Creative Photography by, Expressivestudios

A fantastic session with the Anderson Family

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:10:00 +0000

I spent a fun afternoon with this family in my favorite park in Sunrise. We got some great photos! The kids really have grown since the last photo shoot I did with the Andersons here.

I really love this next one! Sometimes - you just don't want to smile - especially after the mean photographer made you pose next to a rock with army worms and spiders all over it :) Sorry sweet girl!

Oh you two - could you be any cuter together :) I love it, so much happiness!!

Jamie and Wes with little (adorable!) Colton

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:55:00 +0000

I really enjoyed the morning shoot in Wyoming with Jamie and Wes and their little one year old Colton. Colton is just about walking so he was sooo happy when we would put him on his feet holding on to something. I got some great smiles out of him early in the session, and some wonderful interactions between him and his mom and dad later int he session. A sincere thank you to Jamie and Wes for continuing to have me shoot for you! I love it every time!

A Monday Morning Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:01:00 +0000

Full blog posts will be coming soon but until then here is a little preview of my busy holiday weekend.
First up is an adorable little guy who gave me some of the sweetest grins early in the session. He is almost walking and boy does he love to stand up!

Then it was off to do a family session with this fun family, we had tons of fun even though it got so steamy that day.

And the weekend wouldnt be complete without one of my own. We have gotten so much rain lately but on the bright side we now have our own in-ground pool that the end of our driveway, and I think my property just raised in value as now its lakeside property :)

And last but not least my grandpa (a world war II vet) on Memorial Day :) More Blogging love to come this week, so check back :)

An Airplane Adventure to Osceola wi

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:05:00 +0000

Our first big adventure with our new plane.

Athena loves it! This was her the whole way (until she fell asleep - I guess she is not scared!)

The views are incredible - it can take your breath away!

We went to the Osceola waterfall - it was so amazing, I will be back to do some shoots here!

Athena and I!

We hiked the trails by the waterfall and I found this leaf it had a beautiful heart in the middle - I took this photo and dedicated it to my sweet and loving husband Dave who is such an amazing inspiration, and is so instrumental in making my life darn near perfect.

Kelly's Maternity Session with Adam and Noah

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:05:00 +0000

I had a fantastic time with kelly and her beautiful family! It is just unbelievable that they are all so darn adorable - and Kelly does pregnancy so well, I could not believe she is just about full term! Here are the wonderful previews:

I love this next one - just so typical of this age :)

Tesha's maternity session with Jesse and Josey

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:59:00 +0000

We had such a good time wandering around Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis over the weekend - Josey was so fun! And I love visiting with Tesha and Jesse. Here is our super fun maternity session.

I love these next two - its just so...Tesha and Jesse

Sometimes you just have to let the inner wild child loose :) (I sometimes bring that out in people)

My kids in the Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:35:00 +0000

We had a fun weekend, it ended up raining off and on, but in between the clouds and rain we enjoyed a few moments of sun and got our buts outside!

sisters:

Oh she is such a good model!
His smile is to die for right now, that mix of baby teeth and adult teeth and all those freckles :)
a bit of light filtering into the barn...awesome!
oh yeah - thats my cute little blue eyed girl

3 month old Emily

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:05:00 +0000

This pretty little gal was not so sure about me, but she sure liked her momma! I tried and tried to get a smile out of her, but I just got some very serious faces, but her mom talked to her for a minute and out popped the most beautiful smile! Here are the previews of this sweet little girls photo shoot.

Look at those lashes!

Here is that amazing smile!

I love little tiny fingers :)

A letter to Janessa

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:05:00 +0000

Dear Janessa,

I met you for a very brief time to do your senior photos and during that moment you have changed my life. I know that you are at the lowest point in your life right now but I just want you to know how truly beautiful you are inside and out.

Your smile lights up the world when you show it. People who are negative just do not understand, your dark exotic beauty with curves in all the right places is much more enticing than the cookie cutter. Trust me I know, I have photographed hundreds and your beauty stands out by far. and calling you fat and ugly is something I just cant even fathom. Don't let someone get into your head with all the negativity. especially right now when you need all the positivity around you as possible to heal the physical and emotional wounds.

When I say you have changed my life, I am not lying. I have not gotten into my car once since I read what happened to you and not thought about you, and every time I now put on my seat belt, and every time I think about picking up my cell to text, I think about you and put it down. I have read what you said about wishing you had died in that car with Haylie, but let me tell you that I am so glad that you didn't. I wish she didn't have to either, but Your voice is being heard loud and clear by so many.

