hotel wedding. { frost on flower }

Last weekend I photographed a wedding for a wedding placement service that I work for.  I can't say I love those weddings - I often get little to no information about them, don't meet the couple before hand, and get paid about 30% of what I would if I were working on my own.  Despite that, this wedding went really smoothly and I loved working with the couple.  I try to spend very little time editing these weddings and this wedding, thankfully, needed very little editing.



I met the couple at their venue in Bloomington.



I was blown away by the location.  Whenever I'm scheduled for a hotel wedding I'm a little concerned - they can be quite dark and uninteresting.



This place was obviously different - I believe they refer to this room as the "conservatory".





I enjoy hearing about the personal touches that people have actually had a hand in making for their weddings.



After we waiting for the family to assemble (this always takes longer than you plan on), we headed to Centennial Lakes Park in Edina.



We had just under an hour to take all of the family portraits as well as the couple portraits.  This is another reason I enjoy working more on my own - I help plan this time a lot more efficiently.  But, thankfully, this couple did not have a wedding party and had a relatively small family, so we got through everything at a decent pace.



It was a sunny and windy day - it was a lot more difficult to find good lighting for the larger family shots, especially since we were in a hurry. But we found some great spots for the couple.





You have to be creative when both people are wearing white and there aren't many clean things to sit on.  :)











Everyone kept talking about this hair piece, so I made sure to get a couple of extra photos of it.







The couple requested some photos on this little balcony.  We were both so happy to see that the flowers are bloomed - the seasons this year have been a little kooky.







I met them back up at the top and we were about to head back to our cars, as we were a couple of minutes over our cut off time, but I couldn't pass up this great spot.



So we grabbed a few more photos before moving on.















Back at the venue, the guests were starting to be seated.

















A few final touches before the ceremony began.







I love when there is live music. This dou was really great.



Dinner place settings were already in place in the back of the conservatory for ease of set up.  This venue ran things very smoothly.



Only around 30 people were invited to the ceremony and the dinner, so people and time management was a breeze.

















Another example of if I would have been in contact with the couple during the planning stages - I couldn't get a great view of their unity candle, since it was basically on a wall rather than a table.  And the couple and officiant were so close to the front of the room that I had to stay on the side of the guests rather than get in and see their faces.

































After the ceremony, everyone joyfully left for the bar area while dinner was set up.







This is many cases where having two cameras comes in handy - this room is obviously quite different than the conservatory and it required bounced flash.  I had one camera set up for each room so I didn't have to be constantly switching my settings and missing important moments.





















I was amused that the television was on all evening but no one but the bartender was watching.



Guests were then told to head back to the conservatory for dinner.









What a happy bunch of guests.  :)









































Dinner looked amazing - again, impressed by the venue.



I enjoyed this delicious salmon for dinner.  :)





Kids these days... :P





























The conservatory was then set up for dancing and snacks as more guests arrived.











































The first dance opened the floor for guests to dance.



I think they practiced.. they were pretty good.  :)

to the guthrie again. { frost on flower }

I bet at this point you're able to predict just about where my session is being held... with the silly weather we're having this Spring we continue to be super limited when it comes to space.  Thankfully The Guthrie is always available and is always a great space to explore with younger kiddos.  As much as I enjoy my time at The Guthrie and as much as I adore these photos.... I just can't wait to get outside!  The lovely family pictured below is soon expecting baby #2... maybe I'll have the pleasure of taking a few photographs of the new family and baby in the great outdoors!



As I've mentioned before, I absolutely love lifestyle photography when it comes to family portraits.  That isn't always possible in a more confined setting like The Guthrie, however.  When possible I prefer to follow a family around and capture the kiddo(s) exploring but posing happens naturally because there just isn't too much else to do.

Lifestyle photos don't only need to be captured at home - when the weather improves setting up a simple family picnic and a few outdoor games at the park can be a great setting as well as a little family trip to the zoo.



