Photography by Kari Blog-- Southeastern Minnesota Senior, Children, Newborn, Maternity, Engagement, Family photographer. Updates and recent photoshoots from Photography by Kari. Photography by Kari is located in Spring Valley, MN.

Friday, November 4, 2022

National Adorable Children and Pawsitively Adorable Contest Winners {SE MN Photographer}

We are proud to announce we had 9 winners in the National portion of the Adorable Children and Pawsitively Adorable contests. The National portion of the contest took place at the lab and was judged by a panel of judges based on quality, appearance, charm, expression, and personality.

In the National Pawsitively Adorable contest…

We had First Place for Me & My Human. They won a $100 Visa gift card.

We had Second Place for Newborns. They won a $75 Visa Gift Card.

We had a Third Place for Dogs. They won a $50 Visa Gift Card.

We had an Honorable Mention for dogs. Super exciting as this is my dog, Maverick. We won a $25 Visa Gift Card.

We had an Honorable Mention in Buddies. They won a $25 Visa Gift Card.

In the National Adorable Children contest…..

We had a Second Place for Bloopers. They won a $75 Visa Gift Card.

We had a Third Place for Bloopers. They won a $50 Visa Gift Card.

We had a Third Place for 13 Months- 2 Years. They won a $50 Visa Gift Card.

We had an Honorable Mention for 9-12 Years. They won a $25 Visa Gift Card.

The lab where these took place is having some website issues, but as soon as we can see the other winners, I will post them here, too. Congratulations, everyone! Thanks for participating and voting! =)

And since we did not do the local portion of the Pawsitively Adorable as it was mostly my assistant’s dogs and family pets, and I had not posted the Pawsitively Adorable images, these are the other images we submitted. So they each received a 16×20 print from their session.

Tags: 2022, Adorable Child Portrait Contest, Dog Portrait Photographer, MN Dog Photographer, NE IA Children's Photographer, Pawsitively Adorable Contest, Rochester MN Area Children's Photographer, Rochester MN Dog Portrait Photographer, SE MN Dog Portrait Photographer, Southeast MN Children's Photographer, Southeastern Minnesota Dog Photographer, Spring Valley MN Children's Portrait Photographer, Spring Valley MN Dog Photographer

Show Hide 0 comments

Monday, June 22, 2026

Stewartville High School Senior Photos | Greta’s Class of 2026 Senior Session

Greta’s senior session was fun because I’ve known her family for years. Her parents are friends, her mom was a classmate of mine in high school, and a few years ago I had the privilege of photographing her brother’s senior portraits. It’s always special when families return and I get to document another milestone in their story.

One of the things I loved most about Greta’s senior session was how personal it was. Some seniors choose to focus on a sport, an activity, or a favorite location. Greta’s session included a little bit of everything that makes her who she is.

We began in the studio with classic senior portraits before incorporating one of her favorite hobbies—knitting. These images added a unique and personal touch to her gallery while highlighting a creative interest that has been part of her life.

From there, we headed to Good Earth Village for outdoor senior photos. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans, and our session was cut short by rain. Thankfully, we were able to meet again later in the fall to complete the second half of her senior portraits.

Our next stop was Maple Valley Golf Course, where we captured photos celebrating Greta’s love of golf. We then visited the tennis courts at Stewartville High School to highlight another activity that has been an important part of her high school years.

To finish the session, we stopped at the Stewartville Public Library. Outside, Greta posed with her two dogs, and inside we created portraits that reflected her love of reading and learning. These final images helped tell a complete story about the interests, hobbies, and passions that have shaped her high school experience.

From golf clubs and tennis racquets to knitting needles, books, and her beloved dogs, every part of Greta’s senior session reflected something she genuinely enjoys. By the time we finished, we had created a collection of senior portraits that felt completely and authentically her.

Congratulations, Greta! Thank you for trusting me to capture this exciting season of your life. I wish you all the best as you prepare for the adventures ahead.

Outdoor senior portrait at Good Earth Village in Minnesota

Stewartville High School senior golfer at Maple Valley Golf Course

Looking for a Stewartville Senior Photographer?

If you’re searching for a senior photographer in Stewartville, Rochester, Spring Valley, Chatfield, Grand Meadow, Preston, or anywhere in Southeast Minnesota, I’d love to help create a senior session that reflects your personality, interests, hobbies, sports, and the things that make you unique.

Photography by Kari specializes in custom senior photography throughout Southeast Minnesota.

