.the simple things photography.

2nd Annual Giving is Awesome!

2010-12-02T13:05:00.013-06:00

Do you know someone who can’t afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season? Do you know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family’s spirit, love, and beauty?

Do you know someone who is struggling to stay afloat, has experienced a tragedy, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly and tirelessly for others?

You know someone. I bet you do. It’s in your power to give them a really special gift this holiday season. I am giving away a free portrait session in 2011 to the nominee whose story touches my heart the most – the session can be scheduled at their convenience at any time during 2011.

The rules:
* You cannot nominate yourself, and the family you are nominating must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. There is a limit of two nominations per person
* The nominee must reside within the Minneapolis/ St. Paul metro area OR be willing to travel here for the portrait session
* I will need your contact information and a way to get in touch with the family you’re nominating
* You must e-mail me the nominating entry by Friday, December 24th. Take as many words as you need to explain why they deserve to win, and feel free to include any pictures. Please submit all entries to me by email – tracy@thesimplethingsphotography.com
* The winning family will be announced on New Years Day! To avoid any potentially awkward sharing of private details, the entries will NOT be posted publicly, and there will not be voting.

The winning family receives:
* Complimentary family portrait session with me, including a 1-1.5 hour session, professional editing of their images, and a private online gallery of 20-30 proofs.
* A $50 print credit to purchase any prints or wall art of their choice

The winner will be announced on New Years Day, so get nominating! I can’t wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season, and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.

Easton | Dayton Newborn Photography

2010-10-28T14:40:00.000-05:00

Gabriella | Blaine Newborn Photography

2010-09-26T14:20:00.000-05:00

New! Senior Photos from The Simple Things Photography

2010-09-01T11:55:00.000-05:00

Shopping around for senior photos? Want a good photographer but don't want to pay $15-$20 for a single 4x6 print? Want a CD with your session but can't find somebody that offers it anywhere? Look no further!

Contact me to book a session today!

Chaska Senior Pictures

2010-08-15T18:50:00.006-05:00

Here is a great senior session with some backdrops and then we headed outside for some shots. Everybody was great to work with- even through the 90 degree heat and humidity- you can't even tell! Stay tuned to my website and blog updates for more information on senior photos!

Maple Grove MN photography

2010-07-21T15:14:00.004-05:00

I met this family at Elm Creek Park in Maple Grove... and the mosquitoes were bbaaaaaaaaddd! Bug spray is now a staple in my supplies- thanks for hanging in there guys!

Crystal MN Family Photography

2010-07-02T13:46:00.005-05:00

There were just too many pictures from this family photo shoot (of 10 people!) to blog about... so I picked this one. Isn't he so precious with that one tooth! Thanks for having me to your house- I hope you enjoy your photos!

Megan & Zach | Wausau, WI Wedding Photography

2010-06-19T12:14:00.011-05:00

Megan & Zach had a wonderful summer wedding in Wausau, WI! The weather wanted to rain all day, but it held off until we were inside at the reception... whew! Megan and Zach had a beautiful lakeside wedding, then we headed to a local golf course via pontoon to take some group pictures. Everything worked out perfectly- congratulations you two!

Nolan | Crystal MN Children's Photographer

2010-06-09T10:52:00.002-05:00

Meet 2 month old Nolan!

Chaska sunrise

2010-06-05T11:35:00.002-05:00

The view out my window this morning... what a great way to wake up:)

Big A | Minneapolis Children Photography

2010-05-24T12:36:00.012-05:00

How handsome is this kiddo!? Meet 6 year old Anthony!

Tyler | Minneapolis Model Photography

2010-05-12T21:32:00.005-05:00

Meet Tyler... and look for him on a television set near you!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day! Here is an example of a photo-grid that is available for purchase with any photo shoot... I made one for myself for mother's day:)

Kennedi | Chaska Children Photography

2010-04-20T20:22:00.007-05:00

I did a quick session with Little Miss Kennedi for her three month pictures... here is just a sneak peak- I hope to see her back for 6 month photos!

