Danas Spot

Renee and Dustin

2011-08-18T12:41:00.005-05:00

This was my second time working an event at the Millenium Gardens in Plymouth, MN. Its a great place full of fun photo opportunities for photographers. With a beautiful venue, beautiful weather, and most importantly beautiful clients the day came together perfectly! Oh and they had breakfast for dinner. For those that don't know me, I could eat breakfast foods all day everyday! Yum! Thank you Renee and Dustin for allowing Justin and I to share your special day and congratulations on your new marriage!

Wheelhouse Classic Photos Now Online

2011-06-30T11:30:00.003-05:00

Thanks to all who came down to Red Wing for a great day of racing at the Wheelhouse Classic. Did you know that the majority of the proceeds from The Wheelhouse Classic go back into the trail? Just another great reason to race!! Thanks to Muddy Paws racing and Wheelhouse Cycles for such a great event. You can find more images HERE!

Up Next - 7/10/11 Metric Auto Works Birch Bump, Burnsville, MN Look forward to seeing you there.

Charles and Nancy

2011-06-28T12:19:00.004-05:00

My first wedding at the Basilica was with a fantastic couple. So much energy and love. Thank you Charles and Nancy for choosing me to be your photographer! Charles and Nance were so positive and uplifting it was truly an honor to share your special day! Congratulations!

FreeWheel Frolic Photos are Now Online!

2011-05-27T23:24:00.002-05:00

Click the Title to see more images from the FreeWheel Frolic!

Thanks to everyone who braved the conditions to join us for the first race of the MNMBS season!

Bill and Rosa Summers

2011-05-26T12:26:00.008-05:00

I met this fab couple through Heather Yunke of Until it looks right . Shes an amazing planner and day of coordinator! I would highly recommend her to any bride looking for someone to coordinate their wedding so please check out her website!

Bill and Rosa's day was so relaxed and fun! With a beautiful church wedding followed up by a James Bond themed reception at the Varsity Theater, there was no shortage of photo opportunities. With Martini Glasses, Bow Ties, a Photo wall, the old glamour of the Varsity complimented everything about the day!

What I have been up too!

2011-04-27T12:59:00.011-05:00

I thought since I haven't blogged all winter I should probably get on that : ) I have just started jumping into photos again for the season. Its been so much fun and I have been very lucky! (My shoots keep falling on the one nice day of the month...) A couple weeks back I met up with a friend and had the opportunity to photograph her kids. I love these two!! I call them my Americas Next Top Models. You see that Smeyes! Tyra would be so proud : )

Then the following weekend I met with a super fun couple of girls in Eden Prairie. BFF's!! I know this will come back to Haunt me, but I totally wish I had a digital copy of my senior photos with my BFF so I could post. I think we would all have a good laugh. This was one of the chillier days but nice diffusion for photo taking!!

And then off to Big V's to support an amazing singer and friend Samantha Leighton. I'm not sure when the big CD release is but be sure to pick it up when its available! If you haven't heard Sam sing, I highly recommend it!

And just to thoroughly lengthen this post to make up for my lack of winter posting : ) I will add my first engagement session of the season. Super fun and awesome couple who drove all the way from South Dakota for this photo session, so Thank You B & L! One of my favorite parts of being a photographer is the first look at the photos. When I'm sitting all by myself laughing and smiling at the fun we had and seeing that it shows through in the photo, I am totally fulfilled and know I did my job to the best of my abilities! I'm excited for my up and coming season and this was the perfect way to kick it off!

WooHoo! I had my first wedding of the season last weekend so look for those soon. Also, the first MNMBS event, The Freewheel Frolic, at Salem Hills In Invergrove Heights is less then three weeks away so make sure you check it out!!

Dustin and Cheri - Engaged

2011-01-25T10:22:00.004-06:00

My friend Dustin asked if I was available to photograph his engagement. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to be there for the actual engagement. I love engagement sessions. They are fun and laid back and present the opportunity for my clients and myself to get to know each other, preferred angles, photography sytles etc. This was my first time getting to capture the actual event and i was excited, nervous, anxious I almost felt like I was being proposed to! I think having a photographer there really added to an already special moment, so guys if your thinking about proposing....

Dustin and I met up a week or too before the proposal and scouted the location, in this case Minnehaha Falls. We planned where and how he would do it and were I could be positioned, paparazzi style to capture the moment without a dead give away.

When the day finally came, it was a balmy 12 degrees or so. I got there early, then started panicing, what if they pull up at the same time I do, so I got my gear ready, did a couple gazes up and down the road to watch for any cars then darted to the steps at the far side of the falls. The funny thing was, in my panic I totally forgot to pay the meter. Whoops!

So as Dustin and Cheri pull up, they see a cop car lingering. They head over to the falls and Dustin has a hard time getting Cheri to climb over the "Closed" Sign on the steps of the falls to get down to our location. Shes worried about the cops and getting in trouble....

Well, needless to say, she goes along with his plan. Was extremely surprised! And she said Yes!

After she clamed down a bit, I popped up from my spot and was able to be the first to congratulate them! Then we walked around the falls and captured a few images before seperating for the day so they could share the great news with their families.

Well, yep that cop she seen was giving me a parking ticket, LOL! But it was totally worth it and Im glad Cheri's a rebel and didnt let that cop scare her away from her perfect moment!

Congratulations Cheri and Dustin!! and thank you for allowing me capturing this amazing peice of your journey together!

Helmich Family: Minnesota Family Photographer

2010-12-01T16:26:00.004-06:00

I met with this great family at Highland Park in Bloomington. Nice fall day, a little bit of cloud cover, a touch of warmth, and one shy little girl. Lucky for us there was a large playground near by. We started the session out letting the girls be girls, playing around at the playground together, getting used to me being there and taking their pictures. The family really wanted to focus on them just being who they are and this worked out perfect. After a lot of fun at the playground we head down by the lake and found a nice pile of leaves for the girls to play in, of course a leaf fight ensues along with a ton of smiles and laughter! All around a super fun session!

Jacqueline and Brian

2010-10-27T15:07:00.005-05:00

Jacqueline and Brian were married at the beautiful Millenium Gardens. This place is fabulous for an outdoor wedding and there are tons of locations for photos as well. Better yet, its still fairly small so the wedding party/family doesnt have to hike to far to get to each photo location. The reception hall is also stunning and unique. Jacqueline and Brians day was cloudy and gloomy but the mood was not. The couple along with the wedding party had a long history together and it was soo apparent that these two were sooo in love and that everyone present was over joyed that J&B would be taking this next step together. I wish you two all the happiness in the world and appreciate so much the opportunity to work with you on this fabulous day!

Mandy and Jody

2010-09-21T11:14:00.003-05:00

I met Mandy through a fellow co-worker and we hit it off right away! It was truly and honor to work with Mandy and Jody, not only did we did we have a rocking wedding shoot, but it was then followed up by a super wet and wild trash the dress session! M & J were married at Lakefront Park in Prior Lake, MN. This is a gorgeous park and perfect for a small outdoor wedding. The day started out super muggy and hot so we drove from place to place with the air cranked trying to keep everyone cool, we even head to the beach for a dip in the water. The weather finally began to let up in time for the ceremony. We had a nice BBQ dinner and with the dance came the rain. It poured and thunder crashed, but it only added to the excitement and base of their outdoor reception! Thanks Mandy and Jody, I look forward to working with you again in the future!

Ashley and Andrew

2010-09-09T11:04:00.003-05:00

I was referred to Ashley and Andrew from a relative and so very happy that we had the chance to work together. I made the drive down to Iowa and met with the couple at their hotel. From there we head over to a local park to do the formals. It was a very HOT day, but the couple and their families are so laid back and all about having a good time and made the best of the heat! The day continued in such a fashion, as we head over to the Falls Park for the ceremony and additional formals. Camping is a big part of their family and they incorporated it into their wedding, instead of the traditional limo they had an RV decorated in customary fashion for their get away vehicle. Ashley and Andew met at a TGIFridays, so TGIF sent a pile of Fridays dinner mints to add to their favors. Very cool and unique gesture for a restaurant to support its match making skills. It was a pleasure working with you both and I look forward to seeing you again. (Ashley and I also did a trash the dress session a couple week backs so look for those photos coming soon)

Carrie and Justin

2010-08-17T09:41:00.005-05:00

Another Extreme Engagement session under the belt! I met with Carrie and Jusin in their home town of Owatonna. We head over to Caplans Woods Park to capture some images, but ended up being captured for dinner. I have never seen a swarm of mosquitos as big as the one we tried to fight off. Not even DEET made an impact on the mosquitos attacking from all directions. Besides for the images that looked like Carrie and Justin were attacking each other from swatting the mosquitos, we had a great time and captured some amazing moments! It was also one of the funnest sessions I have had. Thanks Carrie and Justin for such a great evening out!

