Holly and Matt - May 31, 2008

Click here to view Holly and Matt's album!
We started off the 2008 season with a bang and three weddings! Nothing makes a bride (especially Holly) happier than SEVERE WEATHER during your wedding - the tornado sirens went off just after dinner and we got some GREAT cloud shots. This wedding gets "best clouds" award by far - ever. And then it downpoured for about 10 minutes and we emerged from the bomb shelter and resumed dancing. Kidding about that part... but I love the silhouette shot at Pioneer Park in Stillwater above. I've also wanted to do this "album cover" photo of the men jumping without expression - very unique! We'll post their album pre-design here when it's ready. -Judd, Amy, Dave, and Sherri
Couldn't help but add a couple more pictures from the clouds!

And their highlight video!

Betsy and Jesse - May 31, 2008

Click here to see their album! The shopping cart will work once Betsy and Jesse have reviewed all images and release them for viewing!
Amanda and Josh had the pleasure of shooting Betsy and Jesse's wedding at the scenic Carlson Towers. You should have seen the look on Betsy's face when the tornado sirens went off DURING the ceremony - made for some cool cloud formations later though! For the annual wedding awards this season, this wedding gets "best dog in a formal portrait" award. How can a biker chick have a dog that small and cute?

Click here to see their Guestbook!

Laura and Chau - May 31, 2008

Click here to see Laura and Chau's album! The shopping cart icon will work once they have had a chance to look at all the photos and release them for viewing.
Chau gets the "happiest groom" of 2008 - great wit and a romantic too (he sang to Laura for the ceremony). I have a feeling these two will be smiling about 99% of the rest of their lives because they have so much fun together. Mallory and Chad has the pleasure of shooting this wedding. Here's another clip of the "funniest groom on the planet." I will vouch that this testimonial was unpaid! :)

Jeremy and Lindsay's Engagement

We went back to the Gateway trail to capture some great bridge images but were bummed to see that they had painted over the cool graffiti that used to be there. Here is the link to Jeremy and Lindsay's engagement album - click on the shopping cart to view all pictures once Lindsay has released them!

The Knot - Best of Weddings 2008 pick!

People were starting to ask me more frequently if I have entered any Studio J products in contests. The problem was I didn't really know where to start, plus I consider our growing referral rate the greatest compliment / award (60% of weddings in 2008 are referrals). And then yesterday I received in the mail the perfect answer: We are proud to announce that Studio J has been rated by local brides and voted The Knot Best of Weddings 2008 Pick! We didn't even have to enter a contest and the accolades come from our clients - perfect! I'd like to extend a heart-felt thank you to the entire Studio J team for all their hard work and dedication: Joe, Josh, Amanda, Jessi, Sherri, Emily, Amy, Malarie, Chad, Troy, and Ali! A big thanks to all our clients as well - we look forward to continuing to serve you in the future! -Judd

Biker chick gets lost

About 1 mile from Studio J, Jesse and Betsy got engaged (in a parking lot by the Gateway Trail bridge) so we decided to take some of their engagement pictures there. Problem? Betsy got lost because when she usually goes to this rest stop on her uh.... motorcycle. It must have a GPS? (Just kidding Betsy! :)) Anyway we got some GREAT creative shots on a SUPER windy day - gusts of 30+ mph. Here is their guest book album. I love the last page because people will be writing messages over the graffiti which will look very cool.

The Superfriends

It's that time of year again for a small independent film of crazy teachers fighting crime in tights. This is what I do after all 2008 weddings are booked and they haven't quite started yet! -Judd
Trailer only for now until the film is shown May 2:

To All You Future Honeymooners...

I have to share this quick story that happened last night... My wife and I were looking forward to spending a little couch time together catching up on the DVR last night about 9:30pm after our three boys were finally in bed. Well, our 4-year-old came sauntering back down the steps and let us know he wanted to hang out with us and watch as well. I said, "Mom and Dad need to spend some time alone together now." And his reply after a thoughtful pause: "Well, you had a honeymoon." Yeah kid, that honeymoon was 9 years ago... So, advice to all you kidless future newlyweds and honeymooners: enjoy the alone time now and travel all you can! But for the record, kids are worth it - one of those things in life you complain about but you really love. :)

Some Gave All...

