by Amy | Oct 13, 2012 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
I had an absolute blast shooting these fall family photos in Oak Park a few weeks ago. Besides the fact that the Pride family are near, dear friends…they are always a hoot to work with. During this session we played a game called: How many adults does it take to make a baby smile? The answer…the world may never know. After all our running, jumping and silly faces she was just a bit over stimulated. Turns out she’s happiest when you make her feel like she’s flying.
It was a lovely day. It’s been far too long since I lived in a place with colorful leaves…and these are just about the prettiest I’ve ever seen. After getting some super cute family moments on camera, corralling Scott {he kept wanting to go play with Derek in the park…who was supposed to be carrying gear}, and leaving with a camera bag/diaper bag/purse full of leaves…I think it’s safe to say we all had a fun afternoon.
by Amy | Oct 6, 2012 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
Hey all! Amy Allender Productions is thrilled to have the opportunity to offer mini sessions at Angelic Gardens in Minot, ND. I’ll be on hand during their Halloween at the Gardens celebration. It’s going to be so much fun!
In addition to being a great outing for the family…it’s a great opportunity to get a few last snap shots of the kiddos or the fam before the cold weather sets in up here in Practically Canada.
It’s a pretty sweet deal…$65 for a 15 minute session. You’ll get 5 photos, fully processed in color and black and white. They are yours to print and share as you please!
Or…you can chose to have a single portrait taken for $15. I’ll process it in color and black and white. You’ll get it and be able to print it as you like.
But really, it should be a great time. I hope to see lots of you out at the Garden at the end of the month!
And for those of you who don’t live in Practically Canada…Here are a few tips for creating your own mini session. {I’ll be bringing you more tips after the session date!}
1. Go outside. Natural light always looks better than a flash.
2. Bring something outside with you. I have an old trunk I use sometimes to have families sit on. I’ve pulled my white rocker into a corn field…or in this case, I sat sweet baby Zoe in a potato crate.
3. Think color and texture. Add variety to your photos by adding pops of color around and on your subject. Zoe’s bow and the pumpkins pop in these images. Color is great…but try to keep the background fairly neutral. You want to notice the person first, not the electric green stripped background sheet. Using several different textures in your photos will add interest.
4. What to wear? Call me old fashioned…but I’m a fan of solids. You don’t need to deck your whole family in white shirts and jeans…or a uniform of any kind. But the cold truth is, simple, solid shirts and cozy sweaters will look timeless. Your colored jeans and lace tank {while adorable}–will not. My mom endured a good amount of fashion harassment from me as I looked back at photos of her. I try to avoid this in portraits by wearing something that will be harder to target by my kids 20 years from now.
5. Overtake. We aren’t using film these days. Take way more photos than you think you need. Then weed them out later. After you think you get the “perfect” shot…take a few more just in case.
Hope this helps. And I hope to see all my Practically Canada readers at the end of the month!
Amy
by Amy | Sep 29, 2012 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
It’s nearly midnight here in good old Practically Canada. Derek and I are watching “We Were Soldiers.” Wait. Let me rephrase…Derek is watching. I’m zoning in and out, making a comment every so often to show that I’m still paying attention. I was under the impression it would be more like Stripes, starring Bill Murray. I’ve been sorely mistaken.
But that’s all beside the point. Tonight I’m thrilled to share a very special sneak peek with you. A few weeks ago I was blessed with the incredible opportunity to capture the first moments of a new life on camera. Please welcome Sheridan Hope.
When you see a new life in it’s first hours, the existence of God is so obvious. From the look on mom and dad’s faces, to the sweet curiousity of brand new big sisters, the moments are sweet and infinitely precious. She is perfection, she was sewn together in the image of a God who loves her and has great plans for her life.
Amy
by Amy | Sep 14, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Fitness, The Art of Living, The Art of the Moment
This is a video post. To lessen the frustration of waiting for the video to load…why not scroll down now, then read what I have to say? By the time you’re done, you’ll be ready to watch.
A few months back I got an unexpected email. I’ll tell you more about it next week, when I share the companion video to this post…but this gist is this. I had been praying that God would open a door for me to use my professional skills to further His kingdom.
Then bam! I was blessed with a tremendous opportunity to create a video to help gain support for Nick and Amanda Dunn’s upcoming mission to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. They are brave. They’ll be gone 5 years. The work they’ll be doing is awesome.
Like I said. More next week. For tonight I’ll just show you this video. It’s a combination of footage the adorable couple in question sent me and photos from their trip to the mission field. This is proof that when you ask God to provide outlets for you to use the talents He has given you, to do His work…He’ll provide. We are all given specific abilities. Even our silly quirks play a role in our life’s ministry. Spend some time tonight thinking about your interests, passions and quirks. Ask God to show you how they can be put to service. You might discover something you never expected.
