I’ve come to a realization: it’s actually really hard to shoot outdoor photos in the winter. There are a few key reasons keeping me from shooting:

1. The frigid, arctic temperatures. (Those who know me well understand that I hate being cold. I even wear scarves indoors. In my cube at work, I run my space heater year round.)
2. Less daylight. I work during the bright hours of the day. By the time I get home it looks like it’s bedtime. So I stay inside.
3. Did I mention how cold it is outside? I have gift cards and Christmas money to spend, but I can’t even bring myself to go to the mall. Because it’s cold outside. I—Lisa Valley—don’t want to shop because I live in a polar ice cap.

Why do I tell you all this information? Only because I want you to really appreciate the lengths I go through to share these wintry, icy, freezing, frost-forming photos.

Side note: Jesse is sitting here discussing this post with me. He hasn’t read it yet. He said, “So do your readers even know how much you despise the cold?”

Well, now you do!

How cool is it to see a liquid frozen mid-pour? Very cool.

I love to shop Target. I shop there every week. Last week while shopping, I saw these iTunes gift cards for sale. As advertised, the $25 iTunes gift card costs you $25. Regular price $25. Funny? Yes. Usually when you advertise a product, you give an offer or discount along with the message. I guess Target just really wanted their customers to know they carry the gift cards. Here’s a tip for those of you who want to buy discounted iTunes cards: buy them at Costco.

I love the frosty windows but not nearly as much as I love the shadows they can make.

Although I’m not jazzed about the cold weather, runny nose and giant puffy coats—there is one thing I can’t deny: fresh snow falls are beautiful. Here are some photos I took on Wednesday, morning after our first big wintry storm.

The holidays are in full swing and I’ve been busy designing holiday cards for Jesse’s photography studio. He has a great promotion coming up on Saturday, December 12. I’ve spent a great deal of time designing 5×8 inch card templates for this promotion. Here they are:

The promotion is a super good deal, here are the details:

Saturday December 12 • $25 for a one-hour session (FREE session when you order 50 or more holiday cards) • Review photos on the spot and select your favorite • Choose from several card designs to go with your photo (see designs above). For more information, visit jessevalley.com. To book your session, call Jesse Valley Photography at 612.382.2867.

I put so much love into designing these holiday card templates, so I hope the day fills up with sessions! If you have friends or family who would be interested in this promotion, pass it on—Jesse Valley Photography gives rewards for referrals!