Lindsay : Minneapolis Lifestyle Photography

I met Lindsay Lewis one year ago, when I began volunteering with the Liz Logelin Foundation. Lindsay is the Executive Director and she is the perfect person for the job. She is efficient, hard working, professional and fun - I think that ultimately, I wish I could be as cool as Lindsay. I mean, really. Our bond was secured over a mutual love of design, Diane Arbus, photography, literature and top knots. When you see the rest of this session, you'll agree. That "it" factor? This girl's got it.

We began this session with Lindsay's adorable new pup Georgia and Georgia's "aunt" Emmy - those photos are coming soon! I couldn't give away all the cuteness in one blog post :) After letting the ladies have their spotlight, it was time for Lindsay to don her amazing wardrobe. In our emails back and forth, Lindsay said she wasn't sure if what she had chosen for clothing would work well together. Once she started pulling out options from bags and the back of her car, it took my breath away! Helloooo fashionista! Colored skinny pants, amazing sweaters and blazers, maxi dresses, killer shoes and a top knot to boot! I was in heaven. 

My first love? Photographing my beautiful clients. But my second favorite part of this job? Working with my clients to help style the perfect session - to make their personalities and comfort levels shine! Advice to future clients? Take all your favorite pieces and amp it up. You won't regret it - you'll feel fabulous and confident and the camera loves when you do :)

Lindsay: thank you for choosing me to capture your new "headshots." The foundation's website is going to get at least a million hits a day once your favorite image hits the "about us" page! You're stunning and fabulous - a total inspiration to me and everyone who comes into contact with you and the LLF. Your apartment? My dreams come true all in one place. Nobody I know can carry a red lipstick and matching nails like you!

 

 

xoxo,

syd.

sydnee@sydneebickett.com

612.293.9096

Lea + Dustin : Minneapolis Engagement Photography

These lovebirds came to me as a referral from a dearly-loved manager from days gone by and I couldn't be more thrilled! The majority of my business comes from referrals and my past clients doing their part in spreading the love - and this referral did not disappoint. They completed this engagement session with endless laughs and tons of jokes and stories I'll be sure to keep handy for their upcoming wedding day.

Lea + Dustin met a few years back at a small town bar, did a little 80's karaoke and the rest was history! Here they are, planning their wedding in a few short weeks and I am so honored to be a part of this day. It's sure to be filled with laughs, a close-knit family and the beginning of a new family with Lea, Dustin and Dustin's son, Gavin. I can't wait to see their circle grow on 8.25.12!

xoxo,
syd.
sydnee@sydneebickett.com
612.293.9096

number two : Instagram Itinerary

Here we are again! A short and sweet kind of update on what I've been up to. Grab your affogato and enjoy a little peek into what happens behind the scenes over here :)

I had my first affogato. I know, I had to look it up too. Affogato: espresso over ice cream. Basically the best summertime treat this side of the lakes. Serious. I'm thinking about one right now. Note to self: get one tomorrow no matter what.

I tried out a pair of red specs a la Sally Jesse Raphael for a week and they're on order now. Can't wait to show off these beauties.

Ate fruit. Lots of it. Also did the best job carbo-loading for my first ever half marathon. Or maybe it was the time when I woke up at 4am to eat a bagel and yogurt before the race, only to go right back to sleep. Finished in record time: 2:05:15. Next goal? To break the 2 hour part this fall.

I met Bert Blyleven! Love those perks of the corporate gigs.

Being the trendsetter I am, I bought a maxi skirt and can't seem to find my way out of it. Currently trying to figure out how that might work into my fall and winter wardrobe. So far? No ideas.

I had a little car mishap and ended the night perfectly at Kings with my bestie over a bottle of red wine aptly named Friends.

Started rocking bling on my right hand inscribed with Jeremiah 29:11.

Spend a marathon night of meetings at Kings and ended with booking a wedding for October 2013. Wait until you meet this couple. You'll be head over heels in love with them!

Attended my first Twins game of the season. Looking forward to a few more before the snow flies!

Celebrated a milestone birthday with the one and only Dino aka my dad. We wined and dined at Jax Cafe and loved every morsel. Still dreaming about that bread basket.

My heart melted about three times over when I was reunited with my best boys: Beckett and Bowen. They're almost five and one. Don't get any crazy ideas.

