Wow, what a month! Let's take a step back.

As of tomorrow, March has come and gone already!!

I've been busy with editing these days, but I promise I will start to update more come the end of April! I am so thankful that I finally have the time I need to get some things done (now that a lot of the business stuff is being taken care of and figured out!). I feel that I'm still trying to recover from my first full year in business. I have learned so much, and I can't wait to use what I've learned.

I also hope to hang out with my husband, who I have hardly had time to see in the past two months. He has been incredible though. One example was that when I got back from the convention last week, I came home to a completely clean house-- AND all of my laundry was done. We do our laundry separately (not a big deal--but maybe different than most couples?) so it was SO amazing of him to take on that huge load! (And I do mean HUGE load... I hadn't been able to do laundry for well over a month. God bless Aaron!!!).

Some really great news-- a friend and fellow photographer, Erin, is getting married this weekend. I am SO looking forward to shooting her wedding! Erin also works for First Day Photo, where I worked for two years. I'll be covering a few days there this week since Erin is off for obvious reasons!:)

Now that laundry is caught up, I have no excuse but to catch up on sharing photos with you as well! I will attempt 2 posts per week at least.
Samantha and Andrew's wedding, September 2007 (absolutely gorgeous day):


Steph used the 70-200 from the back of the church (we love that lens!!) to get this shot. So pretty (This is also my church!)



Some 'tude before the reception!



(Steph used the 70-200 for this one too-- GORGEOUS fall colors that day, and gorgeous shot, Steph!:-D)


End of the first dance. Steph and an incredible angle on this one (not to mention rockin composition)! You never know which way a groom is going to dip!--Thank you to Sam and Andrew for dipping this way! haha! :-D


Andrew (and person who belongs to that hand) enjoying the dance:

Andrew and me!

Samantha and her dad, Greg--who was my 4th grade Sunday School teacher:)

Excited to be brother-in-laws!

I'm back!

Hey everyone! I'm back from WPPI! I'll try to update you a bit later this week with photos because I have some work to do in the next couple of days. Basically, it was an awesome experience. Also, Steph and I spent our last day (Thursday) hiking in the desert with my aunt (who lives in Vegas) and then 12 hours later, we were back in the blizzards of Minnesota. Talk about a change! (And not a very welcome change, at that!)

I hope you all had a great Easter. Aaron and I went to church, then had brunch at my parents' house, and then headed over to Aaron's parents' house for supper. It was a very good eating day, as well as a good day for reflecting.

My friend Dan played Jesus for their church production. It was a pretty big deal and Dan did a great job, from what I hear, and I feel badly that I missed it because I was out of town. Here are a few amazing photos Kinsey Anderson took of "The Thorn" production.






Thanks, Kinsey, for allowing me to share those photos!

Dan is one of my best friends and is dating one of my best friends, Sarah--she and I have been friends since 2nd grade-- We were in orchestra and track, went through many years of tennis together and were captains our senior year, we went through middle school, high school, and college together--which is where we got even closer. She was also my maid of honor. Aaron and I hang out with Sarah and Dan whenever we get the chance(I suppose that is true with all of our friends, ha:)). Sarah and I have our own date on Saturday. We're going to see the Minnesota Orchestra play some Rachmaninoff. Sarah called me from a silent auction asking if she should bid on the tickets because she knows Rachmaninoff is my fave. Call me an orch dork, but I am thrilled.

VEGAS!

I've been looking forward to this trip for 6 months!

Steph and I will be in Vegas for the week, attending WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International)!

I have an incredibly packed itinerary, and I'm not really sure if I'll be able to sleep tonight because I'm so nervous and excited! I'll be doing some shooting, meeting lots of other photographers, filling my brain with all sorts of information, and visiting the trade show to see what types of products or equipment I might be interested in using. I've heard only good things about WPPI... And it's in Vegas, which means WARM WEATHER! I heard it's suppose to snow here in MN on Monday. Isn't THAT too bad! :)

I'll be volunteering at the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep booth on Sunday morning for a couple hours, and then also for 45 minute chunks on Tuesday and Wednesday morning as well.

On Thursday, Steph and I will be meeting up with my aunt Judy who lives in Vegas and are hoping to go hiking in the Red Rock Canyon! I don't get to see her much, so I'm thrilled!

I am really going to miss my husband. Other than the semester I studied abroad, this will be the longest time I've been away from him! (I know, boo hoo, right?).
But we'll be headed to Vegas together in April when HE has a convention out there. Vegas 2 times in a month? That's nuts.

I'll update you when I get back, of course!!


My website is still under construction-- I had hoped it would be finished by now, but it will have to wait until I get back! I am SO EXCITED, because Nancy Harms has agreed to let me use her music on my site!

A photo that is "Facebook Profile Worthy!"

What is a photo that is Profile Worthy? I'll tell you what isn't! Small photos, or photos of you from a distance.. photos of your cat... photos of your favorite movie character. It's gotta be big enough so we can see your beautiful mug... and a photo in which your mug looks beautiful!(OR, of you making a funny face!)... Profile worthy photos might also include a photo of you doing something crazy or fun...or doing something that shows who you are... Perhaps you are an artistic person-- You may have an abstract photo of yourself, but somehow, it still shows you, and who you are! But we must see your face! In my opinion, it's ok to switch it up as often as you'd like---there are many sides to the beautiful you. If you feel like showin off your new puppy for a while, cool! But don't keep that photo up for a month... YOU are who people are friends with on Facebook! Not your puppy, silly people. THAT is what Facebook Albums are for! They're awesome. Show off your new puppy there! I happen to have 42 albums at the moment. Why? I kind of like photos...FYI, I also enjoy commenting on everyone's facebook photos as well. (Who doesn't enjoy getting comments on their photos?)

