The Sextons: New music. New photos.

The Sextons just got signed to a record label, which means they have a newly mixed CD in the works (release party March 5) and needed a new one-sheet photo. Our goal was to get shots that didn't look staged, which proved practically impossible wince we were, in fact, staging shots. Oh well. They were good sports and trekked through ridiculous amounts of snow at 8 a.m., after which they bought be a bowl of oatmeal the size of a bird bath (both rewarding and incredibly excessive).









While we were wandering, we stumbled across this great little scene. Too bad there was so much snow on the couch.

One more...

I have a lot of posts to get up here soon but for now I'll just put this up--one of my favorite photos from the Art Shanties that I forgot to post! (I'm a little geeky about "outer space" and NASA and all that, so I was instantly drawn to this astronomy shanty.)

Minnesota 'Ice

This past weekend I wandered over to the Art Shanty Projects on Medicine Lake. The project is really interesting--artists are asked to build a shanty, and therein an experience, for visitors. Shanty art ranged from a dance party to a business exchange (no money needed--the price tag for a set of stickers read "reveal your superpower to a stranger") to learning Norwegian to constellation gawking.






The Photo Shanty let this kid experiment with reflection by cooking a hotdog with the sun...



The Fantashanty was my favorite - transporting visitors to a fantasy land the minute they walked in.





My cousin Katie moved up here last week from Kansas City. I thought--why not introduce her to Minnesota the right way? "Welcome to Minnesota. Come walk across a frozen lake with me to learn Norwegian in an ice fishing hut." It's almost poetic.



Learn more about the project here.

Twin Cities Trek

Well, after almost a full month without blogging (yikes!), I'm back. I'd like to blame my serious lack of posting on something like the holidays or the Fugitive being played repeatedly on HBO or my realization that my thumbs are different lengths, but it would be a lie. Quite simply, I've been slacking.

Ah well. It was nice while it lasted, right? But now here we are with a new post. In fact, I wandered around both Minneapolis and Saint Paul (on a very cold day, I might add) to find some unique shots. Karissa joined me for the Saint Paul leg.


I found a lot of nice patterns/structures.



It became very clear, very quickly, that Karissa and I aren't natural trouble-makers when we had to convince each other it was ok to walk down this semi-private drive near a railroad track. Oh yes, we are rebels. Our cause? To capture embarrassingly non-bad-ass images, like these:




We also found a run down area under the highway. I love the numbers/doors, and like picturing what it might have looked like back in its prime.



And end scene.

Wintry Mix Expected.

A nice mix of photos depicting winter 2009:
Barren landscapes. Bridges. Barges. Berries. Footprints in the snow. Cracked ice. Frosted windows.

The Aschers

My friend Emily wanted photos of her, her sister Beth and her brother Jeff for their parents for Christmas. We stopped at my Grandma's farm over Thanksgiving to do the shoot. It was so much fun. Most of the photos that didn't make this post are just of them giggling (or laughing in a very manly way, Jeff).





I've never wanted a sister more than when I saw this photo. Seriously--do you see this bond?!

And Jeff really did it up here--a perfect senior photo (if he loved trucks and was a senior).

L-Joe

Back in the day when every celebrity couple had a unit name (think Bennifer), Laura and Joe started dating. Obviously, being the good friend that I am, I gave them the obligatory couple-name: L-Joe. Anyway, long story short, L-Joe had a drama-free relationship that ended in a beautiful wedding. (US Weekly would have been devastated by the lack of sales.) Anyway, they've been married for a few years now and wanted some photos to prove they were still together and happy (WAY above average for "celebrities", but exactly what I'd expect from a great couple like them).





BTW--it was FREEZING outside (after 20 minutes I couldn't feel my fingers or feet) and they still lost their coats for a few shots...and their smiles don't even look that fake!


Aw.