megan daas photography

i made this for you | february desktop

2012-02-03T02:01:00.001-06:00

i hope you enjoyed your melty january. i'm a little late on this, but here's february!

CLICK HERE for high-res image

mason | 9 months

2012-02-03T01:05:00.000-06:00

good ol' mason james. still sticking out that tongue!

dalton | 6 months

2012-01-26T22:32:00.000-06:00

it's a shame i couldn't get this little guy to smile...

he drooled on his mom, then looked at me like this:

matthew | 9 months

2012-01-24T13:39:00.002-06:00

matthew's current accomplishments:

+ climbing the stairs
+ growing a mohawk of curls
+ storing toys in the vent

noah (my nephew) is awesome.

2012-01-20T12:47:00.001-06:00

we hung out with my grandpa at the assisted living this week. the best place to sit is the solarium. tons of sunshine, plants and puzzles. bottomless cups of apple, orange or prune juice. noah and i sat and discussed toy story 2 and 3. he's all about 2, but i argued that 3 is much better. we also went and saw the birds where an old lady told him she eats little boys. it scared me more than it scared him. his new favorite thing to do is call everyone "poopy guy." my sister and i hid our giggles while my brother corrected him.

i love my family.

featured | A Northwoods Wedding

2012-01-09T17:02:00.001-06:00

i have to thank the lovely ladies over at ANW for their post about matt and abby's wisconsin wedding.

special thank you to matt and abby. i had a blast working with you guys! i'd also like to give a shout out to my friends jodi and john for the referral! (check out their work!)

kase | family session

2012-01-05T19:33:00.000-06:00

here are a few of my favorite photos from my time with the kase family. such beautiful children!

i love tuckers concerned face here:

matt + kelly | wedding

2012-01-03T00:45:00.000-06:00

two great families came together on a cold december day. the bridal party braved the cold and snow for some photos outside, then headed back to the FIVE event center for an evening ceremony. family and friends helped with the personal details throughout the day to make this wedding come to life. kelly and matt are adorable and their love is very real and contagious. kelly loves everything winter and helped me see the beauty in it.

the harriet island bandshell protected us from the wind.

"look warm!"

there was a gorgeous full moon that day.

the best man is also kelly's brother. so awesome!

fast will | 1 month

2011-12-30T17:47:00.002-06:00

we planned to do william's newborn photos, but as many new parents can agree, priorities get switched around. and things don't go according to plan. the baby makes the plans and runs the show. i wanted him to fall asleep so i could pose him, but he wasn't in the mood for sleeping. will was awake and alert but that didn't stop his mom and i from putting adorable etsy hats on his head.

i made this for you | january 2012 wallpaper

2011-12-30T14:21:00.003-06:00

i worked at an ice rink in high school. it was the best job. i was taking a photography class at the time.* we used 35 mm cameras and developed the film in a dark room. i noticed how neat the ice looked at sunset with the blade marks from ice skates. i can't find that print, so i recreated it. i'm trying to pay attention to the pretty things this winter to keep my spirits up. join me!

* fun fact! it's the only photography class i have taken (besides workshops)

click here to download hi-res image

barie | family session

2011-12-30T00:17:00.001-06:00

i sat in the barie's newly finished basement and hung out with these two adorable kids. brady gets pretty excited around the camera, which is the best.

jaxson | 1 year photos

2011-12-29T23:59:00.000-06:00

here are a couple of my favorite photos from my session with jaxson this fall! we had the same shirt on that day. i'm in love with his big blue eyes and dimples...

anna | 6 months

2011-12-05T23:29:00.001-06:00

+ big blue eyes
+ a vintage ruffly tutu
+ flower headband
+ pearls
+ add some window light
+ press a few buttons

voila!

josh + sarah | engagement session

2011-12-03T15:45:00.001-06:00

another beautiful autumn shoot at minnehaha falls park. we had to pass through a halloween parade to get to the falls. there was a giant wolf puppet thing that creeped us all out. after the falls, sarah had the idea to go down by the river where she goes running. it was perfect.

brian + kelly | engagement session

2011-12-03T12:39:00.001-06:00

i met brian and kelly near the stone arch bridge in minneapolis. as we reached the other side of the footbridge, i realized we were too busy having great conversations and that i should probably take out my camera and start snapping some pics. i could have hung out with them for a few more hours. awesome people. they'll be joining their lives together next year in wausau, WI! enjoy!

laudan + curtis | wedding

2011-12-02T21:06:00.001-06:00

happy friday! here is another dreamy wedding post for you. it started at the church of the assumption in st. paul. (gorgeous church!) i welled up when laudan walked down the isle. it was very emotional. (and hard to see through the lens!) we wandered around a park near their reception at the shoreview commons reception hall and the lighting was magical. laudan and curtis are such a perfect couple. two of the sweetest people i've ever met. i was impressed with the handmade details and beautiful presentation of the food and deserts.

this little guy had thee most a m a z i n g dance moves. i was entertained by him for quite a while. i later was informed that he ended up spraining his ankle. now thats dedication!

stender | family session

2011-11-30T13:19:00.001-06:00

whenever i meet with the stender family, i know i have to bring my "a" game. these kids are high energy and if i'm not ready for it, all my photos would be blurry streaks of color running across the photo. the trick is to embrace the energy. have them race each other. tell them to jump really high or do cartwheels. when they are resting, say "stand there and smile quick!" then tell them to go run another lap. after the shoot, i go home, take a nap and wonder how parents around the world keep up with their children 24/7. god bless you all.