It's hard to describe the surreal scene that surrounds a fallen 21-year-old soldier. Greg Rundell was a former student of mine that was killed in Iraq about a week ago. It was difficult for me on many fronts, but primarily because I knew the family well - I had seen Greg's brother Kyle just about two months before and he beamed with pride "My brother's over there now too." (Kyle has just come back from Iraq) I couldn't believe the power of images on my camera LCD as I was shooting at his visitation Thursday. It caused me to reflect on the power of photography and capturing the pinnacle moments in life, and death. The fender of the "patriot guard" motorcycle pictured above said "All Gave Some / Some Gave All." Thanks for your service, Greg.
Please e-mail me directly if you want to look at all the photos. -Judd

Studio J Staff Photographers

When Judd is not available to shoot weddings, associate staff photographers step right in. These photographers include Amanda, Jessi, Chad, Josh, Amy, Joe, and Malarie. Here is an album design that Amanda and Jessi shot together - a beautiful fall wedding at Tia's family farm: Tia and Dave's Wedding. To see all the pictures from that wedding, click on the shopping cart icon.

Most Unique Family Picture?

Mike and Chris are getting married in September and brought their family and bulldog Zoey over for their engagement shoot. I love this family shot we took - hope nobody reading has Foot Phobia!

Winter Creativity

This long winter has allowed me to be a bit more creative with indoor engagement sessions; and it's always great when the couple is game to do some fun shots. Doug and Val even brought their own Super friends t-shirts - good work! They're getting married in December as well - I am sure getting some good mileage out of those Santa hats.

Studio J is at about 90% of our wedding capacity for 2008 so we added a third photo crew and an additional editor for this summer so we still have a few dates left. Email me to check availability - thanks! -Judd

2008 Photo Guestbooks

I had the idea to create engagement albums with the same first-class quality as our Italian wedding storybook albums, and guests can write messages to couples on the pages. They are very popular this year, and here are some samples:
Ashley and Derek, Amanda and Andy, and one I made last year: Dusty and Jessie. Chances are way better you would open one of these again instead of the standard "write on the lines" book! Plus, it gives us a chance to work through the revision process with clients on a smaller album = win-win.

Knockout!

Any time you have a 6'5" ultimate fighter and accompanying damsel you have to do some creative engagement shots like this right? Jesse and Chelsey are getting married December 20, 2008 so that explains the Santa hats and antlers on Mongo (the dog) for their save-the-date magnets. I thought I'd give them some other options though... doesn't Chelsey look like Mohammad Ali? :) -Judd

2008 Dates - 80% full!

We are already about 80% full for 2008 and are starting to book for 2009 so e-mail me if you want to check availability - we have a few dates still open!

Meet Studio J

Thought I'd put a quick collage together of our primary artists; especially since they will be shooting without me more in 2008. Our wedding dates are about 70% full right now so e-mail Judd if you want to check availability for your wedding day. You will also receive a special bonus of up to $300 if you book after meeting with us to customize your wedding collection!

Wedding Fair Time!

For all you brides ready for information overload, head to the MLPS convention center tomorrow! 11-5pm are the hours. I think we're in booth 310 - make a U-turn right when you walk in the door and we're at the end of that row. I'll be handing out $500 coupons off our most popular wedding collections: Diamond/12 hour and Platinum/9 hour. If you can't make it, I'll honor $250 off those two packages if you mention this blog entry; coupon expires Valentines Day! If you want to bring your future husband, there is a "Club Groom" with a bar and big screen TVs with the playoff football games on - I might be there :). Below is our 2008 Demo video plus a couple of our signature digital Storybook Italian coffee table albums to look at if you're new to the blog. Maybe we'll see you at the fair! -Judd
Matt and Lisa's Wedding (Diamond Collection)
Wade and Brandi's Wedding (Platinum collection)

Studio J in Tampa, FL!

