Shannon's People

Kanski Family

2010-10-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

I met the Kanski family at a farm and pumpkin patch in Andover for some fall time fun and pictures. It was a great setting for photos and meaningful to them because they go there every year to pet the animals and get some pumpkins. I love spending time with such cute, sweet families.

Stefanie and Rob

2010-10-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

Stefanie and Rob picked the most beautiful day to get married! It was a pretty big risk choosing October 10th to have an outdoor wedding, but boy, did it pay off. I couldn't stop commenting on how nice the weather was and how the trees were so perfect - they were on fire with color, none of the leaves were dry, they were exactly my vision of what fall should look like. And, to have this beautiful, sweet couple to photograph on this gorgeous day! I was one happy photographer!! Congratulations, Stefanie and Rob!

I could see the deep love in the way they looked at each other....

...and by how happy they were. <3

They had a lovely, intimate ceremony to dedicate their lives to one another.

"If the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you.
If mountains crumble to the sea, there would still be you and me."

Megan and Owen

2010-10-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Owen, a two year old with a sweet personality and a lot of energy, kept Megan and I busy at Minnehaha Falls Park on another gorgeous fall afternoon. I photographed him a year ago and it is so fun to see how much he has grown. He is a cutie!

He doesn't shy away from danger! ;)

Peek-A-Boo!

Jill and Matt - Engagement session

2010-10-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

These two are getting married in 2012 in Crosslake. We all have a special connection to that beautiful area. Can't wait!!

We met at a pumpkin patch in Stillwater for their session - awesome idea by Jill!! They are super fun to photograph and we had a great time.

Jacinta and Phillip

2010-09-28T20:31:00.001-07:00

Jacinta and Phillip were married on a lovely Friday evening in Northeast Minneapolis. We got to take some photos at the St. Anthony Main area and at Silverwood Park. Perfect picture weather! Beautiful day, beautiful couple.

The Berglund Family

2010-09-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

I met this awesome family at Kordiak Park for a session on a gorgeous afternoon in September. How many cuties can you possibly have in one family?!? And, there's even another little one on the way. I can't wait to meet him! My sister and her growing family has shared so much love and life and happiness with me. You guys are beautiful!

Tyler - Senior Pics

2010-09-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

I met Tyler at the Stone Arch Bridge on what turned out to be a beautiful day. It was threatening rain all day, but held out for the session and the sun even came out! Tyler is thinking of becoming an engineer. Go, Tyler! It was a fun photo shoot with cool back grounds and a photogenic guy!

Alissa, Joe and the Boys

2010-09-07T16:41:00.000-07:00

Seriously, can you even believe how adorable this family is?!? It fills me with joy to see them so happy and cute!! <3 Love!

Sweet brothers

Welcome Baby Declan

2010-08-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

Baby Declan - He is just a charmer! Look at this happy guy!

Bath time:

Richard and Sophia:

We went to Minnehaha Falls Park for some photos. It was a great day to be near (and in!) the water!

How cute are they?

Laura - Senior Pictures

2010-08-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

I met the beautiful Laura and her sweet parents at the Rose Garden by Lake Harriet for her senior pictures. We had tons of fun and made a stop in the Uptown area to get some unique urban shots. Laura was a great model!

Imran and Chanita

2010-07-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

Imran and Chanita were married on the 4th of July! They are a beautiful couple and it was so great to be able to be there on their special day. :)

Kortni - Senior Pictures

2010-07-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

I met Kortni at the Sculpture Garden for her Senior Pictures. She is from North Dakota and is planning to choose art history as her major when she goes to college. Awesome! We had a good time enjoying the art and taking pictures on a beautiful summer evening.

Brooke and Bryant's Wedding

2010-07-08T21:39:00.000-07:00

Brooke and Bryant are married!! They had such a wonderful, beautiful day and are so great together. Everyone was incredibly happy for them and glad to witness their amazing love!! The ceremony and brunch took place at the MN Arboretum on a summer morning and it was perfect. They are inspiring people and are very, very loved.

Brooke and Bryants' parents are so sweet and proud! :)

Mazel tov!!!

