Katie Raivala Photography

Best of 2010- The Knot

2010-01-21T22:47:00.001-06:00

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You,Thank You, Thank You,Thank You, Thank You to everyone who voted me as one of the Best of 2010 by the The Knot. I am totally giddy with excitement and over the moon your kindness. I have always loved what I do and to know that you love it too just makes me so unbelievably happy. Love ya' all!

New Year-New Opportunity

2010-01-01T17:01:00.001-06:00

I am usually not one that makes a resolution on New Years, but this year is different.

My resolution for 2010 is to learn more and to help others learn.

That is why this summer I will be hosting a series of photography classes for free to some of my Facebook Fans. I will share more details when the warmer weather returns.

Click here to visit my Facebook Fan page and to become a fan.

Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas

2009-12-23T16:31:00.003-06:00

For those of you that are braving the storm this holiday, please drive/fly carefully.

I will be hanging out in Elk River area with my family. I am so excited to going caroling tonight for the first time in my life and to see tons of my family over the next few days. And for the family members that I won't be seeing, you know that you are in my heart and that I will be thinking of you.

I am going to be away from my computer and turning my phone off for the next few days so that I can really enjoy my family time. I will return all messages on Monday the 28th.

Have a wonderful holiday everyone! Enjoy making some great new memories...don't forget to photograph them.

Katie Raivala

Kim and Brett- Married!!!!

2009-11-27T01:49:00.007-06:00

I have been anxiously awaiting Kim and Brett's big day for roughly 14 months so when the day came, I was totally excited to see them and couldn't wait for them to see each other.

Kim was so cute. She sneaked up behind Brett and whispered something in his ear before he actually got to see her.

We had a few extra minutes in between the formal pictures and the ceremony so I was able to capture Kim and the bridesmaids relaxing and chatting.
The church that (St. Anthony in St. Cloud) has the most beautiful natural light that I have ever seen in a church before. I love how light filled everyone's face from the little beams of sunshine that peaked through the windows.

After the ceremony the wedding party jumped into the shuttle so that they could celebrate in style and have a little fun before the reception. Before we left the bar I thought that it would be fun to have Kim sit on the pool table. Little did I know that Brett was going to demonstrate his ability to lure Kim with his impersonations.

There first dance was so sweet. Brett asked for his wife's hand, yet again and swept her off of her feet.
Just look at the way she starring at him. Doesn't it make your heart flutter?
And then it was time to really get the party jumping...

We did sneak away for a few minutes because we had a vision that we had to photograph and I personally think that it turned out fabulous. Here is one of my favorite images from night.

Schaap Family

2009-11-20T14:52:00.007-06:00

I love the Schaap family. Their two little girls are so sweet.

When Sarah first told me about the dresses that she ordered from Etsy.com for the girls (yes, those are feathers that you see) I instantly thought that they would be beautiful to photograph them in a wide open field, but let's face it...it is November in Minnesota. Sleeveless dresses on little girls and November don't mix well. Instead, we went to the Guthrie and moseyed around.

Family Traditions

2009-11-12T22:43:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone! With the holiday season right around the corner, it has got me thinking about family traditions. My family has many traditions that we hold dear to our hearts as I am sure that your family does too. Over time, my memories become a little foggy which is why I decided that this year all of them will be photographed and preserved. I would love to do the same for your family traditions too. Whether it is picking out your christmas tree, making cookies, wrapping presents, decorating your house or any other family tradition; I want to be there to photograph it. When you schedule this session you will receive 1 hour of documentary style photography and a disk with your images on it for only $150.00+tax I cannot wait to learn more about your family tradition and to capture it for you so please contact me to learn more and to schedule your event.

My Family

2009-11-12T14:44:00.006-06:00

Last week Travis Johansen of Travis Johansen Photography was kind and brave enough to photography my family. He had met everyone before so I was surprised to hear that he would do it. :)

We started our session about 30 minutes before sundown so we had beautiful warm light and afterwards Travis got out his off camera flash and had some fun taking photos of the kids on the swing.

Travis was nice enough to allow me to post some of the images on my blog. Thanks Travis!

Images © TravisJohansenPhotography.com - Used With Permission

My boys.

My goofy family. I love them!
Travis shot a series of images that include me flipping Ethan around. I don't want to share them because they might be Christmas presents.
Another great shot of Ethan and Noah goofing around. This is one of my favs from the night.
So sweet.
I keep starring at this one because I love how Ethan is moving so fast that there is just a little bit of motion blur on his face. If you have ever met Ethan, you know that he moves fast all of time so again, Travis nailed it!
I love the facial expressions that everyone has on their faces. This is my family.

Yup, she had enough fun and was ready for dinner towards the end of the shoot.

I love the blue playdough on Noah's shoe! He chases me around the house with playdough because he knows that I don't like the smell of it. Silly kid.

Thanks again Travis! You captured my family perfectly!!!

The Johnson Family

2009-11-11T15:03:00.007-06:00

Pam and Grant were married last year and shortly after they learned they were going to become parents. Pam actually told me that when we got together to discuss their wedding album that they just found out that they were expecting and it was really hard for them not to say anything to me. Especially when I brought up babies (I was pregnant myself after all).

Little Joe made his debut into the world this past September and has already stolen so many hearts, mine included.

I love how you can see his little face in the reflection of the mobile and how he is looking at his little animal friends.

Such a sweet face.

The entire family.

I love the emotion of this image. The way that Pam has her face pressed next to Grant and the way the Grant is looking at Joe, it brings tears to my eyes.

Blake's Senior Portrait

2009-10-20T11:19:00.006-05:00

Blake and his fan club (mom, girlfriend and sister) cruised around downtown Minneapolis for his senior portraits. We went from Lorring Park to Joe's Garage and back around a few alley ways. We definitely put some miles on our shoes. :) The result are some awesome images. Here is just a sneak peek of some of Blake's images.

Abby and Cory-Married!!!

2009-10-19T13:41:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago I introduced you to the Bower Family and told you that Abby and Cory were getting married on October 10th. Well, the time has come to show you pictures from their wedding.

There ceremony was held at the historic Fort Snelling Chapel in St. Paul and I instantly fell in love with the charm of the chapel.

The reception was held at the Grand Banquet Hall in Stillwater. This was my first time that I photographed the Grand Banquet Hall and I do have to say that it matches it's name perfectly. There are elegant stained glass windows and lights everywhere in the large, open reception hall. It was magnificent.

Heather and Justin-Engaged!

2009-10-15T22:14:00.005-05:00

I was so excited to do this shoot! I was given free range to travel through my hometown- Elk River. Now for those of you that live in ER (as the locals call it) you probably think that this town of ours doesn't have a lot to offer from the visual standpoint. I personally think that there are a lot of hidden gems.

I was able to bring Heather and Justin to some of the gems and boy was I glad that I did. Check out these images- Heather and Justin are gorgeous. Sorry, I mean Heather is gorgeous, Justin is handsome. ;)

Brrrr....it was cold. Isn't it cute how Justin was warming Heather up?

See, I told you they were cute!