Amanda, Jessi and I ventured to Tampa last weekend to hear some of the top wedding photographers in the world speak on various wedding photography topics. It was a source of great ideas and inspiration. We learned some cool new lighting ideas so tried them out below. Here's a funny Tampa story: we rented a convertible for the weekend, drove it to the convention hotel to take the photographer shuttle bus downtown Saturday night, then missed the last bus (by 5 minutes) back to the hotel after the Jacksonville / Steelers game. So downtown, we had to call a cab to take us back to our convertible at the convention hotel to get us back to our actual hotel. Great work by us. The first picture is Amanda and Jessi with some crazy back light on an "attractive" hotel curtain - shot around 3am I think. You 2008 wedding folks are going to get some cool new creative stuff from us this year!

Amanda took this one of me at a super slow shutter speed - notice the plane that looks like it's about to fly into my head? This one was Amanda's idea - kicking sand with a bounce flash off the concrete wall behind me. She couldn't stop saying how that was the softest sand ever which means a lot coming from a Hawaii junkie!

Jeff and Laura - December 28, 2007

I spent 13 hours on the road yesterday driving back from a family ski vacation for Jeff and Laura's wedding. There was some really cool frost in eastern Montana that blanketed everything in white so car paint, old broken barns, and even people's yard junk seemed to jump out at the eye. wish I would have brought my camera but I was on vacation. :)

Here is some great stuff from Jeff and Laura's wedding: The way Laura's dress fell around her feet, "The Nielsen Files" best man roast/toast, the multiple mirror shot (above), The Metropolitan (great venue), shots in the snow (above), Jeff carrying Laura through the slush to get the shots in the snow, not a dry eye after Jeff's speech to Laura, the Selby cousins round of shots, and seeing the Gustavus gang again. What a great way to end this year's wedding season! Click here to see Jeff and Laura's pictures - the event key is Laura's maiden name. -Judd, Jessi and Troy

Here is Laura and Jeff's highlight video! If you want to see some really rare footage, I spontaneously do the moonwalk at the end of the highlight during Billie Jean...

Happy Holidays!

Who says you can't do an outdoor engagement shoot when it's 8 below? Since both Jay and Allison are skaters, we decided it would be fun to take engagement shots outside in December. So, I plowed an oval on the pond outside the studio, Jessi wore her mukluks and I wore my babushka hat and grew a beard just for the occasion. That's my "I'm cold and hot at the same time" face in the picture above.

Here is the inside spread of our Christmas card this year as well -- Happy Holidays from the Sathers!

Paul and Sara - October 27, 2007

What what a great night! Click here to see their pictures I love the Outing Lodge at Pine Point outside Stillwater; a perfectly quaint place for a small family wedding. The lodge was built in the 1850's and had some great charm, massive fireplace you could fit 5 stumps in, and candles and comfy couches everywhere. Both Paul and Sara have this amazing ability to make every person feel like they're the most important people in the world to them. I nicknamed the fantastic live band "The World's Most Expensive Babysitters" as they rapid-fired classic tunes with all the family kids dancing (about 12 of them), while the parents looked on admiringly. Some adults joined in later after a little "beer courage."

This was also my first "celebrity" wedding as Sara, Sadie, and Paige got some face time in Newsweek recently for Sara's Camp Odayin for kids with heart disease - I think Paul was taking the picture - right Paul? Pics are password protected so Sara can weed out the ones with all the funny faces she made throughout the night; no album design on this one so I'll have them up in a couple weeks. This wedding ended a "30 weddings in 22 weeks" run for me, so I'm going to go re-introduce myself to my wife and 3 boys in November. Remember me kids? How did you guys get so big? :) -Judd

Chad and Anne - October 20, 2007

Off to Montana in the fall! Click here to view their pictures!
Here is their video highlights - part 1:

And part 2 complete with 99-year-old Grandpa Hardy dancing with Anne - sweet moves!

