Blog – Studio Laguna Photography

Happy Family

July 1, 2012 By katrina 5 Comments

My mission, (should I choose to accept it) was to photograph two kids under one, a group of eight, and make the images fun and full of personality…oh, and do it in over 90 degree weather with high humidity. Well, thanks to an AMAZINGLY fun family who were troopers through the heat, we did it! I adore these images and the people in them, what a fun afternoon!

I have a lot of images to share because we did three portrait sessions in one. Very fun! But we all ran for the air conditioning when it was done. =)

Hey kids, your parents took this picture JUST so they could embarrass you later in life…

I can’t tell which one I like better…this one…

…or this one…

…and I’m just going to go on the record and say Studio Laguna is totally fine with tossing children in the air. ; )

I hope you love this sneak peek!

Bill and Lindsey

June 30, 2012 By katrina Leave a Comment

Bill and Lindsey were married today! Again!

Before Bill was deployed, he and Lindsey had a very intimate wedding and now, over a year later, he was home safe and it was time to celebrate their union with all their friends and family.

Though it was pretty darn hot, Bill and Lindsey were calm, cool and looked picture perfect. Bill and his groomsmen got ready at Heimie’s Haberdashery which gave John (and friend Julio) some fun backdrops to play with and use some new lighting techniques. After their first site at the St Paul Hotel, we took a quick stroll and then we braved the heat to get some great skyline and industrial images.

I think I’ll title this one “Sun Goddess” =)

Bill and Lindsey chose lime and dark purple for their summery fun wedding. Though Black Bear Crossings Pavilion has very classical architecture, it also embraces the rustic side that the couple loves. All of their details were vibrant and playful with many touches of nature as well. Flowerama knocked it out of the park with their whimsical arrangements.

The ceremony was very sweet, especially since the couple’s yellow lab was the ring bearer!

To honor Bill’s Husker days, they wedding party released red balloons with a big Hurrah!

Summer evenings create great shadows…

Some of the fun details…all DIY!

Of course the food was fantastic, it always is at Black Bear! A jazz quartet played, a welcome breeze started to blow, the sun started to set…it was a gorgeous night. And if you follow our blog and facebook, you know that I LOVE Maxfield Parrish. When I saw this light, I had to try to pay homage to him.

Bill and Lindsey, it has been such a pleasure getting to know the both of you better, and it was amazing being a part of your day today. Enjoy this sneak peek!

Little Lamb

June 28, 2012 By katrina Leave a Comment

Little Will had his newborn session today.

This little guy was 10 days late, and by the time he arrived (dad got to deliver him!) everyone was so thankful to finally meet him! Especially big brother, he was such a big helper! When Will cries, Jacob sings “I am Jesus Little Lamb” and calms the baby right down.

Sweet smiles…

…and big yawns…

…and plenty of love from big brother!

It was such a joy getting to meet little Will! Enjoy this sneak peek!

Spicer Castle

June 27, 2012 By katrina Leave a Comment

Today, I traveled to Spicer Castle to photograph their venue for future advertising and web images. It is a well-known landmark on Green Lake, a bed and breakfast and restaurant still owned by the original family. Since the exterior is photographed so much, I concentrated on interior images that showed the quirkiness of the spaces and the overall design of the property. I also photographed some of the restaurant’s favorite dishes and exterior details. Since it was such a scorcher of a day and the home is huge with four cottages as well as the rooms (and I got to go on the roof!) I was sweating like crazy by the end, but excited at all the fun images I was able to take!

The castle is quite a favorite vacation spot and also has fun activities like dinner cruises and mystery dinner theater and supports local artists. I loved that every nook and corner of the property has something interesting to look at.

Besides the every day operations, the castle is also a wedding venue. Couples can either have their wedding and reception in the castle for a small group, or use a tent in the garden for a larger guest count. Renting out the entire property creates a fabulous wedding weekend where family and friends can really spend time with each other. And the rustic shabby chic look of the space is really fun to play with for a wedding design aesthetic.

And those of you who know me, know I’m all about the food! And I fully enjoyed the variety of dishes on their menu as well as the slight tweaks to standard fare so nothing seemed ordinary, and everything I tasted was delish!

And on the way home (thankfully in air conditioning!) I stumbled across this =)

Danny Boy

June 25, 2012 By katrina 1 Comment

Danny is about two weeks old and just darling! I loved his tiny nose, red curls and bright eyes.

And like the true child of thespians, he did a great job with his first photoshoot.

Since Shannon and Stuart attended a Twins game on Danny’s due date (while feeling contractions), we felt a baseball themed picture would be appropriate. That day, the Twins happened to be giving every kid at the game a jersey, Danny got one, too!

Congratulations, Stuart and Shannon! Danny is perfection!