Coley and Dustin

2010-08-11T13:21:00.002-05:00

I met Coley in the morning at her hotel to capture the girls getting ready for the big day. Then we head over to Edinburgh to begin the formals. The rain came and went, with us ducking in and out for photos and then the sky cleared up and became the most beautiful blue. It looked so amazing with the colors in the girls dresses. It was almost as if God wanted to be part of her pictures. The rain held off long enough for Coley and Dustin to say their vows and then with the first kiss came a huge crash of thunder to kick of the applause of the crowd. Every one got inside just in time before the torrential downpours of the evening. But no worries, the reception was so beautifully decorated and everyone so extremely happy to see these two people so obviously in love begin their journey together! Congratulations Coley and Dustin it was so wonderful to be a part of your wedding and good luck with the new life together!

Birch Bump and Single Track Attack Images are now online!

2010-08-05T09:41:00.002-05:00

Additional Images can be found here

Amelia & John

2010-08-03T12:07:00.005-05:00

I met up with Amelia and John at Lake Bryant Park in Eden Prairie. Super cute park with tons of places for photographs + super cute couple = fabulous day : ). Another great thing about being a photographer, not only do I get to meet so many great people but I also get to explore our wonderful state as well! Thanks A & J for a great afternoon at the lake!

Jesi and Tim

2010-07-21T13:29:00.003-05:00

This was my first in a series of rainy weddings. Regardless of what the weather had in store the wedding was absolutely gorgeous and everyone was thrilled to chill in the rain to see Jesi and Tim tie the knot! Congratulations you two!! I hope you had a fantastic honeymoon and thank you for the opportunity to work with you!

Sally & Jeff

2010-07-13T12:24:00.006-05:00

I met this couple as a referral from the Grooms sister. You may remember them from an earlier post, we did a summer engagement session at the Minnehaha Falls and then a winter session in St. Paul. I got to know them quite well and am so happy that I got to be apart of their wedding. Not only did I score some amazing clients, but I also have two great new friends! Thank you Sally and Jeff for everything! It was an honor to be apart of your wedding day and a joy getting to know you both!

And this my friends is the super sweet new guest book that comes with my top package. Lots of great patterns and materials to choose from and loaded with images from your engagement session.

Nicolette & Lewis

2010-07-09T12:56:00.004-05:00

I am very excited for an up and coming wedding this September with this super fun couple! We spent an afternoon at St. Thomas and then head over to Minnehaha Falls to capture some amazing images. Thank you Nicolette and Lewis for a great afternoon and I'm looking forward to working with you again!

Samie & Joe

2010-06-21T15:18:00.002-05:00

My first wedding of this season was for my little sister. I have rewritten this blog ten different times. Everything sounds so sappy and cheesy. I just want you to know Samie that I am sooo proud of you!! And, Samie and Joe Im sooooo happy for you! You compliment each other so well and the babies that choose you two for parents are going to be sooo lucky! Thank you for choosing me to be such a big part of your day!

I played a double role in Samie and Joe's wedding. Initially I was the photographer, then I became a Bridesmaid. And then I ended being both : ) I also want to Thank Andy and Erica for stepping in to photograph the formals and the ceremony. I couldnt have done it without you and you did an absolutely amazing job!!

The day started at a the 5th Ave Salon in Hastings. Those girls do amazing up-dos!!

Once the girls were ready, we head over to the Whispering Gardens for some a couple quick photos and then the ceremony! The Whispering Gardens is a super cute place for a small outdoor wedding!

And then more photos : )

The Sisters!

Then to the Hastings Country Club, for ..... yep you guessed it. Some more photos and then one awesome party to celebrate Samie and Joes Union!

This is what happens when you have fair skinned girls in your wedding on the first Sunny day after a LLLONG WINTER : )

Congratulations Samie and Joe, I love you both!!

2010-06-14T20:41:00.002-05:00

For those that havent found them yet : ) Dirt Spanker Photos are now online. You can find them HERE

Lifetime Avalanche Photos Online!

2010-06-08T12:28:00.008-05:00

This weekend was the second of the MNMBS events. My first for the season. Beautiful sunny day, a nice cool breeze, an afternoon downpour, and no Manhandler. All firsts for Afton that I can remember. Its usually quite the scorcher, add to that a screaming climb followed by a jaunt across a shadeless mountain top makes for quite the course. To my surprise, once a race started, there really wasn't a gap between riders to make it to my next photo spot. With the class sizes getting larger and certain climbs removed there was a pretty consistent flow of racers moving across the course at any given time. I found myself in pretty nondescript locations on the trail, not much going on to give it that extreme look I hope to capture, therefore Afton became a Panning day.

Panning is a technique used to capture an object in motion, which successfully shows that object in motion. So how do you create a panning photo.

First find the right location. The riders should be moving in a fairly smooth and fast pace. Downhills work well. If you choose a rock garden , you can still pan it will just be more challenging with the riders head bouncing in numerous directions. Also, your location should not have direct light behind the riders. Again, you can successfully get a pan image but I've found that I lose parts of peoples faces to bright spaces between trees,etc.

Next set up your camera. Slow your shutter speed enough to create blurry photographs : ) I know we have all gotten them from time to time without trying, so that should be easy to do. Its basically trial and error until you figure out the right speed. If you cant get the focal point in focus then you need to increase your shutter speed. If its all too crisp then drop it down. I use 1/40 to 1/50 for sport riders and 1/50 to 1/60 for Elite Riders.

The trick to panning photos is to capture the rider in focus, while the background blurs or pans. This requires a nice shot of light to freeze them. If you have a flash, set it up for rear curtain sync. This allows the flash to fire at the end of the exposure vs at the beginning. Any object struck by your flash should appear frozen or crisp within the photo.

Now that we have our shutter speed and lighting figured out, the last step is to take the photo. This is also tricky and requires some practice. You actually need to move while taking the photograph, this is key. By movement I mean slight movement, as simple as turning at the hips to stay facing the racer. As a racer approaches lock your focal point on their face (or whatever you would like in focus). Then smoothly move with them to keep the focus point in the same place as you click the shutter. As long as you stayed on the focal point and didn't have any crazy obstructing light from the other side you may have just created a successful panning image.

Well hopefully that makes sense : ) and good luck with the panning images.

This above image was my original intent for lap 1 or 2 of the Elite/Comp race. However many were unable to ride the obstacle. Below are the panning images that followed.

Going from one location to the next I ran into this cute little guy.

In the three photos above, the first photo was set for proper exposure, and as the looming storm rolled in the forest became nice and dark.

Below are a few from the Sport Class Field as well.

I even ran into this little guy out on the golf course so he got a panning photo as well : )

M & A

2010-05-28T12:17:00.002-05:00

M got my name from her Resident Advisor. I was lucky enough to shoot their wedding last weekend. Photos coming soon! We met up at the Plumber house in Rochester. Very nice grounds and a very beautiful home, we were a bit early into the season for blooms, but I would definately recommend this location for future photo sessions / small receptions. M & A will be married this Nov. in Rochester. There is something so magical about a winter wedding, needless to say I am very excited to work with them again this winter!!

Congratulations to M & A!

Its Been Awhile

2010-05-19T14:48:00.002-05:00

I almost forgot I had a blog for a bit there! No photos right now but many to come!
So what have I been up to lately.: The MMBS begins this weekend with the first event, The Freewheel Frolic! The Executive committee has been taking care of last minute items like medals, signage, volunteers, and all that jazz that makes the series go round. Were looking forward to another great season! Good luck to all the racers!!

On the photography front I have been quite busy. Quite a few client meetings for up and coming weddings along with new bookings, super exciting! I met with a family friend to take some maternity photos and then was blessed with the opportunity to capture images of the new arrival. I've had some engagement sessions, a product shoot in St. Paul, My first wedding of the season, a band session. Lots of good images in the editing process to share with you soon!

Dana

A bit of Montana

2010-04-15T13:53:00.002-05:00

Andy and I took a trip out to Bozeman, MT this past Feb. Its sad that this area just lost 150 miles of their 170 miles of singletrack. Though it was crazy because many of the mountain bike trails where the same as the hiking trails. Imagine flying down the side of a mountain then having to dodge hikers!! Hopefully its not the end for the trails but rather a new start for smart and sustainable trail building practices.

Here we are off to see the Dragonfly inspired bridge. And on our trek to see Jim Ice Climb. I cant remember the name of the climb unfortunately but we were up at Hyalite.

MCKINLEY the MOUNTAIN DOG!!

After Shredding the Gnar the little guy came home to warm up with the lady of the house and some super awesome Tent Booties!! : ) Oh and of course, Mckinley as well.

And finally a super rewarding trip to Yellowstone the day before we left. Only problem is that I need More Gear, a 200mm lens does nothing for a photographer in Yellowstone. Lessons learned my friends, Now just which new gear to purchase before the next trip : 0

SURPRISE!!

And I just posted this because it amazes the geologist inside of me. Took the picture from a moving car, lumps of land just rise out of the ground like that. Crazy!!

Extreme Engagements

2010-03-19T09:59:00.005-05:00

So a few weeks back I had the pleasure of a winter engagement session at Minnehaha Falls. I had never been there in the winter, its quite the stunning site to see!

