Sherry Longley Photography & Design

08/31/2026

Here's another one I've been photographing since he was just a little guy. Meet Jackson! I hadn't seen him in quite a few years, and wow... when did he get so tall?! It always amazes me how fast time flies. It feels like just yesterday I was photographing him as a kid at Sam and his dad's wedding, and now here we are celebrating his senior year.

We met up in Taylors Falls, which has become a bit of a stomping ground for me ever since I photographed Sam and Josh's engagement session there. I was so excited when Jackson chose this location because it's one of my absolute favorites. Between the beautiful scenery, climbing around on the rocks, and hiking the trails, it's always an adventure. If you know me, you know I love any excuse to get out and hike while creating memories.

Jackson was an absolute blast to photograph. He was easygoing, up for anything, and made my job so easy. Whether we were scrambling over rocks, finding hidden little spots along the trails, or just laughing between shots, he brought such a relaxed and genuine personality to the session. Those are always my favorite kinds of sessions!

Jackson, congratulations on your senior year! It was so great catching up with you after all these years, and I hope this year is filled with incredible memories, exciting adventures, and all the success you deserve. Thanks for trusting me to capture such a special milestone. I can't wait to see where life takes you next!

08/31/2026

hahahahahahah So TRUE!!

😂😂😂😂

08/28/2026

Sorry everyone, this one is kind of a rush job, but you'll understand why in just a minute.

Our dear friend Vicki has been part of our family for as long as I can remember. I honestly consider her my aunt. When my dad and Uncle Doyle were little, the three of them were the very best of friends. Vicki and Dale were especially close with my dad going on lots of motorcycle trips together and hanging out. They all grew up together in Ada, and every year they celebrated their birthdays together. She has always held such a special place in my heart, and so do her daughters, Stacy and Steffani. We even grew up playing together as kids.

This past weekend, my sister and I headed up to the cabin to get some things done that needed to get done, and celebrate my dad's birthday. His birthday is on the 25th, and Vicki's is on the 21st. While we were there, we drove over to Ada on Saturday and found out Vicki was having a birthday party. We were able to stay and spend some time visiting with everyone, which was wonderful.

The reason this session became such a rush is because Vicki has been dealing with some serious health concerns. She had gone to a hospital in Fargo after not feeling well, and after scans she was initially told it appeared to be pancreatic cancer. None of us knew how serious things were, but I knew I wanted to get these photos edited as quickly as possible so she could enjoy them and at the time that's all we knew.

Steffani had contacted me before I came up and asked if I could photograph their family while everyone was together. Of course I said yes.

On Sunday, I drove from the cabin to Ada, and the whole family was there. Vicki wasn't feeling well at all, but you would never know it by looking at these photos. She smiled, laughed, and watched with so much joy as we photographed each family. I even had the pleasure of meeting her son and his beautiful family for the first time. They were absolutely wonderful too.

Although she was in a great deal of pain, she pushed through every minute because her family means absolutely everything to her. That's just who Vicki is she has the biggest heart I know.

When we finished, I gave her the biggest hug and a kiss goodbye.

On my way back, I stopped at my dad's cemetery. I stood there talking to him for a while, asking him to have a conversation with God about Vicki and to watch over her. Before I left, I gave his headstone one last kiss and headed back to the cabin.

Yesterday, Stacy shared an update that after what felt like 30 excruciating days of waiting, Mayo returned a preliminary diagnosis that the cancer appears to be in Vicki's liver rather than her pancreas. On Monday, August 31st, she'll be meeting with an oncologist at Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo, along with the palliative care team to help get her pain under control. While this news may offer more hope that it could be treatable, there are still so many unknowns, and they're waiting for more answers.

If I could ask one thing of everyone reading this, it would be to please say a very special prayer for Vicki. Pray for healing, for strength, for comfort, for wisdom for her doctors, and for peace for her entire family as they walk this road together. We are all holding onto hope and praying with everything we have.

Steffani, Stacy, and your entire family... thank you for trusting me to capture these memories during such a difficult season. It means more to me than I could ever put into words. I hope you know I'll always be here for all of you.

Please keep this incredible woman in your prayers. We LOVE YOU SWEET LADY ❤️

08/24/2026

It was finally Cam's senior session, and I honestly can't believe we've reached this milestone already. I've been photographing this incredible young man for so many years that it feels impossible he's almost finished with high school.

We met up in Minneapolis, and he brought along his super sweet girlfriend, which made the day even more fun and of course we had to do a few photos of them together, they are the CUTEST COUPLE!! From the moment we started, I knew this session was going to be a blast. Cam has always been one of those people who makes my job easy, he's a complete natural in front of the camera and has always been my little rockstar during every session. This senior shoot was no different. He absolutely nailed it!

Watching my little clients grow up is one of the greatest gifts this job has given me. It's bittersweet seeing them become young adults, but I'm so grateful I've had the privilege of documenting so many chapters of their lives. Congratulations, Cam! I can't wait to see where this next adventure takes you.

08/20/2026

I got to go back to my favorite little hidden gem.....the amazing bridge area in Sauk Rapids....and I swear I love this location more every time I visit!

Amanda and her crew made the trip from Alexandria, MN, and since St. Cloud is our halfway point, I suggested this spot. The second I told her about it, she was all in, and I couldn't wait to take them there!