The Amber Lounge is always one of my favorite spaces to photograph.  I love editing in this muted matte finish-like style.  And my subjects always love the windows.  :)





Sometimes I just can't decide which version of a photo I like more - the mood and emotion contained in a color vs black and white photo can be quite different and, occasionally, they're both very fitting.  So I throw them both in.  :)





Sometimes more than once.



As I've said before, The Guthrie is a popular cool/wet weather photo destination, especially on the weekends.  In the following photos you can catch glimpses of other families with their photographers.













The family brought along a goofy and very useful cousin to hold the little guy's attention and attempt to crack some smiles.  It was quite refreshing for me - as hard as I try I just can't jump around and make too many faces while also taking photos!  I do bring things like toys and stickers for encouragement but an entirely separate person willing to wiggle around and be a goof is always useful and certainly encouraged.  :)











Spider-men?



Why ask a child to sit still, pose, and smile when you can capture moments like these?  I love to capture the true essence and experience of a family rather than trying to paint a false and "perfect" picture of a family.  Typically families aren't totally put together, sitting still, and smiling for a camera - that's a rough thing to accomplish, especially when you have a toddler.  This is one of the many reasons I love lifestyle photography.  In 20 years I want my clients to look back and remember exactly what it was like to be a family at this point in time... if that involves a pile of kids looking in various directions, noses being picked, and the occasional upset I personally don't mind.  :)  Of course I don't avoid the cute group shots that are great for holiday cards or hanging on the mantel but my true joy is found in the moments of true family joy.











As if he was working off of our schedule the little guy was ready to be done just as our session was ending.  It's best not to push it.  :)

a newborn little brother. { frost on flower }

It was a huge pleasure to photograph this little guy shortly after he was born.  I first started photographing his big sister about a year ago, for her one year photos.  She is the same age as Olive, within weeks, so they've always been really fun to check in with.  For her two year photos her mama was within weeks of giving birth so we squeezed in some cute belly related shots.

There was talk of a possible play date with Olive and big sister while we tended to the new guy's photos.. the session ended up being on a weekend morning though, so that wasn't necessary.  Olive was disappointed but enjoyed watching me edit these and was calling him by name when she would see him pop up on my screen.

It's wonderful following a family past only one session, especially for major events such as adding an entire new person into their family.  Welcome to the world little guy!  And thanks for letting me put you in bowls and baskets.  :)



His hat matched my blanket amazingly well.





I always have to capture some of the moments of mama's soothing their new littles ones during sessions.  Newborn photo sessions aren't all about perfect happy adorable squishy babies... they need some mama time in there, too.









Big sister popped in for a few photos, too.





Later we moved to the sofa where she was able to hold him for the first time - she did a really great job!  And we grabbed a few family group shots before being an older sister just became too much work and a cookie was needed.  I enjoyed a cookie also.  :)

another minnehaha engagement. { frost on flower }

Like I recently mentioned... I go to Minnehaha Falls Park A LOT.  I had hopes of this engagement session looking quite different than the last one I did, as the seasons should have been in the midst of changing at this point, but they weren't.  So these photos are full of all of the warmth and charm that winter photos bring!  But at least the weather was mild so the couple was able to brave our time together without coats.  :)  Good job guys!



This was a fun session to photograph - the bride to be is the younger sister of a friend of mine and she now works where I used to work before I became Olive's mom mom.



I'm fairly certain that I looked super goofy making this big heart.  The snow was super crunchy and I often found myself standing on it rather than stepping into it.  I stumbled a few times but retained the shape of the heart.. thankfully.  :)



I've photographed her previously as a part of large family portraits and hear about her often from my friend.  Seems like a lovely idea to have a sister!









This session was a lot of fun.  I love looking back on photos when I'm editing knowing that their smiles and expressions were completely genuine and not posed, coerced, or faked.  It's fun to have little stories and goofy moments to attach to photos that other viewers don't know about too.











I think this last one was one of their favorites.  They're pretty happy!  Which is always great to experience during an engagement session.  Congratulations!!  :)

where do you put your money?

I'll try to keep this quick.  But I just read something that bothers me immensely.

