Follow Jason on facebook
search our blog
Follow us with
Follow Stacey on facebook
Wow, what a fun way to start off this week.  We got notified from the fabulous Summer, from Grey Likes Weddings, that Laura and Brett's engagement session is featured on her blog.  This blog is a great resource for wedding trends, inspiration, and all things "grey likes"!  Considering she is on the west coast, we were very honored as Minneapolis wedding photographers to be featured!  Be sure to go check out a few of the highlights she posted here!

Minnesota Wedding Photographers - Grey Likes Weddings.jpg
Digg this blog This blog is del.icio.us Add to Technorati Favorites 0 comments so far
(0) Comments Trackbacks Add A Comment Send To A Friend
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: staja studios featured on grey likes weddings! . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://stajastudiosblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/81
Monday, February 15, 2010

Get mentored by Jason

in the 2010 ThirstRelief Mentor Auction!

Click the images to open them in new windows.


Grow as a photographer while saving lives!

I'm participating in the 2010 ThirstRelief Mentor Auction. Our mission is to save lives by tapping into the incredible talent and generosity of the photo industry.

Did you know that every 15 seconds someone dies of a waterborne illness? That's 5,760 people every day! You can help. Bid on a mentoring session with your favorite photographer!

100% of the proceeds directly benefit Thirst Relief. Add to that the incredible wisdom and talent that is being shared in the one-on-one mentor sessions and you have better and more successful photographers! It's truly a win win for everyone involved!

About me and my mentor auction


'm Jason Thon, also known as the Ja in Staja Studios. Together with my wife, Stacey, we have built a wedding photography studio in Minneapolis, MN. Our focus is on providing a high quality experience for our clients. In addition, I have recently been inspired to begin helping educate and motivate others within the photography community and wedding industry. To date, the most memorable moment of my career was being invited to participate in the Grace Ormonde Thirst Relief Benefit Shoot in Tanzania, Africa. Although I don't have any new workshop, action set, or DVD to offer with this mentor session, what I do have is my experience and the valuable information I have learned and been taught along the way. I don't have any pre-determined agenda, but am available to talk about photography itself: technical skills, finding photography influences, and developing a style. More importantly I am open to the photography business: my thoughts on marketing, the "branding" process and working to develop an identity, and particularly the quirks and advantages/potential pitfalls of working with a business partner and/or spouse. I will be available at WPPI, in Minneapolis, or via telephone to hold this mentor session. I look forward to meeting and helping make your time as valuable as possible.


My mentor session can take place at WPPI 2010 (Las Vegas), in my hometown of Minneapolis, MN, USA OR on the phone.




For more information, please visit thirstrelief.shootq.com!


To bid on me, please go HERE!



I wanted to post this today and encourage everyone to please help spread the word about the Thirst Relief Mentor Auction.  This is my first year as a mentor and I am really excited and honored to be among the list of amazing photographers who are donating their time.  This is Thirst Relief's biggest fundraiser of the year and such an inspiring event.  90 different people have donated their time and are serving as mentors this year.  They each deserve a big round of applause for their selfless contributions.  As some of you may know, I was invited to go over to Tanzania and be part of a benefit shoot for Thirst Relief.  Through this trip, I got to see first hand what this money is going towards.  I can honestly say, that your help is needed.  The drinking water is a serious problem in underdeveloped parts of the world and Thirst Relief is doing it's part to help alleviate the situation.



I would be so honored if you would consider bidding on me as a mentor for this auction.  I will do what ever I can to provide as much knowledge as possible and try to help your business.  It is primarily for photographers but should another wedding professional be interested, I am all yours.  Thank you for the consideration, and your bid is deeply appreciated!

The auction is only live Feb 16th and 17th, so please bid early and bid often!  To bid on me, please go HERE!






Digg this blog This blog is del.icio.us Add to Technorati Favorites 2 comments so far
(2) Comments Trackbacks Add A Comment Send To A Friend
David Drufke, minneapolis says:

Very cool. It will be money well spend for the highest bidder!

(02.16.10 @ 10:54 AM)
David Drufke, minneapolis says:

Very cool. It will be money well spend for the highest bidder!

(02.16.10 @ 10:54 AM)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Please Help Me Save A Life! . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://stajastudiosblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/79
Stacey and I (and the wee ones) wanted to take a moment out of our day and wish you all a Happy Valentines Day.  As you can see, we spent some time on the slopes sledding as a family.  It's too bad we didn't have the camera out for Lauren catching some serious air, but she is proud to report that she has now graduated to the "big hill".  We hope you were able to spend the day with your special loved one/ones! 

