Taylor's Falls engagement [ Daniel + Mariah ]

Hey Friends,

As I look back on my blogs I realize I have’’t blogged since July! AHHH I didn’t even notice it had been so long! Being a mama to three almost FOUR boys definitely leaves me pretty busy but I do want to keep you guys updated more because I have photographed so many wonderful families and love stories since July. 2020 is the year for more blog posts from Light + Soul !

anyway…

Lets talk engagement sessions today!

Chances are that if you booked me as your wedding photographer, your engagement session is also included ( can you say BONUS! ;) ) Anyway, I encourage you to think outside the box for your session. Do something that sets the tone and speaks to who you and your significant other are! If you have a special place where you met, shoot there! If you want to look fancy, dress up! If you enjoy hiking and spending time outdoors, then let’s do some cliff jumping!

I. AM.HERE.FOR.IT.

In fact, the more adventurous the better IMO :)

These two are super outdoorsy peeps, they travel and hike and do ALLLLL the things. We decided that a trip to Taylor’s Falls was called for and spent the afternoon gallivanting the trails on the river. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my day any other way. Peaking Sunset + gorgeous views + super cute couple = a recipe for the perfect session.

Check out some more from this session, & just know that this too can be YOU. Hit me up & lets get some plans rolling!

Happy Friday eve, friends!

Iris + Jacob. ( MN Maternity Photographer)

How stinking cute is this mama ????

Seriously though, she’s got that pregnancy glow! Maternity is one of my favorite things to document. It’s such a special time in a woman’s life & should be captured! Even if you feel like absolute crap at the time GET THEM DONE! I have never had a mom tell me that she regrets having them but I have had MANY regret not having them.

Oh & Iris made my job 100X easier…just LOOK at her… <3 <3 <3

Documenting your story - Light + Soul MN Photographer

Hey friends.

It’s been awhile but here I am coming at ya with some content, YAY!

I really wanna talk about something that weighs on my mind often. I want to talk about the importance of documenting your life. I often hear people say lets just push it off. Let’s do photos next year! Naahh, we don’t have the money for that… & I get it, really but the fact of the matter is that waiting until fall for photos easily turns into one, two maybe even three years that go by. Now you’re kicking yourself because you have NO updated family photos to share on social media or for that Christmas card we all desperately need to send out! I mean am I right?

Really though, why are we waiting? Why is it put on the back burner but without blinking we go out to buy our Starbucks coffee every morning or we go out to eat every other day. Why is it that we will go out and buy that Michael Kors bag ( its GOOD quality DUH!) but we wont invest in capturing what I am assuming is your most treasured thing in life; your family. While there may be seemingly valid reasons to wait, here are just a few reasons that you shouldn’t.

Do it for your children.

If you just personally hate photos and do want anything to do with them. I get it! I do! Your kids will not get it though. When they get older & they become interested in looking at all your family photos through the years what will you have to show them? What will they have to show their future children? All things that people tend to forget about! Now, am I saying that you need to get photos every single season? UM absolutely not, aint nobody got time for that. LOL an updated family session every year will do just fine.

Life can change in an instant.

Now this wont be the most uplifting reason to read but it’s important nonetheless.

You have no idea what will happen tomorrow. none. Sickness happens, Divorce happens, tragedies happen and dare I say it…death happens. While that may seem to be extreme, it happens all the time. You don’t ever want to wake up amidst devastation and say I wish I would have gotten one last photo of us together. Especially for something so little as putting it off one more year or because of money. Most photographers will have packages to serve all kinds of budgets or will have payment options available so don’t let those things hold you back!

Share your story (It’s okay to brag just a little ;) )

Get those family photos and show off that beautiful family God blessed you with! After all they are your most favorite people right???? Family photos sessions promote more bonding with one another and give your kids a better sense of belonging and security when they see their family photos on display.

I know that photos may seem like a pain but the benefits out weigh the annoyance. So many people tell me how they wished they would have had more photos taken through the years & it breaks my heart. If I could I would take all the magical photos for everyone!!!

