Happy New Year!

With a new year upon us, we would like to pause and reflect upon 2007. We had a great year filled with some wonderful events, particularly the birth of Ian. We got the opportunity to work with more great clients and their families. Stacey and Lauren got to spend almost two weeks in Florida with her family, celebrating her sister's wedding. We met some wonderful people within the industry, highlighted by attending Mike Colon and Kevin Kubota Workshops. I got the opportunity to be a guest of one of our past clients for a Vikings/Chiefs game at Arrowhead (plus I got to go on the field). Lauren is getting bigger and more amazing every day. Finally, our business enjoyed it's most successful year yet. After having such an amazing year, we are really excited about 2008. Staja Studios will be going through some exciting changes, which we look forward to sharing with you as they come along.

Despite all this excitement, one thing will not change. We remain committed to providing our clients with more than just photography, we aim to provide you with an experience.

Take care everyone, be safe, and thank you ALL for a wonderful 2007!

Jason and Stacey

Merry Christmas!

We would like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!!!

And The Winner Is??????

First off, we would like to thank everyone who entered our "Let Us Help You" Christmas Contest! There was more than one very deserving entry, but as with all things, we had to make a choice. We would like to congratulate Jennifer Mortensen (one of our "08" brides) for her very touching entry. We have posted the story below, but neither one of us could think of a much more deserving family than the one she wrote about:


I believe in the miracle of Christmas, the blessing of family, and the wonderment of friends. I believe that God knows the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11). And I believe that He places certain people in our lives for a reason.

I firmly believe God knew what He was doing when He introduced me to my good friend, Sarah Petroske. I know it sounds cliché, but everyone needs a friend like her! She is a devoted friend who is always willing and wanting to lend an ear, a voice, or a really good laugh! Throughout the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Sarah and I have continued to make our friendship a top priority.

I trust the reason Sarah is such a good person is because she comes from such strong, faithful roots. The obvious love her parents have for each other has overflowed to their three children. They have raised a beautiful family, continually supporting each other, and instilling remarkable values in each of their three children. As all families do, the Wensmann family is constantly changing.

In a couple of weeks, Sarah’s older sister and her husband will have a baby...the very first grandchild of the Wensmann family. How exciting! Babies always seem to bring out new attitudes of thanksgiving and peace.

And just a few short weeks after the addition of the new baby, Sarah’s younger brother will be getting married. Again, how exciting! Life just seems a little more complete when you find that special someone.

The very unfortunate piece to all of this, is that Sarah’s father, the pillar of strength in the Wensmann family, was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, last year. This devastating disease, despite much research and development, has no cure. The Wensmann family finds peace through their faith, and somehow manage to find the silver lining in this very deep, dark, gray cloud.

I believe that the Wensmann family, with all of its new additions, is exceedingly deserving of the “Christmas Contest” this year. I believe that a beautiful photo of this beautiful family is one that they will treasure for the rest of their lives.

Jennifer Mortensen


It is so unfortunate to hear about a family going through something like this, but we can only hope that the gift she will be able to give them will help make their holidays a little bit brighter.

Congratulations Jennifer! We can't wait to meet The Wensmann Family, and they are in our prayers.

- Stacey and Jason

Let Us Help You This Holiday Season!!!

The holidays are a time for family, friends, and being with the ones you love. As time passes and things happen in our lives, this seems to ring more true than ever. Reflecting on the past year, we couldn't be luckier or more thankful. Our family has grown, our business has been good to us, and we are embarking on what we feel is going to be an exciting new year. With that in mind, we would like to help you with your shopping for the holidays. What could be a better gift than the gift of memories?




Not only do we offer gift certificates for a family session, or toward someone's wedding, we are going to help one lucky person with their shopping this holiday season. We will be giving away one of our lifestyle portrait or engagement sessions! The catch is that we are going to give it to someone to use as a gift. In order to participate, we want you to tell us who deserves this session and why. Is it a friend who has fallen on hard times, your parents who are going to have their 30th wedding anniversary, your younger brother and his girlfriend? We will choose which story we think has the most deserving recipient, and in turn will give the winner a certificate for one session to give as a gift to the person/people you submitted the story about.

In order to participate, please send your submission to info@stajastudios.com under the heading of "Christmas Contest". All submissions must be received by midnight on Saturday, December 15th. We will be announcing the winner and sending the certificate the week of the 17th.

Additional Details:
- Anyone is free to participate.
- The certificate is valued at $350 and includes the session itself (Twin Cities Metro Area), on-line proofing, and one 8x10 mounted art print.
- Any travel costs outside of the Twin Cities Metro would need to be covered.

We wish you all the best during this wonderful time of the year. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

- STAcey and JAson

Happy Thanksgiving!

