Amber Lianne Photography

A walk out in WA on 22 August 2011

2012-02-12T19:20:00.000-08:00

During an extended trip out to WA state and NY last August, I included a trip out to the western side of WA to visit my friends Karis and Betsy. You can see more photos on my facebook album.

366 in 2012: 31 January 2012

2012-02-06T16:12:00.000-08:00

31 January 2012

Macro

Hoarfrost up close.

366 in 2012: 30 January 2012

2012-02-06T16:05:00.000-08:00

30 January 2012

Something blue...

The blue sky peeking through the clouds... :)

366 in 2012: 29 January 2012

2012-02-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

29 January 2012

Photographer's choice.

I've just wanted to take a shot something like this for a while. I am still working on perfecting what I want from it, but for right now, I do like this one.

366 in 2012: 28 January 2012

2012-02-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

28 January 2012

Photographer's choice.

I have seen others do this... where they take a picture of the reflection in the cup, and I thought I would try my hand at it. I liked this one best. :)

366 in 2012: 27 January 2012

2012-02-06T15:35:00.000-08:00

27 January 2012

Something round... My lonely bike... I haven't brought it out for a while... So it sits inside.

366 in 2012: 26 January 2012

2012-02-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

26 January 2012

Landscape...

This photo was actually taken just a few days ago. There was hoarfrost from the night before and was super beautiful. :)

366 in 2012: 25 January 2012

2012-01-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

25 January 2012

Things in a row... eggs in the fridge!

366 in 2012: 24 January 2012

2012-01-29T18:53:00.000-08:00

24 January 2012

Macro...

Dark shot of a lampshade up against a brick wall.

366 in 2012: 23 January 2012

2012-01-29T18:44:00.000-08:00

23 January 2012

Something blue...

Thanks to the winter light in Minnesota... and the cold, cold air... Ah, this actually took a few attempts of taking this shot, as the wind was blowing like crazy. It had just snowed and iced.

366 in 2012: 22 January 2012

2012-01-29T18:30:00.000-08:00

22 January 2012

Photographer's Choice.

On a walk with Andrew, it was a freezing fog, lightly coating everything.

336 in 2012: 21 January 2012

2012-01-24T18:58:00.000-08:00

21 January 2012

Photographer's Choice.

My sweet, naughty Cayenne. Technically she was on the table where she isn't supposed to be, but she kept sniffing the flowers, and was just too adorably cute to resist a photo opportunity. ;)

366 in 2012: 20 January 2012

2012-01-24T18:48:00.000-08:00

20 January 2012

Circles...

Reflective circles, saying, "hey! My yard/mailbox/property is here! Don't run me over!" The ironic thing is that on this particular walk, a few feet later, there is one of these smashed to bits, obviously having been hit by a car/vehicle. But for those of us not blind or drunk... These are helpful. :)

366 in 2012: 19 January 2012

2012-01-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

19 January 2012

Landscape

Kind of.

This was more of an experiment. I saw in a magazine once how you could follow the movement of a moving object to make for a really interesting shot. Tried doing it at night, with the lights of cars as the movement in my shot. The "landscape" part of this being that I currently live in the city...

366 in 2012: 18 January 2012

2012-01-24T17:49:00.000-08:00

18 January 2012

Repetition

On a Sunday afternoon walk with Andrew, I snapped this photo of a fence leaning all over the place... Repetition in the posts...

366 in 2012: 17 January 2012

2012-01-24T17:37:00.000-08:00

17 January 2012

Something Macro...

This was actually taken on the 23rd, after one of the first snows that is sticking around a bit this winter, oddly enough. It was super windy next to the lake, but it was completely beautiful! I could only handle taking a few photos. ;)

366 in 2012: 16 January 2012

2012-01-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

16 January 2012

Something blue...

Also taken on the 15th. This adorable little boy was one of Emmaline's cousins. :)

366 in 2012: 15 January 2012

2012-01-22T10:57:00.000-08:00

15 January 2012

Photographer's choice.

Emmaline's baptism while her daddy holds her. I loved being there!

366 in 2012: 14 January 2012

2012-01-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

14 January 2012

Photographer's choice.