enough with the smiles and posing. this is the real stuff.

logan | class of 2012

2011-11-22T00:01:00.001-06:00

here are a couple of my favorite photos from my time with logan. an aspiring graphic designer with a great personality. i got a few with his sisters too, but i don't want to spoil the christmas card.

a granny was wandering around near us, so we decided to embrace it.

matt + abby | wedding

2011-11-17T13:52:00.001-06:00

today's wedding post about matt and abby brings us to the lovely town of madison wisconsin. the ceremony was held at blackhawk church. just before it started, the lights went down so low, i had a moment of panic, thinking i'd have to shoot in the dark-but it was to show a slideshow first. i thought that was a really neat idea, especially for some of the guests who may not know them too well. they got to relive their childhood and dating story. it made the ceremony even more special. someone they knew let them have access to their barn. there were brick oven pizzas made fresh throughout the night. and one of the biggest/best dance parties i've witnessed.

matt + jenna | wedding

2011-11-15T19:24:00.001-06:00

matt and jenna got married at wooddale church in edina and the reception was at the metropolitan club.
we went back to the same spot in loring park where we took their engagement photos last spring. it was a relaxed day with lots of family love and a really fun bridal party.

there was this moment during the ceremony when the sun came out like a spotlight on jenna. someone upstairs approves of this marriage.

:O)

this wedding party was big and hilarious. just a bunch of fun personalities.

glasses #1:

glasses #2:

jenna stopped to say hi to these cute little girls that were adoring her from afar. it was like they were seeing a real life princess. my assistant whispered to me, "today is the day those girls begin planning their wedding," haha. so true.

jake | class of 2012

2011-11-14T18:08:00.001-06:00

i met jake down the by the st. croix river in stillwater. i was quickly distracted about how cold it was because he brought his longboard and showed me some impressive tricks. i had no idea that you could do flips off of those things!

funny that i'd let him do flips, but i wouldn't let him cruise down the gigantic hill. it made me too nervous :O)

have an awesome senior year, jake!!

emily | class of 2012

2011-11-13T00:13:00.001-06:00

sweet emily. i could have kept photographing her. such a lovely soul. she plans to have a future as a social worker. my car broke down before the shoot and emily and her mom picked me up and dropped me off without without hesitation. we need more emilys in the world!

have an amazing senior year!

runke | family session

2011-11-12T21:09:00.001-06:00

i met margaret, doug and nolan at centennial lakes park. it was a little windy and cold, but the sunset and sky were so gorgeous. nolan was all smiles thanks to the help of his grandma jumping around behind me the whole time. couldn't have done it without her!

jenny + eric | engagement session

2011-11-10T21:10:00.001-06:00

jenny and eric were open to me telling them where to do their photoshoot. i knew they liked rustic buildings/barns so first we stopped at covered bridge farm. then went over to a random abandoned school house and finished up the shoot at some horse stables in hugo!

i don't know how i call this stuff "work" when I get to hang out with an awesome couple, their adorable boxer, bella (who can jump really high!) and wander around looking at horses.

i love my "job."

matt, kara & co.

2011-11-08T17:01:00.000-06:00

my beautiful friend kara is getting married next year. we shot their engagement photos at pine tree apple orchard. we figured we'd kill two birds with one stone, and grabbed her adorable red-headed children, zaylen and zander for a few family pics.

mike + alaina | wedding

2011-11-03T23:19:00.001-05:00

alaina hired me to shoot her wedding before she even met mike. a few years later, here we are following through with our promise. i cried about 8 times throughout the day. probably because i'm just so happy for my friends. so happy to see them so happy. when you spend time with them, you can expect great conversations and hard laughs. i love these two. for realsies.

yes, i just wrote for realsies on my blog.

enjoy!!!

david + anna | wedding

2011-11-03T20:09:00.001-05:00

when we met to discuss the details of their wedding i nearly jumped out of my seat when david told me he had chickens at his house. i asked if we could take pictures with them. sometimes i hold back fearing people will think i'm a little coocoo. but thankfully david and anna were on board! i can't even tell you how sweet and genuine these two are. and such a joy to be around as a couple. their happiness is very contagious. the day was full of unique and personal touches from a tandem bicycle ride, lady and the tramp scene, duet, and salsa lessons for their guests!

they serenaded their guest with a beautiful acoustic version of this song.

then entertained them with their amazing salsa moves!

ashley + jimmy | engagement session

2011-10-30T20:18:00.001-05:00

we started out where they had their first date, the hudson pier. jimmy was full of creative ideas, it was nice to have extra ideas to feed off of. we went over to river falls to wander around their favorite hang out spots. we also grabbed a few photos on the ice before jimmy left to play for the new jersey outlaws.

hannah + jerod | engagment session

2011-10-28T19:13:00.001-05:00

these two are near and dear to my heart. i was there when jerod first texted hannah. we jumped up and down giddy in her bedroom. we then proceeded to stalk him on facebook. hoping, wishing, dreaming that this one would be a keeper.

i was there on the couch when she came home from her first date. they went fishing. she was glowing.

it was refreshing to see my roomie so happy about a boy.

fast forward through a long distance relationship between lake elmo and chicago, boundary waters adventures, lots of competitive sports, cooking gourmet meals together and bingo bango- these two are ready for forever.

i texted them real quick and asked them to tell me 3 nice things they love about their fiance. they replied within the same minute:

hannah replied: 1. his faith and love for God inspires me to be a woman who deserves a man like that. 2. he is goofy and accepts my goofiness. for example, he has a flying sea lion impersonation that makes me giggle every time. 3. i love that he is a man's man. i feel so feminine and little next to his tallness wrapped in flannel on a four wheeler.