And what could make the stunning falls better you ask? Well, the answer is a stunning couple. I actually worked with two couples this day. Both equally extreme. My morning couple braved the ice wall climbing with me back behind the fall for some cool images. My afternoon couple didnt get so lucky, we ended up with a mud wall. But we still got some amazing images. Thanks to both of these great couples for braving the cold, ice, and mud for an amazing session!

Penn Cycle Ice Race

2010-03-05T11:00:00.002-06:00

I have uploaded my images from the Penn Cycle Ice Race which you can find here. It was great to shoot this race, I got to see some old friends, its been such a long time since I have seen the MORC crew!! Im excited to have a bit more free time and a bit more time back in the saddle this season, woohoo!

Sally & Jeff

2010-02-19T14:36:00.002-06:00

Im so excited for one of my first weddings this May with this lovely couple. We did two engagment sessions. The first at Minnehaha Falls in the late summer and the second in St. Paul to pay homage to the hometown. Great fun and lots of laughter!! Thank You for choosing me to be there for your wedding!!

C & S

2010-02-04T16:12:00.002-06:00

Another awesome wedding from 2009. This one was at the Mermaid. Super fun couple with super fun kids, it was such a joy to be part of this wonderful wedding!!

2010-01-25T15:41:00.001-06:00

The Future of photography or the next fad?

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/01/five-reasons-you-should-ditch-your-dslr/

Kirsten & Jace

2010-01-21T16:14:00.004-06:00

Kirsten, Jace and I had a wonderful shoot in the St. Anthony Main/Mill City Museum area early this fall. Kirsten has some family ties to the Gold Medal Mill so it was important to include it in some of the images. We spent a little time getting used to know each other and Wabam! Kirsten and Jace turned it on and the results are stunning! Thanks Kirsten and Jace for spending a day playing in the city with me and also for choosing me to capture the memories of your big day!!

Angie & Tom

2010-01-18T12:52:00.003-06:00

Things were so busy during prime wedding season that I was unable to post images from each of my weddings this last season. In the next coming months I will do a look back and post some images from various events that I took part in. My first post is for an early 2009 wedding. I met Angie via a referral from the knot. Angie was super nice and super cute and I was uber excited that she choose me to photograph her wedding. She got married in a ballroom so it was going to be a unique and new experience for me. Ballrooms tend to be much darker then other wedding venues. Even churches! I didnt meet her soon-to-be husband Tom until the wedding day, immediately I understood why Angie was head over heals for Tom. He was a great guy, a little shy at first but so genuine and fun! Congratulations and I hope that you and Tom have had a wonderful beginning to your marriage!

2010-01-08T15:42:00.002-06:00

Oh My, I can post photos again, now I need to decide, new or old blog hmm.....

Happy New Years to everyone! I hope that 2010 brings many exciting things for you and your families!

2009 was a year filled with learning and firsts for my photography business and I met so many amazing people and new friends along the way! With the wedding season over I am beginning to have time to reflect back on my season. Review all my photos and ensure that I can continue to grow from each of my experiences. I have some work ahead of me in order to put some new processes in place but with the upcoming changes its leaving me sooo excited for the 2010 season !

Ill leave you with some photos from a FABULOUS Wedding in Duluth! My last for the 2009 season and one of the coolest families I've met yet! Thanks for everything K & S and I look forward to seeing you on the trails this summer!

Blogger to Word Press

2009-12-08T11:05:00.000-06:00

Hello-

I have had some recent issues with my blogger account. For some reason I am unable to add photos to my post and since I am a photographer it has lead me to search out other blogging options. I have started a WordPress blog and will slowly transition my blogger account over in the event the issue with uploading photos cannot be resolved. You can find me at http://danaschoppephotography.wordpress.com/

Thanks for viewing.

Coley & Dustin

2009-11-11T15:02:00.003-06:00

I met Coley through "The Knot". I feel like we have a great bond and have had a fun time during our meetings discussing her wedding details. I was very excited to finally meet the infamous Dustin during our engagement session at Theodore Wirth Park. I definately think one of the most important factors a client can look for when booking their photographer is to ensure that their and the photographers personalities mesh well together. Coley was creative and innovative and together we engineered some very beautiful portraits. I am sooo excited for your wedding day and cannot wait to work with you both again!

A little bit of my fall

2009-11-06T13:48:00.001-06:00

My blog currently will not let me post photos. So I guess words will have to do.

So what have I been up to? Weddings, Weddings, and more Weddings. October and September were definately my busy season of 2009. I have meet so many amazing people and have had some of the most amazing experiences with my clients.

My recent weddings have taken me to The Mermaid in Mounds View, The Trellis in Stillwater (one of my favorites so far) Nicollet Island in Mpls, and Eau Claire, WI. Everyone one of the locations has their own unique charm. Its a great joy for me to get to know my clients and to see their all their hard work come together in a fabulous day. To see their individual touches make their days everything they dream of. Weddings are a right of passage, a very special time in two peoples lives and I am so thrilled to be apart of this day. Ive meet so many new great friends. Its sometimes hard to believe that I wont be in touch with the couples after they get their wedding photos. I guess thats when the child photography comes into play : ).

I just want to thank each and everyone of my clients for believing in Dana Schoppe Photography, For allowing me to partake in your amazing day, to join your faimilies, for being open and excited to try new and creative poses for your photographer who loves to capture you digitally! And last and definately not least, for being such great people!

Thank You!

Can you see color

2009-10-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting test if you have a few moments and are interested in how well you see color. http://www.xrite.com/custom_page.aspx?PageID=77

My score was:

Your score: 0
Gender: Female
Age range: 20-29
Best score for your gender and age range: 0
Highest score for your gender and age range: 43668
0 ( Perfect Color Acuity )
99 ( Low Color Acuity )

Awesome, photo color correcting here I come!!

Is this the future of digital photography?

2009-10-12T10:40:00.000-05:00

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113692571

Powder Monkey Photos are finally online : )

2009-10-06T16:38:00.001-05:00

One of the best events of the MNSCS! The COGGS crew host some amazing events, this one is held at Spirit Mountain in Duluth! Great times and Challenges for all!

The Smothers

2009-10-05T14:23:00.003-05:00

The MNSCS is very near and dear to me. I have met so many amazing people and without it I doubt that I would have nearly the photography career that I have been blessed with! A couple weeks back I had the pleasure of heading to a remote part of MN to meet with the Smothers for a family session. We first met three years ago when I raced citizen, this young boy in the kids comp class kept heckling me, 'What? thats all you got!" "Geez im just a kid and im ahead of you" LOL! Well after a little heckling back we became friends and I got to know his parents and the rest of his amazing racing family!! We scowered their property and let the boys be boys, to come up with some amazing photos. Thank for your hospitality and for the opportunity to spend a great afternoon with your family!!

Kate & Pete

2009-09-29T14:15:00.004-05:00

I absolutely fell in love with this couple. We had three wonderful sessions together and then their wedding day. (which couldnt have been more perfect!) Congratulations Kate and Pete and thank you for everything!!

Whoops, how did that get in there : )

Chris, Sara and the Girls

2009-09-21T12:32:00.003-05:00

I was lucky to meet Chris and Sara a couple months back, and even luckier when I found out that I get to be the photographer for their upcoming wedding. We scheduled the engagement session at the local park where Chris proposed to Sara, and it definately wouldnt have been complete without the girls. We had such a great time and I look forward to capturing your wedding! BTW - Thats what she said!!

Jordan

2009-09-17T10:48:00.003-05:00

I had a great time working with this gal. She wasnt feeling to well, but was very excited to go forward with the Senior photos. I had her wading in a stream, swimming with ducks, and all sorts of crazy stuff. She really was a trooper and we captured some amazing images together. Thanks Jordan and I hope your Senior year is fantastic!!

A & J

2009-08-27T10:58:00.003-05:00

A & J's day started with a small hiccup or maybe I should say a large hiccup, one massive flat that is. It was a chilly, rainy day in June which was a joke amongst the bridal party. "Did you tell J, yeah Ill marry you on a cold day in June!" But the weather and the flat only added to the memories, and the clouds parted for a beautiful ceremony at Stevie B's Little log House Pioneer Village in Hastings, MN. Sylvias Gardens were as beautiful as ever, as well as the blushing bride and her bridemaids. Thank You A & J for letting me capture your memories from this absolutely gorgeous wedding!

Hell Yeahs!

2009-08-19T13:52:00.001-05:00

http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/article/0,6802,ss1-6-42-20404-1,00.html

Chris

2009-08-18T14:42:00.003-05:00

More fun Photos from the Adventures of Senior Portraits : ) Chris is a Senior from EP and was a blast to work with. We snuck in some snowboard sponsorship shots as well so hopefully he'll snag the company hes looking for.

Free Online Photoshop Course

2009-08-14T14:08:00.002-05:00

If you have ever wanted to learn alittle about photoshop heres your chance to join a free online course. http://creativetechs.com/freephotoshopcourse

L & D

2009-08-13T11:46:00.004-05:00

Congratulations to L & D on their semi recent engagement! This is another great couple from the MNSCS. I first had the pleasure of meeting D at Afton in 2008 and we have hit it off ever since. She and L share a great bond as you can tell by the photos : ) and I am looking forward to working with both of them in the upcoming months : ) Oh and I cant forget to mention D's two beautiful kids, shes got a couple of little models on her hands for sure!

