by Amy | Aug 22, 2016 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
It’s no secret that senior portraits are my absolute fave. And when it comes to shooting seniors, I try not to pick favorites. As the summer progresses I meet one awesome kiddo after another and every session seems to be better than the last. But this year, I’m in limbo–living in a hotel room on the Surface of the Sun. Away from my beloved Practically Canada and all the teens there that are so very, very dear to me. All in all, this summer has felt odd, with the lack of families to photograph and seniors and their moms to tell lame jokes to in an effort for a “real” smile. But alas, in a far away place called God’s Country {northern Indiana} I traveled and photographed my one and only senior session of the season. My very favorite. Of all time. Ever. {At least for the next couple years.}
My precious cousin, Erik.
Does he approve of the word precious? I don’t know and I don’t care. He’s precious to me and has been since the day I first met him in the hospital when I was 12 years old. He was precious when he would giggle as I cradled him like a baby when he was six, and too old for that. And he is still precious to me now. But mixed in with the precious–perhaps even over shadowing it–is handsome, smart, and adult. When I look at him now, I see the little one I knew and the man he is–it’s a funny thing. Sometimes, in photographs I think he looks just like our grandfather. Sometimes when he laughs he looks just like he did when he was little and I didn’t live many states away. Sometimes I think he looks so grown up that I must officially be old. Most times, I hate that I live so far away. Which is precisely why this session is just so darn special.
I’m terribly pleased and proud to be related to this one. He drums. He’s smart. He built a computer {whhhatt??}. He’s kind.
Okay. No more gushing. I promise. My aunt is probably crying by now–and I’d be lying if I told you that I didn’t tear up at the beginning of the editing process. Let’s look at these photos. The art of this moment.
Besides the fact that this session revolved around a family member, this session was super fun and special because I got to shoot it in some nostalgic places. Football is a pretty big deal in the little place called Jimtown and Erik is the Center Snare in our high school’s drum line–which I guess is a pretty big deal {we never had a marching band when I was in school}…so we took the drum out to the field. It’s a place saturated with music and cheers, a place that is iconic to every Jimtown Jimmie–and I’m so relieved we had the place to ourselves.
I know most of you aren’t familiar with Jimtown…but those of you who are will recognize this place: The old gym. It stands in the center of our little township. Abandon, unused, across from the pizza place, full of asbestos. A place that looks a little haunted and mysterious. A place that looks downright awesome in photos.
You know that thing that drummers do…where they are constantly drumming on any surface they can find. Yeah, Erik does that. But it totally works. Because photos always look best when the person being photographed is caught in the act of being completely normal. Right?
Well that’s it. Kind of. I’ll be honest and tell you that I went totally overboard on this. Family…I loved every minute of this session…and you are about to receive a giant flash drive. Oops! I just couldn’t narrow it down.
Happy Monday,
Amy
by Amy | Aug 5, 2016 | Blog, The Art of Adventure
I’m not sure where the phrase, “dog days of summer” comes from. I guess I could Google it. I probably will later tonight when a spare moment comes my way. At any rate, we all know what the phrase means. The long, super hot, end-of-summer days. I was in Indiana last week with the fam. The dog days were there–along with high humidity and no rain in sight. I’m back on the surface of the sun now–and you better believe the dog days are here too. The SMF {skin melt factor} is through the roof and the heat beats down from the sky and reflects up from the rocks and pavement.
That said, there isn’t a better time than right now in the face of the heat to finally post up some drool-worthy images from a winter trip to Lake Tahoe I made while on a hiatus from writing.
I’ve been a lot of places, but this is honestly one of the most breath taking. I’ve never been in the summer, but I can attest to the joy that visiting Lake Tahoe in February was. The air is so clean and fresh it actually carries a scent of its own. The water is as clear as your contact lenses. The cool breeze will perk you up better than a strong cup of coffee.
I think my favorite part of Tahoe in winter is the temperature. There is snow on the ground, but we were totally comfortable in sweaters–no coats. It’s a odd thing for a Practically Canadian to see snow without -20˚ wind chills!
Just prior to this adventure I invested in my first ever wide angle lens. And…as you can see from the images that follow–it was worth every penny. Now I’m pretty much obsessed with it. I love these images. The sky. The mountains. The snow. Oh, yes–and one of my very best friends to boot.
