Kari Layland Photography - The Blog

2010-12-16T14:15:00.002-06:00

Moving on up! I've got a brand spankin new blog! Check it out: www.kariphotography.com/blog

See you over there!

2010-07-12T16:13:00.003-05:00

Portraits in the park!

Ok everyone, due to popular demand I'm doing a very limited time special! On one day only, Saturday July 24th, I'll be offering "mini sessions" for the first 8 people to sign up! This is a 30 minute photo session for a reduced rate of $50. There will also be "mini" collections for the mini sessions only. I'll be taking sessions from 8-10am, and from 6-8pm. These sessions will take place at Battle Creek Park in St Paul. The first 8 people to sign up get the spots!

To reserve your spot, email me at info@kariphotography.com.

Here are the "mini" collections, for this event only. They are in addition to the $50 session fee:

Mini Collection 1: $200
6 prints, 8x10 or smaller

Mini Collection 2: $150
4 prints, 8x10 or smaller

Additional collections are listed here: www.kariphotography.com/collections.htm

For this event only, if you get Collection E or larger, you'll get your favorite image on disc. Thanks!

2010-06-19T18:21:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Will and Leah! They were married today on a beautiful day in Mahtomedi. This amazing couple was in the news recently for their generous donation of their entire wedding food budget to the releif efforts in Haiti. Here are some links to their story: http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=836614
http://www.pih.org/haiti/news-entry/our-partners-in-health-leah-bogen-bride-to-be/
Here's a sneak peak of a few images from their wedding ceremony. More to come!

2010-06-08T13:11:00.000-05:00

Here are a few more of my very own little beauty. Love her SO MUCH!

2010-06-08T12:59:00.002-05:00

I spent the morning with these little cuties and their newborn baby sister on a cloudy day last week. We went out to the lake and had a great time playing in the sand! This little guy kept trying to eat it! You can probably see some sand on his chin. I loved the sky just as we were finishing up, it was about to rain. I love moody skies, so I was glad to have the opportunity to play a little :)

These little guys had a little bit of mommy separation anxiety. She went to go grab them a snack, and they simultaniously burst into tears. Poor little guys, but so cute too!

2010-06-08T12:54:00.002-05:00

Introducing baby "C"! I got to photograph this little beauty last week - she's such a little doll! She's the newest addition to a wonderful family I've been working with since the birth of their first baby girl. Now they have 4! I'll post a few of her siblings soon. Enjoy!

2010-06-06T11:40:00.002-05:00

I had a great time this week photographing this lovely little lady. She's grown so much since last time I've worked with her (only last fall!). She's turned from a toddler to a big girl - amazing how fast time flies! Remember to savor each and every moment with your kids - they grow up SO fast!

2010-05-31T16:03:00.001-05:00

My beautiful baby girl is 3 months old! Here are a couple of my newest favorites of her. She's getting so big!

2010-05-31T14:55:00.002-05:00

Hi there! I'm a little tardy with this post, but I wanted to share a few from a session I had in March! I've been photographing this family since their little girl was a newborn, and now she has a little brother! Aren't they a beautiful family?

2010-04-27T15:06:00.007-05:00

Just wanted to recap a bunch of recent sessions that I never got around to blogging about! Enjoy all the little cuties :)

2010-03-03T15:00:00.000-06:00

A couple more of my sweet itty bitty girl...

2010-03-01T15:49:00.000-06:00

A few more of my new love...

2010-03-01T14:49:00.002-06:00

Wow, have I been severely neglecting this blog! I'm so sorry to those who have been following this! I've been going nonstop for months and haven't been getting permission from my clients to share their pictures, so I haven't been able to share :( I did take the initiative and got a bunch of forms signed, so I'll be able to post a lot of sessions from the last several months now :)

But first, I have to introduce my baby girl! Zahra Sophia Layland was born on February 21st, 2010 at 2:33pm. Bob and I just adore her, and Nina loves being a big sister! Of course I've been busy photographing her, so I'll post a few of my favorites. Here are my faves so far. More to come!

2009-09-16T23:03:00.001-05:00

A photographer friend from Michigan recently posted this great idea on her blog. If you've been thinking about what to wear for your family portraits, take a look here for some inspiration!

http://nbarczakphotography.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-to-wear-wednesday.html

2009-08-20T12:37:00.002-05:00

This gorgeous gal wanted a mix of studio and outdoor photographs, so we started out in Minneapolis for some old city and nature looks, then headed to my studio. We had a great time and she was fabulous to work with.

2009-08-20T11:57:00.002-05:00

Senior portrait season is in full swing! I love this time of year. Every senior has a unique style of their own, so it's fun to get creative and have fun capturing them! For this shoot I went out on their boat so he could show off his wakeboarding skills. So fun! We did some family portraits at the same time. Enjoy!

