Minnesota Renaissance Festival ~ 2011

Haven't had a lot of time to blog or upload photos lately. Part of it is being busy with work, for which I am grateful because being a freelance writer can result in unpredictable income flow! Another part of it, though, is that the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is in full swing and I am a participant, which means my usually-productive weekends are spent in revelry throughout the day and then a pile of tired on the couch at night.

Royal Guard

For the curious, I am an alto with a madrigal choir called the Elizabethan Syngers, which is currently celebrating its 40th year as an organization and participation at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival.

Elizabethan Syngers

No, I'm not in the photo, silly. I'm behind the camera. If you want to see me perform, you'll have to come to the festival! I'll be there performing with the group on Saturday, September 17, and Sunday, September 25.

Fair Tortoise

You can't see it in this photo, but this tortoise pulls a little carriage with a little driver and a relatively big beer barrel. I just like this picture because I think tortoises have cute, contented-looking faces.

Little Fairies

Fairies like to have tea time, too!

The Fiddler

If you haven't been to the Minnesota Rennaissance Festival, I do highly recommend that you visit at least once in your life time. It is an amazing experience, filled with music, entertainment, fun and even a little naughtiness. Who knows, you could end up liking it so much, you find your own way to be a part of it, just like I did.

Minnesota Renaissance Festival 2011 Photo Set
Minnesota Renaissance Festival 2009 Photo Set

Sara Duane-Gladden is a freelance writer and photographer in the Twin Cities area of the great state of Minnesota.  

National Photography Month 2011

May has been designated as National Photography Month. Who says so? No idea, can't seem to find an official source on that, though after a quick search of the web, it seems to pretty much be a consensus. Doesn't change much for me since I'm doing a 365 project, but it's a good excuse to have the camera around even more often than usual. Right? Right.

Loring Corners Alley

Of course, that's exactly what has been happening. Capturing random moments here and there. This was during a not-so-successful networking session. Notice how I'm out on the street taking photos instead of talking to people. That's because the room the event was being held in was so small and crammed with so many people, I got a little claustrophobic. I wandered around the area for a while snapping photos, including this image and those below.

Near Sunset at Irene Hixon Whitney Bridge

Another thing which has been occurring is the photos I choose to take are gaining more variety. Like this one. A year ago, I would have hated the solar flares off to the right, but I actually like it in this image. Subject matter ideas are springing to me that wouldn't have before, like the alley scene I wouldn't ordinarily have noticed if that group of people hadn't come out at this moment to take a smoke break. I've also been trying to emulate effects I've seen in other photos, like the blurring in the one below.

Interstate 94 & St. Mary's

So in honor of National Photography Month, I've already been trying some new things, but I'm also going to work towards posting more often to Sam Can Shoot. I've been doing pretty good with True to Words and making a stronger effort at being a real Minneapolis Pet News Examiner, now it's time to follow suit with this blog. Here I go!

Sunny Day at Target Field

Attended a Minnesota Twins game last week. They lost, but regardless it was still a beautiful day for a ball game - and some photography!

Target Field

Before last year, I'd never had a real opinion about outdoor baseball. How could I? The only place I'd ever seen a game was at the Metrodome. Now it's like... "Metro-what?"

Circle Me Bert

Even though we were losing, you'd couldn't quiet the home team crowd. And even though it was a mid-afternoon game in the middle of the week, Target Field was pretty packed!

Beer Bottles & Peanut Shells

Inevitably, we were losing so bad the crowd did thin. We stuck around until the end, it wasn't like we were in a hurry to go anywhere. There will be other games and we will do better. GO TWINS!

View the rest of the Twins Game ~ April 13, 2011 photo set.

Minnesota Swarm Game

I attended the March 27, 2011, Minnesota Swarm game. It was the team's first nationally televised lacrosse event. It was also Minnesota Mascot Day at the Xcel Energy Center.

Introductions

I was there with Buffalo Bison Lacrosse, who had the chance to be on the field during the team's introduction because they did a fundraiser with the Swarm that helped the school get new uniforms.

Eye on the Ball

 

Indoor arena lacrosse is such a fun sport to watch. Like hockey, there is constant action from one end of the field to the other. Also like hockey, there is some roughhousing and tempers flare. Half the time when we thought there would be a penalty, there wasn't. It was literally as if the rules were "No blood, no foul." This is a sport I'm going to have to learn more about because I plan on attending more games in the future.

GOAL!

It was also Minnesota Mascot Day at Xcel Energy Center. Most of the major mascots were there, including T.C. Bear, Victor Viking, Nordy Wild, Goldy Gopher and Mudonna T. Pig. Crunch was noticeably absent, though I'm okay with that, I'm not much a fan of basketball.

Goldy Gopher

Because I was on the floor and in the tunnel with the Buffalo Bison Lacrosse team, I had the chance to snap some "backstage" photos of the mascots. Here, Goldy Gopher is contemplating an ingenious method by which to launch souvenir t-shirts into the stadium seats.

Victor Viking

Victor Viking, showing off the goods. Mascots are fun, I'd have a beer with this group any time.

Buzz

Couldn't finish this post without at least showing the Swarm mascot, Buzz.

Check out the rest of this photo set: Minnesota Swarm Game ~ March 27, 2011

My First Wedding Shoot

I took photos at my first wedding shoot on May 15, 2010. The wedding took place at the historical Ames Florida Stork House in Rockford, MN. These are my 5 favorite pictures.

The Bride - Black & White

Lilac Bouquet Centerpiece

Secret Hideaway

Flower Girl & Ring Barer

In a Tree in Dress Clothes

I am posting them now, just as I finished downloading all of the photos for the second wedding shoot I ever did, which took place June 5. Already I can see the progress I've made from the first to the second. Hopefully, I will have some photos from that wedding to post tomorrow. Hear that, impatient people? :)