Jennifer-Class of 2012

It was during Jennifer's planning session prior to her high school senior photo session that she shared with us that she wanted to incorporate her passion for horseback riding into her senior portraits...and we couldn't have been more excited! Two of our favorite things-senior sessions and horses!! What could be better?!? Jennifer's session took place on a beautiful fall day at Kinni Valley Riding Academy (thanks, Carolyn!! http://www.kinnivalleyacademy.com/ ). Jennifer is a senior at the Agricultural and Food Sciences Academy in the Twin Cities and will graduate this spring-we can't wait to see what the future holds for her!! Best of luck, Jennifer!!

Another stunning high school senior!

We have so enjoyed getting to know Kayla and her horse, Eclipse, this past summer! Kayla has just started her senior year in high school...such an exciting time in her life! We love working with seniors...their energy, enthusiasm for life and their passions in life are always so refreshing. From these images, you can tell that Eclipse and riding are Kayla's passion! Kayla's senior session was an evening mid-summer...and it couldn't have been better. We really captured Kayla's relationship with Eclipse and how much riding means to Kayla. Have a great senior year, Kayla! And we can't wait to hear about what your future holds!

Sunrise beauties

It was a glorious morning the day we went to Firefly Farms (http://www.firefly-farm.com/) in Maple Plain, Minnesota, to photograph Patsy's three magnificent horses, Eddie, Grady & Carly. We arrived shortly after sunrise and took full advantage of the gorgeous light. All three horses looked absolutely stunning-you could tell that Patsy had worked hard the day before preparing them for their big photo session .... and it paid off! You can see from the images that they couldn't have looked more majestic and beautiful. The best part of the morning was seeing Patsy's relationship with each horse: Carly is definitely her princess; Eddie has an easy going, kind personality; and Grady is her more shy and definitely athletic horse. It was a morning we will remember for a long time...

River Valley Riders

From April to October, River Valley Riders provides therapeutic horseback riding and carriage driving to 40 clients per week in the St. Croix River Valley. Each client usually has the assistance of three volunteers and is encouraged to participate as independently as possible. Benefits include improvement of balance, increase of core strength, development of self-confidence and improvement of social skills. We had the wonderful opportunity to make portraits for River Valley Riders which will be featured in upcoming newsletters, on their website, a calendar, stationery, and much more. We are so excited to be involved with this amazing group of amazing people. River Valley Riders is in the midst of creating a dream space in Lake Elmo that will ultimately have a year-round indoor equine center. We have seen the plans and it will be a dream come true. One of the biggest fundraisers of the year is just around the corner. Here are the details:

June 26th is the Walk and Ride-A-Thon
River Valley Riders 11th Annual Walk and Ride-A-Thon will be Saturday, June 26, 2010 in beautiful Lake Elmo Park Reserve (1515 Keats Avenue in Lake Elmo). Saddle up your horse or grab your walking shoes or wheels and join us for a fun 8 mile ride or 3 mile walk/wheel. Breakfast, lunch, goodie bags and prizes provided. This event is a major fundraiser for River Valley Riders, a Minnesota non-profit organization who provides horse related activities including therapeutic riding and driving to children and adults by addressing needs in the areas of physical, sensory, neurological, and/or mental health. 100% of the income from the 2010 event will be contributed to the Capital Campaign for Land and Improvements in order to expand therapeutic riding and driving opportunities for people with special needs.

River Valley Riders locations are in Scandia MN, Lake Elmo MN, and East Farmington WI.

http://www.rivervalleyriders.org/HomePage.html

The perfect fall evening!

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of wonderful fall evening photo session with Sonia and Grace; and their beautiful horses, Vic and Love. All of the elements and "stars" were aligned and we had a perfect evening to photograph....overcast skies, no wind, warm air and lovely subjects! As you can see, Vic and Love are stunning horses and I think we captured each of their own spirits and personalities. In addition, we photographed Grace for her senior portrait in a setting that she loves the most! It was wonderful to witness the mother-daughter bond between Sonia and Grace; and to be a part of their lives that means so much to them. Thank you for letting us capture these moments for your family!

A Stunning Fall Afternoon!

These beautiful images are from one of our favorite photo sessions ever! We couldn't have asked for a more perfect afternoon to capture Danielle riding. Stunning! Reminds me of pages out of a fairy tale story! Danielle gives riding lessons and is a wonderful instructor. If you are interested in learning more, her email is: mnbarrelracer02@yahoo.com .

J-DA Barrel Horse Show

Last weekend I had the opportunity to photograph the J-DA Barrel Horse Show. What an event! Check out the slide show below for highlights! The kids all had a great time and were impressive in each if the events - Barrel, Pole, and Key. The speed and accuracy is astounding. Danielle and Josh and the entire Ritter family puts on an excellent show. If you are at all interested in riding (or your kids are) and want to learn more about the J-DA Barrel horse program, please contact Danielle Ritter at mnbarrelracer02@yahoo.com. Enjoy the show!