L & T

2009-08-03T11:58:00.006-05:00

I met this couple through the MNSCS. Last fall we had one awesome engagement session, still one of my favs! And then one month ago they vowed to spend the rest of their lives together. L was kind enough to get the biking schedule to ensure the wedding didnt fall during of one of T's events. It was an amazing day and I am so very lucky to have been a part of it. Thank You L & T and I look forward to working with you again in the future.

This, That, and the other Thing

2009-07-31T13:43:00.004-05:00

So awhile back I purchased my first brand new vehicle. Its a Mazda 3 hatchback and it has been an amazing car so far. I love the fact that it has air conditioning! LOL my last car was quite primitive in todays standards.

To break it in we took a road trip to Bozeman, MT. Such a fabulous place!!! The car really liked it see how smilie it is : ) The fourth in Montana is pretty amazing. Everyone has their own show!

We also got in some good hiking and great views!!

And some great grub!
We celebrated Jim and Elizabeths One year anniversary by planting this tree in their front yard. And then we had some great Champagne to make it a little extra special.

Elizabeth and Jim designed this home and then Jim pretty much built the entire thing with his bare hands, right down to the fireplace. He is a truly amazing carpenter and an extremely talented individual!!

This is the view during one of Andys favorite training rides!

And when he was done riding, he spent some time playing the violin : )We took a touristy day and visited Palisade Falls, an extremely gorgeous place!

Thank You Jim and Elizabeth for an amazing vacation! Congratulatins on your anniversary and the completion of your beautiful new home!

K & S

2009-07-20T08:30:00.003-05:00

Two beautiful beautiful people! I had a great time working with them, which was lucky for me because I think we broke the record for longest engagement session. : ) We met at Brighton Beach in Duluth around 6 pm to capture the Rocky Shoreline and then retired to the lift bridge for some beautiful nighttime photos, however the sun just would not set, LOL! I think it finally set around 10:30 pm allowing us to capture the images. It was a wonderful session, and I am very much looking forward to working with them this winter to capture their magical day!

Thank you!!

2009-07-02T14:54:00.003-05:00

WOW! Its hard to believe that the Series is already a third of the way through. Memorial Classic is the next event in the line up. One of my favorite courses!! But, this post is about the last race. The Bluff Riders Charge took place in Mankato, MN. It had a great turn out and as usual the course caused carnage. I remember a few years back, taking a trip to Mankato to pre-ride the course. It had rained a few days before and the trail was thick with mud, I was afraid such would be the case for this year but the racers got lucky and had a perfectly tacky trail. Now the only obstacles were the crazy hills and super sketchy rooty downhills lining the prairies. I am still amazed at how well people navigate their way through the terrain. With an ambulance call and some cracked frames overall the day was a success! The pictures dont quite do it justice but enjoy.

Oh and I was quite surprised to see MN Pro Tom Miller out on the course after his honeymoon! Congratulations to Tom and his new Wife Laura Miller on their marriage!

Andy and I are off to Montana for a well needed break! Happy fourth to everyone!

(See that handsome fellow in the Red? In case you dont quite recognize him, thats Andy : )

Heidi & Shawn

2009-06-29T14:14:00.006-05:00

Working with Heidi & Shawn was one of my funnest (Just for Skully) engagment sessions to date. Their laughter was so contagious, I even found myself wearing a huge grin as I was editing their images. Thank you so much for a great afternoon and I am looking forward to your wedding day.

J & B

2009-06-25T15:14:00.004-05:00

I photographed this wedding a few weeks back with an amazing photographer Tony Scudiero. As I was uploading them to my website I decided that these images are just too beautiful not to share with you all, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

O Family

2009-06-23T11:40:00.002-05:00

A couple weeks back I had the pleasure to photograph a super cute couple along with their adorable little girl at Minnehaha Falls Park. The weather was perfect, the place was crowded, and I learned that Cheese was old hat for photos, the new correct term is Halloween : ). Thanks Bridget & Jason, I look forward to working with you again.

Kate & Pete

2009-06-17T11:43:00.003-05:00

I have had two fun sessions with this beautiful couple to date, and Im very excited to photograph their wedding this August. Congratulations and I am looking forward to working with you again. And Im bringing a stepstool : )

Slip and Slide at the Jolly Roger DH Event

2009-06-07T22:12:00.004-05:00

Come on URIJAH!

Jolly Rogers rode on despite the rain on Saturday. It turned out to be more of a play date then a race, with a 53 rider turn out the racers had a great time gliding around the muddy trail, and when they couldnt ride, sliding down the hills worked exceptionally well! Im not sure if Mckinley enjoyed it quite as much as everyone else did though : )

Amber & Judd

2009-06-07T00:35:00.002-05:00

I had a wonderful engagement session a few weeks back with one of my dear friends and her soon to be husband. Amber and Judd, Congratulations on your Engagement and I look forward to capturing your special day!

Afton Avalanche

2009-06-02T14:56:00.005-05:00

The Afton Avalanche went down this last weekend. I had so much fun hiking around the ski hills. I forgot how much fun it is to capture crashes as well. Sorry to those I caught, I know its probably not much fun on the other end of the lens but what can I say. I myself got in a nice work out hiking the hills and lugging around my pack of equipment. It feels really good after sitting at work all day, then class all night. Andy's riding really hot right now. Two top 10 finishes with two races to date (MNSCS). Its great to see all his hard work is paying off for him! Nice Job Andy!!

So heres some carnage from this weekend : )

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Eriks Photos still coming

2009-05-19T15:42:00.004-05:00

(Kyias Recap HERE)

Eriks Spring Cup 2009 Photos HERE

Baby Isabella

2009-05-18T13:28:00.004-05:00

Finals last week left me out of touch for awhile. I am happy to say they are over for at least a little while and I passed with high grades so I get to relax now, atleast for a couple weeks. Hopefully I will even get to hit up a couple mountain bike trails.

Yesterday was MNSCS #1 Erik's Spring Cup, they set the course up to be raced backwards, most of the racers seem to enjoy the change. It was one of the largest turn outs in quite some time for the MNSCS, so thanks to everyone who showed up and raced, thats totally cool!

I ran around getting photos from many places as usual. I have them on my computer, just need to get them on my website. Most, if not all classes will be uploaded this evening and all will be online by tomorrow.

Totally off that subject, I had a fun session with some old friends of Andy and I's, along with their sweet new baby girl. I'll leave you with a few of my favorite images of Little Ms. Isabella Biana.

Spring Fling 2009

2009-05-11T10:07:00.005-05:00

The 2009 Mountain Biking Season Opener...

New gear worked out well, but had to get rid of all those factory settings and get used to where everything was on the new body. Made for an interesting day of shooting, I did more fine tuning and playing then I did getting photos but was a good first time out. Wonderful to see many of the bikers from last season and this race got me pumped for the upcoming MNSCS season. This weekend, right after finals : ) One door closes while another opens.

I love this saying by Elliot Erwitt: "Its about time we take photography seriously and start treating it like a hobby!"

Its been awhile

2009-05-06T15:56:00.004-05:00

Wow! Lots of fun stuff going on. The MNSCS is just two weeks away from kicking off the 2009 Racing Season. Lots of changes in store and just spending time making sure all those details are worked out! Most of the stuff is on the MNSCS Website http://www.mnscs.com/ and the rest will just have to be a nice surprise : )

Elk River is hosting a last minute race this weekend, and once again I have new gear so Im heading over to try it out!! Rich puts on some of the best events in MN so if your not doing anything on Saturday I hope to see you there! Plus it gives you a chance to pre-ride the course for the new addition to the MNCSC - Single Track Attack!

New Gear you say - A New Full Frame Camera - the Nikon D-700, along with a prime lens and another lens that came with it. You really can never have to many of them, really! A few other new items but I wont bore you with that.

In the photo realm of my little world, things are starting to get crazy busy!! Along with the Kick off of the MNSCS series which includes 11 events, I have around 14 weddings scheduled for this summer. I think as of this morning I booked my final event, there are just not anymore weekends left.

I meet with Krissa a few weeks back and learned the joy of Senior Photos. She was a super sweet girl and was extremly fun to shoot. I only have a few teasers images on my site to pull from, but I will share a few anyways because I havent posted images in forever.

More New News, My new website has been delayed a bit but I meet with the web designer next Monday so hopefully there will be some exciting updates on that front as well.

Until Next time!

Some MNSCS Press

2009-04-24T15:17:00.001-05:00

http://www.minnesotacyclist.com/news/newsarticle.php?id=478

Baby S

2009-03-24T13:59:00.007-05:00

In May 2008 I photographed my first wedding for Kristina and Justin Witts. It was an amazing experience and a wonderful wedding. I have yet to met another couple that exudes love and friendship the way Kristina and Justin do together. On March 13th, The Witts family got just a little bigger. He came in at 6lb 10oz and is quite the handsome little fellow. World, meet Mr. Samuel Witts!!

Way to go LANCE!

