Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Delicious Augraten Potatoes
This Christmas my sister-in-law made Augraten Potatoes for us and let me tell you, it was delicious! She cooks very well. I asked her for the recipe so I’ll share with you! It is so easy and yummy that I’m done using the box kind!!!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Happy Birthday little princess!
Today is the last day of 2008! It is also the day that Miss "P" turns 1!!!! In her honor, I'm posting the Johnson family's photo book (which they have not seen yet!) on my blog! Enjoy!!!
Because "when you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses (Joyce Brothers)"
Friday, December 26, 2008
The day after...
I can't believe today is already the 26th of December. A whole year has passed me by. Christmas came knocking on my door and when I blinked to open it, it was gone! Anyways, two festive days later and a lot of food in the belly, I am now back to the routine. Today I was up early to go to work and driving was almost lonely. It seems everybody took today off and the roads were just empty, the cubes around me are empty, and I'm left thinking why, oh why, couldn't I have just one more vacation day?!.... Going to Disney for our anniversary took some vac days, then going to Brazil took some... but where did the other days go? Bummer! Christmas was fun though! One of my favorite gifts was a GPS for my car, 
seriously, you all know what a disaster I am when it comes to directions! I think my husband finally got tired of my complaining about being lost all the time and took pity on me. I got to open it on the 24th, then on the 25th I went all the way to the Lakeville Movie Theater WITHOUT any mapquest papers!!! It was awesome!!! "In .9 miles, take a right," I LOVED IT! After a wonderful Christmas Eve with my American parents and dear friends, Nick and I started Christmas day by going "Marley & Me,"
the movie with the dog and Jennifer Aniston. I have to say it was cute, I won't ruin it for anyone that wants to see it, but I did cry a bit towards the end... And for those of you who know me well, I know, I cry in almost every movie I watch... The rest of the day was filled with secret Santa moments and more food! I think I might have even gained a pound or two, but let's face it, it is the Holiday season, and coming January 5, I think that's a Monday, it's back to the GYM!!! Leave me a comment, or send me an e-mail and let me know what you did for Christmas!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Johnson Family!
Dad is just captured by her beauty...
LOVE the pink shoes!
I love this pic! Their hands symbolizing how close they are as a family...
Mommy's smile is just precious...
Seriously, her eyes are BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Wow, I can't believe the year is almost over. Today I had the chance to hang out with the Johnson family - my last shoot of 2008! I just can't believe how lucky I am to be able to have people share special moments with me... Thank you so much Johnson family, I had a lot of fun and your session was the perfect way to end my year!
New Poly Mendes Photography logo!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Pictures from my sight seeing in Sao Paulo... Just beautiful and fabulous! The last pic is a perfect example of how just by looking up you can get a totally different angle view... I was at work today, standing right in the middle of the atrium and I looked up and it was beautiful, the sun shining through the ceiling glass... Next time you take your camera out, do the test and have fun looking up!
Monday, December 8, 2008
Thanksgiving in Sao Paulo
Over Thanksgiving I went to Sao Paulo, Brazil to visit my family and it was wonderful! I hadn’t seen them since May. I was there for about 4 days and I’m very thankful I had those special moments. I took my camera but decided to just use a point and shoot during the trip (Sao Paulo is not the safest place in the world!). You know how sometimes people say "if I only had one second with 'that' person," or if I could only get one hug... Well, that's why I went even though it was for such a short time, for four days I got to enjoy my mom and dad and sister!
As soon as I got there they took me to a "churrascaria," also called a steak house around here. The food was SOOO goooood! I have been to "Fogo de Chao" here and it is really good, but being in Brazil and having freshly squeezed orange juice and eating many different cuts of meat was just priceless!
My dad and sister took me on a little tour around some of the tourists’ spots and I LOVED it! I took the bus, the subway, and had a great time... I took some pics with a point-and-shoot camera and will post later.
In this picture you can see my gorgeous sister, dad and other "mom" Justina! We're eating "pasteis" which I can't think of anything like it from here... We also drank coconut water - lots of it!
Graham Family
This picture above says a lot about this family: they are tight! The short time I spent with them showed how close they are to each other...
When Maureen (mom) came to me about doing their family pics, she said one of her concerns was that both her son's front teeth were loose. Well, one fell just the day before our pictures! I think it looks ADORABLE!
This Saturday I drove a long way to meet the Graham family. They live in a beatiful house in Waverly. The snow didn't help much with the driving but the pictures turned out great and it was VERY worth it! Enjoy your pics Graham family!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Happy Holidays to the Keplers!
