Oh Christmas Tree

This pretty lady has one of the best smiles I know. Whenever I see it, whether I've got my camera in front of my face or am sitting in front of my computer, I can't help but smile with her! (...Until I realise I'm sitting alone smiling at my computer like an idiot.) She's also one of the best sports I know, completely willing to dive into any situation I throw at her and effortlessly make it look like she belongs. She also shares my excitement for snow! We're both from the West Coast, so maybe that has something to do with it. It's always such a huge pleasure to shoot with her, and we always get such wonderful images. I'm looking forward to going through the rest of them (and smiling at my computer like a crazy person).

Snow Day

Now it feels like winter! These exchange students from Singapore, France, and the Netherlands don't often get to see snow like this, so we took full advantage of it and shot right in the thick of it. I had factored in dealing with the cold and keeping the snow off my camera gear, but I didn't realise my biggest issue of the morning would be the camera's autofocus. At one point, the snow was so heavy that the camera had no clue where to focus and kept focusing on the flakes in front of it! These girls were so much fun, and despite focusing troubles, we got some really fantastic shots which make the numb fingers and toes totally worth it.

Hair For Days

This was a shooting adventure that took us all over campus. From the most modern and fancy of buildings, right into the depths of a concrete monstrosity. You wouldn't know it to look at the photos, though. This pretty lady joined in on a shoot in April where her relaxed energy made everyone feel relaxed, too. This time around, the spotlight was on her (and of course her gorgeous hair). Not seen in these shots, we had a lot of fun playing with movement in her hair, so I'm looking forward to going through the rest of the photos.

Makeup by this talented lady.

Between Sisters

These two are so much fun. They're sisters I met earlier in the year when shooting with M, while E came along and assisted me during the shoot. I'm so thrilled that E decided to join in the fun in front of the camera this time around, and I know that each of them definitely helped the other relax and be a little silly. I had a great afternoon with them, and shooting together ended my weekend perfectly (not to mention, made me miss my sister!). Thanks for being so great, ladies!

Feels Like Winter (Still No Snow)

It was -8°C on Sunday morning (or 17°F, if you prefer). However you measure the temperature, it was cold. Really cold. Numb fingers and toes cold. Thank goodness we found a pile of embers on the beach that we were able to bring back to life. That gave us just enough heat for this lovely lady to be able to pull off some pretty impressive dance moves. This is our second time shooting together, and she never ceases to impress me with how comfortable she appears on camera, not to mention, she's just so darn nice to be around. Looking forward to going through the rest of the photos from our time together.

Ice God to Monochrome Man

This is another example of how working with someone on multiple occasions builds a level of trust needed to try something a little different. Last time I shot with T, we got some great casual and very lifestyle-y portraits together. This time around, we played around a little with a lot of makeup help by this talented lady. It's definitely going to be fun going through the rest of these. They are begging me to go wild with editing and see how far I can push them in post-production. I can't wait.

The Dark Side

When I first shoot with someone, we usually stick to a very casual and safe shoot plan. I will often keep my shooting angles fairly safe and we move quickly from one shot to the next so I don't lose their attention. Shooting with someone on several occasions builds a certain level of trust, and that trust comes in handy when wanting to try things that are a little different.

This is now the third time I've shot with J, and each time we get something even cooler. With the trust we've developed comes a patience (for my finicky lighting) and belief that, if we do it right, even a brutalist concrete building straight out of the 70's can look good. The moment our mutual trust was very clear to me was when she didn't look at me like I was (too) crazy upon asking her to wave around a piece of fabric while I shot 100+ frames. Worth it? You tell me.

(The dress shot below is a draft. It will need some work before it gets sent off to retouching.)

Friendsgiving

This awesome group of friends let me join in their fun for their Friendsgiving dinner. They were so much fun, and their festive spirit was contagious. By the end of the night, I was no longer dreading the oncoming cold of winter, knowing it'll bring more spirited evenings like this one.

School of Rock

This was a terrific shoot with terrific people. The people you see in these photos are highly creative and very talented, all having been accepted into a competitive college of music that gives them the skills to enter the music industry as professionals. It goes without saying that they all have a performer persona they can turn on when they want to. I've found that musicians (or performers of any kind) have a perfect balance of energy and patience that makes them great in front of a camera. I know they certainly make my job easier!

Last time I was in town, I shot with Y showcasing a sliver of her life as a pianist. This time, she introduced me to three other musicians, and took the reigns on getting them to relax and interact with each other in front of the camera. Despite an afternoon of tricky lighting conditions, and boldly coloured walls everywhere, we managed to get some really great shots putting their skills on display.

The Universal Language

Last time I was in town, I shot with a very talented pianist and we ended up getting some pretty spectacular performance images. This time, she introduced me to two other musicians: one is a voice major, and the other is an organist in the final year of her doctorate. I learned some fascinating things about organs (one of the most interesting things about this particular organ is that it is not in a church where you might expect it to be. This one is on a university campus, inconspicuously tucked away behind a door that looks just like all the other classroom doors in the hallway). The location made for some tricky lighting conditions, but we ended up with some pretty neat shots. I'm looking forward to going through the rest of them.

Jack of All Trades

Having shot together before, both solo and with others, I know this guy is superb at quickly making himself comfortable in any scenario you throw at him. Though the torrential downpour had subsided, the weather remained not entirely on our side. Not letting that affect him, in just three short hours he was able to morph into a runner, an outdoorsman, and a businessman. Shooting with him is always fun, relaxed, and laughter is guaranteed.

All The World's a Stage

This pretty lady lives and breathes theatre, so it seemed fitting to do our shoot in and around what is likely the most famous theatre in the city. The theatre has all kinds of beautiful rooms and windows providing us with several different looks to show off her wonderful smile and curls!

It would appear that I've yet again picked an in-between season to visit the Twin Cities. Last time I was here, winter had ended but spring had not yet sprung. The grass was brown, and only during my last few days did tiny bits of green began appearing on branches. This time, the leaves have all fallen, the temperatures have dropped, but the grass is still green, but as of yet, there hasn't been any snow. That's right: no snow. I added it into the middle picture below--my first attempt at creating digital snow. What do you think? Would you have known?

Fit as Fiddles

These girls kicked off what I know is going to be a great few weeks of photo shoots. It was a beautiful morning, but certainly not warm. They were jumping up and down, and jogging back and forth before I had even taken out my camera. I had done a shoot with S before, but this time she introduced me to B. Wanting to try something new, the girls gave it their all for a fitness shoot. After a morning of running and a quick how-to session about box-jumping, these girls were showing off their athletic skills making it look effortless. We ended the shoot perfectly by warming up with hot mochas in a charming nearby café.