2009-03-19T10:29:00.002-05:00

Credit: Diabo moderno

CoFfe MilL DoWnHilL

2009-03-06T11:05:00.004-06:00

It was my pleasure this last weekend to take the beautiful drive to Wabasha, MN for the Coffee Mill Down Hill MTB race. It was quite the fiasco! I cant believe how well these guys handle their bikes going down a hill at high rates of speeds, covered in snow, and there were jumps!! Its was awesome to watch. Lots of crashes and luckily no one got too hurt, atleast that I am aware of. Heres a little glimpse into what the day brought.

Additional photos can be found HERE

ColdBear - Pugfest

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

Great times as usual at the Elk River PugFest!

The LeDuc Mansion

2009-03-02T15:18:00.003-06:00

So a few posts ago I had mentioned that I would be heading to the LeDuc for some photo ops and a Birthday Party. Here are some images of the beautiful home and beautiful family!

The Home of the LeDucs - For a little History Click HERE

Dining Area

Servants Stairway

Christmas Decoration

Banister

View into main entrance

Gift Shop

Era Art Work

Master Bedroom

Give me SCARED!

The fabulous Tom and Jerry's!

Main Sitting Room

And because as I was Googling I came up with a bunch of sites swearing that the Le Duc Home is haunted.... .Might as well keep the rumor mill going, right?

Soon to C0me:

Cold Bear 2009 Images

Coffe Mill MTB Downhill Race

Night Session

2009-02-17T16:49:00.005-06:00

I met with a very sweet couple a few Sundays ago for a night engagement session in Rice Park. The camera loved them : ) Thank You E & R and Congratulations on your engagement!

Some more photography assignments

2009-02-05T19:43:00.006-06:00

So heres a little of what I have been up to. I met with Baby B again awhile back. We had a wonderful shoot, here are a few of my favorites.

The City of Elk River is doing some fun stuff with one of my images for their spring guide. The gent in the picture is a very talented young rider Trent Warner.

And good ole school assignments are going well also. Here are some new and a few older images I have submitted for recent assignments on symmetry, contrast and balance. I had a great time shooting the ice sculptures last weekend during the St. Paul winter carnival. I hope to share some more of those images with you in the next few days.

My Friends Finally arrived

2009-01-21T18:33:00.002-06:00

Oh Yeah BABY!! Nikon 70-200 VR 2.8, B+W Filter of course, Spyder Calibration system and another 8 GB card. Only a few items left to complete my kit.

Back at it

2009-01-20T22:13:00.003-06:00

Schools back on. Im in the process of writing a creative story. Its been fun, ive enjoyed learning the basics from Keith Grey, and the class is set up that each assignment is a part of your story, then at the end you put it all together and clean it up. It makes me remember how much I used to enjoy writing, it was one of my fav past times back in the high schoolio days. I even won a few ribbons for my stories back then. Maybe my dreams of becoming an aspiring author are still within reach. Deja Vu.. Sorry I think i posted all this last time I wrote. Anywho I will leave it since it has crossed my mind again.

My true love, well after Andy of course..., my photography continues to grow and change. Everything that I know so far has been self taught and guided by a few other fantastic local photographers. I decided I've taken it as far as i can with the time I have, so for myself and for the people who believe in my talent, I will be taking some photography courses to make sure that my trade gets as much time as it deserves. I am very excited to fill in the gaps and learn all the fine details of photography that lay ahead of me. My first class is on the art of composition. This is something that I think has come fairly natural but like anything there is room for improvement. After 1 class, (the intro class never counts) I already feel more confident in my skills and have learned a few tricks to develop the picture in my mind before snapping it with the camera. A few of the terms if you want to look them up to learn are: framing, anchoring, and the good old rule of thirds and fibonnaci sequence. So my first project was a self portrait, it was to be straight forward, simple, but better then our license picture. This was my submitted image

I need to brag just a little, my teacher called me out in class to compliment me on my photo. That was pretty cool, im not all about being the center of attention but he was very excited about it, which was really nice to hear on the first assignment, now to just keep up the good work!!!

Stuck

2009-01-13T08:44:00.002-06:00

I'm wishing I had brought breakfast with me this morning! This commute is turning into an endurance event! Anyone else finding that driving in MN seems to be much more of a chore as of late? Look of accidents this morning, more then I think I have ever seen on my commute, I hope that everyone is alright.

My average speed for my commute was under 10, I was driving when I took this picture.

After two hours I have made it safe and sound to work. Yippee, let the day begin!

I have recently started a creative writing class. It has been surprisingly fun so far, I only wish I had a little more time to focus on it. My final is a 2500 word story, now I'm not promising you a great story but I am having a great time writing it so, who knows maybe I can follow in Junot Diazs footsteps ; ) I am currently reading his latest book, "The Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao" Well, I guess Im audiobooking it, so someone else is reading it to me : ) but thats the only way I can fit it in. I heart audiobooks, Thank You ITunes!

I also want to wish E a very happy birthday!! I hope your day is fabulous!!!!!

Summer Love

2009-01-06T21:42:00.005-06:00

I have been cleaning up my hard drive and finding all sorts of photos from family and random events (mostly from the summer) that haven't made it further then my computer. This first set I will post for you are of my neighbors pooches. I was wondering outside playing around with my camera, its one of my fav past times, when I caught her pooches being all cute in the first photo. I wandered closer and got to talking to my neighbor for awhile, while talking I was of course shooting. So she will be happy to get her disk full of these fun images : )

Schoooools out for Summer, or atleast two weeks aanyways

2008-12-18T10:37:00.003-06:00

Finished up my last of five finals last night. WOOHOO! It went fairly well so I can't complain, I think that they all went pretty well! I am tired and looking forward to a few weeks with friends, family and just some good ol plain relaxing. I have 3 sets of photos to get through, I have been slacking alittle bit on that part of my life since midterms, things were just too crazy. I hope to push through all three sets this weekend so I have absoluetly nothing on my plate for the next two weeks. Well I guess except for my upcoming shoot at the LeDuc Mansion in Hastings, MN. I think this is going to be an exceptionally fun shoot though! And I get to see some good friends during and after which is a huge bonus!! I will, really I will this time get some photos posted for everyone to see.

I would like to thank all the fellow mtbers and other folks for supporting me in my photography adventures! Its been a great ride and I have been so lucky to be part of so many peoples wonderful experiences, and theres many more to come in 2009!

Happy Holidays!!

Greenway Violence

2008-12-16T14:34:00.002-06:00

This is so sad. No has gotten physically hurt but it sounds like its only a matter of time before this kid loses it. What in the world are these kids doing? I cant imagine they have gotten much from these bikers but yet they continue to terrorize the greenway. The people that use the greenway are doing good things for everyone by using their bikes to commute and then you have some F*@#Heads that just cant wait to screw things up. RIDICULOUS!

One of my Peace Coffee teammates was one of the 10 victims to date, to be robbed on the Greenway. Here is his eerie account http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/36073164.html?page=1&c=y

Troy- I'm glad to hear that you are okay and am sorry that this has happened to you!!

2008-12-12T22:45:00.002-06:00

This is my last weekend of homework for a few weeks. 4 finals left, 4... Then a well needed rest. Andy and I have some vacation planned for January. I have lots of little projects to work on but i'm trying not to book the time up so I can just relax. Maybe strap on the snow shoes and get outside for a bit. (pssst... Janet, I said strap-on).

Gratitude-

1. I am grateful that Doolittles is so close by, YUM!

2. I am grateful for the joy of knowing the weekend is ahead of me.

3. I am grateful for Andys Massages.

4. I am grateful for the upcoming 2 weeks off of work.

5. I am grateful for slightly warmer weather for this weekend.

Good night all!

2nd Attempt

2008-12-07T20:20:00.003-06:00

So yesterday I went out and got a Christmas Tree and hunted through the house to find my ornaments. Its been close to 10 years since I have had a Christmas tree. I thought about getting a real tree from my local coop but decided against it because I don't know how the cats and dog would react. I spent about 4 hours listening to music, decorating the new tree and then giving another attempt to my last posted art project. I added one of the missing items but needed an extra hand which I didn't have at the time. I did the best I could and was at least able to recreate the effect. I came up with another idea to correct my issue but was done shooting for the day so Third time is lucky right ?

So a gratitude entry. I have been kind of crabby today so i don't feel that thankful, this is going to be a tough one.

1. I am grateful that I only have 2 weeks left of the current semester.

2. I am grateful that I have booked a couple more weddings for this upcoming year.

3. I am grateful that Andy and I still have work with the current economic state

4. I am grateful for the health of my family

5. I am grateful that this is my last item to be grateful for today .

My Art Project

2008-12-05T23:59:00.004-06:00

A friend stopped by today and because it got dark before we had the chance to go shooting we decided to stay in and try the shaped bokeh effect. It started out all wrong but after about an hour of changing things up we were able to get the desired effect. Its definitely a little haphazard at this point, it will take some time and some different materials to perfect it but we got the idea. Here are some shots from our art session.

Good Times!! Now to make it look super sweet like the demo, there is a great pic of a plate of cookies with a mug of hot chocolate then the bokeh effect is in the shape of snowflakes. Quite Beautiful.