Little baby Emmaline. Such a sweet little darling. This photo was actually taken on the 15th after her baptism. She is such a sweet little one!

366 in 2012: 13 January 2012

2012-01-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

13 January 2012

Circles...

Some dear friends of mine live up in Northern Minnesota. This isn't exactly in Wrenshall, where they live, as it is a logging camp that I pass on the way to their house, but it is close. I hopped some railroad tracks to take a few shots of one of the stacks of hundreds (thousands???) or logs of various trees all stacked on one another.

366 in 2012: 12 January 2012

2012-01-18T13:36:00.000-08:00

12 January 2012

Landscape...

This was actually taken a few days before the 12th. I had taken a few photos of a really beautiful sunset, but when I uploaded them to my computer... I didn't like them so much. ;) So... it's this Sunset... Which I still like. :)

366 in 2012: 11 January 2012

2012-01-17T18:42:00.000-08:00

11 January 2012

Repetition... of trees.

This was actually taken after the 11th, but I have not had a moment to take many photos lately. So... some of these may be a bit out of order. And... I am also finally having internet access after not having it for a few days. So, sorry for the lateness of posting these...

366 in 2012: 10 January 2012

2012-01-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

‎10 January 2012

Macro Sunset.

Truth be told, I almost forgot to take a photo today. It was a full day... in many a good and surprising way... but full, nonetheless. But in talking with a friend, she reminded me of one of my favorite parks. I got there just as the sun was going down. I went to a little higher area, and took a few photos as the sun was setting. I decided to also post an album of the other photos from this shoot on facebook.

366 in 2012: 9 January 2012

2012-01-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

9 January 2012

Something blue...

Perhaps a cop-out to take a photo of the sky for my "something blue," but the sky is rather fantastic today. An absolutely beautiful day...

366 in 2012: 8 January 2012

2012-01-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

8 January 2012

Photographer's pick.

Andrew and I went for a Sunday afternoon walk near where he lives. I brought my camera with me... The afternoon sun was hitting this just so beautifully... :)

366 in 2012: 7 January 2012

2012-01-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

7 January 2012

Photographer's pick.

I looked out on the deck, and here they lay... just like that... so I snapped a photo... a few, in fact, but I'm sharing this one here... :)

Kiko

2012-01-08T13:09:00.000-08:00

For a few days, I was able to take care of Kiko. Kiko is a mixed dog about the size of a Golden Retriever. She is very sweet and loves to play. Here are a few photos I took of her. You can see more photos in my facebook album.

366 in 2012: 6 January 2012

2012-01-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

6 January 2012

Circles... Or just a cool looking doorknob with a circular shadow. :)

366 in 2012: 5 January 2012

2012-01-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

5 January 2012

Landscape. Path through the frozen leaves... Just in the backyard of some friends of mine. I was looking after their dog, so I took some photos in their backyard.

366 in 2012: 4 January 2012

2012-01-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

4 January 2012

Repetition in the city....

So many types of repetition. And I hadn't tried my hand at night photography for a while. There's a lot of light in the city, still. And a rather LACK of snow on the ground now, due to the warmth of the day. I'm still deciding what I think of this photo. It's interesting to me, what do you all think?

icy stories

2012-01-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

Andrew and I went to his grandparent's house on the Lake on New Year's Eve. It was raining on our way up. And then it turned to slush... and then huge snowflakes. It was nice to arrive when we did. The result was that things were quite icy, in funny clumpiness. Andrew and I went out for a walk on the Lake the next morning as soon as the sun came out from behind the clouds to join us for the day. It was quite windy, but really beautiful.

366 in 2012: 3 January 2012

2012-01-03T20:45:00.000-08:00

3 January 2012

Macro flower

In the breakroom at work, there are these tiny little flowers that planted themselves in the planter that houses a cactus of all things... It happened sometime when they were getting outside growth and daylight...but here they grow so pretty!

366 in 2012: 2 January 2012

2012-01-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

The idea for this day... something blue.

2 January 2012

Blue shirts on the Goodwill rack.

