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I am a Minneapolis-based photographer specializing in weddings and portraiture. I love photographing moments of real people doing real things. I also like to photograph anything that has to do with the things I love in life–running & swimming, organic gardening & cooking, knitting, fashion, vintage modern design, my cat Wilson and my dog Sasha Pug. Thanks for visiting! (Photo by mk smith)
Food photography
Check out my food photography blog where I chronicled the contents of my weekly CSA box from the Women's Environmental Institute during the 2011 growing season.
Category Archives: Inspiration
The Caged Bird: Joynoëlle’s 2012 collection
I was privileged to photograph designer Joy Teiken’s Spring 2012 collection during a salon-style show at the Grand Café last week. The show featured 26 looks, including bridal gowns and evening wear, inspired by “the caged bird.” Joy chronicled the bird’s journey from caged to flying with details such as crisscrossed fabric and hand-made feathers. Making use of cream, black, chocolate brown and red hues, the Joynoëlle collection felt romantic, sophisticated and adventurous.
Nothing was overlooked – from the intimate venue, fabulous food and wine, vintage decor, stunning models, gorgeous flowers and glowing ice lanterns – at this inspiring and breath-taking fashion event. Even the crowd was beautiful!
If you are planning a wedding or special celebration, look up any of the vendors who helped create this magical evening.
Venue – Grand Café
Event planning – Alyson Newquist Events
Models – Vision Management Group
Hair and makeup – Extrados
Furniture and accessories – Lime Canary Vintage Rentals
Flowers – Flora Bella
Globe ice lanterns – Wintercraft
Also posted in Weddings
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A visit to Birdie Johnson’s farm
As a photographer, I often meet wonderful people whom I would never otherwise encounter if I did not carry a camera. This is one reason I am so thankful to do what I do. On a warm October morning, in search of old, weathered barn wood to use as a food photography prop, I found my way to Birdie Johnson’s farm. (Our mutual friend, Sue Ross, who breeds sheep with award-winning fleeces for handspinning, had introduced us. To see photographs of Sue and her flock, check out my blog post about her annual shearing day.)
Birdie has a half dozen or so sheep on her farm, as well as a lovely home and garden, a welcoming Golden Retriever and a friendly cat. What she and her husband Ed also have are acres of old buildings, antique cars and rusting farm machinery. Birdie, her friend Rachel and I walked around the farm in search of interesting photography props. I felt an instant connection to these two kind women as we walked, explored the fields and woods together and felt the warm sunshine on our faces. Along the way we did find some weathered barn wood (that Birdie expertly cut in two with a table saw so that it would fit in my hatchback), as well as some beautiful pieces of tree bark and a delicate oriole’s nest that had fallen from a tree.
Thank you, Birdie, for your generosity and kindness. I am so happy to have met you. Once I finally use that barn wood in a photograph, you’ll be the first to know.
Also posted in Life
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Vintage brooch bouquet from Lake Harriet Florist
Today I have some amazing inspiration for brides who love fun and funky vintage finds: a colorful brooch bouquet made by Lake Harriet Florist owner Cheryl Stommel. This bouquet is truly one of the most artistic and striking bridal bouquets I have photographed. It’s one-of-a-kind, and I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it.
The bouquet is made from vintage enamel brooches with a few rhinestone brooches in the mix. Most are shaped like flowers, but there are some surprises, including a little owl and a dog. Cheryl uses brooches from the 1960s-1980s because they’re sturdy and will not break when wired together. She uses smaller pieces of vintage jewelry, like earrings, to fill in any gaps between the brooches. Brides who are lucky enough to have vintage brooches from their mothers or grandmothers can incorporate those meaningful pieces into a bouquet that will be a lasting keepsake from their wedding day. And if you can’t decide between flowers or vintage jewelry, Cheryl said the two combine beautifully.
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