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Sometime this weekend (hopefully), the new iPhone 3G will be mine. All of the local AT&T stores in my area have already sold out and I’m debating whether a trip to the one of the Apple stores is worth my time. But sometime in the near future, I hope to be holding a shiny, beautiful iPhone in my hot little hand.

Because this will require switching not only phones but providers, if you call me and something weird happens or you don’t hear back from me, please try contacting me either via the blog form or through the contact section on the Glimpses of Soul Photography main page. I don’t want anyone getting lost in cellular land!

Tags: contact, iphone, minneapolis photographer, minnesota photographer, st paul photographer

As summer flies by (can it really be July already? Am I really working on Christmas card session plans now? I am! More on that later), The Great Minnesota Get Together (more commonly known as the State Fair) grows closer. That also means that the deadline to register for the Fine Arts competition is even more rapidly approaching. Just like yearly fair attendance is a tradition for many Minnesotans, yearly application (and for many of us, subsequent rejection) to the Fine Arts competition is a tradition for local photographers. The Twin Cities is chock full of talented artists and acceptance is difficult - there were over 2200 applicants last year and only 300+ pieces were accepted.

I’ve entered the competition three of the last four years. My first entry was this photo, taken at Peacham Pond in Vermont. It was sort of a last minute decision, made on a whim just as I was preparing to leave town for several months, and I didn’t really realize the caliber of the competition. Not surprisingly, it was not accepted.

I missed the registration deadline the next year so did not enter. The year after, I entered this photo, which I don’t actually like much. This was also taken in Vermont and my parents have a large print of this hanging in their house. I entered it because, despite my dislike of it, I’d gotten several compliments on it and figured with my luck, I’d be successful in entering a photo that I didn’t like. I wasn’t.

(It doesn’t actually look as bad as this version.)

Last year I entered this image. I printed it quite large (30×40) just because I wanted to. It was the most obvious of my images that I could think of that would do well in a competition. The judge apparently felt differently. It did hang for several weeks at the Lake Elmo Regional Art Center and currently graces the March page of 3M calendars everywhere. I got tired of looking at that photo though so it now resides on the mantel in my parents’ house.

I’m not sure what or if I’m going to enter this year. The results of my previous entries haven’t deterred me but I think picking an entry this year would be difficult and likely time-consuming so maybe I’ll save the fair for various foods on a stick. We’ll see.

Tags: competition, minnesota, minnesota child photographer, minnesota landscape photographer, minnesota photographer, st paul photographer, state fair, woodbury child photographer

A belated Happy Fourth courtesy of the Stillwater, MN fireworks. They did a great display, complete with firing of cannons. It seemed like most of Minnesota was there and had arrived earlier than our “let’s get there early!” but we were able to secure a pretty good vantage point down near the water anyway.

Giving some thought to attending the fireworks in Hudson tonight. There’s no such thing as too many fireworks, is there?

Tags: event, fireworks, holiday, minnesota event photography, stillwater, stillwater photographer

The weather is gorgeous today and I did get a chance to get out - over to Edina to have lunch with Scott and then for my first trip to Sonic which opened nearby recently and has been insanely busy ever since. (It was still too busy…it’ll be another few months before I go back there, I’m sure.) But I’m home this evening, working to get a bit caught up before the holiday weekend festivities begin and with the nice weather and the sound of early fireworks outside, I feel a bit like everyone is out having fun and I’m missing it!

So a little bit of fun between work. I saw another photographer suggest that we post ten random things about ourselves that people might not know. So here are my ten.

1. I drink Diet Cherry Pepsi for breakfast.
2. I spent several summers teaching archery and even got my certification to do so.
3. I’ve also been certified to work for a private investigation company.
4. I camped alone overnight in the woods in Pennsylvania with only a poncho, flashlight, lighter and harmonica. It rained the entire time and it was a very long night.
5. I like to drink from plastic cups, not glasses.
6. I don’t like a lot of very common foods (like tomatoes) but I loooove sushi.
7. I saw Michael Jackson in the airport once when I was younger and he was popular in the good way.
8. My first job was at Creative Kidstuff. I started off as a seasonal worker and my job was to wrap gifts. That’s a dangerous skill to have because your family will want you to wrap all the gifts they are giving, too.
9. When I got my first computer, it had to spend a lot of time in the shop because I loaded drivers for the wrong operating system on it twice in a row. Now I can build my own computers.
10. I would really like to go to India someday.

Now you should all share one or two or ten random things about yourselves in the comments! And then have a happy Fourth.

Tags: about me, bio, Children Photography, minneapolis child photographer, misc, newborn photographer, st paul child photographer, woodbury child photographer

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! )

Tags: minnesota photographer, mn child photography, mn commercial photographer, vacation

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!

Tags: children, coon rapids, family, lion's coon creek park, minneapolis, minnesota, minnesota children photography, outdoors, park, portraits, twin cities

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.

Tags: children portraits, minneapolis photographer, minnesota child photographer, st paul photographer, stillwater

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!

Tags: maternity, minnesota newborn photographer, mom, newborn, pregnant, st paul newborn photography, studio, woodbury

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!

Tags: bridal, minnesota model photography, mn commercial photography, portraits, urban

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?

Tags: bride, engagement photography, groom, minnesota wedding photographer, st paul wedding photographer, wedding