Her life being gone will not be in vain, of that I am sure, because you will be able to speak so clearly and save so many more in her name. You carry on and carry her with you and always will. You are strong and I believe in you. I am praying for you and your family and Haylie's family too.

-Connie

For those of you reading this and have not heard what happened to Janessa and her best friend Haylie you can read it here. Please read it and pray for her and their families during this extremely difficult time!

From Facebook:

On March 23, 2012 Haylie, 16, and Janessa, 18, had been in a serious car accident. Janessa had been wearing her seatbelt and was in the passenger seat while Haylie had been unbuckled and in the drivers seat. The girls were on there way to Hinckley when the accident had taken place. Haylie had been texting while driving and missed a sharp curve on 61 going towards hinckley and the car had rolled 4 or 5 times and landed upside down in a steep ditch. Janessas head had cracked the windshield and she had been unconscious for quite some time and woke up to find herself hanging from her seatbelt, so tight it was cutting off all the circulation from her. Janessa did what many of us probably would be too panicked to do and she felt around her in the dark and found a piece of metal debris from her friends vehicle and used the sharp object to cut her seatbelt and then used it to dig a hole big enough for her to slide out from the car window and into the ditch. There, she had found her bestfriend Haylie who had been ejected from the vehicle. They had lost their phones in the car accident but Janessa had seen that a text message had lit her phone, 5 ft away from what was left of the vehicle. Janessa could not feel her legs or back but managed to crawl to where her phone was and called 911. When the medics arrived they had brought Janessa to Sandstone hospital and then from there they decided she needed to be airlifted to North Memorial hospital in Minneapolis. Janessa is in the trauma center at North Memorial still trying to recover and walk again day by day. Please pray for her, she is going to need as many prayers as the beautiful, young girl can get. Thank you so much. RIP Haylie Samuelson, you will forever be in our hearts. Stay strong and keep fighting Janessa Vargas, you're the strongest and bravest of em all. ♥

Newborn baby boy

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:06:00 +0000

This little peanut was just so sweet, I got to hold him for just a bit before the session started while his mom and dad and sister finished getting ready and oh theres nothing like a brand new baby in my arms to melt me! He slept right on through till the end, when he let me know that "hey strange lady thats enough" :) Here are the previews of sweet baby K.

Erica and Adam

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:58:00 +0000

I have two really great friends that came to visit me this winter, and I got so busy that I didnt get time to write about it, but I did not want to let it go by without mention.

Erica has been my friend since Elementary school, and although I cant say we have always stayed in contact, I can say that she has been a very meaningful part of my life for that long. She has helped to shape my life in ways she maybe doesnt even know. From admiring her sense of self and style in high school and from that finding my own, to the great faith she had in me and my photography early on. To inviting me to her home outside of London to photograph a wedding that then broadened my horizons and changed my life .

Staying with her and Adam for the eight days gave me a look into a relationship like I have never seen, and their love was an amazing thing. Something that I cannot really do justice in trying to describe. Erica is so unique and seeing her with Adam and the way he both seems to "get" her and support her and love her unconditionally and the way she then returns that love in such a loyal and fierce way was breath taking. It was something I longed for, and can now finally say I have found.

I am eternally grateful for the friendship that is long in distance and sometimes far between exchanges, but always holds a special place in my heart and life.

Thank you Erica and Adam for finding time in your very busy lives to always bless mine.

Pumpkin Pizza - Yummmm!

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:38:00 +0000

So Thanks to pinterest I found this amazing low fat healthy recipe for pumpkin pizza, and of course I cant leave well enough alone and I had to modify it so I thought I would post my version of a super yummy recipe (the original was here)

Because I am a busy mom with not much time to prepare supper I choose to buy frozen Whole wheat bread to make my crust out of. I thawed it in the fridge while at work and when I got home - I drizzled some olive oil out on a pan and half'd the dough and squished it out on a cookie sheet to make 2 pizzas (I figured it would cook faster as two). (note: an even easier way is to buy a whole wheat pizza crust from the grocery store)

I then drizzled a little olive oil on the top and added herbs and spices (I used italian spices and some cajon seasoning). Next I smeared on almost an entire can of pumpkin, I had a bit left over, I sprinkled on some brown sugar and sliced up a sweet onion and piled it high on the pizzas. Then I topped it off with a sprinkle of low fat mozzarella cheese. Then popped it in the oven at 400 for about 15 min. It was soooo wonderful and delicious and is even 1-1/2 year old approved! She loved it too (thats pumpkin all over her cute little face).

