Portraits — Minneapolis Wedding, Event and Portrait Photography by Austin Images

Emily’s birthday shoot in Minneapolis

May 26, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

Oh my gosh, did we have some storms yesterday!
The town of Hugo got hit really hard. A 2 year old
boy was killed. Many homes there were completely
destroyed. The weather here in Minnesota in the
spring is so terribly unpredictable. Hail the size
of GRAPEFRUIT! Incomprehensible.

Despite the crazy weather, Emily and I managed
to get downtown and get back to her home safely.
It got up to 84 here and it was a juicy 84 too.
I showed Emily the 35W bridge construction, the
Lock & Dam system and she hadn’t ever seen the
Mississippi River from there either.
We walked along the Stone Arch bridge and of
course we made our, much anticipated, trip to the
painted wall.

Today, Memorial Day 2008, Gary and I are going
down to his brother’s home for a family BBQ.
Machie is in town for the weekend from LA and
we haven’t seen her since Christmas so I’m
anxious to hear all the stories from her job
at THE ANT FARM in Los Angeles.

I’ll be recharging all of my batteries and
getting everything organized for my wedding
next Saturday at the Noerenberg Memorial Gardens.

Happy Memorial Day to all!
OH, and Happy anniversary to Ron & Cindy!!

Filed Under: Family, Portraits Tagged With: birthdays, Family, Portraits, weather~worthy

Skiing? Me?

February 17, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

I’ll admit, it’s been about 6 years since I have
been skiing. Gary and I used to make the trek out
to Keystone, Vail, Beaver Creek & A Basin each
winter to enjoy some “real” mountains. We always
had a great time! Turns out, I’m a darn good skier!
Once I get in a groove, there’s no stopping me!

Here’s a shot of Gary and I at the back bowls at
Keystone in Colorado.

Today Pete and I are taking Ben, Emily & Amanda
skiing over at Highland Hills. Ben is a seasoned
snow boarder and for Emily & Amanda, this will be
their first ski experience. We all leave for Mexico
in a couple of weeks, we’d all better take it easy!
We’ll be good Anne!

I bought a big package for the kids for Christmas
and we thought we’d better try to make it out some-
time soon so, today is the day!

Here’s some shots of Dr. Joanna Perkins and her boys
Nick & Alex. I met them over the lunch break at the
Airport Hilton. The MOMF was holding a retreat there
and this was as good a time as any to start taking the
board member portraits. 3 down, 10 to go!

Thanks Jason Stenvold for coming along and lending
your backgrounds. These are great!

Well, I’d better get a move on if I want to get these
boots cleaned up….I hope my ski pants fit!! :]

Filed Under: Family, Portraits Tagged With: Family, o.p. (other photographers), Portraits

Disappearing act…

January 27, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

I’m not sure what exactly happens to images on my blog.
From time to time an entire post of photos just plain
disappears! All I can really do is go back in and re-
place them. Cut & paste is of no use. It’s really a
downer. The shots from the House of Fun & Fur were so
much fun that I’ve just decided to put a couple up on
today’s entry instead of fixing yesterday’s…you know,
‘push forward’ let the past go!

So, here goes…

This is the very handsome, Ringo…and oh,
yea, he’s not real excited about the pink collar.

But he loves me. He kept running and jumping into
my tripod bag…it was pretty funny…like it was his
safe place.

Here is the newest addition to the house, Daisy…

And the hostess with the very, very mostess, Jane..

Gary and I are going to spend the afternoon together.
We have decided that we will go see Juno finally and
then hit an early dinner.

Supposed to almost it 40 today and tomorrow.
So much for the ice sculpture contest at the St. Paul
Winter Carnival!

Filed Under: Portraits Tagged With: cat fun, pets, Portraits

Return to the House of Fun & Fur…

January 26, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

Hi everyone!
I was requested to return to Jane’s home and shoot
images for her upcoming Valentine’s Day greeting card
and party invites. WOW! this was no ordinary shoot.

Missing in action was one of my favorite cats, Betty.
This was not her bag. Here she is from a previous session.

Never a dull moment at the House of Fun & Fur!!

