For his newborn session, he was exactly 2 weeks old.  Mom had contacted me early on in her pregnancy, so it felt like I had been waiting for him to be born for quite a while, and was so excited to finally get to meet all of them!  Mom opted for hair and makeup for the newborn session, and was pampered by Caitlin Spah the morning of our session.  Caitlin did an amazing job as always and had Megan looking naturally beautiful. Elliott was such a chill baby – he didn’t make a peep his entire session.  Even when he was awake, he was content and seemed to be taking everything in.  It’s hard to tell with newborns, but I distinctly remember trying to decide if his hair was going to be red or blond.  It can be hard to tell with newborns since their skin is a little more pink to begin with but it definitely looked like he had some red undertones.  You can see for yourself how that turned out.  ◡̈

For Elliott’s next session, he was just shy of 7 months.  He had a full head of fuzzy reddish hair, and was a busy boy!  He was snuggly, but also on the move and crawling. By the time his one year session rolled around, he was just starting to walk and was on the move.  He was so full of laughs and smiles, and I had so much fun watching him play with his mom and dad.

I’m just about to deliver their final print and album from Elliot’s First Year Collective, and soon I’ll be welcoming them back to my studio with baby #2!  So many of my clients are returning with their second baby this year (lots of boys so far!), and I am honored that so many trust me year after year to photograph these big moments for them.

Here are some favorites from Elliott’s First Year Collective:

If you’re looking to schedule your own First Year Collective, please click on the contact tab and let’s chat!

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We first met for a wardrobe consultation about a week and a half before their maternity session.  It was so great to get to know them a bit before our session date.  The mom-to-be got to try on several outfits and dresses to make sure she had options that she loved and that fit well.  She found quite a few, and we ended up doing four different looks the day of her session.  She looked absolutely stunning in all of them!

The day of our session, we started out with an outfit that held a lot of meaning to her. They also brought along some ultrasound photos, which I always love adding in for maternity sessions.  Her second outfit was also one she brought from home, with a cute denim look.  After that, she switched to something a bit more glam from my studio wardrobe – one of my absolute FAVORITE dresses for maternity and motherhood photos, and then a simple linen look. The session itself was about an hour long, but we were able to get so much variety and different looks in that time!  Maternity sessions are some of my favorite to photograph, and we always end up with quite a few photos.  Sharing some of my favorites below.

Looking for minimalist pregnancy photography near Minneapolis?  Click the contact tab and let’s chat!

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Fast forward to MANY years later, and me running my own photography business.  I’m now taking similar photos, as timeless as the ones I saw on my own grandmother’s wall.  I’ve been doing children’s heirloom portrait photography in the Minneapolis area for about 8 years now.  It has traditionally been more popular out east and in the South, but I’m happy to say these portraits have kept me BUSY here in the midwest. I think they’re finally catching on up this way, and I’m so happy they are.  I love taking these timeless portraits of babies and children, and it makes me so happy to provide these classic portraits for my clients.

I get asked a lot of questions about these heirloom portraits, so I thought I’d share a little Q & A:

When is the best time to have these portraits taken?   In my opinion, the best times are 9-12 months, 2-3 years and 5 years.  At 9-12 months, your child is still a baby.  Maybe a few teeth popping though, or a gummy smile. Chubby cheeks and baby rolls.  At 2-3 years, they are definitely looking more like toddlers rather than babies.  Their hair is usually longer, they’re sometimes a bit rambunctious, and their personality is really starting to show.  Baby teeth are on full display for toddler photos.  At 5 years, some of the toddler look as grown away.  This is the “big kid” stage.  Children are usually more relaxed, and I get a mix of soft smiles and toothy grins.  All three of these ages/stages are SO different, and are great times to have these heirloom portraits taken. That being said, I have taken these portraits at all ages, from 6 months to 8+ years.  There’s never a wrong time to get beautiful portraits taken of your children.

My kid won’t sit still for long.  How long do these sessions last?  The fantastic thing about these sessions is that I really only need 15 minutes or less to get some great photos of your child.  Of course, if your child is loving the camera or if you want to do multiple outfits we may go a bit longer, but I can almost always get a full heirloom portrait session done in roughly 10 minutes.

