Last spring, I was walking downtown Stillwater and saw a new store with really cute home decor stuff in the windows. I walked in, saw the cute chairs, art and accessories and had a little lightbulb over the head moment. I walked up to the girl who was working and asked to have the owner give me a call because I had a fun idea for some promo shots. A few days later, I get a call from Darcy, the owner and tell her my ideas. You would think she would have said, “Eh, I’ll think about it…” but nope! Darcy was all for some funky images of her shop and her wares. Summer came, I had some time in between weddings and “The Chairs” concept came to life!
You really should have seen us, Darcy and I hauling chairs, vases and lamps thru open fields, forests, and alleys. It was quite the workout! But the shots I got with Darcy’s furniture styling were just what I had in mind. After we shot “The Chairs”, we headed inside and got some cool interiors of the shop and everything in it. Maison Galleria has been open for a while now and if you are looking for some great accessories for your home that aren’t mass-produced in Sweden, you should stop in and say hello to Darcy!
I just got the latest copy of MN Bride, which is a great resource for planning your wedding btw, and came across some familiar faces. Congrats to Abby and Jason! I am still loving those green bridesmaid dresses with the pink bouquets!
I didn’t forget about my favorite wedding images of 2009, silly! Here they are, and really, looking back on the past year made me realize how much I dig my gig. Honestly. I have been shooting professionally now for 6 years and I can’t image doing anything else. I am a lucky girl!
OK, ok. I know I owe you my “best of ‘09 wedding images” post, but things have been MEGA exciting here at EyeSpy.
This past fall I have been working with a fantastic photographer (video) and story teller, Nick Kesler. We actually go way back…we went to high school together, and I shot his wedding a few years ago. From all of the work I have seen from him, I had been trying to convince him to get into shooting weddings because what he does is so unique and amazing, so different than what anyone else is doing here in Minneapolis/St. Paul area.
I had seen a few photographer’s promo videos up on random blogs and thought, “hmmm…that could be cool”. I ran the idea past Nick and he was pumped to help me do it. He came with me to a wedding this past summer, then to a Trash the Dress session I had this fall, and then we finished up with a little Get-To-Know-Me interview session, cut out some swear words, kept some bits of me acting nerdy, sprinkled in some HAWT wedding images and edited it into a work of art.
It is an amazing video, a little peek into my life, my business and my head. You might even say that I get a little excited when I am shooting. HA!
Nick has taken my advice and will be shooting more weddings and turning them into mini-motion pictures. We have 2 weddings together for 2010, and maybe more!! He is currently putting together a super new website, so if you want his contact info, let me know!
I was closing out my 2009 paperwork and as I was going through the names, I started remembering all of the great people I met and worked with in ‘09. I was lucky enough to get to shoot in Duluth, Cincinnati and Chicago as well as the Cities. I made a little “best of” posting for my super favorite engagement shoots, really its just a sampling. I CAN’T WAIT to work with all of these gorgeous people in the coming year.
If you have been within the state lines of Minnesota as of late, you know the weather has been brutal. Tons of snow (which I dig), and some crazy-frigid temps. Like WAAAAY below zero. Its hard to leave the house for fear that I might lose a finger or 2…and I kinda need those. And for you lucky readers out there south of me, send some warmer weather up this way.
Last spring, I started my first garden. I moved rocks, tilled the soil, touched worms, all that jazz. I planted bulbs, seeds and weeded until my fingernails were black with dirt. I thought it would be something that I would give up on, but I actually liked it. I would come in the house every morning with a status update of what was sprouting. I liked pulling weeds, but hated when the spiders would pop out. I grew dahlias, ranunculus, black eyed susans, gladiolas, peonies, hydrangea, poppies and some other weird things I can’t recall. I was pretty proud. Some were good enough for my bride’s bouquets…but I couldn’t share. I loved them too much.
And now, since the weather is nasty and it seems that there is no hope for spring, I have proof that I can grow things. I hope this warms you up a little bit. Spring is 75 days away.
