Mary Hanson Photography : Behind my lens...

{oh my! over a month!} & Special Memorial Day Offer!

2008-05-24T14:59:00.009-05:00

Oh. My. It has been over a month since I posted on this blog.
I'm truly embarrassed! I know, I know, everyone says they are busy, and me too, but this spring has been very busy in all areas of my life; photography work; including families, kids, babies, politicians and work for headshots, and also very busy volunteering at school for my kids, local politics, I'm a delegate to the state DFL convention in June and I am very excited, and projects around the house etc.
So...my blog has been abandoned. Just in case any of my previously faithful readers are still out there, I'm going to post a special Memorial Day offer below a few recent shots. :)
I shouldn't even be posting at all, as I have five sessions I should be editing, but I felt bad when I realized how long it has been, so...a few recent shots that I still have on my hardrive.

Still there? :) Thanks!
So, my super-secret Memorial Day special for the lucky clients who still read my neglected blog and notice it:
Purchase a Gift Certificate this weekend for any dollar amount over $50, and you will get 20% more added for free!!! For example, if you purchase a $100 gift certificate this weekend, you will actually get one for $120. A $500 gift certificate would become $600! I will accept gift certificate purchases through Monday (memorial day, 5/26/08) at 7pm. Cannot be used with any other offer, and gift certificates must be used within one year of purchase. :)

To take advantage of this special offer, email me here! Include the amount you would like (not including the add'l 20%) and I will send you an invoice that you can pay by credit card @ paypal, and must be paid within 24 hours, or is void. Questions? Email at above link.

thanks,

Mary

Advice from Real Simple...

2008-04-19T21:07:00.004-05:00

That I love---get professional photos taken of your child.
Check out this article on the Real Simple blog. :)
Good idea, no? I know just the person for you!

On another note, just launched another new website of mine not too long ago:
Twin Cities Headshots for models, actors, authors, politicos, comedians, you name it, anyone who needs a headshot. :) Still have a little work to be done on the site, but its mostly done. Pass the word around!
thanks
~M

Congratulations to Mikala!!

2008-04-17T11:48:00.003-05:00

Mikala's entry won our "Share the Love" contest, voted on by our blog readers! Congratulations! Thank you everyone who voted!

Mary

ZENN electric cars...have you heard of these?

2008-04-14T05:13:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to share with my readers these nifty electric cars I came across: Zenn Cars, sold locally at Linden Hills co-op. If you primarily do city street driving, these might just work for you. Love the acronym: ZENN=zero emissions no noise.
Check it out here.

A semi-recent session...

2008-04-13T09:16:00.006-05:00

I keep meaning to blog about recent sessions and show some of my favorite images and life just keeps getting in the way. My apologies to the parents of all the cute kids who I have missed. If you are feeling left out, drop me an email and I'll try to feature your little one too. :)

Here is one from last weekend, the most adorable little brother and sister. This little guy was only 2 years old and so talkative and so into his Thomas trains and airplanes, etc. Just the smartest, cutest, sweetest little boy. A true joy to photograph and meet....

And his little sister, 3 months old, a little camera shy, but just beautiful with her big expressive eyes..

And lastly, a couple with Mom & Dad...such a charming family. Thank you!

Mary

Share the Love Contest Entries...

2008-04-10T08:24:00.004-05:00

Before I list the entries, I wanted to say that this has been really hard for me. I wish I had the time to provide sessions and photos for each of these wonderful entries. Also, I had this idea to do this because I realize that custom photography is a luxury that isn't in the budget of many wonderful families, it is in no way a judgement of anyone being in poverty or having a "worse story" as suggested by a few negative emails I got. I hope this contest is accepted in the kind hearted giving way I intended it to be! :)

So, here we go finally! We have four entries, and I'm just going to offer a brief summary of each, removing a few of the details provided and hoping to not invade their privacy too much. Please read through each of the four before voting.

#1: Mikala

Mikala is a beautiful, kind, intelligent girl. In her almost 14 years she has suffered much heartache. She lost her brother to leukemia six years ago, and then her father passed away unexpectedly. Through this all she has kept soldily grounded and has chosen to express her grief in wonderful writings. She is a kind and gentle daughter, cousin and committed to her friends, and has wanted to have professional pictures done but has not been able to.

#2: The "D" Family

Melanie and her husband had two children, or did until 3 years ago. They decided to open up their home, and adopted three children from Africa. Two twin girls, and their little brother. With that many mouths to feed, but still have ability to raise her children, she and a friend of hers started their own cookie shop. At first they were baking just to supply coffee shops, and theatre houses. This fall they were able to open their own store. During all of this time of change with a new growing family and a new business adventure, she and her husband decided to train and run their first marathon. They did, even with the sweeper right behind them. This is a family who is real, loving, and always striving for the best in life.

#3: Rebecca & Larry's family:

I want to give a suggestion for your contest. My dear friend Rebecca and her husband Larry have two beautiful children - Sam (3 1/2) and Tristan (9 months). Rebecca is a SAHM but also works part-time as a doula and midwife apprentice. Larry works for his local Neighborhood Association. They are very dedicated parents and so involved in the community and so giving to so many people. They are not poor by any means, but they definitely do not have room in their budget for quality photography of their children. And it's been a rather trying winter for them - (health issues mentioned and removed to respect privacy...) Yet they are always so positive and willing to help us (and others) out with childcare, bringing meals to new parents, and being involved in the community.

I KNOW they they would be so grateful if they were to be chosen to receive photography of their family.

#4: The "R: Family:

I've nominated the "R" family of the Twin Cities area. Colleen "J" (formerly R) was one of my closest friends in middle school (before we relocated to another state) and I've always thought she had an amazing family. Raised by a single mother, the youngest of 12 (and the only girl), Colleen is the most grounded human being I've ever met. And her mother, widowed when Colleen was just a toddler, did it all on her own. I think that collecting the R family for a professional portrait, in honor of their mother, would be a wonderful gift. Please consider them for your contest.

There is a poll over to the side where you can vote (may have to scroll over----->that way. )

Thanks so much!

Mary

Voting to come soon...

2008-04-08T13:13:00.001-05:00

I was waiting on the possibility of another entry for the contest, but haven't heard back yet. I will put the voting up later today or early tomorrow. We have four really cool entries. :)

thanks for your patience!

mary

We've got three entries so far!

2008-04-06T06:43:00.005-05:00

I'm excited to say that we have three great entries for our Share-the-Love contest now, and I'm still looking for more. I can't wait to do the session for whichever family wins. I'm really excited about it! :)

Just ending Spring Break here in the Hanson Family. Started out with lots of snow on our first day last monday, and wrapped up friday with a fun visit to "Grandma & Grandpa's farm" on a lovely sunny 60 degree day friday. Minnesota can be so weather schizo sometimes. Here are a couple shots of my kids...

shorts & a down jacket...only in MN right? ;)

And then, here is a photo of the old trailer/truck in the above photo. I'm using it to show an example of something I've been having a lot of fun with lately: playing with textures and shading in photoshop to make a photo look really different.

Here is the original, straight out of the camera:

Then, here is the same photo with textures and some other photoshop playing done... remember you can click on a photo to see it larger. Kind of fun to play with some new things. I'll have our voting up tomorrow for the contest.

Thanks!

Mary

Please pass on our contest to those you know...

2008-04-03T15:54:00.002-05:00

Have only had one entry so far! Two other people emailed saying they had the perfect family, but no info and no entry. Anyway, hope to get more entries, so please pass on the Share-the-love contest info below via email to people you know.

thanks!

Share the Love Contest!!