Megan & Evan | St. Paul Wedding Photography

2010-04-10T13:10:00.009-05:00

Megan and Evan had a beautiful wedding at the University of St. Thomas, The Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas. These two are a fabulous couple- here are just a few of many pictures from their fabulous day!

I love this picture of one of the bridesmaids
"The Pit Stop" on campus- where theses two met!

my boys:)

2010-04-08T11:45:00.003-05:00

A rare moment where Marley is getting hugged instead of tackled:)

Julie & Tom | Oshkosh WI portrait photography

2010-03-16T21:20:00.011-05:00

I met up with Julie and Tom in Oshkosh, WI to take some portraits. Oshkosh has some great spots for portraits- - I love the cattails! Here are some of my faves:

New Album Products

2010-02-28T10:11:00.008-06:00

I’m very excited to show a few new albums I am carrying! These are so beautiful and such high quality! I am offering a hardback linen album that has flexible pages, as well as a 100% natural leather covered book that has rigid pages.They come in 4 sizes: 4x4, 8x8, 10x10, and 12x12. Each book comes in a trendy cloth dust cover that offers protection and style. All books are warrantied for LIFE! If there is a manufacturer's defect... your book will be repaired or replaced at no cost!

These make great wedding albums and parent albums... as well as offer classic ways to display your baby and family photos! I highly recommend you purchase an album with your package since I know first-hand that if you don’t do it right away, it might never get done!

Contact me for ordering information:)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T14:07:00.002-06:00

Just a few snapshots of yesterday's frost!

Road Trip | Destination South Dakota

2010-01-23T20:02:00.010-06:00

The 30 second preview of our 2010 road trip...
Day 1: We hit the road... and spent the first night in Wall, SD.
We spent nights 2 and 3 in Deadwood, SD. The moon in the sky on our way into Deadwood was amazing! We stayed in this great hotel that had an old bed and breakfast feel... we want to go back.As long as we were "in the area", it only made sense to visit Devil's Tower in Wyoming... and add another notch in the belt of states we have visited together.
whew...I played around with the above format for blog posts....and it is fun, but takes WAY too much time...back to the simple things:

This donkey really wanted to hop into our car in Custer State Park:

well hello, Mr. Washington:

my daily jingle!

2010-01-08T08:33:00.001-06:00

courtesy of yourdailyjingle.com!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-01-01T12:12:00.001-06:00

Business has been great this year, and there is much more room for expansion! I get genuinely excited for every session that I shoot...whether it is somebody in my family or yours. Thank you for all of your referrals! It is a great compliment to me and the best way for me to advertise... keep them coming!

2009 has been pretty hectic around my house... here's to a more mellow 2010!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

2009-12-25T11:26:00.005-06:00

I live in a house divided when it comes to football... check out these great stockings my mom made us for Christmas!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-06T12:00:00.000-06:00

Giving is awesome!

2009-12-02T16:38:00.012-06:00

You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

In the holiday spirit I have pledged complimentary custom portraits to a family who simply cannot afford them this holiday season. I am taking part in a worldwide photographic effort, Giving is Awesome, to provide deserving individuals and families with cherished heirlooms. Premiere photographers from around the world donated over $565,000 worth of artwork in 2009, and expect to double that number in 2010. The Simple Things Photography welcomes you to nominate a family who is incapable of paying for custom photography for one complimentary family portrait session and fifty 4x6 inch prints ($260 value).

