Michael : Senior Portraits : Alden High School

Well girls, this hottie is the younger brother of a senior girl I did portraits for a few years back... and I'm so glad the family chose to return to my studio. We had a lot of fun teasing Michael, but there are some really great shots of him laughing.
This guy can totally pull off the serious look too, without looking grumpy. (Trust me, it's NOT easy!)
We also took some great shots of him with his hunting gear because he's really into that. I totally understand the hunting thing because my husband is hopelessly obsessed with it himself and I go hunting every year with him.
That's all for now, lots of orders to get sent in today!
Enjoy,
Becca

Henry : Albert Lea High School : Senior Portraits

Henry here was a bit of a tough cookie to get to smile at first. He wasn't really looking forward to taking his senior portraits, like many mothers of teenagers can tell you is a pretty common thing.
I was up to the challenge of getting him to have fun though! :)
At least he was interested enough to bring his pickup truck and his FFA gear along.
I'm happy to say I got quite a few smiling pictures for his mom, and also a good share of serious poses to make Henry happy too.
Gotta love it!
Enjoy,
Becca

Emily : Senior Portraits : NRHEG High School

That's right! This girl goes to NRHEG! My ol' stompin' grounds. :)
I actually babysat this neighbor girl of mine quite a bit when I was in high school. Our most fond memory together was when the little twerp talked me into letting her wear my new watch (a Tweety Bird one I'm embarrased to admit!) and then she "lost" it.
She really had me going until her mom came home and all of a sudden *poof* she new exactly where it was! Gotta love her!
So I am sharing more pictures than usual because I adore this girl. She's turned from a little brat into a wonderful young woman. I have to admit. *wink*
So sue me if I went a little overboard on the sneak peek here, the girl brought TEN outfits! LOL! Well, it is an "unlimited" session after all!
LOVE HER!!
Enjoy,
Becca

Zach : Senior Portraits : Albert Lea High School

I was happy to have Zach visit my studio because I'd already had the honor of taking his older sister's senior photos a couple years ago.
I had a lot of fun with Erica and his mom back then, so I knew I was in for a treat. And Zach is such a hottie! *wink*
He's got that charming, boy-next-door and the hunky-ness of a football player/wrestler. I bet when he reads this he will blush too... which I think is oh so cute!
But don't use the c-word when photographing a guy!!! They hate it! LOL!
That's okay. Now that I am a mom, I am always saying that they look so cute, too. I just can't help it!
Well, better go. I have a senior girl coming up tomorrow that you are going to love!!
Enjoy,
Becca

Wally : One Year Old : Child Portrait Session

Well, I know a few women who are anxiously awaiting these pictures and I'm honestly shocked that they haven't emailed me a "I know you're really busy, but I was just wondering when you thought the pictures might be ready" - type of email! :)
I love those! Although I do appreciate those who wait patiently and silently as well! ;) I just don't mind the little notes to see if they've missed my email or something. It is proof that they are truly excited and know that they are going to like what they see.
I am going to share a few from a session today that started with a gift certificate a friend of mine purchased for her sister's baby shower about a year ago. Her sister lives up by the Twin Cities, but my friend has always been passionate about how much she loves my photography and so I was really looking forward to capturing her nephew for her.
I admit I was hoping at first to get to do his newborn session, but life speeds by so fast those first few weeks and it would have been pretty hard to get a newborn (preferrably 10 days or younger) down to the studio... so I was thrilled when I found out they were saving the certificate for the landmark "One Year" session.
I think those two sessions are two of the most important in a young child's life for the parents to capture and treasure the images because now I know just how fleeting those times and memories are! (Collin has taught me so much!) :) The newborn captures their smallness, newness and lets us get really creative with props, settings and what we want to decorate their nursery and our home... then the one year session captures their personality, facial expressions and it's all about them and what they want to do... and they're great for decorating your home and using for birthday invites or holiday cards/gifts.
Anyhow, back to Wally. Isn't that just the cutest name??? It's short for Walden. How stinking adorable is that? I love it.
So this little cutie wasn't giving us all that many smiles it seemed. But now that I look at the images I realize just how many great expressions he really gave us. They run the whole range of emotions from serious to silly to smiley.
Can't wait to hear their reactions!!!
Enjoy!
Becca

Gabriella : Newborn Portrait Session

I felt like the luckiest photographer around when I got to have this little sweetheart visit my studio at only ten days old! She's the daughter to one of my past brides and her mommy has turned out to be one of my best friends! I'm so lucky my job has lead me to meet some incredible people.
Now, back to Gabbi. She is so wonderful and perfect. Her skin is so smooth and she has such beautiful hair that is so soft.
It was a little rough at first when her parents realized they left the diaper bag at home, LOL! But we quickly recovered and the princess had to have a snack anyway, so daddy ran back home to get it. Luckily I had a couple emergency newborn diapers and they both came in handy while he was gone.
I am really looking forward to photographing Gabriella as she grows up and changes... hitting those special milestones like sitting up, crawling, and walking. And all those birthdays! :)
But that's in the future, and I just want to snuggle up with this little peanut and enjoy her just the way she is right now. Small and such a little miracle!
Enjoy!
Becca

Adam & Sara : Mason City, Iowa : Wedding Photography

The wedding featured today was shot in Mason City, Iowa in the Groom's parent's backyard. We had a perfect, late-summer afternoon for wedding portraits.
The couple chose a great location to go off-site for some additional fun, laid back images. It can be a challenge to get the wedding party to "let loose" before the ceremony, but this gang was such a fun bunch! They were always busting out into silly faces.
I can't believe how lucky I am to work with such amazing people all the time. This bride and groom stumbled across my website while searching the net from their home out in Washington. I was thankful they put their trust in me without ever meeting me in person until I was able to meet with the bride for a consultation the week of the wedding.
It's such a great feeling knowing I can preserve beautiful memories for this couple and their family to enjoy for generations to come!
Enjoy!
Becca