Alison Lea Photography

New Blog

2009-06-12T21:07:00.001-05:00

If you're looking for my blog...go to

www.alisonleaphotography.com/blog

Hope Chest for Breast Cancer

2009-06-12T09:21:00.005-05:00

I am honored to be a part of a new project!

A friend of mine, Korie Regan, is leading this project for the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer (www.hopechest.us). We are putting together a calendar to raise funds for the Hope Chest while honoring women, sharing stories of HOPE and helpful information on breast cancer. They have gathered 12 monthly stories on women that have experienced breast cancer and what gave them HOPE during that time. It’s going to be a really neat project that the Hope Chest will do every year.

Also…as a side note, you can honor someone by “purchasing a day” for $25 to celebrate them. Their name will be listed on that day either in “honor of”, “memory of” or in “thanks to”. Please let me know if you'd like the contact info to purchase a date!

And PLEASE feel free forward this on to all of your friends and contacts!

Duke - 18 months

2009-06-09T08:33:00.013-05:00

Duke is such a sweet little guy, but he is "all boy!"
He smiled at me right away and then ran around showing me everything...his toy farm and several other toys.

Duke's nanny joined us to help with photos and to be in a few.

Getting an 18 month old to sit "nicely" and smile for the camera is really a performance. But, I tell parents all the time...you only need one split second of a smile to capture it. We managed to get a few family shots. And I LOVE the one of Duke and his mom, when she's giving him a kiss.

He sat so nicely when he was reading his books. It was sweet.

This is definitely my favorite of the day. Duke's room was so cute and he was playing peek-a-boo with me from in his crib. He'd JUMP UP and his smile was to die for!

I can't wait to photograph your 2nd birthday, Buddy!

Walk For Life

2009-06-08T23:03:00.012-05:00

I have started to work with another non-profit organization - New Life Family Services .

This is a little blip of info from their website.

"At New Life Family Services, we compassionately open our doors and our hearts to women and men who believe that abortion is the "only" solution to an unplanned pregnancy. Through practical and spiritual counsel, we provide education and support with the hope that each client will make a life-affirming decision for their unborn child.

Every day lives are being saved. In 2008, our five centers served over 10,000 clients! Of the abortion-minded clients who had ultrasounds at New Life, more than 9 out of 10 changed their minds from abortion to life because of the ultrasound images they were able to see! We are here to reach out and show the love of Christ to those in a difficult situation, touching hearts and lives, one at a time."

They offer all kinds of support: free ultrasounds, education, abortion recovery support, adoption services, and much more.

The staff and volunteers at NLFS are kind and loving as they help people to see that there are options and abortion is not the only way.

This year, I photographed their fund raising walk.
It was so cold, but the show must go on! Families walked, kids walked and even DOGS walked for LIFE!

There was an awesome puppet show - a non-profit organization based in Chanhassen - The First Light Puppets.

I have the pleasure of working with New Life Family Services again later this summer, so watch for more pictures.

Jill & Adam - Minnihaha Falls

2009-06-08T21:21:00.006-05:00

Jill and Adam are getting married this fall and we are so excited to photograph their wedding.

What a fun couple.

My baby's got teeth!

2009-06-08T13:39:00.002-05:00

I just had to post a couple pictures of my little girl, Brenna.
She just turned 7 months old TODAY!
Look at her two little teeth. I never thought teeth would be so dang cute!

Mom's Fellowship

2009-05-30T14:12:00.007-05:00

I belong to a Mom's Fellowship at our old church and LOVE it!
The moms are awesome and Brenna loves being with the other kids.

This year, it has been an amazing blessing to be a part of the group. Karen, our fearless leader, has directed the group, reasearched things, read books, created meals and snacks, and so much more. We appreciate her willingness and servant's heart. What a great example for each of us.

For Mother's Day, I decided to give each of the mom's a mini-session after our group. So, here are some of the pictures.

Aren't they cute!?!?!

Sweet little Joey

2009-05-28T08:42:00.005-05:00

Joey is such a happy little guy.
Brenna and I went to visit Joey and his mom, Annie. The babies enjoyed "playing together" and interacting.

Annie and her husband, Mike, have four daughters (all the way from elementary school through college age!) and along came Joey. What a blessing! They recently moved to a new home with lots of land. We spent time inside with tons of natural light and then headed out to the swing.

When Joey smiles at you, your heart melts. I don't know if anyone could do him justice with the camera. He loves his Mommy so much, you can just see it in how he looks at her. It's beautiful!

I was told that this swing is Mike's favorite place...

Annie, I love spending time with you and your family. Thank you for allowing me to capture this stage of Joey's life.

Matthew Michael

2009-05-26T23:29:00.007-05:00

Matthew, Steve and Amber are dear friends of ours. Matt was born just a few days after Brenna and we play together often. I LOVE this first picture of Amber and Matty!!! How beautiful.

What a great family!

May 23, 2009 - Kala & David - part ii

2009-05-26T15:38:00.025-05:00

Aren't they a beautiful couple!

Briana and Brian, I photographed their wedding in 2005. Now, their little boy is due in October. Thank you for the referral. Much love!