I love this picture...
Sidney's red hat was fabulous! Ins't she adorable??
This is one of my favorites of Theo... I love his smile...
I had the chance to hang out with these two really inteligent and talented kids this Saturday and we had a lot of fun! Thanks for opening your house to me...
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Baby "B" - beautiful, beloved baby...
Babies love making bubbles... bubbles...
Miss B is so cute and her smile just lights the room... Thanks for sharing this special girl with me today...
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
A LITTLE FAMILY LOVE...
This shoot was awesome! I was freezing but going to the Guthrie and the boardwalk, and hanging out with this wonderful family rocked! And yes, I got lost, but I found my way there! And the cutest thing happened, I parked my car in one of those ramp garages, and when I came back the automatic pay machine wouldn't take my card! And no, no money on me! AAAHHHH, well, this man and his daughter came in to where I was and I asked if they knew why it wasn't working since it was a Visa and the machine had a Visa sign (so they should have accepted my Visa!) Anyways, this guy says: "Oh, don't worry, let me get this for you!" I was shocked! There are still good people around... And for the guy and his daughter, thanks much!
Monday, November 17, 2008
The McKenzie Family
I loved working with this family! They are SOOOOO nice! I met them last Saturday (November 15, 2008) at my dear friend Anna's house and had the pleasure to meet more of the special people in her life...I wish you all the best!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Herzog Family
I don't know how cold it got today (November 8,2008) but it was COLD! I was lucky enough to work with this great family and they were such troopers! We beat the weather by going to the Conservatory and having fun!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
WHAT MAKES A GOOD PICTURE?
- Lighting, lighting, lighting (I can’t stress this one enough!)
- Composition
- Subject
- Color
- Movement
LIGHTING
- Sun raising and sun sets are the best lights for shoots
- If you need to shoot in the middle of the day, work with the shadows
- Where light and shadow meet can make very interesting pictures
- Changing your position can change the lighting in the picture completely, so “walk the scene!”
- Very important: It is not the quantity of light, it is the quality of light
- Not enough light? Turn your pic into a silhouette
o To do this, dial down the exposure)
- Lighting is so amazing that it can be your subject
- Play with lighting, run around following your kids or pets and see what different locations can give you (TIP: when you’re running around, remember to play with your ISO, shutter speed and aperture)
COMPOSITION – think about…
- Subject: Do they have to be in the center?
- Background: Is it distracting?
- Use a wide angle lens
o Get closer to what looks good and draws your attention
- Prepare for the unexpected
- Look-up – whole different scene and perspective
SUBJECT
- What or who is your subject?
- Is it obvious who your subject is?
- Can you use a longer lens (telephoto) to get closer?
- Are you framing it most effectively?
COLOR
- Is there a dominant color?
- Can you emphasize that?
- Is the color distracting?
MOVEMENT
- Are you prepared?
o Specially when shooting sports, kids, weddings, time is everything and losing that special moment can mean a LOT! BE PREPARED!
- Should you be waiting for something?
o A kiss, a victory smile, etc
- Sometimes using continuous shooting can be a good idea for capturing a sequence of movements
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Manile Family
Aren't their hats beautiful??? I love it!
The sun was definetely not there for this shoot, but it was easier to get an image like this (below)...
She is the sweetest thing! Called me "antie" the whole time, and I just met her! I felt like family...
His teeth on this picture is my favorite part....
I LOVE how his curls look on this picture (below)...
Today was almost a perfect day.... It was warm, but the sun went down soooo fast!!! The Manile family really likes black and white and sepia photos as you can see from the pics I posted. I love the way they turned out! Thanks Manile Family for sharing a little bit of your day with me!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Priebe Family
This is one of my favorites... It's a great way of using light/shadow in a different way...
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Mr. T
We went to a park this Tuesday (Oct. 28) and had some fun on the playground... Isn't this boy just cute and handsome?! He is also very smart and loves bugs! Oh, and the weather was just perfect!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Photography Tips
Knowing your camera is essential. Play with it! That might be the easiest way to start. I remember sitting on the couch when I bought my first digital camera (Canon Rebel Xti) and going through the manual, item by item, and putting everything into practice with my camera. The truth is that if you are not a manual person, this might be the time to let that grudge go because it will help! Back to the couch, I played with the 3 things that can impact lighting exposure from a camera point of view: ISO, shutter speed and aperture. I had a candle in front of me and the living room was not very lit. Without changing the environment light at all (not turning the lights on or opening a window, etc), what can I do with my camera to make the picture better? A few things… Let’s start with this: I can play with my ISO, my shutter speed and my exposure.
