Summertime Family Photos at the Lake | Cass Lake MN Photographer Norway Beach Resort
MN WEDDING Lifestyle Images Use Movement + Details | Cass Lake, MN Photographer
Lifestyle Photography at Home PART 1 NAPTIME | photos moms and dads can take
HOW-TO Take Pictures of your kids when they’re not looking.
Document your life. Part 1
When Families look back at photographs and memories from years past, there is a much richer story to the little details than there is when you see a picture of everyone dressed pristinely with smiles directed at the camera. Those a lovely images. But what makes a memory come back is when you can see the details.
The details make a memory come to life.
The chubby little fingers. Scrawny legs. Summer scratches on their summer knees. Remembering the smells and sounds of those days… that’s what we want. When you document your every day life, you’re going to capture those memories clearer! Keep snapping pictures of the little things.
Today, I’m sharing with you the elusive toddler NAPTIME.
Naptime on the couch. With life going on around him, this three year old brings us back to the days of snuggles, whines, and running fast to keep up with his older siblings. I will remember those dirty bare feet pedaling in fast circles to keep up with the boys. I will remember those sticky cheeks, sweetened with jelly from his earlier snack of toast. I will remember the little years and the treasure it is.
Capture it as it is.
Don’t get caught up trying to make it look different than it is. Sure, you can pick up a dirty tissue or stray items out of the scene to simplify it, but any picture will be better than none!
So, whatever you do to document the little years, just document it. It’s fast, fleeting and so full of beauty and learning! And remember, even something as simple as naptime does a wonderful job canning that up for you!
Take notice of the little details around you that you don’t want to forget. Balled up fists, fluttering eyes, and sandy hair. Document your life, capturing the details of the little years. Moms and Dads can take these pictures!
This is part 1 of a 4 part series. Be sure to check out the others in this Document Life series with examples of how to take pictures of your kids when they aren’t looking!
PART ONE In the first post, I shared with you some photos from the couch of the elusive toddler NAPTIME.
Flower Girls | Twins in the Vibrant Minnesota Fall Colors, Amy Kastenbauer Photographer, MN
These two!!! Adorable, precious, tender, and loving. It was so so so fun to watch these twin sisters work together throughout the whole wedding day! They were darling! 
Fall Family Photos | Rum River, Riverview Park, Milaca MN | Minnesota Fall Mini Session Photographer
I love having the privilege of meeting with families year after year, watching them grow. It is such a blessing to see a mom and dad love their sweet kiddos so much, and this family is an excellent example of Love!
They do a great job laughing together, naturally. They smile and giggle, and the kids, like ALL other kids, have their little fits too. Plus, they always do a fabulous job with great outfit coordination for their annual fall mini session of family portraits! You can spot denim, leggings, cute boots, the mustard yellow sweater, the nice green vest and floral tunic on sweet little… they’re just simply adorable!
White Winter Wedding Gown | Itasca State Park Wedding Photos | Russian Orthodox Wedding Photographer
Family Photos on the farm with a gorgeous red barn, water and fields | Park Rapids, MN Family and Children Photographer
Photographing this family for the fourth time! They are the sweetest! I am so blessed that they hired me a few years ago to do their family photos. It was mom, dad, and three kids. At the very end of that first session, they told me they were expecting baby # 4! WAHOO! How exciting! Well, Then I came back and did family portraits, newborn portraits, and was able to capture them in their lake home before they moved out of state, and we have spent time photographing them at Itasca State Park at the Mississippi River Headwaters. Now, they came all they way back to Minnesota this summer just to let me get their photos 🙂 Well, okay, they wanted to visit family, too… But, I’ll pretend it was just to see me and let me see how precious newborn Ember has grown into a full-blown, walking and prancing little toddler girl!
I love getting to know families and their stories through what the parents and the kids say during our session and this family is the rule! They’re a beautiful family, and I hope I get to keep capturing their growth and changes whenever they’re “back home!”
And then, the mother’s sister and her kids were there, so I snapped some cute ones of them, as well!
Family Fall Photography | Fabulous Finding Fun and Full Foliage For Fotos. (or something like that)
The colors of Autumn are in full swing here in Northern MN. So, we had this family over to Grace Lake, near Cass Lake, MN to take some family photos near the lake. We got some pops of red, orange, yellow, green, and brown. They meandered from the hill with pines down to the narrow sandy beach on Grace Lake. It was the perfect setting for an afternoon photo session.
Here’s one quick one from this good day!
Newborn Girl Aviana | Park Rapids, MN Family & Baby Photographer
I am so glad I had the morning to photograph this lovely family near Park Rapids. It was a treat to meet them! Dad’s sister and her family are regular clients of mine whom I love, so it’s always fun to know more of a great family! I love getting into people’s homes and their lives a little bit when I go to take pictures. These kids were shy for the first few minutes, then they had their balance bikes out, they were doing tricks for their upcoming “clown show” for visiting cousins, and just chatting away! It was such a blessing to meet tiny little Aviana. Tell you what, this almost-2-week-old girl was a complete dolly! She dressed well, ate well, slept well, and laid (lay? lie?) there so well for her debut photo shoot. What a champ! 
W Family & Maternity Photos | Colorful, Natural, Northern MN Photographer