Here is the breakdown:

1-frozen wheat bread dough - thawed (or a prepared whole wheat pizza crust)

olive oil (drizzle)

italian seasoning (sprinkle to taste)

cajon seasoning (sprinkle to taste)

1 can pumpkin

1 sweet red onion (the more you can pile on the better, I ended up with a big onion and used about 3/4 of it.)

3 tbsp brown sugar

1/3 cup of light mozzarella cheese

Calories: I did my best to add up all the ingredients and figure out a calorie count for a 1/4 piece of pizza and to my best estimate it is 230 calories.

My Dad got married!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:15:00 +0000

You know when your a little girl you look up at your dad and you think he is perfect, and they always say that when you grow up you realize that no he is not perfect but he did the best he could. By 32 you would think I am pretty grown up right?? Well grown up I might be but I still think my dad is perfect, and I am so happy that he found the perfect woman to marry, they are a fantastic match! Val and my dad just seem to connect on all levels and really understand each other... and share so many life goals. I really think they will spend the rest of there lives happily together. Congratulations you two, I love you both.

The Kiss!

I love all the happy faces!

Val and her two awesome kids!

I love this one - this is my dad and all my sisters and brothers, and I love val in it, she looks happy but sort of "oh my gosh your all overwhelming me" :) (Thats what we do!)

My sweet little niece Maya

Baby Emma

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:55:00 +0000

Baby Emma is a friend of mines brand new baby girl, and oh I fell in love with her! She is such a content and happy little girl just happy to let me hold her and love her, during the session she got a little cold and fussed and she let me just scope her up and rock her and back out she went and let me finish photos. Oh such heaven! I loved this photo shoot thank you to her wonderful parents for letting me spend the afternoon with all of you!!!!!!

Look she even smiled :)

Karin's Maternity Session

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:54:00 +0000

We took her photos in Ramsey, and oh what a beautiful sunny Minnesota day we had. I felt so good after the cold snap we suffered through. Karin is such a beautiful pregnant mom - she simply glowed! I really enjoyed spending time with her and her family and her little girl (who is the same age as my Athena) More of this family to come when little bundle of joy arrives!

A Winter Family Session

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:58:00 +0000

I love this family - I have photographed them several times over the years and each time I love them more. They are proof that well behaved children still exist in this world! They are so good, and happy! Oh it makes my job so much easier! Hannah is so smart and sits so nice - she really should model the way she poses. And Molly... she seemed to take so long to walk and then once she started, oh boy, she goes! My camera was clicking so fast trying to catch that little girl on the go. She was a blast! So much personality it those big beautiful eyes. I cant wait to see what all that focused energy turns into as she grows. And Colette and Chris just seem to do the family life with such love and ease, never a harsh word, but always have control, How do you two do that and make it look so easy?? I am a mom with three crazy kids and is baffled by it! Enjoy your photos guys.

I love this next one:

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

Homemade Laundry Soap

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:01:00 +0000

This is way better then the store bought laundry soap. You only have to use 1 Tablespoon per load. This recipe made a bucket full of soap and is going to last a year I bet. I made mine last night and it was great - it smelled great, cost only about $20, and only took me about 15 min to make. I will never go back to store bought!

Here is what you need:

(via http://beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2010/11/homemade-laundry-soap.html)

1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) I found this in the detergent isle but could also be with the cooking stuff

1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

3 bars of Fels-naptha soap, found in the detergent isle

2 small containers of oxyclean or store brand oxyclean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle.

(I used only 1)

(you can also use pink Zote soap instead of Fels-naptha. I had really wanted to but could not find it anywhere)

You should be able to find all of these items at your grocery store.

This detergent is fairly mild smelling, it is not over powering. If you love a strong scent you may have to add a fabric softener to each load.

Start out by grating your Fels-naptha soap just like cheese. You can use a food processor or just use your hand held grater, what ever you have.
**Don't worry the Fels-naptha will dissolve in your washer even if you only use cold water like me.**

Toss all ingredients in a 5 gallon bucket lined with a garbage bag. This part makes your whole house smell great. Once everything is mixed store soap however you like. I used a cleaning bucket I found at walmart and used the scoop from inside the oxyclean. Worked out awesome!

Kasey and Nic's Engagement in Taylors falls/St. Croix Falls

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:12:00 +0000

Nic lives out of town and is an engineer in the Air Force (how cool is that!) so we had to squeeze in an engagement session over the holidays while he was here. I was amazed at the weather - I mean have you ever seen photos with this much sun and warmth at the end of December in Minnesota? It was beautiful! oh do I love the sun it makes for such beauty in the photos with light streaming in everywhere, I could do so many fun and creative things, and Kasey (who is a teacher) is so fun and wanted unique photos - so we just walked around the 2 towns and had fun together - I am so excited for next September these two are going to be so amazing in their wedding attire! Thank you Kasey and Nic for choosing me for your photographer you are both amazing - enjoy the photos!