2008-03-30T16:49:00.006-05:00

Announcing our first ever "Share the Love" Contest:
Its pretty easy~submit the name and a brief (short paragraph) statement and a photo about someone who deserves a complimentary package with Mary Hanson Photography!
I will accept unlimited entries and then we will have a blog vote as to who is most deserving. The winner gets a complimentary photo session plus a minimum of a $300 photo credit (thats a value of $550!) to be used for prints from the session.
(I'm a softie and might give more)
The person who submitted the winner gets a $100 photo credit, to be used towards a future session or prints.
FAQ:
Who can enter? Anyone can suggest a person for the contest, but the contest participant must be local to the Mpls/St. Paul metro area.
Who would be a good candidate? That's up to you: my blog readers. I had in mind someone who can't afford to have custom photos taken of their child(ren) but it could be also someone who has a special situation, or health issues or whatever. I've given a lot of pro-bono work away to needy people, but I'm putting it in YOUR hands to suggest my next project!
How to I enter someone? Simply email Mary their name, contact info, short paragraph and attach a small photo (quality doesn't matter a bit, just a snapshot or camera phone shot is fine!) and then wait for voting to begin.
If you have more questions, email Mary with them and I will answer them within this post!
Contest ends at 6pm Sun. April 6th, 2008.
Mary

Al Franken rally at the Capitol today...

2008-03-25T17:32:00.004-05:00

I went to see one of my favorite people, Al Franken, speak at a rally today at the State Capitol. Al was announcing a whole slew of endorsements he received recently, and he gave a great speech as well. I am so excited to be a delegate to the state convention in June to help Al get the DFL endorsement. I firmly believe he is the best candidate to beat President Bush's lapdog, Norm Coleman and that Al will do all he can to fight hard to help get our country back on the right path in so many areas. I've read pretty much every book he has ever written, and I am so impressed with his understanding of the myriad of issues that he will face in Washington. If you have not read his books, I highly recommend them. And if you are also a delegate to the state DFL convention, I really hope you will help me in securing the endorsement for Al Franken! Feel free to email me if you want to know more.

~Mary

Five years ago today...

2008-03-19T12:13:00.003-05:00

The war in Iraq began five years ago today.
Half a decade.
One thousand eight hundred and 27 days.
Nearly 4000 US troop casualties, and as far as Iraqi deaths--estimates put the toll at between 100,000 and one million.
No matter your political leanings or beliefs, we can all come together and agree that this war has been a tragedy.
Please take a moment of silence today to pray for all the families affected.
I also want to thank the US soldiers who have served, and are serving, in a war that I fear has no end in sight.I hope our lawmakers in the US Capitol will keep us out of Iran, and bring home the troops in Iraq as soon as humanly possible.
Mary

spring snow...

2008-03-18T09:40:00.003-05:00

I want spring.

Finally! Some photos

2008-03-16T16:17:00.013-05:00

In random order, a bunch of photos that I've been saving up in my huge folder of "photos to be put on the blog"...yes, I'm a horrible procrastinator lately. My apologies... so, on to the photos:

still enjoying the underwater camera! :) (Olympus stylus 770sw)

doesn't every urban baby need an iPhone? ;)

very handsome senior guy...
teen girls: sorry to report he *does* have a girlfriend...

Our new kitty is now nearly as big as his big sister, both of whom love water...

Hope you enjoyed a small catchup of some of the photos I've been meaning to post. Check back soon, as I have a fabulous CONTEST COMING UP!
Mary

Pet Diaries...

2008-03-15T07:54:00.006-05:00

I'm hoping to have some time this afternoon to update with recent photos on the blog. However, had to share this funny that I came across on another photographers blog.
Original writer unknown... but seriously talented and funny! :)

Pet's diary
Excerpts from a Dog's Daily Diary:
8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!

9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!

9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!

10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing

12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!

1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!

7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!

11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary:

Day 683 of my captivity:

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the floor.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. The audacity!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow-- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded!

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe.......
For now...

Loved this... :)
Mary

Great silent auction event!

2008-03-11T09:00:00.004-05:00

Wanted to put this out there for all the local Twin-Citians...

Reach for the Stars is a non-profit that helps to fundraise to send several minneapolis kids to Space Camp each year. This year the fundraising has been less than "stellar" (yes, I meant to be that corny) so its extra important that their upcoming silent auction is a huge success. If you have a wonderful item to donate for their silent auction on Thursday March 27, 7-9pm @ Minneapolis Photo Co-op, email me and I'll put you in touch with them. You can also donate money directly on their website. And if you could, go to the silent auction (click here for the PDF about the auction) and help send a kid to camp! Full disclosure: I really want this great program around next year so my oldest child can go to Space Camp next year. I won't personally benefit right now, but I hate to see Space Camp die out for Minneapolis kids!

Update on storage of images...

2008-03-03T12:42:00.006-06:00

Hi!
I'm currently in the process of changing my storage system for digital files from past photography sessions. As many of you likely know, digital jpg's, digital "RAW format" files and photoshop files all take up enormous quantities of space and even after purchasing several back up external hard-drives and burning images to DVD's, I'm running out of both sufficient room for files and time to keep trying to store them indefinitely.
Because of this, I will be deleting many of the unordered files from sessions that took place prior to 2008. If any of my clients would like to place an order from any prior session, I'd appreciate if you could do so within the next 1-2 weeks. I will continue (as shown on my website posted policies in "about your session") to store ordered images for a minimum of 90 days, should you need to re-order. If you need your online gallery re-activated or reposted, or have any further questions, feel free to email or call if I can be of any help.
Thank you so much!
Mary Hanson

Mary Hanson Photography
mary@maryhansonphotography.com
612-991-8113

ps, I have many past sessions that I have not yet featured on the blog, and wanted to apologize to those of you I missed! I hope to show some past and recent work in a post soon... I have been so busy and I hope everyone understands! :)
~m

If you are trying to contact me...

2008-02-02T16:13:00.002-06:00

My email is down and has been for a few days. My hosting company is working on the issue,but I have not received any emails that have been sent. Please use this alternate contact for now:

mary@maryhansonphotography.com
Edited to add: Email is back up, so I've put my "regular" email address above. thanks!!!

thanks

Mary

being green...

2008-01-08T06:53:00.000-06:00

I read yesterday in the Star Tribune about the huge waste we are creating by drinking bottled water. I stopped drinking bottled water several years ago, mostly because I'm notoriously cheap about weird things, but also after I read it was usually less "clean" than tap water. This Camelbak water bottle is the best water bottle I have ever found, and I've tried at least a half dozen over the years. This one has a straw that doesn't leak or spill, nearly unbreakable, the plastic doesn't leach into the water and it doesn't get a bad smell.

You can get it here at REI.

Also, if you are interested in some small steps you can take to make a real difference in the environment, the climate, and your budget, this site has a tip a day for a month about living "green".

Mary

Gorgeous redhead...

2008-01-04T08:26:00.001-06:00

I last posted photos of Miss C. back when she was just one day old, in the hospital in November of '06.

Now she is a bit over one year old, and her red hair and blue eyes are just stunning!

Here is a sneak peek of her for her Mom & Dad. :) Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks?

~Mary

Fun winter session sneek peek

2008-01-02T08:42:00.000-06:00

This is a surprise for Dad, so if you know this family, shhh! Don't tell! ;)

Such a sweet Mom & son... really fun session, snowball fight and all. I'll have your gallery up soon M. so thanks for your patience! (Click above images to enlarge them)

~Mary

Just had to share this...

2007-12-30T14:58:00.000-06:00

Should anyone decide Olan Mills might be more their style... oh I got a laugh out of this.

Click here... a very funny list of bad photos. ;)

~Mary

Hope you all had a Restful Holiday Season!

2007-12-30T10:21:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post to wish all my friends, clients and family members a Happy New Year! I'm hoping you got a chance to unwind, relax, and enjoy those you love, much like my two kitties are doing here along with my daughters favorite dolly:

I am now taking appointments for the remaining open dates in January and February. If you would like to schedule, drop me an email here and let me know your preferred days of the week and times of day, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Also, as I turned away over 15 people who wanted appointments in November & December once my schedule was booked, I want to remind everyone that you can make appointments in advance to secure a spot for your session. So many people don't even begin to think about holiday cards until late November and early December, and then call me and find I'm all booked up. You can schedule a spring or summer session *now* and we can use those images for holiday cards next year! Just something to keep in mind.

Happy Holidays!

Mary

about me...

2007-11-27T06:57:00.000-06:00

I don't post images of my children on here very often. I posted this on a photographers board I frequent, and then thought, why not on the blog? So, here you go: a little about one of mine...

