cool opportunities — Minneapolis Wedding, Event and Portrait Photography by Austin Images

Kindle

June 19, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

Do you own a Kindle?
I am a self proclaimed non-book reader.
I don’t know what happened to me but at
an early age I decided that books were for
school. Now, please don’t confuse not wanting
to read with not being able to read.
Rest assured I can read.

That said, I have to remark that I have
indeed read many books but
I also must add that they are never in the
“novel” category…I am most likely to read
a biography or a “how-to” or even a, oh, I
don’t know….a DIET book or 4 (who’s counting).
So I think that I’m not really convinced, at
this stage in the game, to shell out the $400
to just “look cool”. For now, I’d rather get 7
tanks of gas!

Moving on.

Today I am going to meet with an old friend
for lunch. His name is Dan Butter. Our families
grew up near one another and we attended then,
and do now, the same church. Dan has an interest
in photography and wants to discuss career moves
with me. I was flattered when I got the call.
I look forward to seeing him later today and I’ll
share more on that tomorrow.

How about Twitter? I love that application.
Do you twitter? Staja Studios just started!

So, here’s a shot I took of Pat Benatar at the Starkey Gala last Saturday.

My friend, Cheryl MacLennan, made mention that
one or more of my images would get published.
How cool is that (at the risk of tooting my
own horn!)??

Have a great day…we need the rain that’s coming
but Iowa doesn’t….Pray.

Filed Under: Involvements Tagged With: cool opportunities, product information, spiffy tools, TECHNOLOGY

Starkey Gala 2008 in review.

June 17, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

Well, there are just too many images
to post on one day so I have opted to
put together a couple of slide shows
instead…hope you like this one…

Being selected to cover Tani & Bill Austin
on the red carpet the night of the Gala was
a real feather in my cap and I am so grateful
for the opportunity. Thanks Cheryl!

I’ll post the Ultimate Bass Challenge
images another day and more from the Friday
night VIP party at the Austin’s home.

Everything was as fabulous as it looks
and more!

Back to weddings and the upcoming RNC in
August/September!

Anyone interested in taking a look at more
images can go HERE. This was set up by the wonderful Cheryl, Rachel
and Caroline from the Starkey Hearing Foundation.
Be sure to enter “star” for the password.
Nice job ladies…see you next year!

Filed Under: Involvements Tagged With: cool opportunities, parties, starkey

Fraud Sucks!

June 12, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

Now, I understand that we must be vigilant
regarding protecting ourselves, our things
and our credit, but I discovered this morning
that my joint account debt card was recovered
somewhere and then used nearby. It’s so sad
to think that, albeit my disregard…I take
full ownership of that, you can’t trust people.
I have always said, in situations out of my
control..”I have faith in people!” Now I have
to say….”cover your ass whenever you can”

Sure, I’m disappointed in myself for not being
more responsible (my first time ever losing
a debit or bank card!) I even suspect that
just like locking car keys in the car, I will
forever make certain that I have my card when
I complete a purchase by double and triple
checking! There, that’s off my chest!

Next on the docket…Starkey Hearing Foundation.
I just learned that I have been requested to
cover the VIP party at the Austin’s home
tomorrow evening along with some other fun
photographers..Rafael Victorian and Dave Johnson
(of National Camera Exchange fame) We will ROCK
that party! I will be coming right from the
Ultimate Bass Challenge on Minnetonka performing a
quick change at home! I had such a gas last
year shooting at their home I can’t wait to
get there tomorrow!

I have to get up really early to get over to
Lord Fletcher’s to get suited up for my
Ranger Bass Boat that I requested so that I
can get some awesome action shots of all the
pro/am fishermen & women! Then I’ll high-tale
it over to Al & Alma’s for the boat cruise
with the Northwester Health Sciences University
folks for a lunch cruise on the lovely Lake
Minnetonka…I sure hope the weather holds out!

FYI, Boo slept with us last night and was a
very good sleeper. Who Knew!?

Matt & Jennifer are at the Mimi in Playa
celebrating their anniversary!
Anne and I sent them a bucket of beer over
the internet….COOL! I hope they love it there!

Have a great day!

Filed Under: Involvements, Personal Tagged With: cool opportunities, fun companies, Helpful sites, Hotels, starkey

Boo has a fan club!

June 3, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

Aaron Landry of Minneapolis has linked Boo
on his website! Thanks Aaron! I think he is a fan
of the feline!