Awards: "Most unique sunset" - check out the top shot with the wall of clouds that barely lit up - never seen one like that. Anne, Chad and I ran up the ditch on the side of the road to get this shot just in time before it went down.
"Cutest flower girl (my niece) and ring bearer (my son)" - biased award there - see lower left shot on the collage above
and "Greatest place to see each other for the first time" - on the dock over the trout pond of the fly fishing lodge where Chad is a fishing guide; mountains in the background, autumn reflections in the water, and Anne wearing her mom's dress - Judy was a mess watching that. :)
Random unique memories: Anne's dance with 99-years-young grandpa Hardy (above left), Chad's severely sprained ankle working out the day before the wedding, great farmer's market flowers, Viig the biermeister making a 400' extension cord for the sound system 5 minutes before the ceremony, Paul's cross, cold guitar-playing fingers, crazy 1960's dusty bus (complete with dog bed for Cowboy the dog) taking 30 of us from the lodge to the reception, Boss Emily the PA, great live band, and tons of fun. Love these family weddings, it was great to get some really unique backgrounds in Montana!

Is that a heart-shaped opening in the leaves in the upper right shot on the collage? -Judd and Melissa

Wedding Fair $250 special coupon!

Wow we saw a ton of people at our booth Sunday at the wedding fair - lots of couples loved the bigger 12x12 Italian albums and engagement picture guestbook. My back is sore from hauling all of our albums and TVs in and out of the studio... I'm hiring a Sherpa next time.

Since this blog has all the important information from each wedding, we've decided to extend a $250 coupon on the blog only. If you book with us before November 10 with a $750 deposit, and mention code "07NovBlog250" you will receive $250 any photo or video package or $500 off any photo and video combo package. This coupon is only published right here on the blog. E-mail me if you want some testimonials or FAQ's e-mailed to you, or are interested in seeing other locations we have shot other than the ones below.

Here are some sample albums for you...
Matt & Lisa (Northwestern/Edinburgh - Diamond unlimited time package), Wade & Brandi (Carlson Towers - 10 hour Platinum package), Eric & Amber (University Club - 7 hour Gold package)

Our demo video for 2008!


Main website: www.studiojphoto.com
We look forward to possibly working with you! -Judd

Dave and Tia - October 6, 2007

Click here to see the pictures from Dave and Tia's Wedding! Where do I start on this one? "Most unique wedding site?" Dave and Rocky had been working for 6 months on the family farm to get it in "wedding shape" as Dave put it. We had Hercules the leashed-up pet pig, Norm the female dog (that's her in the picture above), chicken coup, pole barn turned reception hall, pig roast, sauna house, upside down fire sprinkler for a pond fountain, homemade wine (amazing), brilliant fall colors, and 80+ degree temps in October which all added up to a very surreal and fun day.

Amanda and Jessi took the lead on this one so it was fun to enjoy the day with many friends. No album design on this one, so take a peek at the 1154 images with the link above! Have fun in Scotland you guys! Jealous. -Amanda, Jessi, and Judd

Pat Holmes Benefit Dinner

I was honored to have been asked to take a few snapshots of the Pat Holmes benefit dinner, honoring an incredible baseball and family man who was tragically killed on the 35W bride collapse August 1. I played against him for years in the amateur baseball circuit and his life and family are similar to mine. There was an AMAZING outpouring of time, kindness, and love for his wife and two young children - the silent auction items were top-notch and raised an unbelievable amount of money for his family. The picture on the "memory board" of his young son throwing out the first pitch at the St. Paul Saints game shortly after the tragedy kind of tore my heart out.
Click here to see the pictures.

Josh and Lindsey - September 29, 2007

Click here to see their Italian Storybook Album!

Lindsey gets the "most agile bride" award for moving up and down steps quickly, spinning around, and basically acting like it was a breeze moving around in her dress all day. She had a few tears, starting with the moment her veil was placed on her head. There were great brown colors with the bridesmaids' dresses and the mens' tuxes.