My first baby... my oldest dear son, is going to be 10 years old in December. I was taking some shots of my three kids, all of them yesterday, jumping on the bed. He sat down on the chair by the window and looked outside, and I shot one photo of him not jumping, not clowning, just talking to me, and when I looked at it, I just gasped at how grown up he is looking. I look at him everyday of course, but as we all know, there is something about a photo.
As I say on my "about me" section on my site: "There’s a moment that happens when you look at a photograph of your child. Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cry, but the memories always come rushing back. Those moments are what got me interested in photography in the first place. When I had my first child, I realized how quickly he flew through stages that I thought I’d remember forever, but would have been lost without the photographs."
My gosh, is it true. I looked at him, and it was like one of those movie moments, where bam, you rush through all the memories, him in the bassinet at the hospital, him sitting up for the first time, laughing at me when he was nursing at six months with a milk dribble, him taking his first steps *finally* at 14 months old. Him holding his baby sister, then later his baby brother. Him really reading me a book at four years old, off to kindergarten, then FirstGradeSecondGradeThirdGradeFourthGrade.... all in one big fast running rush. I know any minute know I'm going to be fixing his tie at his wedding, thats truly how fast it goes. I'm so thankful for him (for all my children of course) but to just take a moment and look at him, the sweetest, kindest kid, and just realize how fast it goes, and how much I love him. *sigh*...
Honestly, in so many ways, truly seeing and then photographing my own children is sometimes a bigger challenge, than my clients kids. So, to my J. My first baby-who is growing up so fast. I love him.
thanks for reading.
Mary

click to enlarge

a few recent ones...

2007-11-20T20:35:00.000-06:00

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for my family, my friends, and all my wonderful clients who let me catch a slice of their life in photos. Thank you all.
As you can see, I'm having another fun fall! Here is a sneak peek of few from the past few days. Remember you can click to enlarge any photo.
Thanks!
~Mary

Recent work...

2007-11-14T17:37:00.000-06:00

So, I've been a *bit* busy, and neglecting the blog. Recent work... sort of in order of most recent to less recent, but not perfectly so. I wish I had time to comment on them all individually, but know I have loved working with all these wonderful people, children, families, dogs, and babies. Hope you are all having a wonderful fall! I sure am!
~Mary

Schedule full for 2007

2007-11-07T15:57:00.001-06:00

Just a quick note that I am now booked for all of 2007. I will begin booking January and February appointments soon, so email with requests.
Mary

Joy...and bliss.

2007-10-25T15:55:00.000-05:00

The joy... of jumping on Mom & Dad's bed with your best friend

And bliss~of enjoying a nakey roll around the bed. Aren't babies the best?

Two wonderful little ones, just enjoying themselves immensely, not even really paying attention to me. :) I love it like that. Thanks R. Enjoy the sneak peek!
~Mary

Another lovely family...

2007-10-17T20:20:00.000-05:00

I love families like this... that just are so natural and comfortable together that they almost forget I'm there. I hope it was fun for them too... :)

This little girl is as sweet a soul on the inside as she is beautiful on the outside~

Make sure you click on this storyboard to see it larger... I love how little ones trust-

One of the few fall sessions that actually had nice color this year, nice scouting job to K~!

And last but not least, their fun and adorable younger daughter!
Enjoy the sneak peek, and I will have your gallery up as soon as I can!
Thanks
Mary

Deadline date for Holiday Cards and Orders...

2007-10-16T07:55:00.001-05:00

I'm a couple days late posting this, but I have a sick little one, so please accept my apologies! :)
For print orders to be guaranteed delivery by December 17th (last day for deliveries before the holidays) you must place your order by Saturday November 17th, 2007. Orders placed after November 17th will not be guaranteed within my normal time limits and will be submitted to my lab after the holidays.
The last day to order Holiday cards will be Saturday November 17th. This will guarantee delivery of your cards by December 10th, so you will have time to address and mail the cards. I will not take orders for cards after 11/17, so start planning now if you want to order cards.
Thanks!
~Mary

Only ONE weekend appointment available for this year!

2007-10-11T21:22:00.000-05:00

A note for those procrastinators out there: I currently have only one weekend appointment available for the rest of the year! Yes, really, you are that late in booking! I have November 11th still open, but once I hit post on this blog, it will probably go quick, so email if you want it. There are a few weekday openings before the holidays, but not many, and I will post deadlines for holiday cards and gifts tomorrow.
~M
EDIT: This appointment is now BOOKED as of 11/15! Thank you!

Baby Jack walking and talking!

2007-10-09T13:57:00.000-05:00

Many people comment on how adorable Baby Jack is, the baby who was in my blog header. (he is the baby on the couch, see above)
Well, he is much bigger now, and even cuter~as you can see. :) It is so much fun to see kids grow, and see how they "turn out" after time passes. I really do have the best job in the world!
~M

Meet our new kitty..

2007-10-08T12:18:00.000-05:00

This is our new kitty, Kocaman! His name means "monster" in turkish (I found out our cats are Turkish Angoras from Ankara in Turkey, thanks to a friend who recently moved there, hi Debra!) As you can see, he is a very fierce monster, being just a bit bigger than a pack of trident gum. ;)
We call him Koco for short, which works also because it looks like he has a Cocoa mustache as if he just had a cup of cocoa. :) My 9 year old pointed it out first.

Big Sister Bumble Kitty wasn't too sure at first about her new little brother (yes, they are from the same parents, so they really are siblings!) But, after a few days of hissing and meowing, now she spends most of her time grooming him and teaching him how to wrestle. Its hilarious to watch.

Bumble will be one year old on October 21st, and is a really beautiful cat now. Full grown (but small, at about 8 pounds,) her odd colored eyes have gotten even more noticeable. Click on the picture to see more closely above. :)
Kocaman is still really tiny, just over 1 pound, and he is not deaf (Bumble is deaf) so he is really good at sneaking up and attacking his big sister, its pretty funny.

And, to those who wondered, I'm still having zero problems with allergies to either of our two cats, which is a miracle to me! If you have a cat allergy, you might want to look into white cats with pink skin! :)
~Mary

Introducing the launch of my new site!

2007-10-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to announce the launch of my new flash website for broadband! You can still view the old site if you are on dial-up, but if you have broadband (cable or DSL) I highly recommend you check out the new site! I'm still adding more photos to the galleries and welcome any feedback on what you like or don't like about the new site!

Thanks!
Mary

four adorable kids

2007-10-05T16:17:00.000-05:00

I love repeat clients. I love seeing how the kids have changed since the last time I saw them, its so great to see them growing up and going off to school. These four I first photographed several years ago before #4 had even arrived, and now look how big he is getting! It was wonderful to see you all again!
~M

Beautiful newborn girl...

2007-10-01T18:42:00.001-05:00

This little sweetheart was so wonderful for our session! She was only five days old, and is one of the bigger babies I've been lucky enough to meet. She was 11 pounds and 2 ounces at birth, and really surprised the nurses when she arrived. Everyone thought little Addie would be big, but not this big! Her lovely parents are my neighbors, and this is their first baby, and she is so loved already. Thanks J&T for letting me photograph her, here is a sneak peek and I'll have the rest as soon as possible! Congratulations!
~Mary

busy busy busy

2007-09-29T18:35:00.000-05:00

Busy. That pretty much sums up my fall so far.
I have been very neglectful of putting "sneak peeks" and showing some shots from recent sessions. I've even had parents ask me why their kid didn't "make the blog!!"
Please accept my apologies, and know its not that your kids are not adorable, I'm just too busy!! So, here are a few shots from the past several weeks. Not from all my sessions, but from a few I still have fresh on my hard-drive.
Enjoy!
Mary
remember you can click on any photo to enlarge it!

And, one sneak peek from one of my sessions today, I just loved this shot of dear little Maggie after our family session at the Peace Garden!

I have much more to post, another newborn today, and we have a new kitty to show anyone who wants to see him. Maybe later...
Mary

Need some nice wrapping paper?