To nominate a family, email me at tracy@thesimplethingsphotography.com and let me know why I should choose the family you are nominating. Families should be in the Minneapolis/ St. Paul metropolitan area. I will be accepting nominations thru December 24, 2009, and will announce the winner on January 1, 2010. What a great way to bring in the new year! To learn more about Giving is Awesome, or to nominate a family outside the Twin Cities area, visit www.givingisawesome.com

Jose, Sarah, Sebastian & Vincent | St. Paul portrait photography

2009-11-21T14:48:00.016-06:00

I met Jose, Sarah & family earlier this year at the Trevor Broton Benefit - and then was happy to meet them at the Como Conservatory for some family pictures. They are such an adorable family and were so nice to work with! They did a great job of coordinating outfits. Here are some highlights:

I love young kids in stocking caps:)

John, Heather & Joshua | Rogers portrait photography

2009-11-14T10:56:00.012-06:00

Meet John, Heather, and Joshua! Joshua is going on 9 months old- and so adorable! I had such fun editing these pictures- Joshua had some great expressions on his face- and I love the fresh and clean look that they have! Here are a few favorites:

Look at those eyes! And his little teeth:)

This picture looks like it should be an album cover or something...
This picture cracks me up!

2009 Holiday Cards!

2009-11-01T15:01:00.023-06:00

It is never too early to start thinking about photo holiday cards! Here are some templates I have designed for 2009! These are cards are 4x8 inches, printed on a matte surface photo paper, custom designed by me:) Pricing is as follows:

.digital.
$25 for one high resolution 4x8 file of your photo(s) in any of the following templates
$35 for one custom made high resolution 4x8 file of your photo(s)

.prints.
$0.52 each: 1 - 100 cards with envelopes
$0.50 each: 101- 200 cards with envelopes
$0.48 each: 201+ cards with envelopes

Contact me to book a holiday photo session or to create cards from your previous session today! Photos must be taken by The Simple Things Photography.

.uno.

.dos.
.tres.
.cuatro.

.cinco.

Mini session 4 | MN Landscape Arboretum Photography

2009-10-17T16:50:00.000-05:00

Mini session 3 | MN Landscape Arboretum Photography

2009-10-17T16:46:00.000-05:00

Mini session 2 | MN Landscape Arboretum Photography

2009-10-17T16:23:00.000-05:00

We hit the peak of the fall colors perfectly in these sessions! Unfortunately...Blogger takes the life right out of the colors in pictures:(

Mini session 1 | MN Landscape Arboretum Photography

2009-10-17T16:02:00.000-05:00

Four families in little more than an hour... whew! How about some mini-blog posts for the mini-session photos:)

Fall Colors

2009-10-15T19:36:00.004-05:00

I didn't get out to shoot fall colors as much as usual this year, but I did make it to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum at the peak of the season! Here are a few:

Oh the fun faces when he gets in front of the camera:)

good-bye random e-mails, hello random blog posts

2009-09-27T13:01:00.009-05:00

Those of you on my mailing list...yeah... I haven't been sending updates via e-mail lately... and... I think I am going to stop all together. But have no fear... you can subscribe to my blog and be automatically updated when I have a new post!

School is back in session this semester and it is drastically cutting into the amount of time I have to devote to photography, blogging, etc. But meanwhile, check out this great point and shoot camera my husband and I discovered: the Olympus Stylus Tough! If you have kids and/or are active outdoors, this is the camera for you! This camera has survived ocean snorkeling, ziplining, parasailing, camping, waterfalls, toddlers, swimming pools... you get the picture. Check out this fun video and others on Youtube:

Allie & Nate | Appleton wedding photography

2009-09-13T08:53:00.025-05:00

This past winter I photographed Allie & Nate's engagement photos, and their wedding finally arrived! These two are a wonderful couple and so great to work with. Isn't Allie's ring so beautiful and unique?! Here are a few shots from their day- you guys had a beautiful wedding- thank you for letting me be a part of it!

Mark, Barb, Madi, Alexa & Blake | Lakeville portrait photography

2009-09-06T12:32:00.001-05:00

I spent some time taking family portraits of Mark, Barb, Madi, Alexa & Blake in the beautiful backyard of their home! These guys were great to work with... it is kind of refreshing when kids smile when you tell them to:) We got some great shots of them as a family and individual shots- it was hard to choose pictures to post, but here is a sneak peak!

