Close to home

Tia and Jon both knew they always wanted to leave Minnesota. The winters were just too harsh, they say. So before they headed off to balmy South Carolina, the two were married — then they decided to start planning a wedding.

The austere corridors of Minneapolis City Hall just couldn't quite compare with the tulle and lace most little girls daydream about while planning their walk down the aisle. Tia and Jon dreamed up a better vision instead. They would return home for a more traditional wedding so family and friends could share in the celebration.

The couple will once again recite their vows, only this time in the beautiful sunken garden at the Como Park Conservatory, which just so happens to be the same venue my wife and I chose for our wedding. Needless to say, I'm excited to get back in the space and document this special event for Tia and Jon.

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While on a recent visit to Minnesota to solidify some wedding plans, Tia and Jon found some time to celebrate their first anniversary with a photo session only blocks from where they officially became husband and wife. Luckily for them, it was a rare 70-degree March afternoon.

Click HERE to see additional photos.

Family traditions

First No Foolin' session images complete

This week I had the opportunity to document as 3-year-old Reese had his first -- and quite messy -- experience dying Easter eggs  as part of Anthologie's "No Foolin'" promotion. Apparently, the process made quite an impression on him.

"Oh wow!" Reese exclaimed as the colors began to emerge on his first egg's shell after a few turns in the hot water and vinegar bath. I couldn't help but think of a similar excitement I felt the first time I saw black and white images take form in the developer tray while preparing my first darkroom prints some 16 years ago.

The recording of a family tradition, such as dying Easter eggs, is just one of the many ways to experience custom photography with Anthologie's latest promotion. Contact us by 5 p.m. Friday to reserve your own session.

To view more photos from Reese's one-hour photo session, including an egg hunt, click HERE.

New service, special price

Contact Anthologie by April 9 to schedule your No Foolin' photo session The "No Foolin'" promotion is back. My hope with this year's installment is that people try out custom photography for the first time, or request photography service in ways they never have before.

Creating beautiful images of children in their adorable, new spring outfits is certainly a cornerstone of this promotion. However, this unseasonably warm weather in the Twin Cities provides a multitude of additional opportunities for photography done the Anthologie way - documenting life as it happens.

New to this year's promotion is an extended timeline for photography sessions, and an expansion of qualifying services, including sports and corporate events. Please contact us for a full listing of qualifying events.

Here's what you need to know to book your photography session and start saving today.

1. The price for this promotional collection is $100 (regular price $150)
2. Payment in full is due at the beginning of your session (prepay options are available)
3. Become a fan of Anthologie on Facebook to receive a $200 image disc upgrade with our compliments
4. You must contact Anthologie to reserve your place using the contact form on this website by 5 p.m. Friday, April 9, 2010
5. Your session must then be completed by June 15, 2010
6. Lifestyle portrait sessions are limited to 5 individuals at this promotional rate

Here's what's included in your "No Foolin'" collection

1. The time, talent and creative fee of your photographer
2. 45 min. to 1 hour of photography at a location of your choosing
3. All the edits and enhancements of your best images
4. Images posted to a password-protected gallery for convenient online ordering and photo sharing
5. An image disc with reproduction rights to photographs printed to 4x6 inches
6. **An image disc upgrade with reproduction rights to 5x7 inches for Anthologie Facebook fans

Call 952-232-5830 to schedule your session today.

Collaboration gains steam

Anthologie photos amplify Meredith Fierke concert

Recording artist Meredith Fierke & the band will perform 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 9 at the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault with special guest Dylan McKinstry. A special art exhibit featuring the work of Anthologie photographer Dan Iverson will augment the concert.

Iverson has been documenting Fierke's world since March 2009, as she set out to make her debut appearance at the famed South By Southwest music and arts festival in Austin, Texas. Fierke's reputation has since gained momentum as her music was featured on last year's Cities97 Sampler.

After a winter of hibernating in the studio, Fierke has emerged to stir the minds of her dedicated listeners with a preview of her upcoming album. The Faribault concert marks only the second time Fierke's latest creations will be heard by a live audience. A portion of the images Iverson gleaned from the past year will be on view in the Paradise lobby beginning with Fierke's concert April 9.

The exhibition will be open to the public April 10 - 16 at the Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave., Faribault, MN. Tickets for Fierke's concert are $12 and are available by calling 507-332-7372.

Year One

To say 2009 was an eventful year for Anthologie would be a huge understatement.

The business became official on Feb. 5, the website launched April 1, our first retail location opened May 1, and by the end of the year we had already restructured. It wasn't an easy decision, but ultimately co-founder John Magnoski left his post Nov. 1 to help our fledgling business bolster its vitality. We lost an extremely talented photographer and a great person, but gained a more nimble business aimed at making our service options simpler and more affordable for our clients.

Last weekend, Anthologie extended a thank-you to some of the many friends, family members and colleagues whose support made this past year possible. Our first Anniversary party was a savory blend of visual and culinary arts, as our friends at Fermentations Wine Bar & Bistro in Dundas whet our palates with amazing hors d' oeuvres (when I say amazing, I mean mind-numbingly, space-time-continuum altering; just check out the photos) while folks were able to take in the sights of my latest exhibition, "Freeze Frame" in the Anthologie gallery. Thank you to everyone who came out for this festive affair.

So what's in store for year two? You can count on the creative photography and compelling storytelling you've come to expect from Anthologie, but you can also expect new products and services, changes to the website and a steadfast dedication to making everything easier on you!

Stay tuned ...