What should my child wear for these photos?  I typically recommend a shirt or dress with a collar or smocking if you want a more traditional look, but I’ve had clients wear a button down shirt for a more modern take on these portraits.  Ivory, cream, and light colors/pastels photograph best.  No matter what your preference is, I have a full studio wardrobe for boys and girls to wear for these sessions, from size 9 months up to 8 years.  Lots of beautiful dresses, onesies, shirts, and bobby suits that all photograph beautifully. If you want to purchase your own outfit, I have a list of stores I can recommend as well.  We’ll chat and figure out wardrobe before your session.

How do I schedule a session?  These sessions can be scheduled anytime throughout the year.  I also host a Children’s Heirloom Portrait Event once or twice a year, in which you can save a bit on the session fee if you schedule during the event.

The Spring 2026 Children’s Heirloom Portrait Event

This spring’s event will be held on April 11, 2026 at my Lino Lakes studio, which is just off 35W and 23/Lake Drive.  It’s a store front business that is easy to find with plenty of parking. I have an assistant for these events to greet clients, help them with wardrobe, and keep things going as smoothly as possible.

The sessions are 10 minutes long, and include one 5×7 fine art cotton print matted to 8×10, as well as the matching digital file in both color and black and white.  I also have framed pieces, larger prints, and other artwork available to purchase from these sessions.  If you’re inserted, please click the sign up HERE to reserve your session time for the event. If the link isn’t working, you’re viewing this blog post after the event has passed.  Please reach out to see when the next heirloom portrait event will be, or schedule your own individual session by reaching out via the contact link HERE.

Pictured below: one of my first heirloom portraits, and the same child 7 years later at least spring’s Heirloom Portrait Event, as well as a couple others from last spring’s event.

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This family contacted me when they were looking for an Edina newborn photographer to photograph their new family of four.  I had such a great time with them, going through my studio wardrobe to coordinate outfits, and chatting with their oldest about his love of hockey (if you live in Edina, you almost have to be a hockey fan, right?).

Here are some of my favorite photos from their session.  I have also photographed baby girl’s heirloom portraits last year!  When they say “the days are long but the years are short” – or something like that – it’s 1000% true!  Just a few years between these newborn photos and heirloom portraits.

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The second time we connected, the family had moved to Brookston, MN.  They had purchased a home with a tree farm and some beautiful views.  It was a trading post back in the day – how cool is that!?!  With the new home and their youngest turning 1 soon, they thought it would be a great time for updated family photos.  They asked if I’d consider heading out to them for photos this time, and of course I said yes!  I’m always down for a road trip.  And posting this, I just realized I never blogged that session.  Maybe later, but first I want to get to our most recent session.

Cristen reached out this past fall about wanting updated family photos.  They had moved again – this time about 30 minutes past Hibbing.  Their newest baby was about 10 months old, and she mentioned how much she wanted to have a session at their new place, possibly in the spring since fall was already here.  But, I looked at my schedule at the stars aligned – I had a 3 day window free in November! We decided to schedule a family session, which was another road trip for me – always so much fun!

I got a hotel in Hibbing the evening before our session, and the next day it was overcast but not snowing and not completely gloomy, so we went with it (part of planning it as a three day trip was to give us a bit of leeway with the weather).  I got to their home late morning and was just in awe – what an amazing place to live and raise a family!  From the tree-lined roads and driveways with sheep greeting you, to the open field and sprawling land – all I could think of was how lucky these guys are to live here.  So many times I’ve thought about moving away to the wilderness, but they actually did it, and get to enjoy this little slice of heaven every day.

When I first got there, Jordi greeted me and asked me if I would like any tea. At just four years old, he’s wise beyond his years, and he really liked the “Mr. Rogers” cardigan I brought for him to wear (yes, wardrobe provided for the entire family, even for on-location sessions!).  Big sister Birdie was excited to offer me some snacks, and then they both showed me how well they did on their new roller skates while mom was getting her and baby Ronan ready.

I spent a few hours photographing them, but the time flew by.  We really just explored their world.  Photos were a mix of documentary, candid and posed.  Their final gallery included pictures of them sitting at their front steps, snuggling together inside, feeding the sheep, looking for bullet casings in the open area behind their home, playing on the trampoline, and of course, playing with the sled dogs!  David races sled dogs, and they raise them as well (there were some new pups that I got to see while I was there, which were absolutely adorable!).  They take SUCH great care of these pups, and it was very evident from watching them all interact that they have a great bond.  One of the dogs has even ran in an Iditarod race, which I thought was really special.  For a lot of their session, we could hear the dogs talking and howling in the background.  It was beautiful, and also great for keeping away wolves and other predators.

