i am ridiculously excited you are here! my name is melissa oholendt and i'm a wedding & lifestyle photographer based in minneapolis/st. paul, minnesota.
if you are curious as to who i am, the short version is this: my great loves in life are my heart-breakingly lovely husband, my cuddly dog Gunnar, rainy days, j.crew cardigans, nicknames, the smell of freshly washed clothes and above all things God. if you want to know a little more about me, click on the email address below and send me an email with questions, email hugs or professions of your undying love (i don't judge). i would love to hear from you.
In case you missed it, the new Melissa Oholendt Photography has debuted and it might be the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life. (Only to be trumped by hugging Justin Timberlake.)
For my RSS subscribers (love you!), please bookmark the new feed here. Can’t wait to see you there!
If you follow Melissa Oholendt Photography on Facebook, it’s no surprise to you that this girl? Got new glasses. And while, yes, I’m overly (way, way overly) excited about the purchase, it’s more the purpose and the company behind my particular pair of frames that I have become eagerly passionate about.
Now, I know what you are thinking because I thought the same thing. 141? It doesn’t scream I-AM-AN-EYEWEAR-COMPANY but basically no one other than my family can remember how to say my last name correctly, so I am not one to judge. It wasn’t until my optician at Look & See Eyecare pointed to the wooden hands on the glass display that it clicked. The purpose of 141 is, very literally, One Four One.
Much like Tom’s Shoes, the 141 Eyewear philosophy is simple. “You buy, we give. 141.” It’s deceptively simple though because not only are they giving frames, but they also are providing prescription lenses. This is an eye exam, a fitting, making of lenses and then the giving. But here’s the thing. All YOU have to do is buy and they take care of the rest. And if you have vision insurance or an FSA account with 2010 money to spend, you really don’t have an excuse. So go, find the retailers tab and see where you can purchase a a pair. Because not only are you improving your life, but you will also change someone else’s. We have so much. SO much. Why not jump on the opportunity to give back, even just a little bit?
Thankful for.
My husband, who loves me, period. End of story.
My mom, who showed me that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.
My incredible (!!) 2010 clients who taught me much about myself and became my biggest fans.
Lara Casey. Emily Ley. Gina Zeidler. (For giving me back a piece of myself.)
My amazing second shooter, Phil, who kept me sane, laughing and hydrated at every single wedding.
My friends, who made me love more than I thought I was capable and who made me laugh harder than I thought possible.
My best friend, Claire, for showing me what a Godly woman is in the midst of personal trials.
Taylor Pemberton for working so, so diligently the last 11 months on my brand (and for putting up with me).
A God who loves me even when I am not faithful.
My last year shooting with Photogen Inc and the lifelong friendships that union created.
Jenni Undis for her amazing skill in letterpress and her never-ending encouragement when I most needed it.
My 2011 clients who have already put their trust in my hands without second thought.
My family, who cheered me on and picked me up when I fell.
My MTH Besties who bless my life daily.
My blog readers & commenters without which this would not nearly be as fun. (And then I would be that girl talking to myself.)
To every single person who has sent encouragement, laughter or criticism my way, thank you. Melissa Oholendt Photography would not be the force-to-reckon-with business it is without you. I would not be who I am without you.
Please pass the mashed potatoes.
I have some huge news that I am so thrilled to share with you all. (No, not my new branding; though that is coming…soon!)
On Monday, my long dreamt-of J.Crew Jane Austen shoot was featured on the Minnesota Bride Magazine Blog! What an honor and a priviledge for this fabulous shoot to be featured on the most fabulous of all the Minnesota wedding websites; I seriously could not be more thrilled to be associated with such an upstanding publication.
One big bear-hug to my friends at Minnesota Bride. You guys rock.
I’m so excited to share more from this shoot.
Dear Making Things Happen Phoenix Besties,
Two days ago I walked into a room and felt completely ill-prepared. I was far away from home. I hadn’t slept well. It was 80 degrees in November. My hair was out-of-control-big and my outfit was all wrong. And I was hungry.
But then. Then we started talking. And none of that mattered. You shared your amazing stories and all of the sudden my nerves & vanity could not have been further from my mind. We all felt it. There was an emotional shift in the room and we knew that nothing would compare to the growth we were all about to experience. From the very beginning, when that first Kleenex box was opened, we poured every single piece of our hearts into a 10 hour journey that would literally change each one of us in a way no one could have predicted. We cried and laughed and cried and listened and thought and grew and wrote and cried and breathed and then flew. All of us. At the same time.
I am so blessed. So blessed beyond measure to have been able to experience the hearts of 12 amazing women. Thank you for your trust, your non-judgement, your laughter, your sweetness, your encouragement, your courage, your belief in me, your vulnerability, your spirit, your love, your tears, your drive. I cannot WAIT to continue this journey with you.
I am not the same and I am so grateful for that.
Love each and every single one of you, deeply.
xoxo
And if you have not? Making Things Happen. It will change you if you let it.
Photo by Lara Casey.
If I ever have to explain the physical and emotional meaning of organized chaos to another person, I will show them this photograph. This photo holds 5 months of planning and executing and finally some big, big plans coming to fruition. If I am being honest, I am both totally thrilled and terrified of what this day will hold for Melissa Oholendt Photography.