Darin, Chanda, Ethan & Kylie | Shakopee portrait photography

2009-08-31T19:17:00.014-05:00

I met with Darin and Chanda and their two gorgeous kids Ethan and Kylie for some family portraits. We went to Murphy's Landing in Shakopee- I love that place! 4-year-old Ethan and 3-year-old Kylie are going to be heartbreakers some day! Here are a few of my favorites from our session:

This girl is crazy about dandelions:)
And these two are crazy about BUGS!

Nicole & Jason | Hinckley wedding photography

2009-08-24T18:32:00.002-05:00

Congratulations, Nicole & Jason! These two had an outdoor wedding in Banning State Park. The weather kept us guessing all weekend... but it turned out to be beautiful for their wedding. You two are great together, here is a sneek peek of your pictures!

Allie & Nate | Appleton engagement photography

2009-08-17T15:28:00.010-05:00

I took pictures at Allie and Nate's wedding over the weekend, and as I was looking through them it dawned on me that I never put any of their engagement pictures up on my blog! We took these pictures months ago.......but better late than never! These two are such a great couple! It was c-c-c-old outside for their session (still snow on the ground), but they braved the weather without thinking twice. I love the blue backgrounds!

Banning State Park

2009-08-14T12:11:00.003-05:00

I had a wedding to shoot at Banning State Park near Hinckley, MN over the weekend- and we made a family camping trip out of it:) Here are some pictures of Wolf Creek Falls in the park:

91st PGA Championship

2009-08-13T12:56:00.010-05:00

My husband and I went to the Wednesday practice round of the PGA Championship that is taking place just down the road from us. Since it was a practice round I could bring my camera and shoot the pros!

The highlight of the day: we staked out a spot on the 12th hole waiting for Phil Mickelson to come thru, and his drive landed 5 feet in front of us!

Stewart Cink:

Justin Leonard:
Fred Couples:Vijay Singh:

David Toms:

Tiger didn't play but he did make an appearance at the driving range:

Megan & Zach | Chaska engagement photography

2009-08-07T08:02:00.015-05:00

Meet Megan and Zach! We did a portrait shoot not that long ago, and now I am thankful to be shooting them again for their engagement photos! Megan and Zach are my neighbors, a wonderful couple, and I am happy to call them friends. Don't they look great together!? Congratulations you two- I'm looking forward to your WI wedding in June of 2010!

Miss Peyten Rae | Park Rapids portrait photography

2009-08-04T11:43:00.015-05:00

Meet the world's newest 5 year old- Miss Peyten Rae! I spent some time with Peyten after her 5th birthday party this weekend to take her 5-year portraits. She has such beautiful brown eyes! Here are some of my favorites from our shoot.

Peyten's favorite doll Dolly made an appearance in some of the pictures:
Doesn't the next one just make you smile?:)

Road to Hana

2009-07-28T21:20:00.024-05:00

People don't talk about "traveling" on the Road to Hana. They talk about "surviving" the road to Hana. We are talking about winding roads, blind turns, constant traffic, distracting views, narrow one-lane roads, cliffs... here is a shot of the road from one senic overlook:

The trip was worth it! The only thing I regret is doing it all in one day. Here are some scenes from the ‘Ohe‘o Gulch (aka 7 Sacred Pools). This is in the Haleakala National Park. The water levels were low so here the Pacific is pouring into a pool (usually its the other way around):

And my husband jumping off of a cliff into one of the pools... this was awesome:

After the 7 pools we hiked the Pipiwai Trail- also in th Haleakala National Park. This was a 4 mile round trip hike with a final destination of Waimoku Falls... falling 400-feet down a sheer lava rock wall. This was absolutely beautiful and WELL WORTH the hike to get to it...

Hawaii sun, sand, and scenery!

2009-07-27T11:53:00.014-05:00

Here are some kind of random shots from Hawaii!

Mason

2009-07-21T11:53:00.018-05:00

I brought my camera on our nature walk this weekend and snapped a few shots of Mr. Mason. He saw his dad's tie collection and insisted on wearing his tie out and about... it was quite a hit with people we saw:)

Love the background blur on this:

Don't you just love toddler feet and shoes??

