In one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes, Tosha and I celebrated a stunning sunset. A gifted lifestyle photographer, Tosh appreciated my desire to steal a moment of beauty, hers and nature’s,  as the sun slid beneath the distant horizon . It was a fun shoot on an evening when the water was relatively warm for Minnesota and the only ripples on the surface were hers.

I first laid eyes on Elle’s braid in a pizzeria in Tonka Bay. Standing behind her, I turned to the manager, Gary Ezell, and said I’ve got to shoot her, I love that braid. He introduced us ( she is a part time employee), and within a week, we were joined by her mom Carol and sister Anna. In an 1880’s barn, Carol lent a hand while holding a reflector in a dimly lit setting. Then we hooked up again for a memorable shoot at Shady Grove, a roadside pull off where, years ago, a boys’ home once stood.

Perched upon her father’s 1966 Nova SS, Jen Maloney poses beside her brand new husband Mike at the Mayo Brothers farm near Rochester.  It was a long day of shooting; 12 hours, then a drive back home to Shorewood. Since this August day in 2011, I’ve shot every significant family event with my friends Jen and Mike. Great fun with swell pals.