Kala and her AWESOME personal attendant, Christa

A beautiful ceremony location - Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St Cloud, MN

David's family

Kala's family.

Bri (the bridemaid on the end) is pregnant. I love this one with her little belly out.

David's siblings and all of the spouses!

Kala and David's wedding was beautiful. The ceremony was definitely a sacred event and the center of the day. The faith that they share is obviously the center of their relationship. It brought me such joy to be a part of their day.

Kendra, my associate photographer, and Monika, an extra assistant for the day, and I chatted about ideas for the day, the time line and the names of family and wedding party - as we normally do. But, today, as we drove to St Cloud, we were almost giddy. There was just something about that day. I'm still not sure what it was.

At the end of the night, I was talking with Kala's mom and she gave me one of the best complements of my career. She simply said, "now I know why Kala wanted to hire you so badly." Wow. Thank you.

Johnson Family

2009-05-26T15:09:00.017-05:00

As some of you know, I love to use my "gifts" to bless others. God is to faithful and has blessed me with so much. One of the ways I give is to record the journey of people's lives for them and for their families. If you click on my ALS tag, you'll see three families that I've done this for.

Cindy and Bob are family friends of ours. I am horrible at understanding and explaining
medical terms, so here's a little bit of her caring bridge site...

Cindy "was diagnosed in late October with "Stage 3b non-small-cell adenocarcinoma located primarily in (her) right lung. However, there is an enlarged lymph node that also probably is cancerous, as well as cells in the sac around the heart. This precludes surgery."

Cindy is a very loving mother and church volunteer. She and her family spent our time together laughing, talking, and playing Clue. Her youngest son even played his BANJO for us!

Thank you for allowing me to capture a little piece of your lives together.

The Lord bless you and keep you.
May His face shine upon you,
and give you peace.

Alexis and Will

2009-05-26T15:01:00.008-05:00

Alexis and Will are such sweet kids.

Will totally loves his baby sister. He kisses her, hugs her and holds her hand. He was such a good boy at the shoot. Thanks, Buddy!

The whole family (including the puppies) got in on the action.

Alexis was exhausted by the end of our shoot. She fell asleep on her mom's should, so we were able to put her anywhere we wanted!

Survey

2009-05-25T18:19:00.002-05:00

If you are a client of mine, please take this survey.
Thank you for your time, suggestions and encouragement.

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May 23, 2009 - Kala & David

2009-05-23T23:08:00.004-05:00

We shot this wedding today and I just had to post this image...sorry for being a tease.

Vikings and T-wolves Contribute to Make a Wish, MN

2009-05-21T08:46:00.015-05:00

A group of Timberwolves were at the Ball to encourage the foundation! Crunch even served appetizers!

Many of the MN Vikings, including Jim Kleinsasser and his wife (and co-chair) Christa, came to show their support of Make A Wish.

The Vikings and Timberwolves came out in full-force to support the Make a Wish Foundation.
I was honored to get to know them and take some great shots.

Miller Family

2009-05-21T08:44:00.006-05:00

Lexi, Will & Family

2009-05-20T23:24:00.010-05:00

Mark & Linda

2009-05-18T21:46:00.013-05:00

Mark and Linda got married at my favorite chapel...Nazareth Hall at Northwestern College in Roseville, MN. Although I don't often declare favorites, Darrin and I were married at Naz Hall in 2005 and my dad, an Art Historian, is working towards restoration and preservation of the buildings. I figure I have good enough reason to have this as my favorite.

I had not met Linda until the wedding day. Linda is radiantly beautiful.

Getting married in May, you never know what the trees and flowers will be like. God blessed Linda and Mark with an amazingly beautiful day and look at this tree! I went outside and saw it and was so excited! Isn't it perfect!?!

The ceremony was definitely the focus of Mark and Linda's day. Their faith, commitment and love was evident in all of the day's details.

There were many great reception details as well. My favorites were the individual cakes on each table and the coffee bar. Love it!

Kendra and I were blessed to be a part of this wedding. What a way to start our busy season!

Looking for newborn baby models

2009-05-14T20:12:00.006-05:00

I am wanting to expand my photos of newborns. If anyone is having a baby between now and August, I'd love to do a FREE shoot within 2 weeks of birth.

You receive:
- 60-90 minutes
- on location (I come to you) anywhere in the Twin Cities
- 2 digital files for FREE
- online gallery

All you have to do is email me alison@alisonleaphotography.com or give me a call 612.759.4830. Let me know your due date and then keep me posted when baby arrives.

I'm looking to take up to 5 or more families.
If you have friends who would be interested, please pass it on!

Pete & Tanya

2009-05-09T21:24:00.009-05:00

Pete and Tanya are getting married this fall.
We had so much fun today, laughing, talking and taking pictures. I love to watch my couples interact with one another. Engagement shoots are a great time for us to get to know each other better. It makes EVERYTHING run more smoothly on the wedding day.

Wish Ball 2009

2009-05-05T14:52:00.030-05:00

I began volunteering with Make a Wish Minnesota three years ago and LOVE working with them. I am blessed to get know wish families, staff and volunteers. The Wish Ball is an amazing event and I am always blown away by the generosity of Minnesotans.