2009-07-24T12:28:00.003-05:00

I've had a lot of fun photo shoots lately! It's refreshing to get the chance to try something new and different than I've done before. I'd been meaning to try out this pose on a baby, so when this little sleepy head came around, it was the perfect opportunity! She made the perfect face, don't you think? Can't wait to try some different variations with future newborns.

This next gorgeous lady is Amy B, former model (can you tell? ;)) and owner of Pink Champagne/Pink Lemonade, an adorable boutique in the Wayzata area. If you get a chance, go check it out! They've got women's clothing and stuff for the kiddos too!

2009-07-01T14:42:00.004-05:00

Mom just reminded me to update my blog! That must mean it's been a while. Needless to say it's been pretty crazy around here. The wedding was fantastic and the honeymoon was amazing. I highly recommend Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica - LOVED it! A little more news - we recently found out we're expecting! Due February 24th. Wish us luck the next several months!

I can't post on the blog without some recent photographs, so here are a few from recent sessions. Enjoy!

2009-05-26T17:35:00.002-05:00

I've been photographing this little cutie for a couple years now, and it's amazing to see the little girl she's become. She is so full of energy, smiles, and she certainly loves her mommy and daddy. It was a lot of fun playing with her last Thursday!

2009-05-15T21:36:00.002-05:00

It's been so crazy around here that I've been forgetting to blog! Well, since I'll be pretty busy for the next few weeks (getting married in 2 weeks, then off to Jamaica mon!), I figured I'd go a little blog crazy for a day and post a bunch of new stuff! Here are some of my latest photo shoots from the past couple weeks. What better way to kick off the power blog than with Angela, a gorgeous soon to be high school graduate, who's mom is taking care of the food prep for my wedding. Thanks guys!

2009-05-15T21:30:00.002-05:00

TWINS!!! I love twins. Not sure why, but when I get a call to photgraph twins, especially infants, I get all excited about it. Maybe it's because I like a challenge, or because I love the bond twins seem to have right from the start. Here's my latest set of newborn twins to get excited about. I can't wait to see them again at 6 months!

2009-05-15T21:26:00.002-05:00

I got to meet this wonderful family last week to photograph them with their 1 week old baby girl. She was such a little angel, sleeping right on time, and awake for just the right amount of time. It was nice to spend a little time in the studio too! Pretty soon my studio will be moving, yet again. This time to a more permanent space in my home, which I think will work out for the best.

2009-05-15T21:21:00.002-05:00

Met this little man and his mommy just the other day in Stillwater to document his 2 1/2 year milestone! He just loved being by the water and playing in the sand. I think he could have stayed all day watching boats go by. Thanks "E" for being such a good model!

2009-05-15T21:17:00.001-05:00

I photographed this beautiful little girl when she was in the womb, and as a newborn, and now she's going to be a big sister! Congratulations to the "K" family on your new addition! Can't wait to meet your new family member!

2009-05-15T21:12:00.002-05:00

This morning I got to photograph my cousin and her two adorable little girls out at Minnehaha falls! These are just a few of my favorites out of the dozens of images we took. Enjoy!

2009-05-04T23:15:00.003-05:00

With my wedding less than a month away, I've been crazy busy with everything, so I apologize for my lack of posts here! Here's a overview of my most recent workshop, on April 25th. We had a great group of ladies here, and as usual, the models were beautiful and did a great job. Thanks to everyone to helped the day go smoothly!

2009-04-16T09:27:00.005-05:00

I photographed this gorgeous expectant mommy a couple weeks ago. She had about a month to go before her due date, and it was obvious to me that she was "ready". She was very uncomfortable, although it doesn't show in the pictures - she's good at acting, haha!

Anyway, a few days later I called to let her know her pictures were ready to view, and she had already had the baby! So we set up a session for her little one and now you get to see both!

I was feeling artistic and went for a new unique shot. Glad I did. LOVE it!

2009-04-08T08:58:00.002-05:00

Introducing baby "P"! I got to photograph this beautiful brand new baby girl a couple weeks ago. She was very alert - didn't want to miss out on anything! It took a while to get these sleeping shots, but it was well worth the wait! Congrats to her proud parents. She's precious.

2009-04-07T16:15:00.005-05:00

Here's my good friend Amber and her husband Alex, who are expecting a baby girl! You may notice them from my wedding website. They were married last August. They don't waste time! ;)

2009-04-07T14:23:00.005-05:00

Wow, it's been SO LONG since I've posted here! We moved into a new home last month, and I just finally got my office back in order and am able to get online! You never notice how much you depend on the internet until you can't. Well I'm back now and have some catching up to do!
I had another workshop a few weeks ago, which went very well! Another great group of gals, and a set of fabulous models!
I've also had a sort of baby boom! I've had several maternity sessions and newborns lately - I'm definitely not complaining. I LOVE new babies, and it's especially fun to see them grow from one session to the next.
Here are some photographs from the workshop. I'll be posting again soon with some of those maternity and baby pictures!