One of my favorite moments of the season was Josh "flushing" the geese away from Keller Park (picture above) - great spontaneous moment after a little prodding from the groomsmen. I also like the groomsman shot in front of the "decrepit shed." Check back here in 2-3 weeks for their Italian album design! -Judd, Amanda, and Jessi

Dusty and Jessie - September 15, 2007

Click here to view Dusty and Jessie's Storybook Album!
Dusty had his signature massive smile all day today; Jessie looked stunning as Andy complimented in the best man's speech (best of the year), and the bridesmaids' red dresses were eye-catching as well. Jenny, your speech was fantastic as well - good thing we had extra tape so you could finish it near the end of the night!
All natural blonde haired / blue-eyed bridesmaids and all the groomsmen with baseball connections to me made for a very interesting and fun wedding - especially the stop at the Spoon Cherry Sculpture Garden where the geese almost targeted Lundy's head as they flew over (picture above). Dusty and Jessie were also the first couple to sport the first ever Studio J Italian album guest book which went over very well. It will be a lot of fun going through these pictures, check back here to see their Storybook album in a 2-3 weeks and their highlight video on Youtube.
I was sad not to see Mr. Lundy's yellow Hawaiian shirt (maybe he finally retired it), but he didn't disappoint with a classy black number. I went away happy because Sean the DJ played Billie Jean (nice dancing, daddy Bart) AND Gear Daddies, but Dusty - where was the tap and jazz show from the past childhood lessons best man Andy spoke about? -Judd, Jessie, Joe, Josh

Dusty and Jessie's Highlight Video - part 1...

And part 2...

2008 Demo video

Since our video computer was totally full last week, we decided to make a 7-minute demo video of the weddings we currently had captured. Special thanks to Aaron and Ellie, Matt and Lisa, Jason and Heather, Ben and Melody, Scott and Heidi, and Eric and Amber for the use of footage from their weddings for this demo piece. Check out the lightning at the end! Cool stuff.

Steve and Terri - September 8, 2007

Click here to watch Steven and Terri's Italian Storybook album!
What a great day in Bloomington for Steve and Terri's wedding - a little cool, 2 minutes of rain, and sunshine. It was a beautiful service with a memory candle lighting for the loved ones that had passed on as well as meaningful readings, plus a surprise vocal performance from Terri signing "From This Moment On" to Steven. I love the close-up overhead shot of the rings in the bouquet above.

The reception was lively with some old-school dance moves - The DJ played Billy Jean which is now my favorite wedding song. It's always good to play later when nobody listens to the lyrics. A couple highlights included father of the bride Coach Gary making all the men go down on one knee and sing "You Are So Beautiful" to their women, and the men serenading Terri with "You've Lost That Lovin' feeling" before the garter removal. Terri gets the "most unique bustle" award for the over-the-shoulder bustle of a very elegant dress and Steve gets the "I wish I had a husband like that" award for making all men look inferior for admitting (after being prompted) that he had once made a candlelight dinner for Terri - he's a keeper! Maybe I just need to make more candlelight dinners... -Judd and Jessi

Jacob and Lacey - Sept 2, 2007

Click here to see their Italian Storybook Album!
What a fun wedding party! Rachel (personal attendant) wins the "most ingenious personal attendant award" for her tool belt full of personal items Lacey (or anyone else for that matter) could possibly need. Unfortunately, there were apparently some items in there that were against Lost Spur policy so she had to finally part with it later in the evening.

Click below to watch their Highlight video on Youtube!

We got some fun action shots on the the 6th hole with the wedding party (good wheels, Rachel!) and even did a short film of Lacey driving a ball off a tee in Jake's mouth - the guy has trust. For the record, on a tee shot Lacey knocked it on the green and Jacob, well he nailed the trees on the right of the short fairway.

Great music as well by the 'no smiling with teeth' Tyler (groomsman) and his band. There were countless people who had massive smiles on their faces the entire day - Jacob looked like the happiest guy alive, and as Issac mentioned in his speech... "for the first time I saw Jake speechless." That was after he said "everything went off today without a hitch, except for Jake and Lacey though." YouTube video will be up in a few weeks. -Judd, Amanda, Joe, and Sherri