A Winter Couples Shoot in Duluth, MN

Shooting in a city for the first time always brings a fresh perspective. I found myself slowing down—paying closer attention to light, textures, and natural framing. Duluth encouraged a more intentional approach, one that blends adventure with intimacy.

The weekend following Thanksgiving, I ventured from the big city of Chicago to the intimate, cozy town of Duluth, Minnesota. When I landed, I was surprised (but also not surprised) to see that it had already been snowing. It was my first time experiencing true cold and snow again since the previous winter, and it definitely took me a moment to readjust to the conditions.

The couple I worked with, Z and Amanda, aren’t just familiar faces—they’re old friends. Amanda and I have been friends since college, and she’s been cheering me on since I first started this little business of mine. She’s done several sessions with me over the years, and when she asked me to come visit and photograph them in their home city of Duluth, I instantly booked a flight.

Outside of our session, Z and Amanda were the absolute best hosts and tour guides. They took me to some incredible restaurants and iconic locations throughout Duluth and their neighborhood in Superior, Wisconsin. Our first night kicked off with dinner at Wasabi AYCE, where Amanda and I ate an impressive amount of edamame, an incredible Alaskan crab California roll, fried rice, and savory salmon sashimi.

On the second day, we headed to Empire Coffee, where I had an amazing breakfast and the best hot chocolate. While we ate, the three of us casually worked on a Duluth-themed puzzle that was sitting on our table, all while planning for our couples session later that afternoon.

After breakfast, Amanda and I drove around Superior and started prepping for our adventure. Amanda had already scouted out the session location, and when she showed me a photo she’d taken there the winter before, I was immediately sold. Fate was clearly on our side—snow had fallen overnight and was set to start up again right as our session time approached.

When it came time to shoot, we ventured through downtown Duluth and north of the city to a plaza. Little did I know, I was about to experience one of the most beautiful locations I’ve seen in a long time. Once we parked, we hiked down a hill to a small walking path where our session took place. The photos Amanda had shown me truly didn’t do this place justice. To make it even more magical, it began snowing again—resulting in the dreamy images you see throughout this blog.

By the end of our session, we were cold but completely content with the experience we’d just shared. Since Amanda has worked with me multiple times before, she’s well-acquainted with my real-time methods and creative chaos. As soon as we got back to their apartment, we cozied up on the couch to look through what we’d created. And when I say these RAW files were stunning—I truly mean it.

The rest of the day was spent warming up and catching up like old friends do. Then came a very unexpected email. As someone who travels frequently for photography, I’ve dealt with my fair share of flight delays and schedule changes—but I’d never experienced a cancellation… until now. I was notified that my flight back to Chicago had been canceled due to harsh winter conditions stretching from Minnesota all the way to the East Coast.

One thing to note: the Duluth airport is one of those cozy, small-town airports where all the gates are along a single stretch and only a handful of flights come and go. This cancellation left me with very limited options. I could either wait until the next available flight on Wednesday (not an option, since I needed to return to my full-time job—and so did my friends), or rent a car and drive home.

In the moment, I was panicking—major shoutout to Z and Amanda for keeping me from completely crashing out. Looking back now, I can laugh about it. On the bright side, the cancellation gave me something I’m incredibly grateful for: more time with friends in a new city.

The next morning, instead of waking up at dawn for the airport, I got to sleep in. I spent the morning with Z and Amanda, driving around Duluth under the most beautiful sunny skies. I also took some headshots for Z around Duluth City Hall before we headed to Fitger’s Inn for breakfast—a stunning combination of a boutique, inn, and local shops in the heart of the city.

Fitger’s ended up being my favorite place we explored. Walking through the space, popping into local shops, and seeing all the restaurants in one place reminded me so much of the West Side Market in Cleveland. We grabbed breakfast at Yellow Bike Café, which was unbelievably delicious, and met some incredibly kind locals along the way. I can confidently confirm: “Minnesota nice” is very real.

After our time at Fitger’s, Z and Amanda dropped me off at the Duluth airport—with a tearful goodbye—so I could pick up my rental car and begin the seven-hour drive back to Chicago. The drive was beautiful. The snow-covered trees and quiet landscape felt straight out of a Hallmark movie. When I finally arrived home, I was exhausted—but so content with the adventure I’d just experienced.

This trip reinforced why I love destination and travel-based sessions so much: every location adds its own layer to the story. Duluth was absolutely stunning, and I can’t wait to return again soon. Until then, enjoy the dreamy snow-filled moments below. ❄️✨