I went shopping with Emily Ostlund and Denise Ostlund

And we found some great finds... including a good sized rack of blue shirts for a photo op! :)

366 in 2012: 1 January 2012

2012-01-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

How would you like to see a photo a day for 2012? A good friend of mine encouraged an excellent idea. I had thought of it before, but she is providing ideas for different days of 2012, and so I thought I would post a photo a day... or at least for a specific day as I could. I am not sure yet if I will get all the photos up here every day. I will be putting them in an album on my facebook photography page, at least. Perhaps some days will include multiple photos. :)

Photographic journeys for the year! Enjoy the journey, friends!

1 January 2012

Old Leaf on newly formed ice.

A rain turned to snow the night before making for a snowy, icy mess... Strong winds that day blowing leaves across the ice.

Ahmad & Mercedes {married}

2011-12-19T17:57:00.000-08:00

On November 11, 2011 at 11 am, this beautiful backyard ceremony started. The minister said it was the quickest marriage ceremony she had ever performed, as it ended promptly at 11:11 am and Ahmad and Mercedes were officially married! Their immediate families were the only ones present, plus me! I am so glad I got to be a part of their incredibly beautiful day! You can see the facebook album for even more photos from their day!

just something beautiful

2011-12-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, it has been far too long since I have posted anything at all. That is terribly unacceptable. So sorry about that! It doesn't bode terribly well for my goals of getting all of 2011 photos represented before 2012 arrives. I don't think it will happen, because I have photos from February... oops! But! Guess what? I am getting a new lens very soon! So, that means more photos! :) And haha... yes, you have a very high likelyhood of seeing these photos. If 2012 has any new years resolutions already in the making for me, it is simply to be much better about posting photos. For now, I'm just going to post a few random photos that I've loved this last year. Some may be new to your eyes!!!

Don't forget to tell your friends and family about me! ;) Time for me to push this even more. I love doing it... I definitely realized this summer how much I love it, and asked myself, "Why am I not doing this?"

So... there it is... pets, scenery, friends, family, loved ones, weddings... all photos for all seasons of life. The stories they tell, the people we miss... just something beautiful. What is beautiful for you?

Karis and Beniah! :) Kisses in WA in August. :)

Sisters Katie and Chloe in a Minnetonka, MN park in October!

Sweet little boy! I visited his mommy out East in August.

Betsy and her two little girls... by the ocean in WA... (August)

Fish eggs! Washed up from a storm March in California

Rose Geranium greenhouse in Eastern WA!

Ahmad and Mercedes! Married November 11, 2011 at 11:11!!!

The FROZEN north... trip with my mom to Grand Marais, MN and other areas this February.

A beautiful June wedding! :)

I adore her smiles! The priceless nature of childhood... (June in Wayzata, MN)

Ferns in my parent's backyard. June!

Sweet Quinn! (Also in June in my parent's yard.)

Local cheese platter from my Evanhealy trip out to Eastern Wisconsin. mmmm!

I love this shot of them. Another June wedding! :)

of hydrosols, essential oils, and other herbal remedies

2011-11-13T16:52:00.000-08:00

Bringing you back to a warm Washington afternoon in August as the weather gets cooler here. On the 20th of August, our group with Evanhealy was shown how fine hydrosols are made. You start with fresh plant ingredients, steam distillation with a copper stil, and eventually, there is a ph balanced hydrosol perfect for the face! You can see more photos in my album on facebook. We were also shown several other things, and the supply cabinet. Ah! So much knowledge and wonderful plants! I loved it there!

Cayenne in my window

2011-11-04T04:58:00.000-07:00

More photos of Cayenne! :) She's such a little cutie! Growing so fast and providing much entertainment for so many as she explores things. :) Love this sweet little one. Check out her album on my facebook account. :)

Jorgen

2011-10-31T15:45:00.000-07:00

One more from 8 October 2011! Jorgen and I were roommates in college. After college, we lost contact and have been looking for one another ever since! We found one another recently through twitter, and it has been quite lovely getting back in contact with one another. Jorgen was one of the wonderful ladies that I got to take some photos of that beautiful evening in October! There are more photos in my facebook album. :)

Harvesting Shenanigans

2011-10-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

I'm bringing you back to my trip with Evanhealy to Washington! We got to harvest the Rose Geranium used for the Evanhealy Hydrosol. The plant is so wonderfully fragrant and beautiful! The sun was warm that morning as it crept higher into the sky. They showed us how to harvest the Rose Geranium, and showed us a few of the other plants growing on the ranch there. Everyone was so wonderful and kind there! If you would like to see more photos, check out my facebook album. :)