HappyValentines001.jpg

I forgot how tough it was going up, while Stacey forgot how tough it can be going down

HappyValentines002.jpg

We are going to have to watch Ian, he likes SPEED

HappyValentines003.jpg

"The Graduate"

HappyValentines004.jpg
Digg this blog This blog is del.icio.us Add to Technorati Favorites 2 comments so far
(2) Comments Trackbacks Add A Comment Send To A Friend
Kristen Drufke says:

I can not stand how CUTE Lauren is! Her look in the last photos is just to adorable for words!

(02.16.10 @ 11:04 AM)
Wanda Oleson says:

You guys are a beautiful family. Love you.

(02.16.10 @ 08:06 PM)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Happy Valentines Day From The Staja Studios Family . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://stajastudiosblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/78
Monday, February 8, 2010
Hey everyone, please join me in wishing my lovely wife and uber-mom a Happy Birthday!  If you want to know what b-day she is celebrating, you will have to ask her.  I have learned a few things as a husband, and this is one of them :).  For those of you who know Stacey, you already know what makes her great, but for those of you who don't, here is what makes her who she is.

To start with, Stacey is fiercely loyal to those who she likes, loves, and trusts!  She will do whatever she can for those who fall into this category.  Family means everything to her.  She loves family more than anything, and this is what makes her such a great mother.  She would do anything for our kids and literally aches inside when they do.  She can be firm, yet has that mothers touch and soothing aura that the kids love.  It is truly a blessing being able to watch her with the kids on a daily basis. 

What do I love about her?  She really is the yin to my yang.  My head is typically in the clouds and dreaming about "the next idea" and she helps keep keeps my feet on the ground, yet still lets me float around.  She can finish my sentences, and knows my quirks.  Above all though, she has sacrificed her personal gain for that of our family.  She lets me run sometimes even if it means she has had to walk!  What more can someone ask for in their spouse?

I love you bird, and hope you have a great birthday!

P.S.  Here are a couple of images our wonderful assistant, Chelsea, took this past summer!

Stacey B-day.jpg
  
Digg this blog This blog is del.icio.us Add to Technorati Favorites 4 comments so far
(4) Comments Trackbacks Add A Comment Send To A Friend
ohana photographers says:

we wish you a birthday full of love and blessings stacey!

(02.08.10 @ 10:58 AM)
Your wonderful Assistant, Chelsea says:

Happy Birthday Stacey!!! You are not only a great boss, mother, wife and photographer, you are also an amazing mentor and role model. Beside my own mom, you are one of the strongest women I have met in my life. Your determination inspires me and you patience astounds me. Lets just say another year never hurt anyone:) Enjoy your birthday!!!

(02.08.10 @ 10:07 PM)
Stacey Thon says:

Wow! Do I have a great hubby or what?? Thank you sweetie, you're the best:)

And Chelsea!, thank you so much for your wonderful comment. Gosh, my head is going to get too big to fit through the door! Jason and I really appreciate you so much. Your eagerness to learn and the fact that you are able to put up with us for extended periods of time (and still have a smile on your face) makes us a great match:) We are excited about the coming wedding season. We miss our Chelsea!

(02.09.10 @ 03:59 PM)
Tonia says:

Happy Birthday Stacey! Hope it was fabulous!

(02.11.10 @ 02:40 PM)
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Happy Birthday Stay-Bird! . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://stajastudiosblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/77
Saturday, February 6, 2010
It always helps to have a little something nice to cushion the blow of snow when just a few hours earlier your toes were snuggled into the sand of the Atlantic Ocean.  Considering we had just left the sun and sand of Florida our spirits after a difficult plane ride were beginning to match the MN weather; however, we received a quick boost the next morning by receiving an e-mail that one of our images was featured along with a quote for a story on MN Bride''s website.  A fellow friend and photographer Katie Raivala had set up a shoot a while back and asked if we would join.  One of her friends wanted to conduct a "trash the dress" session and write a story about it.  Katie was curious if we had any ideas and wanted to participate.  I always love the opportunity to get creative so I was definitely on board.  Plus I think you can learn a lot by shooting with others.  Sometimes it is a new approach or looking at things a new way.  It had been a while since the shoot so I thought nothing had come of it, but imagine our surprise when I found out it was published online and they chose one of my images to feature.  You can read the story on MN Bride's site and view some of the additional images I took here.


ScreenShot-MNBrideTrashDress.jpg
Digg this blog This blog is del.icio.us Add to Technorati Favorites 0 comments so far
(0) Comments Trackbacks Add A Comment Send To A Friend
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Staja Studios Featured on MN Bride . TrackBack URL for this entry: http://stajastudiosblog.com/darkroom/mt/mt-tb.cgi/76