Sandhill Photography

Besides Weddings and Events we do Architectural Photography

2012-01-16T09:15:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy the challenge of capturing spaces. Here are a selection of photos from a shoot I did for Sunrise Design and Construction. This was a very tasteful addition, kitchen remodel and backyard landscaping job in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul MN. Sandhill Photography is available to architects, designers, builders, and homeowners for their architectural photography needs.

Sun-room addition complete with contented cat.

Not your typical bungalow kitchen. Plenty of detail work and flawless cherry cabinetry. I have to admit that I like shooting kitchens more than any other space. Architectural photography is growing on me.

The addition on the back of the the St. Paul home gave the homeowners a spacious laundry and a sun room. Sunrise Design and Construction was also contracted for the landscaping.


Sandhill Photography can cover your architectural photography needs throughout the Twin Cities and central Minnesota.

Detail for tile and granite.

Another angle on the kitchen remodel. Architectural photography by Sandhill Photography of Minneapolis Minnesota.

Sandhill Photography Summer Weddings 2011

2012-01-12T15:05:00.000-08:00

Sandhill Photography had another wedding filled summer in 2011, here are a few summer weddings in photographs.

Rachel and Nick's wedding included almost all of my favorite St. Paul wedding locations for ceremony, reception, and photography. They included the St. Paul Hotel, Rice Park, Irvine Park, and the Minnesota History Center.

A stroll around Rice Park in downtown St. Paul MN will always allow for a lovely shaded spot against at least one of the historic buildings located there. The James J. Hill Reference Library was the backdrop for an intimate series of shots.


A Bentley is nice, but a Bentley with a sunroof is even nicer. Rachel and Nick post ceremony at Irvine Park. It can't get any better for a wedding photographer, but wait, it does. Off to the state capitol and then the Minnesota History Center.

Interior of the Bentley, no explanation necessary.

Under the rotunda and the Minnesota History Center. It's a nice perk for a wedding photographer to be include in meals such as this. The Twin Cities has so many great spaces to celebrate a wedding and provide great staging for photography.

Sunset outside the Minnesota History Center in downtown St. Paul with the state capital in the background. The History Center has a beautiful terrace for summer weddings and other events. Sunset is a wedding photographers golden moment for great light.

Shauna and Andrew high atop the Millennium Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Great penthouse, unique geodesic dome and views galore.

Sandhill Photography likes to capture the small but special details when they do your wedding photography.

Engagment Photos

2011-11-28T19:15:00.000-08:00

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.

Proof Book Covers

2011-11-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

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.

2011 Weddings

2011-10-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

Now that the wedding season is about over it's finally time to post some of this years images. First up are Nichole and Scott and their wedding at the Van Dusen Mansion in Minneapolis.

Absolutely stunning staircase.

Add caption

Game room in the basement of the Van Dusen Mansion

When the weather wouldn't cooperate, the ceremony was held on the staircase.

Nichole after a long night of friends, food, and dancing.

Alright, one more with the staircase.

Sandhill Fall Weddings

2011-03-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's global warming or a new found popularity for Fall colors, but Autumnal weddings keep us busy into November. Here is a selection of photos from Fall 2010.

Elizabeth and Brian were not only married at Como conservatory, they met there and we did their engagement shoot there also, including basset hounds.

Erin and Tim held their reception at a new venue for me, Silverwood Park in St. Anthony. Part of the Three Rivers Park District, it's a beautiful spot for a reception. I highly recommend it.

Maggie and Jason took us back to Como Conservatory, a place we are getting used to shooting at. We like working close to home at such a beautiful location.

Martha and Geoffrey were married in Maidenrock Wisconsin. It was such a folksy gathering that I got one of my rare chances to play the roles of both photographer and musician. I play with a folk dance band called Contratopia and we were invited to play for their dance.

Monica and Corey kept us close to home once again at the Calhoun Beach Club in Minneapolis. We had a perfect day for a rooftop wedding overlooking Lake Calhoun.

Petroula and Espen had a Greek wedding that was neither fat nor too big. The food! The dancing!

Rachel and David once again brought us to Como Conservatory. Officially still fall, but in Minnesota that doesn't necessarily mean without snow. We love practicing our wedding photography in all seasons and conditions.

