Monday, November 28, 2011

Engagment Photos

An engagement shoot is part of our wedding photography package. Most start right outside our door with a stroll down to the Mississippi River. Sometimes we drive a mile or two up or down stream and take advantage of popular locations such as the Stone Arch Bridge, St. Thomas Campus, Hidden Falls, or Minnehaha Falls. Here are a few examples.
Alex and Kim on the bank of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. This is often where we go when we walk out our front door for an engagement shoot. This is included in the Sandhill Photography wedding photography package.
Andy and Shannon on the St. Paul bank of the Mississippi. Love to shoot here at sunset in the fall. We take our time and spend up to an hour and a half per engagement shoot, always waiting for the golden moment at sunset.
Bret and Erica in Brackett park. This is right across the street from our house in Minneapolis. I try and mix up the locations and the styles of shooting so that the couple receives at least 20 special images. Usually that number is more like 50-70. 

I guess I'm lucky to live where I do, there are so many special spots along the river road here in the Twin Cities. The is the St. Paul side at the chapel doors on the campus of the St. Paul Seminary. This is my go to spot when forced to do a mid day shoot. This is the north side of the building and always a sure thing for great light. Corey and Monica's engagement shoot was a great time to get to know the couple in preparation for their wedding photography at the Calhoun Beach Club.
Just upriver from our house is downtown Minneapolis and the Stone Arch Bridge. I'm not the only photographer usually shooing here, but I am more willing than most to exploit some of the lesser known gems to be found on either bank. Espen and Petroula in the fall.

Gaining on some of my other favorite spots are the abandoned mills on the west bank opposite downtown Minneapolis. John and Joanna amidst the rubble with an elevator in the background. I get to spend more time with the couple here than on a very busy wedding day. Joanna was the third sister in her family that I've had the privilege to be the wedding photographer.
Maggie and Jason on the East Bank side of the Stone Arch Bridge. The Mill city Museum ruins is behind them. For a Minneapolis wedding photographer, this area offers so many options at all hours of the day.
Phil and Kristine requested that we hike up to Hidden Falls in St. Paul, MN. While I've been in this park many times, I had never walked up to the falls. The flow here must be intermittent, but we were blessed enough this day for wet background. Shocking for the wedding photographer to realize just how little light a thick Minnesota forest allows to penetrate.  
Back to the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis. This time underneath. The downtown side offers access to a few spots to shoot under the arches. Stephanie and Josh here the winter before their New Years Eve wedding. We had snow that year.
We give our clients both color and black and white versions of everything. Sean and Jumi in a moment of glee amidst the ruins of the old tail race for the water powered mills in Minneapolis.
That's a big cherry and a well photographed one also. This is becoming one of the signature photo backdrops for the city of Minneapolis. Alissa and Walter relaxed among a long list of rather large props here in the Sculpture Garden  for the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Proof Book Covers

Katie and Aaron at sunset in Kozlak's garden.
Kristine and Phil were blessed with wonderful fall weather and color for their ceremony at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis.              
Erin and Tim held their wedding reception at Silverwood Park. Silverwood is a lovely location and part of the Three Rivers Park District. I highly recommend this venue.


Kim and Alex newly married on the newly refurbished bridge at the Japanese Peace Park in Minneapolis.
A winter wedding for Rachel and David at the Como Conservatory in St. Paul Minnesota.