A friend of mine whom I went to Europe with put up a photo of herself for her facebook profile that I took while we were in Europe (which is where I fell in love with the creative aspect of digital photography!). She put the photo up, and I had 3 minutes to spare that i wanted to use making it more Profile Worthy! I wanted people to be able to see her pretty face! Of course I wanted the photo to look good too... but another rule, in my opinion, is that the photo doesn't necessarily have to be a great photo... again, it just has to be of YOU!

Because I COULD make the photo more Profile Worthy, I did! :)
I thought it was fun, and Paula loved it.... I mean, she looks completely adorable.

Before (perhaps semi-profile worthy!.. This is straight out of my point and shoot on the black and white setting)....


After (profile worthy!).....


(Bre, please don't be mad that I cut you out! Dave, don't be mad I blurred you out! I still have the original photo in my Europe album! haha! )


Don't have a profile worthy pic? Go get one up right now! If you don't know how to edit photos, don't worry! You don't need to take it as far as I did-- Just make sure the photo of you shows your face! That's why they call it FACEbook, no??;)(And it can have other people in too, of course!)


What's funny about Facebook photos... Everywhere I go, I hear people talking about it. I think it's hilarious when people take a photo, look at it right away on their digital camera and all exclaim in excitement, "New profile pic!" Because I do that, and I have friends who do it all the time, too! Haha!


Not related...Good news-- my headache is GONE! I had a weird crack in my head/neck... it was very small, but felt very good.. and my headache was gone! YAY! My back is still killing me (What the heck! I'm 24 years-old, not 90!). It definitely has to do with my desk set up and the way I sit. Some fellow photographer friends have helped me out in finding many ways to help prevent these types of headaches and backaches from happening! I'll be on a plane to Vegas for the WPPI Convention, and I couldn't be more excited (and anxious, really!). The one thing I'm not excited about... sitting on a plan for 3 1/2 hours with this back situation! I'm going to try Advil and those heat patches you stick on yourself... We'll see if that helps!

Hope everyone has had a good week!

Me, doin' what I do!

I wanted to share this photo of me, taken by the fabulous Matthew Kemmetmueller! He invited me along on one of his Day After shoots a couple weeks ago. Lacey and Matt were a ton of fun to work with and were up for basically whatever we wanted them to do! Of course asking these two (who tied the knot only 24 hours earlier!) to kiss was not too ridiculous of a request!
Congrats, again, to you two!



I think it's a sweet photo! I giggled when I saw it because my legs look cartoonishly tiny! hehe! (Fish-eye lens = awesome.)

Tonight I went to my first business coaching session. I met the group I will meet with for 7 sessions over 14 weeks. I made the investment in coaching because I believe in my business and my goals, and I want to make it the best it can be-- for me, AND for my clients! Think of it as a swing coach for my golf game;) I really can't express how excited I am for this year as a whole, for all the new people and clients I'll be meeting, and to grow as a business and personally!

Meanwhile, I've been battling a headache for a week. Started with a migraine on Wednesday, and decreased to a plain old bothersome headache Thursday until today! After some looking into it and advice from fellow photographer friends, I think a trip to the chiropractor might be in order. I sit at my desk a LOT editing and emailing. It also doesn't help that I have poor posture(I'm a Slouchy McGee!):


...and am out of shape. I'll be doing what I can to get rid of this current headache and to decrease the probability of getting more like this! As many people know, headaches and migraines are pretty much no fun!


I got the photo of the back from a free clip art site... I saw this randomly on the site and I thought I would share it with you.
Basically, I think it's funny...


I think it looks like he's biting his fist.

... In other news, I hope to have my new website up by the end of the week if all goes well!!

Samantha & Aasa: Engaged!

It wasn't difficult for Samantha and Aasa to decide on a location for their engagement session... the park directly across from the island at which Aasa proposed (and of course, where Sam said "yes!")!

A reenactment...
(The island in the background where it actually happened! Isn't that romantic?)


It was a gorgeous, yet super chilly day, but holdings hands with the one you love always helps to keep your mind off of the frigid Minnesota weather!




A bit of smooching and cuddling helps one stay warm too...






Fortunately, Sam and Aasa are getting married in July, and it will likely be a bit warmer then! They are getting married at this wonderful new venue that even has a bride cottage where Samantha can get ready! I'm very much looking forward to working more with this wonderfully sweet couple who are SO obviously made for one another.
Keep warm until then, Sam and Aasa! ;)

Jessica on the TODAY show!!

I am so proud to call Jessica Person my friend (and amazing former boss!!). She was featured on the TODAY show yesterday, talking about her connection to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, the volunteer organization that I have also been a part of. Jessica does a lot of work for NILMDTS and describes so well what the organization is about... God has blessed Jessica and her husband Brad with a story of their own as well...

Watch it here! :


The TODAY show is 3 hours long, and they have some really great programming. I took some media classes in college, so I know how live and taped productions run--how they set things up, and how they edit-- and I think the TODAY show did an incredible job of selecting the shots to use, and the parts of Jessica's story to summarize her OWN story along with Olivia's and her family's story, and the goal of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep... I thought it was just perfect. I watched it 6 times yesterday, and I cried every time... It's so sad, but it is so HOPEFUL... because NILMDTS is an incredible volunteer service.

If you are interested in learning more about Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, please visit their website: www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org

*Photographers, photo editors, and other volunteers are always needed.
*If you have lost a little one, or know someone who has, there is also an online support group through NILMDTS.
*Any donations are always appreciated as well.

Props to the Person family for just being incredible and serving God in all that they do. Brad is also a photographer for evangelical missions work, and they have 4 beautiful children-- Eli(in Heaven!), Jacob, Tommy, and Sarah.

I admire you, Brad and Jessica. Not only are you are blessed, but you are a blessing to others.