Cloudy and cool today. Not quit the June I
was hoping for but it’s green and lush and
I don’t need to wear socks anymore! That’s nice.

I am gearing up for a wedding in Lakeville
this Saturday. This couple actually already
got married down in Iowa but wanted to have
a celebration up here as well so I will be
shooting alone at the golf course there where
they are holding the ceremony and the reception.
A really fun couple!

Then I get to pull out all the stops for the
Starkey Hearing Foundation and their annual
Gala at St. Paul’s River Center on the 14th!

But before all that..my oldest niece is
graduating from High School this Thursday.
The class is so large that they have to hold
the commencements at Grace Church in Eden Prairie.
Then, the following day, this little darling
turns 18! I can hardly believe it.
How is it that she has gotten older and I haven’t!?

She’ll head off to Missouri this fall and I
will miss her face and giggle. Thank goodness
for texting & e-mail!

Filed Under: Involvements Tagged With: cool opportunities

Minnesota Twins Baseball.

May 4, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

Today will mark my 4th annual event with
my buddy, Jim Werdin and his Access Insurance
Agency. He puts together a day of Fun, Family,
Baseball, Food, Silent Auction and a Live
Auction to throw out the first pitch to the
highest bidder with the proceeds going to
the Miracles of Mitch Foundation!
Great people, great cause!

Last night I finally got to say hello to
Sandy (Sam) Puc’ (pronounced “puch”).
Heather Lombardo and I recruited photographers
all evening from all over the country.
It was amazing and I was so proud to be
a part of such a fabulous organization
representing a priceless, selfless gift.

Sam’s presentation was flawless (aside from
the sound issue which they corrected).
She and her team worked fast and furious to
set up & deliver some crazy great ideas,
marketing, posing, equipment, props…it
was all perfect! My mind never wandered and
altho’ I was in the front row (with Jason
Thon & Heather…I saved us great seats!),
this went until after 11 and with little
breaks. It was easily one of my top 5 photo
lectures I’ve ever attended. Seriously!

I have a new friend in my life and her
name is Sam Puc’.

Thanks.

Filed Under: Involvements Tagged With: cool opportunities, education, o.p. (other photographers)

Flying out this morning.

April 16, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

Okay, so I’m heading to Chicago this morning.
I haven’t packed. Don’t know which gear I
want to bring along on this short trip.
And now I’m blogging. Hmmm, is there such a
thing as “B/A”…Bloggers Anonymous? Probably.
Oh, and my tabs, I see, on my car expired the
other day….details, details….

Well, I’ll get back in touch with an update
later. Or you can just check my twitter as
that may be easier for me this trip.
Twitter may actually save me in the future.
It’s not as involved as blogging and you can
only type like 140 characters per deal.

I’m really bummed that I can’t twitter from
my phone…the iphone and at&t aren’t working
it for me!

more later.
enjoy the warm up!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: cool opportunities, education

RNC!

March 29, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

Kim Martin made a follow up call yesterday
while I was out. CRAP! Her message was that
she had some more questions for me regarding
the Republican National Convention taking
place here in St. Paul this summer.
They WANT ME!!!!! This will have to go on my
“top 5 list” of things I’ve done. I’m so excited!
Thanks to Heather at Starkey for recommending me.

Huge success with Cory yesterday regarding
my web site. I’m jazzed about the changes
and I know you will like them too.
Just have to hammer out some text swapping
and add some more images.

Oh, and as for this blog…I just got an
itch to change it too.

Here’s Cory’s babies…

Gerty…

And here’s Alice…

I just love them so much!

In closing…I stole this from Gary Fong today.
I absolutely LOVE this…

Life is pretty simple when you think about it.

Observations:
The two most vibrant factors in your
day-to-day existence would be~
a) your finances and b) your weight.
It may sound shallow but when you think
about it, when you can’t pay your bills,
or you can’t fit in your jeans…
doesn’t it wreck your day?
So here’s simple advice:
1) always eat healthy and
2) spend less than you earn.

Thanks Gary, I’ll just add that I’m going
to get off my ass and go for a walk!

Filed Under: Involvements Tagged With: cat fun, cool opportunities

Gross.

March 18, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

I probably have no right to complain yet I can hear
you all going…”poor baby, 2 weeks in Mexico and
you come back to 2 inches of snow in March…poor baby!”
Yea, yea, but seriously…gross. I mean sure, it’s
pretty and all but it still just means that it’s cold
enough to snow, that’s all.

