EmilyJohnPhotography

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Excelsior, MN
EmilyJohnPhotography

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Hey there, thanks for visiting! I work with families & local biz owners to create a collection of im

09/02/2026

Wow, it's already September! Have a great start to your fall season and remember - headshot sessions in Sept and Oct book a little further out than most months as this is "busy season" for our little biz.

Visit the website to book online or contact me about scheduling an on-location session at your office or favorite spot!

08/29/2026

Youth acting/modeling headshots might be one of the most fun things I photograph in the studio. 🎬

Yes, we’re creating a great starter portfolio — a mix of expressions, looks and personality that your young actor or model can use for auditions, casting calls and opportunities as they come along.

But there’s a little bonus hiding in there too…

Mom and Dad walk away with some REALLY great photos of their kid.

Not stiff school pictures. Not an overly posed portrait. Just a clean photo of those expressions you know so well — the big grin, the quiet confidence, the mischievous look, the serious side, and all those little pieces of personality that make them *them* right now.

So whether acting becomes a lifelong passion or simply a really fun chapter, you’ll have a portfolio ready for what comes next — and some pretty fantastic portraits from this age to keep forever. ❤️

Thanks Payton for bringing your full energy and sweet personality to our session - knock 'em dead girl! 🎭📸

08/16/2026

"Beauty begins in the moment you decide to be yourself." - Coco Chanel.

What a gift it is to work with people who are unapologetically themselves, and to bring that authenticity out for the world to see! When Nate stepped up to the plate wearing such a great outfit there's not much more to do than fluff the bandana, tip the hat and start shooting.

When the personality is already doing all the heavy lifting — I just step back and catch it 💪🏼

Thanks to Nate and to Boerger LLC in Chanhassen for having me out to photograph your company, it was an honor!

08/15/2026

🤯 Why have I not shared this shoot yet?!?!

If you haven't seen Pandora's Other Box perform - go to their FB page right now, find a show near you, and put it on the calendar! Trust me, it will be the highlight of your week! I've known Tristana for years now, and she has assembled a powerhouse of musicians that are just a joy to listen to and sing along with (and yes last Friday I was pumped when they performed "Kyrie Eleison" by Mr. Mister and sang my heart out 🤣).

I feel so lucky to live in a community that values art & music, is filled with amazingly creative and talented people, and truly supports local with their time and dollars. It's rare! And such an honor when a good friend trusts you with helping create such an important set of images!

For this photo shoot we started in my studio and then walked around downtown Excelsior to three locations I had scouted out for them. We worked off of an inspo Pinterest board for the overall aesthetic, the wide angles, the placement of each member within the composition, and the final edit.

🤓 For Camera Geeks: On the first and second image in my studio I pulled out my Canon 24mm tilt shift lens. This lens is always used in the architectural stuff, but I've wanted to start using it more creatively. That natural falloff of bokeh on the second image was created in-camera as the focal plane was "tilted" 30 degrees. So fun to play around with 🤓

08/14/2026

Need a new headshot? You can basically book it while you’re waiting for your coffee. ☕️

I’ve tried to make the whole process as easy as possible.

✅ Book Online with no back-and-forth emails trying to coordinate calendars. Go to my website - www.emilyjohnphotography.com or link above to find the booking page.

✅ Get your outfit(s) ready. You can use the "What to Wear Guide" available on the home page of my website to find inspo for your outfit, or reach out with specific questions. Or just bring a few options with you the day of your shoot and we can choose together or try a few different options and see what images you like best.

✅ Show up for your session with clothing en tow. Shoot. Look through all your images. Reshoot and make adjustments as needed. Choose your favorites. Let me know what specific retouching you'd like.

✅ Your hand-retouched final images will be emailed to you usually by the next day.

✅ Use your shiny new headshots in all the places. Aaaaaaand your done!

08/13/2026

Your best smile isn’t necessarily your biggest smile.

Some people light up with a huge, toothy grin. Some look most like themselves with a little closed-mouth smile. Some have that perfect in-between expression that shows up right before they start laughing.

My job isn’t to tell you which one you should have.

It’s to help you get comfortable enough in front of the camera that we can find the expression that actually looks like you.

We’ll try a few things. We’ll talk. We’ll probably laugh. And somewhere in there, we’ll find it.

Because a great headshot shouldn’t look like you’re smiling for picture day.

It should connect the viewer with your true authenticity.

08/12/2026

👍 Business Photography doesn't always have to be headshots.

For a small team like the 🔥 powerhouse all-female group at Kindrid Spirits Wealth Managment in Edina, we booked a quarter day session with the intent of creating a collection of images that tells a little more of their story — portraits of each team member, photos of everyone together, and images of what it actually looks like to work with them. All in their own office and highlighting the powerful mural they have on the back wall that defies the norms of their industry.

What does it feel like to work with you and your team? Let's capture it! I’ll come to your office and bring the studio with me. Let's create a library of photographs you can use across your website, social media, marketing materials and more.

Professional? You Betcha.

Generic AI renders? Nope.

Magazine-Worthy yet Authentically You? Absolutely.

02/14/2026

Happy ❤️ Day!

❓In the spirit of love I want your answer: What is one of your your most-loved-photos and why?

I'm sharing a few of my most loved winter photos with you today! This weekend I'm up in Ely MN at the family cabin with the boys, the cousins, aunts, uncles and grandpa. One of my most loved photos comes from the set I've shared below. I took these shots a couple years ago on this same "family winter cabin weekend" and I just love them because it brings me back to that day. It was one of those moments when the planning and the weather actually cooperated, allowing the kids to spend the day ice fishing, building forts, and getting pulled behind the snowmobile. Winter in Minnesota has its moments!

Have a great weekend with your loved ones!

02/13/2026

💖 A little more pink please 💖

Grace came in last week for her first headshots to launch her into the world of acting & modeling, and I couldn't have been more excited to work with such a beautiful spirit! We captured a variety of expressions for the portfolio - from the the sweet smiles to the 13-year-old-boss attitude. Grace - you've got a spark and I can't wait to see what catches fire as you grow your newfound passion! Happiest birthday this week too!

Is your tween or teen looking to start their portfolio? Give me a call and we'll help capture their true personality.

02/12/2026

Wait....can you schedule a headshot session for your Senior Photos?

Yes you can! Although I do offer premium Senior Photo sessions that are amazing, I've found over the years that some families need a different option than the full 3-hour sunset session in a flower field. 🌅

Sometimes… a parent just needs a handful of really great photos without the large production and luxury price tag.

Professional Images that:
✨ Look polished in the yearbook
✨ Feel natural (not overly posed)
✨ Capture their personality
✨ Are professionally lit, posed, and refined

➡️ Enter my solution - the Senior Headshot 📸.

Book an hour of time with me at the studio. We’ll keep it easy, efficient, and actually fun — and you’ll walk away with images that are just as high quality as those created during a full premium session.

If you’re thinking, “We don’t need the whole garden-at-sunset thing…we just need a great photo,” this might be exactly what you’re looking for.

📸 Twin Cities studio
📅 Limited senior headshot spots available

DM me “SENIOR” and I’ll send you the details.

Address

35 Water Street
Excelsior, MN
55331

Website

http://www.emilyjohnphotography.com/

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