2007-09-20T12:24:00.000-05:00

Yes, you guessed it, this is a shameless plug for our school fundraiser! :) It ends on Monday.
If you need some nice wrapping paper or gift bags, click the link below. You'll be supporting a fabulous Minneapolis Public School, and getting really nice quality paper to wrap all your holiday presents! :)
http://www.innisbrook.com/index_students.cfm?id1=R53161C&id2=&id3=

If the above link does not work -
1. Click below
2. Enter the Seller ID# R53161C
www.innisbrook.com/id.cfm
Our school gets 50% of the sales!
Thanks
Mary

For all the parents of small ones...

2007-09-16T09:08:00.000-05:00

Take a minute to watch this, one of my favorite You Tube clips. I don't know how he wrote a song about my life... :)
Its very sweet though, at the end.
Enjoy~!
Mary

Long absent

2007-09-05T07:59:00.000-05:00

My apologies for not keeping up to date here. I have probably five recent session that I should have posted sneak peeks from, and have been so swamped I haven't had a chance. We had a wonderful relaxing 2 week vacation, well worth the backlog of work and emails I came home to! August was the month of newborns! I hope to post a few from some recent newborns later today, or tomorrow. Thanks all for your patience!
Also, will be out of town and not available by phone or email on friday for a funeral. My husband's grandmother passed away, thankfully we were able to travel to see her this past weekend and to say our goodbyes. She was an amazing woman, strong and fiesty and full of fun, who will be greatly missed. I'm so thankful my kids got to know their great-grandma Frances!
On other fronts, my older two went back to school yesterday, I now have a 2nd grader, and a 4th grader, and tomorrow, my youngest starts KINDERGARTEN! The time has flown by, and I can hardly believe my "baby" is off to school tomorrow. If you have kids who are not yet in school, cherish your time with them, it really does go as fast as everyone says!
Hope to post some photos soon...
Enjoy these last few hot days!
Mary

Out of office~ take note please! :)

2007-08-03T15:52:00.000-05:00

I'll be out of the office and will not have access to email from Sat. 8-4 through Sat. 8-18. I will begin to return emails Sunday 8-19. If multiple people request certain dates for sessions via email while I'm out, I'll go by the date of email received for first chance after I return. Thanks!
Mary

precious little newborn...

2007-07-24T12:31:00.000-05:00

A few from a stunning little 2wk old girl. *Sigh*...I love newborns...
~mary

Check this out if you have a minute...

2007-07-24T12:27:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite music artists is Sarah McLachlan. I first saw this video about a year and a half ago. Its amazing, and well worth watching. For some reason, it came to mind to me again today. Take a couple minutes and watch it once or twice. We can all make a difference in a small way each day, don't you agree? :)
~Mary
http://www.worldonfire.ca/

Harry Potter Book 7 Mania!

2007-07-21T10:14:00.000-05:00

Harry Potter Book 7, Harry and The Deathly Hallows came out this morning at 12:01am! If my post could have a subtitle, it would be: "Why I chose to buy my copy from Amazon Bookstore on Chicago Avenue in Mpls and I think YOU should too! " (not amazon.com, but Amazon Bookstore Co-op dot com )
I took my two oldest children to the Harry Potter 7 Release party at Amazon last night. It was the most fun I think we could have had around this event. We had Butter Beer and Pumpkin Juice, donated by Adrians Tavern. Wizard Cookies donated from Turtle Bread. Snape's Evil Chocolate Ice Cream Cones from the Pumphouse Creamery, and more I'm sure I am forgetting. The staff at Amazon went way way out of their way to make it fabulously fun and exciting. They were all in costume, complete with a portrait who wouldn't allow passage without the proper password. There was potions class down in the basement, with Professor Anne T. Dote. Herbology class we had to miss for a breath of fresh air, but I'm sure it too was fantastic. Wizard Trivia was done Jeopardy Style, two games worth, and yes, I was amazed at the minutiae that the young readers of these books have absorbed and remembered. Of course Professor Trelawney was there, reading palms and offering predictions. We made wands, were sorted by The Sorting Hat, and wrapped it all up just before midnight with a costume contest, with prizes for various categories getting great Harry Potter related books from Amazon. So, before I move on to a few photos I took of the event (you must see them, the costumes were so clever and brilliant!) I just have to hop up on my soapbox and ask, for those about to rush out to Walmart or B&N or wherever to get their book at the "cheapest" place, is it really so important that you save $5 on this, the last of the Harry Potter books? I've been buying books from Amazon Co-op for a few years now, and am amazed and thrilled that they continue to stay afloat in the corporate monoculture that drives so many small businesses to shutter their doors. All of the small businesses involved in last nights wonderful event deserve a round of applause (and your patronage!) And the book, I'm off to read it, as soon as I can wrestle it away from my 9 year old... maybe I'll have to run to Amazon and get a second copy.
Thanks for reading
Mary

Potions Class

Winner of Best Harry Potter Look-Alike (of course I'm biased, but isn't he adorable!!)

Professor Umbridge!

The crowd at Amazon waiting for 12:01 am!

Hagrid, complete with pink umbrella no less!

And one of my favorites (and also a winner!) Dobby the House Elf, here
being held by Bellatrix Lestrange, complete with the death eater mark on her inner arm!

And again, my bias is showing, but this very scary soul sucking 7 year old Dementor (with her blond curls hidden away) should have won something too! ;)
thanks,
Mary

Sneak peek of two beautiful children!

2007-07-17T15:07:00.000-05:00

Meet Ben & Josie, two very fun and beautiful kids. Had so much fun taking their photos! Ben paid me one of the ultimate compliments as a photographer too! After I left, he was asking why I had been there, and his mom explained that I was a photographer, that I take photos of kids as my job, he said "oh, she should come and take our photos some time!" He had so much fun "talking and playing" with me, he hadn't even realized he was having his photo taken! Compare that to a chain store studio experience, lol! :)

Here is a sneak peek of a few of my favorites so far:
(remember you can click to enlarge photos)

~Mary

Hug your kids, and please put a bike helmet on them...

2007-07-16T18:54:00.001-05:00

I'm still recovering from my computer crash, but wanted to share some very sad news I feel I must. A fellow photographer friend of mine, had a horrible loss recently in her family. Her nephew Luke, who was 11 yrs old, was in a bicycle accident on July 5th, and died a few days ago from the head injuries he sustained. He lost control of his bike and went headfirst into a light pole.

While we will never know for sure if a helmet would have saved Luke's life, it certainly would have made his injuries less severe. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers, and please, please, let his death help you remember to have your children wear bike helmets. Thanks,
Mary

Had a bad past few days...

2007-07-10T10:42:00.000-05:00

On friday morning, I was in the middle of typing an email, and my new beautiful 24 inch iMac froze. I restarted it and my hard-drive was wiped out. Completely gone. Apple customer support couldn't help me over the phone, so after trying valiantly I brought it into the Apple store for the Genius Bar to help. No dice. Even with the "almost never fail" power of Disk Warrior (or something like that?) they couldn't find anything. I tried using it in target disk mode with a firewire cable. Nothing. So, now I'm in the process of data recovery with another method which is both time consuming and expensive, and as a result, I'm going to be weeks behind in proofing and editing photos and orders. I appreciate all my clients patience and wanted to post this as a reminder to everyone to backup all your important data! I always burn discs of originals, but not so great with backing up work I've done on images, b&w conversions, etc, so I'm out dozens of hours of work, as well as a ton of personal photos of my children. :(
So, go burn discs of your photos and important data, transfer to an external drive, or better yet, set up a RAID system (google it if you don't know how!) so you don't ever have to be in my shoes.
Thanks,
Mary

bumble kitty

2007-07-05T17:41:00.000-05:00

I get emails from time to time asking how big Bumble Kitty is getting (7.5 lbs now, 1lb when we got her in december), how she looks now,(beautiful, but I'm prejudiced) are her eyes still different colors, (yes, still one blue, one green!) etc. She really ought to have her own blog for her mini-fan club, lol. Anyway, here are a couple recent shots of Bumble Kitty for those who asked. :)
~Mary

Tiny sneak peek and great new product from MHP!