2009-03-03T10:12:00.003-06:00

I had the honor to photograph this beautiful mom to be recently. She had requsted an artistic look, similar to the images of Demi Moore in Vanity Fair, back in the day. I'm really happy with the results, and hope that more women request this type of portrait, because I think they really bring out the beauty of pregnancy.

2009-02-27T13:55:00.003-06:00

Meet baby "M"! I was lucky enough to photograph her last week. She is such a little sweetheart, and absolutely adorable! She didn't want to do a whole lot of sleeping that day - I don't think she wanted to miss anything! I can't wait to see her again at 6 months.

2009-02-13T15:11:00.002-06:00

Here are a few favorites from a recent session. I've been photographing this family for a couple of years now, and it's so much fun watching the kids grow and develop their personalities! The oldest loves to pose for me, as you can see! Little "K", the middle is such a free spirit. I can tell she really loves her life! And the little guy, well he's still pretty new, but it's amazing how much he's grown since the last time I saw him, at less than 2 weeks old!

2009-02-03T10:25:00.004-06:00

A big congratulations to Stacy and Cody Wilkens! They were married on Wednesday, January 28th at the Sandos Caracol resort in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico! Stacy and Cody, along with their 40 guests(!) set off to Mexico on Saturday, January 23rd and returned on January 31st.

It was so refreshing to get away from the winter and enjoy the tropical breeze, so THANK YOU Stacy and Cody for asking me to photograph your wedding! Here's a sneak peek for you...

Check out the ring bearer and groom in this next one... So cute!

They walk into the sunset, hand in hand...
How Romantic!

Here's to a long happy marriage...

2009-02-03T09:37:00.002-06:00

Back in the cold! Brrr....

I just got back from Playa Del Carmen, Mexico where I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph a beautiful beach destination wedding. It was a lot of fun, and I got some great photographs! I'll be sharing some from the wedding very soon!

I brought my own little beauty on the trip and took the opportunity to do a beach photo shoot of her. I miss the outdoors! Here are a few of my favorites from Nina's shoot.

2009-01-13T11:17:00.002-06:00

Happy Snow day! Too bad it's too cold to step foot outside! Man, I cannot wait until vacation! I'm leaving on Saturday the 24th for a week in the Riviera Maya. Can't wait to soak up the sun!

I'm going out there to photograph a wedding, so I'll have some awesome beach wedding pictures to share when I get back!

By the way, if anyone just so happens to be in the Cancun/Playa del carmen area that week, It'd be a great opportunity to get an amazing family portrait, either on the beach or in front of some other awesome scenery that graces the area. Let me know!

Here are some wintery fun portraits, just because I have to add pictures to every post. Enjoy!

2008-12-30T19:22:00.005-06:00

I've been meaning to share this set for a while now. Here's little "S", who is on my watch me grow program. This was our third session, and boy is she getting big! She had her cousins join in on a few as well, and brought their MN Wild Jerseys for fun. They were so great to work with! I can't wait to see her again in the spring!

2008-12-29T12:34:00.004-06:00

A big congrats to this young woman who just graduated from the University of Minnesota! We went to the Walter Library on campus to document this special occasion for her. Good luck in all you do, M!

2008-12-27T22:03:00.004-06:00

Looks like I've fallen behind again keeping up to date around here! I've been busy trying to get everyone's orders to them in time for Christmas, battling a nasty case of the flu, and taking some time to spend with family. I may just have to make a new year's resolution to post a blog AT LEAST once a week.

Here are a few from a recent session. This little guy is six months old and cute as a button!

2008-12-12T12:13:00.004-06:00

Goodbye to the old, HELLO to the new!

Starting January 1st, I'll be moving into a new studio space, and I'm super duper excited! Up until now, I've been sharing a space in Minneapolis with a couple of other photographers who also worked on location and used the studio on a very part time basis. Well, I just signed a lease on a space in Newport, MN (just east of St Paul), and it's all mine! It's not a large studio, since I still intend on doing the majority of my work on location. But, it will be a great place to work when the weather is less than ideal, for consultations, and intimate portraits. I can't wait to get in there and decorate! I may just be doing a little casting call come January should I feel the need to test out the studio setup with models.

Anyway, here are a few from my last session at the old studio. Bye bye old studio!

2008-12-04T15:44:00.006-06:00

Spring, 2009 Workshops Announced!