jerod replied: i love how smart and driven hannah is, how she doesn't like to lose. i love her faith and commitment to following jesus. i love how beautiful she is, especially when she doesn't try, doesn't wear makeup! too general? too specific? what are we going for here?

enjoy :)

OH! one more thing. i just wanted to share their save the dates we made:

logan | portrait session

2011-10-28T17:37:00.000-05:00

here are a few of my favorite shots of logan (future wild player) and his grandpas hanging out...

keaton and seyla | portrait session

2011-10-28T17:32:00.001-05:00

two adorable red headed kiddos at an apple orchard. they were the cutest.

johnson | family session

2011-10-28T17:28:00.001-05:00

it was another gorgeous warm fall day at minnehaha falls park. this precious little girl was very easy to work with thanks to her constant smiles and big blue eyes.

holler | family session

2011-10-28T17:23:00.000-05:00

i've known the holler's for a long time. finn and JD are getting to be comfortable around me. i love that his personality is starting to come out more. the last photo is the best.

bleess | family session

2011-10-28T17:14:00.000-05:00

the bleess family has grown since i saw them last year. jackson now has a little sister named adeline. we wandered around minnehaha falls park and thanks to my assistant jaime, we got some real smiles out of them.

kurata | family session

2011-10-28T17:06:00.000-05:00

i'm so in love with kaylee's wispy hair. it was a windy day, so rather than fight it, we embraced it. she warmed up to me after a while, we got some good ear to ear grins out of her...

hagen | family session

2011-10-28T16:54:00.000-05:00

it was a race against the sunset to grab a few family photos before little xachary comes along. sure enough he made his entrance a little early, so i'll post a few of him. brooke took big sister classes and as you'll see she was glowing when she first saw him...

hazelton | family session

2011-10-28T16:45:00.001-05:00

i met the hazelton's at ammodt's apple farm in stillwater. we made it just before the crowd of people came for the hot air balloon rides. jack and sophia are another year older, and got into the photos a little more this year. it's fascinating to see how much they mature in one year. here are a couple of my favorite shots:

blog posts

2011-10-18T10:54:00.004-05:00

do you find yourself checking my blog daily?

refreshing every 20 seconds in hopes that your previews will be posted?

is the anticipation killing you?

i'm.

so.

sorry.

i hate making you wait but i got in a little over my head this season and getting photos back to my clients is a priority over updating this blog. i apologize for any frustrations. just know that your photos matter to me and your blog post is still in the cue.

thank you for being patient (and awesome.)

<3megan marie

ryan + amy | WI wedding

2011-10-06T13:58:00.002-05:00

i've been good friends with ryan since high school. when he started bringing amy around, i was really excited. she is so funny and sweet. she loves the oldies.

i road tripped with my friends to wisconsin rapids for their wedding weekend. i got to be involved with the rehearsal dinner surrounded by their amazing family and friends.

besides the constant vikings vs. packers fued...

we ate, we laughed and we celebrated. hard.

congratulations ryan and amy! thank you so much for letting me be apart of it!

amy warned me that her dad was a crier. all photographers love a tenderhearted dad.

natia + paata | wedding

2011-10-06T13:21:00.001-05:00

i met up with natia and paata at centennial lakes park shortly after their wedding ceremony to grab a few photos of them as newlyweds. we did a few family photos, but here are my favorite ones of just them:

congratulations, guys and thank you letting me to capture these!

featured | a northwoods wedding

2011-10-05T12:28:00.000-05:00

happy wednesday everyone!

today i'm so grateful to be featured on a northwoods wedding. i came across it a few months ago and the graphic designer in me fell in love with their pretty logo. as i scrolled down and found out what they were all about i thought "it's about time!" this blog is just what the midwestern bride needs. inspiration for all things rustic, northern and woodsy.

thank you britt and jenna for taking the time to share ian and heather's gorgeous WI wedding.

brides! be sure to bookmark this blog.

and like their fan page on facebook.

http://anorthwoodswedding.com/?p=491

matthew jase | 6 months

2011-09-30T13:02:00.000-05:00

i love matthew's little tuft of hair and big gummy smile. his sister maddy usually ends up stealing my attention with her constant twirling and cuteness.

shannon + jim | 1 year anniversary

2011-09-29T22:14:00.001-05:00

remember them? we went to high school together. to celebrate one year of marriage, they planned a date night of a photoshoot, dinner at ichibon, and a night at the grand hotel minneapolis. it made me feel kinda fancy! shannon had all the spots planned out that she knew would inspire me. i love working with these two.

congrats on your first year of marriage, guys!! enjoy!

class of 2012 | ian

2011-09-28T13:31:00.000-05:00

first we got a shot of ian in his suit for the grandparents. then we wandered about the sculpture gardens for a few more casual pics. lastly we got some shots in his ultimate frisbee uniform.

i trusted his precision and asked him to throw the disc right above my head to get this sweet pic:

jess | class of 2012

2011-09-22T17:20:00.000-05:00

jess' senior session was a good time. she's a talented drummer, so i asked her to lug her drum set along. we found an alley to jam out in. i wish we could have been louder but what i heard from her was i n c r e d i b l e ! it felt like more of an album cover shoot that senior session!