Brunch followed their sweet ceremony and it was gorgeous! The bright, unique style made me happy and the food was ridiculously yummy!!

Breaking bread together:

I cannot express how much love was in that room. So many good friends and family stood up to say wonderful things about who these two are and how wonderful they are together.

Kisa and Ben

2010-07-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

Kisa and Ben live in Colorado in a beautiful mountain town near Aspen. Originally from Minnesota, they traveled back here to celebrate their marriage with family and friends. They chartered a boat on Lake Minnetonka to have a ring ceremony and because it is a fun way to spend time together! They had perfect weather (it had been raining for 2 weeks before this perfect day) and everyone had a great time. After the boat ride, we all went to Jax Cafe in NE Mpls for a nice meal. Kisa and Ben are sweet and have great family and friends. I really enjoyed spending time with them and being able to see what a great match they are for each other. Congratulations! I am so happy for you!!

Beautiful lady!

Just had to add another picture...

2010-06-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

...of Valerie and Richard being so much in love.

Valerie and Richard

2010-05-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Richard and Valerie had their pregnancy photos done just in time! We shot this session at the Minnehaha Falls area and they had a beautiful baby boy a week later! They were waiting to find out if the baby was going to be a boy or a girl and it was so exciting to find out! A boy! :) Valerie is a gorgeous lady and I can't wait to meet the little one.

We got sweet Sophia in some pictures too. I just love that little girl!

Brooke and Bryant

2010-05-14T17:59:00.000-07:00

We almost postponed this session because we heard that there was a possibility of there being snow on the ground (in May)! Not only did it not snow, but the sun came out and it turned into a beautiful evening. We had fun running around the Stone Arch Bridge area and it made me EVEN MORE excited to photograph their wedding in June! :)

How sweet are they??

I love cuddles!

And when people laugh hard.

Of course dancing in the street is always a good time!

Andrew and Alyssa's Wedding

2009-12-23T10:04:00.000-08:00

I'm a bit behind in my wedding photo blogging so it's time to catch up some. Andrew and Alyssa were married in August in Iowa and they had a wonderful wedding day. They were surrounded by lots of family and tons of friends from all over. The ceremony was in picturesque Bellevue, IA and the reception in Debuque. It was a really fun trip and a great time was had by all! :) Update: Andrew and Alyssa are expecting a baby in May!! Congratulations!

Baby Colton

2009-11-13T12:43:00.000-08:00

This little one was born on September 7th to two proud and happy parents. Colton did a great job for us during the shoot and is such a cutie. I am so happy for this adorable family!

John - Senior Pictures

2009-10-27T21:44:00.000-07:00

Jill was a model in a salon shoot I did (www.nailsbycindi.com) and hired me to take senior pictures of her son, John. Jill and John are super nice people, and we had a fun time at this session on a beautiful trail by where they used to live. John plans to be an airplane mechanic, is a photogenic guy and I think he looks a little like Matt Damon. :)

Jill said this was a corny picture. ;)

Katie and Josh's Wedding

2009-10-23T09:19:00.000-07:00

I was a bridesmaid in this wedding and I can't tell you now honored I was to stand up there and be a part of this special day. Being a bridesmaid didn't stop me from bringing my camera along though! ;) Katie and Josh were married at the Harrington Mansion and Zurah Shrine Center in Minneapolis and it was just beautiful. It felt like a dream. I'm incredibly happy for you.

Katie's friend did these flower arrangements for us and they were so cool! The handles are made of leaves! Katie, you'll have to let me know who it was that made these so I can give them credit. Nice work!

The mansion has a very romantic feel. I can see why they fell in love with it when they first saw it. I can see why they fell in love with each other too....

Katie and Josh: Part 2

2009-10-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

For part 2 of Katie and Josh's engagement session, we met up for some fishing. They love to fish together and seem to have a lot of fun doing it!