We wanted to take a moment out of the busy holiday and give thanks for many things in our life. We have a new wonderful addition to the family, which we are so grateful for. We have great families, wonderful friends, and the best clients you could ever wish for. With that in mind, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Cheers!

- Jason, Stacey, Lauren, and Ian

Mr. Ian's arrival

Hello everyone!

Well, I feel like I've been on a distant planet somewhere for the last three weeks and have just returned home. Here is the full scoop on the arrival of our gorgeous baby boy:)

Sunday, Oct 28th was a really busy day for us. We went to Lauren's friend, Reese's, 3rd birthday party, then we headed over to a Confirmation brunch for Jason's cousin, Matt, and then straight to Aunt Ruth's house to carve pumpkins with the rest of the Thon clan. When we finally got home and settled in for some Desperate Housewives, it wasn't long before my contractions started. By 1am, they seemed to be close enough to head to the hospital. Sadly, by 7am, they were pretty much non-existent. Thankfully, my fabulous OB agreed to get the party started anyway and by 11:29am Ian had landed:) Funny thing about me and labor, it never seems to last long enough for me to feel like I've had the full experience. I'm a "one push" kind of girl. I know I should be so grateful for that, since some people push for hour after hour, but one push...really??? Well, no matter how they arrive, feeling your baby set on top of your belly for the very first time is something so miraculous that it can not be described. It's the most wonderful experience I have EVER had. We spent Monday and Tuesday in the hospital and arrived home in time to go trick-or-treating with Lauren. He has been a man on the go ever since.

I'm very happy to report that (we think) he has figured out that daytime is for being awake and night time is for sleeping. We are getting chunks of 3 or 4 hours at night now. I guess that probably doesn't sound so fabulous to people without a newborn, but for us it's awesome!

Many people have been asking us for more pictures of Ian and here they are. It's crazy how quickly the little guy has changed. He's only three weeks old on Monday, but already has lost that raw chicken/alien baby look. It's kinda sad.

Okay, I'm sharing these photos of me looking REALLY bad, so no nasty comments okay?!! :)

Stacey

After a LONG LONG night, and before being induced (aka pre-pain)

Post epidural and about T minus 15 minutes

Ian! About 30 seconds old!


Three very happy and tired Thons

Lauren came to the hospital to meet her new baby brother. So far she still loves him:)

She was really stoked when she found out he came bearing gifts...namely the Hungry Hungry Hippo game she's been eyeing for months.

Our family

Here's a little progression of our boy. I still can't get over how quickly he's growing and changing. This is Ian one day old.

Very first bath at home 3 days old

His signature look. 7 days old

10 days old

15 days old

Lauren with "her baby"

17 days old

Meet Ian!

Hey everyone,

Stacey and I would like you to meet the newest member of Staja Studios, Ian Jason Thon! Ian comes to us in good health, weighing 7lbs-14oz, and standing 20.5 inches tall. He decided to join us at 11:29AM on October 29, 2007. Needless to say, he very much looks forward to meeting you all.



In light of this new addition, we would like to ask for everyone's patience over the next few weeks, as we (I mean he) will be conducting some refresher courses.

P.S. We would like to thank all of our family, friends, and clients for their support through the pregnancy. You all are the greatest!!!!

In addition, we would like to say congratulations to Lauren and Ian's MeMa, as she won the Baby Pool. I have to say not a bad job, here was her guess:

1) Mema
2) Oct 29 @ 7:42pm
3) Boy
4) 7lbs 7oz

STAY TUNED FOR MORE PICTURES - ISN'T HE CUTE!

Jenny & Curt's Engagement Session

So we met Jenny and Curt through one of those referral trails that reads like a winding road. The moment we met with Jenny, we knew they were going to be our type of clients. She just seemed so prepared yet relaxed the day we met. To top it all off, Curt was studying for his boards as a radiologist (which he passed - CONGRATULATIONS).

When we started talking about the engagement session, we had discussed the possibility of fall or winter. We figured with the unpredictable nature of winter, we would at least for sure lock the fall in, and see how winter presents itself. Considering Curt proposed on the steps of the Cathedral in St. Paul, we started there. From there we walked to this beautiful tree lined street and then down Selby.
At that point, things became an adventure. We planned on going to Kellog Park but the road was closed off and traffic became ridiculous. We ended up at Mears Park and got some more fun images. When everything was done, we were going to go to Red's Savoy Pizza, but it would have been over an hour wait. We ended up at the Downtowner Woodfire Grill off of 7th Street, which we have always been pleased with. We had a great time sitting back and really getting to know the two of them better. This is always one of the best parts of our engagement sessions. By the time the wedding rolls around, it's more like we are just a couple of guests who have nice camera's. Needless to say we have the best clients anyone could wish for!

Don't forget to check out the slideshow from the day, and a few highlights below. We can't wait until the wedding you two, it's going to be a blast!

