We actually had to split this session in two… it was raining on the day of their first session, but I just couldn’t stand the thought of not getting shots of these two in their adorable matching dresses out in a field. So back up to Fargo they had to come!

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A few things to note:

All fall workshops are now FULL (first one coming up this weekend!), but we do have a waiting list started in case any attendees need to sell their spots. If you’d like to be on the e-mail list to be alerted when more workshops are scheduled for 2011, just let us know.

The first round of voting for The Forum’s Pet Calendar contest  is going on right now! Even if you have not entered a pet, you can go online and vote for the one you want to win a spot on the 2011 calendar. Each vote costs $.25 and proceeds will go toward purchasing newspapers for area classrooms as well as funding the needs of the FM Humane Society. The top 50 pets with the most votes will move on to round two. Some of my favorites right now are Lucy5, Dozer, Betty, George, Summit, Nevaeh, Buddy2, and Mario. My pups, Emme and Mya still sit with zero votes each, so I may have to send them a few sympathy votes to make them feel good. Who are your favorites?

Also, I need to thank everyone for their kind words about the recent article in the Forum’s business section. It was so neat to be featured and we loved seeing the FM photography scene highlighted and recognized. You can read the article by clicking here.

Happy Tuesday!

~Ria

These were the winning submissions; Kailey, Saathvik, and Avery. You can read a little bio about each of these darling kiddos in the magazine!

All of the styling and clothing was provided by Kris at Pout Baby Boutique…

It was a fun-filled baby-photographin’ day!

Happy Monday all!

~Ria

Head on over to The Savvy Photographer for another interview with me!

And make sure to visit tomorrow and Saturday too… especially if you want a little peek at my house.

To Miss Marsha from the Savvy Photographer blog… love your style, love your blog… thanks so much for including me!

Here are a couple snaps of our booth… come check it out!

A few other tidbits to share with you… rialee photography is featured on the Moms With Cameras blog today! Very cool… thanks Emily for the interview! Make sure you click the link to visit her blog.

For all of you that have been e-mailing and calling wanting to know when the next photographerMAMA workshops will be scheduled, I have some good news for you! I had decided to take a break from doing workshops for awhile, but Lindsey has agreed to teach two this spring! They will be held April 9th-10th, and May 14th-15th. Registration will open on Monday February 22nd @ 10am. You will need to call the studio at 701.478.9659 to reserve your spot.

My very first business basics workshop starts today…. wish me luck!

~Ria

Also… have I ever mentioned my addiction to etsy.com? Look what the mailman brought me today…. Can’t wait to use them!

One more thing… I recently added a bunch of new links to the “links” tab at the top of the blog… so make sure to check them out!

Odds are, if you are not a photographer… you didn’t. But, the July issue of Professional Photographer came out yesterday and the ad for my lab, White House Custom Color features me! How cool! I was more than happy to help promote WHCC as I have always been delighted with their product, turn around time, and incredible customer service. The ad will also run in the July issue of Rangefinder.

I also wanted to show off a photo taken by my daughter at the lake over the 4th of July weekend…. looks like I might have a little apprentice on my hands!

You can read more about Issue 8 or purchase it by clicking here.

Okay… so for my “photog” readers who regulary read the fabulous blog over at Design Aglow… you may have noticed something familiar in their post today.  Their newest issue [Issue 8: The Essential Issue] should be available for purchase very soon, and yep… you guessed it… the studio of YOURS TRULY is being featured. I can hardly even wrap my head around this honor. Even though I did the interview with them several months ago, I haven’t mentioned it on here before; mostly because I thought that it must have just been a dream that they wanted to feature ME…. that I wouldn’t be able to believe that it was really true until I saw it in the publication for myself!

For those of you who don’t have the slightest clue what I’m talking about, Design Aglow is an online resource for photographers that provides inspiration on all things having to do with photography and design. They publish a quarterly online magazine jam-packed with information and inspiration. Some of the names they have featured in previous articles include Tara Whitney, Audrey Woulard, Sarah Petty, Carrie Sandoval, Barb Uil [Jinky],Brianna Graham, Laura Novak, Jesh De Rox, Nicole Van, Jeff and Julia Woods and more. This issue will also feature devine photographer Jasmine Star. These are the “major-leaguers” of the photography world people! So… to be counted among them is just … well…  there are not words to describe what this means to me. I will post more photos of the article [a 17-pager!!!] when it becomes available! To see their entire article collection, click here.

He gets on my case for drinking too much Diet Coke. I took this photo before noon and there are already three lined up. I would like you to note Ryan, that they are almost all half-full. [He can't understand why someone would open a pop if they weren't going to finish the whole can.] How can I explain to him the feeling of euphoria that comes with the sound of the can being cracked? Somehow, half-way through… it has lost it’s luster and I must open a new one. Raise your hand if you think I have a problem. Nevermind… it doesn’t really matter. My diet coke is here to stay… bring on the toxins.