Amy's little boys

2011-10-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

On the 8th of October, as the light faded, I got some wonderful photos of Amy and her two little boys! You can see more photos in my facebook album. I've been able to do photos of Amy's family for a few years now... Such a fun family!

where the Rose Geranium grows

2011-10-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

I have to share a few more photos from my trip out to WA in August with Evanhealy! On the 20th of August, we went to Running Springs Ranch, and one of the first things we did was tour their incredible greenhouse. Russ made the greenhouse himself. This farm/ranch was incredible. I loved it there! I just have to show you some of the photos of this beautiful place! More photos to come after this for sure... But for now, you can also check out more photos from this part of my journey in my facebook album.

Katie and Chloe!!!

2011-10-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

October 8th found us a very warm day... And I was able to get some wonderful pictures of two sisters, Katie and Chloe at a park in Excelsior, MN called Purgatory park. I've been biking through that park a bunch, and have been wanting to take photos there for a bit. Here are a few of my favorites from the day! You can see even more in facebook album. :)

Fall colors at the Ostlund cabin

2011-10-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Andrew and I went to his grandparent's cabin in Annandale, MN. It was the perfect weekend to go. The colors were just right! Even though it's warm right now in MN, it's still fall... the colors are fading now... But I thought I'd put up a few of just pretty colors for now. You can see more in my facebook album.

Killian and Nick {Married}

2011-09-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

What an incredibly gorgeous day it was on 18 June 2011! I had my concerns at first about the rain. But it turned out to be a gentle, very wet mist... making the entire day beautiful and magical!

Dennis Zerwas of DZ Photography had asked me to be an assistant photographer for this incredible wedding. I have assisted him many times in the past, and as always, it was so much fun! As an assistant, mostly my job consisted of helping Dennis to get the perfect shot, but these are some of the shots I squeezed in, too! You see even more in my facebook album.

Never doubt that a misty wet day can't make for incredible photos! I hope I get to shoot a wedding like this again! Enjoy!

delcious summertime food from Eastern Washington

2011-08-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

On the trip with Evanhealy, I had some of the most delicious and incredible food I've ever had. The first meal as a group in particular was beyond fabulous... The presentation, the ingredients, everything! Everything was organic, and not only was much of it also local, but it was handmade artisan quality. I felt completely spoiled... wow... so delicious. You can see even more photos in my facebook album.

Those are duck eggs... mmmm!!!

small town cafe

2011-08-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

I was able to go on a really amazing trip out to WA with Evanhealy. On our way out to Fruitland and the Rose Geranium distillery from Spokane, WA, we stopped and got some huckleberry shakes . Did you know that huckleberries only grow in the wild? I had to get some small town cafe photos while we were there.

Summer evenings with a dear friend

2011-08-20T23:44:00.000-07:00

I met Kassy several years ago through a mutual shared loved of photography. She has since become such an incredibly close friend, and I thank God for her so much! We get together now and then, but it had been quite a while since we had done photos together. And when we last had, it was for a job together. :) But these gorgeous summer evenings called us by name, and we missed one another... So it was time for a good walk near Cedar Lake in Minneapolis, and some time in glowing sun... magic hour...

I have no idea how I'm going to choose from all the photos, but you can view the entire album on my facebook photography page. Look for "Summer evenings with Kassy!" It's so wonderful to have friends in photography, and a chance to try out some favorite things...

But for now, I shall upload a few photos to here, and go enjoy some amazing Washington foothills air... Falling in love with this place, too. And don't worry... There will be photos. ;)

of my pets this summertime... :)

2011-08-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

Love my pets! Some photos of pets and summertime warmth! Quinn, our beautiful, friendly black lab... He's about 4 years old. And my new little Cayenne... almost 10 weeks at these photos...

Straub family!

2011-08-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a little peek from the humid morning with the Straub family! This one is one of my favorites. :)

Cayenne, my new kitten!