Update: March is sold out. Register for April while you still can!

I've recently had several requests for more workshops, and with the holidays coming up, I thought this would be a good time to announce my spring workshops and give everyone a chance to put registration on their Christmas lists! If you are hoping for a loved one to sign you up, let them know I'll have cards available that they can give you.

ANYWAY, the dates for the next workshops are:

March 14th and April 25th, 2009

Each class is limited to 10 people.

My last two workshops sold out VERY quickly, so make sure to sign up right away if you don't want to miss out.

For details, and to sign up, go to the following links:

http://www.kariphotography.com/MarchWorkshop2009.htm

http://www.kariphotography.com/AprilWorkshop2009.htm

Can't wait!

2008-12-03T14:06:00.004-06:00

Oh my goodness, this little girl is just SO cute! I photographed her as a newborn and now again at 18 months. She has become an absolutely beautiful child with an adorable personality. I bet it's difficult for her parents not to be constantly giving her hugs and kisses!

2008-11-26T15:46:00.004-06:00

My mom just sent me an email telling me to update my blog! I guess that means I've been neglecting this little place here! I've had my hands full - beyond my regular busy schedule, I'm now putting together Christmas cards galore for everyone out there (yet haven't managed to figure out what it is I'm doing for mine, go figure!), trying to plan a wedding, Christmas shopping, HOUSE shopping (yay!), and trying to keep a personal life somewhere amongst the madness!

Oh well, no more excuses! Here are a few from one of my most recent sessions - who can resist a sweet little newborn? I'll be back with more soon!

This is for you, mom! (and this cute little guy's parents, of course)

2008-11-11T16:41:00.004-06:00

I got to photograph this little cutie recently to document his first birthday! It's been a joy photographing him throughout the year. Happy Birthday, and I hope to see you again soon!

2008-11-04T10:16:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to Abby and Mitch! They're engaged to be married next summer at the outdoor skygarden on the rooftop of the Crowne Plaza Northstar Hotel. I'm happy to say they've chosen me to photograph their special day! Here are just a few from their engagement session. Aren't they a cute couple?

2008-10-26T22:15:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to Natalie and Chris, whom were married October 4th, 2008 at the Historic Court House in Stillwater, MN! Here are just a few out of the hundreds captured on their special day. Here's to a long and happy marriage!

2008-10-15T20:14:00.004-05:00

It looks like I'm overdue for posting! I've been so busy lately with it being busy season (everyone wants fall colors!) and making wedding plans, I forgot to blog! Sorry, but I'll make it up to you! Here are some images of a beautiful young lady who's senior portraits I had the honor of photographing last week. Doesn't she resemble princess Jasmine from Alladin? That's who I thought of right away when I saw her. See for yourself.

2008-10-02T12:00:00.007-05:00

On September 11th, I got this email from a guy named Gino:
"Hello Kari, I have been searching online for photographers for several weeks and I really like the style of your pictures. I am interested in a photo shoot with my girlfriend. I would like to surprise her and propose to her during the shoot so I we can have pictures to remeber it. Would this be something you would be interested in doing? Thanks, Gino."

Of course, I was all over the idea, and thrilled to be a part of it! I'd always wanted to do a shoot like this. So we discussed the details, decided on Battle Creek park on October 1st, the 1 yr anniversary of Gino and his girlfriend's first date.
A couple weeks later, my meddling pal Mandi decided it was time for Bob and I to get engaged, so she started posting not subtle at all comments on both of our myspace pages, telling Bob he should buy me an engagement ring. Little did she know he had already done so and was putting together his sneaky suprise all the while.

But, he did notice the comments and texted me with a sarcastic "Did you put her up to this?" to which I said no of course.

Our text message conversation that night ended up going to where he wrote, "I'm under pressure to ask you in a way that won't be lame", and then "I don't want it to be a holiday thing. Maybe this spring".

To which I said, " Spring? Don't tell me this stuff, it ruins the suprise and I'd go insane wondering."

Well then he said, "Ok, it won't be spring. I'm going to stop talking now before I do any more damage."

At that point, I started getting suspicious. Based on that response there was definitely a plan in the works....

The next day, he changed his myspace status to "sneaky", which totally tipped me off, and things started to come together in my mind. I talked to my mom over the weekend and told her I had my suspicions, but wouldn't say anything just in case I was wrong.

Cut to Wednesday, October first. Bob got ready for work and left at his usual time. At 4 o clock, I arrived at Battle Creek Park for the shoot, a little suspicious but still planning on documenting a special moment for a couple I had never met before. They arrived a few minutes later and we started a couples engagement style photo shoot.