One of my favorite parts of this job is getting to watch families grow. We've been doing photos together for so many years that we always end up laughing about the past. Noah was only 5 years old when I first started photographing him... and now he's in college....even crazier, he's attending the same college my daughter did!

And sweet Sophia... she was just 6 months old when I met her. Somehow she's about to start high school this fall. How does that even happen?!

I tell these kids every single year to stop growing, and not one of them has listened yet! 😂

Thank you Amanda, for trusting me year after year. It means more than you'll ever know. Watching your family grow through my lens has truly been one of the greatest blessings of this job, and I already can't wait until next time.

08/13/2026

Some sessions just feel like they were meant to be.

This was my first time meeting this adorable crew, and it all started with an inbox message from Lyndsey. She had stumbled across my page, fell in love with my work, and knew she wanted to book a session with me. Before we ever met, we were already chatting back and forth, sharing ideas, and she was sending me the sweetest photos of her kiddos....especially little Grayson because she wanted to celebrate his first birthday with a special photo session.

They made the trip all the way from Wisconsin to see me, and even brought both sets of grandparents so we could capture three generations together. What a gift that is!

The moment we met, it honestly felt like we'd known each other forever. The girls had me wrapped around their little fingers, wanting to hold my hands as we walked through the park, chatting away like old friends. And can we talk about these kids?! Oh my gosh... they were absolute rockstars, especially for meeting me for the very first time. They smiled, played, laughed, and made my job so easy.

Lyndsey, thank you from the bottom of my heart for trusting me with these memories. It was such a joy meeting your beautiful family, and I truly hope this is just the beginning. Next time, I'll make the trip closer to you!

08/03/2026

I had so much fun with Ethan during his senior session! They made the drive all the way from Eagan, and I had the honor of photographing his sister's senior photos a few years ago. I absolutely love when families come back to me...it means so much. And his mom is the sweetest of all times, so it was fun catching up with her again.

Ethan picked Taylors Falls for his session because rock climbing is one of his favorite hobbies, and he's climbed there before. It made the location so much more meaningful. Not only did we get to capture some incredible senior portraits, but we also got to photograph him doing something he genuinely loves. He even gave me a little lesson on rock climbing along the way! I think I'll stick to taking the photos and leave the rock climbing to Ethan!" 😄

Sessions like this are my favorite because they're about so much more than taking pictures. They're about telling your story, capturing your personality, and preserving this exciting season of life. Thanks for such a fun afternoon, Ethan, I had an awesome time hanging out with ya! Thank you guys so much again for having me back!

07/30/2026

It's Senior Time!!!!! 🎓

Meet Sydney... can I just say STOP IT right now?! She is absolutely stunning! 😍

I've known this family for so many years, and they have always been so good to me. Her mom and I have been counting down the days until it was finally Sydney's turn for senior photos, and it definitely did not disappoint!

We headed back to the same location where we photographed her brother's senior pictures, and apparently, Taylor's Falls has become the place to be this year! I've been there three times in the last two weeks, so don't be surprised if you see a lot more of this gorgeous spot.

By the end of the session, it was so hot and humid that we decided to cool off and take a few photos in the river with her last outfit. What we didn't realize was just how incredibly rocky it was! 🤣 There I was, camera in hand, while poor Sydney was trying her hardest to walk back onto shore. Oh my goodness... we laughed so hard! Those are the moments that make sessions so much fun and create the best memories.

Sydney, you were an absolute joy to photograph, and I had the best time hanging out with you and your mom! I can't wait to see you again soon for your soccer photos. ❤️

07/22/2026

Little Leo's theme for his newborn session... "I'm awake... I'm asleep... I'm awake... I'm asleep..." 😂💙

This little dude was absolutely convinced he was going to miss something if he closed his eyes! He was on a serious mission to supervise the entire photo shoot. Every time I thought, "This is it... he's finally out," those little eyes would pop right back open like, "Nice try, lady!" 🤣 Even after he was out for a min for a minute or two, he cracked open his one eye and that was it, he was watching us again.. Mom was like, he has never been this awake... hahah

I have to admit, I loved getting so many adorable awake photos because his sweet little expressions were priceless. But if you've ever wondered why newborn photographers love sleepy babies... this is exactly why! Those cute, curly poses are way easier when they're snoozing.

So after a few hours of thinking this little guy is gonna win, Mom and Dad were ready to wave the white flag and come back another day for the sleepy poses. But I refused to give up! 😂 He was sooooooo close 🤏... I just knew it. So I said nope, we gotta keep trying.

And then... BAM! 😴 SUCCESS!!!!!! We finally got him sleeping!!! And man did I work fast.

In all my years and after photographing 100+ newborns, only two babies have ever put up this much of a fight against sleep, I thought he was gonna be #3.

Leo... you gave me a run for my money, buddy... but in the end...

The newborn photographer won this one! 🏆📸🤣💙

I can't wait to watch you grow over the year sweetie pie. And Big Brother Silas did such a good job for me too, he is one of the happiest little boys I've ever gotten to know.

07/19/2026

Miss Maddison is turning 5 already... and she made the cutest little Barbie ever! 💖🎀

Mom always comes up with the sweetest birthday themes and the most adorable outfits for her girls. I love bringing their vision to life with fun props and creative touches.

Maddison is such a little poser for me too! I love stepping back and letting her come up with her own adorable poses because that's when her personality really shines through. Happy 5th Birthday, sweet girl! I can't wait to see all the amazing things this year brings for you.