The Official Staja Studios Baby Pool

Hey everyone, we thought we would create a little game to see what you all were thinking about the soon to be newest member of Staja Studios? Come on, I know this was the first thing you thought of when you got up and the last thing you thought about when you went to sleep. Ok, maybe that is just us.

So the game goes like this.

If you would like to participate, you must leave a comment with the following:

1) Your Name
2) The date and time you think the baby will be born (to help out, the due date is Nov. 3rd)
3) Boy or Girl
4) Weight

The winner will be determined first by the correct date/time.
If there is a tie, it will go by boy/girl.
If there still is a tie, the person with the closest weight will win.

In addition, the winner will receive a prize to be announced later, but rest assured it will be something fun.

Thanks everyone, and be sure to stay tuned for who the winner is, and pictures of course.

P.S. If it were up to Stacey, she would go into labor tonight, so be sure to get your entries in quickly!!

Nina & Bruce's engagement session

Nina and Bruce were referred to us through Christine, who's wedding we did in September (Thanks guys). After we talked with Nina a couple of times, we decided to do the engagement in the sculpture garden. It sounded like Bruce had been there once before, but never really looked around. So we thought this would be the perfect place. Plus it gives a little taste of Minneapolis in the images. All in all, we couldn't have gotten a nicer fall day, and Nina & Bruce seemed to enjoy themselves.

Be sure to check out the slideshow and images below for a few of the highlights!




I'm working toward my mandatory 11 pieces of flare (Pop Culture Quiz - what movie was just referenced???)

Congratulations Nina & Bruce, we are looking forward to the big day!

Sydney's 3??

Wow, I just cannot get over how fast a year can go! Actually it's been close to a year and a half since I got to photograph this gorgeous family. Since then, Sydney has gone from baby to full-fledged little girl and even has a little brother to pick on now! I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have a job that lets me watch and capture a family grow. It really is incredible.

We met up at the Landscape Arboretum in Victoria. It was the perfect setting for a fall session and it didn't even rain! Not one drop...amazing! I am in love with so many of the shots I got, that it was really hard to narrow them down. Here are some favorites and there are more on the slideshow.

Jen, I know you're super excited to see these. Thanks for being patient!

Stacey

Michelle & Doug's Wedding

Hey everyone,

With the due date rapidly approaching and a lot of work to try and get done ahead of time, we wanted to make sure to get Michelle and Doug's wedding up to view!

Michelle and Doug were such a great couple to work with and had such a wonderful wedding. The day started at the church, where they had a very nice ceremony. Under the threat of rain, they had rented two limo's for after the ceremony and gave us free reign to go wherever we wanted to do the wedding party pictures. With our creative juices flowing and enough time, we wanted to give them a bit of the traditional, but with a twist. Stacey and I both love the use of existing architecture and contrasts that you come across on a daily basis. For these we went and used the existing water fountain/pond at Kellog Park and an abandon loading zone. Both provided their own unique style for the image.

After the limo tour, we finished up with the reception at 317 on Rice Park. As usual they did a fantastic job! They have always treated us well, and have done a great job with the weddings we have been there for. The reception was a blast to cover, as Bill Hermann emcee'd the event and had the entire dance floor full and having a good time. Needless to say everyone was enjoying themselves.

Without further adieu, here are some of the highlights, and don't forget to take a look at the slideshow!

I love the warm fall colors contrasted by the coolness of the rings

The bond of father and daughter

Doug's anticipation contrasted by the bitter sweet feeling of a dad letting go

The wedding party at Kellog Park

A wedding party from the Sopranos?

Bride and Groom

To only know what Doug was saying?

The head tables cake

Bill Hermann getting the guests going

One of the great things about two photographers (different angles) - Stacey's shot

Jason's shot


Thanks again and best wishes Michelle and Doug, we had such a great time!

Margie & Adam's Wedding

Hey Everyone,

We have gotten so far behind on our blogging, but are trying to catch up :) !!! Margie and Adam's wedding was a lot of fun to be a part of. We got a call from them, based on a few referrals they had received from previous clients. This is always great for two reasons.
1) because we know our previous work was appreciated
2) it is always so much fun to see people we know and find out how everything is going for them

We started the day off at the church and proceeded to take some pictures at their house after their wedding. They thought since it was close by that it would be fun to do the pictures of the wedding party there. Adam with the help of some others did the landscaping in the back of their home. It was gorgeous. The house overlooks a small lake, with some tiered retaining walls leading to it. Needless to say, he did a fabulous job.



Margie did a great job picking out her gown and those for the rest of the bridal party. They looked just fantastic. Plus it was a great choice of colors for the beginning of fall.

All in all it was just a gorgeous day with beautiful weather and a wonderful couple.

Don't forget to check out the pictures and slideshow of the day's highlights.

Margie coming up to see her groom


After they meet


Husband and Wife


The first dance


Congrats you two!!