I think this is adorable:

Volcanoes National Park

2009-07-19T16:06:00.012-05:00

Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii highlights two of the world's most active volcanoes, and offers insights on the birth of the Hawaiian Islands and views of dramatic volcanic landscapes.

Watching the lava flow into the ocean was one of the 100 times I wish I would have remembered to pack my tripod:(

A 360 from the shoreline:

Where the lava meets the road...The steam cloud from the lava flowing into the ocean during the day. You can see this from miles away.Later in the night the cloud is burning red... and some lava spits up over the edge every few minutes! Hot lava!

redesigned website!!!

2009-07-14T10:01:00.007-05:00

I did a major overhaul of my website content only 6 months ago... adding flash content, my blog, online galleries... and changing nearly everything else. I was happy with the content but not with the overall look... so I changed it! I am excited for the new logo and style... check it out!

http://www.thesimplethingsphotography.com

NOW OFFERING PHOTOBOOTH GUEST BOOKS!!

2009-07-12T19:48:00.027-05:00

Searching for unique party favor and guest book ideas? Want more than just a book with names and addresses? How about a photobooth! I really wanted a photo booth at my wedding reception, but I wasn't crazy about paying $1000+ for a rental. So I came up with a fun photobooth at a fraction of the cost, and I want to pass the savings on to you! I have set-up photobooth guest books at two wedding receptions (including my own), and I want to make sure that everything is fine tuned and flows as smoothly as possible. I need your feedback- lucky for you! I am offering a photobooth guest book at the wedding reception of the next 2 weddings that book me as a photographer- for only $200!

I will provide:
*A fully prepared and tastefully laid out guest book with space savers for photobooth pictures and plenty of room for your guests to write you a message and show you their personality.
*Directions for your guests
*Plenty of pens for signatures
*A black velvet backdrop
*Large sunglasses, feather boas, disguise glasses, mustaches, and other great props for pictures
*Set up and tear down at your event

You will receive:
*Two copies of all pictures taken at the photobooth- one for your guest book, one for your guests (I mailed mine with my thank you cards for a great party favor!)
*A disc with all the photobooth images from the event
*All images will be posted to your online gallery to share with family and friends

So... what are the advantages!?
*Price!
*Entertaining large groups? No problem! Rental photo booths have a fixed size. Here, the backdrop is completely mobile... so move it around as needed for large groups!
*Mobility! No bulky 8x4 foot "booth" to haul around... transportation, set-up, and finding available space are a breeze!
*No down time! Image's will be captured digitally and printed after your reception. That means no down time for printer ink and paper refills!

Akaka Falls State Park

2009-07-10T13:32:00.030-05:00

Our honeymoon was hands down the best vacation I have ever been on! I could have spent hours taking pictures at some of the places we only spent minutes at... but the trip was not about photography:) I still managed to capture some good shots! Here are a few from our trip to Akaka Falls State Park:

I'm not sure what the significance of the cross is, but it caught my eye...

The 420 foot Akaka Falls:A twist on the classic picture of birch tree trunks surrounded in fall colors:

Olivia & Riley | Maple Grove portrait photography

2009-07-05T19:55:00.014-05:00

A couple weeks ago I headed up to Maple Grove to take pictures of Olivia and her cousin Riley. These two spent all day at the beach, so we brought out some sparklers to wake them up. While I was talking to Riley, he asked me to take the pictures "and pretend like they are dating"... so cute! Here are a few from our session:

wedding bells

2009-06-21T10:23:00.008-05:00

I thought I would make a quick wedding related blog post before I run away and get married!! I took some pictures of our rings after having them polished and ready for the big day! The traditional, the creative, and an idea that has been around since... 2001:)

raining cats and dogs... brings out the frogs

2009-06-20T20:57:00.007-05:00

Over the weekend it rained cats and dogs for about 15 minutes... after the storm blew over I noticed this little guy crawling up the window screen. There was an army of frogs outside the window! The kids had a fun time chasing them around, and I snapped a few shots:

Nicole & Jason | St. Cloud engagement photography

2009-06-17T21:11:00.014-05:00

I spent Sunday afternoon taking engagement pictures for Nicole and Jason around the St. John's University campus in St. Joseph, MN. What a great place for pictures! These two are so great together- I am really excited take pictures at your wedding in August!!