Did you know that "Nestle chairman Peter Brabeck said that water needs to be privatized"? (link)

Here's a video if you want to see for yourself.





There are plenty of things that I already detest about Nestle.  But this is just... this is absurd.

Here is some info taken from Wikipedia about the national boycott of Nestle:

Groups such as the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) and Save the Children claim that the promotion of infant formula over breastfeeding has led to health problems and deaths among infants in less economically developed countries.^[2][3] There are four problems that can arise when poor mothers in developing countries switch to formula:

• Formula must normally be mixed with water, which is often contaminated in poor countries, leading to disease in vulnerable infants.^[4] Because of the low literacy rates in developing nations, many mothers are not aware of the sanitation methods needed in the preparation of bottles. Even mothers able to read in their native tongue may be unable to read the language in which sterilization directions are written.

• Although some mothers can understand the sanitation standards required, they often do not have the means to perform them: fuel to boil water, electric (or other reliable) light to enable sterilisation at night. UNICEF estimates that a formula-fed child living in disease-ridden and unhygienic conditions is between 6 and 25 times more likely to die of diarrhea and four times more likely to die of pneumonia than a breastfed child.^[5]

• Many poor mothers use less formula powder than is necessary, in order to make a container of formula last longer. As a result, some infants receive inadequate nutrition from weak solutions of formula.^[6]

• Breast milk has many natural benefits lacking in formula. Nutrients and antibodies are passed to the baby while hormones are released into the mother's body.^[7] Breastfed babies are protected, in varying degrees, from a number of illnesses, including diarrhea, bacterial meningitis,gastroenteritis, ear infection, and respiratory infection.^[8][9][10] Breast milk contains the right amount of the nutrients essential for neuronal (brain and nerve) development.^[11] The bond between baby and mother can be strengthened during breastfeeding.^[9] Frequent and exclusive breastfeeding can also delay the return of fertility, which can help women in developing countries to space their births.^[12] The World Health Organization recommends that, in the majority of cases, babies should be exclusively breast fed for the first six months.^[13]

Advocacy groups and charities have accused Nestlé of unethical methods of promoting infant formula over breast milk to poor mothers in developing countries.^[14][15] For example, IBFAN claim that Nestlé distributes free formula samples to hospitals and maternity wards; after leaving the hospital, the formula is no longer free, but because the supplementation has interfered with lactation, the family must continue to buy the formula. IBFAN also allege that Nestlé uses "humanitarian aid" to create markets, does not label its products in a language appropriate to the countries where they are sold, and offers gifts and sponsorship to influence health workers to promote its products.^[16]

I really like this post at phdinparenting.com.

But overall my point is that do you know where your money goes?  Where you spend your money says A LOT about you and says a lot to the people you're giving it to.  

As best I can I spend money locally when it comes to food or I spend it on smaller companies with good ethics and good agricultural principals.  Those things are very important to me.  I also prefer local/small because I would much rather support individual people than large corporations whose top employees make a lot, low end employees don't, and most of their money is spent on absurd marketing and likely on lobbying in the federal government.  Your money speaks... but do you know what it's saying?  When possible I try to be very careful where I spend money on fuel.  Do you know how terrible most oil companies are?  Exxon sold fuel to the Nazi's.  They have pipeline spills constantly.  They really really really don't care about you or the planet or anyone... profit is the number one motivator of almost every larger company, even if they're trying to sell you something "safe", "healthy", or "green".  

If any of this stuff about Nestle bothered you but you don't buy much candy... did you know that Nestle owns: Gerber, Juicy Juice, San Pellegrino, Poland Springs, Fancy Feast, L'Oreal, and Power Bar... just to name A FEW.

Do the world a favor and do a little research and think about what your money goes.  In my opinion, these days, where you spend your money is even more important than who you vote for.  After all, the money you're spending is probably being used to influence the very politicians who promised to do things they haven't.. via lobbying.

This is kind of ranty.  So I'll stop.  Just please pay attention to what you're doing with your money.  And if you already are - thank you!!!!  :)