Rocked out time at the studio and sent out my very first email newsletter. Want dibs on the info? Send me a love note and I'll add you to the next one!

xoxo,
syd.
sydnee@sydneebickett.com
612.293.9096

Mini Session Date announced : Minneapolis Portrait Photography

The moment you've all been waiting for is finally here!

The first ever mini session date is...

I know you've got questions. I've got answers! (See? We already make a great team!)

Who can book a mini session?
Anyone and everyone! Even my pup Farley wants in on the action! These shorter sessions are perfect for fun headshots, quick senior portraits, a first anniversary, better-than-beginning-of-the-school-year-sponsored photos and especially little kiddos. If you've got an idea, send it my way - I'd love to work with you!

Why only 30 minutes? That doesn't feel like nearly enough time!
It only takes a second to capture a terrific image - of course we'll do the usual posey images you'll want to frame and send to Aunt Sue for Christmas, but we'll incorporate some playtime as well. I love those in-between moments when you're playing with your kids, laughing at my ridiculously awful jokes or just plain having a blast.

Why a limit on the number of people? Does this mean my seven year old has to stay home? 
No way! The reason for the limit is that physical shooting square footage at the studio space is limited. Two adults and two kids fit comfortably, but bringing Grandma and Grandpa might be a bit cramped. If you're looking for a larger family portrait, consider booking a full sized session for $200 for an hour. However, if there are two adults and three small kiddos, we can make that work. Contact me for more info: sydnee@sydneebickett.com.

We're in! What next?
YAY! I can't wait to meet you! We're going to have so much fun together!
First, email me sydnee@sydneebickett.com and I'll let you know what times are available. It's first come, first serve. Session times are every hour on the hour from 10 am to 5 pm (i.e. 10am, 11am, 12pm, etc). I'll send you a note as soon as your session fee is paid with all the info you'll need. Then just meet me at the studio on September 8th with your best smiles and cutest outfits!

I'm not sure what to wear! Can you help?
OF COURSE! Styling is one of my favorite activities of all time (no joke). Once your session is booked and paid for, we can brainstorm ideas of what to wear and any props to bring. I'll have limited props available to all clients who book a mini session - but I'd love to see what you have to bring too!

What's the fine print?
Due to the shorter nature and intense popularity of these sessions, all session fees are nonrefundable.

PS. Remember those horribly awkward school photos? September 8th is the perfect time to get EVEN BETTER images of your kids in all their awesome glory!

xoxo,
syd.
sydnee@sydneebickett.com
612.293.9096

Ali : Minneapolis Portrait Photography

"This is the song I'm singing out / I wanna live like there's no tomorrow / Love, like I'm on borrowed time / It's good to be alive.."

I first met Ms. Ali Rogers on a January day seven months ago in a freezing cold video workshop. We were two of the only females in the group and twenty-somethings at that, so of course, we instantly bonded. Bonded over having to drive home from that workshop in a blizzard, over not knowing a single thing about video, about being two girls and two photographers trying to make things happen. Oh yeah and we maybe edited the most lame video you'll ever see. Or never, if I have my way :)

Even if we didn't gain an ounce of knowledge from that workshop, we gained a friend. Ali is a photographer, a yogi, a nanny, a Christian and a healthy lifestyle nut just like me and unlike me, she really loves nature, camping, being outdoors and doing things like being on water and traveling solo to Hawaii for a month-long adventure.

She just arrived home today from that adventure and ready to conquer the world - after a much-needed nap, I suppose! Ali's photography is stunning - her adventuresome nature really proves to be to her advantage. Not to mention that healthy lifestyle nuttiness - she's all about mind, body and spirit connections and being intentional in actions and words. The world could use more people like her :) I'm so proud to know her and be encouraged by her. She's fabulous!

When she asked me to shoot her headshots this spring, it happened that I shot them four days before I took the leap to full-time business owner. This is no coincidence; Ali made sure this session felt alive and kept it moving. We talked in length about how we shoot and why, which was exactly what I needed. Ali has that way about her - being so intuitive that she just knows. She's launching a portrait and wedding business in the coming months so be on the look out for her!

xoxo,
syd.
sydnee@sydneebickett.com
612.293.9096

Viva Las Desert : personal

You might remember my incredibly awesome jumping in the desert image from two months ago. If you don't, you can see it here: nevada 2012

I traveled to Nevada in early May to rediscover the reasons why I was about to quit my full-time job approximately two weeks later. Plain and simple. I had been questioning this decision quite a bit and luckily, I had this trip scheduled to see Maria. Well, it wasn't luck actually. It was probably one of the biggest blessings of my life.