Listen, just don’t be that guy okay?

Go book your family session now because after all is said and done, photographs are all you’ll have.

Much love & God bless you all

G

Lucas + Ashley - Minneapolis engagement

These two love birds were so fun to work with! When they booked me as their wedding photographer I had asked if there were any special places for them & they said that their first date was at 612brew in Minneapolis! Naturally we HAD to do their engagement photos there! I love that we were able to incorporate a place that was special to their relationship & make it a little more unique! I love shooting outdoors @ gorgeous parks and open grassy fields but this was a totally different vibe & I loved being a little more creative with light, it’s my fav! Can’t wait for their fall wedding!!!!!

Minneapolis Wedding Photographer - Nick + Annie

This wedding was one for the books…FOR SURE! These two are some of the sweetest most genuine people I have encountered yet. Their love for each other was so beautiful. Tears were shed that day by so many (including myself) & at one point I had to take a deep breath and take it all in. THIS is why I do this. & THIS moment right here is how I know I am exactly where I am suppose to be. Photographing this special day was such a blessing & I cannot wait to see what the future holds for them!

Golden Hour at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Good lord this evening was absolutely perfect. The couple, the light, THE DOG. for real though still thinking about how beautifully this session went and how fun these two were! They are tying the knot here next summer so it only made sense to do their engagement session here as well! Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! This place is so versatile and has so much beauty! I cannot wait to come back on their big day & explore more :)

Enjoy & HAPPY ALMOST FRIDAY!

Gianna

Nate & Lindsey { Como Conservatory}

These two are one of my 2019 Weddings and they are complete rock stars! Lindsey and I met at her best friends wedding that I shot back in November and we have been inseparable ever since! I kid I kid :P BUT I do think her and her sweetie are wonderful and down to earth people! I cannot wait until their big day!!! Enjoy their session at the Como Park Conservatory and try not to fall in love with their insanley adorable pup Riley! 

G

What does my photographer do in the winter?

It's easy for people to think us photographers get bored when things get slow in the winter & while you may be thinking that I am sitting on my tuchus all winter long slow sipping my coffee and eating bon bons...is that even still a saying? lol ANYWAY I am here to tell you that A LOT of stuff goes on behind the scenes in the winter. This is when photographers are doing their planning and scheduling for the year, TAXES (yuck), advertising, new strategies, classes, updating websites and blogs and trying to find the best way to communicate with clients! Something I have had a TON of fun with this year during my "slow" season is styled shoots! I have met and become friends with so many other creatives and had the best time collaborating with them! Styles shoots allow for so much creativity & for me this is so important. I love to do things outside of the box so this is really the perfect way to keep challenging myself and growing as an artist. Here is my most recent stylized shoot with some pretty amazing people!

MUA - Jillian Marie Makeup   FLORAL - Your enchanted florist  DRESS- The White Room  BLING - The Jeweler Ryan

Enjoy & HAPPY MONDAY! 

G

Roger & Ruth { against all odds }

Roger and Ruth truly stole my heart. These two have been married for 53 years now! Talk about #goals But things haven't always been so easy for them. Back when these two love birds wanted to tie the knot their families did not approve, Roger was catholic and Ruth was Lutheran. Back then marrying someone of a different religious background was much more frowned upon than it is now. Despite their families non-supportive nature these two still wanted to place themselves before God and vow to spend the rest of their lives together. They had a couple friends with them and acquired only 3 photographs from that day! (pictured on the buffet below). They have built a beautiful life together since then. They have raised children together & worked HARD for everything they have. They have chosen God over adversity and he done nothing short of blessing them. Sometimes you just have to listen to God's Plan for it can be far greater than you could ever imagine <3 

CONGRATULATIONS to Roger & Ruth for 53 years!!! Cheers! 