2011-08-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (Sunday), Andrew and I went and got me a little kitten. I had first seen the kittens a few weeks ago, thanks to my friend Dena, who got a kitten from the litter, and also (especially) started to fall in love because of my friend, Emily Steffen, and the beautiful and fun photos she took. (Check out images from the photo shoot here.)

My little Cayenne had quite the day yesterday. She's not quite ready to meet and be friends with Quinn (our black lab), so I'm feeling a bit badly at the moment, as he sits outside my shut door, used to be the center of attention, and even also sleeping in my room sometimes at night. I think he'll survive, though, and I'll take him for a jog later... What a thing! Feeling split between animals!

Cayenne is completely adorable... and slept with me last night. It was a pretty good night! Which I was quite happy for. I awoke a few times, and it was an early morning, so we might take it a bit easy today. :)

It is almost completely impossible to multi task with her... She messed up my screen a moment ago, but now all the play with her favorite feather toy has got her completely asleep, cuddled up next to me... which also means I shall attempt to upload some photos before she awakes. :)

Here's some photos from yesterday... Andrew was completely wonderful with her and is helping me out so much! I've never owned a cat before... learning... ;)

Her favorite toy so far. :)

I love this one. :)

This is Andrew's favorite. :) I rather like it, too. :)

My cousin likes this photo... such a playful little girl!

Another of my favorites. :)

I'm sure I will continue to take many photos of her as she grows up. For a couple more photos from yesterday, and for a link to keep checking back for more photos,check out my facebook album. :)

Wayzata beach with Jess's kids!

2011-07-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

Such a beautiful June day and perfect for taking photos! I had been wanting to take photos of Jess's little ones for a while. I can hardly even pick my favorites among all the photos from the day... Here's the ones I picked. Check out my facebook album for more photos! :)

Mark & Ann's wedding day

2011-07-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

I don't think we could have asked for a more perfect day up in Duluth. An early June wedding was absolutely perfect. Camera in hand, and sun shining most of the day, I got so many wonderful photos! Here's a few (among SO MANY!) of my favorites! I loved the photos of the two of them dancing at the reception. For even more of shots I love, check out my facebook page for more photos from their day!

summer evening in my yard

2011-06-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

I rented a couple of new lenses for the wedding I'll be photographing tomorrow. I needed to try the lenses out, play with them, familiarize myself with their settings, especially in correlation to the settings on my camera and how they work together. My dog was most often my model... and the humid summer evening my backdrop... Check out my facebook album for even more photos. ;)

P.S. I've done ZERO edits. Sigh... ah... what a difference a good lens makes! :) I know the shot... ;)

Andrew and a guitar

2011-05-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

Back in March, Andrew sat down with a guitar to play. I love when he plays. Here's a few of my favorites from when he was playing... Guitar details...

a quote and a photo

2011-05-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

Some days I go climbing with friends... I brought my camera with me to Vertical Endeavors one time, and I saw this quote... "Climb and the hold will appear."

Keep the faith, loved ones! He will not abandon you yet. He will guide you, His child. Some days may be more difficult. Some days you may not know which is right.

Hebrews 13:5-6

But... Climb. "Climb and the hold will appear."

Mark & Ann's engagement photos!

2011-05-17T21:31:00.000-07:00

Mark and Ann met in school, and are quite the pair of brilliant physics students! Their wedding ins coming up really soon! We were able to do a photo shoot on the the 1st of May... but guess what? It was snowing outside!!! So, we found ourselves inside. They have such a great, relaxed attitude about them. I can hardly wait for their wedding!

Happy Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

A few favorites from over the years! :)

On the snow with Lilly and friends

2011-04-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

Lilly is such a sweet girl! We had got some great photos of her a few months ago, for her Senior year. And to make things more fun, we did some photos of her on her snowboard! I, on skiis with a backpack was a new experience for me. It rocked! Best day ever!

Valentine's Day Promo

2011-01-29T18:21:00.000-08:00

I really do love taking photos! And I would love to take your picture! For the day of Valentine's Day only, I am offering half hour sessions for $50, first come, first serve. Call or email to book your session today! It can be family, friends, couples, your pet, or just you! Let me know! We can make it tons of fun! :)

Polly's walk

2011-01-17T19:24:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I drove up to my friend's house near Duluth, MN. Sunday morning brought typically and rather cold Minnesotan temps--as in zero degrees when we returned. Probably negative while out. But Polly needed a walk. And so Rachel and I took her out. It was refreshing, albeit COLD. We turned around to go home when our faces were beginning to hurt a bit from the cold.

