Amber Engfer Photography » St. Croix River

Emily and Christian: Married | Stillwater, MN

amber — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:26:43 +0000

Emily and Chris were married on an especially hot and sunny Friday evening in July, in the quaint town of Stillwater, MN. We only met a few hours before the ceremony after Emily’s mom booked me a few moths back via phone, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the day, but the entire wedding party was fabulous to work with and I couldn’t have been happier with their choice of location! The ceremony took place at St. Mary’s Church, a beautiful structure that was built in the 1800’s and has been preserved through time so all the fabulous details are still in place. After the ceremony, we made our way down to Lowell Park for a few super quick fun shots, then headed to the reception at The Grand, yet another amazing Stillwater venue with stained glass, exposed beams and some pretty fantastic recovered architectural antiques from around the Twin Cities.

The food was fabulous, the cake looked amazing, the couple was beautiful and through 5 or 6 degrees of separation, I even knew a few people at the reception, including my amazing English teacher and Tennis coach from Junior High!

Emily and Chris, you are a wonderful couple – thank you so much for allowing me to document your day – I wish you well in all your future adventures. Enjoy!!

Sneak Peek: Emily and Chris

amber — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 03:46:31 +0000

I’m getting ready for yet another busy weekend, but came across this shot from Emily and Chris’s fabulous Stillwater, MN wedding last weekend and had to post! Happy weekend!

Braden: One Year

amber — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:31:50 +0000

This little man melted my heart when I met him, and not because it was 85 degrees during our session… Just LOOK at those eyes! I met up Braden and family in Stillwater last weekend for a quick “Braden is One!” photo shoot and quickly realized that Braden’s parents attended UW-Stout like me! I love meeting new clients and finding we have so much in common – it makes this job so much fun! I had a blast reliving our college years while chasing after Braden, who recently learned how to walk and kept us all on our toes. I wouldn’t have had it any other way though – sometimes action shots make for the best photos! :)

Sneak Peek: Baby Braden

amber — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 03:07:39 +0000

Braden is ONE!! Thought I’d post just one from my session last weekend with Braden and family. Don’t worry, I’ll have more up this weekend!

Sabrina and Family: Maternity Session

amber — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 16:36:55 +0000

Remember Hannah, my cute little water lover from last year? Well her mom, Sabrina, is due with TWINS next month!! Isn’t that just awesome?! The whole family came over to Hudson last week for a maternity/family shoot on what turned out to be a perfect summer-like evening. Hannah even played on the river’s edge without getting soaked! All in all, a great day – and I can’t wait to meet the new additions!!

Ethan and Family: Hudson, WI

amber — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:03:59 +0000

Ethan and his parents came to Hudson a few weeks back for their yearly family photos and I can’t believe how much he’s changed in a year! Full of spunk and personality, this little man is going to be a heartbreaker for sure! We were fortunate enough to beat the rain showers that have been torturing the area for the last few weeks, and with the overcast skies, we had lots of options for great lighting. Sometimes rain isn’t a bad thing! Oh, and according to Ethan, Hudson smelled like bacon that day, so we had that going for us as well. :)

On a business note – I’m slowly working on making some updates to the site, so check back often for new and exciting stuff! Happy Tuesday!!

Sneak Peek: Ethan and Family

amber — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 17:14:34 +0000

I got to see my buddy Ethan again today!! It’s hard to believe a whole year has gone by since the last time he and his parents came to visit me for a family shoot. Fortunately for us, the weather held out just long enough for some great shots and playtime at the park. Here’s my favorite of the day, more to come shortly!!

Taryn and Leyla’s Family: Stillwater, MN

amber — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:07:30 +0000

See? Soooo stinkin’ cute! I could have spent the entire day with these guys… If it wasn’t for semi-cold November weather and a lingering football game, I probably would have ‘cuz they were so much fun! Taryn and I had some good conversation about her favorite music (toss up between Miley and Taylor), which Jonas Brother is the cutest (she wouldn’t actually admit to one, but I have my suspicions), and her favorite subject in school (math!). I also learned a lot about Mickey Mouse and Curious George, Leyla’s current favorite friends who accompanied us on our ‘walk by the river” (much easier than explaining a photo shoot to a two yr old). :)
And, on top of all that, Taryn and Leyla’s parents just celebrated their 10yr anniversary which is so completely, fantastically awesome!! We made sure to incorporate a few shots of just mom and dad throughout the session to commemorate the occasion.

Congrats again and thanks!!

Sneak Peek: Taryn and Leyla

amber — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:35:39 +0000

Taryn, Leyla, and their parents came to visit me this past Sunday in Stillwater, MN. An outdoor photo shoot in November in the midwest, you say? Who knew!? Fortunately for us, it was a beautiful day! Then again, downpouring rain couldn’t have ruined a session with these two and their uber-cuteness… seriously – just wait!

