I shot some portraits of the lovely Amber a little over a week ago, and I'm thrilled with how they turned out! She's adorable & was just charming in front of the camera. Be on the lookout for more soon!
I'm booking senior portrait sessions for this summer! I adore photographing seniors, so feel free to connect with me via my contact page. Ames, Cedar Falls, Des Moines and beyond—I'm your gal!
This family came into my life last summer (2015) and I'm SO glad for that! Emily and Rich are just wonderful people, and when I found out they were expecting, I was thrilled. Their little girl was born this summer, and I finally got to meet her when we photographed some family portraits in Cedar Falls during the fall. It was a little wet, but the trees were gorgeous & they modeled perfectly! Cheers to blogging photos 5 months late. ;)
Morganne and I spent a few hours chatting, reading, journaling, and shooting at Stomping Grounds last week before classes started up and the influx of students filled up all the cafes in town. Maybe someday, I'll share some video of our adventure. ;) But for now, here's a few stills!
Digital photos are wonderful. They're easy to share, transport, manage. However, nothing can replace printed images. The art of printed photos, scrapbooks, and albums has gone by the wayside in lieu of CD's, flashdrives, and online sharing. It's a shame!
I can't fix or change that. And honestly, I wouldn't really want to! However, I hope to offer my clients the chance to have high quality, long-lasting, and beautiful albums to display for years to come. These albums will be cherished on wedding anniversaries, or after a fight when better times need to be remembered. They'll be pulled out to show their children as they recant how they met, got engaged, and the day they said, "I do."
I'm so excited to now offer high quality albums to my clients! They definitely exceed anything you can get on snapfish. ;) It was so much fun to design this one for the Freemans, who married last summer in Des Moines, and I wanted to give you all a peek into their wedding album. It's never too late to order one—even if your wedding was 5 years ago, I'd love to create one for you! Or, if you are getting married in 2017, add one to your photography package!
It will be worth it…I promise!
I forgot to get a good photo of the cover, so excuse the one of it in the box! Don't you just love the beautiful grey fabric? It reminded me of the groomsmen's suits from the wedding day! Also, take note of how well it lays flat when open (below).
Ahhhh! If I had an album of my own, I'd never stop looking at it. (Insert heart eyes emoji here!) It's my dream that someday, all my clients will insist on these in their photography packages. How could you not? ;)
PS! I still have openings this summer and fall! If you are getting married in Ames, Cedar Falls, Des Moines or beyond and looking for a wedding photographer… shoot me an email and let's talk! I can't wait to create more beautiful images of wonderful weddings.
You know couples trust you when they agree to take their engagement photos outside…during the winter! Maddie and Steven both grew up in Cedar Falls, started dating in high school (I actually got to take both of their senior photos!), and have been attending UNI the past few years. Steven proposed to Maddy this fall, just down the street from Cup of Joe, where we started off their engagement photos. I'm so excited for their August wedding, which will certainly be much warmer than their engagement session! ;) Enjoy a few of my favorite photos!
Ok. I have to be honest with you all.
I am in no way ready for 2017. (And, oops, we are 5 days into 2017 already!)
Thankfully, as Lara Casey puts it, "There's nothing special about January 1st."
2017 brings excitement, as any new thing does. It is shiny and sparkly—full of gold balloons and noise poppers and bubbly champagne. But then the party ends. Friends bundle up and head into the dark morning. And you climb into your bed under extra blankets and wonder…what will this year be? 2017, for me, will be full of changes. What changes? Well, I'm not entirely sure at this point! Which is ok.
The learning curve in your 20's is steep, or so they tell me. So far, I've moved out of my parents' home, transferred from a local college to a state university, legally set up my photography business, graduated university, started a job in full time campus ministry, and turned 25. The past two years, specifically, have been truly growing. I've learned so much about who I am, how I'm wired, and ultimately…that I need to follow Jesus daily. Life after college is so different, and even though I'm still connected to college students for my job, my life is really in a different stage and thus, I have different needs. We are not made to live in college forever, wandering and wondering about our purpose.
2017 holds a lot of unknowns. My full time ministry commitment comes to an end late this spring, leaving summer open and full of questions. People and sharing life & Jesus with them has a huge part of my heart. I want to continue on that path, but I am unsure what that looks like. Will I stay in Ames? Will I use writing and media for mobilizing to the nations? Will I actually make it full time in photography? I don't know! That stresses me out, y'all. BUT, it is also a wonderful place to be. It's a place for dreaming. Asking questions. And praying for answers. So, with that, I have dreamed up some goals for this new year, both personal and business, and am sharing them with you today!