Sarah and Terry- After Wedding Session

2009-10-13T23:34:00.009-05:00

Sarah informed me that I have officially photographed them in every season over the last year and a half. We shot their engagement session in spring '08, then they were married in August '08 in an intimate ceremony, the reception was held Valentine's Day 2009 and then over this past weekend we met up once again to photograph them in the beautiful fall leaves. After she told me this I couldn't get that "Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall. All you have to do is call..." song out of my head. I think that my kids are getting tired of me singing it. :) You can read more about Sarah and Terry's journey here.

Since it snowed this past weekend, Sarah decided to sport the ultra fab look of long johns under her dress to go along with her rock star cons. She is one smart girl!

Sarah and Terry- I hope that you enjoyed your trip up to Zimmerman. A.k.a "God's Country"

Holiday Cards

2009-10-11T21:23:00.012-05:00

The snow has fallen and that means it is time for me to reveal the 2009 holiday card designs. This year I am offering both 5x7 and 4x8 inch cards that can be used for the holidays, birth announcements, and save the dates.

The cards can be personalized by adding a special salutation or by modifying the color scheme on the card. Please contact me directly for holiday card pricing and to answer any questions that you have.

The deadline to order your holiday cards this year is December 4th, which surprisingly is right around the corner.

Chocolate Green

5x7 inch

Red Polka Dots

5x7 inch

Red Snowflakes

5x7 inch

Polka Dots

5x7 inch

Timeless

5x7

Meaning of Joy

4x8 inch

Light Flurries

4x8 inch

Family Love

2009-10-09T07:56:00.006-05:00

With either rain or shine, the smiles were bright last weekend during the Mini Outdoor Portrait Sessions last weekend. Many of the sessions were rescheduled due to the large amount of rain, but I did have some families that we brave and the images turned out great! Here are some of my favorites.

The Bower Family

2009-10-02T07:25:00.006-05:00

Abby and Cory will be getting married on 10/10/09, but before the big day we thought that it would be nice to have a family portrait/engagement session done to show of their cuteness. Yes, I just made up a new word to describe how cute this family is. :)

I cannot wait to see you on the 10th!

The Car Accident

2009-09-29T12:41:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday my husband and I received a phone call stating that there was a major car accident in our driveway and that we should come home. We did just that. Upon arriving in our neighborhood we saw a medical helicopter taking off, that is when we knew the accident was really bad. We had to park at our neighbors house because we weren't able to get any closer. As I walked from their yard to mine, my knees got weak and my heart raced. I couldn't believe what I saw. It is Tuesday and I still cannot believe it.

My heart goes out to all of the people that this car accident effected. It was a horrible accident that I know has touched me and my family in more ways than I can express.

Fall Outdoor Mini Sessions

2009-09-22T20:35:00.003-05:00

Autumn is right around the corner and so are the beautiful fall leaves. This year I am hosting a Mini Portrait Session weekend October 3rd and 4th. The portrait sessions will be 30 minutes long and each Mini Portrait Session client will receive 10% off on their holiday cards! All of this for only $55 plus tax. That is a steal of a deal! Especially considering a regular session is $125.

Here are the specifics of the Mini Portrait Sessions:

October 3rd:

All sessions will be held at Otsego County Park and will start at the top of each hour. This session will allow you to choose either a riverfront backdrop, lush trees, open fields or tall grass.

October 4th:

All sessions will be held in Downtown Elk River and will start at the top of each hour. We will travel to locations like the River's Edge Commons, the new candy shop and use the old buildings as backdrops.

Limited space is available and I am sure that these sessions will fill up quickly so please contact me at katie@raivala.com to book your session.

Schaefer Family

2009-09-22T20:29:00.004-05:00

The Schaefer Family and I ventured to the University of Minnesota (go Gophers!) and ran around the mall area for a little bit. It was a good time until we convinced the little girl to sit in the back of a police car. I think that she thought we were going to hall her off to jail because she got scared. The only law she broke was being too cute. Insert cheesy drum roll here. She is seriously cute though.

The Lear Family

2009-09-14T09:54:00.007-05:00

Not only did I have the opportunity to photograph the entire Lear family (Grandma included), I also was able to photograph Emily's senior portrait the same day.

We had a total blast during this session. Actually, 2 flip flops broke in the making of the pictures so right there, you know it was a good time.

As he danced he sang,"Bow chic chica bow wow...". It was totally cute!

Katie and Dane

2009-09-14T08:58:00.005-05:00

Katie and Dane were married on August 15th at the “Green Church” in Zimmerman. There wedding was extremely personal and the reception was filled with non stop laughs. At the church there were many little touches that demonstrate how important Katie and Dane’s loved ones are to them.

Dane and his brother placed this corsage next to a picture of their father that was on the alter.

This is one of my favorite images from the day. This was taken just before we started their formal pictures and was probably the first time that Katie and Dane were able to celebrate their marriage alone.

Katie's dad suprised her with these water bottles for each of the guests.

You've lost that love and feeling....

Melissa and Mike

2009-09-14T08:51:00.004-05:00

If I had an award for best proposal, it would go to Mike. He is an avid photographer so it is no surprise that he asked Melissa to marry him in front of the Eifel Tower in Paris and photographed the entire event. (I think that I just heard all of the woman out there say “aawww”)

Here are some images from their recent e session.

Amanda and Nickolas- Married

2009-08-31T22:50:00.005-05:00

Amanda and Nickolas were destined to find each other. Neither of them are native Minnesotans. It was only through work that they found each other and fell in love.

They were married on the picturesque day of July 26th at the Nicollet Island Pavilion. The couple beamed with excitement the entire day and enjoyed seeing all of their family and friends that flew in for the wedding.

Katie and Isaiah

2009-08-31T22:25:00.005-05:00

Katie and Isaiah were married on July 11th at one of my favorite, Otsego County Park. Katie and Isaiah are one of the most laid back couples that I know. When I first arrived to the park I met Isaiah while he was relaxing with a cold one in hand. I love that!

Katie was stunning in her wedding dress. She fit right in with the beautiful surroundings that they chose for their ceremony site.

Baby Nolan and Family

2009-08-31T22:07:00.007-05:00

Baby Nolan was born into an extremely loving family. They invited me into their home to photograph his little toes, fingers and adorable cute face. I could have stayed there all day long...

Trisha and Nate + 2

2009-07-29T23:18:00.007-05:00

Nate and Trisha + 2 or is it 3? Shortly after I photographed Nate and Trisha they announced that they are having a 3rd baby!! I am so thankful that we were able to photograph the 4 of them this summer and I cannot wait to photograph all 5 of them next year.

Tresa and Elliot-Married!!!

2009-07-20T10:16:00.009-05:00

Tresa and Elliot were married on July 3, 2009. It was a world wind of a day filled with tons of excitement! I arrived in Sartell for the wedding a little bit before 1pm and I found Tresa eagerly awaiting my arrival (she was ready for the festivities to begin). We started by driving to a park that Tresa and Elliot occasionally visit. The wedding party kicked back and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings while I snapped a few images.

Then we heading back to the church to capture some formal images with their families and to play around outside for a bit.

Here are some of my favorite images of Tresa and Elliot's ceremony.

We made a quick little stop on the way to the reception hall at G Allen's in Sartell.