Lois, Thank you for sending me the Cat book!
The one you sent me is signed to you, however.
I’m wondering if you sent me yours by mistake?
I love it! It’s FABulous!!!

Tonight I am going to a party of hairdressers!
These are always fun and it’s been so long since
I’be been a member of this particular group that
I’m just chompin’ at the bit to get there!
Mark, my friend and colleague of many years in the
hair industry, has sold his salon (Metropolis Salon & Spa)
to one of the guys that rents there..Paul. Great guy!
I helped start that salon almost 16 years ago!
But when I moved my clientele to my home almost 10
years ago, I never looked back. I miss the hustle
& bustle every once in a while but I wouldn’t trade
it for what I am doing now.
Working from my home has allowed me to foster my
love and passion for and grow my photography business.
It’s just been FABulous!!

I’ll be bringing the Mark 3 along and shoot the
party for Mark & his wife, Tristin.

Filed Under: Portraits Tagged With: cool opportunities, pets, Portraits

Christmas photo cards…

December 6, 2007 By Susan Leave a Comment

hey, i don’t care what anyone says about
the Christmas photo cards…i LOVE getting
them. AND i keep them, i don’t toss ‘em.
don’t get me wrong, i don’t have a wing
dedicated to Christmas past photo cards
at my home or anything, i just save them for
a while before i toss ‘em.

well, here’s the deal, my sister sent this
photo (apparently she doesn’t need me to
photograph her children anymore) this morning
in an email…

but this is what it looked like before i
fixed it…silly anne! ‘spose i’ll need to
hold a photoshop seminar for her soon!

or perhaps just get her a real camera and or
teach her about lighting. wouldn’t that be
a fun thing to do! i like to teach!

gotta run, too much on my plate today….
more snow on the way and gary finally found
a snow blower today..yay! next several days
we will easily add a foot to what is already
on the ground! i still think it’s pretty.

Lois, thank you again for the perfect holiday
blouse…i LOVE it!!
i’ll be wearing it a lot this season.

pray for my good friends ron & cindy…
ron’s dad just suffered a really bad
stroke and is at st. mary’s in rochester.
i just get sick when terrible things
happen to those i love…please pray.

Blessings….

Filed Under: Family, Portraits Tagged With: Family, Portraits, product information

oh, the weather outside is frightful….

December 2, 2007 By Susan 1 Comment

but the studio was warm and fun!
the trip there, was not.
kindra and i started singing….
“it’s the heart attack season..”
(instead of “it’s the holiday season…”)
cuz clearly, being a passenger in a car
is no fun. you have no control…

hi…car facing the wrong way on 494!

mike was a trooper and a fabulous driver.
we got there, and home lickety split!
thanks tanya for allowing us to come in on
a snowy day and play with your studio for
an hour.

the stress of it all made me want to crawl
into bed with the cats and take a nap.

later, i sought the help of my neighbors and their
snow blower (only cuz i had no idea where ours
was….thanks gary!). suzie & kip came over and
assisted in the dig out!
wow, what a difference a day makes, huh!?

this morning i’m tagging along as mike, kindra
and owen go to cut down the tree they selected
earlier in the fall. a fresh coat of snow should
make it a beautiful outing, no doubt!

Filed Under: Family, Portraits Tagged With: Family, Portraits

fun with youtube…

November 13, 2007 By Susan Leave a Comment

two cat’s talking….
another cat talking
and another and yet another

thanks for all the wonderful responses to my
recent photo shoot with my niece (see “j’s big shoot”).
we really had a great day together, first coloring
hair and then heading to the big city for a fun
‘america’s next top model’ sort of shoot!
she adores fashion, being in front of the camera
and this will be her focus in life. not her life
just her focus!

oh, and next time….we will take her cell phone
out of her front right pocket. it’s new, therefore
it’s on her constantly!

this morning i have the distinct pleasure to return
to the house of fun & fur!

yes, jane and i are going
to pour over her proofs and select some greeting card
images. i know that i have my favorites! but this is
her project, she would just like my input.
i’m going to bring my camera along in hopes of getting
a couple shots of betty…sweet thing.

so for now, i will sign off.

another beauty today, 64 and sunny! keep ‘em comin’!

i must remember my PUG meeting tonight~
we are going to discuss blogs! wow!
quit talking, start blogging!
and that goes for you anne, gerrick & jen!