Pine City Newborn

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:16:00 +0000

Baby M. Came into the world a little earlier than planned but she is as healthy as can be, and such a sweet easy going baby. I loved photographing her, and loved using some of my new hats on her, as well as a special one made by grandma. Here is the precious bundle of joy.

Baby Henry

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:08:00 +0000

Little Henry is just so adorable - need I say more :) I love photographing him and his sweetness.

I love this next one - he seems to be saying... oh hi my momma.

Thoughts on Success and Eating Cake.

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:23:00 +0000

So I follow the blogs of several well known photographers and many of them focus on "leaving your nine to five, or getting out from behind the cubical" as if that is the key to success. I suppose for many people that is the goal. They have become photographers to get out of dead end jobs or it is their passion to only do photography. And many times I have judged myself against that thought, and felt unsuccessful, when really I never should have done that. My husband, sweet that he is, gave me a little pep talk on my feelings of success (or lack thereof) and I took some things from that conversation and mulled it all over, and came to the conclusion that everyone else's definition of success doesn't work for me.

At the end of the day I am extremely lucky to do what I do both for my day job and my business. I like doing what I do and I want to have my cake and eat it too. I went to school all those years ago to become a graphic designer...I love to design, and lucky me I have a fantastic job with an amazing company that hired me to be in charge of the design department, I love it! And bonus... its minutes from home. Awesome.

I also love my photography work. It is my creative outlet, the way I can expressive myself freely, and capture your expressions in an artistic way. It makes me happy to make my clients happy, and gives me a satisfaction like I have never had before. I love to see the feedback that someone gives to me when an image I created made them laugh or cry or feel loved.

So in conclusion, after re-evaluating the meaning of success for me in my life, I realize that having my day job makes me very successful, having my photography business makes me very successful, having a happy marriage with a wonderfully supportive caring and loving husband makes me very successful, having 3 beautiful healthy children that I love makes me very successful, and I dont want to give up any of those areas to reach what someone else's version of success is. I will have my cake and eat it to, thank you very much, because thats what you should do with cake.

P.S. The company I work for Cartech books Just launched their brand spanking new website at http://www.cartechbooks.com/ you can find lots of gifts their for the car buff in your life (and you can see me and the crew and some of my photography work on the about us page.) Enjoy the thanksgiving holiday everyone - wishing you all your own version of success.

The Nelson Family

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:34:00 +0000

Sara is an amazing creative person who I feel has a similar spirit to my own. I met her and her beautiful family for some photos at their house in North Branch for some fun photos. Here are the beautiful results.

Her little boy really loves his kitten, so we started off with taking a few pictures of him and his pal.

These two brothers are so nice to each other! I loved how willing they were to give each other a hug.

So this next one is my favorite from the day - I got all mushy when I saw it!

Sarah and Nicks 2011 Family photos

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:04:00 +0000

Nick and Sarah have been coming to me for their families photos for years and years now and I swear every year gets more fun! This year we had a bit of a weather issue but you cant tell by the beautiful photos. This year they had an extra couple families with them so we had a crazy fun time with all of those kids! Here are the previous years, its fun to see the kids grow-up! 2008 2009 2010.

Thank you Nick and Sarah for year after year coming to me and being so willing to try all my new ideas you guys are the best!

I love tickle fights :)

The whole group with grandma

ahhh yes - here is the family I know and love - I knew eventually I would capture the real you's.

:) hahaha

Awww cut it out you two - your just to darn adorable together!!

Anna's fun family photo session

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:03:00 +0000

We had so much fun running around the Cambridge city park - we enjoyed one of the last wonderful sunny days of fall. The kids had so much fun running around that it was hard to reign them in for photos, but we did get them to pause once and awhile for some fun photos. Enjoy.

Heidi and her beautiful girls

noreply@blogger.com (Expressivestudios) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:27:00 +0000

I had planned a shoot with these beautiful ladies thinking we would hike the fields and lay in the grass, and all the fun things of late fall - but really I should have realized that it is Minnesota and November, which often means snow... So we got the pleasure of taking photos after the very first snow of the season, they turned out wonderful. We had to stop a time or two to warm finger and toes, but I loved the rosy glow of cheeks and the pop of color on the snow. Heidi actually told me she was not photogenic - ha! Can you believe that? She is such a beautiful woman - Just look at her, I have always thought she should have been a model. Well the one thing she is and does to a perfection, is being a mom. She loves her girls and they love her!