I have been grateful just not on my blog for the last few days. Here are my items tonight.

1. For a beautiful soft fluffy snow fall

2. The warmer temps that come along with the snowfall.

3. Pear and Craisin Desert at the Roasted Pear, all warm and gooey with ice cream

4. being able to check a handful of things off of my to do list

5. closing down the evening cuddling on the couch with my honey

Time to get cuddling. Good night

Gratitude, AGAIN

2008-12-02T12:40:00.003-06:00

I have decided because Mon-Tuesday I dont have the time in the evening, those days of gratitude will not be shared on the blog. I will do my best to continue to share the others or atleast put them down here to be held accountable.

R- I think that sharing with you my Mission statement for this journal may help you get started:

Spend 15 minutes or so each evening to reflect on the gifts we have been given each day. To also review the tough things in life to determine the life lessons we are learning from them. Then give thanks and gratitude for the things we were able to enjoy, the gifts we have been given, and the things that may be hard but are providing us with valuable lessons and insight.

I am really sorry to hear that you are suffering once again. I know that you are a very strong person and when you look deep down I know you know that to! You already know what the right thing to do is, Just make sure to follow your heart. Take a good long look at the possible outcomes for both the children and yourself. With what C just went through, is it a good idea to send him back there? You have said things to me in confidence that makes me believe that you do not want to do what you are thinking of doing, remember that once you go down that road you cannot come back.

Another Gratitude post

2008-11-30T23:46:00.002-06:00

1. A nice fluffy white snow.

2. Having a perfect photo shoot with a 10 week old.

3. Calibrating my monitor and no changes required.

4. A good work out with an awesome personal trainer.

5. Good health and the ability to participate in all the above activities.

Janet- Thank you for the personal training session today. You were wonderful. I was amazed at your knowledge. You knew the minute I started to lose my form, you caught me not activating my core every time I tried to skimp ; ) and you were able to give me just the right encouragement to straighten up, refocus and carry on. I was really impressed and see you going a long way. I wish you all the luck and look forward to our next meeting.

Thank You to Jo and Baby B for an awesome photo shoot this afternoon. You may recall, I randomly bopped into their place with my camera and did some photos of Baby B about 9 weeks ago. Baby B and mommy and daddy weren't quite ready for me so we scheduled an official shoot and it went wonderfully. I am so excited to share some of the photos with you all. B was so happy and smilie. All I had to do was call her beautiful and she just lit up. I later learned that Daddy sings to her James Blunts "Your Beautiful": ). Oh she was just the sweetest.

Gratitude

2008-11-29T23:01:00.002-06:00

Daily Gratitude:

1. I am grateful for "word of mouth" connections

2. I am grateful for the wide support and backing I have, and continue to experience during my photography adventures.

3. I am grateful for a restful 4 day weekend

4. I am grateful for good humor

5. I am grateful for a mothers love

Its hard to believe that this long weekend is coming to a close. Tomorrow is filled with homework, photos, and Janet kicking my butt into shape at the gym. I have two weddings in the post processing stage, I will get some of those images posted in the next week or two. Hardcopy Portfolio is also in the works, very excited to see the outcome.

Gratitude

2008-11-28T22:19:00.004-06:00

My sister and I are starting an early new years resolution. Each evening we are going to review our day and list 5 things that we are grateful for. Its a way for us to reflect on the positive things in our lives.

1. I am grateful that I got to sleep in today.

2. I am grateful that my first time making homemade chicken noodle soup went well. It was TAASTY.

3. I am grateful that my boyfriend is beginning to feel better after being sick all day.

4. I am grateful that I was able to be there for him today.

5. I am grateful that today was such a beautiful, sunny day.

It's nice to just take a few moments to smile and remember the good parts of the day : ) I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

I will leave you with a very personal look into my soul. Here is an image of my soul portrait from a few weeks ago. The artist is a Lake City local Lisa Owen.

Squish Face

2008-11-20T11:19:00.002-06:00

I know I am probably a bad mommy because Mickers hasnt gotten his hair cut in awhile but i thinks its so cute!!!! Here he is this morning, he isnt very squish face here but i never have a camera at hand when he is ultra squish face.

Sarah, that last one is for you : )

Oops!

2008-11-19T11:42:00.004-06:00

So I was rearended yesterday, that was quite exciting. Not bad and no injuries! The lady behind me was rearended, she then hit me causing me to hit the car in front of me. Its amazing how fast that can happen. Luckily i was near the front so all my car suffered was two small dents i think from her license, and the guy in front of me had no damage. Yay for bumpers!!

Its been awhile

2008-11-18T10:48:00.003-06:00

I have been feeling all out of sorts lately. Not sure why, I think the thrill of my new school is gone and the pressure and lack of time is starting to get to me. I really want to take the dive head first into photography and quit the job I have but I know that its to soon for that. I just truly enjoy my photography and school takes up so much time, of all the things I have going on the job is the one I want to go. Ugh... But I cant. So here I am forcing myself to work through each day.

I had a soul portrait done this weekend which was an amazing experience. A psychic reading along with the portrait. I will take a photo of the portrait and post it when I have alittle more time. E said that it was more of a Soul Therapy session then a psychic reading, she was totally spot on! I left feeling rejuvinated and confident in the pathes I have chosen, though made me want to do the above even more. It was a very intimate experience, different then I had thought but definately worth it and I will see her again.

I also shot a wedding with Tony a couple weekends ago. I believe the photos are close to being delivered so I will post up a few of my favorites from the event when I can. I learned alot at this wedding, it was my first time shooting in a church. The lighting is lacking in a church and this one had large windows which gave quite the mixture of lights. And no flashes during the ceremony so that was the largest challenge. Then the father did not want the photographers to be more then half way down the aisle so zoom lens to the rescue for all the ceremony shots. It turned out not to be much of a problem though, the church had some nice angled aisle ways to get good shots regardless of distance.

As we were going through the photos Tony was asking me if I ever thought about Childrens photography, apparently I went alittle overboard with the cute little kids. But hey, my shots were great and I just couldnt help myself. There was this cute little flower girl who kept doing a popeye impression and then these adorable twin boys in their little tuxes. You will see when I post my photos : ). But yes, I am working on getting some experience in childrens photography as well, kids are definately a fun thing to photograph! I still need to set up my next shoot with Berit before she out grows the shots I want to do.

Well thats my rant for today, i will post pics soon

Testing

2008-11-07T15:40:00.001-06:00

Testing 1! 2 3

hmmm.

2008-11-07T09:21:00.004-06:00

I uploaded an app to my I phone which was supposed to make mobile blogging available. Ummm. I mobile blogged, anyone else not seeing it?? Guess I will have to try another one. So its officially a MN winter.

Winter is Mckinleys favorite time of the year. He had a hay day on our walk this morning : ) I didnt have my phone with so i'll post this photo.

I have another shoot set up with Baby Berit now that her jaundice has gone away, I am excited to try some of the really cute baby shots like the baby on the arm and tucked up in a basket and that type of cutesy stuff. I cant wait. I hope everyone had a good commute into work this morning

Reflections

2008-11-06T13:24:00.005-06:00

I have been going through some of my old blog posts and I find myself amazed at how different my life is today, then it was at this same time last year. Last year I had what felt like all the time in the world. My blog was appropriately described as "My adventures as an up and coming mountain biker" Andy and I were meeting tons of new people in the mountain biking community, biking everywhere and during every second we could. We had both just finished up a successful MNSCS season and were sad we wouldnt see our new friends for half a year but thrilled with the up and coming winter mountain biking and snowshoeing season.

This year... now, I am satisfied with another great MNSCS season. However, this year I was the photographer for the series rather then a kick as* Citizen racer. Yeah thats right, I rocked the citizen class, bee otches!

There's this cute little joke for all the religious folk out there, yeah I know Im not religious but i beileve in fate and spirituality and all that jazz, but thats a whole nother blog post so here it is:

How do you make god laugh? .....

Ready.....

Here it comes.....

You make a plan!

My plan was to train all winter and race my butt off, literally, over the summer in the MNSCS sport class. Andy and I sat down and put our winter training schedules together and we were all set. Well winter came, I started school and my training went right out the window. I had just signed up for the peace coffee racing team again and had decided to hang my head low and rock the citizen class again, when I got an email from Jeff with the MNSCS. He had gotten my name from someone and was wondering if I would be willing to be part of the series. Possibly write some articles for the website and of course take photos of the riders. Photography was my fav past time. I was loving running out into the field to capture photos of the riders after I was done with my race. I discussed it with Andy and since my training fell through I decided to give it a go.

All summer I spent approx every other sunday out in the woods with Mckinley. We ran around and shot photos of the racers. It was much more challenging this year, I had all new gear that I was learning and I was trying really hard to do new and different things then I had done the previous year.

All and all I can see a great improvement from the beginning of the year to the end, and looking at last years picture. OMG! I have heard from many racers that they love looking at the photos so I have acheived my goal and I look forward to growing with the racers again next season.