I cannot remember the exact name of the shot that the wedding party did, but all I can say is WOW!!! Check out that flame!

Cheers!

Tresa and Elliot asked the guests to sing love songs to them if they wanted the couple to kiss. Their guests were not shy at all... Tresa and Elliot were serenaded all evening long.

I have to give a shout out to their DJ from Fineline Entertainment. He wasn't the typical DJ..he was also a groomsmen! And he got the party hopping!!!

Back in the office

2009-07-17T09:44:00.004-05:00

Hi! I am back from my mini vacation. The kids had a wonderful time in jail and on the rest of our trip. We were able to see many corn fields, caves, the location of were Jesse James' gang was defeated and state parks. It was a lot of fun. Here are some pictures of my little jail birds.

If your kids like to play cops and robbers, I highly recommend going to the Wykoff Jail Haus B&B. It was the best!

Out of Office

2009-07-13T22:39:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone!

I am going to be out of the office for a few days. Yup, I am packing up the kidlets (all 3 of them) and heading on a little road trip. The only thing that I know is that we will be staying one night in jail. Yes, you read that correctly...jail. I am locking us up in the slammer for a night at the B&B Jail Haus in Wykoff, MN. I cannot wait! Only time will tell where the rest of our adventure will lead us too.

I will be back on Friday the 17th and will return all messages then.

Erin and Chris- Married

2009-07-13T10:47:00.012-05:00

Erin and Chris were married on June 27, 2009 at the family cabin in Wisconsin that is tucked away in the beauty of God's country. Everything about their wedding was a true representation about who Erin and Chris are...right down to the wedding rings that an artist created for them.

What really astonishes me about Erin and Chris is that they celebrate the little things in life that sometimes are overlooked by others. The are beautiful people inside and out.

Katie and Dane- Engaged

2009-07-13T10:36:00.006-05:00

Have you ever met someone and instantly connected? That is how I felt with Katie and Dane. I can easily get lost in conversation with these two for hours and hours (or as long as the kids permit). They are a beautiful couple and I am so happy that they are in my life.

A few weeks ago we met for their engagement session. The direction that they received from me was to be themselves and to have fun. That is exactly what happened. Here are some of my favs from their session.

Joey is soooo big

2009-07-07T22:52:00.006-05:00

Joey is nine months old. I have to keep telling myself that because it just doesn't seem real to me. You might remember Joey from his newborn session but then again, he has grown leaps and bounds since then. He still has those beautiful brown eyes and on top of that he has added a killer smile and sweet giggle. He is a boy after my own heart.

Here are some pictures from his recent portrait session.

2009-07-02T16:25:00.008-05:00

Ashley and Branden were married on June 20, 2009 at Crist Church in Otsego. They met 8 years ago at a Battle of the Bands contest where Branden's band took first place. Ever since then, I think that Ashley has been Branden's #1 fan. Here are a few images from their day.

This is Branden and his good pal.

I didn't see her eyes leave Branden's eyes the whole time she walked down the isle.

During the ceremony Ashley was giddy with excitement. When the moment came where they were announcement husband and wife, she grinned from ear to ear and leaned into Brandon.

Their little flower girl (also their daughter) didn't want anything to do with pictures. I personally think that this is one of my all time favorite flowergirl images though. :) I love

Shortly after the above image was captured, we found the flowergirl asleep on a couch. How cute is that?!

This bottle of Ketchup intrigued me because it was all dressed up. After taking the picture, I was told that Ashley's grandmother made a fancy meal a while back ago and Branden asked for Ketchup to go with it. That is why she brought him his own bottle for the wedding dinner.

I love this picture! Ashley and Branden are so much fun and just love smiling.

Holly and John-Married!!!!

2009-06-18T16:26:00.011-05:00

I have been looking forward to Holly and John's wedding well before they were even engaged. I have known Holly for most of my life. She is actually one of my best friend's little sister and has become one of my friends too. I feel very close to her entire family, they are like a second family to me.

A few years ago I remember meeting John and watching his every move to make sure that he was good for Holly. (After all, he was dating my non-biological baby sister.) There was a defining moment for me that I remember quite clearly. He was sitting at a table surrounded by Holly's family and he was telling stories and jokes to make them laugh. It wasn't just a casual stop at the table, he actually saught them out because he wanted to make sure that they were having a good time at the party. That is when I realized that John was going to be there for Holly and her family for a very long time.

I think the world of John and I am so happy that he married Holly. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for these two.

Here is the story of their wedding.

The day of the wedding proved to be a little more wet then what everyone hoped for. The rain was coming down so hard that we decided to move our pictures indoors. Luckily, Holly and John were staying at the Lowell Inn in Stillwater and they graciously gave us permission to use the hotel for our photos.

When I first arrived to the Lowell Inn I was greeted by a calm, yet excited John.

John told me that the girls were upstairs.

When I opened the door to the hotel room, I got teary eyed. Holly was radiant and just as calm as John.
While Holly was getting ready, I noticed that the flower girl was watching her very closely. I imagine that she was dreaming of her own wedding and the man of her dreams.

Holly and John were eager to see each other. They were surrounded by 20 of their close personal friends and family when the moment came, but to them, there was no one else around.

John's jaw dropped to the floor when he laid eyes on his beautiful bride and Holly beamed from ear to ear.

The ceremony and reception were held on the The Showboat in Stillwater. The sun light softly shined through the windows which added to the romance of the day.

After Holly and John were pronounced husband and wife the boat start its journey down the St. Croix River. The guests were taken back by the beauty of the river.

Inside the boat stories were told, jokes were made and love surrounded the couple.

Baby Claire

2009-06-02T12:23:00.004-05:00

Here is an update on my little Claire Bear. She is now 2 months old and already sporting the girly clothes. :)

I originally wanted a picture of her laying on her belly with her head turned towards me, but she really didn't like that. She was actually screaming so hard from not wanting to be on her back that she flipped over and I got this image.

Tresa and Elliot- Engaged

2009-05-30T10:45:00.004-05:00

Tresa and Elliot are planning a July 3rd wedding. As the day gets closer, I can feel their excitement and see how much they cannot wait for the big day.

For their engagement session we visited Quarry Park. It was my first time visiting this park so I was eager to see what it had to offer. As we started to walk through the park, I found myself stumbling behind Tresa and Elliot and just soaking up the beauty of the park. There were numerous paths that lead up to different water filled quarries and gorgeous locations.

We scheduled their e session for sunset because Tresa and Elliot met years ago right around that same time in day. Here are some of my favorite images from the session. Please check out their slideshow on my website to see more!

Carrie and Jay- Married!!!!

2009-05-29T18:03:00.005-05:00

Carrie and Jay tied the knot on May 16, 2009. It was bright and cheerful day that matched perfectly with their wedding plans. When I first arrived at the St. Paul College Club I was overtaken by the beauty of the location. It was quaint and charming. It was perfect.

I met Carrie in the bridal suite and I was almost brought to tears. I have known Carrie now for a little over a year and every time that we talk, jokes are made. But when I walked into the bridal suite, I saw a different side of Carrie. Sure she was still making everyone laugh, but this time she was dressed in an elegant dress that seemed to make her glow. She was stunning.