Here are some camera basics (I’ll post my workshop notes in my next post):
ISO
The higher the ISO, the more light my camera will absorb = brighter picture
The problem here is that if my ISO is too high, it can introduce what photographer’s call “digital noise” and I can end up losing some of the picture quality.
SHUTTER SPEED
You know how when you have a point-and-shoot camera it can take forever for the camera to take the picture? You hold your smile, wait for the never ending flash to go off, and a minute later, the picture is taken. Shutter speed is just that, how fast can the camera snap that picture and capture that moment. The good thing about SLR cameras is that you can control your shutter speed. The higher the shutter speed, the faster the picture will be taken. The problem here is that the faster the shutter speed, also the less light it will absorb. When shooting sports, for example, you want a higher shutter speed so you don’t get blurred images. You need to capture fast moments and can’t wait 10 seconds even for the camera to snap that picture. Now, in low light situations, you do want that shutter speed to be low so you can absorb more light when you take the picture.
APERTURE
The higher the aperture, the more light will be absorbed by the camera. Sometimes when the aperture is too high, you can actually lose important detail from the picture
Knowing the three things above is a GREAT start! Take your camera out of automatic mode and start experiencing with the other modes! Start reading your instruction manual!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Hodgson Family
Adorable siblings...
Aren't they just cute?
She loves Thomas the Train...
This little boy is only two but you wouldn't believe it! He can talk like a big boy!
Don't you just want to hold her???? I do!
This is just a quick post as promised! I hope you enjoy the pics of the kiddos!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Save Lids to Save Lives!
Mail clean Pink lid(s) to:
Save Lids to Save Lives
P.O. Box 420704
El Paso, TX 88542-0704
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Digital Days – Photography Workshop
This last Sunday (October 19th) I joined many other photographers for a fun, FULL day of learning! It was amazing! As I think back, it was hilarious the way the morning began for me; there I was, my mapquest in one hand and blown-up map in the other, trying hard to keep a firm grip on the wheel… At least it was Sunday morning (8am) and I was able to go 30 mph on 394 and not get too many people honking at me. And yes, I got there without getting lost! Oh, by way I forgot to mapquest the way back… Back to the workshop, It was great to spend time with people that share my passion for sharing moments, and boy, did I love it! I think there are always opportunities to learn more and “shoot away!” The workshop was at the Hilton in Minneapolis from 9am to 5pm. We even had a live shoot which rocked! Of course, I took some notes and will share with you soon…
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Holiday Cards
I love designing cards... Not just for holidays but birthdays, save-the-dates, senior party cards... Anyways, these are some of the first 2008 designs, enjoy!
Let’s go GREEN together!
Other ways that you and I can go GREEN is by recycling. Here is a list of “where to go for what” from a website called “Time to Organize” My favorite is that you can now recycle your plastic bags by taking them BACK TO THE STORE! Personally, I got a cloth one last week and will buy more!
Recycling used items
ART PROJECTS MATERIALS
Artscraps in St Paul (St Clair and Snelling Ave) will take items that could be used for any type of art or craft project, from metal scraps to margarine tubs. 651-698-ARTS or www.artstart.org. In Minneapolis, Funktional Art will take similar objects. Also try your local Parks and Rec to donate anything that could be used for art projects for children. Also try the Science Museum of Minnesota.
Visit www.makestuff.com for fun projects to make with recycled materials.
BATTERIES
Radio Shack and Target will take back used small button batteries used in watches, hearing aids, cameras, etc. These should NOT be thrown in the trash. Service stations are required to take back automotive lead acid batteries. Rechargeable batteries, such as those for cell phones and cordless power tools, should NOT be thrown in the trash. Visit www.rbrc.org for a list of retailers who accept them, including Target, Radio Shack, and Home Depot. Common alkaline batteries used in toys and flashlights CAN be thrown in the trash as they don't contain any mercury.
MAGAZINES
A few places to donate used magazines include: schools (for collages and art projects), nursing homes, libraries, and women's shelters. Call before you drop off to make sure they aren't already inundated.
PACKING PEANUTS
Take your old packing peanuts to any UPS, Parcel Plus, Mail Boxes Etc. or other shipping outlet and they'll reuse them.