Also… have you picked up any of the local magazines lately? I have had so many people tell me they love seeing my photos in the magazines and can always tell which ones are mine. That is so fun to hear! Congrats to Nora, Cole, Elizabeth, Aubrey, Lola, Reece, and Liza who all had their photos featured in the April/May issues of Area Woman and Village Family Magazine.

And finally… a quick sneek peek for the mama of this one-year-old “C” who was in for her photo shoot this morning~~~Just some visual proof that YES your daughter rocked her session even if she got a little tired toward the end. There will be lots more adorable images for you to choose from in your gallery! Love her expression in this one…

Coming up this week…. photos from  my “baby week” last week… two newborns and 3 six-month-olds!

Congratulations to Charlize, Kenzie, and Aspen for having their photos selected for the Shutter Bug section, to Lincoln and Dylan who both had their photos featured as full pages, and of course to my little model Thea, who’s photo I used for my ad.

Also, make sure you check out the new section I just added  to the “look here too” link. On the “what is…?” page you will find photos and descriptions of several of the products I offer.

And on a totally unrelated note… do I have any blog-stalkers out there who are fellow LOST watchers? I was so excited for the season premeire last night and I had heard that this would be a season where a lot of questions would be answered for us faithful LOST fans. But when it was over I found myself more confused than EVER!. Can anyone give me a clue as to what the heck was going on in last night’s episode? If I had time, I would spend all afternoon reading the forums and message boards… but then there is this job I have that keeps getting in the way.

They also used some of my favorite photos in this issue… it is always fun to see your work published!

I also need to give props to Dani (none other than the EDITOR of OTMOM)… Did you know that she actually MADE this cute little artsy fartsy caddy? They had their designer Scott photograph it for the article. It looks AMAZING! Martha Stewart…watch out!

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A few other notes:

~~I finally have all of the 2009 pricing and session information updated on my website. We will be e-mailing all of you who have sessions scheduled for 2009 this new info along with some helpful information so look for that by the end of the week!

~~I have finished proofing galleries through October 20th and will be getting galleries to those of you that had sessions Oct 21-23 next week!

~~I will be out of the studio all day tomorrow! I am taking a well-deserved day off. To relax? Yah right… I will be attempting to attend to the rapidly deteriorating state of affairs on the homefront. I’m talking really glamorous stuff like washing sheets, cleaning toilets, scrubbing floors etc.

Well no doubt by now you have heard about or seen this fabulous new publication. I have been so excited to feature it on my blog and I finally get to! The editors, Dani and Sheri talked to me last spring about the possibility of being involved in their new “endeavor” and of course I jumped at the chance. In fact, I had just been rolling around ideas for a new trendy magazine relating to children, and the next week they e-mailed me! How’s that for timing? I was honored to have been asked, but most of all excited for the moms of our community to have such a functional tool to quickly navigate events and activities, businesses, and even networking opportunities with other moms. One of the really cool things about this publication is the website that goes along with it. At onthemindsofmoms.com, you can join the mom forum, search for business and community events, find childcare, and even buy or sell used kid items! Check it out. You can find On the Minds of Moms at every check stand of the six Fargo-Moorhead Hornbacher’s. I just want to throw a little shout out to Sheri and Dani to say congrats ladies on going for it…we are ALL glad you did. It really looks amazing; well done!

It still amazes and suprises me that people see my work…like it…and would even consider putting it in a magazine in this manner. I literally gasped when I saw it. This beautiful child is Kenzie…you’ve seen her photos all over my website. Seriously one of the most photogenic children I’ve ever met.

Also in the June/July issue of AW is Liza…(no her name is not Hayes as is printed there~a little miscommunication on my part!) Isn’t she gorgeous?

And I told you you’d be seeing this little guy’s photo again somewhere…

***This is the week that I am scheduled to move into my new studio! YAY! So that means I will be a busy busy girl and will be slow at returning e-mails and phone calls. I will be completely away from my computer and phone on Tuesday and Wednesday, but am hoping to have most calls and e-mails returned by Friday. Thanks for your patience.

~Ria

And if you take a peek inside…you’ll find my ad. More of my “most favorite-est ever” shots.

***On another note, my e-mail has been flooded with people wanting to make summer appointments. I think I’ve gotten back to everyone, but if  you haven’t heard from me..PLEASE e-mail me again! Also, only a few spots remain for July so e-mail me soon if you MUST have one!

Click HERE to find out why.

This has been such an amazing endeavor. I have been brainstorming ways I could extend this project and do something like this a few times each year!

You can see the photos I submitted here, and the charities to which I donated here.

I am currently working on putting together a slide show with my favorite photos from my Project Childhood shoots so look for that coming soon!

Here is one I didn’t submit, but still LOVE!

Congratulations to Ella and Samantha for being selected for the all new “sugar & spice” section of the magazine. You MIGHT even be able to say that rialee photography could have had something to do with the addition of this new section….who knows? Anyway, I think it is very cool and am happy to be a part of it!

Also…thank you to everone for your help in finding children for me to photograph for Project Childhood. I have now scheduled all the sessions and will be posting photos from them in the next few weeks!