Last night, before the rain, I was out with some photographer friends for a bit of nightshooting.  Tripods in tow, we went down by the Mississippi River – the Stone Arch Bridge is always picturesque – but the new 35W bridge is stunning.  It reminded me of “War of the Worlds”.

Creepy, but breathtaking.

{for what it’s worth, these images are unedited}

I’m so excited to photograph Mike and Amanda’s wedding next month!  A few weeks ago we met up for a bit of ice cream and meandering – it was one of those “nice” March Saturdays where ice cream felt fitting.

Mike and Amanda have such a sweet energy.  Playful and passionate in turns – their interplay is wonderful. Their wedding day is going to be a smile-fest.

As a photographer who strives to capture authentic moments, I’ve found that’s best achieved by constructing a relationship with my couples where they are comfortable enough to be themselves – unguarded and real – even while I’m wandering around them with my paparazzi lenses.  So we always find a few hours about a month before the wedding to practice.  I tell my couples that it’s the only goal of the engagement session:  building that rapport and comfort.

Of course it’s always nice to capture beautiful images (and to share them with you)!

For a bit more fun, take a peek at their slideshow (music means alot to Mike and Amanda, so check out their song choice):  click here

Second year now that I’ve had the pleasure and honor of photographing the Ain Dah Yung “Cherish the Children” pow wow.  Ain Dah Yung is social service organization in St. Paul that focuses on the needs of the American Indian youth and families – they do amazing work.  You should check them out —> here

It’s springtime in Minnesota!  There’s still snow on the ground, but less each day.  And each night the melting snow freezes up, forming ice sheets over shallow ice pools.  The crunch and crackle as you walk over them is tremendously satisfying.  Makes me feel powerful, and gleefully destructive.

My favorite flowers appear each spring.  In my opinion nothing compares to red tulips, but daffodils are a close third (after non-red tulips).  I wish I could report that these beauties had triumphantly broken through the snow, but no – they’ve been chilling out in a little pot.  Conveniently sized for brightening my day wherever I’m working – or for a short trip outside to taunt the wasting snowbanks.

That afternoon Sam decided I should be called “Cory” and when Cory asked what his name was, Sam definitively answered (with a smirk), “Baby washing machine.” He couldn’t be swayed (or bribed) for the rest of the afternoon.

Since last fall, Sam has become a huge fan of The Cure.  He’s already conceived of a new album for “The Robert” (featuring Robert Smith) (no word on whether the non-vocalist members of The Cure are deemed worthy to participate) called “Smoke”.

Here’s the track list:  (1) The Last Day of Christmas  (2) Stick  (3) The Walking Wheel  (4) Best Moat  (5) Eat the Table (Stix stax)  (6) Oh La Li Lo DI Oh  (7) Balloons  (8) Sweek  (9) Spit  (10) At the Nice Still  (11) Pee-pee  (12) Poo-poo  (13) Push the Stop  (14) Dirty

[Sam took the shot of Cory - I didn't have a chance last weekend to ask Sam if he's still in an impressionistic period with his photography endeavors]

T’was 2004 when I first visited Jayson at the Lyn-Lake Barbershop. Great conversation and stupidly low prices, I was sold. Carol is budget conscious too, so she was an easy convert. Perhaps only a month later, Jayson started washing Anitra’s dreads (he finishes with fragrant oils). Cory was a harder sell, but the three of us were having so much fun on our monthly trips (and our respective hairstyles were fabulous) so he came along and it officially became “Haircut Day”. Neil joined when he moved from England and converted Carol+Anitra into the “Trio”. Jayson received little Lola as a Christmas present a few years ago. And Astrid joined the Trio’s family last March.

Thanks to Neil’s scheduling discipline, Haircut Day happens every five weeks. Some days are accompanied with festive cocktails (I always made sure I get Jayson’s attention early on those days). Anitra frequently brings her latest vegan baking creations. Our festive crew frequently triggers raised eyebrows from the barbershop’s other patrons – I love that.

As our schedules have become ever-more hectic, Haircut Day is monthly chance to casually drift through a Saturday afternoon reconnecting with best friends. And getting stylish again.

Rebranding is complete… for now.

If you haven’t yet already (or recently), please visit my wedding photography site – nathankavlieweddings.com – or click on “Weddings” in the menu above.

Weird perhaps, but I don’t remember my last cigarette.  Since it was January 19 in Ann Arbor and I wasn’t allowed to smoke in my dorm room (Michigan’s law school has a dorm), doubtless it was cold.  And dark – I would have had a last one before bed.

I’d quit over Christmas break when visiting the folks North Dakota.  Instead of sneaking behind the garage after they fell asleep – then smoking as many as I could bear before frostbite set in – I just stayed inside all week.  But a really stressful and productive week in law school convinced me that I deserved a small “reward”.

I remember now, it was a pack of Dunhill blues.  Full strength/”full flavor”.  Dunhills (instead of my usual Marlboro lights) – because if I was going to cheat, I’d cheat with style.  I’d have just one that Friday night at a birthday party, maybe just two…

I confessed to Cory on Monday the 19th.  We made a deal, every time we talked (he was still in Minneapolis) he had to ask me “Have you had any cigarettes?”  And he asked, every time until I rejoined him in Minnesota.  And it worked.