here is a quick favorite of mine from last nights session. it caught my eye this morning as i was pulling all the images of the last few days off my cards. this mother & daughter duo came down (way down...5 hours down...as in almost from Canada down) to add to Randi's senior portrait portfolio & for mother/daughter portraits. They were also visiting a longtime friend/now family & a great commercial & portrait client of mine...but to say i was honored would be an understatement! So of course I had to share a quick image of them here...before i dive into the commercial work i started earlier this week. Safe travels to Rachel & Randi...and Austin too! 

side note: not that i was ever good at keeping up with blogging...but my poor blog has really been neglected lately & i think i am going to have to blame facebook on this one (along with the regular "been so busy" excuse). most of my clients are on facebook & it's fun to tag them in images so they can share them with all their "friends". also, it's instant gratification for me! i get to see all the "likes" and love an image gets. that doesn't happen much on the blog...or even now that most of the proofing is done online & not in person. ever since switching to this blog last year, the comment section just doesn't work very great...but it attracts spam like you wouldn't believe!? 

but changes....oh yes many changes are in the works :o) i have commissioned a logo designer to give me a new look & a new blog will be going along with it. i will be sure to share more about that later.

these are some fun examples showing how you can mix & match a variety of colors and still look pulled together as a family for your portrait session.

these outfits can all be purchased online (see me for links) but I think they also show you how you can pull together some great looks from clothing you already own & love.

layer, layer, layer & layer some more. we all look great in light layers in the summer.

these outfits all look good together & go together because...they are all in the same level of casualness...each outfit has some shade of blues, most have some pink & most have some orange/yellow too.

again, these outfits can be purchase online (ask me for the info/links) but I bet you can put together outfits similar to these by going through your families closets!?

and don't be afraid to bring more than you need to your session...we can go through your clothing options together!

come on out & celebrate whatever is good in your life....

a fun family session, or just the kiddos? hey, maybe just mom & dad need some great picures together? celebrating an anniversary? are the kids home from college? maybe you want some new pictures to spruce up your facebook page? perhaps your pet needs a portrait? a best-friends session...that would be fun! maybe your daughter just got a cute new Matilda Jane outfit...or another favorite outfit that atta be in pictures. celebrate that toothy-grin! whatever you have going on....let's celebrate!!

pick a date/loction...then give Jessica a call at 612-221-0784 to get availablle times. reserve your session with a credit card by paying the $125 retainer fee.

pay the remaining $225 at the time of your session.

another plus...super-fast-turnaround! about 1 week after your session, your disk of digital files and your spiral bound set of 5x7 images will be ready for you.

best of all, you have never been able to get your digital negatives for such a low price.

this is a very limited opportunity...call right away for the best availability!

go here to download a flyer:  http://www.memoriesbyjessica.com/summersavings.pdf

now that the Christmas rush is over & it is a new year i feel like i can put some more time into my photography. this is a very slow time for weddings...here in minnesota for sure! i feel like i would like to spend these "indoor months" working more on portraits. last year i had fewer weddings & more portrait sessions & i really enjoyed it. i always love the connection i get from shooting weddings...but i've found portraits to be equally enjoyable, just on a different level. so, soon i will be announcing: more newborn session fun winter family sessions indoor portrait sessions session fee changes i have also been toying around with the idea of doing some boudoir sessions for valentines day...so if you are interested, let me know...i need at least 5 interested ladies to make it happen. if anyone has any ideas they would like to see...just drop me a line!

let me just start this post by saying I LOVE Matilda Jane Clothing so very much. so many things about this clothing line has grabbed my heart. these clothes really speak to who i am as a photographer....they are warm, cozy & comfortable...and never too serious or stuffy. they have wonderful textures, fun prints & colors...plus they are just a but quirky, just like me! so if you ever have a reason to but little girls clothing...you really should check them out. 