Today is the day that changes everything. Today, at noon, myself and 6 other fabulous local vendors will be styling & photographing a concept shoot that has taken just slightly less planning than my wedding 5 years ago. I have enlisted some fabulous and amazing local vendors and we’ll be bringing a substantial amount of talent your way and I can’t WAIT to show you the results. (And with it the entire breadth of my rebrand! Soon, my friends, soon.)
Until that October day, here’s a little sneak peak into the Creative Brief behind this concept shoot. It’s going to be BIG. (And insanely gorgeous.) If you want even more of a sneak peak, make sure you follow me on Twitter; I’ll be twitpic-ing the day’s events between shots.
I grew up watching a lot of Walker, Texas Ranger. (Just going to let that sink in for a line…)
Now that you have recovered from the shock, I guess saying “grew up” is misleading; like someone else was watching the show and I just happened to be in the same room when the reality is that I watched it on my own. In secret. With passion. Oh, yes. This city girl has a very, very small and until now very, very hidden country side. If I owned cowboy boots, I’d wear them probably more often than would be socially acceptable as a tribute to my love for Chuck Norris and his Cordell Walker character (if J.Crew starts carrying cowboy boots, someone will need to take away my Visa, please).
I’d watch his roundhouse kicks and the way he was able to stop charging animals with his signature Chuck Norris stare (You thought I was joking didn’t you?) and while the already forming mini-city-girl in me laughed at the true campiness, I did kind-of think that maybe one day I would live near Dallas, Texas and own a house surrounded by miles and miles of open space.
So, that said, it may come as no surprise that this super-secret-part-country-girl longs to photograph couples in fields of tall grass and open space. Throw in a red barn in the background and I’m in heaven. Of course, the irony is that I am indeed a city girl; even dreams of country living couldn’t stop that from happening. But give me a camera and I turn into that denim-skirt-pigtailed-Walker-Texas-Ranger fan and I find myself pulling off the side of the road to bring my (infinitely trusting and wonderful) clients into open fields drenched in sunshine.
Oh, Walker. I think I love you.
I feel a pull every year on this freedom-driven Holiday; a sense of obligation to honor, love and serve the people who spend (or spent) their lives dedicated to the service of keeping our country the land of American dreams and progress.
This year, I am spending my 4th of July spending time with a best friend I have missed dearly on an Army base in Kentucky. This holiday, while we enjoy sangria, berries and fireworks, her husband is deployed to Afghanistan protecting and defending this country we love in heat we know nothing about with threats we would care not to know about. More than anything I want to spend this holiday celebrating their sacrifice as a couple and the sacrifices of my family over their years of military service so that I can enjoy every day of my freedom as an American citizen.
To soldiers and veterans everywhere, thank you. There are no more words. Thank you.
Happy 4th to my love, my friends and the people I owe every thing to.
I’ll admit it; sometimes life isn’t as blissful and picturesque as I might want to think. Sometimes Life just flat-out throws a fist-of-doom at you right square in the stomach just to get your attention and prove a point. (Yup. I just used an analogy of Life being the equivalent of a street fighter. Pretty sure that’s who I’ve been trading sucker punches with the last few weeks.)
In the darkness of some cloudy days came one amazing ray of sunshine. Jenna of Eat Drink Pretty made my week and featured Kimber & Chas’s fabulous Utah engagement session. If you don’t follow the Eat Drink Pretty blog, you are missing out. (I mean that.) Between her panache for making the most gorgeous sweet treats, she also posts about one of my very favorite topics: entertaining.
I also found out that a couple of the photos I took of the JNP Studios Workshop Tablescape were published in Issue 9 of the online magazine Utterly Engaged. The tablescape was all about the manly-man so I’m sure they were – ahem – thrilled with the uber-girly squeal that escaped my lips when I first saw my name.
Even though it hasn’t been the kindest of last 30 days, I know how blessed I am to have my photography recognized by a blog and an online publication that I love. Blows to the stomach included, I realize I am living one hell of a charmed life.
I have so many fun blog posts coming up soon including the details of two spectacularly gorgeous Minnesota weddings. Look for those to hit your Google Reader this month, but first…I must go put Life in a headlock. He deserves it.
At the beginning of May I had my own little anniversary date; May 3 marked the date of my first official photo session. I won’t lie, I look back on those first photos in my portfolio and I cringe a little (a lot) but I also celebrate because I have come far since those beginning days. I have failed far more than I have succeeded thus far but out of that I have grown in knowledge, in skill and in confidence. And while I still have so far to go, it’s a little piece of joy to look back and be able to say that I am a totally different photographer today than I was back then.
My hope for next year is that I can look back and cherish where I am right now; WHO I am right now because I think the recognition of how far one has come is important but remembering who you were is just as important. A year ago, I was holding myself back in protection from the fear of the unknown but today I am purposefully running full stride in the direction of fear and uncertainty. I know my failures will be numerous but that’s ok because playing it safe is no longer in my vocabulary.
I am so grateful to the clients and friends I have gained since the beginning of this journey. I have been entrusted with documenting one of the most important events in a couple’s life and I am being honest when I say I am totally honored by their trust.
Saturday was the first wedding of my second wedding season ever and let me tell you, it set the bar pretty high; can’t wait to share. Until then, Happy Anniversary to me and a heartfelt thank you to my clients, friends and support system for pushing me and believing in me. I would not be here without you.
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