Cedar Cultural Center

2011-03-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

The Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis has been a great venue for folk music for many years. They still have a calendar jam packed with great folk acts from around the world, but increasingly they are expanding their scope to include many more styles of music. I am privileged to be the official photographer for the Cedar but they only need photography on maybe 10% of their shows. Here are some examples from shows in the last six months.

Sandhill Summer Weddings

2010-12-30T12:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a selection of Sandhill summer weddings. What a great summer is was for weather and wonderful couples. We'll start off with Heather and Thomas and some time spent together at the Japanese Gardens in Minneapolis.

Mallory and Chris held both their ceremony and reception at the Milwaukee Depot in Minneapolis, with a brief photo diversion to the Historic Mill District next to the Stone Arch Bridge.

.Jenny and Stanley hail from New York City and wanted a very urban modern feel for their day. They chose the La Meridien Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.

Erin and Steve chose a beautiful day and the lovely St. Charles Borromeo church in Northeast Minneapolis, with the reception at the Columbia Golf Course.

Megan and Mike took a break along Main St. in Minneapolis before their reception at the Holiday Inn West Bank.

Rollergirls!

2010-12-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

Sunday night the Minnesota RollerGirls held several bouts at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in downtown St. Paul. Sparsely attended because of a cancellation on Saturday night and continued blustery conditions on the rescheduled Sunday, yet no lack of enthusiasm. I was invited to shoot by Joe Leyba, coach of the "Garda Belts" and the second most winning coach in league history. They put on a great family event, including a halftime dance for everyone, and all for the sake of fun and charity. Enjoy the photos, just a bit of a divergence from our typical wedding images.

Proofbook Covers

2010-08-25T11:27:00.000-07:00

I thought it might be fun to share some of the proofbook covers that we do for our wedding couples. As part of our wedding photography package we provide a spiral bound proofbook with all of their photos. We take a little extra time to make a cover that will be memorable. Here is a selection that shows how our style has evolved over time.

Wedding at the Historic Courthouse in Stillwater MInnesota

Wedding photo taken at Como Conservatory in St. Paul Minnesota

Brit and Bjorn's Duluth Wedding

Classic car photos outside of Historic Stillwater Courthouse in Stillwater Minnesota

Traveling outstate Minnesota to Albert Lea for wedding photography.

Wedding Photos taken in courtyard of South St. Paul Minnesota church.

Wedding Photography at Gale Mansion in Minneapolis. MN.

Rooftop wedding photography at the Woman's Club of Minneapolis Minnesota.

In front of the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis Minnesota.

Loring Park in Minneapolis, MN.

Wedding photo from the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, MN.

Erika and Javan's Wedding

2010-08-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

This was one special wedding for Margie and myself. Erika is the daughter of one of Margie's dearest friends. There's always a little extra pressure when shooting for friends, and it doesn't help when the sky opens up and drowns out the opportunity for special shots at sunset. Erika and Javan however were unperturbed by the torrential rain, as we were all safe and dry within the tent. Dry however couldn't describe the intrepid caterers who slogged through the rain to serve us all. We did grab a few shots just as the light faded and then celebrated with a launching of hot air balloons, AKA UFOs. The good thing was that we had a special shoot already scheduled for the next day. The fields of the St. Paul Campus were another lovely new place for us to shoot. Como Conservatory makes for a lovely and predictable finish. Congratulations Erika and Javan.

The fields of the St. Paul Campus. Another great spot for wedding pictures.

Minneapolis wedding photographers escape to St. Paul.

A proof album cover that Sandhill Photography provides to all wedding clients.

Aliisa and Walter's Wedding

2010-08-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

A little warm maybe, but you can't ask for a folksier venue than Gale Woods Farm. Usually wedding parties choose to arrange the seating in full sun looking down towards the lake. Bravo to the person that chose shade on this 95 degree humid day. Alissa and Walter weren't daunted and proved to be gracious hosts. A little tight on time, we were able to break away to shoot at sunset over the lake. Congratulations Alissa and Walter.

Shooting into the sun is ever so popular with wedding photography lately.

So, here's another one. Sandhill wedding photography goes with the times.

A Scandinavian tradition says that however many rings stay attached when you lift the top ring, that's how many children the couple will have. Surprise Alissa and Walter!

The wedding photographers dream light at sunset.