Best catch of his life! ;)

snuggles

Justina and Bradley

2009-09-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

These two were married on a gorgeous day in September. I was the second shooter on this one, but I figured I'd throw a couple of my favorites up. Enjoy! :)

Some snuggle pictures just after their first meeting:
Getting ready:

I love the smell of lilies!
This is Kylie. She is 4. ;)

Tina helping her daughter get ready:

I just loved this one of the ceremony. Their son wanted to peek over to see them kiss. :)

They had their reception at Valentino's, a cool old mansion turned night club and reception hall. Time to party! Congratulations you two!

Sweet Cora

2009-09-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

Cora is a super cute 15 month old. She is independent and on the move! :) I met her, Heather and Ian at Como Park on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. We rode the carousel, smelled the flowers and ran around the park. Good times! :)

Isn't she precious?!?

Katie and Josh's Engagement Session: Part 1

2009-09-04T12:31:00.001-07:00

This sweet couple are going to tie the knot this October and are super excited! We met at the great MN get-together for part of their engagement session. Stay tuned for part 2...
The butterfly tent! :)

I love the midway at night! Especially when there is dipping and kissing involved!!

Nails by Cindi

2009-08-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

After shooting her son's senior pictures last fall, Cindi hired me to take some pictures of her adorable salon. The salon offers all of your manicure/pedicure needs as well as sells products and some fun accessories. Cindi is a warm person and has a way of making everyone feel right at home in her company.

A visit from a sweet puppy:

There are some unique and beautiful items for sale in the shop:
Doesn't a pedicure sound nice!?!

The lovely assistant:

Cindi:

Emily's Senior Pictures

2009-08-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

I met this pretty girl at the Minneapolis riverfront on a perfect evening in August. I couldn't have asked for better lighting! Or a better subject! Emily is super sweet and very photogenic. We had a great time running around getting lots of variety at this shoot. There are so many images that I'm excited about, it was hard to choose which ones to put on this blog!

She had to be pretty adventurous to get to this spot. I think it was worth it! :)

Brian's Senior Pictures

2009-08-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

Brian and I traveled all over Brooklyn Park for this photo session! It was a fun way to get to know him and the area! Brian plans to tackle a Science major when he goes to college next year and, as you can see, he plays the trombone and runs track for Osseo.

Laura and Erik's Wedding

2009-08-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

Laura and Erik got married on a rainy Friday morning and I had so much fun taking pictures of the two of them! The city was half covered in fog and we had the Stone Arch Bridge area to ourselves. Laura and Erik had fun running around in the rain while my sweet mother held an umbrella over my camera (I owe her a malt from Annie's Parlor for this!). It turned out great! Congratulations Laura and Erik!
The first meeting:

I love umbrella pictures!

The ceremony was held near the Peace Garden at Lake Harriett. This shelter was a nice, dry option. :)

Adam's Senior Pictures

2009-08-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

I met Adam for his senior pictures at the Minneapolis riverfront area. It was a beautiful afternoon and a great time for photos! :) Adam plays football for Wayzata High School and is thinking of attending the U of M. It was fun to get to know him and to take his picture many, many times. ;)

The Zimmerley Family

2009-08-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

This is my beautiful friend Alissa and her sweet husband Joe. They have an adorable son and another one on the way (They are keeping the new little one's name a secret until he is born, which is very cute). We met at Como Park for a photo shoot and had a great time. I'm so happy for this wonderful family! :)

Melissa and Derrik's Wedding

2009-07-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

This lovely couple said their vows at the Charthouse in Lakeville on 7/11. Melissa and Derrik met in their home town of Minot, North Dakota. They are very sweet people and fun to photograph! :) It was a gorgeous day for a wedding and everyone had a great time - I was so happy to be there to document the event.

The Charthouse has beautiful gardens.

Love!

Pregnancy Shoot: Precious and Brad

2009-07-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of shooting Precious and Brad's engagement and wedding last fall and now they are having a baby! :) We met at Boom Island to take some pregnancy photos and will meet again once the little one is born to take some family ones (they waiting to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl :). They are a beautiful couple - I can't wait to meet their beautiful baby!

They are so cute together.

