Kari! : Minneapolis/St. Paul Portrait Photography

2012?! Where has the time gone? I promise a "best of" post coming your way soon, along with some GREAT BIG HUGE WONDERFUL NEWS... but until then, let's play a little catch up, shall we? Grab a big cup of coffee, buckle up and stay tuned, friends :)

....

In 2009, I was just graduating from Minneapolis Community & Technical College and we had a little giveaway at our senior portfolio show. Each graduate drew a name from a fishbowl and offered a few portrait session to that person. As luck would have it, I drew the amazing and fabulous Kari!

[Kari and I met in 2005ish when I was just a college kid, learning my way around the mysteries of the darkroom and Kari was besties with my beloved professor, Cate - she took the class too, just for kicks. Our friendship grew through those long nights in the pitch blackness and ultimately, we ended up working together for two summers at Farm in the City (a nonprofit summer camp teaching the kiddos about sustainable living (before it was cool!) and photography). Over the years, we're talked photos, life, peace, love and shared an immeasurable amount of coffee together.]

Fast forward to 2011 and FINALLY Kari and I found the perfect date and styling options for her fun and fabulous photo shoot! And just a mere block or two from her home in St. Paul too - even better! Without further ado, and since Kari officially debuted these photos as gifts for friends at her annual holiday party, I can finally show you these drop-dead-gorgeous photos.

Side note: I normally don't shoot or display my work in black and white unless it's film... and it wasn't until Kari suggested converting a few of these that I fell.in.love with the emotion in these images. YAY!

I am so blessed to know this amazingly wise woman - her open and honest personality is one I treasure so dearly. Her life story is so varied and amazing - full of strength, risk-taking, determination and adventures. Friends who instill those same values in each other are really what makes this whole life worth living, right? :)

 Side note #2: Kari couldn't wait for me to come over so she could show me this image of her, circa 1980s, in her stunning business suit. She was working as a photo assistant (Jane of all trades, this Kari) for a second and played around with the other assistants taking images of each other and this is the only one she has kept. Isn't this amazing?!?!

xoxo,
syd.
sydnee@sydneebickett.com