Whew! That's a lot. (And I'm sure I've forgotten to write up a few things here.) 2017 might just be my craziest, busiest, scariest year yet. However, I know that Jesus goes before me in all things and that He will provide all that I need. It may not be the way I expect, but it will make me more like Him, and ultimately, that's my biggest prayer for 2017. As I journaled last night, "Would you use this work to sanctify me, to make me more like you?" I have no doubt that, wherever this year goes, He will do that. :)
What are your goals and dreams for this year? I'd love to hear them!
Amelia
It's no secret that I LOVE red hair! My mom, great uncle, and many cousins have variations of red hair and growing up I always wished that I had inherited that. (Secretly hoping that someday I'll marry someone with the genes & we'll end up with a bunch of redheaded kiddos….;) But, that's not really important! The reason you're all here is because Katie and Jake are engaged!
Although Katie is a redhead (with some serious long & gorgeous locks!), that's not the real reason I adore her. She's genuine. This gal knows how to work hard, love well, have fun, and be passionate about what matters. Jake complements her well—he's a "farmboy" with a great work ethic, yet cares deeply for the people around him, and isn't afraid to speak the truth in love. The Lord has worked through these two as individuals to impact so many students at Iowa State, and now they're heading out to Colorado to start married life together! Their wedding is in March and will be gorgeous, no doubt…Katie studied event management, and I can't wait for their beautiful day ahead.
Growing up, it was a real good bet that you'd find me with my nose in a book. We went to the library regularly, and I could never leave with under 10 new pieces of literature. In fact, I wanted to be a librarian when I grew up! (Still kinda do…)
As an adult, it's been important for me to learn how to rest in my time off. I love watching movies and television, but honestly, that isn't the best way to rest. A lot of my life requires me to be on a computer, camera, or phone screen. So, resting in other ways is really, really healthy. And fun! It's been amazing to get a new library card. I've used it multiple times, and have no plans to stop. ;) For those of you who also enjoy a good book, here's a list of a few of my recent "reads"…maybe you'll enjoy them, too!
1. A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (blogger at Orangette). This book was one of my favorites! I'm considering checking it out again, just to make some of the recipes inside. Molly crafted it with class and taste, and it's a great example of a creative non-fiction work. Find this at your library if you enjoy food & memoir-style books.
2. Madeleine L'Engle has been a favorite author of mine since I re-read A Wrinkle in Time in late elementary school. The Ames library doesn't have many of her works, but this one was perfect for a lazy weekend with a few mugs of tea. Certain Women ties together family, love, mystery, & art in classic L'Engle style.
3. At Home in Mitford is the first in a series by Jan Karon. I actually picked up the first one for $.50 at a local thrift shop last year & fell in love! So far, I've read about four of the books in the series. These are sweet and easy reads, bringing in faith, a little mystery, and lots of good fun!
4. Seven by Jen Hatmaker turned out to be so much better than I'd imagined! I seriously laughed and cried through it, and was also really challenged to think through where my time and money go. I'm not sure that I could pull something like this off…but I have some practical fasting goals for this year, in part inspired by this book!
There you go! A few books to look into, if any of them sound like your kind of read. I would love to hear what books you have read lately! What books do you suggest for me this spring? Leave your ideas in the comments below!
-Amelia
Here we are, just a few short days away from the end of 2016 and ready to jump into 2017. The fresh start of a new year never seemed to be a big deal for me growing up, perhaps due to the school year's dominance in academic life. This year feels different. I'm not sure why, because I still live very much in the academic year (hello, college ministry!). Maybe it is due to the fact that I'm older. Paying taxes and thinking about insurance and all that! Whatever it is, I'm feeling very excited to jump forward in 2017. Just even typing those numbers — 2017 — makes me happy. Don't they look so clean & lovely!? It's almost like anticipating a clean, white snowfall. Fresh. Glistening. Ready to be explored.
That's not why we're here, though! This post is to look back. Reflect on 2016 & all the sweetness that it has been. To soak up the last few minutes, rejoice in all that has been and not been, and be thankful. So, here's to you! My friends & not-yet-friends. Those who faithfully read along here, and to you who randomly clicked on this post. And of course…to all my wonderful clients! I am so truly grateful for each of you. It means so much to me to that time and time again, couples, families, and seniors would choose to invest their time, energy, money, and memories to me and my camera! I am truly honored to be a part of your lives in this way. Thank you for trusting me as I grow in artistic ability, in passion, and as a person.
Here are some of my favorite moments, captures, and sessions from 2016. Enjoy!
