I had the pleasure of capturing my dear friends and their adorable boys on the beach in Duluth, Minnesota while I was on tour last month. Our shoot got off to a bit of a rocky start. My friend gave me directions to the beach that sounded a bit like this: you go down the road past the lift bridge, then, when you get to the community center (you know, the one that is currently under construction and has no signage) you turn on 23rd AVENUE (you know, the one that is actually named 25th STREET), turn left. You will see the beach access right there (you know, the 10 inch break in the foliage on the dunes that is completely obscured) and you will be there! It reminded me of old jokes about rural “directions” using burned down barns that “used” to be there and restaurants that “used” to be named such-and-such. LOL I thought I knew which beach she meant, so I got there early and parked my self in the sand with Lydia and Shannon (who as hanging in Duluth with me). Unfortunately, the number I had was her HOUSE phone…not that it mattered because she left her cell phone at home! I ended up driving up and down the “road past the lift bridge” half a dozen times before I found a local who could help me decipher the directions and point out that I was just two blocks away the whole time!

It all worked out in the end, because their photo shoot was awesome, the boys were adorable and fun and the light at the beach was sweeter than it would have been had we started on time. All in all, it was just funny, more than anything. And since I abandoned Shannon and Lydia on the beach (and Shannon’s cell died so she didn’t know what was happening) I had to take them out for ice cream at the Portland Malt Shop, which I didn’t mind doing at all!

Thanks for sharing your sweet family with me, my friend. Next time we come to Duluth we are going out for drinks and steaks and some real catching up!