Shortly after my arrival Jay and Carrie saw each other for the first time that day. Quickly we rushed off to the garden were I snapped a few images of them enjoying their time together.

Right before the ceremony Carrie went into hiding and Jay talked with his loved ones. The children were asked to greet each of the guests as they walked into the club. They eagerly awaiting each guest and made them feel right at home.

As I was walking around the club, I stumbled upon Carrie's father taking a quite moment to reflect on the marriage of his daughter. Here he is sitting reading her wedding program.

The ceremony was nothing less than beautiful. The couple shared their vows and made a pledge to Jay's two daughters.

On the lighter side (pun intended), when it came time to light the unity candle, Carrie and Jay realized that a lighter was not there so Carrie said to the guests, "Gotta light?". Everyone laughed and amazingly, someone did have a light.

The laughter continued through the evening. The couple asked that guests share stories about Jay and Carrie during the dinner service. Stories were told about non-printable Packer tickets, keys that needed to be returned, and the love that the two of them have shown.

Once DJ started the music, the dance floor filled up. Everyone enjoyed dancing the night away.

The Rehnstrand Family

2009-05-12T07:50:00.006-05:00

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting the Rehnstrand family. They recently added a little baby boy, Rylan to the family. When I first asked about Rylan, Wendy informed me that her husband's family has had all boys for the last 83 years. 83 years of boys! Can you imagine that? She told me that her husband and her didn't want to be the ones to ruin the tradition so they were thrilled to learn that they had their boy. Rylan has two big brothers, Nolan and Nathan.

After I arrived at their house I quickly learned how much Nolan and Nathan love their baby brother. They gave him kisses throughout the entire portrait session. Here are some of my favorite images from the portrait session.

Baby Claire Elizabeth Raivala

2009-03-28T16:15:00.003-05:00

I would like to introduce my new daughter to everyone (yes, I am a proud Ma Ma). Her name is Claire Elizabeth Raivala and I am totally in love with her! She was born on March 24, 2009 at 9:51pm. She weighed 8 lbs 7 oz and measured 19 inches. Currently her favorite thing to do is to sleep and cuddle with me, her dad and her two protective big brothers.

I am doing well, however, I have noticed that I am a little bit slow at responding to my emails and voicemails from everyone. I promise that I will get back into the swing of things shortly and reply to everyone.

Have a great day- I know that I will.

Baby Ada and Family

2009-02-27T09:55:00.005-06:00

Little Ada and her parents are so cute. I could tell from the moment I walked in the door that Ada was her parent's pride and joy.

Ada's grandmother created this colorful quilt just for her. I could tell that a lot of love and time went into the details of this quilt. I am sure that Ada will cherish it forever.

With all of the fun and excitement, Ada started to get sleepy so she was slowly rocked back in forth until her eyes closed.

Sweet dreams little one.

Sarah and Terry's Reception

2009-02-23T16:29:00.007-06:00

Last August Sarah and Terry were married in an intimate ceremony. On Valentine's Day they celebrated their marriage amongst family and friends at the Carousell Works in Big Lake. The event center was decorated in red and white, very fitting for Valentine's Day, but the colors wore actually chosen long before the Valentine's reception was thought of.

Sarah and Terry's wedding was originally planned for October of 2008, but an unexpected twist in life change that. In late July 2008 Sarah was diagnosed with cancer so all of their wedding plans were adjusted. (you can read more about their wedding day here)

By the time Valentine's Day rolled around Sarah was officially in remission- cancer free. So not only were their family and friends celebrating their marriage, but also Sarah's health. It was a true celebration.

I have to admit that my eyes swelled up when Sarah and Terry first arrived at the reception. Both of them looked fabulous and were so happy. The whole room light up.
In memory of Sarah's father that passed away, some members of her family drank a Schlitz beer (his favorite).

The Orwoll Family

2009-02-23T14:30:00.004-06:00

Recently the Orwoll family stopped by for an evening filled with lots of fun and bright flashes of light. The flash from my lights proved to be a bit much for the youngest gentleman. At one point he pretty much just had his eyes closed until the light stopped flashing. His mom and I could not help but to laugh a little bit because he was so cute. Here are some of my favorite images from that evening:

I just have to quickly say that I love this image. I think it is adorable how the little guy is just soaking up the moment and holding onto his Dad. Love it!!!
The tickle monster strikes again...

Doing his muscle pose.

The Great Mississippi River

2009-02-02T12:55:00.006-06:00

While driving to Monticello last week I noticed some beautiful birds hovering around the Mississippi River. I believe that they are swans, but I am not 100% sure (If there is an avid bird lover out there please let me know if I am wrong).

Later in the day I returned to the same location that I originally saw the swans at. This time I was wearing my Canon 5d, my 70-200mm lens and of course; a pair of boots. My mission, to carefully walk down towards the river without scaring the swans. I was partially successful at my mission.

As I walked down to the river the swans started to swim away from me and some of them actually took flight. I was able to capture a few images before they were out of sight. Here are the images:

I hope to be able to go to the same spot another time this winter at sunrise. I think that the lighting would be phenomenal then.

Arizona- Part 2

2009-01-28T15:33:00.004-06:00

I finally took a few minutes to process a few of the images that I took during my Arizona adventure a few weeks ago.

One thing that caught my eye while I was visiting Arizona is how different all of the churches look compared to the churches we have in Minnesota. The image below is from a church that was located in downtown Phoenix. I adore the roof and how there are multiple crosses upon it.

Since arriving back home, I have been look at the churches in my area more closely. All of them only have 1 cross being proudly displayed. I just thought that was interesting.
On my last day in Arizona I asked the hotel driver to bring me to a desert area because I had never seen one in person before. About 20 minutes later we came upon these 3 rocks. They were a beautiful shade of red and were surrounded by plant life that I wasn't familiar with so I grabbed my camera and attempted to climb up the rock on the right.

Had I known that I was going to be climbing a rock, I wouldn't have worn flip flops that day. The flip flops along with a 7 month pregnant belly wasn't a good combination. Let's just say that I finally gave into the idea of being pregnant and had to stop climbing. For those of you who have seen me within the last few months know that I haven't let my belly stop me from doing much so this was big moment for me.

All of my bags are now unpacked and my flip flops have been put away. Even though the weather was beautiful while I was in Arizona, I have to admit that my heart was still in Minnesota almost the whole time I was away.

8th Wedding Anniversary

2009-01-20T14:04:00.004-06:00

Eight years ago today Jon and I were married. It seems like a lifetime ago. Probably because we figured out a few weeks ago that we have known each other for almost half of our lives.

We actually met in High School while we worked at Hardees. He came in for an interview and was told that he could have a free pop so he approached me while I was working the counter and asked for a root beer-no ice. I wasn't about to give him a free pop because I didn't want to get in trouble so he went and grabbed the Manager that he interviewed with and she gave me the ok.

It is funny how things work out. If I hadn't worked at Hardees, I wouldn't have met him. Who knew that fast food could be so good?!