PLASTIC BAGS
Byerly's, Cub Foods, Kowalski's Markets, Lunds, and Twin Cities Natural Food Co-ops all accept clean, dry plastic bags for recyling. This includes not only plastic grocery and retail bags, but also the bags that wrap your morning paper, dry cleaning bags, water softener salt bags (remove strings and handles first), produce and bread bags (food residue cleaned off), zip-top bags (cut off any plastic parts first), and plastic wrappers from paper towels and toilet paper. No bubble wrap.
PRINTER CARTRIDGES
Office Depot and Office Max, as well as other office-supply stores will usually accept used printer cartridges. However, Epson, Brother, and Canon are often not accepted.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Poly Mendes Photography – GONE GREEN!!!
With my business growing in rapid speed, I thought of the famous line: “With great powers comes great responsibility;” (I know, SpiderMan has taught me many things through the years…) I don’t have great power… BUT, I know we all hold a deep responsibility when it comes to the world we live in. I’m suddenly aware that I’m not just a person anymore, I’m also a business, and as a small business owner, I already impact people’s lives everyday. Poly Mendes Photography has gone GREEN! My first three steps towards this were:
- NO MORE LABLES (1)! I Found a green company called Action Envelopes and I’m buying all my envelopes from them. I love the quality! I picked the one with the window because I can put an 8x10 picture to show through and that means no labels, all I have to do is look at it and I know who my client is!
Here is a little on the company:
“Join Action Envelope in Making a Difference
Action Envelope recognizes that the current emphasis on environmental sensitivity is not a passing fad. There is an evolving global recognition that each of us must do our part in this regard. Our earth-friendly initiatives are allowing our company and our customers to participate in the ever-expanding process of safeguarding our natural resources.”
- NO MORE LABLES (2)! So I bought the Epson Stylus Photo RX595 for the simple reason that I can print directly on my printable CDs and therefore don’t need to label them anymore.
- CD TINS – NO MORE PLASTIC! The best thing about this is that it is perfect for my CD creations! These tins have an opening so once again I can see who the client is by looking at the tin. This means no more printing labels, no more plastic, and definitely more GREEN! The other great thing is that with the square tins I can stack up to 5 CDs in one tin which can be great for weddings when I usually have more than 1 CD to deliver.
I’m sure there are many other ways I haven’t thought of, you can share with me all your ideas! In the meantime, little by little, one thing at a time, one person/business at a time, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The Schatz Family
THIS WAS SOOOO FUN! Working with these two was great. They are funny, have an amazing mother/daughter relationship, and had more than a thing or two to teach me about family life....
Kruger Family
Big sis definetely has a wonderful personality and had me smiling many times...
Her dark hair, red lips and greenish eyes had me comparing her to snow white! She is a princess!
...with an attitude...
Playing peek-a-boo with me...
... and her favorite face is:
Thanks Kruger Family!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Tom and Siri's Engagement Pictures
I met with Siri and Tom at a park in plymouth for their engagement pictures and it was warm and sunny and beatiful! We got really lucky!
There's very little to say about this picture. Other than the fact that I loved it, the picture says the rest...
And no, this was not "the" proposal date and time, but we faked it! ;-) I had fun guys! Thanks for sharing your story with me. Enjoy your pictures!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Magic Kingdom
Ok, so this place really is magical... Fireworks at night, talented people all around, music, shows... With the pic above I found the Disney font and did this montage which I thought turned out pretty cool..
Universal Studios
Universal was a lot of fun... We were only there for a day but I felt it was enough time. It's nice to see some of the "hows did they do that?.."
I fell in love with this car. Sometime in my future I want to buy an old car just to drive on weekends...
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Disney - 1 year anniversary
September 2, 2007 I married my husband in a little ceremony at Centennial Lakes Park. This September 2 we went to Florida to celebrate our marriage... It was wonderful and magical! We stayed at a resort called "Coronado Springs" and absolutely loved it. It had a mexican look and the food was amazing...
I remember one of the nights when we stopped to sit at this hammock and put our bare feet on the white sand...
Monday, September 22, 2008
Bruno Novaes - Senior Pictures
Wow! That's all I can say about these pictures. Working with Bruno was SO easy... I also love this place - Centennial lakes Park - it will always hold a special place in my heart since it is where I got married. But, back to these pics, I LOVED THEM! Hope you do too Bruno!