G <3

Minnesota elopement in the woods { a styled shoot}

Hey guys! I am so excited to share this styled shoot with you! After meeting up for coffee with Ashley & Emily from Moody hues floral we came up with an idea for an elopement style shoot, something colorful, romantic and dreamy :)  We needed to bring a few other vendors on board to make this thang happen & models...can't forget the models! lol This is the first time I had done anything like this, I mean this extensive anyway! In the beginning I was excited but also a tad nervous about really putting myself out there like this. Seriously though, not really sure what I was worried about at all. (just that social anxiety talkin I guess). 

For real though,

All these ladies are incredible and so so talented at what they do! I think we all made a great team & I feel so thankful for this experience as I have gained a few new friends in this awesome wedding industry! I hope you all enjoy this shoot with this gorgeous couple, Mike & Holly! They were so fun & totally up for anything which really makes my job sooo much easier! Thanks again for all your hard work ladies!  

Enjoy! <3  

Waterfall Couple Session { Danny & Robyn }

You guys! I so excited to share this session with you! It was so much fun adventuring with these two! They were open to anything which was such a big help since I really wanted them in the waterfall for some of the shots! What a dream location seriously! I already have a few more sessions planned here & CANNOT wait to see what they bring <3 

G

Minneapolis Family Lifestyle Photographer { The Gaetz Family }

Happy almost FRIDAY! 

This family was such a treat to work with! So so full of personality and energy! (reminds me a lot of my family) The girls had so much fun showing me their home and chit chatting with me while I took their photos! Rachel is a photographer herself so I feel extra honored and blessed that she choose me to photograph their newest addition and her family <3 <3 <3 

Welcome to the world sweet little Ares!

G<3

Minneapolis Lifestyle Photographer { The Stone Family}

Hey Guys! 

Thanks for the great response to my recent re brand and name change! Your support is always appreciated! fb is currently not letting me change the name on my business page sooo that's still a work in process however hopefully I can get that changed asap! Everything else is now active with the Light + Soul name now though, so that is a positive!!  

On the blog today is the Stone Family! This is the 3rd session I have had with them & each time it's always a blast! I enjoying chit chatting about the joys of parenting with them as I also have 3 children around the same age as theirs! I am so excited for them since they just welcomed their 3rd baby to the family!! Oh how this journey we are on goes so fast. I feel blessed to be able to capture their story and watch their family grow! 

Welcome Baby Grant <3 <3 <3 

*****Insert all the heart eyes*****

Have a wonderful weekend friends <3

G

Minneapolis Lifestyle Photographer RE-brand <3

Friends!!! 

Here we are again, it's been awhile since I've blogged *insert a thousand sad faces*  Blogging is something that I would love love love to be proficient at however taking care of three children tends to make that near impossible, or at least it feels that way sometimes!  One of my goals this year was to talk with you guys more & darn it I am gonna start doing just that! :D Lets start with my re brand! I know I know I have been hinting and talking about this since like December now but truthfully it's taking a bit longer than anticipated which is okay with me simply because I wanna do it perfectly! Why the change you ask? Well, my style has evolved quite a bit over the last couple of years and I was starting to feel like my branding just wasn't fitting with my vision anymore so I will be undergoing a name change! Light + Soul will be my new business name! It has taking hours upon hours of brainstorming and thought! The reason I choose the name that I did was simple really. Light refers to Gods light. He has given me this gift and I do believe that it is his will that I continue on this path of service to you all! & then there is soul. Soul is referring to the depth at which I feel for this career path. Photography is not by any means just a job to me. It is a part of me. It is and will always be my main goal to show you the beauty that I see and to make you feel what I feel through imagery. Light + Soul = Me. <3

My style has taken a huge turn in the Lifestyle direction and I just love it, it feels right to me so you will definitely continue to see my work going that direction <3 For the first time I feel confident in where I am going on this journey and I am so excited about all these big changes. I hope that you guys are as excited as I am! Look out for updates including a session giveaway and special dates for some summer session Ideas I have! 

