It’s finally summer here in the Twin Cities and that means I’m ready to escape! I grew up spending summers in the mountains in Pennsylvania with lots of outdoor time and adjusting to summers in the city has been a slow process. Another local photographer and I are looking to spend some cabin time lakefront in July. This is where we need your help!

Do you or someone you know have a cabin within five hours of the Twin Cities area? We’d like to barter our photography services in exchange for four nights (preferably July 24-28 but we’re open to other dates) at a cabin. Wedding photography, portraits, events, commercial images of your cabin property…make us an offer!

(See that little ShareThis link below the entry? That’s a handy dandy way to pass this entry on to your cabin-owning friends! )

I met up with the Z Family early yesterday morning at Lion’s Coon Creek Park in Coon Rapids. I do a lot of shoots with just one child so a family of six, with three of them beingfive years and younger, was pretty exciting! Lot of sibling love in this family…they were very cute!

This last shot is my favorite of the session…Mom’s idea!

A quick sneak peek for Miss Madeline’s parents as I promised them one by today!

Doesn’t she have gorgeous eyes?

I met this little lady’s father via Flickr as he’s also a photographer. I’ve found that it’s equal parts flattering and nervewracking to have another photographer ask you to photograph their family. But I met them yesterday morning and we had a good time trekking around Stillwater.

First to a few parks…

And then for some “lunch.” (I’m not sure I can think of a better way to celebrate the official first day of summer.)

And then for some fountain watching…

I don’t know about little M but this M needed a nap after all that! Thanks for sharing your family with me, Dave.

A quick peek from a maternity session I did last weekend. Linda came over with her cute family so we could do some photos.

I think this one is my favorite.

Then we went out into the backyard to get down to business. Bubbles, flower picking, caterpillars and RUNNING!

I’m so glad to finally be able to share these! It’s been a few weeks since they were taken and there were so many that I wanted to work on that I just haven’t had time to finish them all until now. But get ready for an image-intensive post.

These images are from a bridal/fashion shoot that we did at The Guthrie and Mill City Museum in Minneapolis. Both of them are amazing locations but the Guthrie especially is full of color and incredible architecture and all kinds of fun areas.

The next three images were taken in a room that’s called the Amber Box. You can see an outside view of the room in this image from Wikipedia. The light and view and colors are all really neat and portions of the floor are see-through as well.

(changed the color on this one, obviously)

Taken outside the Guthrie.

These were taken in a sort of covered alleyway between the Guthrie and the Mill City Museum. It was so sunny that day that the sun was pouring through spaces in the ceiling and creating awesome light.

And these were taken in the stairwell at the Mill City Museum…

I think that’s it for now! I have another batch of images from the Guthrie and the Sculpture Garden that should be coming soon. Such fun locations for shoots. If you live in the Twin Cities area and want to do some bridal portraits, engagement portraits, senior photos or whatever in those areas, just let me know!

I can’t believe it’s June already! I also can’t believe we’ve gotten this far with such consistently cool weather. I’m not complaining though, I prefer cool to hot and as long as it isn’t raining all the time and we can get outside for some photos, I’m happy. And speaking of photos, my June calendar is jam packed with upcoming sessions so, with the exception of newborn sessions (done within the first two weeks of birth), mid-July is my earliest availability. Drop me a line if you’d like to set something up!

On Saturday, I shot a wedding with my friend Sarah of Sarah McGee Photography. Both the ceremony and the reception were held at the Crystal Lake Golf Club in Lakeville.

The weather report wasn’t especially favorable but the rain held off and we were able to do portraits and the ceremony outside. It was almost too sunny!

They whole wedding party was a pretty fun and goofy bunch and I have to say, the toasts were among the best I’ve heard - hilarious and touching at the same time, even for someone who had no history with the bride and groom.

That all being said, guess who my favorite two of the wedding party were?