For my second pro-bono project this spring, I worked with St. Stephens, which is an AMAZING organization that does outreach to the local homeless population.The organization helps their clients get into temporary housing until they can get back on their feet, they help get them medical care, they have a shelter in town which provides food and laundry services, and they do a ton of street outreach, which means they know almost all the homeless faces within their area.I spent a day riding along with the outreach team, and I was blown away.They have hundreds of names and faces catalogued in their heads, and they make sure they see everyone each couple of days so they know how everyone is doing. This means wandering under overpasses and searching in the places that most of us avoid. They bring those they find water and socks and band-aids and ask where they are sleeping and help get them on lists for shelters, and they even do follow ups after hearing about clients who have been hospitalized. They are truly angels. Besides the ride along, I also spent some time in St. Stephens shelter for men. Below are a few photos I took while there. Needless to say, these assignments are super humbling. I've been complaining for a while about not having my kitchen in working order and clearly I just need to zip it. Sometimes it's good for us all to gain some perspective.For your internet shares of the day:+ This print would be perfect for a mid-century modern home.+ One of my favorite podcasts won a Peabody award!+ I would like my house to look like this hotel. 

A while back, I was hired for one of the most fun jobs EVER. I got to spend two days with Lucy shooting photos of models for JUUT SalonSpa. It was a dream.This blog post includes the images that were left on the cutting room floor. The more amazing images will soon start showing up in the JUUTSalonSpa Instagram account, so please follow them over there. I promise, things will be beautiful.For your internet shares of the day:+ This beauty product apparently makes it feel like your face is on fire, but then makes you look younger. I am intrigued.+ I have bookmarked this interview with Brad Pitt for later, but for now I'll just stare at those abs thankyouverymuch.+ You have to click on this -- I hope and pray I one day shoot a wedding that features this quirk.+ Faces of people as young adults, and then near age 100. Wow.

Last week, after my trip to the countryside, I came back to the city and made some new photos for Perspectives Vision Clinic. I'm not gonna lie, this is where I go for my own eye care, and I adore the lead doctor, Marcie. So if you need an eye doctor, she's your gal! (While I was paid for the photos, I'm not being paid to tell you this.)I just finished up her photos today and so of course I wanted to see them in black and white (because it's my favorite), and here they are. I am not going to lie -- I never thought photographing a medical office could be this much fun! I was so wrong.I have so many internet shares today!+ These shoes are perfect for summer.+ 20 ways to clean your kitchen naturally.+ I want to take this Fauxligraphy class!+ This song is lovely.+ More photos from Switzerland (I cannot get enough...)+ The inside of Aziz's home (and answers to 72 questions).

Back in early March, I got to take some photos of this guy up here for his brand new album release. Man, was that fun!I wanted to play in the studio and work with light and shadows more, as he wanted mostly b/w imagery. It was so different than my  normal portrait sessions, and it was SO MUCH FUN to play around! Here are a few of my favorites from that day. If you are interested in Peter's music, you can listen to it / buy it over here (it just came out on Friday! Congrats, Peter!).And for your other internet shares of the day:+ If you don't think white privilege is a thing, read this.+ How to make the perfect pasta (even from a box).+ For chocolate devotees.+ There is a baby tiger at the zoo and you can watch it being fed a bottle!!+ I have been a huge fan of Tyler Hicks for years. And so of course I loved this New York Times commercial.

Friday night, I was lucky enough to photograph The XX over at the new Palace Theater in St. Paul. Just wow.That venue is fantastic. The space is wonderful, the sound was so clear in all parts of the room and the lights extend not just from the stage, but also along the walls and above the bar. I don't mean lights, as in the lights to "light up" the place. I mean the lights that can be controlled by the guy behind the board to go with the sound. To see separate lights pulsing above the bar along with the music was super cool.And the music. I mean, I've always been a big fan of The XX (the intro to VCR was my mobile ringtone for YEARS), and I've seen them live twice before. But this show? They have really grown in their live performance, and this show was their best so far. I know I don't make it out to very many shows any more, but even in my heyday, this would have been one of the top 5 of the year. By the way, they did an in-studio performance at The Current on Friday, and you can hear that over here.So go listen to their music, and go look at more images from the concert here.And for your internet shares of the day:+ Some of my favorite travel photographers are back at it again with a visit to a small Swiss village.+ Don't know what to do with all those Amazon boxes?+ Mom Truths.