Filed Under: Portraits Tagged With: pets, Portraits, timewasters

j’s big shoot…

November 12, 2007 By Susan 1 Comment

okay, can i just say that “g.g.” from the glam guide
stopped by my blog yesterday and left a comment.
please check out the comment AND her blog.
i’ve made it simple for you to check it everyday~
it’s on my list of links “check these out”…
“GET GLAMOROUS”..it’s truly a great fashion
editorial and fashion locator…love it!
thanks for the note g.g!

j and i headed for uptown first and hit the
area of hennepin & lake~a very popular area
and in that it was about 65 it was pretty
crowded as well, but we didn’t mind one bit!

then we hopped back in the car and took hennepin
into downtown minneapolis. just as we were about
to cross the hennepin ave. bridge my peripheral
vision to my left caught some color…it was this
magnificent painted brick building so we crossed
over 3 lanes of traffic and whipped a “U-y” at the
light and drove back there. what a great find!
3 separate backdrops for us to play with coupled
with some mid afternoon hazy sun..it was magical.
needless to say, j was in her element and we
had ourselves a ball!

back to her house for dinner and a slide show
straight off the camera on to their television.
j had already had herself a sneak peak on the
drive home and she just said “these are totally
going on my face book!” yikes!!

thanks j for a great time! hope you love your hair
and your pix…happy birthday darlin’!!

(gary comes home today and i’m going to try to head
over to see baby ian and stacey)

Filed Under: Family, Portraits Tagged With: blogs of note, Family, Portraits

another gorgeous sunday…

November 4, 2007 By Susan Leave a Comment

today after church i will be joining heather
(nilmdts) at a woman’s home to be apart of
her “pregnancy” shoot…or “belly” shoot to some.

this woman is nearly full term and is expected
to deliver around thanksgiving. hmm, thanksgiving
seems an odd time to give birth to a baby that
is not expected to live.
now, i don’t know the particulars of this baby
but what i do know is that heather is hand picking
me to meet the mom today so that in the event
that heather can’t be there for her that weekend,
i can be and she will feel more comfortable.
heather is very loving and giving. she will do
most anything for these mothers and their families.
i love her and what she stands for.

later today, some fun.
we are all gathering to celebrate “j’s” birthday!

hey, i just realized that i forgot to turn the
clocks back last night before we hopped in bed!
yay! i have another hour…this is sooooo cool!
i am always so on top of that every year and for
some reason, it just slipped my mind!
hmmm the gift of an hour, what shall i do?
why i could go lay down with the cats…
i could go to the gym…..
i could sit on the computer some more…
i could book my flight to cabo…
if i play my cards right, i can do 3 of the 4!
get hobbie on my lap and book my flight (which
would also count for spending more time on the
computer!)…i’ll hit the gym tomorrow!

oh, and here are a few shots of the busch family.
they are hosting an exchange student from denmark.
a really fabulous family. lots of love.

the colors at the arboretum were simply maxed out
that day. it was a perfect morning. thanks busch family!

Filed Under: Involvements, Portraits Tagged With: birthdays, Portraits

lucius & reggie…

September 27, 2007 By Susan Leave a Comment

these two dobermans are the best of friends.
they actually have play dates!
it’s so funny. they are complete and utter
buddies and i love them! such gentle giants!
lucius belongs to jacquie & scott and reggie
is ron & cindy’s.

i’ll be popping over to play with them a little
later on today again.

tomorrow i’m heading to the hilton for 3 families
that are checking in for a minnesota miracle
weekend. 3 families! wow!! a 5 year old boy,
an 8 year old girl and a 2 year old girl.
tony paltier is going to be there also,shooting video
this time for the foundation…he’s great!
if you ever need a videographer, let me know,
i’ll put you in touch with him!

saturday is homecoming for my niece’s high school
and i’m going to head over to their house to
do hair and photos! what a gas that’s going to be!

hey susan! i just ordered a gallery wrap of this image!
i can’t wait to see it.
i pray it comes tomorrow, i’d hate to have to wait the
entire weekend!

surprise someone today!

Filed Under: Portraits Tagged With: pets, Portraits