Anyway, the plan was to meet at one end of the park and take pictures as we walk toward the other end, where he'd have a table set up with flowers, and that's where he'd propose to her. So I went along with this as planned, and ended up at the decorated table.

So she sat down on the bench, and he got down on one knee and proposed. She gave him the funniest look, and I was thinking "oh crap, she's going to say no!" and then she said, "What are you doing? We're already married!" and said this over and over again.

See Bob, sneaking up in the background? I saw that and was pissed that some guy kept getting in my shot, lol!
At this point my suspicions had subsided a bit during our shoot, and when she said they're already married I started thinking of a drunken scenario in Vegas that he must have forgotten about, lol! But just as I had this elaborate story forming in my head, Bob showed up and handed me a white rose, told me some very sweet things that I couldn't repeat because I was too caught up to really pay attention to what he was saying.
Then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! Of course I said yes!
He stood up, I gave him big kiss, then looked over to my right to see my friend and assistant Shawna snapping pictures.

Wow, I must say, he definitely put in a great effort. I think I've got a keeper!
It looks even better in person.

So it ends up that Gino is a guy who worked with Bob at the airport several years ago, and who I've never met, obviously! Nice work Bob, it was definitely a very memorable moment!

By the way, we're looking at either May 23rd or 30th for our wedding date. Now, the planning!..........

2008-09-27T13:16:00.003-05:00

I photographed this beautiful high school senior girl at my downtown Minneapolis studio yesterday. I haven't used that place in so long, since it's been so nice outside, why would I? What I like most about it is the surroundings. It's right in the middle of the warehouse district in Minneapolis, so it's easy to find great urban textures that are perfect for senior portraits. I'm not sure how long I'll keep the studio, but I'm sure I'll keep coming back to the area to take advantage of the scenery!

2008-09-25T14:25:00.002-05:00

I've had a lot of emails lately with questions about when I'll be holding my next workshop. If you are interested in attending one of my photography workshops in 2009, please do me a big favor and fill out the survey below! This will help me make the next workshop the best one yet!

Workshop Survey

2008-09-25T11:14:00.003-05:00

I headed out to Minneapolis last week to photograph this super cute 1 year old girl. She's such a happy little girl, it was no trouble getting her to smile for the camera! Take a look! Chances are, you'll find yourself smiling too...

2008-09-23T18:36:00.004-05:00

A few more or the triplets!

2008-09-23T17:11:00.002-05:00

Just a side note, I just added a "follow this blog" link to the sidebar, so if you want updates as new posts are added here, click over there and add yourself to the list! Thanks, now enjoy the triplets below!

2008-09-23T16:47:00.003-05:00

Oh my goodness, are these triplet girls, just adorable or what??? It was so great to see them again, and they have grown so much and developed the cutest little personalities. Here are the same sweeties you saw back in January when they were oh so teeny tiny!

2008-09-23T11:30:00.003-05:00

Here are a few from a recent senior session at the Minneapolis Walker Art Center's Sculpture Garden. It was a great location, and having a beautiful model didn't hurt either! Don't you just love her curly hair? It was a lot of fun creating these for her. Enjoy!

2008-09-16T11:52:00.004-05:00

Christmas is coming! Yep, just a few short months and we'll be singing carols, gathering with the family, shopping for gifts and everything else Christmas and all other winter holidays brings. So of course it makes sense to start thinking about what cards you'll be sending out! Fresh and new for 2008 are brand new card designs! I've posted just a few below, but to view the lot of them, plus those still available from previous years, go to the following link: www.kariphotography.com/greetingcards.htm.

I hope you love them!

2008-09-13T10:06:00.003-05:00

Wow, sorry it's been so long since I've posted! I just got back from being in New York all last week and am just going crazy trying to catch up and get everyone their orders on time... I'm getting there, so if you're waiting on your prints, hang in there - they'll be ready very soon!

I met with this lovely senior girl on Thursday at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, MN. She looked beautiful and very put together. So we got about three pictures taken when it started downpouring rain! A little rain never hurt anyone, right? We took advantage of the moment and grabbed the umbrella for some puddle jumping! We'll be finishing with her photo shoot next week, but it was fun capturing these unique moments!

2008-08-31T11:43:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to share my most recent favorite of my very own Miss Nina!

2008-08-31T11:30:00.002-05:00

A few more from Amber and Alex's wedding...

2008-08-27T13:59:00.008-05:00

Congratulations to Amber and Alex! The Sweeny's got married this last Saturday in Mahtomedi, MN at St Andrew’s Lutheran Church and had their reception at Midland Hills Golf Course in Roseville. It was a very well planned wedding (thanks to Amber, wedding planner extraordinaire!) Check out her wedding planning site: http://www.triptothealtar.blogspot.com/. Here are just a few out of the hundreds I took that day, randomly chosen so that they can have a sneak peak and stop bugging me for pictures, haha! Here they are. More to come as I get time to go through them.