i would also like to add that she makes a really good "serious" face

and has really pretty blue eyes (obvs)

hey jess! don't forget about me in 10 years when you're all famous and need a REAL album cover! :)

sobocinski | family session

2011-09-20T13:41:00.001-05:00

katy + nick | wedding

2011-09-19T23:05:00.002-05:00

the day started out very low key as katy's mom helped her get ready at her parents house. we then headed to centennial lakes for the reveal. the place had meaning to them because katy's dad helped plan the development of the park. after a few more photos there, we went over to stonebrooke golf course for the ceremony and reception. a storm passed right next to us and a rainbow popped out just after dinner. katy and nick are warm, friendly and fun to be around. they're a beautiful couple with a genuine love.

enjoy a few of my favorites...

jared + christine | wedding

2011-09-15T22:33:00.001-05:00

we had a rain cloud pass over us right before we did the reveal photo. the groom, my assistant and i hid under a tree and waited while he told us how they met.

to make a long story short, christine's friend posted on facebook asking if anyone would take her friend out on a date. jared was the first to reply and had to reply to a small questionnaire to pass her friends test of approval.

when the rain let up, christine and jared shared a sweet moment as she read him a letter she wrote to her future husband when she was 14. all i heard was giggles. it's obvious when you put these two together, that they are very happy and comfortable. they have a fun friendship in addition to their unique love. the ceremony was at north heights lutheran church in roseville and the reception was at the arden hills campus.

her bouquet toss was really cool, because it broke off into 5 or 6 mini bouquets. all the single ladies weren't expecting that one.

booked through october!!

2011-09-13T23:41:00.001-05:00

hello my dear friends!

in order to give proper attention to my brides and catch up on the sessions i've already photographed,

i'm unfortunately unable to book any more portrait sessions until november. (engagements, family, baby, seniors, etc.)

this is a major bummer because the splendor of fall is just around the bend. and i'm sure you're going to start thinkin' about those christmas cards.

am i right? or, am i right?

(sorry, too soon?)

i thought about it long and hard, and concluded that the best i can do is offer this:

here are the available times:

9:30am

11:00am

2:00pm

5:00pm

email me with your desired time. spots are filling FAST!

megan.daas@gmail.com

i'm considering another one on OCTOBER 7th. so stay tuned (or email me if you are interested!)

finally! if these dates don't work for you, and you're interested in recommendations of other photographers, give my friend john a try. he is quite brilliant.

http://www.dodgecreative.com/

ps. happy almost fall!! the most glorious season of all!!

pero | family session

2011-09-02T12:12:00.000-05:00

i used to work with lisa at kozlaks. we kept that salad bar stocked like nobody's business. that was long ago. it was so fun to see her again, with a gorgeous house and family. lucky for me, her son, luke is a big flirt. so even though he was a little cranky, we still got smiles out of him!

jeff + amber | engagement session

2011-08-31T00:50:00.001-05:00

the great thing about shooting for your friend, is that you can barter goods. in this case, we trade hair services for engagement photos. all bartering aside, amber is one of my best friends. she's like a sister. she's marrying one of my childhood friends who's like a brother to me.

i gotta say that i'm HONORED to be her maid of, well, honor. and i take my duty seriously and consider it an important role. i'll be the one calming her nerves and cheering her on. we all need this when we're going through big changes in life.

i'll stop babbling now.

here's the stuff you came here for:

class of 2012 | michelle

2011-08-29T22:56:00.000-05:00

it never feels like work, when we're hiking around in beautiful minnehaha falls park. especially when im hanging out with this lovely, fun young lady...

i couldn't get over how gorgeous the light was with the mist glowing around her in the waterfalls. i'd say it matches her sunny, glowing personality.

i love her simple yet sassy sense of fashion!

mason/bachmeier | family session

2011-08-29T16:05:00.001-05:00

what a gorgeous day we had for a shoot in minnehaha falls park. the lighting, the people, the outfits and their adorable four legged child, rocky. enjoy!

class of 2012 | sally

2011-08-26T17:30:00.000-05:00

even though sally is (obviously) gorgeous on the outside, her warm and friendly personality won me over instantly. she's very mellow and up for anything. she's a talented dancer, so even when she was tired of smiling for me, i asked her to do some dance jumps on the beach and she BROUGHT IT.

check it out.

mr + mrs | poliachik wedding

2011-08-26T01:57:00.000-05:00

amanda and ben are genuinely good, fun people to be around. their family and friends joined each other to warmly welcome and support them with many heartfelt speeches and advice on love from their younger cousins. you could feel the joy of real love beaming out of them all day...

the ceremony | First Lutheran Church white bear lake, MN
the reception | TPC Twin Cities blaine, MN

this photo makes me smile. i told one of them to hold the mustache up as a unibrow. :O)

roman titus | newborn session

2011-08-24T17:04:00.000-05:00

laudan + curtis | engagement shoot

2011-08-23T15:48:00.000-05:00

laudan and curtis were each others first online dates. they got lucky on the first try. they love spending time outdoors, so laudan suggested we go canoeing. i was all for it. it was so hot and humid we had to finish with ice cream.

we thought we were pretty funny when we bought her the kiddie cone :)

naomi | bridal shoot

2011-08-23T15:41:00.000-05:00

naomi wanted to surprise her groom of 7 years with a canvas of her in her wedding dress for their anniversary. such a cute idea. her friend and sister came along and helped out as we hiked around willow river state park!

here are just a few of my favorites:

marie + jordan | wedding!