We visited South Tahoe–Megan {that’s her in the adorable plaid scarf} lives in Lincoln, CA…so she acted as tour guide/chauffer.
Our trip was pretty short and sweet, but activities abound. Skiing, hiking, kayaking, canoeing…it’s all here. We mostly walked and just took in the scenery–another perfectly good {and free} option. The photos above were taken off of the path that follows the shore near North Lake Blvd.
I think one of Lake Tahoe’s best assets is the accessibility of it’s beauty without a strenuous journey to see it. You don’t need to backpack for days to bag these views. You don’t need to endure sore muscles or a day pack to lay eyes on this treasure. It’s just there. Visible. Breathtaking. For a person like me, who usually hikes, bikes or boats deep in to the wilderness to experience the wonders of nature and a bit of solitude–this was a refreshing excursion. We could just sit on a bench and gaze. Stroll the dock and gaze. Eat at a restaurant–and gaze.
And speaking of restaurants–we ate at Jake’s on the Lake, which was a fantastic choice. It’s stunning, the food is fabulous and if you go in the off season, like us, there will be seats near the windows so you can gawk at the lake while you eat.
image via Lake Tahoe this Week.
Image via. Check out this full weekend itinerary from zipcar.com {where the image above originally came from}.
**TIP** If you head to Tahoe, pop in to the visitor center to pick up a map and they’ll slip you a coupon for a free slice of Hula Pie. It’s ice cream based and HUGE–so share it! {Click on the image to go to their Yelp page for more images of their delightful food.}
After food we drove over to Emerald Bay, a must see {according to all the locals we talked to}. We started at the pull off and left the car, then walked the easy one mile down to the shore of the bay. {Less easy on the way back up…but still a very mild walk.}
Outside of one small family and a bride and groom taking bridal portraits, we had the whole place to ourselves. Have I told you how much I love traveling off season?! From here you can see Vikingsholm–a historic mansion {“castle”} on the shore. You can wander and walk around all you want in the winter, but tours of this gem only happen in the summer months.
image via the California State Parks website.
by Amy | Jul 19, 2016 | Blog, The Art of Projects, the house
In the time I spent away from the blog something truly amazing occurred in my life. My sister, Erin had a baby and I gained the title of aunt. The little lady who gave me this privilege is Elliot, I like to call her Ellie…and she is adorable. {Obviously…just look at her.} I love it. And I hate it because I’m chronically far away. So I do what any good aunt would do in this situation–I pray for this sweet child, and I smother her in fun and gifts whenever I can. For her first birthday {and as a birthday gift for my sister, who’s day is one day earlier} I designed a DIY playroom just for her.
Last week I told you about a looong hiatus I’d taken from writing. But I don’t want any one of you thinking even for a second that just because you weren’t seeing projects churning out on the blog that they weren’t happening. The truth is, I took on and completed some of my favorite projects of all time during these months. And they weren’t even in my own house. {Which is really saying something…because I loved my house projects.} So I guess this puts a question to rest that I get all the time, “What do you do when you run out of projects on your house? Enjoy it…or look for something else?”
Look for something else.
I think a play space is nearly vital to homes with somewhat extreme seasons. Granted, Indiana, where my family resides, is no Practically Canada–or Surface of the Sun–but the winters can be nasty and the summers can be very swampy. So, for all those days when playing outside doesn’t happen…and because it’s nice to have a space dedicated to toy storage–I think Ellie needed a play space.
Here is the before situation. Erin lives in a beautiful subdivision home on the newer side. It’s got a great full basement and lots of storage. They use the basement as a TV room–TV, couch, good sound system, you get the idea. That’s all dandy…except for the weird nook on the end of the basement opposite the staircase.
It measures 6’x7′ and has tiled flooring. Erin thinks that maybe the previous owner used it as an office. Maybe.
Regardless of its previous life, it’s an awkward space for a busy, growing family. It sat for nearly a year as dead space and a little storage. At Christmas Erin and I discussed it’s possibility as a playroom. So, over a week in early march I employed my dad to help me make it happen.
Oh, yeah…and I made Ellie work too.