I have heard this Johnnies and Bennies thing is a big deal:)

Rainy Day

2009-06-06T17:13:00.018-05:00

This weekend was rainy and dreary- but nothing that dropping a small fortune at the Minnesota Zoo couldn't fix! Mason was so excited to be in his rain boots with his umbrella... I could have saved the money and just brought him in the back yard... but not many people go to the zoo on rainy days, so it was a great day to carry around umbrellas!

Trevor Broton Benefit Pictures | Minneapolis volunteer photography

2009-05-30T16:31:00.010-05:00

The Family Fun Extravaganza was a huge success this weekend! What a great day for so many people to help Trevor and his family. There were so many adorable kids around- I wish I could have spent an hour with each one of them. All of the pictures from the event are posted in the Trevor Broton Benefit online gallery. I'm looking forward to taking pictures for the winner of my silent auction gift certificate!

Happy Mother's Day! | Shakopee portrait photography

2009-05-11T20:34:00.015-05:00

Yesterday was Mother's Day! The weather was awesome, we spent all day outside together at Murphy's Landing in Shakopee... and I got some pretty cute pictures... a great day with my boys!

Kaelyn | Oshkosh portrait photography

2009-05-07T20:55:00.023-05:00

She may only be 4 months old now, but Kaelyn is going to be a heartbreaker when she gets older!

Trevor Broton Benefit

2009-05-06T19:24:00.010-05:00

I will be photographing the Family Fun Extravaganza/ Trevor Broton benefit on May 30th! The benefit takes place from 10 am to 1 pm at the Northpoint Elementary School in Blaine, MN.

Look for my gift certificate at the silent auction!

You can find out more about Trevor's story and the benefit here:
http://www.trevorbroton.com/index.html

Sharon & Dick | Oshkosh wedding photography

2009-04-30T14:05:00.013-05:00

I recently photographed the wedding of Sharon & Dick. They included all of their children and grandchildren in the wedding party- 35 people! It was a great day to get the whole family together. We have many, many traditional poses of the family and I just thought I would post a few of the more casual shots. The church in the background of the family circle is where they were married- I still love this picture!

Congratulations you guys!

Sharon & Dick | Oshkosh wedding photography

2009-04-21T21:44:00.004-05:00

I love this fun family photo from a wedding I took pictures at over the weekend!

Mason | Chaska portrait photography

2009-04-12T14:31:00.010-05:00

Mason looked super cute for pictures... but then he wasn't really in the mood for them. I only snapped a few shots, but we ended up going on a walk for over 2 hours!

Mason | Chaska portrait photography

2009-04-11T17:37:00.008-05:00

I was sorting out my photography equipment to prepare for my on-the-road adventures next weekend. I booked a wedding and 4 portrait sessions in 2 days- time will be limited so I need to be prepared! Mason was being cooperative so I started taking pictures of him... I didn't have my backdrop stand set-up for the green backdrop, and the blue isn't typically something I use as a backdrop- but I just went with it and I think we got some cute shots!

gift certificates

2009-04-04T13:20:00.009-05:00

Are you stumped for gift ideas? Going to a graduation party, wedding, bridal, or baby shower and want a unique gift that will be cherished for a lifetime? How about a photography gift certificate!

The Simple Things Photography Gift certificates can be purchased for any amount, and applied towards any wedding, portrait, or print services. They can also be combined with other gift certificates and special offers- and will never expire!

E-mail me at tracy@thesimplethingsphotography.com for details. Checks and Paypal payments (credit card and bank card) are accepted.