Tags: MN High School Senior Portrait Photographer, MN Senior Photographer, Photography by Kari, SE MN Senior Photographer, Senior Photography, Senior Photos, Southeast MN senior portraits, Southeastern Minnesota, Stewartille Minnesota Senior Portraits

Show Hide 0 comments

Friday, June 19, 2026

Southland High School Senior Photos | Brede’s Class of 2026 Senior Session

As I prepare to photograph my first Class of 2027 senior next week, I realized I still have amazing Class of 2026 seniors to share, including Brede!

Brede’s senior session was spread across two separate sessions and perfectly captured the activities, accomplishments, and interests that have shaped his years at Southland High School. One of my favorite things about senior photography is creating images that tell a senior’s story, and Brede’s session did exactly that.

We began in the studio, where we highlighted two important parts of his high school experience, volleyball and One Act Play. Brede brought along his volleyball gear and One Act Play trophies, creating portraits that showcased both his athletic and theatrical accomplishments.

For the outdoor portion of his senior session, we visited Good Earth Village and the track at Grand Meadow High School. These locations provided a variety of backdrops and helped capture another important part of Brede’s high school journey as a student-athlete.

Later in the year, we met again for a winter cap and gown session at Southland High School. We also incorporated several of his Spring Musical shirts and photographed him in the Southland auditorium, a meaningful location that represented the many hours, performances, friendships, and memories he experienced through theater.

From volleyball and track to One Act Play, spring musicals, and graduation, Brede’s senior photos celebrated the activities that made his high school years uniquely his own. His session was a great reminder that senior portraits are about more than just taking pictures; they’re about preserving memories and telling the story of this important season of life.

Congratulations, Brede! Wishing you all the best as you begin your next adventure.

Cap and gown portrait in Southland High School auditorium

Senior portrait at Good Earth Village in Southeast Minnesot

Looking for a Southeast Minnesota Senior Photographer?

If you’re searching for a senior photographer in Adams, Rose Creek, Spring Valley, Grand Meadow, Austin, Rochester, or anywhere in Southeast Minnesota, I’d love to help create a custom senior session that reflects your personality, interests, activities, and accomplishments.

Photography by Kari specializes in senior portraits, sports photography, cap and gown sessions, and custom senior photography throughout Southeast Minnesota.

Tags: Photography by Kari, Rochester MN Portraits, SE MN Senior Sports Portraits, Senior Photography, Southeast MN senior portraits, Southeastern Minnesota, Southeastern Minnesota Senior Photographer, Southland Senior Portraits

Show Hide 0 comments

Thursday, June 11, 2026

Collin’s Senior & Sibling Session | Stewartville High School Class of 2026

One chapter ends, another begins

As graduation season comes to a close, it’s hard to believe how quickly the years have passed. Collin has officially graduated from Stewartville Hig h School as a member of the Class of 2026, while his little sister, is preparing to start preschool this fall.

These special cap and gown photos, taken at Stewartville High School, celebrate two important milestones happening at the same time. Dressed in matching caps and gowns, Collin and Miss K represent two very different stages of life, one sibling finishing a chapter and the other just beginning her educational journey.

One of my favorite things about senior photography is capturing meaningful moments that tell a family’s story. Watching these siblings together was a sweet reminder of how quickly childhood passes and how important it is to celebrate every milestone along the way.

To make the session even more memorable, we included the classic Dr. Seuss book Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! Knowing these two and their sense of humor, I’m not entirely sure I want to know what they’re thinking half the time! But whatever adventures, dreams, mischief, and big ideas are running through their minds, I can’t wait to see where life takes them.

As if the session wasn’t memorable enough, Mother Nature couldn’t quite decide between sunshine and a light rain shower. The weather shifted back and forth throughout the session, creating a beautiful reminder that life’s biggest moments don’t always happen under perfect conditions and neither sibling seemed to mind the rain one bit.

As Collin and Miss K’s cousin, these photos definitely pulled at my heartstrings. It seems like just yesterday I was photographing them both as newborns and now they are preparing for their next adventures.

Congratulations, Collin! And good luck to Miss K as she begins her own exciting school journey this fall.

Senior and preschool graduation-themed photo at Stewartville High School

Graduating senior reading to sister Oh the Thinks You Can Think at Stewartville High School

Looking for a Southeast Minnesota Senior Photographer?