Our ceremony was held at Central Lutheran Church in Elk River and our reception was at Silver Springs Golf Course in the Monticello area. This is by far my favorite picture from the whole night. I love Jon's facial expression!

Jon- Thanks for 8 wonderful years of marriage plus 6 years and 15 days of dating. There are hardly any memories of my life that don't include you. I cannot wait to see what other memories are made over the next 75 years. I love you!

For all of my clients out there who are wondering....'Did Katie bring a camera to her own wedding?' The answer is, YES. I only used a black point and shoot camera and I had it around my neck for most of the evening until my Mom begged me to take it off. I got some great candid shots of my guests with it though.

Arizona

2009-01-19T10:46:00.005-06:00

Last week I ventured to Arizona to attend Imaging USA. It was my first time attending this conference so I wasn't sure what to expect. I did know that I was going to be taking in quite a bit of information so I loaded up on my paper notebooks and brought my PC with me too.

There are 2 classes that really grabbed my attention. The first one was about using my flashes for a dramatic fashion photography look. The class was taught by TriCoast Photography. They demonstrated how they use their external flash mounted on a monopod with a regular diffuser to create dramatic light. They even do this at high noon. For those of you how are not photographers, high noon sun is really hard to shoot in because it creates shadows directly downward. I.e. shadows underneath eyes (not so flattering).

The second class that really stood out was another lighting and technique class. This one was held by Bob Davis (photographed Eva Longoria's wedding). He also demonstrated off flash lighting techniques and talked about how he practices and practices before each wedding to make sure that he is prepared to photograph anything that might happen that day. I thought to myself... I am not the only one who does that.

I also attending a photoshop retouching class that was held my a mater retoucher. She actually processed a photo of an 84 year old woman and made her look like she was in her forties. The kicker is that it didn't look retouched at all. The end image looked natural.

I could honestly go on and on about the different skills and techniques that I learned about, but I don't want to overwhelm anyone. :)

Keep checking the blog because I am going to post some images that I took of Arizona while I was there.

Out of Office

2009-01-10T08:59:00.001-06:00

Hi! I am currently in Arizona attending a Imaging USA. I will return on Thursday, January 16, 2009.

Have a great day!

Katie Raivala
Photographer
612-481-7342
www.raivala.com

Jeni and Adam's New Years Eve Wedding

2009-01-09T16:31:00.017-06:00

Jeni told me months ago that she always wanted a New Years Eve wedding. Adam gave her, that wish. And what a great day it turned out to be. The sky was bright blue, the air was crisp and it wasn't below zero!

Their ceremony was held at Mount Olivet Church in Minneapolis. It is a gorgeous church filled with all of these little areas that are picture perfect. It was perfect for Jeni and Adam.

The ceremony was held at 4pm so the sun was setting and small glow was shining through the stained glass windows.

The reception can only be summed up as a true New Years Eve party! It was held at the Medina Country Club and the room was definitely filled lots of happy guests that were there to celebrate!

5...4...3...2....1! Happy New Year!!!!!!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-24T08:45:00.003-06:00

The holiday season is upon us. It is my favorite time of year because everything seems so magical and people everywhere show how wonderful they are to each other.

I wish you a very wonderful holiday season. May you have days filled with laughter and love.

I will be away from the office until January 5th celebrating.

Happy Holidays!

Gato Family

2008-12-19T10:55:00.003-06:00

The Gato family invited me to their house in hopes that their oldest daughter would be relaxed and enjoy the portrait session. So when I arrived I just played with her for a while. She showed me the "Ho Ho Ho" and pointed to the Elf that was sitting on top of the shelf. She told me some stories and even showed me how to play with a few toys. Eventually, she helped me take a few pictures and loved playing with my lens puffer (helps clean dust out of the lens area on my camera). By the time the backdrop and light was setup, she was raring to go! She was so energetic...I loved it!

I think that this one is so precious. I softened the image up a bit so that it became even more angelic.

And the love that started it all.

Primus-Louallen Family

2008-12-19T10:43:00.004-06:00

I love how all of the kids showed up in their PJs for their session. It was a 10am session so it really did make sense. They looked all warm and toasty.

I baked a batch of Schwan's monster cookies for the occasion because I wanted to use them in the session, but it kinda escaped my mind so they never made it into the images. The good news is that the kids were able to take all of the cookies home with them.

This is the newest little addition to the family. She was born on November 14, 2008 and was already so strong. She kept lifting her head up and moving all around.It took me about 15 tries to get this picture because she decided that she didn't want to lay still. She kept wiggling every time I was about to take the picture. The other kids thought that was hilarious. I thought so too.

The Hansen-Hanson Family

2008-12-19T10:32:00.005-06:00

I like to joke with these two that they should hyphenate their name to be Hansen-son to make it easy for everyone. So far, the haven't run with the idea.

Aaron, Dannah and Oscar came over to have their holiday card taken. They live about 1.5 blocks away from me so it was a really long car ride for them. We had fun dressing up poor Oscar in various hats and giggling at how cute he looked. I think that Aaron felt a little left out because he started making silly faces at the camera. From there on out, it was non-stop laughs.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T05:42:00.002-06:00

I often reflect on life and realize how precious the gifts that we are given are. Thanksgiving is upon us and there are so many reasons to be thankful this year.

I am thankful for all of the people that are in my life. Whether it is a 5 minute conversation with someone new to me or catching up with a friend or family member, I cherish each moment.
I am thankful that my family is healthy. I am thankful that Sarah (married in August) completed her last scheduled round of chemo on Tuesday. I am thankful that my old co-worker Mitch is in remission after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer last winter. I am thankful that my Aunt Vicki is healthy enough to enjoy Thanksgiving with her family. I am thankful that my little family is growing (we are having a baby in March). I am thankful for my warm house and the ability to buy food. I am thankful for each little laugh that I hear or smile that I see from Ethan and Noah. I am thankful for the progress that Noah has made in the last year. I am thankful that Ethan knows exactly how to answer all of the questions during the children's portion of church. I am thankful for being trusted to document people's lives. I am thankful for every solider that is protecting our country.

The Winterfield Family

2008-11-26T15:47:00.006-06:00

The Winterfield's have two little kids, Tate and Taylor. Tate cracks me up because he has trademark moves. I personally think that he is practicing to scare the boys away from his beautiful little sister.

After all of the fun we were having playing, Tate didn't really want to sit still for a family photo. He tried, but he could only make it for about 3 seconds before trying to run. Again, he cracks me up.

His little sister Taylor seemed to be fascinated by the big black camera that was starring at her.

After about 50 minutes of photo fun, Tate had enough. :)

A whole lotta fun!

2008-11-26T15:00:00.007-06:00

My Sunday afternoon was a complete blast! I was asked to photograph 4 families at a home in Annandale, 2 of which have small children. Ya' it was a slice of heaven. I am not sure where to start since the afternoon was busy with trying to get Mallory and Anders to look at the camera. I did learn a new preschool song that did the trick though. After that, it was smooth sailing.

I adore Ander's expression in this image. It is so him. He laughs so hard that he leans back a little. Then we have Ms. Mallory who is so sweet and caring. They are just too cute!

The newest member of family is little Ethan. He was so attentive to his parents. Every time one of them spoke, his head turned towards them. I could tell that he thought the world of them.