This family always gets a large album to document their session, which is my favorite way to commemorate any time of session.  This time it’s a gorgeous leather-bound album with “Clan Burge” and their session date blind debossed on the front.  It’s going to be absolutely beautiful, and I love the thought of the entire family getting to look though and enjoy it for many years to come.

There are some sessions that I leave with my heart feeling full and a huge smile on my face.  Where clients feel more like friends and family.  This was definitely one of those sessions.  Here are some favorites from our time together:

Date: November 2025

Location: Hibbing Area, MN

Wardrobe: Pieces from THE GREAT, Zara, and Jamie Kay

Camera gear: Canon R6Mii, Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L, Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS

Looking for a Hibbing area family photographer?  Click the contact tab and let’s chat!

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We first met at my Lino Lakes studio for a wardrobe consultation.  I HIGHLY recommend this for all maternity clients.  It’s a lot of fun playing dress-up and finding some outfits that you love and know you’ll feel confident in for your session.  Rachel came in with some ideas for boudoir and nude maternity photos, and together we figure out which items from my studio wardrobe would work best with her vision.  She ended up choosing several options, including some pieces from THE GREAT and 12th Tribe, and they all looked amazing on her!

Rachel decided to add a hair and makeup artist for her session, so I coordinated a date and time that would work for all of us for her session.  Caitlin Spah (Makeup By Caitlin) came to the studio to do Rachel’s hair and makeup.  I absolutely love working with Caitlin – she is kind, a great listener, and does a fantastic job making my clients look and feel their best. And a side note – if you’re a First Year Collective member, hair and makeup is complimentary for your newborn session!  It’s a great way for moms to get pampered for their first family photos.

We planned for an early afternoon session to take advantage of the soft lighting that pours into my Lino Lakes studio that time of day.  We did 6 different looks for this boudoir maternity session, including some typical dresses and outfits, as well as a robe, a two piece set and some nude and semi-nude photos.  I’m not posting any of the last ones here for my client’s privacy, but just know that they turned out beautifully and we had a lot of fun and laughs while photographing the entire set.  I received a great compliment from her after, saying the following:

“I love them, and that’s hugely because of the comfortable environment you created”.  And that’s my goal.  To create photos you love, while keeping things fun, relaxed and comfortable. With that being said, here are some favorites from our time together for this Minneapolis boudoir maternity session.

Looking to schedule your own boudoir maternity session? Click HERE and let’s start planning!

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I started off 2025 with a photography retreat in California.  I saw some old friends and met some new ones, and we had a fantastic time hanging out and photographing model sessions in Palm Springs and Joshua Tree.  Literally the best thing I could have done to get out of the cold Minnesota winter and start the year off with some fun and creativity.  Lots of good food, site seeing, hiking….all SO good for the soul.  I wish I could go back every year, but for 2026 we’re meeting in Maine for another meetup and I’m already looking forward to it.  A few favorites from Palm Springs and Joshua tree.

2025 was a busy year through and through. I did take a lot of time off in June and July for my son’s high school graduation party, followed by my daughter’s national volleyball tournament in Orlando, Florida, which was followed by a quick vacation in Clearwater and then some family time at my in-laws cabin.  I had a great mix of work and family life this year, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in those regards.  I took most of December off this year, too, which was new for me but made the holidays SO much more enjoyable! I was able to focus on getting orders out before the holidays, and I had all of my own Christmas shopping and wrapping done before Christmas Eve this year – a first!

When I wasn’t traveling, I was photographing a lot of families.  I had 39 maternity, newborn, and family sessions this year, as well as some headshots for F&M Bank (I’ve been doing their headshots for years now, and call them my “banker headshots”).  I also had four senior sessions for some friends of my son – they were quick and painless, and I might just be offering these as simplicity sessions in the future because they were a nice change of pace.

For most of 2025 I photographed in studio (I did have three in-home sessions this year).  Once September came around almost all my sessions were outside for the next two months.  It can sometimes be a pain working around the light and the weather for outdoor sessions, but I feel like we lucked out because we had a long, beautiful fall with gorgeous weather.  It did take a long time for the leaves to change, but other than that it was one of the nicest fall seasons I can remember.

Here are some favorites from studio and outdoor sessions from this past year.  SO hard to choose just one from each session!