2008-08-20T16:00:00.004-05:00

I had to stop in one more time today and show off these amazing triplets I had the honor of photographing yesterday! Are they not the most precious thing ever? I love how with the boy being so big, he looks like he's protecting his two baby sisters with his embrace. He's about double the size of his tiny little sister, who was just the most adorable little peanut. This was a lot of fun! Thanks to the family for having me be the one to photograph these precious little ones...

2008-08-20T12:28:00.003-05:00

Last Friday I met this young man and his dad by the river in St Paul for his senior portrait session. There were so many cool places in that one spot that I hadn't noticed before, so I'm really glad they chose this location! I love the combination of nature and urban styles, and it all seemed to fit his personality perfectly. We made sure to grab a shot of "J" with the family dog "Hotshot". I think we all had a good time!

2008-08-20T11:36:00.003-05:00

Meet one of my newest little models! His two big sisters are seasoned pros by now - I've been photographing them since mom was pregnant with little "K", the younger girl. It was great to see these guys again to document their newest addition. I can't wait to see them again in six months!

2008-08-19T23:00:00.003-05:00

Can you tell I love sleeping babies? This little one was no exception! We had to work a while to get her to give up and fall alseep for us, but when she did, it was totally worth it! Yes, we got some pictures of her awake too, but of course my favorites are always the sleepy ones. Here's one of my latest beautiful newborn models...

2008-08-19T12:44:00.003-05:00

I went out to Plymouth last week to photograph this beautiful family. The kids had these gorgeous crystal blue eyes and were just adorable in general. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to meet them!

2008-08-18T13:58:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing this beautiful brand new set of twins at their home in Stillwater, MN. It took a little while for them to drift off to dreamland, but when they did, they were so peaceful and adorable little sleepers. Here they are! Welcome to the world little ones...

2008-08-17T14:26:00.004-05:00

I finally got around to posting pictures from my most recent photography class! This workshop was a lot of fun with the help of these awesome ladies and our fabulous and GORGEOUS models! Here are some of my photographs from the day. Stay tuned for the next workshop date!

2008-08-14T07:19:00.003-05:00

I had the honor of taking this beautiful young lady's senior portraits last week at Kelley Park in Apple Valley. She's got a great, unique style and we had a great time scoping out locations, jumping in fountains and fighting with the sun to get these. Thanks to her mom and my assistant Shawna for holding that reflector just right so that we could get these. Well here's miss "C"

2008-08-08T22:25:00.003-05:00

I went to Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis to photograph this gorgeous young lady this week. She's got the most striking eyes, don't you think? She was a joy to work with!

2008-08-08T22:16:00.001-05:00

I had the honor of photographing this adorable little man last week in Edina for his one year portrait. Isn't he just a doll? He's just the cutest little thing, and even cuter when he toddles around. See for yourself!

2008-08-04T14:12:00.002-05:00

Check out this beautiful baby boy I had the pleasure of photographing last week! He snoozed right through the entire photo shoot, which was fine with me because I had fun molding him into all these adorable little poses. Anyway, here's baby "B"!

2008-07-31T21:36:00.002-05:00

Whew, what a crazy week! I swear, there must be something in the water because it seems like EVERYONE is having a baby this week! Well needless to say you'll be seeing some newborn pictures here in the very near future. Until then, check out this adorable one year old who I photographed recently. I think he's enjoying that cake!

2008-07-23T16:09:00.002-05:00

I got to photograph yet another stunning senior girl this week, this time in Long Lake and Wayzata. She was a lot of fun to work with. Her, her mom and her boyfriend were so easy going and willing to try anything. Doesn't she have the most gorgeous eyes and smile? I had a great time creating your senior portraits, miss "K"!

2008-07-18T19:53:00.002-05:00

Here's another gorgeous senior girl who I had the honor to photograph the other day in Minneapolis. I can't wait for the next one! Seniors are so much fun!

2008-07-17T08:43:00.002-05:00

This beautiful young lady was just a blast to work with! She was a natural in front of the camera and a truly happy girl. More seniors to come! Enjoy!

2008-07-16T09:40:00.002-05:00

One of the reasons I LOVE summer is senior portraits! While I just adore working with little ones, it can be a breath of fresh air to photograph someone who listens and does what I ask them to! I take seniors as an opportunity to try new, fun things and try to challenge myself creatively. You'll likely be seeing quite a few seniors here in the next couple of months.

2008-07-14T16:42:00.002-05:00

I photographed my cousin's family last week. We had a great time, and Logan was really great! I'm used to him being shy, so it was a nice suprise to see him running around having a good time. Here are some of my favorites from their shoot.