These two graciously allowed me to turn their front room into a studio for the entire afternoon (thanks again). They are proud grandparents and everything that they did that afternoon showed it. At one point in the afternoon I over heard Carole explaining the story about Thanksgiving to Mallory. It was really sweet.

It was all smiles with these two. I honestly don't remember seeing them not smile all afternoon long.

Here is a picture of the grandchildren.

This one is my favorite. It was such a sweet, innocent, memorable moment. Anders was trying to get close to his new cousin, while Mallory was trying to get close to him to give a kiss.

My Family

2008-11-19T11:21:00.007-06:00

Last night the Raivala family decided to have a little fun so I set up lighting , a backdrop and figured out how to use myself timer on the camera. That took me like 5 minutes because I couldn't remember how to do it. You can ask me about aperture settings, dragging the shutter and lots of other things that I know how to do with my camera, but the self timer was a challenge.

Anyways, we had a blast taking the pictures. Jon was the focal point so he pretty much sat in the same place while the kids and I moved around. After each image the kids and I ran back to the camera to see how the picture looked and then we would race back to Jon for another picture.

I was still trying to figure out the self timer when this image was taken. Hence, the absence of me.

Ethan wanted to do something scary. Noah on the other hand, was not thrilled with the idea. Do you like my peace signs? I couldn't bring myself to do full on scary. It just isn't me.

Yup, this is a typical night at the Raivala household. We flip the kids around all of the time. It will be a sad day when they are too big to do it.

I think it is really funny how Jon and I are looking at the camera in every image. Both of us watched the little red light and then suprised the kids with differnt our moves.

Another true to life image. We love cuddling too.

Ethan and Noah want to do another photo shoot tonight. I don't know what has gotten into them. Usually they run away from the camera when they see me take it out.

The Sturgis Family

2008-11-12T13:12:00.005-06:00

I go way back with the Sturgis Family. So far back that I cannot even remember the I first met Jim and Katerina. I do know that we had a blast working together back in the day at Sax Food and Drug in Elk River. Ahhh, the memories. I can smell the Jo-Jo potatoes right now. I would also like to take partial credit for these two. I was the one that walked up to Jim and asked him what he thought of Katerina after she had mentioned that she liked him. Can you tell that we were in High School?

Many years have past and I am still lucky enough to have these two in my life. I have witnessed their marriage, helped celebrate Ayden's birth and birthdays with them and have watched them become a dynamic duo with all sorts of projects.

Last Saturday the Raivala fam and the Sturgis fam had a date. It consisted of me bringing my boys over (that includes Jon), taking pictures of the Sturgi and then grabbing a bite to eat afterwards. All was well until Ayden decided that he wanted to play with the boys (yes, that includes Jon again) instead of reading a book that his Grandpa read to Katerina when she was little. I eventually moved them into another room-away from Ayden. It was smooth sailing from there.

Check out a few of the images from my date with the Sturgis Family:

Ayden giving his Arthur Fonzarelli impersonation.Hugs and Kisses from Mom.
Fooling around with Dad.

Oh no, it's an Ayden sandwich! Complete with tomato, cheese and bun.

Pam and Grant- The Newlyweds

2008-11-12T10:22:00.006-06:00

Where do I start with Pam and Grant?! Every time I have seen these two, they have illuminated their love to each other with every inch of their being. They are constantly looking out for what is best for each other and tuned into how each other are feeling. It is really remarkable to watch. It makes my heart go "awww" constantly.

Pam and Grant were married on November 1, 2008 at the Earle Brown Center. The day was picture perfect (no pun intended). Pam was radiant in her wedding gown and I could tell that Grant was trying to absorb every moment of the day.

When I first arrived at Earle Brown Center, I drove around the back area to see if there were any leaves on the trees. In the courtyard, I spotted Grant sitting on bench by himself looking around. I thought about saying hello to him, but I decided that I didn't want to interrupt that moment for him. I just wanted him to soak it all in.

There were lots of special moments like this throughout the whole day. Pam and Grant saw each other for the first time in the courtyard. They had huge smiles on their faces and couldn't wait to give each other a warm embrace.

Their meeting set the tone for the entire rest of the day. It was sweet, filled with love and constantly gave my heart the flutters.

Pam and Grant- Thank you so much for inviting me to photograph your beautiful wedding day. The two of you hold a special place in my heart.

Westberg Family

2008-11-12T10:02:00.005-06:00

You probably remember Pete and Jessica from their wedding in June. Yup, Pete is the groom that held the "Need Money" sign. Well, I got to hang out with them again!!!! This time we met at Elm Creek in Maple Grove. As you can see, we had a whole lot of fun again! I love hanging out with these guys!

This picture was taken after Jessica and Peter told me about a snake they saw on their Honeymoon. Jessica isn't a fan of snakes so she jumped on Peter's back when they came across one. They were re-inacting the event for me. :)

Ahhh, the whole fam.

Pick-a- boo

I see you

We found a swing dangling from the tree. It was perfect for some photo fun.

Here is an image from the Big Man on Campus. He blushes a little bit when I say things like that to him. Poor guy.

This one is too cute!!! I love this image!

Earp Family

2008-11-12T09:44:00.006-06:00

I met the Earp Family originally at Kate and Jacque's amazing wedding last December in Mankato. So I was super excited when Sheila contacted me to photograph her family this fall.

We originally had the session scheduled for another day, but we decided to reschedule it because of the nasty cold snowy-rain mix that were making the roads a mess. We definitely made the right decision on rescheduling because the new day that we picked out turned out to be beautiful!

There were ducks in the pond. The kids really loved to watch them swim around.

And we played a little Ring around the Rosey.

At the end of our time together, we swung and played on the playground until the kids were tired. It was a great day.

I love it how Fuzzy the Teddy Bear is swinging too.

Wilson Family

2008-11-04T07:07:00.003-06:00

These four belong in front of the camera. They were smiling and enjoying each other the whole session. I was told that Bret (the son) didn't want to have his picture taken. I think that quickly changed once he learned that I thought it was cool to climb trees and throw leaves. Jenna (the daughter) had a fever that day, but I couldn't tell. Not one bit.

Cleary Girls

2008-11-04T06:59:00.004-06:00

Tabatha, Sonja and their family doggy Lucy were very determined to have their portraits taken. It actually started to snow a little while we were in the middle of the session. I felt bad for everyone, especially Sonja because she was in short sleeves. She was a trooper though and we got some amazing shots. You would never know that it was cold and snowy by looking at the images. That was our mission. Mission accomplished.

If anyone knows the Cleary family, mums the word about this session. Tabatha and Sonja are keeping this a secret from their parents because they have a special surprise in store for them.

Winkler Family

2008-11-04T06:53:00.002-06:00

I had so much fun playing with the Winkler family, especially their daughters. It was really sweet to watch the two girls play and interact with each other. It actually melted my heart to see how much they love each other.

Rgnonti Family

2008-11-04T06:45:00.006-06:00

I met with the Rgnonti Family a few weeks back. It was a bright and sunny day so for the most part, we looked for shade. It didn't take us long to find this really cool tree. It was really amusing to watch all of the kids climb the tree. I learned that day that slippery shoes and climbing trees do not mix. They will only cause your family to burst out in laughter.

