Tori ~~ (high school senior pictures - Minneapolis/Saint Paul)

As promised, more shoots from this fall... I'll try to post a few here and there as time permits. :)

Here's the beautiful HS Senior Tori V. We had a great time in the studio and out-and-about in the Selby Ave area in St Paul. Could she be any cuter? :)








Thanks Tori -- hope you enjoy every moment of your Senior year!

Fall Outdoor Child & Family Photography - Como Park, Saint Paul

With the "Christmas rush" in full swing here for the last couple months, I haven't had much time to post current work... But finally, here's a peak at some images from the fall shoot day back in October, with more to come! :) Oddly, we've hardly had any snow since, but that day there was a beautiful morning snow-cover; perfect to spark your Christmas-spirit!

Costume Contest WINNER!

We have a winner! Straight from the polls:

Lego-Man 30.5% 54
Frank the Frankenstein 39.0% 69
Dorothy & her dog 30.5% 54

It was clearly a close one, and we had 177 votes overall, but FRANK THE FRANKENSTEIN takes home the title - Costume Contest Winner 2009!

We will be in touch with all three families within the week and make sure you get your prizes. Thanks everyone for voting and participating! We will be contacting those of you who placed orders once they're in.

Halloween Costume Contest FINALISTS!

Well, it was a hit! More than 40 kids participated in our Halloween Costume Contest & Food Drive this year, and I know I had as much fun as they did. :)

Thanks so much to Java Train, for co-sponsoring and hosting the event with us, as well as Second Harvest Heartland, who were were able to donate (drum roll) over 150 items of food to with your help! Thanks also to music teacher Kristin Morant who helped sponsor our treat bags! Make sure you contact her at kristin@kristinmorant.com or 651-247-5015 to use the voice or piano lesson coupon from your treat bag or for more info on music lessons.

As for the finalists... wow, was it a tough decision! Check out all of these adorable kids, and you'll see why!


There were at least eight kids in serious running, but we had to narrow it down. Selection was based on 1.PERSONALITY! 2.costume originality and 3.the final photos overall. Here's our selection for this year... (make sure you head to the bottom of this page to place your vote!)
With your help, one of these winners will take home the title of Costume Contest09 Winner and receive gift certificates from Java Train & Feather Blue Studios. But don't worry, we have some fabulous treasure for the finalists too. ;)

PLACE YOUR VOTE by clicking below, and in one week we'll announce the winner.Click Here to Vote Now! (THANKS ALL! VOTING IS NOW CLOSED.)

Thanks again everyone! Don't forget, just a few days left to place orders of your Halloween cuties if you haven't done so yet!

Girls & their Dolls - a perfect combo for fun!

As I'm working on filling some orders from our Girl Meets Doll event held this past September, I realized I never posted any snapshots from the fun!

Girl Meets Doll was a chance for girls and their dolls (American Girl Doll, etc) to get their photo taken with their doll, enjoy a craft, and create their own doll hair masterpiece (which they loved)! We're thinking of doing another one in the Spring/Summer so if you're interested please email me to let me know, so we can make sure it happens... Happy Weekend All! :)

Miriam {senior pictures - St Paul}

It seem like I've been shooting senior sessions like mad lately, so I thought it was about time I posted some images of one!

Miriam is one of my favorite seniors. Of course, I'm a little biased... she's been our babysitter for the last few years and the kids love her! :) We will be sad when she heads off to college next year, but if she's not too far away perhaps we'll still see her once in a while. ;)

Miriam and I had a great time shooting in the studio and on-location in Saint Paul around the quaint Selby Ave area. As usual, I took a ton of pictures... here's some of my faves!

It's November!

Happy November everyone! Where does the time go??? :)

Super busy around here editing hs senior & child/family shoots from the last few weeks, as well as filling a number of orders. Thanks for your patience to those of you who have been waiting! Just a little update from the studio...