2011-08-18T14:53:00.000-05:00

jordan and marie got married in a cute little church in woodville, wisconsin. the reception was at the valley house in hudson...

the groomsmen were in shock when i told them i had no clue what "planking" was.
even after wikipedia described it, i'm still confused...

the best part of the day was when we stopped in to visit marie's grandfather in his nursing home. it was the sweetest moment. everyone in the room had tears in their eyes...

danielle + johnny | engagements

2011-08-11T11:38:00.001-05:00

meet my gorgeous friend since 2nd grade! she's the friend that i don't get to see too often, but when i do, we have the same haircut and same outfit on. we used to play barbies and bike on the sweet dirt jumps in the cul-de-sac. life sent us in different directions during the college years, but we've picked up right where we left off. maybe not barbies so much. but she found mr. right and i couldn't be happier for her. can't wait to be apart of their wedding in october!

masquerade

2011-08-10T12:49:00.001-05:00

lisa has been in iraq for the past four years. she threw this event together to celebrate her return to minnesota. it also happened to be her birthday! now she's gone again, back in iraq. i'm grateful that she chose me to shoot this unique event.

Venue - Minnesota Boat Club

Cupcakes - Lady Curf's Cupcakes by Heather Curfman

Band - Camera Can't Lie

DJ - Reichert Inc with Dustin Reichert

check out these sweet masks! i believe some are from vegas and italy! so cool.

they sent her off right with a giant group hug :)

melissa + jake | wedding

2011-08-01T17:50:00.000-05:00

dalton john | newborn session

2011-07-30T10:37:00.000-05:00

in one year i've photographed tricia and bill's wedding, family, maternity and now their newborn son. it's kind of cool to document someone's life events...so much can change in one year!

you know you love the newborn fuzzies.

ciccarelli | family session

2011-07-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

maddie (5 years) was the natural leader in this photoshoot. she was always scouting out the next location and telling us the best spots. such an adorable little family, and don't forget, yoda the pug!

roethle | family session

2011-07-30T10:22:00.000-05:00

it was a gorgeous summer day to gather the roethle family at the arboretum, while their son and his family was in town from kansas city...

steve + ann-sofie | two harbors wedding

2011-07-20T20:52:00.001-05:00

steve and ann-sofie were both glowing with genuine joy and happiness all day. shooting this wedding felt like i was on vacation, really. every guest traveled to be there. they had people from the cities, colorado, sweden and even australia.

the mayfield's | family shoot

2011-07-17T17:02:00.002-05:00

let me explain a few things real quick. this is actually part vacation part family session. i went to visit my friends and spent a couple days down on the mayfield's ranch in texas. we played with kittens, rode horses, fed hangry (hungry + angry) cows, and mountain biked in the canyons. my friends mom fed us amazing meals like briskets, home-made pecan pie and chicken fried steak...

i.

was.

in.

heaven.

meet the mayfield's!

do you see the rattle snake i almost made their dad stand on??? NEITHER DID I!!!!!!!

don't worry. nobody was harmed.

that little house behind them (also known as "the dugout") was the home of their great grand-parents.

haley + matt | wedding

2011-07-16T12:11:00.000-05:00

for all the brides that fear rain on their wedding day, let haley and matt change your mind, and maybe hope for it. i think it adds a bit of romance to the air. their ceremony was held at the gorgeous irvine park in st. paul with an accordion player serenading guests...

noah michael | 2 years

2011-07-01T18:00:00.017-05:00

i absolutely

a d o r e

this next little man...

why?

other than him being hilarious, smiley and very animated, he is my nephew. i'd be lying if i said that i didn't get a little teary eyed when i edited these photos. good greif.

i can't even handle him.

enjoy :)

future MLB prospect?

he just realized he's two and that it's very appropriate to begin having meltdowns

we had to give him m&m's in exchange for his extra cheesy smiles :)

matthew | 3 months

2011-07-01T16:21:00.000-05:00

i've been bringing this amazing gal along with me to weddings. she makes the most wonderful assistant. for more reasons than i have time to list. she has two kiddlets that i get to photograph. i love shooting for her because she understands how my mind works. i just show up and press buttons!!

:)

kyle + haylee | wedding

2011-06-30T17:38:00.000-05:00

kyle and haylee's wedding took place at faith community church in hudson, WI. the reception followed on the majestic star river boat in stillwater...

sometimes, i double as a personal attendant. below, i am applying her false lashes. keep that in mind, brides!

wondering what are they laughing at?

this cute little boy:

meet my roomie, hannah! (below) do you love her hair? so do i! well, guess what? she did it herself. as well as six other girl's hair. amazing, right? keep that in mind, brides!

jason + megan | montana wedding

2011-06-27T22:34:00.001-05:00

let me begin by sharing a few gems from my drive out to montana.

when they asked me to do their wedding, jason made it clear that it wouldn't be on the mountain side, but that it was on the dances with wolves side. eastern montana turns out to be just as breathtaking. megan warned me that if i felt like i was lost in the middle of no where, i was on the right track...

thank you jillian for being such a fun co-pilot :O)

and now for the wedding!!!

he told me i better photoshop all the bugs out of this photo. HA-HA.

randall + angelina | backyard reception

2011-06-15T16:26:00.001-05:00

randall and angelina were married in new york city in may. the mn reception was held in his parents backyard. kids and puppies ran freely around the yard and the rest of the guests chatted and enjoyed some divine swine catering...

ryan + jeanie | wedding

2011-06-10T11:44:00.000-05:00

Ryan and Jeanie got married at the Eden Prairie Presbyterian Church and the reception followed at the beautiful University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska. The weather held up just enough for us to get the family and bridal party photos out of the way. Later, the sun popped back out while dinner was served and guests danced the night away...