Carrie and Jay- Engaged!

2008-10-20T13:42:00.006-05:00

On the day that I met Carrie and Jay for their engagement session all of the leaves seemed so vibrant. We walked around the park to view the scenery, talk a little, and to take in the day. It was beautiful.

I heart this picture. I love the color, the closeness of Carrie and Jay, and the camera perspective.

This one makes ya' wonder what the converstation was about.
Towards the end of the session I got to meet Genghis. He is so adorable and is a very good listener. I pretty much wished that I had a bone or a fake duck (he is a hunting dog) so that we could have played together. He is just so adorable.

Waataja Family

2008-10-15T15:25:00.006-05:00

I love the Waataja family. They are like a second family to me so when they asked if I would photograph a group portrait for them, I jumped with excitement.

We met at their home for the portrait session. Carolyn had a vision of where she wanted the images taken and I could understand why. Their backyard is like a little nature oasis. It is filled with tall trees and itty bitty baby ones. They informed me that the tree on the left side of the image below was actually planted by their youngest daughter when she was little. Now the tree is well over 35 feet tall.

The tree isn't the only thing that has grown throughout the years, their family has grown leaps and bounds too. The family went from having the Waataja girls to having 2 son-in-laws and 4 grandchildren in just a few years.

Here is an image of Gabby, Grant and Connor. Can't you just feel the love that Gabby and Connor are giving Grant?!
Here is a picture with their parent's. Aren't they cute?!

Here is an image of the newest family and their little girl.

And these are the folks that started it all...

Schaefer Family

2008-10-15T15:14:00.006-05:00

I cannot even begin to tell you how much fun I have had over the last 5 months photographing the Schaefer's. At my first session with them this year Zeke couldn't even sit. Now he doesn't seem to like sitting still...he is too busy for that. He has changed so much right before my eyes.

His sister Zoie turned into one of my most popular models this year. She was in 3 portrait sessions and she was a flower girl at Jenny and Adam's wedding in August. She is definitely a pro in my eyes. Here are some images from the most recent session with the Schaefer family.

Don't ya' just love the orange and brown? I wish that I looked that in orange.

I LOVE this image. Zoie leaned into her brother to snuggle with him all on her own. I told you, she is pro.
Zeke got to play police officer for a few minutes. He had so much fun throwing the hat off every time his mom placed it on his head. He just kept giggling.

Zoie and Zeke- thanks for playing with me again and for letting me take a few pictures. I am looking forward to seeing Zeke walk and for Zoie to show off his laugh out loud smile.

Katie and Brian- Married!!!

2008-10-10T16:53:00.007-05:00

I first met Katie and Brian last winter. Right away I was able to see how much they cared about each other and depended on each other. Whether it was sharing a laugh or Brian literally carrying Katie, they were there for each other.

It seemed like only a few weeks had past, in reality though, months had past and their wedding day was here. Katie and Brian were married on October 4th at Zion Lutheran Church in Anoka. During the ceremony the Pastor referenced how Katie and Brian had touched him and the other Pastors with their answers to some of the pre-marital questions that they were asked. I cannot say that I am surprised. They are just that type of couple, one to admire.

By the time the reception started at the Holiday Inn Metrodome, the celebration was in full swing. I could hear laughter as I walked down the hallway towards the ballroom. As I turned the corner, I could see more than 150 people sharing smiles and stories about the couple and about their lives. The whole evening was filled with non stop good time. It was really a joyous event.

Dan, Carrie and Zoe

2008-10-08T12:33:00.005-05:00

Last Friday I meet Dan, Carrie and Zoe for an afternoon session. I was immediately smitten for little Zoe. She had the most adorable outfit on and her personality matched it perfectly. She wanted to play and have fun.

I quickly acted when she posed for a formal portrait with her parents a few times.

And I did capture quite a few shots of her smiling and looking right at the camera. The following images though are some of my favorite ones that I took of her. I fee like they capture her super cute personality.

I imagine that she is saying to her self, "What are they thinking? Why do they want me to sit on this bench?"

I love the crooked smile in this one.

In this image she was playing with a little toy that didn't really go with her outfit so I quickly photographed her wanting to show the toy to her mother (who is standing right outside of this frame). I love this image because it shows her genuine excitement.

Jeni and Adam-Enaged!

2008-10-07T12:31:00.005-05:00

Jeni and Adam are getting married in December. New Year's Eve to be precise. I feel like making up my own lyrics to Prince's song 1999, but I don't want to hurt everyone's ears by my lack of singing ability. (I am a excited...can you tell?!)

Adam started to take Sign Language classes recently. As you can see, we weren't quite sure how to sign I Love You, but him and Jeni gave it their all and had a few laughs along the way.

Surprisingly, we were only able to find 1 fall colored tree at the park. It just so happened to be right next to a parking lot and a road, but through the magic of camera angles...you cannot tell.

The best part of about this tree is that it had already lost some of it's leaves so Jeni and Adam started leaf fight and were able to relax near it.

I love this picture sequence. Jeni kisses Adam's head, Adam doesn't like the lip gloss so Jeni laughs so hard that her eyes close, and then Jeni helps Adam wipe off his forehead (while still laughing).

The Gregory Family

2008-10-07T12:19:00.004-05:00

You may remember the Gregory Girls from my blog posts in May. It has only been a short few months, but boy have they changed! Just take a look for yourself.

In addition to photographing the girls, their parent's were able to join in the photo fun this time.

We were even able to snap a few shots of just Cassie and Ryan without the children (they were snacking on crackers). Ryan and Cassie were married 7 years ago and I am pretty sure that they haven't had many pictures of them taken since their wedding day. I know how that goes...I am in the same boat.

Baby Joey- A new beginning

2008-10-07T12:09:00.004-05:00

Joey was born on September 17th. He is just a little tiny peanut who does the most fascinating little expression that just melted my heart.

His newborn session was held in the most comfortable place in his little world...his home. I had the opportunity to photograph Joey in the places where he was going to grow up in. I imagine that one day he will create little stories about the different picture that hang on his wall.

And I imagine his parent's looking back at this image in a year from now and marvel over how much he has grown.
Then they will look at his little kissy face and give him big smooch on the lips.
It is moments like these that go by so fast, yet we all desperately want to hold on to.
Welcome to the world little Joey. I am really looking forward to watching you grow and marveling at all of your accomplishments.

Lucas- The 4 year old

2008-10-07T12:01:00.003-05:00

It was time for Lucas to come over and play...in front of the camera. It didn't take him more than 10 seconds before he started to show off his big blue eyes and bright smile.

We kept trying to explain to Lucas not to smile for a few of the images. He didn't care to listen to us (remember...he is 4- who listens at that age?) I did snap this one during the quick millisecond that he stopped smiling. His look cracks me up. Is he sad? Is he confused? Is he annoyed by using trying to explain that he didn't have to smile for all of the images? Or was he just being silly? I will let you decide what his facial expression says.

Danielle and Jeremy- Married!!!