-The Halloween Costume Contest event and shoot on Friday was a blast! Thank you to all who made it - I believe we photographed approximately 40 costumed kids that day - what fun to see all the unique costumes!

-Thanks especially for your generous food shelf contributions! We were able to gift Second Harvest Heartland with more than 150 non-perishable food items! What a blessing we can be to our community when we work together...

-The winner of the $25 Gift Certificate for brining the most items is Lindsay R., who brought 34 items! Thank you Lindsay! - we will be in touch in the next week to get you your prize.

-The Halloween photo gallery (& 3 contest finalists) will be posted in about a week. Keep an eye out for that email if you were part of our event.

-Still looking to create some stunning images for your Family Christmas card this year? Please note that the last day recommended to shoot with holiday deadlines in mind is November 24th. Call or email us soon to set up your session!

Will post again (with some pix of Halloween cuties) soon. Wishing you a beautiful day...

Halloween Costume Contest & Food Drive!

It's live! Here's the poster for our 2009 Halloween Costume Contest which will be held at the ever-popular Java Train cafe this year. Friday, October 30th, 3:30-6:30pm (see time slots options below).

(click on the poster if you want to enlarge)

This year I'm excited to say the event will also be a food drive, so bring a non-perishable food item (or several!) with you and let's help Second Harvest Heartland support our community!

Please note, you MUST PRE-REGISTER your child(ren) for a time slot so we can keep the event running smoothly and have the right number of treat bags on hand. 651.489.8281 or featherbluestudios@juno.com

-You may choose from 3:30(full), 4pm(full), 4:30(full), 5pm(full), 5:30, 6pm, or 6:30pm and arrive anytime in your half hour range. (Fri Oct 30th)

-When you call or email please include your first choice time slot as well as your next two preferred slots, especially as we get closer to the event and times begin to fill up.

-We need: a parents name, the child(ren)'s names, an email address for final confirmation, and ages. Kids 0-10 are welcome!

The fun (including crafts, mini photo sessions, and the treat bag) are all FREE with your non-perishable food drive donation. An online gallery will go up after the event for anyone interested in purchasing prints of the costumed cuties and a blog posting will go up with open-voting to finalize our winner!

Hope to see you there!!! Happy Fall!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Our event is TODAY!!! :) Schedule update as of Fri Oct 30th: morning: the time slots of 3:30, 4pm, 4:30pm & 5pm are now FULL. Please select from either 5:30, 6, or 6:30pm if you want to still register. I will still be taking registrations via phone or email, through 1pm today (Fri). If you leave a message, please leave the number of kids and an email address and the time slot, and consider yourself registered - we will try to send a confirm via email before 2pm.

~If you're checking this out last minute, and want to stop by and get in on the fun, please arrive somewhere between 5:30 & 6:45pm and hopefully we can squeeze you in! - (We cannot guarantee a treat bag if you are not pre-registered, but are trying to have extras, so hopefully that will not be a problem!).

~Food Drive Challenge! A $25 Gift Certificate from Feather Blue Studios will go to whoever brings the most food drive items! Stock up & bring 'em along... every bit helps, so bring one, bring several, or bring a bag full!

Outdoor Fall Family Photo Shoot Day! {Twin Cities / Saint Paul child family photography}

Don't miss out on the FALL FUN! ~~~ Our OUTDOOR FALL FAMILY MINI-SHOOT DAY is fast approaching! Coming up Saturday, October 10th, with time slots ranging from 10am to 1:30pm. This is an exceptional chance to capture your family or child/baby holiday photo with plenty of time to get that Christmas card out!

These time and money saving mini-sessions are 45 minutes of fun for the investment of just $85 (which includes a $25 order credit!) Shooting at Como park, hopefully we'll enjoy some beautiful fall colors and mild weather.

Several slots still open... Please call 651.489.8281 or email featherbluestudios@juno.com for availability and booking.



