Jordan, MN Engagement Photography | Ben and Deven

How sweet it is

While visiting Emma Krumbee's Apple Orchard with my family I stumbled upon a beautiful, vintage-looking sign for a soda shop and ice cream parlor that stopped me in my tracks. In an instant I knew I'd have to plead my case with Ben and Deven to switch locations for their upcoming engagement photo session.

The couple and I had made plans to set their pictures against a backdrop closer to where they first met and dated. Since many Anthologie clients choose to put their photos and/or stories into one of our Signature Books I do my best to work with the couples to incorporate locations that will visually enhance their story, or simply be more meaningful to the bride and groom. This time, however, I knew I'd found the perfect location that wasn't tied to the couple's history, but would add a little flair and context to their story.

I learned during our initial meeting that Ben and Deven had a fun dating tradition when they first met. Since they both were working long hours and multiple jobs, they scarcely had time for any formal dates. Instead, they had micro dates in between shifts. The scene was about as pedestrian as possible. They'd simply meet up in a parking lot and share a soda pop before they'd have to head off to their next job, and the "sodie-date" was born.

I had a blast playing up on this tradition. We even found another location just up the freeway at Jim's Apple Farm in Jordan, MN, which boasts to be Minnesota's largest candy store. I can't add any authority to the validity of these claims, but I can say their friendly staff, quality food selection and amazing supply of hard-to-find candies made this stop completely worth the drive, and it only added to the images we were able to create. We also had a great time munching on Cajun cheese curds between photos. Oh, and did I mention they have walls and walls of bottled soda?

Best of all, these accents allowed Ben and Deven to have a bit of fun and simply be themselves for their photo session. I think it shows. What do you think? Please comment or share using the links below. Thanks for viewing!

St. Paul Engagement Photography | Glendon and Jenna

Nothing warms you up on a freezing-cold Minnesota day like a cup of hot cocoa, a few laps around the ice rink — and maybe snuggling up with your fiancé. Watching Jenna and Glendon forget all about the frigid air made it easy for the frames on my camera to keep going as we created their engagement photos in downtown St. Paul this winter.

Glendon referees college hockey games and Jenna is a lifelong figure skater, so visiting the Winter Skate in Rice Park was a natural fit for the couple's engagement session. Though they've been together for years this was actually the first time Jenna and Glendon laced up their skates together. I'm so thankful I was able to be there to capture those special moments. It's plain for anyone to see just how much fun they were having together.

My favorite part of this photo session is how quickly Glendon and Jenna were able to lose sight of the guy behind the camera and just focus on each other. What do you like best? Please comment or share using the links below. Thanks for viewing!

To see more photos from this winter engagement photo session, click HERE.

Minneapolis baby photographer | Linnea Turns One

A whole new definition of "time flies ..."

As a parent myself, I know how important it is to capture each little change in your child's early development. It seems one day they're smiling with a big gummy grin, and the next they're boasting molars and speaking in sentences. I try to take this into account whenever I'm working with clients documenting the first year in their child's life. When baby Linnea's first birthday came around her parents knew they wanted to remember all the little faces she was making at the time.

Since we had had the opportunity to work on more documentary style photos in the months past, including a visit to Linnea's neighborhood park and a pumpkin patch, we all decided doing some more traditional portraiture might be a nice change of pace. I suggested we keep things as simple as possible, right down to Linnea's white dress and a white background so that the pictures would focus more on each little expression she makes. We also chose to have a few of her favorite toys along to help remind mom and dad later of just who Linnea was as she marked her first year.

What's crazy is how some times we don't even notices the subtle changes to our little ones when they're right in front of us. It can take slowing down and seeing these slices of time — mere fractions of a second — to realize a family resemblance or a personality trait that's been passed down from one generation to the next.

These photos represent a departure from what you're used to seeing with Anthologie. I'd love to know what you think, so please comment or share using the handy links below. Thank you so much for viewing!

Related: See pictures from Lisa's maternity session, just days before Linnea arrived to this world.

Do you know someone expecting a baby? Anthologie specializes in documenting the first year through photojournalism and archival books. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you to remember this amazing time always!

Northfield, MN family holiday photographer

Traditions resonate close to home

I'm often asked what makes my approach to family photography different from most photography studios. The answer is simple: I don't do a lot of posing. Our photo sessions can be catered to any client's needs, but I typically spend about 20 percent of the time (at most) assembling groups and 80 percent of the time simply letting the family be themselves. This style was a perfect match for the Shank family as they prepared to say goodbye to their Northfield, MN home.

With the grown children scattered across the country and career opportunities taking them elsewhere, mom and dad decided it was time to move and downsize from their spacious home. But before they did, they wanted to have one last big family Christmas celebration under one roof. So, four generations of Shanks came together to do what they do best: celebrate family, food and the arts.

After a quick set up of posed large group photos indoors, we moved outside to capture the family in front of their home, an homage to this place where they had made so many wonderful memories (You'd be surprised how many folks don't have nice pictures of their family and their home together). After that, the family was free to carry on their holiday traditions, including reminiscing of years past, playing music, cooking and decorating. During this time I worked like a fly on the wall to create photos of the family being as natural as possible.

I was honored to, in some ways, be a part of such a special time for this family. Though I didn't have a lot of time to get to know them first I think I was still able to build a rapport with the family that pays dividends in the images. I think they look comfortable and happy. What do you think? Please comment on or share this post if you like what you see. And if you have your own family tradition you'd like to preserve, contact us today!

Thanks for viewing!

Minneapolis Family Christmas Photographer

There's no place like home for the holidays.

With my documentary approach to often doing long-term projects with photography, many of my clients become friends and feel like family. This year, the tables turned and I was able to photograph my longest-standing friend. Jon and I have been best friends since we were 3 years old! After being separated by contenants for a few years, it's been great to once again be living close together and watch as our families develop in synch. (We both have sons relatively the same age apart as Jon and myself).

Recently, Jon and his family purchased a new home and celebrated by trimming their first real Christmas tree. I'm sure his son will always remember that smell of Frasier Fir each time the holidays return. I love to capture these honest moments of the family in the midst of an unstaged event. Sure, eventually we put some semi-posed pictures together for their Christmas cards and the like, but most of the session was devoted to letting the family be themselves as they placed each ornament on the tree, practiced on the toy piano or played with their new puppy.

Please "like" this post on Facebook if you'd like to sit back and relax as I photograph your family during the holidays.

Thanks so much for viewing!