Graduation Invitations for Megan

2009-07-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

I designed this invitation for a graduation party (the party info would be on the back). It was super fun to design and I found a great local print shop to help me with the job. If anyone would like party invites, let me know! :)

Author Photo: Annie Wilder

2009-07-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

This beautiful woman contacted me in need of an author photo for her new book. We met on a gorgeous (and windy!) Sunday afternoon to accomplish this. Annie is the author of "House of Spirits and Whispers" and has a new book "Spirits out of Time" due out in September. She is a talented author and is very nice to work with.

Megan, Eric & Owen!

2009-07-01T13:15:00.001-07:00

I shot Megan Eric's wedding back in 2006 and it was so nice to see them again. Their son, Owen, is one year old, a cutie, and on the move!

"SO BIG!"

What a cute family!

Owen seemed to really like the fountain. Fun!

Welcome Ava Marie

2009-06-02T08:48:00.001-07:00

We are so glad you're here! :)

The first time Jake got to hold his new little sister:

Arianna already has experience in being a big sister. She's good at it.

Megan's Senior Pics

2009-05-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

I met Megan at the Norenberg Gardens on Lake Minnetonka for her senior portrait session. We had perfect weather and Megan is a natural beauty. An artist herself, she was up for any creative and/or silly ideas for photos that I came up with. :) She could easily be a model and this session was very fun!

Kalley and Andrew's Session

2009-04-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

I met Kalley and Andrew at a very unique, funky location for their session. We had a great time running around taking pictures on some (semi) abandoned railroad tracks. Kalley and Andrew are super photogenic and fun! They even brought some props! I like their style!! Can't wait to shoot their wedding in October! :)

Shana and Chris - March 28, 2009

2009-04-23T08:57:00.000-07:00

Shana and Chris were married at the Dolce Hotel/Oakridge Convention Center at the end of March. The openness of the layout, the skylights, and the huge fireplace made this photographer very happy. Not to mention how great Shana and Chris are together and all of the wonderful people in attendance! It was a day full of love and joy and I feel grateful that I was able to photograph it.

Best cake topper ever!

Horas are so much fun!

Kimmy's Belly Pics

2009-03-18T19:45:00.000-07:00

I shot Kim and John's wedding back in June and now they are expecting! They are due to have a baby girl or boy in May (they aren't going to find out beforehand because they want to be surprised). Kim is a beautiful person and did a great job modeling for the shoot. Congratulations Kim and John and I can't wait to meet your little one!

Kim's sister, Denise, jumped in for a couple:

Crystal and Jon: Sweet Valentines

2009-02-23T23:09:00.000-08:00

Crystal and Jon were married at their favorite hang-out spot (Moe's) on Valentine's Day. It won't be hard to remember their anniversary! ;) Surrounded by family and friends, they had a great day celebrating their lives together.
Crystal was a beautiful bride!
The first meeting:

The ceremony:
It was pretty chilly, but we had to run outside for a few pics!

Their best friends:

Time to party!
This is Crystal and Jon's adorable daughter, Emily. She loves to dance (especially hula) and clap to the music!

Congratulations you guys! :)

Tania and Matthew: A Perfect Winter Wedding

2009-01-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

Tania and Matthew had a joyous wedding on December 13, 2008 right between two cold fronts in the state of Minnesota. They had the perfect day for a winter wedding: no blizzards, no freezing rain, no brown snow. It was one of those bright, comfortable days; the snow looked beautiful and the sun even made a brief appearance. They got married at the Excelsior Covenant Church and held their reception at the Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista. Tania and Matthew are very sweet people and are surrounded with loving friends and family.
Their first meeting:
We got to go outside for some photos.

I loved the details of this wedding! They had little cardinals on white branches in the church and on birch bark candle holders at the reception. Tania's mother can take credit for that project - it was such a great idea and very creative.

About to give his first daughter away:

Love!!
This is the Gale Woods Pavilion. It was definitely fashioned after a red barn, which worked well for the square dance lessons that were happening inside! :)

Dosey doe!
The night ended with a kiss under the mistletoe...
...and some words of wisdom.

Baby Sophia

2009-01-04T23:20:00.000-08:00

This is my cousin's adorable baby Sophia. As little as she is, she is now twice the size she was when she was born. The little wise one is smart and strong and extremely lovable.