Cheers! ~Shannon :)
(St Paul & Twin Cities Child / Family Photographer)
Feather Blue Studios
www.featherbluestudios.com

Hunter's claim to snack fame...

Hey All,

I feel like I have been so busy lately that I have left this blog lacking of anything with much of a personal vibe, :) so I thought I'd at least go ahead and post these images of Hunter (my son, now 2 1/2) and his impact on the baby snack aisle at Target...

He shot this job (which he got through our local modeling agency for those of you who will ask) :) last fall, and lo-and-behold the product actually showed up on shelves this summer just as they said it would (it does not always work this smoothly, trust me). :)

So here he is, in all his glory, selling loads of mango-peach flavored toddler finger food and lovin' it...






(And yes, he does have kool-aid stains on his face, but apparently I was too tired to scrub it off before we shot these photos and too tired to retouch-it out of them now... Real life, enough said.) :)

Shannon :)

PS - For those of you who will inevitably ask how you can get your adorable child into modeling, please see our Model Integrity division at www.ModelIntegrity.com. Through Model Integrity, I hold workshops offering parents and teen/adult models perspective on modeling in the Twin Cities, help them avoid scams & save money, find a legit modeling agency in MN, and offer information on what steps to take next. While we don't have the next workshop date set right now, if you want to get on the mailing list, please email us at modelintegrity@juno.com and also subscribe to follow the Model Integrity blog. Rates for shooting model portfolios or doing comp cards are available under the fashion section of my main Feather Blue Studios site as well. :)

Upcoming Family/Kids Events! {Get that Calendar out!} ~Saint Paul / Twin Cities~

~Just a reminder to register for our "Girl Meets Doll" event by this Friday, the 18th! This is going to be a fun little event for girls & their dolls (of ANY type!) to have their photo taken together, enjoy a craft, snacks, and doll activity... Aimed at girls 4-10, your registration includes 4 mini trading cards featuring your fave photo of girl/doll (to be selected online post-event). Call up those friends, and register 3 or more girls at a time for just $12/each (starting at one of 4 select half hour time slots: 10am, 10:30am, 11am, 11:30am). feathebluestudios@juno.com ~ 651.489.8281
(held here at the studio, Saint Paul, Como Park area)



~Upcoming: Outdoor Family Mini Shoot Day! Saturday October 10th, outdoors at Como Park. These "mini sessions" at the special rate of only $85 will feature a 45 minute shoot for the whole fam (or just the kids if you prefer), plus include a $25 order credit to get your portrait shopping started! Just in time for holiday cards... Only 5 time slots available this year! 10am, 10:45am, 11:30am, 12:45pm 1:30pm









~The HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST is back! Friday October 30th, 3:30-6:30pm (Look for future info so you can pre-register for your time slot). This year we're pleased to be partnering with Java Train Cafe (just off Midway in St Paul) and will be holding the event there. And even better, our event this year will also be a FOOD DRIVE, so your kiddos photo session is FREE with you bring a non-perishable food item (or several) along. Perfect for costumed kids 0-10, this event will feature mini photo sessions, craft, and treat bags. All details coming in the next couple weeks.

"Girl Meets Doll" ~ Special Edition mini shoot & event for girls and their dolls {Sat, Sept 19th}

Calling all Doll Fans! {American Girl, My Twinn, & all other Dolls}

(Click on the poster to enlarge it!)


This event is tailored to girls 4-10 (with exceptions of course). Space is limited, so register early! Take advantage of the tiered pricing and enjoy the day with friends.

In addition to the mini shoot, each girl will enjoy a craft, activity, and treats (treats for moms too!). About a week after the shoot, you'll receive a link to an online gallery where your daughter can choose her own photo for the included mini doll trading cards, and you can view and order other prints/products if you wish.