Polly is such a good, funny, dog! So fast! Hilarious, and loves tromping and running around in the snow! Here's some fun few shots from the adventure out in cold, northern Minnesota.

What a runner!

That tongue! Haha!

So, it's blurry, but what a shake! Ha! All the snow flying off! She ran right at me and just started shaking! Me and my camera could hardly catch up!

Doggy, snowy-faced portraits...

She cocked her head at the camera... Not so used to having her photos taken.

look at that snow dust scattering! ;)

And... just one little artsy photo in here... ;)

California Trip Part Eight (beach sunset)

2010-12-20T09:32:00.000-08:00

And then to finish off a perfect day at the coast, the sun sunk perfectly gold and gloriously into the ocean. We rinsed off the wet suits and boards in the cold showers, and got a little of the sand off of us... throwing on some warmer clothes as the sun sunk lower.

We went and drove to Morro Bay to eat at a great place for fish tacos that evening. Fresh grilled fish--from the ocean that morning--with mango salsa. And we also got salt water taffy. Once we got home, I showered off the sand and salt, and hung out with Laura... and then started to fall asleep on the couch. I slept so well that evening...

The next morning I got up for a run in 40-50 degrees. It was wonderful. And then I was on the road again toward the airport, stopping along the way, seeing my grandma and old friends along the way. It was an incredible trip. Here are some photos from the last evening in California... at the coast...

It really looked like this. The very air and sky were gold in hue.

Some plants by the ocean:

friendly beach evenings:

little girl running to and from the waves:

Merry Christmas on the pier at Pismo Beach, CA

This makes any day fantastic:

Morro Rock bay:

And this is my last post from my trip to California in December 2010.

California Trip Part Seven (time at the beach)

2010-12-19T15:47:00.000-08:00

It was probably one of the most gorgeous days to be at the ocean. The bright blue of the sky, and the cold saltiness of the waves, the perfect warmth. Laura and I spend some time in the waves, but before, I got a few shots of the gorgeous day. Pismo Beach in the sunlight on a gorgeous December day.

I fell in love with surfing with a board... And Laura and I had so much fun in the waves... even when our feet became immobile from the coldness of the water. :) We rented one body board, and one boogie board and went back and forth, going further and further out, catching more and more waves. When we both got our first splash of ocean water in the mouth, we were both exclaiming how we didn't remember it being so salty. :) There was plenty of funny moments when the board would go one way, and us another, feet in the air. I loved surfing with Laura! We didn't spend a lot of time in the waves because the water was so cold, and having frozen feet doesn't always help much. But it was wonderful. And addictive. I could surf for a long time. The beach was incredible.

If I lived near the ocean, I would surf. A lot. I love the water. I love the feel of the waves pushing and pulling and of the sun in my face. I love salt water.

Seashells!

Horizon is a little crooked, but I love the picture.

water. cold salt water.

a couple of surfers. Some of the waves were smaller, but there were bigger ones, too.

This is one of those impossible pictures. Yes, the water was that blue. The sky was incredible. And the water was so incredibly clear.

A little sunlight with Laura and I...

California Trip Part Six (monarch butterflies)

2010-12-19T09:21:00.000-08:00

On our way to the coast Sunday mid-morning, Laura and I drove a little further down a road, trying to figure out the location of the place to rent wetsuits and surfboards. It was such an incredibly gorgeous day, and we passed a grove of mostly Eucalyptus trees where thousands [millions?] of monarch butterflies were flitting around... resting on their trip south to Mexico. It was gorgeous, and I got a TON of wonderful photos! Here's a few:

butterflies in the sky...

The beginning of a perfect day... Run in the morning with my cousin. Church that morning with family. There was a infant baptism. And then tacos, pack a lunch, beautiful drive to the coast, a little butterfly grove along the way... and on to the beach.

