We try to do something different each year to mark her birthday milestone and this year I asked a friend (Jenny Phillips of The Country Camera) if I could borrow her property out in Medina and we set the date. While Kathryn actually turned 11 back in May, we went ahead and let summer happen then grabbed a great autumn day and let Kathryn…be Kathryn….

Then we added her cavachon, Sam….

I’m pretty certain that most 10 year old girls (outside of “toddlers and tiaras”!) don’t get to have highlights put in there hair and then toss on a little mascara and head out to a location and have their own private photo shoot compete with props. Yippee for Amanda cuz that’s just what we did yesterday. Due to the fact that Amanda has 2 older (girl) cousins and an older sister that have received this gift in the past she has a tendency to want to emulate their sessions and often likes to get a little serious. But we have fun too, don’t get me wrong.

We got a late start yesterday and with daylight savings time ending I’d forgotten to plan on the sun setting earlier but we got it done! Being 10 also means that high on her list was getting to a family function on time for cake that afternoon and it set the pace for the shoot! Amanda wanted to hit the same location that her cousin, Jess, hit on Saturday for her shoot so once the hair was perfect we hopped in the car and headed back out to the University of Minnesota’s Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

I love her. Here’s a few of my faves from the day….can’t believe she’s 10 already!

Here are some shots I’ve gotten of Jessica over the past 5 years..WOW!

What color will she go today????

Portraits don’t have to be stuffy, stiff or boring…are YOU? Of course not. Don’t let someone capture you when you aren’t…well….you. Portraits should be fun, relaxed and most importantly, real. I love the notion of having my portraits “speak” to people…make people grin, laugh…even evoke the occasional tear. Here’s more of Kathryn…

Her lovely dog, Sam…Sam is a Cavachon.

Kathryn loves to accessorize!

Braeden is one of those handsome young men that while he’s set his sights beyond graduation next spring he’s just not that into the whole “Senior Portrait” thing. Well, problem solved. This year I expanded my collections of traditional Portrait Sessions to include an “Express”. The Express is just that, an abbreviated session that allows me to capture really great images in 30 minutes. Now, this does come with a few options but several changes of clothing and locations are not part of the program as that simply eats into the allotted 30 minutes pretty rapidly. So, come prepared to work diligently and what you will get in return is 8 lightly edited 4×6 proofs and 1, digital file of your choice. Your, unedited, session will be online within a day for you to select from and will only set you back $150.00. You, of course, are welcome to order additional prints and wallets through the site or directly through me.  Isn’t it nice to know that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get what you want?  If the Express is something you haven’t yet considered, contact me to discuss and schedule your Express now.

This offer is limited to High School Seniors.

So, we have this cat. He is a 2 & 1/2 year old Red Pointe Birman and his name is Boo.  He is lovely. People tell us all of the time how beautiful he is. We love him and he means the world to us. When people ask me where we got him, I respond “My sister made him for me. Literally!” Anne already had a Birman (Sugar) and quickly had her spayed but when she realized that it was such a beautiful breed, she arranged to get a 2nd and bred her. Spice, Boo’s mom, had just one litter and gave birth to 4 kittens the day before I was to head off to  Mexico with Gary and while I was only there to witness the birth of 2 or them (Boo being one) I later learned that 2 of the kittens, sadly, didn’t survive. Boo has a sister, Fergie, but her coloring is completely different from Boo (who is nearly all a creamy white) but they both have the gorgeous, signature blue eyes of the Birman.

You must know, and many of you already do, that this is not my first pet or my first loved feline. Brother/Sister litter-mates Hobie & Katie (Chocolate Pointe Ragdolls) were loving fixtures in our lives for 12 years and passed 11 weeks apart almost to the day 2 summers ago and we still miss them (see their story under the “IN MEMORIAM” tab on the home page) . About 3 months before they were put down, Boo came into our lives. Sure, we had to sort of “stow” him away in the office for a week or so and slowly introduce the little bugger to the “elders” but Boo swiftly became welcomed.

I remember very well Gary saying (once I brought Boo home) “So….when is he going back to your sister’s?” I retorted, with raised eyebrows…”Ahhh, he’s not?” Well I can’t imagine life without him and that didn’t take long. Gary and I both grieved so much when Hobie and Katie passed that Boo made for the perfect addition at the perfect time. I am forever grateful to my sister for allowing me to scoop that little fella up and take him home with me and I promise him everyday, by doing, that he will have a full life and be loved beyond measure as long as he is on this earth!

Okay, I know….the blog post is entitled “Pet Photography” not “How to  replace a pet” or “How to manipulate your spouse into getting another animal” but I just happen to know, for a fact, that there are others like us, out there, who love your furry little family members and for countless folks, in the world, our pets are our children. What I want to offer to you is an opportunity to have your little darling photographed in a way in which you’ve maybe not ever considered.  Sure, some folks wait for a family portrait session or Senior session to pluck up the family pet and hope he sits good for the camera OR you wait for the local pet stores to  offer a “Have your pet’s photo taken with Santa” session and please don’t get me wrong those are great memories to have…I just want to spin things a bit and ask that you have me come to your home (or favorite park) and follow them in their surroundings and really capture their essence and soul. Fish, Birds, Reptiles are also encouraged  and welcome. Do you have a horse or other farm dwelling lovelies? I would be honored to photograph them all. Please contact me so we can swap pet stories and preserve your beloved pets!

Here are some of my Cat-Hall of Famers! First up, Bob.

Here’s Alice!

and Yoshi!

Now I know that’s a lot of cats but know that not one of God’s creatures is too big or too small…I adore them all and cannot wait to meet yours. Thanks and talk to you soon.

Well…I’ve noticed, lately, that I seem to leave many of my images in color…I haven’t been converting many. I guess living in Minnesota with so many colorless months I’ve simply gravitated towards colored images. They’re happy. Color images smile.

So I asked myself…do you only want to capture time? OR, would you like to make an impact with those very same images and stop time? Hmmmm. I think it’s high time I select the latter.  Now, I’m not saying that I’m leaping off the color wagon but perhaps I’ll dabble with sitting on the running board and drag my boots a bit. Here are some recent captures of mine…thanks for checking in…