This was my third time photographing this amazing family, and each session has been so special!  Cristen originally reached out to me several years ago when they were expecting baby #2.  At the time, they were living in Wisconsin (3.5 hours from my studio), but they made the drive with an overnight stay at a friend’s house, and I photographed their maternity/family session at my Lino Lakes studio.  Photos from that session can be seen here.

The second time we connected, the family had moved to Brookston, MN.  They had purchased a home with a tree farm and some beautiful views.  It was a trading post back in the day – how cool is that!?!  With the new home and their youngest turning 1 soon, they thought it would be a great time for updated family photos.  They asked if I’d consider heading out to them for photos this time, and of course I said yes!  I’m always down for a road trip.  And posting this, I just realized I never blogged that session.  Maybe later, but first I want to get to our most recent session.

Cristen reached out this past fall about wanting updated family photos.  They had moved again – this time about 30 minutes past Hibbing.  Their newest baby was about 10 months old, and she mentioned how much she wanted to have a session at their new place, possibly in the spring since fall was already here.  But, I looked at my schedule at the stars aligned – I had a 3 day window free in November! We decided to schedule a family session, which was another road trip for me – always so much fun!

I got a hotel in Hibbing the evening before our session, and the next day it was overcast but not snowing and not completely gloomy, so we went with it (part of planning it as a three day trip was to give us a bit of leeway with the weather).  I got to their home late morning and was just in awe – what an amazing place to live and raise a family!  From the tree-lined roads and driveways with sheep greeting you, to the open field and sprawling land – all I could think of was how lucky these guys are to live here.  So many times I’ve thought about moving away to the wilderness, but they actually did it, and get to enjoy this little slice of heaven every day.

When I first got there, Jordi greeted me and asked me if I would like any tea. At just four years old, he’s wise beyond his years, and he really liked the “Mr. Rogers” cardigan I brought for him to wear (yes, wardrobe provided for the entire family, even for on-location sessions!).  Big sister Birdie was excited to offer me some snacks, and then they both showed me how well they did on their new roller skates while mom was getting her and baby Ronan ready.

I spent a few hours photographing them, but the time flew by.  We really just explored their world.  Photos were a mix of documentary, candid and posed.  Their final gallery included pictures of them sitting at their front steps, snuggling together inside, feeding the sheep, looking for bullet casings in the open area behind their home, playing on the trampoline, and of course, playing with the sled dogs!  David races sled dogs, and they raise them as well (there were some new pups that I got to see while I was there, which were absolutely adorable!).  They take SUCH great care of these pups, and it was very evident from watching them all interact that they have a great bond.  One of the dogs has even ran in an Iditarod race, which I thought was really special.  For a lot of their session, we could hear the dogs talking and howling in the background.  It was beautiful, and also great for keeping away wolves and other predators.

This family always gets a large album to document their session, which is my favorite way to commemorate any time of session.  This time it’s a gorgeous leather-bound album with “Clan Burge” and their session date blind debossed on the front.  It’s going to be absolutely beautiful, and I love the thought of the entire family getting to look though and enjoy it for many years to come.

There are some sessions that I leave with my heart feeling full and a huge smile on my face.  Where clients feel more like friends and family.  This was definitely one of those sessions.  Here are some favorites from our time together:

Date: November 2025

Location: Hibbing Area, MN

Wardrobe: Pieces from THE GREAT, Zara, and Jamie Kay

Camera gear: Canon R6Mii, Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L, Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS

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