Debbie Bequette and Christa Kleinsasser (wife of Viking's player, Jim Kleinsasser) were the co-chairs for 2009. Their hard work paid of with an event that was beautiful and that will bless many children and families. Kendra, my associate shooter, and I were honored to be a part of the night.

Christa and Jim play a HUGE roll in the prosperity of Make a Wish Minnesota. Thank you for your generosity as you give of your time and gifts!

Debbie and Bryon are familiar faces to me, as they have been a part of Make a Wish quite a bit longer that I have. Your commitment to excellence is evident! Thank you.

You may see a few familiar faces, either from my past shoots...or from some local professional sports teams.

Paeonia Floral decorated the tables and donated flowers for the event.

Crunch the Timberwolf served hors devours during the silent auction.

Sangria was the drink of choice - to go with the theme of the night.

Christa Kleinsasser is interviewed by FSN during the silent auction.

Jim Kleinsasser and Ben Leber from the MN Vikings hang out after dinner.

Families of wish kids, Make a Wish Staff, and many other guests attended the Ball.

Host, Mike Pomerantz, from Kare 11 had help from Alycia, a Wish Kid.

Betty Crocker Corporation was the Presenting Sponsor for the evening.

The auctioneer, Col. Kurt Johnson, was kept busy all night! He ran back and forth, all over the stage as hands went up and bids continued to rise.

Wish kids helped design this amazing quilt. They also stood on stage to display it for the guests to see.

Fred Hoiberg of the MN Timberwolves traded places with the auctioneer. He told the audience that he used to be an auctioneer for pig auctions in Iowa...Who knew!?!

One of the generous auction items was seats at the MN pro sports event of your choice! The Vikings players strutted their stuff on the stage to help raise the bidding!

Wish kids, Corrin and Victor, present a beautiful hand-blown glass vase that their family helped design.

The Wish Ball this year was a night to savor the beauty of the lush, tropical décor and experience the flavors of authentic Latin cuisine designed by Chef Amalia Damgaard. Guests danced to the Cuban rhythms of Nachito Herrera and his Latin orchestra. It was an evening we will never forget!

Click here for information on the 2009 Wish Ball and for more information about how to donate.

Click here for information about Make a Wish MN. Most of the images on this site were taken by myself or Kendra, my assistant and associate photographer.mi

Models Needed

2009-05-04T21:05:00.002-05:00

This will be my first official "hair-fashion" shoot!

Rosalee, Master Stylist and Owner of Whiplash Salon, and I have been brainstorming and talking about this for over a year now. We are thrilled to have finally set a date!

If you are wondering what "hair-fashion" is, check out this site http://www.babak.ca. AMAZING! This guy wins every year (I think)!

We are looking for 3 to 5 models that are able to do the shoot on Tuesday May 19, 2009. Depending upon the scheduling I would like to begin prepping the first model around 3 p.m. and Alison will begin shooting around 6p.m. We will be shooting in Minneapolis, but getting ready elsewhere. You would need to be available on Tuesday, May 19.

Rosalee will create a fashionable hairstyle and apply makeup for each model. This is a dramatic look, so it is likely she will use extensions, wigs and false lashes. If you have one, please bring a cocktail dress to the shoot.

We are looking for models of all kinds, specifically models with different ethnic backgrounds. If you are interested, please send a headshot and full-body shot to alison@alisonleaphotography.com. No experience needed. If you are under 18, I will need your parents to consent by signing a special form.

These pictures will be entered into the Northern American hairstyling awards. Check it out. http://www.babak.ca/backstage/naha.html

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, Alison, or Rosalee House.

Alison Geier
Alison Lea Photography
612 759 4830

Rosalee House
Whiplash Salon and Spa
651 278 8464

Noah - 9 Months

2009-05-04T20:40:00.003-05:00

I love this family!

Jerek is 4 months old!

2009-05-02T08:55:00.011-05:00

One of my favorite parts of my job is that I get to continue relationships with my clients and we become friends.

I photographed Laurel's brother and sister-in-law's wedding a few years ago and then they had me take Bryson's photos. We did three shoots in twelve months. Now, they have a new addition...Jerek. I am honored to be back taking pictures for their family.

The boys are such happy kids and so well-behaved. I really enjoyed talking with them and seeing Bryson as a "big boy" - he's 2, ya know? (Just look at his hand...he's showing me.)

The relationships between children and parents are even more amazing and wonderful to me, now that I have my own little girl. What joy children bring to life!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-01T11:09:00.012-05:00

Sarah, Amy, Chris and David decided to give their mom (and MIL) photos for Mother's Day. What a great gift!

We had a blast hanging out this morning. Somehow, it worked out that everyone could get together on a Friday! Two of them had the day off of school, Chris didn't work either and Amy works nights. I love that it worked out because I really enjoyed meeting them.

We thought it would be fun to have a nice headshot of each of the kids.

Don't worry, Chris did take a few without his sunglasses.

Sisters!

I love how much these guys love each other. It is evident in how they all act. They really enjoy being together...I'm sure that is the best Mother's Day gift of all!