Alissa and Walter Engagment Shoot

2010-08-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

Now this is a fun couple. Even though we are doing their wedding photography in less than a week, we squeezed in this session at the Walker Sculpture Garden. I'm amazed that I've never chosen to shoot here before for an engagement. If the sun is too intense, just go around the corner to find a shady spot. It helps to have a playful couple like Alissa and Walter. They were willing to get down and dirty, literally, without hesitation. I'm been in the role of wedding photographer here before, but I know I'll return to this Minneapolis landmark for more portrait sessions. See you on Saturday Alissa and Walter.

After the shoot, my wife informs me that this is the only approved sculpture to climb on in the Sculpture Garden

My very first shot of the big cherry.

It's officially called the Spoonbridge and Cherry and the gardens are a collaboration of the Minneapolis Park Board and the Walker Art Center.

Ah c'mon we can't really hurt the cinder block!

Sarah and Jamal

2010-08-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

A wonderful blend of Africa, Lebanon, and Minnesota describes the union of Sarah and Jamal a couple of weeks back. The DJ was challenged when it came to musical selections, but he came through and the dancers provided the energy on the dance floor.

Elizabeth, Brian, and Bassets

2010-08-02T11:22:00.000-07:00

Raced the storm clouds on Monday night with Elizabeth and Brian. Getting married at the Como Conservatory in November, they thought it might be nice to take their engagement photos when it was a little greener. Elizabeth and Brian met at the pavilion on Como Lake, so we started there with their active bassets. Finished up just as the first raindrops fell.

Britt and Bjorn

2010-07-22T10:17:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of traveling up to Duluth to participate in a great dance and while I was there to photograph an even greater union of two impressive people. Britt and Bjorn decided to feature folk dancing at their reception in the park. I love to shoot dancing, but even more so when it's the kind that I would get out my banjo and play for myself. In fact I did get a chance to sit in with the band. Congratulations Britt and Bjorn.

Return to Blogging

2010-07-20T11:07:00.000-07:00

It's time to start making entries again and share what Sandhill Photography has been up to. Pat is the photographer for the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis and has enjoyed capturing many great artists this year. Here is a sample including Doc Watson, the Del McCoury Band, Altan, and Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni ba.

"Visioning" the coming wedding season

2010-01-18T08:01:00.000-08:00

Good morning world,

January and February are quieter months in the wedding biz. It's a natural time to think about how we want to be working in the coming season: what kind of images do we hope to produce, what kind of experience do we hope to create with clients, how do we hope to grow as artists/photographers. We've been wedding photographers for more than a decade, and have covered hundreds of events. Our hope is that no two of them look the same in the final images. Here are a handful of shots from recent weddings.

Best, Margie and Pat

Looking ahead to spring

2010-01-15T07:25:00.000-08:00

Good morning world,

I was looking through last some of last summer's senior photo shoots. It's always fun to be reminded that we will once again walk, romp and play outdoors - among blooming flowers and under a warm sun! We love winter, but that ability to really work with the outdoor environment is part of what makes our senior photos special. The sessions are informal and fun; it's a wonderful chance to explore the inner dimension of portraiture.And working with young, inspired men and women on the verge of stepping out into a new chapter of life is a privilege and a joy.

Best, Margie and Pat

A new decade, a new attitude!

2010-01-06T10:15:00.000-08:00

Good morning world,

Embracing 2010 with enthusiasm, Pat and I are starting our first-ever Blog for our business: Sandhill Photography! We have worked full-time as photographers since 1998, and these years have been filled with a constant stream of change in the technology that drives our business. As everyone knows, there has been the broad transition from film to digital cameras. Goodbye darkroom...hello computer! Tremendous changes keep coming in the ways photographers work with and manipulate digital negatives. And internet marketing/communication has nearly replaced the old ways of doing business. So here we are blogging...a verb that I am fairly certain did not exist ten years ago.

We have many examples of our work which can be viewed on our website: www.sandhillphotography.net. Pat and I are primarily wedding photographers, but our photographic interests reach into many other areas as well. Pat is a FABULOUS musician and enjoys photographing musicians and performers at the Cedar Cultural Center, where he is the one and only staff photographer. I balance my photography work teaching yoga and movement classes throughout the Twin Cities, and enjoy photographing people in motion.

In the "off-season" for wedding photography, we just try to get out and about completing different types of personal and professional projects. We'd like to use the blog to show some of these other dimensions of our work. Toward that end, I'm putting up some examples of a recent diversity project I completed.

Wishing the world peace, tolerance and joy in the New Year!
Best, Margie and Pat