{Just kidding…she mostly got pushed around in a stroller by my mom while construction took place. And the saw was completely unplugged when we snapped that miter saw photo…to send to Erin while she was working. The first rule of any project is safety.}
We used all kinds of odd materials. An old TV stand, coasters, an oil pan, a cake pan, scrap trim…And you’ll have to come back over the next few days to see what we did with all of it. The project is way too cool to cover in just a day. If you’ve been to Erin’s house, you know what I mean.
xoxo
Amy
by Amy | Jul 15, 2016 | Blog, The Art of Adventure
Let’s talk about heights for a second. I don’t really like them. But here’s the thing about me–Derek has the ability to peer pressure me into being brave. I guess heights aren’t really that bad…unless I’m standing on a diving board. Or the side of a pool. Any time I’m standing over water it’s really the absolute worst. The water always looks a million miles away, even if it’s really only 5 feet and children are diving in like tiny dare devils.
I digress.
The thing about New Mexico, land of enchantment, is that the valleys are blazing hot–but there are mountains really close by. Which is totally cool. Literally cool–because of the elevation. Get it?
So when I’m not sweating to the oldies in Alamogordo, or spending my time finding new ways to spin pin my hair up, we’ve been hiking in the hills. The prettiest so far has been our jaunt to the Mexican Canyon Trestle near Cloudcroft, NM {which is a darling little village.} The hike is on the easy side–good for lungs that aren’t used to the paper thin air down here. The views of the canyon are breathtaking. And if you are dare-devil/peer pressured enough, the trestle itself is quite magical. Let’s be honest…no picture taken here looks bad. Seriously.
Now, don’t go thinking I’m way hard core. It’s really sturdy. Trains weighing more than 300 tons used to cruise across {at least that’s what the sign said} and it’s been restored. Hiking {and yoga} happen at your own risk. I can’t tell you how high it is, but it’s pretty high. And when it was build, in 1900 it was a feat of engineering as it made a tight S-curve through the mountains.
I like places like this. A little dangerous. A little abandoned. A little old. It’s all very magical.
I posted a few of these photos on my personal Feacebook page and got lots of kind reactions and folks curious about where this is and what it is, and why we were up there at all. Cloudcroft, trestle, peer pressure. Trail information is here.
And lastly, I’ll share one more thing with you.
The day after I posted these image on Facebook my time-warp thingy came up and showed me the picture on the left and said, “We care about your memories. You posted this photo 10 years ago today.” TEN YEARS. I’m a little nervous to stand on his shoulders on one leg…but I still think we are pretty circusy, even a decade later. I’m just glad we got lots of practice in on the ground before we tried it somewhere scary high. {I assure you–we didn’t hold this pose too long. Cameras are very fast these days.}
I’m creeping in on the big 3-0 and I like to think I’m maintaining just a smidge of my cool. I hope you are too.
xo
Amy
by Amy | Feb 24, 2016 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
This is Killian and his proud parents. Last week, they were kind enough to invite me in to their home to capture his first portraits. He loves dragons, his new kitty-brother Flynn, and super soft blankets made by his Nanna. He’s got gorgeous deep blue eyes and just a hint of ginger coloring–and it’s safe to say he’s stolen the hearts of both his parents {and most definitely his adoring Nanna, who could look at his sweet face all day.}
I had a wonderful time getting to know this sweet family. Welcoming a new baby home is such a special blessing–as usual…I’m blown away and honored that they trusted me to capture these precious {and adorable} moments with their son.
I don’t typically show off an entire collage of black and white images…but I couldn’t resist. I love this series in monotone–it’s got a sweet stillness about it.
Okay, seriously–how peaceful does this baby look?! After being so wide awake at the start of our session I was thrilled {and a little shocked} when he finally dozed off. I love the way he looks sleeping in these images and the contrast between the highly textured blanket and hats and his brand new, smooth skin. These are some of the coziest images I’ve taken this year.
