

Your stomach is full from Thanksgiving dinner and your patience is wearing thin after tangling with competitive buyers over the weekend - sit back, relax and let the simple shopping begin.

Anthologie announces a special event to cure your retail woes. Our annual "Let It Snow" photo collection now comes in a smaller package. And on top of avoiding the massive department store lines this holiday season, our "Let It Snow" mini session provides professional and creative photography with valuable extras the big box stores simply can't match.

All of our photography collections include an image disc of all of the best pictures created during your session (not just a handful), and you can actually make high-quality prints from the files (not low-resolution, web-ready files). We work on location for a truly unique photo session and provide custom edits of your pictures. In addition, we work with you to create a fun and memorable experience catered to your family's specific needs. Best of all, for the insanely busy holiday shoppers, you can order reprints directly from Anthologie via your online proofing gallery, and have us send your cherished pictures to the front door of your family and friends!

Included in the "Let It Snow" Mini Photo Session:

• 30 minutes of custom photography at an outdoor location of your choosing

• edits and enhancements of your best pictures (typically about 50 total images)

• online proofing gallery posted for 30 days

• image disc with copyrights to reproduce your photos up to 4x6 inches

• web-ready image files with studio watermarks removed for convenient online sharing

Total Collection: $100

* CYBER MONDAY ONLY! Reserve your session by 11:59 p.m. today and receive a bonus file of your favorite (1) image as a high-resolution file capable of making prints up to 8x10 inches when you want, wherever you want!

Mini sessions must be completed by Friday, Dec. 16, 2011

Contact us to reserve your session today!

Elko New Market pet photography | Rebecca and Zoe

Running around campus, playing in the leaves, visiting a park and exploring new places — it sure made for an exciting photo session. Oh, and the dog had fun, too : )

Zoe and Rebecca chose a perfect autumn day for their Fall Colors photo session. Photographing a tireless canine is in many ways like photographing children, though sometimes it's difficult to say who's better behaved.

I loved working with Rebecca and Zoe, because it put me in my comfort zone, photographing moments as they happen rather than posing, because, try as you might, a puppy just won't sit still for too long! Instead, we just let Zoe do her thing and created some semi-formal groupings along the way. The rest of the time Zoe was just busy meeting new friends at the Dundas, MN dog park, or surveying the landscape near Big Woods State Park near Nerstrand, MN.

Thanks, Rebecca and Zoe, for choosing me to photograph your fall trip to the park! I had a wonderful time photographing at so many locations in the Northfield area. If we didn't have such a good time — and loose track of time — I wouldn't have been able to see this golden pastoral scene (below) as the autumn sun set.