Now enjoy this short video.
Amy
God of this City: Missionary Support Video from Amy Allender on Vimeo.
by Amy | Sep 11, 2012 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
Before Labor Day I had the good fortune of photographing Nadine and her son Phinaeus. They are beautiful. Phinaeus is simply stunning. That lovely skin. Those precious curls. And let’s not forget the dimples.
Once we found each other at our rendezvous point {a dirt road in Minot} it was smooth sailing. The setting is simply divine.
If you like what you see…be sure to tell your friends. Or you can just be a frequent gawker here. I’m okay either way.
Thanks again to Nadine and Phin! You guys made this shoot a total blast.
Amy
by Amy | Sep 9, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Adventure, The Art of the Moment
Keeping with the blog theme here, let’s talk about the unexpected. Over Labor Day Derek and I got some tourist action in down in Rapid City, SD. Tonight I’d like to share some photography and thoughts from our time at the monuments.
I don’t think the four men featured in this monument would have ever expected to be immortalized in this over the top fashion. If you had told George or Tom that their face would be larger than life, carved in a mountain…I dare say they would not have believed you. These were men who did their job, who made their lives count. I don’t think any of them “saw it coming.” The impact their lives would have on our nation, the lasting affects their efforts would have on the generations to follow.
So often we can’t tell how our lives will ripple into the generations to follow. We cannot predict the circumstances that will come our way. We can only face the unexpected with a courageous heart, solid values, and a compassionate soul. Hoping to navigate in such a way that we live a life worthy of remembrance…even if we aren’t carved in a mountain.
Call me corny, but I’ve wanted to lay eyes on this rock for the better part of my life. I thought it would be simply breath taking. And it is.
If you’ve never seen it, don’t believe people when they tell you it’s hokey. It’s faces carved into a mountain. In case you didn’t know…hokey is not a synonym for awesome. This is awesome.
During our time in Rapid City we also went to the Crazy Horse Monument. {It’s where that awkward photo moment took place. } Like Rushmore, it’s a memorial sculpture in a mountain. Which is amazing because it is a project totally funded privately. Generations of family members have worked to preserve this land and move forward with the project. It’s been going since the 1940’s. Someday it will {hopefully} look like this scale model. You know how they “carve it”? Dynamite. Seriously, I’m not kidding. They are carving a person in a mountain with explosives. It blew my mind. {I love puns.}
Amy
by Amy | Sep 5, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Adventure, The Art of Faith, The Art of the Moment
Today reality hit me in the face. Back from vacation and a “do-list” a mile long. {I’m a big list maker in case you didn’t know.}
Reality.
Lists. Work. Editing. Emails. Phone calls.
Then I sat for a minute and saw this photo. I snapped this at Sylvan Lake at Custer State Park over the weekend. And suddenly, unexpectedly, I remembered that this is reality too. Both are real and wonderful in their own way.
I need to embrace both of them and appreciate the fact that both of these realities have been hand-crafted by God. My loving heavenly Father.
What reality has He crafted for you?
Amy
by Amy | Sep 4, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Adventure, The Art of the Moment
You know when you are on vacation and you ask a stranger to take your photo?
I think we’ve all been there. Over the weekend {possibly the best Labor Day Weekend I’ve ever had} we were at the Crazy Horse monument in South Dakota. I’ll tell you all about the trip in the coming days….but for tonight I just wanted to fill you in on this little awkward moment.
So. Back to the original statement. We are at Crazy Horse. I was setting up my camera on self-timer when a kind gentleman asked if I wanted him to snap the photo for us.
“What a sweet offer. Of course. ..Yes we were trying to get both the scale model and the monument in the photo. Thanks so much….It’s the big button in front there.”
As we crowd together. He starts waving his hand as if asking us to scoot to the right a bit. So we shuffle. While scooting over he clicks the photo. Then he says to his wife, “Not them. You honey. Move over a bit.”
A large woman in a highlighter yellow t-shirt gives a light laugh and says, “Oh, haha, was I in the picture?”
Her husband replies, “No, I think it was okay.”
We review the photo. The subject of the photo is supposed to be Derek, our dear friend Megan and me. But, as you can see…someone else stole the show. Yeah…I think she made it out of the photo in time. No, not really. You are definitely in the photo. In hindsight, you are the subject of the photo. Classically awkward. Love it.
So let’s raise a glass to all awkward vacation photos. Right here, right now. I bet you have a few of your own.
Amy