2008-07-14T16:37:00.002-05:00

I had a busy week last week, sorry for the lack of posts! The good news is I now have lots to share with you. Here's one from last week. This little guy is one year old and full of energy! After chasing him around for about an hour or so, here are some of my favorites. Isn't he a cutie?

2008-07-03T20:52:00.002-05:00

AWWW.... I know I just posted, but I was going through today's session and couldn't resist sharing these! This little pumpkin is just SO cute! I photographed her at her auntie's house in St Louis Park this morning. She really resisted sleep, but I'm so glad we kept trying, because otherwise I would have missed these precious moments... So yeah, all I can say is AWWW....

2008-07-03T18:59:00.002-05:00

This beautiful little lady turned three recently, and I was honored to photograph her for the second time. We went to a beautiful park in St Paul to create these photographs. I had a great time and hope to see her again next year!

2008-07-01T23:16:00.002-05:00

I've been neglecting my blog again, so sorry! I promise to do better for the month of July. Anyway, I've had the pleasure of working with this beautiful family several times in the last year, and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph their newest addition when he arrives in the coming weeks and throughout his first year. We went to a local park here in Cottage Grove to document their final pregnancy and to capture a few moments between the soon to be big sisters. They were a joy to work with and I can't wait to meet the little one!

2008-06-27T22:33:00.002-05:00

2008-06-17T09:55:00.005-05:00

Workshop Number 2! UPDATE: Workshop is FULL. Announcing the next workshop! For those who couldn't make it to the last one, here's your chance to get in on the action! It will be held on August 9th in Cottage Grove, MN. Go to the following link for details and to get signed up! The last one sold out quickly, so sign up right away if you want to come! http://www.kariphotography.com/AugustWorkshop2008.htm

2008-06-12T20:42:00.003-05:00

Here's one for all you dads out there! This little guy's daddy had an awesome Corvette, so how could we not incorporate dad's "other" baby into his photo shoot? I could totally see this shot on Dad's office or game room wall, or in the little boy's room, themed with everything "car". We're looking at getting this published in the Corvette Club magazine.

So happy father's day!

2008-06-08T20:30:00.004-05:00

Well, the workshop was a success! I was getting a little nervous for a while there, with the not so nice looking forecast (scattered STRONG storms) and my not having taught something like this before. But, it all worked out! It stayed nice outside right until we were wrapping up our outdoor shooting. I was taking a couple final shots of our last model when the rain started coming down. Talk about timing! Anyway, thanks to everyone who came. You were all so easy going, asked lots of questions, basically making it easy for me to pull this workshop off. So thanks! Another thanks goes to all of our BEAUTIFUL models! Just scroll down and you'll know what I mean. Every last one of them was just stunning. Some of these models are with Arquette Agency, so if you're a scout who just happens to be browsing my site, you can find em there! One more thanks to my MOMMY! She happily put together the lunch trays, and generously volunteered to be the babysitter for Nina, all day and all night. So thanks mom! Now that I feel like I just won an emmy with all the thanking I'm doing, I'll let you see some pictures. Check out the Papparazzi all around this little cutie, lol!

2008-06-06T20:36:00.002-05:00

Here are just a few favorites from my latest newborn session. This little girl was so dainty and sweet. I had a great time photographing her. There were so many images that I just loved of her, but I can't put them all on here so here are a few that moved me. Now I'm off to make sure everything's ready for my workshop tomorrow! Wish me luck!

2008-06-04T22:25:00.002-05:00

I photographed this little beauty a few weeks ago for the second time. Boy has she changed since her first birthday! She looks like such a big girl now, and not quite a baby. Isn't she just a gorgeous little girl though? I have a feeling she'll be quite the heartbreaker in 15 years!

2008-06-02T19:13:00.002-05:00

Guess what??!! After working on it for what seemed like forever, I am now able to introduce a new website for all my children and family portrait work! The porfolio images are bigger, and I've added quite a few new images, so go check it out! www.kariphotography.com/portraits.

And since I can't create a post without some images attached, here is a cute little guy I got to photograph last week at my downtown Minneapolis studio. Enjoy!

2008-05-28T16:28:00.002-05:00

Jacob's turning 3......

Where did the last year go? I swear it was not that long ago that I posted his 2 year photographs. Man, it goes by so fast! Jacob was such a little trooper! He did such a good job and I had SO much fun with him! Since he's my nephew, I basically traded kids with my sister and took Jacob out for a couple hours, just him and me. It seems kids are always SO good when I do this. Maybe it's because they don't feel the need to show off or act up, or don't feel put on the spot because they're being watched by extra people. When I get to interact with them one on one, I get the best expressions, and the kids really work with me. So I try to do this as much as possible, mostly with people I know obviously. Well here's Jacob! Can't wait to do the same with his big brother in a couple months.

