Blog

Tiny Little Brand New Miles

February 23, 2012 by emma

I got to photograph this little peanut this morning. He’s got great cheeks and makes the cutest grunting sounds!

This is one of my favorite albums I’ve designed! I absolutely love the linen cover with the purple ribbon that Emily and Jack chose which perfectly compliment their lovely, classic wedding in Milwaukee last year.

Favorite Image : Dreaming

February 17, 2012 by emma

I love when images make me dream. I saw this car sitting in the driveway of a home in Uptown and loved that it appeared to have been plopped there from a different era, in mint condition. I had my Holga with me so I snapped a photo. I think the black and white film adds to the nostalgic quality of the image along with the dreaminess that is inherent in the Holga. I love just wandering around with my cameras and seeing what I find in my community. There’s always something to notice, to wonder about, to be drawn to, to be inspired by.

Art Vandalay

February 15, 2012 by emma

Local Minneapolis band Art Vandalay asked me to take some promo photos for them recently. Check out their music at their upcoming show at Honey on February 22nd in Northeast Minneapolis!

Favorite Image: Happy Accidents

February 15, 2012 by emma

I love happy accidents. The Holga is notorious for them. Last year at the Twin Cities Loppet I went with a friend to wander and make pictures. I tried a double exposure with all of the people moving across the lake, not having any idea what it would look like. I love the energy in it, the nostalgic quality and the serendipity of the process. If you’re feeling stuck as a photographer, pick up a Holga and go play.

Favorite Image : Unexpected Color

February 14, 2012 by emma

I had a client a couple of years ago who asked me to do her high school senior photos on my Holga camera. She is an artist and wanted an approach that was unique and true to her. The Holga is incredibly quirkly and playful with very few technical settings, encouraging you to just play and experiment, which is exactly what I did for this shoot. When I scanned the film I was so surprised by the rich color in this shot-all the other images were more subdued but this one just….popped. I’m not usually a fan of over saturated colors but I thought this was so much fun and such a happy accident.

Shot on Holga with Kodak Portra 120 400 film.

Favorite Images : Caitlin

February 9, 2012 by emma

I did a styled shoot a couple years ago with my friend Caitlin. We were looking for an inspiring project to work on together and I wanted to try my hand at a styled shoot, which I had never done before. We did four different looks/concepts and this one was by far my favorite. Caitlin’s family owns a farm not far from Minneapolis so we hopped in the car and went exploring. There’s something about a really windy summer day that I just love… something about the power behind the wind and the sense of change, I think. Caitlin stepped into this field and her hair and dress immediately started blowing. I got low in the grass and we just started to play. It was amazing. I tend to not like styled shoots because they can feel too contrived and too fake to me, but Caitlin had a real connection to this place and to the land, which was so inspiring for me to photograph. The image on the right was used on the cover of an album for Milwaukee band Buffalo Gospel.

A huge thanks to Jake Lindgren for his styling expertise on the outfits and Elizabeth & Carolyn for doing amazing hair and makeup.

Melanie & Phil’s Wedding Album

February 3, 2012 by emma

Quality is essential in my life. In a world where things are made very quickly and cheaply, I love searching for and hand picking the products that I choose to offer very carefully. When it comes to albums, each one must be made with the highest quality materials, be archival (so it will last for as long as possible), be sustainably produced and be made by people who really care about what they create, because I believe you can tell the difference immediately. It’s in the subtleties…the way the book is bound by hand…the way the ribbon ties in just the right way to look beautiful and elegant…the tactile quality of the silk fabrics that just make you want to grab the album and get cozy on a couch. I can always tell when something has had love poured into it and for me, that’s what it’s all about.