Lakeville Minnesota Family Portraits

Remember when I went back to Minnesota during the coldest winter week they have had in over twenty years?  And my mom and mom-in-law and her mom all thought I would reschedule because I’m such a wimp when it comes to temperatures under 75 degrees?  This is the family I went back to Minnesota and photograph.  It was totally worth the trip!

With a sign like this over their stove, I knew we would have a great time.

One of the things that I absolutely love about photographing people is seeing how people interact.  How they love each other and how they show it.  Everyone is so different in public comfort levels.  Some are so quiet and reserved.  You have to look hard and long to see that sometimes love is just in a quiet gaze or gentle touch on the shoulder.  

But this family was very open.  They were constantly teasing each other, laughing and grabbing each other for hugs.

We started off shooting inside their home.  The light in their family room was fantastic!

Then we drove up to the neighborhood clubhouse, which used to be an old barn that is now fully renovated.  You might recognize it, as it was where one of my favorite couples got married in November.  This family is friends with my grooms and live in the same neighborhood.  They took advantage of my Cyber Monday sale to hire me, so I flew back a few weeks later to photograph their family AND make graduation photographs for their son.  He’s graduating from college this spring.  Congratulations Russell!

These two seemed so close.  I hope that when my son is this age, he won’t have any problems with me giving him big hugs and smooches on the cheek.

Oh.  They’re also big animal lovers.  They have these cute puppies, a bunny and birds.  It was all I could do to not plant myself in front of the bunny cage and pet it and hug it and love it and call it George. 

See?  Constantly hugging each other.  Also?  Mom is a trouble maker.  I like trouble makers.  They’re fun.  She was giving both her kids bunny ears when sitting in this spot.  It still has me laughing.

And no “it’s about time” jokes on graduating.  Russell is done in four years and now off for the experience he needs to qualify for graduate school in his field.  He’s younger than most for completing his degree.  Way to go!

After wrapping up in the barn, we headed back to their house and got one last family portrait under the massive oak trees in their backyard.  I think it was in the negative teens when we were outside, so we all had the necessary coats on to stay warm.  And not get frostbite in the ten minutes we were out there. 

Thank you Ursula and Curt for having me out to make family photographs for you guys.  I love that you chose all of these images to display in your home!!