Joshua, II | Rogers portrait photography

2009-03-24T20:12:00.007-05:00

Joshua | Rogers portrait photography

2009-03-21T19:57:00.007-05:00

This little guy was not very happy to take his clothes off... and he told me by promptly peeing on my backdrop! We still got some pretty good shots of him with his clothes on:) There are more to come...

and their little dog too... Chaska portrait photography

2009-03-09T14:42:00.007-05:00

Megan and Zach also had their dog Inca along for some pictures of the whole family!

Megan & Zach | Chaska portrait photography

2009-03-08T19:22:00.011-05:00

This weekend we drove around without a real destination in mind and got some great shots! Here are some of the highlights:

totally orchids, II

2009-03-02T11:52:00.005-06:00

I am a fan of how this looks like a watercolor painting:

totally orchids

2009-03-01T15:40:00.006-06:00

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum has a Totally Orchids exhibit that I checked out this weekend... this is what I got:

postcard

2009-02-22T20:19:00.005-06:00

the front of my latest postcard mailing! Send me an e-mail to tracy@thesimplethingsphotography.com to be added to my mailing list

Heather & John | Rogers maternity photography

2009-02-16T18:09:00.010-06:00

Heather and John braved the below freezing weather without jackets for their maternity session- and they didn't even bat an eye! I think we got some great shots, I can't wait for the baby to get here!

logo

2009-02-13T21:00:00.004-06:00

Logos are such a difficult thing... the possibilities are endless! I've been trying to design something simple yet not too boring... and I have arrived at this:)

44 degrees

2009-01-31T15:52:00.002-06:00

today was the first day of 2009 that was above freezing- so we celebrated with a day outside!

orchids, III

2009-01-27T08:02:00.003-06:00

orchids, II

2009-01-26T14:47:00.004-06:00

orchids

2009-01-25T14:59:00.004-06:00

Orchids have a pretty high price tag, and I have never had much of a green thumb...so I went to an orchid show at the Como Conservatory over the weekend to take some pictures.

rubber ducky, you're the one...

2009-01-23T12:49:00.003-06:00

...you make bathtime so much fun!

curiosity

2009-01-15T12:29:00.003-06:00

All of my work is at my fingertips during the doldrums of winter portrait and wedding photography...

about me

2009-01-02T11:14:00.018-06:00

I am a wife, step-mother, photographer, and engineer- born and raised in Wisconsin and uprooted to the Twin Cities of Minnesota. I first became interested in photography when I learned that I could make $2.00 for an entry in the county fair if I got a first place. Seemed like a solid income to this 9 year old!

From there I worked at a camera store for 4 years as a sales consultant. What a great job- learning about cameras, processing, and photography techniques on a daily basis. I used those opportunities to upgrade my photography equipment and skills. I considered myself a “hobbyist” until 2005 when I casually put some photos on display at a craft fair. I was overwhelmed when I sold over a hundred prints!

Now I am running a business as a professional photographer serving the Twin Cities metro area in Minnesota, and the Fox Cities area of WI. I have a clean and contemporary style of wedding and portrait photography. I focus on the simple things... and strive to capture the real you! My favorite sessions are outdoors with natural light, at the location of your choice (or I am full of local suggestions:)).

Why on location photography? The world of photography has become overly complex. Crazy order forms, unreasonable turn around times, too many products, and too many options. Many studios are concentrating on "up-selling" and are scrambling to invent the next trendy frame or studio furniture to make their photos stand out...photographers are lost in the mad race for features, and their clients spend money on things that ultimately don't matter.

Somewhere along the line, they have forgotten that its all about the photos.

.e-mail: tracy@thesimplethingsphotography.com
.phone: 612.770.3203

Contact me

2009-01-01T12:42:00.001-06:00

.e-mail: tracy@thesimplethingsphotography.com

.phone: 612.770.3203

I am available for sessions on weekends and evenings during the week. For outdoor sessions, scheduling a time in the evening is recommended for the best lighting.