Minneapolis Family Photographer | Ozkar's Third Birthday

Pig masks, pinups and perfectly prepared donuts — it sounds like a your ordinary birthday for any three year old, right? Hardly. But I can't say I'm surprised the the items above were on the agenda for Ozkar's third birthday. Ozkar and his parents are unique to say the least. I've been working with this handsome little guy since he was only a couple of weeks old. We've had the meaningful tradition of doing photo sessions on his actual birthday for the past three years. And with this most recent being Ozkar's Golden Birthday, I knew something fantastic would be in store. What was the most special about the event, though, was simply the fact that I was along for the ride. You see, the family just went about their typical routine, as if it were any other Saturday, spending time together doing what they love. I was there to document the moments while the family did a couple of Ozkar's favorite things: shopping for records, and eating amazing donuts! It's the type of photography I enjoy the most.

We started the morning off with a trip to The Electric Fetus, a record store (yes, they still exist) that I frequented as a teenager. While I have to admit I embrace the digital age and dabble in streaming music, it was refreshing to see the concept of thumbing through albums being passed on to the next generation. Ozkar was gifted the opportunity to select his own record to bring home. He chose the latest from Minnesota's own, Trampled By Turtles. The store was peppered with Halloween décor and costumes, hence, the pig mask reference at the lede of this post (it was a stretch, I know, but I'm a sucker for alliteration).

Next we made a stop to satiate the taste buds of even the most discerning three year olds (or 30-somethings for that matter). Ozkar's parents had a delicious surprise waiting for him when they arrived at Glam Doll Donuts. The artists had prepared a wonderfully monsterous donut spread for Ozkar to dive into — and he did. Ozkar made sure all around could see just how much he enjoyed the sweet creations. I was keen on having, ahem, the Girl Next Door, an unexpected pastry featuring provolone and muenster cheese. Hello awesome!

Oh yeah, and in between bites we were able to get some tasty photos of the family, too! Thanks so much to the staff at Glam Doll Donuts and The Electric Fetus for makings all feel at home!

Happy birthday, Ozkar! I'm wishing you another year full of memories that will last a lifetime.

Northfield Family Photographer | Christmas at The Gardens

Get your holiday photos, fine trees and greens, plus one-of-a-kind gifts during Christmas at The Gardens

OK, it's snowing outside. Aside from the brutal wakeup call that winter is here to stay all of that snow can be a good thing! I know that nothing puts me in the holiday spirit quicker than a fresh blanket of snow. Plus, those dipping temps also mean warming up with a cup of hot cocoa by the fire — who doesn't love that? This year, you're welcome to join us at our hearth during Christmas at The Gardens, Nov. 28 and 29. This Holiday Boutique features fine greens and fresh-cut trees from Switzer's Nursery and Landscaping along with truly unique gifts from area artists, including jewelry designer Heather Lawrenz and garden sculptor Jennifer Wolcott. And while you're shopping for your loved ones why not get your holiday portraits done, too?

I'm excited to once again be offering family mini photo sessions during Christmas at The Gardens. Holiday portraiture is a beautiful way to capture a new stage in your family’s life or to simply share in a tradition with your nearest and dearest. Take the time to commemorate this season with moments that will be treasured for years to come.

Get a feel for what photography with Anthologie is all about. During your 20-minute portrait session, your loved ones will have fun being themselves — playing and laughing while we capture honest portraits of who you are while still saving time for the posed pictures your families crave at this time of year.

When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 28 and 29

Where: The Gardens of Castle Rock, 26601 Chippendale Ave., Northfield, MN

Price: Holiday Cheer Collection $175  |  Seasons Greetings Collection $215

What’s included: The Holiday Cheer Collection features a 20-minute outdoor photography session; online proofing gallery; creative post-processing treatments of your pictures, including black-and-white and color; high-resolution digital files with the copyrights to print your own pictures up to 8x10 inches; and no minimum print order requirements.

The Seasons Greetings Collection includes everything listed above, plus 25 custom greeting cards. These designs are printed double sided in full color on 5x7 matte card stock. Choose from these 4 gorgeous designs below.

What to Wear

We aim to capture the true personality of your family, so it’s important that your clothing choices speak to who you are and make you happy in the process. Here are just a few tips for looking your best.

• Dress appropriate for the weather

• Look for outfits or coats that compliment, but aren’t identitcal

• Layers are fantastic for adults and children

• Bright hues or small accessories create a fun pop of color

• Jackets that are fitted and crisp photograph best

Contact us today

We would love to capture your family portraits this holiday season. Now is one of the busiest times of the year and our schedule will fill up fast, so kindly contact us as soon as possible to secure your session time. Make your appointment today by calling 952-232-5830 or email: info (at ) theanthologie.com

A gift for you! We're sharing the love for our anniversary

Time sure does fly when you're having fun. We're excited to share that Anthologie officially turned 5 years old today! We're celebrating with a gift for you. As a token of our gratitude for your years of support, we're offering a 16x20 wall portrait for every family or documentary photography session throughout the month of February.

With February being the month of love, we're asking: Who is in your heart?

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and you don't want to be caught without something sweet for those you love, right? Well, we have the perfect way to show your love year round! This year, every family photo session or documentary photo project in February will include a 16x20 wall portrait (an $80 value) as our gift to you.

We know that love is a powerful emotion, but one that doesn't always have to be about romance. Your love for your niece, your grandfather or your family pet can be every bit as important as the bond between spouses. So, this month why not celebrate the relationship you have with those in your heart?

When your photo session is finished you can rest assured that those special moments won't be lost in the ether or relegated to a life in a hard drive. Instead those memories will make a BIG statement in your home. We will print your favorite image on the finest photographic papers around and present it to you to proudly display for years to come.

To get this wonderful gift for your sweetie simply follow these instructions:

• Contact us {952-232-5830 or info (at) theanthologie.com} to discuss your photo project
• Make sure your photo session takes place by Feb. 28, 2014
• All regularly priced family and documentary photo sessions are eligible
• After your photos are presented online just tell us your favorite
• That's it! We'll print the wall portrait for you and you look like a hero

Please feel free to share this post with others you think will enjoy it. Thanks so much for viewing!

Minneapolis baby photographer | Linnea Turns One

A whole new definition of "time flies ..."

As a parent myself, I know how important it is to capture each little change in your child's early development. It seems one day they're smiling with a big gummy grin, and the next they're boasting molars and speaking in sentences. I try to take this into account whenever I'm working with clients documenting the first year in their child's life. When baby Linnea's first birthday came around her parents knew they wanted to remember all the little faces she was making at the time.

Since we had had the opportunity to work on more documentary style photos in the months past, including a visit to Linnea's neighborhood park and a pumpkin patch, we all decided doing some more traditional portraiture might be a nice change of pace. I suggested we keep things as simple as possible, right down to Linnea's white dress and a white background so that the pictures would focus more on each little expression she makes. We also chose to have a few of her favorite toys along to help remind mom and dad later of just who Linnea was as she marked her first year.

What's crazy is how some times we don't even notices the subtle changes to our little ones when they're right in front of us. It can take slowing down and seeing these slices of time — mere fractions of a second — to realize a family resemblance or a personality trait that's been passed down from one generation to the next.

These photos represent a departure from what you're used to seeing with Anthologie. I'd love to know what you think, so please comment or share using the handy links below. Thank you so much for viewing!

Related: See pictures from Lisa's maternity session, just days before Linnea arrived to this world.

Do you know someone expecting a baby? Anthologie specializes in documenting the first year through photojournalism and archival books. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you to remember this amazing time always!