The Nesseth Family (Dogs Included)

Just had an absolutely fabulous time with the Nesseths again this summer at their home in Exelsior. They have been such great friends and it has been a joy to see their family evolve! And evolve it has recently with the addition of Dodi, the new Weim! Maddie is now 12 years old and has a new little sister who all the rage! Nona works for a veterinary pharmaceutical company and her dogs are very, very important to her. Maddie is a local celeb amongst vets and has had a very successful hunting career as well. I have been lucky enough to spend a few days in the field with Tom, Nona and Maddie. Some of these shots are going to be used for some of Nona's promotional material for work as well.

Well, back to the photos...Nona really wanted to get photos of Dodi before she got too big and also some family photos while Maddie and Dodi were both available! And as long as we're shooting the dogs, we might as well include the rest of the family! We had a great time and founds some great light in the backyards of all the neighbors and got some action shots of Dodi doing her thing. Clara and Cici were so excited to show off their new puppy and we really got some great shots and had a wonderful time!

Trips to Grandma & Grandpa's

I have a couple great little videos to share with you! I have been to both grandparents houses in the last week and had some great times. I got to sit in the tractor with daddy at the farm. It was awesome!! Grandpa Don has been really busy trying to get his planting finished, so I didn't get to see him much.
I just love the tractor and the instant that I get out of the truck and see them I am making my tractor sounds!

The other video is from last night with Grandpa Gary. He picked a dandelion and blew the little seeds off and I thought this was just HILARIOUS!

I am starting to communicate more now. Just this morning I was having some toast (favorite meal) and was getting thirsty. I looked at daddy, pointed at the fridge and said, "jui, jui, jui". Daddy got me my JUIce and I was really happy to drink from my sippy cup. Then we were getting ready to leave and mommy told me to get my hat. I crawled (not ready to walk on my own yet) into the other room, opened the top of my diaper bag, grabbed my hat and brought it back to mommy!!

This all happened before we went to the doctor. Mommy had an ultrasound and we got to see photos of my new brother or sister. It was really neat and I really liked looking at all the photos of the "ba, ba, ba"s on the wall. That is my word for ball AND baby. (I assume you know that I was talking about BABY and not ball in this case).

Jay & Ashley

Had a great session on Sunday with Jay & Ashley. We have been in touch since last summer trying to hook up and finally met in New Prague on this beautiful day! We took a little drive around and found some spots that fit them and their personalities. They both come from farm families and actually met while participating in 4H. It actually got sweaty hot on this day (the first time in MN's blazing cool spring).

Unfortunately I won't be able to shoot their wedding in August, but I am sure their photographer will have as much fun as I did. I have been so blessed work with couples who are in love with each other and also make those around them feel so comfortable.

Day in the Sun

It was such a beautiful day in the valley and I had to get out for a drive. Gma Carol got me a new car and I am a real pro driver!! I climb in and out, in and out, in and out. I love when mommy and daddy push me around the yard too! I also got that new big blue ball. I love chasing it around the yard!! In the one photo, I was crawling as fast as I could down the little hill by the tree...I lost my crawl and toppled over backwards!! No big deal, I am pretty tough.

I have been getting a couple molars the past week or so and I have been really CRANKY!! Stay out of my way. I can be laughing one second and screaming the next! Mommy took me to the doctor today to get this checked out. Mommy and daddy thought I may have another ear infection. The doctor said it could be my molars and/or me "discovering his independence and being a young boy".

Trip to the Zoo

Not having the internet in the Valley has really thrown me for a loop. In case you've missed it, I just graduated...from medical school...well, it seems like it's been that long since my lazy dad has helped me get another post on here!! We finally did get the internet hooked up last night though, so you can expect more regular appearances from me. Daddy has a lot of weddings coming up, so be patient.

So we went to the zoo on Sunday after church. It was awesome! I got to see lions, zebras, giraffes, seals, wolves, tigers, monkeys and lots of other cool animals. I have been pointing these critters out in my books for months. I might have been more excited to see the skid loader that was parked by the polar bear exhibit which is under construction though. I love my machines!!


Speaking of tractors, I got to ride with Gma Deb last week in the tractor at the farm while they were planting. I wasn't a real farmer though because I fell asleep after one trip around the field. I am going to have toughen up a bit before Gpa Don lets me go on my own. He has been busy in the field and is finished with his corn and is now working on beans. This is a pretty busy time of the year for him!

Carla & Luke

What a wonderful day with Carla and Luke. These guys and their wedding party were an absolute riot to hang around all day! I shared many laughs along the was with this great group. Carla looked just stunning and the gorgeous day complimented her so well. I was again humbled that folks would trust me to capture their day and I feel like we got some images that did that. Here is a link to their wedding galleries. I apologize for any photos that are a little blurry...that's me shaking from laughing so hard all day long! Even when I went calf-deep into the swamp at the golf course trying to shoot and not watch where I was walking!