California Trip Part Five (family photos)

2010-12-18T18:05:00.000-08:00

While out there, I took a few family portraits of Vicki's family. California light is different for doing portraits... and I was playing around with some lighting such. Here's some of the pictures I particularly enjoyed:

Vicki with her daughter and son:

family shots:

I love this photo. Cracks me up. :)

and a few more family shots:

California Trip Part Four (misc shots in the valley)

2010-12-18T06:52:00.000-08:00

Upon arising Saturday morning, I took a little walk outside to view my surroundings... eventually going for a short run. But first I got these photos:

Oranges!!! Fresh Oranges at Vicki's house in the country! Love it! Had some for breakfast two mornings!

This picture may only make sense to those of you who know California's fog... the morning fog melting off my rental car... and this was a fairly clear morning for the valley.

more plants... and fruit...

I also had some fresh apples to eat. Several times. Right from the tree. :)

California Trip Part Three (mountain sunset)

2010-12-17T19:34:00.000-08:00

It was a perfect day for skiing. Couldn't have asked for better. And what's even more incredible was the sunset on the way down. I finally found a good place to pull off, and here's a few shots I got.

the colors, of course, were much better in person... but hopefully, you get a little glimpse... like the memory of a dream... or a hope of a place to travel and go... wildly imaginative, knowing it will be so much better in person.

California Trip Part Two (a few random shots at altitude in the sunlight)

2010-12-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

I took a few shots at China Peak, where Vicki and I skied. I didn't actually take any pictures of the mountain. Oops. Next time. ;) It was a fantastic day to ski. On a Friday, and there was barely anyone there. Good snow. Mostly sunny, definitely not too cold.

But here are a couple of pictures of the branches and snow and sunlight. Funny story with this. I was actually mid-sentence when the sun came out from behind some clouds, and I said, "hang on a moment" or something like that, handing Vicki my sandwich and grabbing my camera. We had a good laugh over that "ooh, something shiny and sparkly!" moment. And. I got some fun photos. ;)

I love snow, ice, and branches in sunlight... especially in the sunlight of the mountains.

California Trip Part One (the way up the mountain)

2010-12-16T20:52:00.000-08:00

I took a short trip to California--about 4 days total. I went to the mountains and the ocean. I arrived late on the 9th, and went up to the moutains first with my cousin, Vicki, to do a little mountain skiing. It was awesome. Here's some photos on the way up!

And at another little stop along the way... (Vicki in the first one here, for a little perspective...)

Can't you just smell the warmth and pine needles in this one?

streams...

isn't this strange? the tops are burned... not the bottom? odd.

More to come! Watch for more posts to come!

swans on the back pond

2010-10-15T17:58:00.001-07:00

fun shots from Matthew & Kylie's wedding

2010-10-15T06:39:00.001-07:00

Kylie from her wedding...

2010-10-14T20:24:00.000-07:00

A bit of country life

2009-11-02T07:17:00.001-08:00

Come visit me in the country! We'll do photos!
Have a glorious day!

Alan & Meredith's wedding

2009-10-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Go to my facebook page for a whole album!

For now, here's a teaser:

Church sisters

2009-10-02T19:19:00.001-07:00

The day was beautiful and I had beautiful subject! Ta da! The lovely church sisters! Lily, Katie, and Emily!

Alan & Meredith

2009-06-14T19:58:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to be granted the privilege to do engagement photos for Alan & Meredith. I am so excited to also be doing their wedding in September! Here are some of my favorite photos from the afternoon.

Severson wedding, part one

2009-05-07T14:03:00.000-07:00

I had to upload a favorite one!

May family photos

2009-04-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

The May family was a lot of fun to do! I went to their house in North Minneapolis, and we utilized the beautiful, sunny day! Henry (the little guy), was full of energy, even while tired, and I could have spend a lot of pictures on him! He's a fast little guy! These are just some of my unedited favorites from the day! Enjoy!

Photos from September 2008

2009-03-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am working on getting photos up, but for starters, I thought I would post some pictures from a fun day with Kassy! We used her camera most of the time, occasionally my lens, but it was quite fun!

This is Kassy:

And here are some lovely yellow flowers! Now that Spring is upon us, I hope there to be more pictures! But for now, I have posted these photos... Enjoy!

Welcome!

2009-03-16T08:26:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my photography blog page! Keep checking back for new pictures posted!