Antonia and Philip's Wedding: from Slaughter to Hope

2008-12-14T19:05:00.003-08:00

Antonia's last name was Slaughter. Now it's Hope. This wedding was so much fun to shoot! It took place at the Theodore Wirth Parkway Clubhouse and we were all hoping for a beautiful fall day. Instead, their wedding took place on one of the first snowy, cold days of the year. So, they ran with it. Literally. They braved the weather and had a blast riding in golf carts, running down and up hills, and enjoying their day to the fullest (which makes it pretty easy for me to enjoy too!!).

Marie and Justin's Wedding

2008-11-28T14:45:00.001-08:00

Marie and Justin had a beautiful service at the Como Park Conservatory and a lovely dinner at Buca in Minneapolis. It was wonderful to see them united together because of their love. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Berglund!! :)

something borrowed:

what a cute husband!

hurray for love!!

Precious and Brad's Wedding

2008-11-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

Precious and Brad were married at St. John's Catholic Church in New Brighton on an absolutely beautiful October day. Their day was very special and was enjoyed by all!

LOVE the red shoes!!!!

Magical...

We stopped at Boom Island for some pics. It was so fun and we took so many - it was hard to choose some for this blog!

Time to party at Murzan Hall.

They are a wonderful couple! Congratulations Precious and Brad!! Happy Day! :)

Family Pics: Crystal, Jon and Emily

2008-11-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

I met Crystal, Jon and Emily for a photo shoot on one of those wonderful Indian Summer days that we all love. Crystal's brother will be marrying my sister on November 22nd and we are excited to join families! Crystal and Jon are getting married on Valentine's Day of '09 - there are weddings all around! :)

Isn't Emily an adorable baby??
Awww...

Sweet family

It isn't trick photography, her eyes really are this striking!

We even fit in some cuddle time for Crystal and Jon!

Melissa and Derrik's Engagment Session

2008-10-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

Melissa and Derrik will be celebrating their marriage vows next July at the Chart House in Lakeville. We met on a perfect fall day for some photos near Riverplace. There is so much variety and beauty in that area, especially on a gorgeous day in Autumn! Melissa and Derrik are easy people to photograph and are very sweet. I know their wedding will be beautiful! :)

Tess and Dustin's Wedding

2008-10-15T09:12:00.001-07:00

Tess and Dustin's wedding was beautiful and so much fun! The weather couldn't have been much nicer and everyone was happy to see these two say their vows and celebrate. I love how weddings bring families together to celebrate life and love. Congratulations Tess and Dustin! :)

The first time they saw each other:
at the club:

snuggles! :)

happily ever after...

Family Time: Marie and Justin

2008-10-06T09:35:00.001-07:00

I met Marie and Justin at Kordiak park in Columbia Heights to enjoy the beautiful weather and to take some photos.
Isn't my sister pretty!?!

the princess bride shot:

What a nice family:

And now it's time to play!

Senior Pics: Stevie

2008-10-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

Stevie and I had a great time running around and inside the Guthrie. I love shooting in this area and we even discovered some new, amazing spots (including the yellow room!). Stevie is a sweet heart and was a joy to take photos of.

Tess and Dustin's Engagement

2008-09-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

I shot this engagement session a few months ago and I thought I'd share some images. I am shooting their wedding this Saturday and am really excited about it! They have such a good time together - always laughing and enjoying each others company. It makes me happy to be around such a great couple! Stay tuned for wedding photos...

Senior pics: Bernard

2008-08-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

Bernard and I met at the Minneapolis riverfront area for his photo session. It's a great place for photos and Bernard is an easy guy to photograph.

He's got a super cool car and plans to be a mechanic someday. It's always nice to have mechanic friends! ;)

Melissa and Robb

2008-07-19T14:37:00.001-07:00

Melissa and Robb live in Denver, CO and traveled to Fall Creek, WI for their wedding. Melissa grew up there and they were able to say their vows on her parents' land. They have a fantastic place with an 100 year old barn perfect for a barn dance or two. These two were so happy and easy to take pictures of. The setting was perfect.