Thank you so much for your support

Gianna <3

Minneapolis Family Photographer {The Olson Family }

Good afternoon friends! 

Just popping up to show you some highlights from this sweet little family session from last week! How darling are they? I had the best time getting to know mom,dad and their gorgeous baby girl <3 I have always liked shooting family sessions but have recently grown to LOVE them. I love getting to know each family and how they click. Getting to know them and making folks feel comfortable around you always makes for the most genuine photographs. For instance, one of my favorite things about the Olson's session was how dad looked at his little girl. There is just something so wonderful in his eyes and you can really feel it. During my sessions there will be silliness, lots of jokes and you will get to enjoy a front row seat of me running around like a crazy person getting those shots! If you are feeling stiff or just simply aren't sure how to pose, have no fear I will help you friend! I will make fun of myself often because I think we all need to give ourselves a little more slack right? If you have small children you may hear me say things like "Boogers!" or "Smelly feet!"or " Hey no smiling aloud here!!" or I might even ask them to tell their best knock knock joke! No matter the circumstance my goal is ALWAYS to have fun!!! If that sounds like an adventure that you and your family want to be apart of well then I can't wait to hangout with you! Until then enjoy some photos of this lovely little family! <3

Hey guys...SMILE it's almost FRIDAY! <3 <3 <3

~G

Minneapolis Engagement Photographer { Eric & Rachael}

Rachael is a childhood friend of mine so naturally I was super excited for her when she got engaged and even more excited when she asked me to photograph her engagement session!! I feel so blessed to have been able to capture these forever moments for her! This was my first time meeting Eric & we all clicked right away, it was a FUN shoot and those kind of shoots are my favorite! 

Congratulations Eric & Rachael! I cannot wait to witness your big day <3 <3 <3

Minneapolis Engagement Photographer {Matt & Hannah}

Okay guys! We originally scheduled this shoot to be done at a sunflower field and I was super excited since I haven't shot at one before! A week before the shoot Hannah messaged me with the bad news that the field was wilting and dying! We ended up meeting up at Otsego regional park at golden hour. I anticipated your normal sunset photo shoot right? Wrong. When I got out of the car the lighting was immaculate! We were so blessed that night with the location + light & we took full advantage! These two lovebirds were an absolute joy to photograph & there was never a dull moment that's for sure! I am so grateful to be capturing these moments for my clients, it makes my heart so happy :) I cannot wait to capture their big wedding day next September! <3 <3 <3 So here you go ya'll I hope you enjoy the love, smiles and yummy light as much as I do!

Minneapolis children's photographer {Connor is ONE!}

HIIIII guys! I know it's been quiet, but for good reason I promise! My family has just relocated and have been busy busy with settling in and starting the school season with my BIG kindergatener! (cue tears) I am back though & trying to get back into the swing of it all now that it has slowed down a bit!  You guys I have been getting lots more inquries for one year photo sessions lately & I am just loving it! One is such a fun age & Connor was an absolute doll! Going though his photo session had me crackin up! His facial expressions were just to die for! Seriously the personality on this kid could fill a room! I love photographing and captures his & his families memories, I feel honored because they are such a great little family. So take a break and enjoy Connor's photo session & HAPPY FRIDAY!!! :) <3

Hayden's Cake Smash!

Hayden is ONE YEARS OLD guys! I can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday that I was taking her newborn photos! (Click link below to view)

http://www.giannamariephotography.com/photographs#/brandnew/ 

She is growing up to be quite the spunky young lady already, she is full of personality and cuteness of course!!! I Can't wait to capture more of little Hayden as she grows <3

Aubrey & Blair <3 <3 <3

I had a little shoot with these two beautiful girls last week! It was so great to catch up with their family! I did a shoot for Aubrey when she was really little & it is just so crazy how much she has grown! This was my first time meeting with little 3 month old Blair, Such a doll I KNOW! I just loved capturing the wonderful bond between these two <3 <3 <3