I can’t resist throwing one more image in to the mix. Killian has a super cool Pokemon onsie and his dad just happened to be sporting a very similar T-shirt. To his Nana’s dismay we snapped a few of him in the outfit that caused her to say,
“What is that poor baby wearing??!!” With an incredulous tone in her voice when she walked in on these images being taken. And while it might not be her favorite…I think it’s pretty darn cute {but really, what isn’t cute on this little guy?} and, after all I really do like photos with personality. So I’ll leave you with this:
xo
Amy
by Amy | Feb 8, 2016 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
Everyone…I’d like you to meet Katie, Tim and Max. Max is the little one, with the brown fur and the gorgeous blue eyes. I’ll be honest…when Katie told me she’d be bringing her dog to the engagement session, I expected someone a little more mature. But this was definitely a pleasant surprise! I love, love, love puppies! {Who doesn’t??} And I’ll be totally transparent, Max kind of stole the show. {How could he not?}
Now I’m getting off topic. Katie and Tim are engaged and they’ll be starting their together-forever as husband and wife in October, and I am so flattered and honored that they chose me to photograph their engagement. We had a picture perfect winter day and I could hardly take my eyes off of Katie’s fabulous hair. {So. Pretty.} These two are full of personality and silly moments. I love couples who laugh together. I got so many good shots of candid, fun moments with these two I couldn’t really narrow things down–which is why it’s taken a little longer than I would have liked to get their preview up online. But alas, here is it, gorgeous photos from a lovely day, with an even lovelier couple. Take a look.
Oh, and did I mention that there was a near miss with a little snow fight?
Katie is a barista at Starbucks, so one shot she knew she wanted included Mr. and Mrs. coffee cups. Such a cute idea that showed off her personal style. And speaking of style—take note here. I get asked all the time, “What should I wear to my session?” Well, Katie nailed it. I want the outfit she is wearing. She’s got classic pieces that aren’t going to look dated years down the line. Then she added some “now” touches, like the cuffed jeans, wedge ankle boots and a chunky necklace–that keep things looking modern. And the texture in the sweater and flannel gives great dimension to the images. Love it!
Again, I’m simply honored that this couple trusted me to capture these moments. Congratulations on your engagement–savor this sweet season. I hope you enjoy this preview–your flash drive is going in the mail today!
Amy
by Amy | Feb 1, 2016 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
This is Stella. Isn’t she just about the cutest thing?? When I arrived at her house she was sound asleep in her mama’s arms. Warm, snuggly, peaceful. So we laid out the soft, cozy blanket and the soft, comfy pillow. Stella laid down, sound asleep. Then I pulled the plug. I pulled the lime green, pacifying plug.
It was incredible. Like flipping a switch, as soon as the pacifier was out the wiggling began. Still seemingly asleep, but now squirming around. Tossing and turning and throwing arms in every direction. Not one to risk letting a sleeping newborn wake up, I put the plug back in. Immediately–sleeping again.
This happened several more times. Plug out. Wiggle, cry a bit. Plug in. Sound asleep. Plug out. Arms flying, crying. Plug in. Peaceful, sound asleep. Eventually through a slow, methodical technique of removing the plug over the course of several minutes–she stayed asleep. And the camera could see her whole, gorgeous face–without the lime green pacifier blocking it. Comical, precious, and totally worth the patience.
Toward the end of her session she finally did wake up. For real wake up. Look at these bright eyes. She was squirmy and happy and I loved capturing every moment of her personality.
I’m so honored to have been invited in to Stella’s home to get these first ever portraits of her. Congratulations on the new arrival of this precious blessing!
Amy
by Amy | Jan 28, 2016 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
Many moons ago Heather bought a mini session I donated to a silent auction. Her gorgeous {and very fun} family opted to wait and use their session once we had snow…which turned out to be a pretty tall order. Even at Christmas card time we didn’t have snow and I was waltzing around in a sweater with no jacket. When the snow finally came, it brought icy temperatures and wind chill advisories. And although winter family photos look awesome {see above} and sound so fun and snowy…no one likes to suffer through with red eyes and noses and kids crying frozen tears because they are miserable and cold.
So we waited and rescheduled and rescheduled again. Then–just as we were about to throw in the towel and wait until March–Minot gave us a gorgeous, only slightly windy, 30˚ day. Such a payout. I’m loving these so much. The jackets, the boots, the snow….! I’m so glad we finally got it. And I sincerely hope this gang loves these images as much as I do {is that a canvas print I hear calling???}
This session was #2 of three outdoor snowy sessions I’m hoping to knock out this week. {The first was Emily and Author}. As soon as I hit publish on this little post, I’ll be headed out the door to set up for another engagement session. And this time instead of dreading the icy weather I’m actually a little concerned that it’s gotten too warm! {Is there such a thing in Practically Canada in January?} Most of the snow has melted away and I’m concerned the bride and groom to-be might get mucky. But we’ll just have to wait and see. If nothing else, I’m sure I’ll have a good story to tell…Look for a preview image up on the Facebook page tomorrow.
Amy