Hey all you video freaks out there…
do you know about VIMEO? It’s like SLIDE!

Also, I’m working on a Pro site for Austin Images Photography.
It’ll be different from this blog and different from my website.
I’m trying a 14 day trial with SQUARESPACE. This will be
another outlet for me…a pro site (or as Gary would call it,
“another time~waster”). Men can be such turds sometimes!

I’m going to mostly post images and information about
those images and keep the personal stuff on this site.
I’m still in the architectural phase but I should
have it up soon. I’ll create a link to it when it’s up.

Over time..who knows, it may replace my website???
I’m meeting with CORY tomorrow to discuss and make
changes to that site (finally).

Well, back to work.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: cool opportunities, fun companies, Wedding resources

Welcome Jet.

March 16, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

Jet (Jet-son..or son of Jet) arrived on a flight
from Portland on Thursday.

Grieving the loss of a four legged friend is just
too tough. When Scott & Jacquie made the decision
to put Lucius down in December the devastation
just continued day after day after day.
I knew that they were in contact with Lucius’
breeder but to my surprise when Gary picked us
all up at the airport Thursday evening he said,
“Scott & Jacquie got a puppy!” I was sooo
excited for them! Scott has just been miserable.
This is just what they needed. I stopped over
yesterday to meet the gorgeous little guy.
His name is Jet.

My mom pointed out to me yesterday that I never
gave the reason for perhaps not returning to Cabo.
Sorry…I meant to. Well, there’s really no big
answer, it’s just that most of the time Gary and
I like to stay at little placed right on the beach.
I get so sick and tired of people waking up at
5am just to lay 15 towels out on all the best
chairs at the pool. I go to Mexico to sit my *ss
in the sand! The water was colder, the sand was
hot, a bucket of beer on the beach at the Mimi is
10 bucks…here, 25. I don’t know, It’s not that
I hated being there or anything like that it’s just
different. I must say that the photography opportunities
here were amazing…even National Geographic was
there shooting…

There was a steady flow of peddlers on the beach
each and everyday…that gets annoying.
I mean, sure, I bought some stuff from them but
every day they come right up to you and stand
there in hopes that you’ll cave in and decide
that you actually NEED a turtle whistle necklace!
I taught Ben the Spanish phrase for “go away!”
I’ve never had to actually use it before, but I
used it 2 or 3 times on this trip. Ben thought
it was hilarius!

So to sum up, It was beautiful there, pure blue
sky everyday, tons to do day and night, great
food, God knows I love the language, days got
to be about 80 degrees, nights about 60,
diving was awesome, fishing was incredible,
the villa was impeccable…the perfect trip
for families. Gary and I will do that sort of
thing once in a while, but we prefer to go and
do nothing and hang in the local haunts.
Who knows, maybe he and I will go to Cabo to
together sometime soon.

Make no mistake, I would not trade this tip
for anything. I had a FABulous time!
Thank you Anne and Pete for considering me
to come along. It really was a memory maker!

Check this out…REDRUM. This is the deep sea
fishing outfit that we used in Cabo.
It’s also the exact yacht we were on.

The diving group that Pete, Ben and I used
was Underwater Diversions.
Lars was our Dive Master and just the 4 of us
went out. We first went to Pelican Rock and
then to Neptune’s Finger.
Pete has all of those photos on his camera.
I’ll put those up when I get them from Pete.

I have a huge couple of weeks in front of me so
I must make an attempt to get back into my
reality zone.

I’m missing WPPI due to these
vacations but next year I WILL be attending!

Enjoy today!

Filed Under: Vacation Tagged With: cool opportunities, fun companies, pets

Love is Always in the Air!

February 25, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

I returned to Jane’s home for her open house
yesterday. It was packed!
The invites that I worked on for her drew
friends, family & colleagues from all over.
Jane even had a banner made of the cover
shot from the invite that hung from the
garage. She had the inside and the outside
all decked out with decorations. Above are name
tags that were provided as you came up the walk.
You made your selection based on how you felt
that day…mine read “I (heart) to socialize”.

The purpose for this soiree was to simply
come, meet people and share the love and
celebrate friendships…that’s all.
A really terrific idea and a perfect day.
Sunny and much warmer than it’s been in a
long time.

Jane, a self proclaimed non-cook, selected
Rodney Davis, owner/operator of LUTREC CATERING
to prepare and serve the most delicious menu.