:)

jeff + kelsey | wedding | 5.21.11

2011-05-31T22:18:00.003-05:00

this gorgeous couple got married at stonebrooke golf club in shakopee.

see this hanger? kelsey made it!

somehow the severe weather passed us by, the dramatic clouds created an epic wedding photo backdrop.

the groomsman had some of the most intense dance maneuvers i've ever witnessed...

happy memorial day.

2011-05-30T14:15:00.001-05:00

in honor of memorial day, i would like to leave you with a quote and free desktop wall paper.

(click on image below to open larger photo in a new window, then right-click or drag to desktop)

“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” -billy graham

now go barbeque something, already.

bethany + ross | engagement session

2011-05-30T13:42:00.000-05:00

i met bethany and ross at a carrie underwood concert last august. cindi from camrose hill farm in stillwater was sweet enough to let us wander around her gorgeous gardens. AND they took me out to dinner after the shoot. (bonus!)

mason james | newborn session

2011-05-27T23:34:00.001-05:00

this little dude came a month early. we shot this session on his actual due date.

congratulations ben & mandy. he's perfect :)

morgan taylor | 3 years old

2011-05-27T17:06:00.002-05:00

remember morgan? one year ago we did our first photo shoot. (to view click here!) we did a birthday photo shoot to celebrate turning three and one year of being cancer free! you can help morgan continue to fight children's cancer by donating to her mom's team. amanda will be participating in the MN curesearch walk.

donate by clicking HERE!

finley ann

2011-05-20T13:57:00.000-05:00

finley was a little skeptical about me at first. so was her dog. it took a while but they both warmed up to me. i don't blame them one bit.

jason + megan | engagement session

2011-05-19T16:20:00.000-05:00

jason and megan are getting married this june in montana. i'm so grateful they want me there to photograph the wedding. i can hardly wait. here are a few favorites from their engagement shoot in stillwater and axdahl's garden farm...

paul + jill | wedding

2011-05-14T18:15:00.001-05:00

paul and jill got married at our saviors lutheran church down in owatanna, mn. after a dove release, they invited guests back to paul's charming family farmhouse. the creative bride had a heavy hand in making and planning every lovely detail you'll see below. guests brought their own cakes to share at their tables and a live band rocked till the wee hours of the night...

tricia + bill | maternity session

2011-05-09T20:46:00.001-05:00

what's cuter than a jolly little pregnant lady???

zaylen | newborn session

2011-05-09T17:27:00.003-05:00

a close friend of mine asked me to be there when she had child number two. she wanted me to capture the first few moments of her life. i dressed head-to-toe in scrubs and followed the dad into the operating room. i suppose you could say it was an unforgettable shoot...

congratulations, matt and kara, on your precious red headed girl!! :)

ben + amanda | engagement session

2011-05-08T19:36:00.001-05:00

a couple of wild fans braved a very cold minnesota spring day to capture their love in st. paul...

amanda brought these fun props she found on etsy

and my favorite...

nick + emily | wedding

2011-04-27T23:53:00.001-05:00

i've known nick and emily for short while now. you may remember their fun cross country engagement shoot. they are adventurers. fun and comfortable to be around. you can't help but love emily because she has a sweet, honest and loving soul. if you aren't being real with her, she'll call you out and won't give up until the truth is told. on easter, back when emily was just four years old, she was diagnosed with cancer. this easter weekend, it was fitting to celebrate being 20 + years cancer free and new beginnings...

the ceremony was at the very same church emily's mother and father got married. so of course, we needed to re-enact this photo of the groomsman...

"the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. these persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. beautiful people do not just happen."

-elizabeth kubler ros

luke + sarah | engagement session

2011-04-18T18:43:00.002-05:00

before we started, they seemed a bit anxious about what to do in the photos. i simply said "give me lots of PDA and be really in love"

and that is exactly what they did. you can't tell how cold they were, thanks to dreamy lighting we had.

afterwards, they treated me to a dinner at brasa.

everybody wins!

matt + rachel | a proposal story

2011-04-14T01:20:00.000-05:00

this story begins one week ago...

(phone conversation between matt and me)

.....

matt: goooood morning, megan! um, i uh, bought rachel a ring, and um... im going to propose to her... tonight! at her school. brooke [rachel's daughter] knows about it. she's keeping it a secret!

me: whuuuuut!!!?? ohmigoodness!! for real??? tonight??? can i come?? i'll take pictures!! we're going to need a video camera, we need someone who can tape it...ahhhhh!! what are you going to say to her! she's gonna freak out! i'm so excited!!

matt: you are?? oh, good, me too!

.....

so i called the school and we arranged to be there around 7:20. the teacher knew. matt rented a tux and was going to have a bouquet of flowers. everything was perfect!

until i got a text that said, "not going to school tonight...bad ear ache."

:\

fast forward one week (yesterday)

same game plan. same secret kept. brooke (7 years old) held it in and we were SO proud. she said she had a few close calls.

one example:

brooke: mom i picked out new shoes for the wedding!!!

rachel: what wedding???????

brooke: ummmmmm whatever wedding we go to!!

(nice one!)

he originally wanted to burst into her classroom and ask her, but due to security reasons, he stood by the entrance and waited for her class to go on break.

welp... i suppose you'd like to see some pictures now...

enjoy

:)

brooke kept giving him little pep talks...it was adorable

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree ;)

matt + jenna | engagement session

2011-04-06T23:03:00.001-05:00

i've been really lucky with the couples i attract. they've been so easy going, laid back and fun. we had a perfect spring day for this shoot at cafe lurcat, where matt first got jenna's digits!