Hannah: three years

amber — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:19:46 +0000

This little lady totally has my heart! Hannah’s dad works with my recent bride, Jess’s, dad, so when Jess posted pictures from their wedding last month, Hannah’s mom looked me up. I love when that happens!! :) I had such a great time tooling around Hudson, WI with Hannah and her family, taking pictures and playing in the sand and getting into trouble… more on that below…

At the end of the shoot, we headed down to the river to catch the setting sunlight…
little did I know, Hannah loves water…

I mean, REALLY loves water…

What started out as an innocent walk to the waters edge ended in a surprise bath in the St. Croix River!!! Seriously, I was all, ‘aww look how cute with her wet bottom and the ripples in the water… pretty sunlight, wait, hannah, nooooooooooooo!!!’ Fortunately Hannah’s mom was just as excited about the photo op as I was, so we just laughed it off, I kept shooting, and Hannah continued to splash around while dad went to get the car…. :)

Sneak Peek: Hannah

amber — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:53:57 +0000

Hannah is 3! Or, she will be in a few days… And besides being a super cute almost 3 year old, Hannah is a complete ham for the camera and just so happens to LOVE water. Oh, do I have some photos to show you! But you’ll have to wait…just a few days. :)

Ayden: two years

amber — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:46:55 +0000

Ayden loves boats, so I’m pretty sure he was in heaven the day of our session, since we were surrounded! If you’re not familiar, the St. Croix River in Hudson, WI is one of the best places in the area to take your boat out for the day, weekend, summer… and that day was no exception! We had boats galore to oooh and aaaah over while throwing rocks and getting dirty and exploring (and taking a few photos here and there…) So many boats, in fact, that it was hard to pull Ayden away for some old-fashioned playground playing!

I had a ton of fun shooting Ayden; he’s a complete ham and has the most beautiful steely blue eyes and platinum hair… he’s a lady killer in the making, that’s for sure! :) Thanks to Ayden’s mom for bringing him over for a visit!

you know how some kids go through that fake smile phase? well… when you ask Ayden to smile really big, this is what you get!!

I love it!!!

Ayden also recently learned how to put his hands in his pockets… by far my favorite of the day!!!

Sneak Peak: Ayden

amber — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:54:43 +0000

Meet Ayden (hi Ayden!) Isn’t he soooo cute?!?! Ayden and his mommy met me in Hudson, WI a few weeks back for some St. Croix River fun. We got so many different shots in just a short amount of time and I can’t wait to share them with you!

Jessica and David: Married

amber — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:59:00 +0000

Well… this post is LONG over due!! Jess and Dave got married on August 22nd in the beautiful town of Stillwater, MN and it was fabulous!!! The entire wedding party was so much fun and absolutely willing to do whatever I said (bonus!), despite the bright sunshine and a little sunburn as a result. Jess and Dave chose to see each other before the ceremony, which I love as it allows more time for photos before and after the ceremony as well as a little bride/groom alone time before the craziness begins. Thanks to their smart planning, we were able to venture out to some super fun places for photos, including an old schoolhouse and various awesome locations downtown Stillwater.

The best part? After the ceremony, Jess and Dave hopped in a vintage Charger as their getaway car! Man that car was cool! I love old cars, as you’ll come to find out if you keep tabs on my blog, and my assistant is a huge Dodge fan, so we were uber jealous of their sweet ride. We actually plotted to nab it at the reception in Bayport, but the owner kept a close eye the whole night….rightfully so. :)

Dave and Jess, thank you for allowing us to photograph your wedding day; you are fantastic people and truly meant for each other. :)
I trust your first year will be phenomenal and only a sneak peak of many years to come! Congratulations!

Sneak Peak: Dave and Jessica

amber — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:05:23 +0000

Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing Dave and Jessica’s wedding, and let me tell you, it was a crazy good time! It was a perfect day; the weather was amazing and the entire wedding party was fantastic, despite the long day of posing and smiling. :) I can’t WAIT to edit the rest of their photos, but until then, here’s a few to tide you over….

Ethan’s Family: Hudson, WI

amber — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:59:33 +0000

Ethan, his mom and dad took a drive over to Hudson a few weeks back for some photo fun, and though Ethan had alternative plans on how he wanted the day to go, we ended up with some great pictures and had an awesome time exploring! By the end of the session, Ethan told his mom he didn’t EVER want to leave Ever!! (I have that affect on people) Mostly, I think it was because I showed him the police and fire stations, but I’m telling people it’s because I’m so cool. :)

Sneak Peak: Ethan and Family

amber — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:08:04 +0000

Here’s a quick peak at Ethan and his family – we met for a session last weekend in Hudson and I’m really excited to show you! But, until I get my act together, just the one image will have to do… :)

Sam: Senior 2009

amber — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:35:23 +0000

Well Hello! It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?! The hubby and I did a little traveling recently, to be blogged in another post soon (promise!), so I got just an eensy-weensy bit behind. No matter, our trip was well worth it and I’m back and more refreshed than ever! (not really true, I think I need a vacation from my vacation…) Either way, I have lots to share with you, so on to an overdue post!

Sam is a senior at Tartan High School, well was a senior until a few weeks ago when he graduated (congrats Sam!) My good friend Steph and I offered to shoot a last minute session for Sam before he hit the ground running towards his next life adventure. We met at the Stillwater Boom Site for some great scenery, good laughs, and a little reminiscing about years past and our own senior pics taken at the same location. :) Sam was a great sport for letting Steph and I practice shooting in lots of weird locations – I think he may even have had a little bit of fun! Thanks Sam – good luck next year!

Sneak Peek: Sam ‘09

amber — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:10:04 +0000

I have lots of fun photos to post on my latest Senior session with Sam, a 2009 Tartan grad. Until then, here’s a teaser!

Jennifer: Senior 2009

amber — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:53:28 +0000

Jennifer’s sister, Jessica, is my brother’s fiance’s lab partner (are you following me?) and a client of mine later this year. Jess emailed me earlier this month to see if I could do a last minute Senior shoot of her sister who’s graduating next week!!!! Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to get in some practice, and do a photo shoot in my hometown of Stillwater. We had perfect weather and a great time; I think I may have talked too much during the shoot; but Jennifer and her mom didn’t let on. Thanks Jennifer, and Congratulations!

my favorite of the day…!

Jennifer’s mom has worked at Andersen Windows for years – so I thought this mural was perfect! :)