anyway, as i was faithfully stocking the matilda jane blog, i came across a super-fun photo opportunity...PhoTO LoVE! they asked for photographers to enter themselves into a brand new photo contest. one of the great mjc designers made an original dress for approx 30 of the entries to use in their contest photo shoot. i was lucky enough to be chosen to receive a dress and an entry into the contest! but wow how intimidating right?! i've never entered any kind of contest before & i must admit...i was & am more than a little nervous. 

so i called up miss ella & she came to model for me & she was wonderful. she was a trooper & she only thought i was a little strange for asking her to walk around in the field wearing satin ballet flats...she turned out to be a real pro! and the dress fit her perfectly...such a cute look with all those curls.

now that brings us to todays chapter in the story. we can only chose 1 image....ACK ONE IMAGE!!!! I can never pick just one! but today i must. one image cropped to 6x9 ready for voting...and i have to turn it in by wednesday 11-25

i am almost certain that this image is the one i will use. what do you think? the photos will be posted for public voting...so you can vote for your favorite...and hopefully it will be miss. ella :o) i will be sure to keep you all updated!

oh i love this shot too! really love it. but for the contest it needs to be a 6x9 crop & it just doesn't work if i crop of any more of either of the sides...you totally use the idea of the chair & she ends up with a bunch of un-needed field above her. it would make a beautiful square canvas though & might just print one up as a sample.

i really like this shot too...but it's just a little too glow-y

this is the 1st image in a series of three...

i love all of them for different little pieces, but technically they are not quite there, they are a little soft. they would be fine to post on-line or even print up to 8x10 size...but since they are for a contest & i'm not 100% sure what would happen with the image if it won or was a finalist...i just don't feel comfortable using them. so i gave them a fun vintage look...and with the location & clothing i think it works well....what do you think?

2nd in the series...love LOVE LOVE!

last in the series of three

ack! too cute...and don't you just want to pinch those cute cheeks!?

this cool little man came to visit today with the rest of his family....but i thought his little mohawk was too cute not to share.

ack! here's another one i just had to share...CUTE!

this is a fun, yet classic look. this look is great for a family that really wants continuity, but not to wear the same outfit. 

if your family does want to wear identical outfits, that's fine...it just tends to feel very formal. so this is a good option for coordinating, but not matching.

all of these came from Old Navy, but i would guess if you looked through your families closets i bet you could put something like this together without having to visit the store?

hints for putting together a  look similar to this:

choose 3 neutral colors...here we have blue denim, winter white & black. this cold just as easily work with blue denim, brown & tan....or even with khaki pants, if you want a it more dressy look. 

pick 1 accent color...these outfits pop with green, but you could pick ANY color...think of you home & where you want to display your family portrait. is your livingroom red? or yellow? or tiffany blue? any accent color works when you have a neutral foundation. you might also notice in this look that not everyone is wearing the accent color...this can be helpful if you choose purple or hot pink as your accent.

layers are always good! they are helpful in pulling together an outfit...adding a little color without overwhelming. notice how mom is dressed...she has a green shirt, but all you see is the collar (bringing the eye to her lovely face), she then is wearing a cute jacket...jackets cover a multitude of sins (and figure flaws). the buttons are in a vertical pattern (again bringing the eye up) but to reinforce the long-lean look: the scarf. scarfs are not only a perfect way to use an accent color, but the are amazing for breaking up your "width" making you look not only fashionable, but slimmer too!

this is another look from Old Navy, but it is a bit more daring. this look is great for showcasing the fun personalities of a fashionable family! mixing strong patterns can be tricky...but done well, it can look great.

so don't be afraid to mix-it-up! 

yipee! we finally have the blog fixed & I can post updates with pictures....and we all know posts without pictures are just plain boring.

this was a sneak peek for miss jenna that i had to post on facebook, so she's already had a peek @ it...isn't she a cutie? and you do not know this from looking at this picture, but she is totally sweet & hilarious too!

i am so happy to finally have my new blog ready! i will be using my blog to post sneak-peeks from both portrait sessions and weddings...as well as any special sessions going on, or any other blog worthy news. and since i am mostly checking out how things are working (and posts are boring without pictures) here is a favorite of my boys from this fall.