If you’re searching for a senior photographer in Stewartville, Rochester, Spring Valley, Chatfield, Preston, Grand Meadow, or anywhere in Southeast Minnesota, I’d love to help create senior photos that reflect your personality, interests, accomplishments, and the people who matter most.

Photography by Kari specializes in custom senior photography, sports portraits, cap and gown sessions, sibling photos, and milestone photography throughout Southeast Minnesota.

Tags: Photography by Kari, Rochester MN Area Children's Photographer, Rochester MN Portraits, SE MN Cap & Gown Photos, Senior Photography, Senior Portraits, Southeast Minnesota Family Photographer, Southeast MN senior portraits, Southeastern Minnesota, Stewartille Minnesota Senior Portraits

Show Hide 0 comments

Friday, June 5, 2026

Collin’s Senior Session | Stewartville High School Class of 2026

As graduation approaches, it’s hard to believe that the boy I once photographed as a newborn is now preparing to graduate from Stewartville High School. As Collin’s cousin, this senior session was especially meaningful, and I am excited to finally share some of my favorite images from his Class of 2026 senior portraits.

We began the session at Stewartville High School, highlighting two sports that have been a huge part of Collin’s high school experience, football and baseball. As a multi-sport athlete, it was important to capture both sides of his athletic journey. We even created several images that combined football and baseball into a single portrait, showcasing the dedication, hard work, and countless hours he has invested in both sports throughout his high school career.

Next, we headed to Meadow Park in Stewartville, where we captured a variety of natural outdoor portraits. From there, we made our way to downtown Rochester, Minnesota, for a completely different look. The urban setting, city lights, and evening atmosphere created the perfect contrast to the sports and outdoor images. As the sun set and the lights began to glow, we captured some of the most striking portraits of the session.

One of the most special parts of Collin’s senior session was including his dog, Tipsy. We recreated photos we had taken together eight years ago when Tipsy was just a puppy. Looking at the old and new images side by side is a reminder of how quickly time passes and how important it is to preserve these memories.

From football and baseball to downtown portraits and photos with his lifelong companion, this session truly captured who Collin is at this stage of life.

Congratulations, Collin!

Watching you grow into the young man you are today has been a privilege. I couldn’t be more proud of your accomplishments, your character, and the person you’ve become. Wishing you all the best as you graduate from Stewartville High School and begin the next chapter of your journey.

Looking for a Stewartville Senior Photographer?

If you’re looking for senior photos that reflect your personality, interests, sports, hobbies, and the people (or pets!) that matter most, I’d love to help create a session that tells your story.

Photography by Kari specializes in custom senior photography throughout Stewartville, Rochester, Spring Valley, and Southeast Minnesota.

Downtown Rochester Minnesota senior portrait at sunset

Tags: MN High School Senior Portrait Photographer, Photography by Kari, Rochester MN Portraits, SE MN Senior Photographer, Senior Photography, Senior Portraits, Southeast MN senior portraits, Southeastern Minnesota, Stewartille Minnesota Senior Portraits, Stewartville MN Senior Portrait Photographer

Show Hide 0 comments

Saturday, March 28, 2026

Welcoming Baby Girl “Miss V” | Newborn Photography Session in Southeast Minnesota

There’s nothing sweeter than a brand new baby, and this session was extra special for me. I had the honor of photographing Miss V, the beautiful newborn daughter of my former assistant.

This sweet family is now a party of five, one proud big brother and one sweet loving sister who already adore their newest addition. Miss V was an absolute dream during her newborn session, giving us those soft, sleepy poses and all the tiny details that make newborn photography so special.

From her delicate features to those curled-up snuggles, every image captures just how loved she already is. These are the moments that pass so quickly, and it’s such an honor to preserve them for families to look back on for years to come.

Newborn Photography in Southeast Minnesota

At Photography by Kari, we specialize in creating timeless newborn portraits for families throughout Southeast Minnesota, including Spring Valley, Rochester, Stewartville, and surrounding areas. Our studio is fully equipped with a wide variety of backdrops, props, and soft, neutral setups designed to keep your baby comfortable while capturing those classic, natural images.

Newborn sessions are best scheduled within the first few weeks of life to capture those sleepy, curled poses, but beautiful images can be created at any stage.

Why Newborn Photography Matters

Those early days with your baby go by in a blur of feedings, snuggles, and little milestones. Professional newborn photography allows you to freeze those moments, tiny fingers, soft eyelashes, and that brand-new life feeling before they’re gone.

Miss V’s session is the perfect reminder of just how meaningful these early days are.