This was my first pregnancy announcement shoot and I was so nervous and excited! Lucky for me, Tori and Kyle are two of the sweetest and kindest people that exist and all nervousness quickly faded away into lots of laughter. They were still pretty new to the big news about Baby Hill’s arrival, too, and so the entire session felt intimate and surreal, all of us trying to comprehend what a baby in the mix would mean. I can say with confidence, though, after an hour with both of them (and their adorable pups), that Baby Hill is going to be well-loved and cared for.
Read MoreFarm at harvest with the Rollenhagens
One of the reasons I started carrying a camera was to document my own life and the life of my family. My oldest brother and my sister-in-law have given the Rollenhagen side the only grandchildren my parents will likely get. My nieces and nephew are some of my favorite people — as well as the best subjects to photograph! Anna and Emma are twins, but each with their own big and unique personalities. Little Ethan gets happier every day, and he’s just a cuddler! And, Pat and Nicole are just the best parents…it’s really a joy to see your sibling as a parent.
Read MoreCarleton Arb with the Vosejpka family
I had the joy of meeting the Vosejpka family this past summer. Since then, sweet puppy Charlie has had some health issues, so they wanted to get some pictures with him while his spunk is still going strong. We managed to find some of the last vestiges of fall color in the arb, and we lucked into a gorgeous, still-warm October evening. It was incredible to see how much little Reese has grown since June. Shep was as kind and happy a big brother as ever. And, I almost started crying while capturing Jillian and Chad with Charlie, their first kiddo together.
Read MoreHaan's family photos at the Arb
I love shooting families year-after-year. It’s fun to see how kids’ personalities get stronger and how they get a little more comfortable with the camera. This year, I could not get over Logyn’s ruffle butt pants or Judd’s adorable wiggle dance. It was a chilly morning, but this entire family were such good sports. Nichole is an amazing project manager at work, and I could see she brings the same organizational skills to family life…this crew was exactly on time for yet another early morning session.
Read MoreWelcome, William!
When one of your favorite families adds another member to its ranks, it’s a lot for a heart to handle. Layer on top of that a toddler who can now say your name — why is “Kallie” so much sweeter from the lips of a 4-year-old? — and a Catboy suit and a dear friend and it’s all just too much. Needless to say, this was such a happy morning with the Jacksons — in their beautiful new home, no less! The occasion: welcoming baby William to the world, and this wonderful family. Sarah and Paul, it’s always a delight to be in your company. You make beautiful children, and I’m honored to have captured your first photos as a unit of four.
Read MoreA surprise engagement session!
While I’ve done engagement photos before, I’ve never been part of the actual engagement itself. Needless to say, I was about as nervous as Michael heading into this shoot…but also, so excited! The fall stars aligned to create a PERFECT October evening for a farm engagement and family session. I grew up riding around our farm on a golf cart, and so riding along with Michael, Kiley, and Colten (and engagement surprise assistant Morgan!) felt so familiar and sweet. I also love that this relationship got elevated to the next level on the family farm. It felt special, intimate, and relaxed.
Read MoreAlexis + Tyler are engaged!
The gender balance of my family, both immediate and extended, skews male, so it’s with great celebration we welcome other women into it. I’d heard of Alexis for at least a year or two before I met her, and I was scared that she might lose patience with the pace of farmers when it comes to big decisions (like engagements!) before I got to know her. Luckily, she has taken to farm life, and even luckier for the rest of us, she said yes when cousin Tyler popped the question.
Read MoreFamily K+B at Olaf Prairie
Amy and Scotty went to St. Olaf together, so it was fitting that their first photoshoot as a family of five was at the Olaf prairie. We had a perfect early fall evening, just cool enough for baby Olive’s adorable knee-highs, but warm enough for her romper that I couldn’t get enough of! Big brother Wesley and puppy Esther had a lot to explore, but between our rock and dirt excavations, we got a ton of sweet moments capturing how much this family truly seems to enjoy each other.
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Kalyn + Andrew & Co at Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve
This adorably sweet crew brought the best photo session energy. It’s a lot to ask anyone, let alone those under six, to put on nice clothes and go to a strange place without a jungle gym on a hot night to do what an (almost) stranger tells you to do. But clearly these fine folks had been practicing their “cheeeeeeeeese!” They even (mostly) ignored the intense mountain bikers zooming by. Hot tip: Murphy-Hanrehan seems to be The Place for mountain biking.
Read MoreMuriel + Justin: Gardens of Castle Rock Wedding
The Carleton College listserv (aka, Carlslist) has brought me many things: Morning glories for our garden, contractor recommendations, a ring sizer. But by far the best Carlslist connection was the opportunity to photograph Muriel and Justin’s Northfield wedding at the stunning Gardens of Castle Rock. We connected via Muriel’s father, a Carleton professor, and after a January phone call with this couple, I was already counting down the days until August.
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