Maria and I met in 2009 when I was just a kid who'd never really been away from home, was playing school for the last 17 years and didn't have much real life experience. It was at the Maine Workshops, under the beautiful and fabulous direction of Cig Harvey, that all of that changed. For the better. Maria took me under her wing. Maybe it was my dimples that convinced her or maybe it was the deer-in-the-headlights look that was often stuck on my face. I'm not really sure. But I thank God that she did. I went from a kid with a big dream to a girl with a plan that week [more on this soon!].

Flash forward three years and I'm about to make the biggest decision of my life. And I'm scared. I'm nervous. I'm questioning EVERYTHING. I feel like a lone person in a huge vast desert without a clue.

So I hop on a plane and go to the actual desert. To the home of this woman who knew me way back when and has served as more than a mentor to me. She's one of my dearest friends. She's my advocate as much as I am hers. She keeps me accountable to doing the work I've set out to do. She challenges me and makes me think. She's pretty much amazing :)

So we adventured. We sat by the pool and worked on our tans [I believe whole-heartedly that I was starting to develop that hopeless feeling that comes when there isn't sunshine for days... and thankfully, I was cured by the ever-present, ever-HOT Nevada sunshine]. We ate so many fresh fruits and vegetables. We spent hours gazing at Cig's first book. We took the girls, Mesa and Una, on daily walks. We told each other how awesome we looked in bathing suits. We sat by Lake Mead and ate trail mix. We ran early in the morning. And we took photos. Lots of photos.

I left Nevada with everything I had hoped to leave with and more. I left with a heart so full it felt like it was bursting with ideas and creativity and hope and love. Love for my family that I missed dearly, hope for this step I was about to take and really, nothing else mattered. I was stepping into an unknown place but with the knowledge that there were dozens upon dozens of people in my life just like Maria who were rooting me on. Team Syd all the way! T-shirts will be available soon ;)

I might never be able to repay this woman for teaching me and guiding me in an unspoken way that week. But I did promise to come visit again soon. The desert is constantly calling my name...

ps. A big huge thank you to Meg for meeting me and introducing me to the sinfully good Lollicup. I've been dreaming about it ever since! See you at WPPI in March, friend! Keep trusting the process and stay in touch :)

xoxo,
syd.
sydnee@sydneebickett.com
612.293.9096

Rumor Has It : Minneapolis/ St. Paul Portrait Photography

Riding Bikes : Minneapolis Lifestyle Photography

As promised, here is the second half of Nate + Laura's five year anniversary session! These two love biking together, so I brushed off this old vintage bike, borrowed a picnic basket from Marissa and off we went. 

I've never really been one to pick apart images before and tell you my favorite parts, but that's all about to change :) There are big new exciting things in store over here!

The simplicity of these images - the basic colors, the pink for Laura and the blue for Nate, and the ease and feel of their love for each other - are some of my favorite things. The way they look at each other with such a knowing, deep love; it inspires me! Laura's pure smile really tugs at my heart - and Nate makes her smile often, so that's just an added bonus. When I offered the opportunity to shoot a couple "jumping" photos at the end, Laura jumped at the chance. "I always love the jumping photos you take! They're so fun and I've always wanted one!" My heart soared. That this couple was able to  have images of themselves, celebrating and capturing their love after five plus years together and I was able to give that to them? #dreamcometrue

Cheers to the next five years and many more, lovebirds!

xoxo,

syd.

sydnee@sydneebickett.com

612.293.9096

Nate + Laura : Minneapolis Lifestyle Photography

Last November, I featured a little giveaway each week over on my Facebook page (ooh, yes, click here and LIKE me!) to thank my loyal and lovely fans for their support. As fate would have it, Laura won on week three and immediately emailed me to book their session for this spring. "I've been hoping for MONTHS that we could have a session with you" were the first words in her note. My heart skipped a beat and we were off and running.