;)

my favorite:

the great west

2011-03-24T01:26:00.002-05:00

road tripping is my part time job. i take pride in the fact that people ask me to ride along with them when moving away. they pay me in treats and free housing. i make sure they understand we'll be stopping at every scenic view area.

this adventure brought me to vegas. there's something about the west that appeals to me. mostly i'm fascinated with the fact that piles of dirt and rocks can be pretty.

when you hear "las vegas" you picture sparkly neon lights, gambling machines and bachelor parties. i would like to encourage you to take a step off of the strip next time. hey, you'll save some money!

we drove three hours north of vegas to camp out in zion national park.

angel's landing is the scariest, most intense hike i've ever done. google it, i double dog dare you. turns out i'm affraid of heights. my friends made it to the very top. i made it 3/4 the way. i turned white and clung to a nearby tree for dear life. i think the people that complete it should win a medal.

the moon was sooooo big and bright. i could take pictures in it! this is my favorite one:

we made pizza pockets over the campfire and slept under the moon. no tent. i think it dropped down to about 38 degrees that night. we woke up to three mule deer staring at us. they are larger and ganglier than the deer i'm used too. i miss the days when you could sleep on the hard ground and not wake up and feel like every bone in your body is bent backwards. but it was more than worth it.

ps. can you believe that is the moon???

help send this couple to peru!

2011-03-16T18:43:00.001-05:00

This year, one of my clients, Curt and Laudan are doing something a little different for their honeymoon in November. They wish to volunteer at an orphanage in Cuzco, Peru. Travelocity is offering them a chance to win a Travel for Good voluntourism grant. All you have to do is click on the link below and hit the green " YES! love it" button.

VOTE HERE!!

thanks, guys!!

matthew jase | newborn session

2011-03-05T18:55:00.002-06:00

these were taken when matthew was eight days old. his mom wanted to capture his cute little newborn wrinkles before they disappeared. welcome to the world little man!

big sister maddy loves having a baby brother around. in case you're wondering, god is the big red circle in the sky, making it rain.

10 reasons why i love road trips

2011-03-01T16:18:00.001-06:00

i need to speak to you about something. there is this thing that i live for and dream about. road trips. you know? the thing they often make movies about. in my book, a road trip is anything longer than two hours spent in the car. here are ten reasons why this thing that i love is a thing that, well, i love.

reason 1.

anticipation.
yelling "rrrrrroooooad triippppp!!" to your friend. dreaming about the open road. knowing soon you'll be in better weather. arguing about how great your road trip mix tape will be. planning things that never actually happen.

reason 2.

waking up at the butt crack of dawn.
i'm normally so excited i can't fall asleep anyway. i don't know why i try. but i still do and after two hours of half sleeping, i wake up and hop around in the dark gather my things and write a goodbye note on the fridge. yes, i actually even enjoy* that part of it. and maybe it's a little evil of me. but i like that my roomies will wake up and see yes, indeed, i'm gone again. and they have to go to work and not be on an awesome road trip. let me please add that there is a note on my fridge that currently says "off to get my tan on in hawaii" with a drawing of them sizzling in the sun.

*if you don't try to enjoy every part of the journey you maybe won't love road trips so much. in this case, flying might be a better option for you.

reason 3.

even though you're driving through boring iowa and nebraska at least your having great conversation.
there's something about the open road and changing scenery that makes you think deep thoughts, step out of the usual routine and evaluate life more clearly. maybe you think about the things you should change about yourself. this is important and good for the health of your soul.

reason 4.

good company.
whomever you're riding with is most likely awesome, because they too, love a good trip on down the road. this gives you a common interest to begin building a wonderful friendship. open up the sun roof. now you may begin to create inside jokes, or sing along to songs, even though you can't sing worth beans. because this is the safety nest. it's safe to say or sing anything you want.

reason 5.

you can eat fast food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
go ahead. have a sausage egg mcmuffin and stop again in two hours for a double cheeseburger meal. ask for extra salt. because the people 10 cars ahead of you are doing the same thing. they will make a joke to you and say "so, you like mcdonalds, huh?" and everyone can have a giggle. this is all very normal.

reason 6.

listening to your epic mix tape (CD).
maybe you added some joke songs. perhaps you googled songs that are about the city you'll end up in. try to determine whose mix fits the trip better. it's important to listen to the entire cd several times. this way, in the future you will hear one and instantly transport back to this great time on the open road.

reason 7.

wondering how you ever survived life with out a smart phone.
for real. how did we ever get from A to B? did we really use actual maps and pull over and point to the "key" and discuss the best route? all i do is type the city name and follow a blue blinky dot. this requires zero brain activity.

reason 8.

calling/texting an old friend you just remembered lives in that town, and maybe just maybe, they'll let you stay with them for free tonight.
you're exhausted and slightly delusional from running on two hours of sleep. your probably getting cranky because you missed a few turns. do everyone a favor and stop driving now. reunite with your old friend, eat a real meal of food. sleep a full eight hours. if you're lucky they'll send you off with a bag of snacks in the a.m.

reason 9.

feeling perplexed by the effects of altitude even though you've experienced it before.
it's the rocky mountains. the air is indeed thinner. i know it bewilders you every time. drink a lot of water. stay away from caffeine. you're going to get a headache. your car will act different too. i know it's gorgeous, but don't try to go on a mini-hike. you won't get far at all.