Enjoy some mother/daughter time while you're little girl creates some memories with her treasured doll. Time slots are:
10am
10:30am
11am
11:30am
{you may arrive anytime within your time slot and leave once you're done enjoying the girl time} :)

Shoot will take place at Shannon's cozy studio {Feather Blue Studios} in the Como Park area of St Paul. Contact Shannon at 651.489.8281 or featherbluestudios@juno.com to register for this event.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PS - If your little girl loves to be gifted with new clothes for her doll friend, here are a couple links to try out!

~Jill of "Cute 'n Sassy Creations" is local to MN and makes some adorable outfits for dolls - check out her etsy site! www.CutenSassyCreations.etsy.com

~Dawn is a local representative for Emily Rose doll clothes, which offers a wide variety of clothes, costumes, & accessories for dolls. Check out Dawn's Emily Rose website, and click on the party link if you're interested in hosting a party for your little doll lover! www.dollsclothes-emilyrose.com/dawnschwan

Just 11 more days - FREE BONUS BUCKS!

Our Summer Celebration Sale is off & running... just eleven more days to:
-get $50 BONUS BUCKS totally free when you purchase a $100 gift certificate
-get HALF OFF our elite petite baby program (or $200 off the elite petite couture)

Don't miss it! (Ends August 31st).

Click HERE to read the current newsletter with all the details, and link right to the ordering system. Bonus Bucks can be used for portrait sessions & print orders {child, family, baby, senior}.


Also in the works is our "Girls Meets Doll" special mini shoot event, set for Saturday September 19th.. Details coming very soon (tomorrow maybe?) :) Check back soon!

Summer Celebration Sale! {& out of studio notice}

Hey All ~ I'll be out of the studio all week (on vacation!) but don't miss the start of our Summer Celebration Sale, starting now! (running 3 weeks only) - invest now for your fall family pictures, holiday card, or next years birthday & get BONUS BUCKS to show for it! Plus save HALF on our elite petite baby photo program - capture those 3,6,9,&12 month pictures at a better deal than ever. Check it all out HERE and if you didn't get this in your email box, go ahead and click on the all new e-newsletter list while you're there. Have a great week and catch you once I'm back... Summer's still here!!! ~Shannon :)

Outdoor Urban Family Session {family portraits Saint Paul}

I've been expanding more and more of my work to the urban streets of Saint Paul, and this shoot (which so happens to be of my sister, brother-in-law & newphew Stryker at 18m old) is a great example of the fun that can be had in an urban setting, whether it be for kids, high school seniors, or a family shoot. Shot around the Selby/Dale are, the quaint streets and boutique-filled buildings made for some great backdrops (not to mention running-strips for energetic Styker, who never seems to quit). :)
Find a whole lot MORE of this shoot on FACEBOOK! Search for "Feather Blue Studios" and check out 30 images from this shoot, enough to give you a feel of what the results of a whole shoot would look like. Don't forget to BECOME A FAN while you're there, and keep up on the latest news, events, and deals that we're offering here at the studio.

Maternity Portrait Art - {Twin Cities Maternity Photography}

While I tend to put more time into marketing "baby" sessions rather than "belly" shoots, I do offer maternity photography here at Feather Blue Studios and wanted to share some beautiful images from a recent shoot. Truly art, this mom of 4 (including the new little one!) and her husband ordered a large print of one of these images so that they could "remember that we did that whole baby thing once upon a time." And I can't think of a better way to remember it... isn't she beautiful?



Expecting? or have a new little one? Be sure to check out our "elite petite" baby photo program for the 3.6.9.12 month stages, with optional maternity & newborn sessions available as well. {Note: a very elite sale on this program is coming soon!}

Modeling in the Twin Cities - workshop & open call on Thursday

Just a reminder that the next Model Integrity workshop is coming up this Thursday evening. If you're interested in modeling, getting your child/teen into modeling, or just want more info on how this whole industry works, this is the place to start.

All of the info can be found at the Model Integrity website and on the Model Integrity blog.