2008-10-07T11:48:00.003-05:00

If you haven't already checked out Danielle and Jeremy's slideshow...you really should. Here is a link to it: http://www.raivala.com/slideshows/daniellejeremymarried/index.html

They had a picture perfect day at the Golden Valley Country Club. The whole day was relaxed and all of us just went with the flow. The ceremony started at 5pm and we did all of the portraits after the wedding which lead us to some great sunset light. It was soft and just made Danielle and Jeremy glow even more. It was magical to watch Danielle and Jeremy snuggle and enjoy the day. I was glad to be there photographing the moments for them.

Justin's Senior Portrait

2008-10-07T11:30:00.004-05:00

This is my cousin Justin. I cannot believe that he is a Senior in high school already. I finally feel my age because I want to say, "I remember when he was born". It doesn't seem like it was that long ago, but I guess it was.

We did a quick fall portrait session so that Justin could pick out an image to use for his high school yearbook. We are going to do another session this upcoming spring so that I can photograph him in his baseball gear and hopefully, get some action shots of him bowling. He is amazing at bowling. He got a score of 299 one time. That puts my 87 to shame.

Blog Neglect

2008-10-07T11:26:00.002-05:00

I admit it, I have been neglecting my blog. I have been so busy photographing weddings, taking family portraits, processing images and creating slideshow that I felt like I couldn't keep up with my blog. Sorry about that everyone.

The good news is that I am making time right now to show everyone what I have been working on. Are you ready for some major posting? I hope so because here comes quite a few posts. And I still have a family portrait session that I am currently processing and a wedding too. That means more blog posts will appear later this week.

Happy reading!

Grand Marais

2008-09-26T08:41:00.005-05:00

On Monday the Raivala family headed up north for a quick visit to Grand Marais. It was our first family vacation this year so all of us were really excited about it. I have quite a bit of emails and calls to return from my 4 days away so I need to keep this short so that I can respond back to everyone.

With two little boys we decided that it would be best to make a few pit stops along the way. One of them was in Two Harbors were the boys found some ducks to feed. It was their first time feeding ducks so they thought it was pretty cool how the ducks raced to get the bread. There was a lot of giggling going on.

Jon decided to see if he could hand feed the ducks. Sure enough, one of them went for it.
We also stopped in Lutsen to take the Gondola ride up the mountain. The leaves on the trees were so beautiful. I just love to see all of the bright colors and deep contrast between them. I could stare at them all day long. The kids on the other hand, didn't want too. :)
I was able to entertain Ethan long enough to enjoy the sunset and large waves on Lake Superior. He thought that it was cool to see waves splash on the rocks which bought me some time to sit back and relax.
It was a great trip. I am all ready daydreaming about going back next year.

Out of Office

2008-09-22T08:28:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone!

I am heading up north to Grand Marais for a few days with my family. I am really excited to go because the leaves are starting to change up there, which means that I get to take pictures of the beautiful landscape and fall foliage. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am!

I will be back on Friday morning for a few hours before going to Danielle and Jeremy's wedding in the afternoon.

Feel free to send me and email or leave a voicemail for me so that I can return it when I get back.

Have a good week everyone!

-Katie

Holiday Cards

2008-09-20T23:21:00.010-05:00

Tis the season to get a jump start on your holiday cards!!! I know that many of my clients are excited about their holiday cards this year. I have to admit....I am too. Here are the different card styles that I have created:

Name: Santa's Hat

Size: 5x7

Name: Serendipity
Size: 5x7 Name: Snowflake Kisses
Size: 5x7

Name: Suede
Size: 5x7

Name: Heavenly Snowflakes
Size: 5x7

Name: Ribbon
Size: 4x8

Name: Royal
Size: 5x7

Name: Santa's Hat
Size: 4x8 Name: All the Flutter
Size: 5x7

Name: Candy Cane Stripe

Size: 5x7

Name: Doily
Size: 5x7

Name: Dots
Size: 4x8

Name: Film Stripe
Size: 4x8

Name: Dramatic Lace
Size: 5x7

Name: Vintage Floral
Size: 5x7

Give me a call at 612-481-7342 or send me an email by accessing the contact link at the top of this page so that we can talk through your holiday cards and place an order for you. Keep in mind that you can choose to have up to 3 images from your portrait session on your holiday card, choose your own salutation and personalize the card by including your name/s.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

2008-09-16T15:23:00.003-05:00

I recently became a member of a worldwide organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS). This organization provides free child bereavement portraits to families that are loosing a child or that has recently lost a child.

Yesterday I attended a training course that outlined what to expect during a session, how to prepare for one and many other important areas of the program. It was really a mind opening experience. A few times during the training session I looked around at the other 20+ people that were attending it and I started to wonder why did they choose to become a volunteer photographer for NILMDTS.

For me it started when I was a teenager and came across some images that my mother took of my sister Tammy after she had passed away. I remember my mom telling me that a local department store had lost the images, the only images of her little girl, and how she kept calling them over and over again for a long time until the images were miraculously found. Those are probably the most cherished images that my mother has.

Photographers: During the training course yesterday it became very obvious to me that more volunteer photographers are needed, especially in the north metro area. Please consider volunteering with NILMDTS. It is probably the most cherished memories we can ever give someone.

Everyone: Please help us educate our community about this organization so that more parent's can have beautiful portraits of their children. For many, it will be the only images that they will have.

Katie and Eric- Married!!!!

2008-09-16T09:42:00.004-05:00

Katie and Eric were married on September 6, 2008 at the Chateau on Medicine Lake. The ceremony was held outside in the Chateau's yard and the reception was held inside. The entire day flowed like a symphony as guests enjoyed both the outdoors and indoors.
Katie used a handbag made from her mother-in-laws wedding gown. It was a sentiment that I know Katie was really honored to have incorporated into the day.Here are some of my favorite portraits of Katie and Eric. They are so sweet to each other. I think that comes across in many of these images.

The ceremony was filled with sweet touches. Everything from the music the band was playing, to the maid of honor's poem, to the best man's song that he sung; was truly heartfelt. There were many tears being shed and laughs heard.After all of the guests were greeted, we ran outside for a quick must have shot. You cannot tell, but it is actually raining on these two! It just goes to show how happy they were to be married.
Katie and Eric- I hope that you enjoyed your honeymoon in Maui! I cannot wait for you to see all of the beautiful images that I took of your wedding day. I feel like words cannot express how wonderful your day was.

Anderson Family Portrait

2008-09-12T17:15:00.006-05:00

A few weeks ago I had the privilege to meet the Anderson Family. Members of this family traveled from good ol' Elk River, but some traveled as far as Michigan to celebrate the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Dale and Johanna.

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary!

Here is the entire family.A fun close-up with the grandchildren.
Sometimes my mouth gets the best of me. I said something like, "wouldn't it be fun to do a hog pile?" and then it happened. It made for awesome images!!!
I also learned that Ashley and Nick were newly engaged so I offered to take a few portraits of them two of them. Aren't they cute?!

While taking their portraits, I started to think about how Ashley's grandparent's were celebrating 50 years of marriage and how these two are about to start that same adventure.

Ashley and Nick: Congratulations on your engagement!