Marcus and Kaitlin

June 23, 2012 By katrina 2 Comments

Marcus and Kaitlin were married today!

The day started off on a good foot with the guys getting pampered at Heimie’s Haberdashery with straight razer shaves.

The wedding had a fresh modern feel with a kelly green and royal blue color scheme. Every last detail was thought of, from Marcus’ plaid bow tie to the groomsmens’ argyle socks. Kaitlin looked just stunning in her form fitting lace gown from Raffine Bridal, and I loved pairing her sleak gown with the rustic backdrop of a nearby barn.

The ceremony at St Ambrose was lovely and I think Marcus will always treasure the moment he saw Kaitlin walking down the aisle. There were a lot of happy tears today.

After the ceremony, we had a great time taking pictures. The drive to St Paul gave the group plenty of time to party down in the limo, and A&J Transportation did a fabulous job dealing with our many location stops and navigating the downtown construction.

The ladies are bringing sexy back…

…and the guys found a corn field.

Marcus and Kaitlin are just so sweet together. We loved photographing their tender and loving moments.

And they make pretty fantastic models, too ; )

The reception took place at Christos Union Depot, a lovely historic building in downtown St Paul. We cannot say enough about their truly delicious food and impeccable service. And on top of a fantastic dinner, there was Muddy Paws Cheesecake for dessert! Yum!

The rest of these teaser images are dance pictures, and it was hard to narrow them down. Instant Request did a wonderful job playing music that fit the crowd and kept the dance floor packed. I honestly don’t know what was my favorite moment…but Kaitlin’s dad dancing to Love Shack is at the top of the list.

The guests sure enjoyed The Traveling Photo Booth!

Marcus and Kaitlin, it has been such a joy to work with you two and we are honored you chose us to be a part of your wedding day. Enjoy these sneak peeks!

Wedding Anniversary Celebration

June 17, 2012 By katrina Leave a Comment

Today I had a wonderful experience. I photographed a traditional Hmong Anniversary Celebration.

The day started with over 400 guests greeting the guests of honor and giving them congratulations on their long marriage. Their children were with them the entire time, dressed to the nines, and hosted the event. I even learned how to count “1…2…3!” and say “thank you” in Hmong =)

Though I wasn’t able to understand the language, the ceremony was fascinating and full of tradition. Lasting Impressions Weddings did a fantastic job making The Great Hall sparkle in gold. White orchids on black manzanita branches gave a nice contrast on some tables, and fluffy white peonies graced others. Avant Decor draped the entire ceiling in white with twinkle lights, it looked so lovely!

The food, of course, was also amazing. With western food (including mashed potato bar!) from Prom Catering and a variety of Chinese dishes from Peking Garden. Guests ate during the ceremony where the couple’s history was told as well as lengthy ceremonies to give them good fortune.

Surrounded and supported by family, the couple is blessed and tall of the guests then come to tie a piece of string around their wrists and wish them well.

Of course I had to get some cute kid pictures!

Singer, Mai Xiong, did a lovely job, and the guests enjoyed dancing the rest of the night away!

Sunkissed

June 11, 2012 By katrina 1 Comment

Marcus and Kaitlin had their engagement session today!

Marcus grew up in a small town, so we found some locations with nostalgia for him. Kaitlin matched the location perfectly in her polka dot outfit. Aren’t they adorable?!?!

The wind was playing with Kaitlin’s hair so perfectly for her portrait.

I love how Kaitlin and Marcus make each other laugh. They are so laid back and obviously have a great time together!

Kaitlin and Marcus, thank you for a wonderful evening! John and I can’t WAIT for your upcoming wedding!

Bridal Brunch

June 10, 2012 By katrina 3 Comments

Today I photographed The Bridal Brunch, hosted by Chowgirls Killer Catering.

Mimosas, a Bloody Mary bar, and mini breakfast goodies (the french toast was amazing!) were enjoyed by guests as they spoke with wedding vendors and enjoyed lovely music by Cafe Melange.

The event was beautifully designed by The Vintage Type. It was light and airy, perfect for such a hot day. Please make sure to “like” Chowgirls on facebook so you’re among the first to know about their future events!

Picnic

June 7, 2012 By katrina 3 Comments

Tim and Lucy had their engagement session today!

I loved how the bright colors they wore stood out from the woodsy location they chose. We were definitely in the wilderness, complete with giant misquitos, a turkey and a snapping turtle.

I’m so excited for their wedding, it will be the first one to take place in the Swedish Institute’s new modern space. We were discussing many of the details tonight and I got more and more excited. These two definitely know how to let their personalities shine through! Tim proposed with an engagement announcement in the New York Times, so we made sure to include that meaningful paper into their picnic session.

Tim also provided some mood music with his accordion, it was fantastic!

Enjoy the sneak peek!