reason 10.

reaching the final destination.
hopefully there was a moment of deep joy and wonder just as you caught a glimpse of point B. that sunsetting on a mountain peak in the distance or the sparkly skyline of your favorite city. i really love when you see the ocean in the distance and it looks like it's floating up in the sky. maybe you're driving in the hills and the hills theme song really comes on the radio. soak in this very magical moment.

happy travels my friends.

megan marie.

honduras | the grand finale

2011-02-24T14:57:00.001-06:00

i'm home. i brought you 50 degree weather but it didn't last long. sorry about that.

would i do this again, you ask? yes. i will probably try to every winter.
the people of honduras have little and are happy. the biggest thing i realized is that i have way to many material things and none of them are necessary.

although i would argue that my camera is very much necessary.

i saw and heard many heartbreaking things. but today i am focusing only on the beauty i found. they'd only know this if they came to MN and went back, but in my opinion, they live in heaven...

down by the river.

2011-02-01T21:25:00.001-06:00

today was simply amazing. we met a new friend in the mall parking lot. his name is nahum. his heart is for the children. he invited us to join him down by the river, so we got out of spanish school and work, to watch him pass out school supplies to the children. i offered to document. i was in photographer heaven. the kids have very little and seem to be content. they provided back packs, notebooks, pencils, erasers, colored pencils and other various items to 44 children.

they sang, ate cake and drank soda. afterward, nahum took us to a plot of land he hopes to build an orphanage that will house 15 abandoned kids. sheila and i are cooking up a scheme on how to help them. it's going to be amazing. be excited.

before you proceed.

i have a confession.

when i'm editing photos, i sometimes give people's eyes a slight enhancement in the digital darkroom. a little extra "pop," you know? not these folks. i don't need too. they already have an extra twinkle in their eye.

i'm not sure why, but i like it.

oh! one last thing. (for my mom.)

hi mom! happy birthday! today (feb 2) you are 50 and still fabulous. i meant to mail you this delicious coconut, but due to financial reasons, i can only take a photo and hope you still feel extra special today.

love always,
child #3

adventures in la ceiba, honduras pt. 2

2011-01-29T17:19:00.002-06:00

i'm not feeling very word-y this week, so i will just leave you with a few images :)

adventures in la ceiba, honduras

2011-01-22T17:19:00.001-06:00

if you don't already know, i'm spending 30 days in honduras volunteering at an orphanage and learning spanish. i found this opportunity through this organization from my friend who did a medical mission in tanzania last winter. luckily, when my friend sheila heard i was going she decided to join me. it's good to have a friend along. i haven't experienced any isolation or culture shock. when i hear that the weather is -25 back home, i cringe and thank the heavens above that i am where i am. so for you back home, i'm so sorry to rub this in your face, but i hope it inspires you to make a choice like this next winter.

:O)

i will do another post about the orphanage when i get more photos of the kids. right now, we are painting the inside and outside with the tweens. the little ones come back from vacation early february. i'm excited to meet the toddlers because we speak the same level of spanish.

in order to get the real vibe of this post, turn your thermostat to 82, add sugar to your coke and turn on some daddy yankee tunes.

we met 12 retired pilots on this canopy tour. the oldest one was 70!

steam from the hot springs

cerveza with our new pilot friends

wish you were here!!!

MDP | published

2011-01-10T13:29:00.000-06:00

this year has been truly amazing. no, no. that's an understatement. 2010 was EPIC for megan daas photography. it's fun to look back and see all the love and magic i got to capture. i am also very proud to announce, my photos were published in a real live magazine.

erin & reece were featured in the mpls st. paul weddings issue that came out last week. it was an absolute honor. remember that post? it's a goody, you can view it HERE. my sister snapped a few pics of me in all my glory above, but i recommend you pick one up, open to page 74 and feel the silky smooth magazine paper for yourself. maybe smell it too.

and now, this is going to turn into a mini award speech, if you don't mind. although no one asked me too. this is my blog, and i don't have a boss to stop me. it's probably going to get a little sappy. that's the last disclaimer. i warned you.

i love my job. i'm grateful for a god-given talent that brings me and the people i work with so much joy. people get SO excited and that makes me SO excited.

my mom and dad are/always have been so supportive and proud of every little detail and stage of my career. my friends and roomies are my #1 fans. i love when they oooo and aaahhhh at every blog post. they reassure my crazy ideas and build up my confidence. they run off and show and tell their friends, and that brings more business. this means i get to work with really awesome people, who are fun to be around. i think i might photograph the entire staff of gillette hospital. and when my head gets too big, they bring me back down to earth. just like friends should do.

i have to thank my friend carolyn at tilly | maison for her fun ideas and creative energy throughout the day of erin & reece's wedding. SHE put the invite in the vines on the wall. not me, people.

are you still reading? i thought so! they're playing the music to kick me off stage now.

thank you for being a fan of my work.

megan

calvin james | newborn session

2011-01-09T23:18:00.002-06:00

calvin was a nice early little christmas present. he isn't supposed to be here until late january. he can barely fit into his tiny preemie diaper.

McBride | Family Portraits

2011-01-09T15:42:00.001-06:00

The McBrides asked me to come out to their home over Christmas break to snap a few pictures of the children, grandchildren & significant others while they were all in one place. I thought it was a great idea...here are a few of my favorites.

After taking this next photo, I realized that I took a very similar photo of her daughter and her husband on their wedding day this summer...

See? This one! I KNOW! Soooooo cute, right??