This fall, one of my favorite clients reached out wanting to schedule a session.  Her and her family had moved again, and were now 3.5 hours north of me.  The stars aligned and I had three free days in a row, so I suggested a road trip and we made it happen!  It involved a long car ride and some hotel time, sheep, sled dogs, and a new member of the family who was almost a year old!  It was one of those sessions that left me feeling like I was on cloud 9.  I had SUCH an amazing afternoon with this family, and I will be doing a whole blog post on it eventually.  For now, here are some favorites from my time in Side Lake, MN:

The biggest surprise of 2025 was how many heirloom portrait clients I had!  Throughout the year I did 31 heirloom portraits, which is a new record for me.  I’ve been doing these for over 7 years now and each year I have more and more clients requesting them.  It makes me SO happy to see these catching on here in MN (they have been very popular in the south for a long time).  These photos are timeless, and are quickly becoming a client favorite.

And that’s a wrap!  In addition to all of these sessions, I had over 20 sessions where my clients did not want any photos shared online, and I 1000% respect that.  I am thankful for those that do allow me to share, though, and I thank ALL of you for allowing me to be a part of your story this year.  Cheers to 2026 – I hope it’s a good one!  And if you’re looking to book a session in 2026, click HERE and let’s chat!

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My clothing rack for women’s clothing options was completely overflowing.  Out with the old and in with the new!  I got rid of a lot of pieces that didn’t get chosen very often, or that I just wasn’t loving as much anymore.  In their place, I added some very feminine, delicate tops, dresses and a lot of pieces that are not dresses (a first for me!).  I really wanted to see how some of them photographed, so I reached out to a past client who I knew was expecting her second baby soon and asked if she’d model some of my new wardrobe pieces.  I’m so happy she was down for it, because I absolutely love how these turned out, and we had a great time catching up and chatting about life while creating these images.

I still have a lot of new pieces to share with everyone, including some gorgeous dresses that I think would photograph beautifully outdoors (yes, I do outdoor sessions, too!).  I can’t wait to share more, but for now, here are some favorites from our time together.

Looking for a Minneapolis studio maternity photographer who offers wardrobe and styling guidance?  Click the contact tab and let’s plan your session!

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My studio is typically full of natural light, but on the morning of our newborn session it was partly sunny and windy.  The clouds were coming in and out of the light, making it difficult to get consistent lighting.  Because of that, I decided to use my studio light for the majority of these photos.  The great thing about studio lighting is that it’s consistent, no matter what the weather is doing outside.  And the best part?  The way I use my studio light make the photos look very similar to my naturally lit photos (could you tell looking at these that studio lighting was used?).  I get asked a lot about what type of light I use.  My go-to is an Einstein flash unit from Paul C. Buff, and an 86″ PLM umbrella. And of course my beloved Canon R6mII.

Georgia was awake for a lot of her newborn session, but like almost all babies at my studio, she eventually fell asleep.  Mom borrowed a beautiful dress from my studio wardrobe collection that looked amazing on her.  Big brother Johnny was an absolutely charmer, and did amazing for his portion of the session!  With toddler siblings, I usually have them in and out of the photos at different times, taking plenty of breaks as needed.  I also brought muffins in that morning since mom said Johnny liked them, and I didn’t want anyone going hungry for an early morning session.  Snacks and toys were the way to his heart.  That, and chatting about hockey made for a happy guy who did great for his sister’s newborn session.

Here are some favorites from our time together:

Looking for an Edina newborn photographer that offers a stress-free newborn session?  Click on the contact tab and let’s chat!

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The day of our session, she was 29 weeks along, which was perfect timing – her bump was bumping, and she was not to that tired/exhausted phase of pregnancy yet (even with two older kids!).  The morning of our session, it was rainy and gloomy outside.  I do use studio lighting sometimes when it’s extremely overcast outside, but we lucked out! The clouds broke up just enough to let in some gorgeous light during our session time.  As soon as we finished up, the clouds rolled back in and it started raining out. Our timing could not have been more perfect!

K looked absolutely stunning in everything she wore for the maternity session, and was so easy going – a true joy to work with!  I also photographed her baby boy’s newborn session and 1 year session.  I absolutely love it when clients sign up for my First Year Collective  – so fun seeing how much these babies change in that first year!

Here are some favorites from our boudoir maternity session at my studio, just outside of Minneapolis a bit, in Lino Lakes.

Looking to schedule a boudoir maternity session in Minneapolis or the surrounding area?  Click the contact tab and let’s chat!  Wardrobe is provided, I can handle scheduling hair and makeup to be done at your home or at the studio.  Be ready to be pampered and let’s create something beautiful together!

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