2007-06-29T09:58:00.000-05:00

(Here is a teeny tiny sneak peek for you Val!)
I always vacillate between showing my favorite photos in a sneak peek (which I'm doing here) or just showing a couple of the "ok" ones. I always fear when I show my absolute favorite best ones from the session on the blog that I'm ruining the surprise for the gallery. But-oh well, here goes anyway! So, two photos for a sneak peak, since I know you are waiting Val! :)
First of all, beautiful "A"... one year old, and walking everywhere. Such a lovely little girl now!

And, since I loved this one in both b&w and in color, I'm showing both, and you can make the hard decision of which you like best:
Such a beautiful family! And some of the nicest kids I've met in a long while. Thanks for bearing with me in the heat everyone!

And this brings me to a quick note about a great new product I'll be offering now. Its so new its not even on my website yet! I'm thrilled to announce I'm now offering luxurious gallery wrapped canvases. If that photo above was of MY family, I'd get a lovely big wrapped canvas of it for sure. Heres a quick snap of the canvas I did order of my three kids, shown on my office wall. Its a 30"x30" gallery wrapped canvas, and its a million times more beautiful in person, trust me.

And a closeup to show you how the canvas is wrapped around the back, ready for hanging and no need for a frame.

These are so lovely! Email me (mary@maryhansonphotography.com)if you want more information before it appears on my website. :)
Thanks, and have a wonderful day!
Mary

Wanted to share a fun new toy with my readers...

2007-06-14T08:40:00.001-05:00

I wanted a small compact semi-inexpensive digital camera for bringing to the pool and beach this summer. I got the Olympus Stylus 770SW for just over $300 from Amazon. The coolest thing about it is that it can shoot underwater up to 33 feet down! Since I won't be doing snorkeling here in Minneapolis, I took some test pool shots of two of my kids who love to swim underwater. Here they are:

If you are looking for a small tough & rugged little point & shoot for the summer, this one is so fun! Enjoy!
~Mary

Wonderful relaxed family session...

2007-06-14T08:26:00.000-05:00

I had such a fun time photographing this lovely family. Just the nicest kids and parents, and all so photogenic! They are preparing for a big move to another country, and I hope that these photos of their family are a good memento of their life here in Minneapolis. Here are a few of my favorites.
Enjoy!
~Mary

(click photos to enlarge)

Family wedding...

2007-06-06T06:38:00.000-05:00

I'm such a bad blogger... my apologies in my extreme tardiness in updating my blog. I've been very busy.
My three (beautiful, if I must say so myself!) children were in their Aunt's Wedding this past weekend. This is my husband Mark's sister, Cassie. Knowing me, you know I had to take a few photos! Something about little ones dressed up in fancy clothes... so sweet. :) So, here are a few shots of my three and a couple from the wedding. I tried hard to stay out of the way of the photographer they had hired, so they are not very good shots, but it was lots of fun.

My littlest guy...

All three together...

Dad & his daughter
(wished this was more centered, but I had
a very squirmy ring-bearer on my lap!!)

Thanks for looking, and I make no promises about when I will post again! (can't break that one, huh?)
~Mary

4 hours old...

2007-05-22T14:01:00.000-05:00

Aside from my own children, I think this is the most fresh and new newborn I have had the honor of photographing! Meet beautiful baby Scarlett, just four hours old and born on Mother's Day. Here is a sneak peak of a few of my favorites of her. I'll have more later Mom & Dad! :)
~Mary
remember, any photo can be enlarged by clicking on it...

Schedule

2007-05-21T15:30:00.000-05:00

Its hard to believe, but summer is already booking up fast! My weekend appointments are the first to go, so I wanted to post what I've got currently open for weekends for the summer. Right now (and they go fast) for summer weekends, I have open:
Sat June 9 ~~morning~~ or afternoon
~~Sat June 16 morning only~~
~~Sat June 23 morning only~~
~~Sunday June 24 morning or afternoon~~
~~Sat July 14 morning or afternoon~~
Sun July 22 morning or afternoon
Sun Aug 26 morning only
If you have recently booked a session, please remember to send in your session fee retainer to hold your date. If I don't receive it, I may offer that date to another client.
Thanks everyone!
I will try and update with some recent sessions later today!
~Mary

Space still available in my class...

2007-04-26T14:32:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I'm excited to be teaching a class in May on taking better photos of your child. I've had several people email me asking how to sign up for the class. There are still some spots available, but you have to go through the site where it is offered. Here is a direct link for information or to register for the class.

Click here for direct link!
thanks!
~Mary

where I've been....

2007-04-26T13:28:00.000-05:00

I've been notably absent for weeks from my blog. I had major surgery just over 5 weeks ago, and have been resting and recovering well, during my "doctor ordered six weeks off" from working. However, I've been going crazy not being about to work! I so miss photographing kids, that I've had to resort to doing outdoor landscape portraiture and working on a huge re-design of my website that is coming soon.
Here are a couple photos from last weekend at Minnehaha Falls. Spring has been slow to arrive this year, but its glorious today. Last Saturday things were still pretty brown at the Falls. :)

And finally, Bumble Kitty, with her odd colored eyes, who has been my constant companion as I recovered from my surgery, and she recovered from her own surgery...

Thanks to those of you who knew I was going to be out for a while, and who emailed to say hello. I can't wait to get back to work!!
Thanks
~Mary

New website is ready!

2007-03-14T08:24:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've started a new business with a great local graphic designer, Tod Foley. Our new business is Progressive Photography & Design, and our website is up and ready to view. Link is http://www.progressivephotographydesign.com I'm really excited about our partnership and working with some great progressive candidates, campaigns and non-profits in the metro area. Let me know what you think of our new site!
thanks!
~Mary

BEST PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS!!

2007-03-06T14:04:00.000-06:00

First of all I want to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to view the photos and vote! I am amazed at the responses! I got over 300 votes in the contest! Yes, your read that right, over THREE HUNDRED! There were several votes from other countries, votes from pretty much every state in the US, and lots of votes from the twincities area. I had no idea so many people read my little blog! I know lots of those in the contest had friends and families vote, but lots of people emailed to say they check it often and really enjoy my photography, which was so nice to read! I'll be sure and update more often now that I know so many are reading! :)
So, on to the winners....
First Place for most votes goes to:
Baby Jack in Photo #6
Jack wins a complimentary session from Mary Hanson Photography, and 2 5x7 prints. Congratulations! Jack also wins a $15 iTunes gift card, though I bet he will share with Mom & Dad... :)

Second Place for Most Votes goes to:
Adorable Kyan, photo #8

Kyan wins a $100 gift certificate (can be used for future prints or session fee) from Mary Hanson Photography! Congratulations!

And the winner of the drawing for the voters goes to:

Mary Knight of St. Paul MN!!
Mary wins a gift certificate for $50 from Mary Hanson Photography, plus a $10 iTunes gift card!!

Again, thank you so much everyone, and especially thank you to the parents of the 12 adorable children featured in my best photo contest!
~Mary

Sneak preview...

2007-03-06T11:57:00.000-06:00

I have a quote on my website from the wonderful photographer Annie Leibovitz: "A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people."
I find that so true, in the sense that I really try to take the time to get to know those I photograph, especially the children. And, I find I do fall in love with them to some degree. I spend so much time looking at their dear little faces, from taking the photographs, to editing, to ordering prints, that I can't help it. Here is one beautiful little girl, much cherished and adored by her parents, who has such an easy to love face. Such a sweet and joyful little girl! Also, I'm probably biased because she resembles my own dear daughter with her curls at this age...
Anyway, as promised, a sneak preview....thanks for letting me meet your lovely family. (Click any image to enlarge)

I'll have the rest of your gallery ready as soon as possible!
Thanks,
~Mary

Info now available for my photography class!

2007-03-05T07:30:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned before, I was asked to teach a class on photography in May. Information is now available!
Here is page two of the course catalog,

(click to enlarge)

and page 37 showing the description of the class.

(click to enlarge)

You can also view the information and register online, at the website for South Washington Community Education, at http://www.cecool.com/
You can download a full pdf of the course catalog and description here, see page 2 and page 37 for info. I think the class will be a great experience, and I'm really looking forward to it!
~Mary

BEST PHOTO CONTEST!

2007-02-28T14:08:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Mary Hanson Photography's "Best Photo Contest!"
Here's how it works:
Eleven photos were randomly picked from various past sessions. Those 11 photos are below. Take a look at ALL eleven photos and decide which is your favorite.
All the children are obviously adorable, (since it seems I always get to photograph the cutest kids on earth!), but try not to look only at how cute they are. Base your vote on that, plus the composition and quality of the photo.
Email me by clicking here (if you have trouble with the link, send email to mary@maryhansonphotography.com)

Please include in your email:

your vote for best photo
your full name
the city and state you live in

All votes must be received by Tuesday March 6th at NOON.
Prizes for most votes are as follows:
1st place: A $15 iTunes gift card and a Gift Certificate for a Complimentary Session with Mary Hanson Photography plus two 5x7 prints from that session! ($315 value!!!)

2nd place: A $100 gift certificate (can be used for future prints or session fee) from Mary Hanson Photography

And, as a prize for VOTING, I will randomly pick one lucky email voter (who resides within the twin cities metro area) to receive a gift certificate for $50 from Mary Hanson Photography, plus $10 iTunes gift card!!

And NOW FOR THE PHOTOS! Remember, you can click on any photo to enlarge it to see it better. :)

One vote per email address only please, feel free to ask friends and family to vote for your favorites.
Gift certificates for Mary Hanson Photography are not redeemable for cash and will have an expiration date. Not responsible for lost or mis-sent emails. Good luck!
~Mary

Update on me...

2007-01-28T14:55:00.000-06:00

Things have been very busy around here in a different way lately. January is always a bit slower, which I welcome, as it has given me time to reorganize my office and to take some great new computer classes which will help with editing and creating card designs. Other exciting things are in the works too! I'm starting a new business with a great graphic designer I've worked with in the past, Tod Foley. We will be: Progressive Photography & Design, and will work with progressive campaigns, candidates and non-profits. I'll post a link to our new company's website as soon as it is ready. I'll still continue to do plenty of portrait work for children and families in the area, but this will be a nice separation of my portrait and political work.
Also, I can't post many details yet, but I've been hired to teach a course this spring locally on "Taking Better Photos of your Child" for parents and others who would like to learn some basic tips to dramatically improve your photos. Email me with the subject of "photography class" at mary@maryhansonphotography.com if you want me to send info as it becomes available. There will be limited spots available in the course, which will be two evenings long. I'm really excited to teach what I love so much!
And, lastly, since I've had a few emails wondering how Bumble Kitty is doing, a photo of her shortly after we got her and then one from today. She is growing wonderfully, biting a bit too much, and her eye color difference of one green/one blue has become even more striking.

Have a great day!
Mary

I'm back!

2007-01-14T08:06:00.000-06:00

I took some time off over the holidays and to be with my children while they were on their holiday break. It was wonderful to regroup, relax and rest. The kids went back to school last week finally, and I realized its been over a month since I posted on my blog! So, I'm back!! Those of you who read my blog often will have lots to look forward to. I'll have "blog only" specials to announce, there will be a few fun contests coming up, a new project of mine unveiled, and of course, favorite shots from recent sessions.
That said, here are a few of an adorable little 1 yr old, "A" and his mom. Apparently he was a bit tired and not in his usual fun mood, but he was a joy to meet and we got lots of sweet shots of him. My favorites are usually the ones without big smiles, like these:

(Remember you can click on any photo to enlarge it!)

But who could resist this smile?

And here is a sample of a 10x20 storyboard, which can have 2, 3 or 4 photos in it.

I always feel bad when I don't get to include recent sessions on my blog, as I know parents look for their kids on here. December was just so busy, I know lots of sessions got "missed" for sneak peeks. My apologies!
Check back soon!
thanks
~Mary

A funny to share...

2006-12-10T09:36:00.000-06:00

(click to enlarge cartoon)

Iknow lots of you are probably looking at new cameras for christmas, and I also know a lot of other photographers read my blog, so thought this was worth sharing. My favorite online cartoon, What the Duck, viewable at www.whattheduck.net :)
Mary

My new muse

2006-12-09T12:31:00.000-06:00

Since my three children go through various stages of contempt towards being my photographic models, I'm quite happy to have a new muse to photograph. Yes, we have had our new kitty for a week now and she is quite the willing subject. :)
She now has an official name, Bumble Kitty, after The Bumble (the white fuzzy snow monster from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.) We also discovered soon after getting her that she is deaf. Apparently its very common for white blue eyed cats, and she has no idea what she is missing, but its odd to see a cat who not only is not afraid of the vacuum cleaner, but actually loves it and thinks chasing it and the cord is great fun. She sleeps more soundly than any cat in a house with three kids has the right too, and she is never startled by loud noises. So far, having a deaf kitty seems to have only pluses. ;)
Here are a few shots of her from today:

Sleeping Bumble Kitty

Awake Bumble Kitty
(remember, you can click to view images larger)

And finally, Laughing Bumble Kitty
(after my great joke about the dog who was as smart as a cat...)

Hope you are all enjoying the beautiful un-seasonably warm day we are having today.
thanks
Mary

Happy December!

2006-12-03T08:11:00.000-06:00

Well, it seems our long and warm-ish fall has finally come to a close. We are now getting the December weather that I expect this time of year! For my kids sake, I'm also hoping for snow to go along with the cold, as they are so excited about sledding. :) My kids are also very excited about our newest arrival, our new kitty, as yet un-named, but certainly not lacking in hands to hold her, cuddles or love:

She is a little white six week old ball of fluff. Bright blue eyes, and the most adorable little pink nose. Name suggestions (other than snowball or the like, lol) are welcome!

Its been a busy last few weeks, finishing orders, sorting and packing them up, and delivering them. Only about 6 more orders to finish up this week, so if you are still waiting, your photos are on the way! Next to taking the photographs, delivering them is one of my favorite things. I love the wonderful reactions I get to see, from big smiles to shouts of joy, to tears over how much everyone loves their finished prints. I've said it before, but it bears repeating: I have the best job in the world.
In this busy season of shopping, cleaning, cooking, baking and preparation for families and upcoming holidays, I invite everyone to take a few minutes and view the holiday slideshow I've created of some of my favorite images from 2006. It does take a few minutes to download, so click this link to go to the page to download it: here Then go grab a cup of your favorite holiday beverage and once its downloaded, turn on your speakers, and enjoy seeing some of the faces of Mary Hanson Photography from this past year. Maybe you'll see your child, or the child of your friend or neighbor or co-worker!
Its been such a wonderful year, so many amazing children and families I've met and photographed. Thanks to all of you!
Mary

Just one day old~

2006-11-20T08:27:00.000-06:00

I love photographing babies, especially when they are *so* fresh and brand new. Meet C. who was just one day old when I got to meet her at the hospital.

She has the most wonderful, protective and loving big brother I may have ever seen; it was beautiful.

Safe in Daddy's arms...

Welcome to the world, baby girl, you are loved.
~Mary

Might as well JUMP!

2006-11-20T08:13:00.000-06:00

A really fun session with these four great kids:
First, the little jumpers:

Then, the big jumpers:

Not only did we have lots of fun wearing out the furniture (thanks Mom & Dad!) I got some great shots showing their beautiful faces (and great personalities!) as well...

I'll let you know as soon as the rest of your gallery is ready. Thanks again, and great to meet you all!
~Mary

Final reminder about Holiday Orders!

2006-11-11T16:53:00.000-06:00

It is hard to believe how fast the holidays are approaching! To ensure you will have cards available in time to send out for the holidays, and for prints for holiday gifts, for guaranteed holiday delivery: ALL ORDERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY NOVEMBER 15TH.
Thanks so much for your understanding and your business this year. I've loved working with each family and am truly appreciative that you chose me to photograph your children.
Thank you!
~Mary

Sneak a peek at beautiful baby A.~

2006-11-06T21:16:00.000-06:00

Another beautiful blue eyed baby! Baby A. is one of those babies I looked at and I just KNEW my camera was going to love her. :)

She has equally lovely parents, who seemed to have such a great time playing with her.

I just loved the warmth and interaction of this one...is there anything better than hugs from Mom? :)

Just a really charming family, so nice to meet you T & V! I'll have the rest of your gallery up soon for you. Thanks so much!
~Mary

A chance at a discounted session, and help a great organization!

2006-11-01T16:29:00.000-06:00

Here is a great chance to bid on a photo session with Mary Hanson Photography, and help a wonderful organization: Fraser School in Richfield, MN. (for more info on Fraser, go to www.fraser.org )Fraser is having an online auction as part of their annual benefit, and I've donated a photo session and an 8x10 print to the auction. Value is up to $285. If the winning bid is $285 or over, I will give the winner of the auction session a sterling silver bangle bracelet with a sterling picture frame charm as a thank you! To bid on the session, click this link:
Fraser auction for photo session

Thanks!
Mary

Sneak peek... Literally!

2006-10-27T16:22:00.000-05:00

Peek-A-Boo!!

I just loved this shot of little M. from tuesday, she was so adorable and played peek-a-boo with me several times. Her parents are obviously just crazy about her, and after a few flashes of her adorable grin, I knew why.

Enjoy your last days of having a mostly full time crawler, she looks soooo ready to go!

Thanks N & J, for letting me take photos of your beautiful family. I'll let you know as soon as I have the rest of your gallery ready early next week.
~Mary

Another beautiful family...

2006-10-26T17:36:00.000-05:00

I might be biased, but I think the families I photograph are always so beautiful! Such gorgeous little girls and handsome boys... so many Moms & Dads who are also so nice looking and so proud of and devoted to their kids! What a great job I have. :)
Here is another handsome family, got to meet Mom & daughter last spring for a session, this time had the pleasure of meeting all the guys of the family as well. It was great to meet everyone, and I was so wowed by what sweet big brothers little G. has! She is one much loved little sister... so nice to see. I'll have the rest of your photos up soon, but here is a sneak peek:

Thanks again, and I'll email when the whole gallery is available.
~Mary

All 2006 appointments have been filled...

2006-10-13T16:50:00.000-05:00

If you have scheduled an appointment for 2006, and I have received your deposit, your session is confirmed, but otherwise, I am now officially booked for all of 2006. Appointments are available for January and February 2007. Thanks so much!
~Mary

Whew! I've been busy!

2006-10-11T20:15:00.000-05:00

Haven't had hardly a moment to even catch my breath lately, but wanted to post a quick sneak peek of several recent sessions. I've been having so much fun, meeting new families, seeing how past clients have grown up so much, and getting lots of great shots. Here are a few from the past few days! I hope to have everyones galleries up before I leave on vacation on October 19th... I'm guessing I won't be sleeping much between now and then! :)
Thanks everyone for your patience in this, my busiest time of year!
~Mary

Sneak peek of adorable twin boys & their sweet little sister!

2006-10-04T20:23:00.000-05:00

Meet two very busy, very cute little 2yr old twin boys:
First is B.~

Next is S.~
And last but not least, the sweet smiling K.~

I'll have the rest of your gallery up later this week~ it was so nice to meet your three little sweeties!
Mary

Cozy family portraits...

2006-10-01T08:49:00.000-05:00

This family was so laid back and wonderful to work with. The older brother and sister were so enamored with their new baby sister, it was just joyful to watch. She is quite lucky to have so much love flowing towards her...

Just 13 days old when I photographed her last Sunday,

baby C. watched nearly every move I made, (until she fell asleep on Daddy...)

Thank you N & C for letting me photograph your cozy family Sunday, it was wonderful to spend some time with your three beautiful children. Congratulations on your new addition, she is perfection.
~Mary

Reminder about Holiday Orders!

2006-09-25T09:19:00.000-05:00

For print and card orders to be guaranteed delivery by the holidays, all orders must be placed by November 15th, without exception. Orders placed after November 15th will be delivered in January 2007.

I've had a lot of inquiries about holiday cards and announcements lately. Here is a sample showing a few of the cards, birth announcements and moving cards I have created. (click sample photo above to enlarge!~)

As you can see, you are not limited to a few stock designs for your card. If you have an idea or a color theme, I can design it for you! Your custom card will be 5x7 size and will come with envelopes, in white or red. Please see the bottom of my pricing page for pricing and information for custom cards.
Other news: I am currently scheduling the last few remaining appointments for 2006, and am booking for January 2007 now as well. Its been a great year for Mary Hanson Photography, and I want to thank everyone for your business and support!
Thank you so much!
~Mary

Beautiful blue eyed boy...

2006-09-24T09:02:00.000-05:00

Meet L.~
I would bet that his parents get comments all the time about how gorgeous his eyes are. They are such a strong vivid shade of blue, its almost unreal!
I know you are supposed to say "handsome" for boys, but I'm sorry, he's beautiful! He made it much too easy to take way too many photos. Such a good natured, fun little boy, and crawling already! Here is a sneak peek for you, J&B, until I get the whole gallery up. It was a joy to meet you all, and to see how obviously well loved and adored L. is.
Thanks again,
Mary

A few from a very fun recent family session~

2006-09-19T20:59:00.000-05:00

On Sunday I got to photograph the nicest family, and again, they have three handsome boys (3 boys, its been a trend for me lately!)
The boys were all so well behaved, fun and easy to work with. (remember, you can click on any photo to enlarge it!)

And, once again, I find myself showing more color shots than I usually do, but with these eyes, and wonderful freckles, I HAD to have some color ones in with the black & white. :) Thanks again M&S, you and the boys were lots of fun, and I'll have the whole gallery up by the end of the week. In the meantime, here are is a sneak peek of a few of my favorites so far.
Mary

Another chance to see change...

2006-09-15T06:47:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned a few days ago, one of my favorite things is to see repeat clients and see how their children have changed since the last time I photographed them. Its always so delightful, especially if they were under a year last time, to see how their personalities have come out & how their smiles have changed. Its also nice to see how even much more the parents have fallen in love with their little one. Yesterday I got to see H. again. Last time was in May of '05, just starting to take steps.

Yesterday, this remarkably smart and talkative toddler, telling me all about the plants in the garden, the trains on Thomas, and pointing out every plane and jet as it flew overhead. He was a beautiful baby, but grew into an even more amazingly cute and neat little person.
Thanks M&P for letting me spend some time with your little guy, it was so fun to see you all again!
~Mary

Congratulations to Keith Ellison & Patricia Torres Ray!

2006-09-13T16:04:00.000-05:00

I try not to mix business and politics too much, but most who know me know I'm a strong DFL'er. So, that said, I wanted to say how thrilled I was that both Keith Ellison and Patricia Torres Ray
won in the primary yesterday. Both of them are terrific people, strong progressives and both were photographed by yours truly this year. Coincidence? I wonder.... :0) (of course I'm kidding.)
Congratulations to both Keith and Patricia for your upbeat and positive campaigns, and can't wait until the general election in November!

Keith Ellison

Patricia Torres Ray

Three handsome brothers

2006-09-13T15:42:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in quite a while. I've been very busy with sessions, editing, local politics and getting my kids all used to being back to school. I've had several emails asking about updating my blog, so with my apologies: I'm back! :)

One thing I love most about my job (which by the way, is the best job in the world, in my humble opinion..) is getting to see the same kids six months or a year later when I get to photograph them again. Last August when I met this great family with three adorable boys, I really enjoyed each of their distinct personalities and adorable faces. This is them a year ago:

Last Saturday we met again, and this time took photos at the Peace Garden. Its always so much fun to see how faces change and mature over time. These three in particular got even more handsome and fun to photograph. Here is a sneak peek of them now, for mom & dad to see:

Now, generally, I almost always prefer black & white to color. These boys eyes may make me rethink that. :) Beautiful deep brown for two of them, and vivid blue for one. Here is color and a closeup (and a reminder that you can click on any photo to see it larger!) Thanks to all five of you for such a fun session on saturday, and I'll have the rest of your photos up soon!
Mary

Yawns, hiccups, and newborn perfection

2006-08-26T18:52:00.000-05:00

I love photographing newborns. I love their tiny toes, their still wrinkled skin, their little yawns and hiccups and everything about them. How in *love* with the baby the new parents are, how everything they do is magical and new and fresh and perfect. There is a well known quote, oft used on new baby cards, that says: "Babies are such a nice way to start people." I couldn't agree more...
Here is a sneak peek of a few of a beautiful new little girl, who was just 15 days old when I photographed her on thursday. Congratulations T & L! :)
~Mary

Quick note about availability....

2006-08-24T20:20:00.000-05:00

I currently have only a few openings available between now and November. If you are looking for a session in that time frame, please call as soon as possible. If I have reserved your session and you have paid your deposit, you are fine, so don't worry!
I will once again be closed for sessions the month of December, to finish delivering cards and holiday gifts/prints, and to enjoy the holidays with my family. If you are planning on having photos done for holiday cards, please plan now to call and book one of my remaining sessions. I hate to disappoint people! :)
~Mary

Sneak peek from tuesday...

2006-08-24T11:08:00.000-05:00

I'm just about to work on proofing my sessions from this week and wanted to put up a sneak peek from one of my sessions on tuesday. Couple of really beautiful kids, 18yrs & 10 yrs old, which was a fun change of pace from the toddlers & babies.
Anyway, here is a quick sneak peek of them, just in case mom is looking:
~Mary

What a great saturday at my house...

2006-08-20T10:31:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted here all week, because I was so busy last week getting ready for a big party we had yesterday. It was J's birthday party (4 already, wow!) and my husband & I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. We had 67 people at our house and lucked out with one of the most beautiful August days I can remember in a long time. Thanks so much to all our friends and family that came. We feel so lucky to have so many people we love who came to celebrate with us. It was truly a wonderful day.... The only thing that could have made it better would have been if my Mom was still alive to be with us. Its hard to believe this is the third birthday of J's that she was not here for. I still miss her so much it is hard to describe. I know she was smiling down on us from heaven though, probably wishing she could have been here to hug "her little ones".

Here is M. jumping in the jumper, I love how it looks like he is levitating, and the look on the kids face as as he goes way above the top! :)
I only snapped a few photos, because I was so busy talking with everyone, and jumping in the moonwalk jumper (kudos to all the other grown ups who joined us, and I bet you are a little sore today too! LOL)
Thanks again to everyone for the wonderful day!
~Mary

My favorite cheeks ever....

2006-08-14T15:14:00.000-05:00

This little guy had the most beautiful eyes, and by far the best cheeks I've ever seen. :) I am such a fan of photos of children when their faces are in repose, and looking thoughtful. I know so many parents (and grandparents!) think that they want photos where the child is really smiling big, and I'm okay with getting *some* like that, but the photos where you can really see who they are, are usually the more serious photos. Take a look through my galleries, and see if you don't agree. :)
Mary Hanson Galleries
Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a comment!
~Mary

Morning at Minnehaha Falls

2006-08-10T13:05:00.000-05:00

I spent the morning yesterday with the kids at Minnehaha Falls. We had lots of fun "exploring", and finding cool rocks and throwing them into the creek. I'm always amazed that in the heart of Minneapolis, you can feel so away from it all, so surrounded by wilderness, but still hear the bells from the Hiawatha Light Rail as you climb up the stairs. Just another reason to love Minneapolis...
Some photos...

Then, L. spent the afternoon painting with our wonderful neighbor Susan (who was very brave to put L. and paint together like this, lol)

Here is her new froggy friend, who unfortunately got a bit of glitter and paint before he got away. ;)

I've had so much fun this week "off" with the kids. Hope you are all enjoying your summer, your families, and your children.

~Mary

A very sweet brother & sister

2006-08-09T20:20:00.000-05:00

Couple recent photos...

These two were such fun to photograph, a brother and sister that really seemed to like each other. And they both had the most beautiful eyes... :O)

Enjoying my own kids this week!

2006-08-07T14:37:00.000-05:00

A wonderful week off.... I took this whole upcoming week off, with no sessions during the week, after a very busy summer so far. I plan to relax, take lots of photos of my own kids for a change, and get caught up on a lot of office work and emails. I've gotten so many emails and session inquiries after being featured as part of a story on KARE-11's 10 pm news "I've Been Wondering" with reporter John Croman. If you missed it, here is the link: Make sure you click on the red "video" link to see the newsclip!
click here for link to KARE-11

Apparently, lots of people watch KARE-11!! :o) Thanks again to John Croman for including me in his story. If anyone is still waiting for a return email or phone call, I'll be getting back to you this week. August and September are nearly booked, with a few spots left.

So, here are some snaps, showing how we spent our morning, doing chalk drawings, and playing with our neighbors dog. Have a wonderful week!
~Mary

A rare Sunday session today...

2006-08-06T21:21:00.000-05:00

I don't often work on Sundays, but today I had the pleasure of photographing four really nice DFL'ers for an upcoming newsletter. From left to right, Jim Davnie MN State Rep for 62A, Jean Wagenius, MN State Rep for 62B, Patricia Torres Ray, DFL endorsed candidate for State Senator in district 62, and Keith Ellison, DFL endorsed candidate for Congress in CD5.

The Debut of Mary Hanson Photography Blog!

2006-08-04T14:09:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my new Blog! I'll be trying to update this every few days, and this will replace my newsletters as a way of staying in touch with clients and friends. For those who have just stumbled across me, I'm a photographer in Minneapolis, MN who specializes in natural light, on-location photography of babies, toddlers, children and families. I'll introduce you to three of my favorite little subjects, my kids! First off, this is my oldest son J., who is 8 1/2:
This is my daughter L., who is 6 1/2:

And last, but never least, my youngest son J., who is almost 4!

These were all taken last month at the beautiful lake home we rent from some friends in Outing, MN. Here is the sunset view up at the lake.... wish we were still there!

I'll be posting some photos from recent sessions each week and I welcome comments from readers! Thanks for visiting, and check back soon!
~Mary
www.maryhansonphotography.com

Mary Hanson Photography : Behind my lens...

{oh my! over a month!} & Special Memorial Day Offer!

Advice from Real Simple...

Congratulations to Mikala!!

ZENN electric cars...have you heard of these?

A semi-recent session...

Share the Love Contest Entries...

Voting to come soon...

We've got three entries so far!

Please pass on our contest to those you know...

**Share the Love Contest!!**

Al Franken rally at the Capitol today...

Five years ago today...

spring snow...

Finally! Some photos

Pet Diaries...

Great silent auction event!

Update on storage of images...

If you are trying to contact me...

being green...

Gorgeous redhead...

Fun winter session sneek peek

Just had to share this...

Hope you all had a Restful Holiday Season!

about me...

a few recent ones...

Recent work...

Schedule full for 2007

Joy...and bliss.

Another lovely family...

Deadline date for Holiday Cards and Orders...

Only ONE weekend appointment available for this year!

Baby Jack walking and talking!

Meet our new kitty..

Introducing the launch of my new site!

four adorable kids

Beautiful newborn girl...

busy busy busy

Need some nice wrapping paper?

For all the parents of small ones...

Long absent

Out of office~ take note please! :)

precious little newborn...

Check this out if you have a minute...

Harry Potter Book 7 Mania!

Sneak peek of two beautiful children!

Hug your kids, and please put a bike helmet on them...

Had a bad past few days...

bumble kitty

Tiny sneak peek and great new product from MHP!

Wanted to share a fun new toy with my readers...

Wonderful relaxed family session...

Family wedding...

4 hours old...

Schedule

Space still available in my class...

where I've been....

New website is ready!

BEST PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS!!

Sneak preview...

Info now available for my photography class!

BEST PHOTO CONTEST!

Update on me...

I'm back!

A funny to share...

My new muse

Happy December!

Just one day old~

Might as well *JUMP*!

Final reminder about Holiday Orders!

Sneak a peek at beautiful baby A.~

A chance at a discounted session, and help a great organization!

Sneak peek... Literally!

Another beautiful family...

All 2006 appointments have been filled...

Whew! I've been busy!

Sneak peek of adorable twin boys & their sweet little sister!

Cozy family portraits...

Reminder about Holiday Orders!

Beautiful blue eyed boy...

Share the Love Contest!!

Might as well JUMP!