As I kept pouring over the photos, I was reminded over and over of all the beautiful colors of the day. The pinks and yellows in the flowers, the vibrant green grass on this sunny spring day and the blues that matched Carla's eyes with the sky. It was hard to envision anything but bright, vibrant color photos for these guys!!

A small, interesting aside with this wedding...thirty years ago, Carla's mom and dad, Barry and Sharon were married. They had a little ring bearer that day who wore a sweet white tux and had candy cigarettes! That was me! Wow...I can seriously remember those candy cigarettes! In Barry's speech at the reception, he even mentioned the story. Not too often that the wedding photographer gets mentioned in the father of the bride's speech. It was a little embarrassing, but still a neat story.

Carla and Luke are off to Italy to start their life together. They are a wonderful couple who if you spend five minutes with them, know that they were meant to be together. It just makes you feel good to be around them. I wish them all the best and thank them again for allowing me to be a part of their day.

Trash the Dress

Okay...I am not gonna lie...this was one of the funnest sessions I have ever done! It was my first TTD (the new rage in wedding photography) and turned out awesome! Aaron & Marie got all dressed up again after Saturday's wonderful wedding and we went out on this gorgeous, sunny spring day and nailed it!

We started at the abadoned Jake's Exotic Dance Club...well, in the parking lot actually where there was an old Winnebago parked (maybe from their last customer{or employee}). Not only a crazy spot, but we were only feet off of highway 52, one of Minnesota's busiest highways, during rush hour! It was classic. Cars honking...haha! We cruised down 52 to the Silver Bell Motel, into the beautiful country of Sogn Valley and finally ended in downtown Cannon Falls.

It was a great session and I think all three of us enjoyed it. It was nice to shoot without a crazy time schedule and the pressures and stresses of the wedding day.

Besides the link to the photo composite above, I have a set on my Flickr page and you can of course, check out their wedding gallery on my website.

Aaron & Marie

Just an absolutely fabulous wedding. I could stop writing there and let you just see the photos because I think they partly do it justice. Aaron & Marie were so easy to photograph and even though the rains came later in the day, we got some wonderful shots. It was a day filled simply with laughter and celebration.

We changed gears on the way from the wedding in Goodhue to the reception in Rochester. We had hoped to stop at the park to take some photos, but the rain changed that. So I stopped at the Covered Bridge in Zumbrota and set up some strobes to light the inside of the bridge on this dreary afternoon. The bus pulled in, dropped Aaron & Marie off, we snapped away for about 10 minutes and they hopped back on the bus. We got some great exposures.

This beautiful couple and this day were one of my favorites of all time. I feel like some of these exposures will be some that I will measure against for a long time. Their profile page with many more photos is your to check out!

We Moved!!

Okay...Where have I been!??!?! Amidst all kinds of busy-ness following my birthday including the State FFA Convention...we up and moved in the course of about 2 weeks! We have some friends renting our place in Farmington and moved to an old (1890) creamery in Sogn Valley between Cannon Falls and Kenyon. It is down the hill from where daddy lived for four years in the late 90's. This is the place that feels most like home for us and we are so grateful to be back "in the valley".

We are also much closer to school and both grandmas and grandpas!! Mommy still goes to the office in the cities once in a while.

Sogn is loving being back too. He can run in the wide open fields and lay in the sun all day long. We packed his leash somewhere and don't need it!

Speaking of packing...where is ___________(fill in the blank with almost anything)?? That's what we're asking each other as we are living amongst boxes stacked on boxes. That's okay and I am a big help in unpacking just as I was in packing the boxes!!

I am on the verge of walking as I can stand on my own for several seconds before I realize I am not touching anything and then sort of tip over softly. I like to walk with someone holding my hand or travel around the furniture with one hand recklessly holding onto something. My new from last night...PIZZA.

KW Prom

Okay...Where have I been!??!?! Amidst teaching, State FFA Convention and other things...we up and moved in the course of about 2 weeks! We have some friends renting our place in Farmington and moved to an old (1890) creamery in Sogn Valley between Cannon Falls and Kenyon. It is down the hill from where I lived for four years in the late 90's. I fell in love with the area and my neighboors before moving and falling in love with my wife Leah. Needless to say a different kind of love, but LOVE nonetheless for this beautiful place in God's world!

Shot the Kenyon-Wanamingo High School Prom on Saturday, May 3. After raining and snowing for several days in a row, the skies cleared and we had a great evening. Grand March was at the high school and then the dance/dinner were at Willow Creek Golf Course in Rochester.

It was really fun to see the kids all dressed up and looking so great. (After many days this year of seeing them in the saggy jeans and t shirts!). Here is a little sample of the shots (click to see larger)