Being the Official photographer of the series and a MORC member put me in touch with some other photographers in the area. I got to know a few of them pretty well and have shot with them a few times.. During a conversation with one of them, I say, "I dont want to shoot weddings, too much pressure, I like just hanging in the woods capturing the mountain bikers" I get the reply, "Yeah, why would you want to shoot weddings, its only the happiest day of these peoples lives, everyones happy, having a great time, and they look beautiful." K enough said!! I start seriously thinking about weddings, my photography, and where its going to go from here. Good deal my cousin is getting married in a few weeks. I give her a call, "Hey do you have a photographer" K, "Not really, we have a friend who is going to be doing our photos" Do you mind if I bring out my camera and shoot your wedding, hey, how about I come out early to get shots of you getting ready" And history was made!!! Thanks K & J!! I had soooo much fun shooting this wedding and honestly I was absoluetly astonished at how well my photos looked for being a first timer.

I owe a ton to Tony, hes helped me fine tune and tweak some things that I needed some help with and has just been there for guidance when I need it. He has been so open to letting me come along and shoot with him when he has gigs or weddings, I have gained a ton of experience and knowledge from him. So Tony, Thanks Man!!!!!

I cant help but feel like this post is leading into a really bad acceptance speech or something. Awards, Hmmm...... Best slacker?

So anywho, this is getting to be quite the story so all in all. I now have 3 weddings under my belt, 5 on the books for next year. I have shot families and a new born, engagement sessions, and more to come. So my blog description has been rightfully changed to "My adventures as an up and coming photographer". Dont be afraid to walk the new path life lays down for you because it just may be the best experience you've had so far!! I havent been on my bike in a few months because of school and photography but luckily I have a large expanse of mountain biking friends who are not letting me forget it. Things may have changed tremendously but I am very happy with where they have come and I look forward to the many adventures that lie ahead. I have a couple rides scheduled in the next few weeks! Woot, so quit reading this dang blog and get out and ride!!!!

Oh yeah, I posted this last year around this time and I thought it is extra appropriate in my life right now because free time has become all to obsolete. enjoy

Life
Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

Do you run through each day on the fly?

When you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head?

Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say "Hi?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away. ... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

More photos

2008-11-05T11:02:00.009-06:00

I had wanted to share a few photos from a family shoot and a new born shoot but hadnt had the chance, so here are a few of my favs from those days. I'll tell you, I learned that its quite hard to get three kids to all smile at the same time for very long : )

This sweet little Baby's name is Berit. She was approx 1 week old here and had developed a bad case of jaundice so we fixed that with some black and white images : ) I was only supposed to be taking pictures of the baby but you know how that goes, cute things just need to be photographed.

Tom & Laura

2008-10-31T12:25:00.009-05:00

First and Foremost, Congratulations to Tom and Laura on their recent engagment!! I am thrilled with the opportunity to be the photographer for their wedding this June. I had such a great time shooting their engagment photos this past weekend! Now heres the hard part, trying to pick only a few of my favorites to highlight

The couple had a great idea to have some photos done with their new pup Riley. I was excited about giving this a try. Well Riley he had another thing in mind. He jumped into the water and started running back and forth having a good old time. We ended up not getting quite the shots we had in mind because Riley was alittle to wet for close ups but I ended up with some really nice shots of them playing with the dog : )

Just Got out

2008-10-30T15:01:00.004-05:00

So the Blog Police arrested me last Thursday.... I just got out. Apparently lack of blogging is means for a stint in the clink. My week off gave me lots and lots of time to think about what to put in this blog, but then I forgot it all because the guy in the cell next to me wouldnt shut up!! Kept clanging his dang metal cup against the Thundermug!

So I guess I'll give you alittle glimpse into my weeks before.

School at St. Kates is as good as it can be, holding strong to my A's as my classes continue to get harder.

Got a nice little break with some ladies when Janet hosted a wonderful ladies night. I forget how fun a hearty dose of estrogen can really be. We joked about being big dorks and if we should talk about biking all night, then we spent the whole night talking about biking and laughing. Okay, I guess there was some climbing discussions along with sex, drugs, and rock n roll. and maybe a game or two. Wait all of that still pertains to biking. I guess were just big dorks : )

I drug Andy to a Reba Concert and I think he liked it ; ). Reba is by far one of my all time favorite singers. She is even more amazing in concert. She performed with Kelly Clarkson, never been much of a fan but I left the concert pretty amazed. Way to go Kelly!! She sings this great song called "A Beautiful Disaster" Good stuff, especialy with a Reba Duet.

Even Barbara Jean (Melissa Peterman) from the Reba TV Show Made an apperance at the concert. She was hilarious!! Putting on a Red Wig and prancing around like she was Reba. Good Times!! She even sang the theme song "Im a survivor" with the gals. Pushing Kelly out of the way so she could sing with Reba, Hilarious!!

Hmmm. What else.. I did another fun engagment shoot with a couple, however I havent delivered the photos yet so no sneak peak for you right now.

Shooting a wedding on the 8th of November which should be good times.

E- I will post pictures of the baby, I swear I really will!!

I also did my first family photo shoot, that was interesting. Three super sweet and cute kids until they missed their nap times then I'll just say that the photo fun ended.

My work (AKA Real Job) has been hit by the economic downturn as I am sure everyones has. They will be doing some layoffs. This has made things very interesting and stressful at work as of late. Its rumored that they will be doing the layoffs tomorrow or Monday. I dont think it should effect me but thats the fun part of layoffs, you just never really know. So Im spending some time looking into what I would want to do in the event I dont have a job any longer. I think school would become a full time gig so I am looking at it as a postive thing. If I get laid off then I go to school full time and will be done that much faster. I guess im lucky that between photography and massage I can pretty much just pick up more of those items and still be sitting pretty good.

I'm also sad today because there was a lost puppy in the swamp by my work, a few of us went into the swamp trying to find the puppy but weren't able to find it, he was howling but has stopped now. Hopefully he will be alright and find his way out. Its like a jungle in there, poor guy!

Okay well thats enough for now. I will post photos in a few days of some of my recent projects. Don't forget to vote. Blah, blah, blah.....

In other breaking news!

2008-09-26T08:32:00.004-05:00

I have made it 1/4 of the way through this quarter already. A's all around. I like those things!! St. Kates is great, teachers are great, all is great!

I have shot two engagement sessions in the last few weeks and have a few weddings booked for next season which is very very exciting news!

The MNSCS came to a close with a fun race at the Jail Trail in St. Cloud last weekend. We had to sneak out of that one alittle early but I believe I got some good coverage. Those photos to be posted by tomorrow!

Hmmm! thats about it for new and exciting with me. Spending lots of time at home hitting the books tends to equal not much exciting stuff going on.

Oh, I will be doing some photos of a newborn this weekend, that will be exciting, another first in the world of photography for me.

Here are some photos from my recent shoots. First is a couples shoot with some friends. Good times. Thanks

Then I had a wonderful opportunity to do an engagement shoot for K & C. They are so much fun, very photogenic, and very creative. We had a great time at Minnehaha. Thanks K & C

Am I Really That Naive?

2008-09-16T12:33:00.004-05:00

I'm going to say its a No, but not far from it. I didnt fall for either of the two fraud attempts to pass my plate in the last two days. Yeah, Seriously two in two days. But I almost did!

So I recently signed up for a EIN, in doing so I discussed what options were available to me as currently my main source of photography income (not quite) but where the money is coming from in relationship to photography is from the MNSCS. Because the MNSCS is working towards non profit status, there are some options for me here as well as a 501 (C) 3a status due to supporting a national sporting event ( a little far fetched, but some of the races are national qualifiers. Anyways, they were just conversations.

Well that same day I get this:

From:
"Internal Revenue Service"service@irs.gov

Subject:
Get Tax Refund !

Date:
Monday, September 15, 2008 5:36:27 AM

After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activitywe have determined that you are eligible to receivea tax refund under section 501(c) (3) of theInternal Revenue Code. Tax refund value is $620.50. Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 6-9 daysin order to IWP the data received.If u don't receive your refund within 9 businessdays from the original IRS mailing date shown,you can start a refund trace online.
If you distribute funds to other organization, your records must show wetherthey are exempt under section 497 (c) (15). In cases where the recipient org.is not exempt under section 497 (c) (15), you must have evidence the funds willbe used for section 497 (c) (15) purposes.If you distribute fund to individuals, you should keep case histories showingthe recipient's name and address; the purpose of the award; the maner ofsection; and the realtionship of the recipient to any of your officers, directors,trustees, members, or major contributors.
To access the form for your tax refund, please click hereThis notification has been sent by the Internal Revenue Service,a bureau of the Department of the Treasury.

So, I am skeptical right away because, Duh, like I just all of a sudden am going to get an email from the IRS saying, "Here, we want to give you some money" But because of my (only hours before) conversation with the IRS I thought maybe they looked into it and for some reason I am eligible for some sort of refund because technically my business started at the beginning of the year.

Well, I click on the "click here" link, looks ligit so I fill in some information, then hit next. Now they want my bank account information, pin number, confirmation code on the back of my debit card and financial information for my Bank. Yea right, Sorry IRS I am not even going to give you that information. If you want it I bet you can figure it out yourselves.