I first met Nate, Laura's husband, in an English course during our undergrad at Concordia St. Paul. Obviously Nate is a million times smarter and funnier than I could ever hope to be, so of course we were friends and worked together on a few projects here and there. He's a teacher now and an outstanding runner. Remember my little running thing on the side? Yeah, Nate runs marathons and does triathlons like every day. Check out his stats here: Twin Cities Runner

And Laura? She's just about the sweetest, loveliest lady you'll ever meet. She's a teacher too and has such a heart for those little kiddos. These two celebrated their five year wedding anniversary (woohoo!) in June and when we talked about their session, they mentioned a mutual love for the outdoors, picnics,  playing music together, running and biking. We spent a lovely Sunday afternoon shooting these "love" images for them - so much fun that I'm sharing only the first half now... check back soon for part two!

xoxo,

syd.

sydnee@sydneebickett.com

612.293.9096

Feature Love : Minneapolis/ St. Paul Wedding Photography

While I was away on vacation earlier this month, A Northwoods Wedding featured Spencer + Elizabeth's wedding from 9-10-2011!! I about fell over when I saw my images on the computer - this is my first feature ever and it couldn't have come at a more amazing time, with such an amazing couple to have their moment in the spotlight! And their vendors? AHHHMAAAZING!

And wouldn't you believe, the lovely Britt & Jenna gave me props AGAIN this week, featuring Spencer + Elizabeth's part II, a wedding reception at Pracna on Saint Anthony Main. LOVE! The ladies even gave Elizabeth props on her killed headpiece :)

xoxo,
syd.
sydnee@sydneebickett.com
612.293.9096

summer sessions : Minneapolis/ St. Paul portrait photography

In honor of all things summer and all things Ms. Ali - goes - to - Hawaii - for - a - month, here's a friendly reminder to book your summer time fun session soon! We can go to the beach, the park, host a backyard picnic, whatever fits your fancy. 

I have limited dates available and would love to work with you to create a fabulous session - call me on my fancy new business line (612.293.9096) or email me sydnee@sydneebickett.com.

Now go on and eat a popsicle!

xoxo,

syd. 

sydnee@sydneebickett.com

612.293.9096

Marissa : Minneapolis Lifestyle Photography

Two years ago, she gave me a sketchbook. "For all those big ideas you have," she said. Inside, she wrote: "never be afraid of a little rain."

Marissa and I met way back in 2007 at a little coffee shop in St. Paul when we were just kids in college. We worked the night shift, always. I met her and literally two days later, invited her to my 22nd birthday party. She was the cool kid on the block that you secretly hoped would think you were cool too. That was four years ago and we've been best friends ever since. And I thank God every day she still thinks I'm cool.

Sometimes I think about that little job and how by the end of it, we had it down to a science. Close up in five minutes flat? Of course. We'd grab a drink or even more coffee after. Study together and be so deliriously exhausted, you start making faces with latte foam. We were literally just kids. We had the world in front of us and were about to take it by storm. Together.

Always a willing model for my photo coursework, Mo Money became a celebrity around the MCTC Photography department. So much so that my teacher actually told me to stop photographing her. "She's gorgeous and hilarious but you've gotta branch out!" So I photographed her custom Nikes instead. And her cat. And her roommates. And her house. That's the thing about Marissa; she emulates this spirit that just makes you want to constantly be around her. Maybe it's her wit and charm and how she can break out into a perfect Beyonce dance impression at the drop of a single beat. Her confidence exudes out of that side braid like nobody's business. And those eyes? Are you kidding me?!

But then time and life happens and sometimes, you don't see each other for a week. Or two. Or ten. You make plans and have to cancel. But you know that when you pick up the phone and dial speed dial #3, she'll be there to pick up at the other end. And you apologize for being a jerk and winning the worst friend ever award and she says, "ain't no thing. we coo, girl."

We've adventured both Twin Cities, worked at the coffee shop and the gift shop, moved her from apartment to apartment, ice skated on NYE together (okay that was just once...), volunteered together, sang in the church choir together, shopped together, nannied together, worked out together, trained together and drank probably a bajillion cups of coffee together. Marissa's my girl. And I couldn't be more proud of her and how she's making things happen.

She's finally making her debut on this little blog in a post that should be called "Marissa & Syd Adventure Day: Do Not Bail" or "The Time We Played in the Rain and She Turned the Camera on Me." It's only fair, right? I mean, she has endless options for Facebook profile pics from here to the end of eternity.

xoxo,
syd.
sydnee@sydneebickett.com