Jason & Chelsa's Wedding - Final Post
ALICIA KEYS - NO ONE
(jason and chelsa's first dance song)
I just want you close
Where you can stay forever
You can be sure
That it will only get better
You and me together
Through the days and nights
I don't worry 'cuz
Everything's going to be alright
People keep talking they can say what they like
But all I know is everything's
going to be alright
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I'm feeling
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I feel for you, you, you
Can get in the way of what I feel for you
When the rain is pouring down
And my heart is hurting
You will always be around
This I know for certain
You and me together
Through the days and nights I don't worry 'cuz
Everything's going to be alright
People keep talking they can say what they like
But all I know is everything's going to be alright
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I'm feeling
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I feel for you, you, you
Can get in the way of what I feel
I know some people search the world
To find something like what we have
I know people will try try to divide something so real
So til the end of time
I'm telling you there is no one
No one, no one Can get in the way of what I'm feeling
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I feel for you.
Jason & Chelsa's Wedding - Part 4
This is one of my favorite pictures from their wedding... Before dinner was served I asked them to sneak out for about 10 minutes to do some pics of the two of them and I'm so glad I did, the rain had stopped and we were able to get some really amazing shots!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Jason & Chelsa's Wedding - Part 3
Yes, believe it or not, it was raining...
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Jason and Chelsa's Wedding - Part 2
The minister in the picture above was telling Chelsa what Jason loved the most about her (she had asked them both to tell her privately and they didn't know what each other had said). Her face says it all, doesn't it? She got teary-eyed, and looked at him with so much love it was just beatiful....
The bridesmaids dresses were black, and they were holding these beatiful, colorful flowers...
Jason and Chelsa's Wedding - 09.13.08
These are some of the fabulous wedding "pieces" from Jason and Chelsa's wedding.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Jason and Chelsa
Aren't they cute? One of the things that I noticed was that every time I put them side by side they started talking and asking cute questions to each other... It was like I wasn't even there, but in a really good way! I loved working with them! They are really in love and and it just shows!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Jessica Ann - Senior Pictures
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Kristal Swope _ College Graduate 09
Monday, July 21, 2008
LC's 1 year pictures!
She is so cute... She is turning one and her little steps are just precious! She is curious, determined and very smart! I had the pleasure to meet a few of her family members and was very thankfull for all their help during the photo shoot. Thank you Russ Family!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Joe & Steph's Wedding - June 14, 2008
More Wedding Pics
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Bridget - 1 year photos
Bridget's photo shoot was May 31st. She has recently learned how to walk and her awkward steps are SO cute. It is wonderful to be able to see little ones growing up... Do you guys remember Bridget and Lily's first photo shoot with me, and their sailor outfits???
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Joe & Steph's Wedding - June 14, 2008
These are just a few... I'll put some more later! I had a blast with their pics...
Friday, May 30, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Today I say good-buy...
Missing pieces from last week's the photo shoot
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Cute pics from last Friday
These pictures I took last Friday of Inez's daycare kids... There are a bunch more of the kids and Inez with the kids... I'll explain later why the I took them... But either way, I've been working with these kids for about three years! Some of them not as long because they are younger... This is my last week with them. I start at Cargill as a Bilingual Legal Administrative Assistant next week and I very excited! From now on it will be that and photography for me... It will be nice to do something in the area I went to school for... I'll post more pics of the kids soon!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Robert and Clarissa
This one is one of my favorites... The way the sun is shining through the building and reflecting on them was beautiful!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Joe & Steph - the missing part of the shoot!
This is Jevin, Joe and Steph's son. I just can't wait to see how cute he's going to look at the wedding... He has the bluest eyes and the funniest personality... Just cute!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Joe & Steph - part 2
Since it was SOOOO cold that day, I called the owner of Turtles and asked if I could use his facilities for part of the photo shoot. He was so helpful! 
Joe is super shy, and that's probably why I love this picture so much. The way his eyes are closed gave me a feeling of "peek-a-boo," like he wasn't ready yet to show me his true self. 
I usually like to start photo shoots by asking my subjects to give me straight faces. I feel like it helps with the awkwardness of the beginning of the shoot. Sounds weird, but it works. I guess when they feel they don't need to smile they relax and as the shoot goes on, they really relax and the true smiles and expressions come out! 
Lily's 3 year photo shoot favorites
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Foster Family
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Joe & Steph
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Daniel's photo shoot
I had so much fun with these pictures... It really turned out like I wanted... I love the way he looks like a little man, even though he's only 3 months!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Holidays
I made many Holiday Cards in November/December... A friend of mine even had me do her 2008 Holiday Card already! So I did her photo shoot and then her card... She's all ready!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Blogging...
The Wedding and Family Portrait designs I posted today I did for my portfolio... I'll add some more designs later... I have to say that I love Photoshop. I use the CS3 extented version and have absolutely fallen in love with it.