2008-05-25T13:41:00.002-05:00

It was a pleasure to photograph this beautiful little girl for the second time! She loves being a princess, so it was a bit of a struggle convincing her to put on pants (it was a little chilly at first), but in the end she got to put on a princess skirt - one of three pettiskirts that I just purchased for photographs. If you're planning to have a portrait done of your princess, I have the skirts so just let me know! Anyway, here she is!

2008-05-23T11:18:00.003-05:00

Here's another adorable one year old who's gotten so big too fast! I took these last weekend in Hudson, WI. This little man is now on the go, which I was happy to capture. Can you just see his energy in these? What a happy little boy he is, so full of life! I'm sure he brings a LOT of joy to his family.

2008-05-22T15:54:00.002-05:00

I cannot believe this little sweetheart is already one year old! It seems only yesterday she was just a tiny infant. Well, I had a blast photographing her first year, and she has gotten SO cute! I love thos blue eyes, and can't wait to see how she changes in another 6 months!

2008-05-21T22:27:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I wish I had a whole bunch of land where I could build a park of my own with the sole purpose of creating beautiful portraits. I'd have little foot bridges, a pond, an area with long grass and beautiful views all over. Well, check this place out! This is somebody's HOME. Can you believe what a gorgeous place this is? It's just a dream. I want one!

LOL, anyway, these lucky kids were a lot of fun to photograph! I got to capture his big boy grin and goofy personality, and chased around her cute little 2 year old self. I think we got some great, natural photographs of them, with the help of their amazing family farm!

2008-05-20T08:29:00.003-05:00

My baby girl is getting so big! Her terrible twos have been pretty tough, but with her third birthday approaching, she's finally starting to grow out of that LONG phase. She actually cooperated for these, which is pretty refreshing! While it makes me sad to see that she's not a baby any longer, she melts my heart more every day with those big brown eyes, adorable personality and just everything about her. Anyway, here's my girl, who's not quite a baby anymore...

2008-05-18T19:16:00.002-05:00

Whew! It's been a crazy week, and it feels nice to finally get a chance to wind down and go through the sessions I had this week! I got to photograph this handsome little 18 month old in Stillwater last week. He had a LOT of energy and absolutely no fear! He's a cutie though, and I had a lot of fun with him that day. I'm looking forward to meeting his new baby brother and sister soon!

2008-05-05T20:19:00.002-05:00

It seems baby photography is becoming sort of a trademark for me. I'm really honored that so many people have chosen me to photograph their little ones, and I am so glad I am able to capture those sweet first moments. Anyway, here's one of my latest tiny subjects and her family! She was a joy to work with and I hope to have the opportunity to see her again as she grows.

2008-05-03T13:09:00.002-05:00

I got to photograph another beautiful baby yesterday, this time at my own home here in Cottage Grove. This is the niece of a friend, who's wedding I'll be photographing in August. Baby "K" was so sweet, with perfect soft newborn skin. I just can't get over how dang cute she is! Well, enjoy, yet another newborn. I LOVE newborns!

2008-04-29T10:37:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Missy and Steve Herbert, who were married this last Saturday in Minneapolis, at the Wesley United Methodist Church! I picked out a few favorites from the day to share. Congrats again, enjoy your sneak peek and here's to a wonderful marriage!

2008-04-24T15:34:00.002-05:00

I got to see this super handsome one year old last week at his grandma's house in Woodbury, MN. He's getting so big! I photographed his first year, and I cannot believe he's already 1! I've watched a lot of babies grow into toddlers this last year, and I'm amazed each time I see them, how much they've changed. I hope to see this little man again soon!

2008-04-18T16:36:00.006-05:00

Workshop! UPDATE*** Sold Out! If you missed this one and are interested in another one down the road, make sure you let me know. If there's enough interest, I might consider doing another workshop. Thanks!

I recently had a group of people contact me asking for help with improving their photography, mentoring, and general advice. I've had lots of requests to do a workshop, but just hadn't really considered doing one, since I don't consider myself a fabulous speaker by any means. Then they reminded me that I don't need to do a whole lot of speaking if I can answer questions, and show them hands on. So they talked me into it! On June 7th I'll be holding my first ever workshop! I had kept it open to those who requested it first to give them time to register, but now it's open to everyone! There were 10 spots available, and there are 5 left, so if you're interested, don't wait or it'll be full. Here are the details so far, and the registration. I am looking forward to it!

http://www.kariphotography.com/JuneWorkshop2008.htm

I am also going to need some models for the workshop. See the details in the previous post.