So needless to say, I deleted the email, called the IRS again. 15 minutes on hold, explained the email, they had me forward it to a fraud department then contacted my bank just to let them know nothing was submitted but that the email was out there.

Incident # 2:

I am selling my Nikon as everyone knows and if you dont please see below. : )
So I posted it on Ebay. I have never sold anything on Ebay before but thought it would be a good opportunity/item to try it out.

Within the first day (should have been a red flag) I got an email from a gentlemen asking me if I would be willing to stop the sale and he would pay me $150 more then I was asking because I would need to send the camera over seas and he knew thats approx what the cost would be.

I looked at the ebayers record and he had 100% customer feedback but only 5 purchases under his belt. I thought, okay seems alittle fishy. Whats the saying. "If it appears too good to be true then it probably is" is what kept going through my mind. But I thought, I will give the guy the benefit of the doubt and pull my item. He asked me to send him a request for payment through Paypal. Which I did.

After a few hours I got a confirmation email from Paypal stating that they had recieved the funds from the client and that they would hold them until a shipping/tracking number could be provided to ensure the best experience for both parties in the transaction.

The email was spot on! Looked ALMOST exactly like all the other emails I have ever gotten from Paypal.

Then I receive an email from the "Buyer" Providing me with the address to send the item to and that it was a gift for his daughter and If I could please send the package out by 9/17/08. I am thinking "ohhhh how sweet, and what a lucky girl" until I see that the shipping address is in Nigeria.

Everything that I have read about fraud on Ebay involves Nigeria and Kenya as the two countries so I was alittle uncomfortable, but I thought to myself, "Paypal had confirmed the funds and the guy had a verified account" which I remember thinking was odd. Just didnt think things were going that great in Nigeria.

I called Andy to see if he would mail out the package for me, Thankfully he said he didnt feel comfortable because he wasnt sure what should/should not go in the package. We looked up the currency exchange. Dude would have to pay me over $100,000 niara for the camera.

Okay, things are definately getting smellier.

Doodlidoo Doodilidoo Doodilidoo Now its morning time today.

Go into work an hour late to gather everything, bring to post office, buy box, tape, packaging material. Wrap everything up, fill out customs information and paperwork and go up to the counter and say to the guy. "I cant send this right now, just the packaging material" He looks at me kind of odd and asks, "why not?"

I proceed to tell him that it was my first time selling something on ebay and that its just not right, my whole body is telling me not to send out the package, and that its supposed to go to Nigeria which would cost approx $100 to ship.

He says that he sells lots of stuff through ebay and that if its going to Nigeria I SHOULD be concerned. He asked if I had gotten the payment. I say, "yes, it went through paypal. It even said he was verified." Mailman Sighs relief, says, "okay that should be okay," then ?!? "Unless they have tampered with paypal."

Well I didnt even think of that. So I leave with my package, the mailman says if they want a tracking number I can give them the one on the top of my form to see if payment goes through. (I am thinking, sweet! Thank God for this mailman!)

Get to work, log on to paypal, spend 15 minutes figuring out how to call them, they really like hiding their phone number. Get a women on the line. Ask if I have any payments in a hold status. She confirms what I already knew. NOOOOOOOO!

She tells me that I have a request outstanding but that the email address does not show to have a corresponding paypal account. She verifies that I didnt send out the package. I say, "No"

She then tells me to check the history of my Paypal status. It will always say "funds pending waiting shipping detail" or something similar. I tried to report the fraud to her but she didnt have a clue, just kept telling me to wait until tomorrow because maybe the payment would then go through. I explained that I already got a confirmation email from paypal saying that the funds were there and that I thought It was fraudulent and she just said "the payment will go through"

I said, "how long does it usually take for a payment to show" She says, "a matter of minutes" HELLO LADY, I GOT THE CONFIRMATION EMAIL YESTERDAY.

She still tells me to wait for the payment. I hang up frustrated, find the security center. Submit the emails to the security center, get a response back in a matter of minutes stating that the emails were not legit, they were blocking users and disassembling corresponding sites or something to that affect.

I had emailed the "buyer" stating that my Paypal account did not show the funds on hold and that Paypal had assured me it would be posted by the following day if the funds were in deed on hold.

I then got another email from the so called "buyer" playing "Paypal" Which I found to be quite hilarious actually.

"Dear dana schoppe,

We are pleased to get back to you in response to transaction between you and our client. We are pleased to inform you that this transaction is safe and secure. This is to inform you that funds has been deducted from the buyer's PayPal account for the item sold to our client, which is currently pending with us for security purpose. We hereby request you by all means to get the item shipped as the money has been deducted from our client Janina Janes PayPal account and can not be refund back. The said amount will be credited into your PayPal account as soon as we can verify the shipment tracking number of the item. So we request you to ship out the item within the next 24hours of receiving this mail via USPS and and get back to us with the shipment tracking number for verification and confirmation of the shipment, so that PayPal can credit your account as soon as they have verify the shipment details. We give you a 100% assurance that once the proof of the postage has been received from you, we shall get the funds credited into your PayPal Account with immediate effect. Due to PayPal new policy, This security measure is taking due to too many complaints we are receiving from buyers and more also to secure the seller also the buyer on a legal transaction.Failure to comply will lead to LEGAL ACTION. For security purpose, item only needs to be shipped to the address in the payment confirmation email we sent to you through USPS Express Mail® International 8 day shipping in other to be cover by PayPal Seller Protection Policy Programme. We are very sorry for any inconveniences these may or might have caused in any way."

Umm, I dont know when paypal stopped using spell check and had issues with grammar but this was definately a desperate attempt, and it came perfectly timed, 3 minutes after the Deuschbag responded to my email stating that I had better send out the package or he will give me negative rep points on ebay. What a threat!! Plus Paypal had no clue on the USPS option of shipping.

I respond to him "Deuschbag" that I have received confirmation that his emails are phony, have reported him to both ebay and paypal and to no longer contact me.

It tis the End of the story. Hopefully, he hasnt contacted me again. Im out the $12 listing fee on ebay and all the time wasted dinking around with the dink but Atleast I didnt get hosed.

Now that I thoroughly look like an Idiot, I hope all you people can learn from this and avoid all these scams. Had I been a sweet little non skeptical lady I totally would have sent out my package to the ebay guy and not given it a second thought.

Nikon D-50 For Sale

2008-09-14T12:34:00.006-05:00

Hey Folks-I am selling my Nikon D50 Kit. It is a 6.1 Megapixel D- SLR. Its been an amazing camera. I am selling it because I have upgraded to a professional SLR. I am looking for $650.00 or B.O. All the gear is in great shape. The screen on the back of the camera has some very light scratches, could be easily buffed out. Lenses are in perfect condition as well as the rest of the camera body.

The Kit Includes:

Nikon D50 Body (All manuals, cables, software and battery charger included with original purchase)

Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Lens

Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor

52 mm Precision UV Filter

3 SD Cards 2- 1 GB and 1- 2 GB

2 En-EL3a Nikon Camera Batteries

3 Learning Guides (Magic Lantern Guide, Blue Crane Movie, Nikon D50 Photography Foc

us Guide)

If you have any questions or would like to make an offer please contact me at d.schoppe@comcast.net

The Kindle

2008-09-09T15:02:00.002-05:00

So here is a plug for the Kindle. I love to read when I have time. Currently its A&P, Microbiology and Ethics (good stuff). But at home I have one book shelf full of my fav books along with enough books to fill a 2nd shelf but they (the shelves) have been on back order so no shelf yet. So imagine the space that could be saved if I would have had the Kindle. Dont get me wrong, there is nothing like having a physical book. The way the pages smell, the texture. Its something that is irreplaceable. I have antique text books which are quite fun to read along with a vintage edgar allen poe among other old books. Its fun stuff to have, but for the books that you read once and then recycle. What a good deal, or for those that travel. It takes less then a minute to download a book. Sweet stuff!!

Jolly Rogers Conclusion

2008-09-08T12:38:00.002-05:00

Erica and I finally got a chance to shoot together over this weekend. She got a good taste of whats its like being a sports photographer. Not quite what I had in mind for our first photo shoot together but she seemed to be having a good time and the shots I saw of hers were phenomenal! Shes really got a great eye! We had a great time catching up and I realized how much I miss her! Erica is one of my sisters best friends so we hung out some but not a ton, we worked together and lived near each other growing up. We never spent a ton of time together so i was a bit surprised to miss her, I think part of it is that whole time in my life. The day left me longing for a simpler time, but Erica and I both agreed we wouldn't want to be 18 again! She's one of those people who has a contagious smile. It lights up the room and shes not afraid to use it. Its amazing how many people forget to smile and enjoy the simple things in life. Its so refreshing to be around someone who has a great sense of humor and finds joy all around her! Not to mention holds her own when surrounded by 50 guys shes never met before. Thanks Erica! I cant wait to see your shots and schedule another outing. Next time you will have to pick the content.

So now that I got all sappy on you, here are some highlights from the final Jolly Rogers Downhill event: