Sharyn Shoots

Always the Sun
Until last week I hadn’t flown with my son in over four years. We’ve been taking vacations separately instead. It’s just the two of us – all the time – we do need to give each other a break now and again. The last several years I’ve been flying to Los Angeles without him, to visit friends. And he’s been flying solo to his grandparents’ place. A little nugget I just learned? These last few summers when he’s been flying unaccompanied, the flight attendants have been giving him a free upgrade to first class! It’s probably easier to keep an eye on him there. And I sure feel better about it. One highlight of last week’s trip was a Sunday drive up the PCH and a visit to Malibu. Though I couldn’t help snickering when I thought about the sheriff from The Big Lebowski.

Earlier in the trip we’d engaged in a lot of touristy activities at a break-neck pace, some of which weren’t photographed. Our morning at the Fairfax Farmers Market. A day of walking around LACMA (where my son isn’t considered a child but rather “Next Gen”). But I did get some good snaps in and around Griffith. We planned to get to the observatory right as it opened, at noon, but arrived super early. My son noticed the signs for the LA Zoo. I am not a great fan of zoos. I could have said no and found something else to do. But we had a good chunk of time on our hands and it was RIGHT THERE. So we went in. And my son, in true pre-teen form, was as difficult as possible when I pointed my camera in his direction. Even so I like the shots.

Battle(s) of the Bands
In some ways, winter in Minnesota can yield more inspiration than our warm weather months can. More time to sit still and allow plans to form. Not that I’ve been sitting still much. With this winter being so very mild I’ve been going out more, instead of falling into the cozy trap of couch and cats and comforters. But even with, and maybe because of, my active social life the ideas for my new photo series have been coming together nicely. I’ve been talking it through with friends and acquaintances and hope to start shooting in early Spring. I’m excited! In the mean time, here are some photos from a few lovely shows I’ve attended so far in 2012.

American Cream / Jabberjosh / The Deaf / Seawhores at Kitty Cat Klub

Cadette, Oaks, Crimes at Memory Lanes

Ice Rod Chatroulette, with Littlefoot and NV

Girls Night Out at the Amsterdam with Hot Rash, Cadette and The Pinsch

Perish at the Kitty Cat Klub, with Bloode Folke and Blood & Sun

The Deaf’s Saturday night residency at Grumpy’s

A Not-Quite-Winter-Wonderland
We’ve had an usually mild winter, for Minnesota. Especially compared to last winter’s epic snowfalls and brutal cold snaps. Right now the poor ice sculptures are melting in Rice Park. They had been championing St Paul’s annual Winter Carnival but it’s more like St Paul slush right now, with temps in the 40s. But the outdoor temperatures didn’t affect what was going inside the RiverCentre last Sunday! It was the St Paul Winter Carnival’s annual Saintly City Cat Club’s Cat Show. And this year I learned my favorite judge was once an opera singer.

Art Sled Rally
I keep missing the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, “an annual pond hockey event on Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Though an amateur tournament, the competition draws hockey enthusiasts from all over North America, many of whom have pro and college hockey experience.” But we did make it over to the annual Art Sled Rally in Powderhorn Park last Saturday. There was just enough snow on the ground for the sleds to work with. Not that all of them even made it down the hill. Some just tipped right over upon launch. But aerodynamics aren’t the point. Creativity is king (or queen). My son was so inspired he already has a plan for his own sled for the 2013 rally.

Art Shanty Projects
Last but not least, the Art Shanty Projects returned to Plymouth! They are now only happening every other year on Medicine Lake. This year the project was even featured on National Public Radio. We made it out the first weekend (this coming weekend is the last).

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of Year
Since I last posted here I’ve moved house, for the first time in over twelve years. I was so preoccupied with packing and unpacking that the holidays snuck right up on me. But we do have a tree in our new home. Decorated even, with a few gifts under it. And now I’ve got some holiday deals up in my etsy store! Postcards, framed prints and unframed prints. Want to get 50% off your purchase? You have not one, not two, but three ways to do so:

1. Leave a comment here and I will send you the coupon code.
2. Like my Facebook page, leave a comment on the wall there and receive the coupon code that way.
3. Follow me on twitter and mention my etsy store and I will send you the coupon code.

Hooray for social networking. Thanks friends!

In my previous post I mentioned holiday portrait mini sessions. That ship may have sailed but if you would still like to squeeze a session in before the holidays, or perhaps the week between Christmas and New Year’s, shoot me an email.

By the way, the below photos are outtakes from my session with The New Standards, for their holiday micro-site. Enjoy!

A Tale of Two Henrys
Fall is my favorite time of year. The changing of the leaves, the onset of sweater weather, and my most favorite of all holidays – Halloween! I love it all. And I was thrilled when asked to take outdoor portraits during this season for not one but two little boys named Henry. I photographed the first Henry on the day of his first birthday, in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Minneapolis.

The second Henry is double the age of the first. Not much of an age difference really, in the grand scheme of things – two years old versus one – but a huge difference in mobility! This Henry led us on a merry chase around Minnehaha Falls. Up and down stairs and across bridges and pointing out statues and throwing and kicking fallen leaves around.

My own son is just as enthusiastic about Fall and Halloween as I am. There are many spooktacular events coming up this weekend but we may go with an old-timey option, with the Old-Time Halloween at the Gibbs Farm Museum this Sunday, October 30, 2011 from noon – 4:00pm.

In the mid-1800s Europeans, especially Irish immigrants, brought their Halloween traditions to America. Trick-or-Treat at Jane Gibbs’ house; make popcorn balls in the Red Barn; find pennies in a haystack and enjoy a cup of cider!

Before you know it November will upon us and with it the holiday stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. I plan to schedule a few days’ worth of mini sessions at locations around town, like Krueger’s Tree Farm and Pine Tree Apple Orchard. Stay tuned!

A September Wedding on Summit Avenue
Last year I took a walk around St. Paul’s Lowertown neighborhood with a lovely couple, shooting their engagement photos on an uber-hot August day. Fast forward a year and a month and they asked me back, to capture their big wedding day. The weather was much milder this go around but gloomy all morning with the threat of rain. Thankfully the clouds parted, clearing up just in time for the outdoor ceremony. And it was a lovely happening from start to finish.

The Great Minnesota Get Together, 2011
Life has been particularly hectic lately and I worried we might miss out on what has become an annual tradition – my son and I venturing out to the MN State Fair, just the two of us. Hoovering down our favorite food products while pausing now and again to go up in the Sky Ride and down the Big Slide and in and around the crop art and fine arts exhibits. Today was the very last day of the fair and somehow we managed to squeak in – with bonus free tickets, thanks to one friend, and free parking mere blocks away thanks to another. And then we just happened to bump into several other friends while out and about amongst the teeming masses. We had tentative plans to attend a BBQ afterward this evening but we’d had enough of both food and functions and opted to take it easy this Monday-night-that-feels-like-a-Sunday, the last night of summer break before school begins for the boy.

Such a Tease, Such a Flirt
Ahh, hazy lazy summer and too many half-formed drafts hanging out over here. Time to post something! July may have been unbearably hot and humid but it was also jam-packed with many lovely musical happenings. Here’s a sampling of what I enjoyed.

Rifflord at the Hack Factory’s Handmade Music Series – July 25th, 2011

FALSE tour kick-off at Memory Lanes – July 25th, 2011

The Machine Project / Music for Parking Garages curated by Chris Kallmyer at The Walker – July 21st, 2011

The Machine Project / Music for Parking Garages curated by Chris Kallmyer at The Walker – July 21st, 2011

Harvey Milk at Triple Rock Social Club – July 18th, 2011

Davu Seru at the Gartersnake – July 17th, 2011

Elaine Evans at the Gartersnake – July 17th, 2011

john zuma st.pelvyn at the Gartersnake – July 17th, 2011

Harvest at Triple Rock Social Club – July 16th, 2011

Disembodied at Triple Rock Social Club – July 16th, 2011

The Chambermaids at The Kitty Cat Klub – July 2nd, 2011

Grant Hart at Grumpy’s Downtown – July 2nd, 2011

Maledicere at the Turf Club – June 30th / July 1st, 2011

Blood Folke at The Turf Club – June 30th / July 1st, 2011

Grain Belt at The Turf Club – June 30th / July 1st, 2011

Isn’t She?
The bride really was pretty in (pale) pink. I love that dress! And what a delightful couple to work with. Though we’d all been doing a bit of hand wringing ahead of time. This outdoor wedding had the misfortune of being scheduled smack dab in the midst of near-monsoon rains. But Minnesota-style, of course. This was just the day before the big tornado that tore through much of North Minneapolis. Somehow the skies cleared up just as it neared portrait time. The wedding party met in the Lyndale Park Rose Garden, where we engaged in a somewhat complicated ballet twirling around others in finery – prom parties, other weddings and a Quinceañera – jockeying for the prime spots for portraits. But it all worked out. And afterward the ceremony and reception were held nearby at Beard’s Plaisance park. Where the skies didn’t open back up until after things were already winding down. A perfect Saturday afternoon, sheltered from the storms.

Something’s Turning Over
This past Saturday morning, and again yesterday morning, I woke to snow on the ground. But just last week I’d woken to sunny 70s in Palm Springs, California and hopped into a hot tub and then a pool before breakfast. Usually I ride out our long winter-into-spring season fairly patiently but having gotten a taste of the good life has ruined me. And this winter has been excessively harsh and brutally long.

But a little California dreaming will help get me through. I’m longing for warmth and refreshing beverages, like the vodka lemonade slushies and a “desert facial” (with vodka and cucumber) that we imbibed at the ACE Hotel’s bar (the lobby of which contains an astounding amount of macrame bullshit – I would love to throw my cats in and see what chaos ensues). Other highlights included mani/pedis at Delight, an excellent brunch at and stroll around the grounds of The Parker Hotel. But the real and for true highlight of the whole trip? Our meal at the understated Kiyosaku. We began with Kiyo’s Grapefruit Special in an intimate setting. The only other patrons happened to be owners of another area restaurant. We all talked. We giggled. We consumed one perfect item after another, deftly prepared by Kiyo. And then. The unexpected but not unwelcome. Kiyo busted out a little old ghetto blaster from beneath the counter…and proceeded to serenade us. Engelbert Humperdinck has never sounded so good. Kiyo’s wife Terri had her turn with the mic, which was really a fish scaler, as well. She has a lovely voice. And then I was sent home with a bottle of delicious Harushika extra dry sake. My hostess and I went to bed giddy that night. It doesn’t get any more magical than that.