A Beautiful Weekend

I was so thrilled for the weather to finally give us all a break this weekend.  It was warm enough to just wear a sweatshirt, and I took advantage of that.  I also took some time to photograph for myself.  Below is a photo I shot at the side of the road near my parents' house:

I also made time for my adorable niece Nora's 9 month photos.  We wanted to just let her do her thing, and she sure did.  Here are a couple of my favorite images from her session:

Long Time, No See!!!

Yes it has been over a month since I last posted, but I have to say, I've been busy.  This past weekend, my husband became a model for a business portrait appointment.  He was actually a really great client!  He didn't even mind how much I tugged and pulled at his jacket, straightened his tie (multiple times), and changed lighting configurations constantly.  What a sweetie!

Below is our favorite image which will be used on his promotional materials (such as fridge magnets):

Now, that's a handsome man!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I am so excited for Christmas this year, I can hardly stand it.  I have gone shopping twice for presents and my tree is already up.  Now, I need to get started wrapping gifts and decorating my house.  

Well, I have been busy with school, but I've managed to find time to photograph some of my favorite people for Christmas cards and gifts.  The following pictures are some of my favorites from November:

The Haeffners

Betsi and Nora

Dameron Family Portrait

I have been keeping busy this last month teaching music part time and then photographing part time.  I really loved spending a weekend with the family pictured below, who happens to me my older sister and her family.  They happened to be celebrating the marriage of Angela (Julie's sister-in-law) and Tad that day.  I was the photographer for the event, and Julie asked if I'd take their family portrait.  I love how this image turned out, as I strategically took all the color out of the background so that everyone would stand out a little more.

Lydia Jean

It is so wonderful to be related to the most beautiful kids in the world.  I have an unlimited supply of models for all my photo shoots.  My little niece Lydia, only two years old, has so much personality.  These are two of my favorite images from this summer, and I chose them because they show off her gorgeous blue eyes!

Emily & Jared

I had the pleasure of photographing my cousin Emily's wedding in Atlantic, IA a week ago.  It was such a wonderful day for a wedding and the location was beautiful.  Weddings are so fun because I get to be right there, where all the action is - all the time!  

Below is a movie of Emily and Jared's happy day:

Back to the Midwest

I am so excited to be back home in the Midwest after 10 months on the East Coast.  It is a bittersweet return, though, as my home is currently plagued by massive flooding.  Our beautiful downtown and area businesses are having to close their doors after trying to beat this disaster.  I hope to help in any way that I can to keep people's spirits up.

On a lighter note, I have put together a great bundle of portrait collections for brides, new parents, families, children, seniors, pets, and much more.  Call now or email me for more information!  Don't forget to check me out online at www.jennyminard.com!

Just this past Sunday, I returned back to my Turners Falls apartment with my husband from a trip to Portsmouth, New Hampshire to visit my cousin. While we were there, we visited two old forts that are now open to the public.  Fort Constitution is on a naval base and has been kept relatively nice over the years.  The other location was Fort Stark.  It was built in the early 1900s.  It is a beautiful place that would actually be great backdrops for portraits.  While inside where, we're guessing, the generals stayed, we decided to investigate a secret tunnel that was hidden behind a fake wall.  The picture is below.  It wasn't until we got home and looked through my pictures that we discovered the strange figure in the bottom right-hand corner.  Is it a hand?  We think so!