If you know of anyone looking for a wedding or portrait photographer (or you are yourself!), connect with me via my contact page! I serve the Cedar Falls, Ames, Des Moines areas… and love to travel! So if you're looking for a Colorado or Minnesota or Hawaii wedding photographer, I might be your gal. :)
The only thing that can really truly capture (and share) my love of Colorado would be a sound bite of me, squealing with joy at high-pitched frequencies. So, I will spare your ears the probable pain and instead share some photos (much more appealing to the senses!) of my brief time in Colorado for my fourth Edge Summit. I hardly pulled my camera out, but did snag a few photos with two of my good friends out at Garden of the Gods…and a few more at a coffee shop in town.
I'm in love with The Principal's Office. It's in an old schoolhouse (Ivywild) that has been purchased and re-created into the neatest space for creatives! My kind of hang. ;) They've got a great assortment of drinks…you could hit them up for your breakfast cup of joe, and then head back in the evening for your after-dinner drinks! Definitely check them out if you're in the Springs.
Also, I'm seeing so many proposals happenin' out there these days! Tis the season for engagements…which means that wedding season is coming up fast. :) I'm still booking 2017 weddings, and have room for some bookings yet this summer and fall! Shoot me a note on my contact page if you are getting married this next year. Or, if you have a friend who just got engaged, I'd be honored if you would share my website with them! I would LOVE to photograph not just midwest weddings, but weddings in other states as well… like Colorado! ;)
Be on the lookout for some fun "end of the year" posts!
November can be a gorgeous month, especially on sunny days. This November was unseasonably warm. All the way until Selena & Josh's wedding, that is! Thursday we had weather in the 60's, but Saturday was mostly in the 30's and pretty windy to boot. The bridal party put up with me begging them to head outside for photos, and were such troopers! The light really was gorgeous, and I'm thankful we made it happen. :)
This wedding was simple and sweet. So many dear friends came to see these two married off, and laughter reverberated through the sanctuary and reception hall the entire day! A few moments that I loved were Selena's first look with her dad…and the cake cutting. ;) Scroll along to see for yourself!
I get a lot of people these days asking me if I photograph babies. The answer is: not often. But, it's always a treat to! My favorite way to photograph little ones is within the context of their family. Parents, siblings, those who love them most—surrounding them with moments of love! So it was a pure joy to escape to Ankeny in October to practice my family photography and make photos with this cutie & her parents! Thank you, crazy fall weather, for giving us a perfect evening with golden light and magic floating about in the warm breeze.
PSA: I am, in fact, booking for 2017! If you're interested in connecting about proposal photos, wedding photos, or anything else…consider me your gal & shoot me a note via my contact page! I pretty much serve anywhere in Iowa (and I LOVE to travel!). Happy Thanksgiving, friends!
This semester has been stressful. The sometimes-good-sometimes-bad kind. By good, I simply mean full days and weeks where productivity reigns. (I think sunshine helps, too.) But those only last so long, before the stress turns me into a hermit-ous mass covered in blankets, drinking too much tea, and watching one too many episodes of Parks and Rec. Or two too many. Hashtag, honesty.
I am thankful for the busyness. Last year, I had a lot more free time. That led me to feeling guilty for the time I had. My time is in higher demand this semester, and I have grown much more in confidence and skill because of that. However, I am realizing that I must choose to be intentional with my time. "Full" times of year can lead to burnout if not handled properly, or extreme workaholicness, or laziness. I get to choose. The time I'm given, it is costly. Precious. And it is so so so easy for me to spend it (especially the "free time") on myself.
Instead, I want go grow. To not feel guilty for the hours I've netflix-ed, but to learn that in moderation, it's great. But that I am much more full of joy when I spend a free evening cooking for a friend, sharing our hearts, and sitting underneath white christmas lights in the late-fall darkness. That library books can be a great refreshment (and sight for literal sore eyes). And when's the last time any of us took a walk in nature without thinking about our phones?! Just to enjoy the birds, the light, and breezes floating past us. (Too soon they will turn into winter winds, my friends!) Most imortantly, I've been recognizing my need to cultivate time with Jesus. I've found a favorite candle at Target (here) that I love to light, and I want it to be piece of my routine. That small wick, lit bright and allowing its aroma to influence the area around it…just like I'd like my life to be—lit, and shining brightly for the one who brings fullness of joy & peace.
“For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”
It was so wonderful to receive an email from Maggie's mom, asking if I would take her daughter's senior photos at one of my favorite places: Ledges State Park! I adore Ledges, especially in the fall. It's full of gorgeous colors, woodland creatures, and lovely light. Not to mention, Maggie was such a blast to work with! She is as sweet as they come, and that alone will help her do well in the years ahead. :)
Katie & Jackson were so laid back during their engagement session! It was so much fun getting to know them, and hearing about how Jackson proposed (he rode a good amount of the way from Ames to Iowa City to ask Katie to marry him!). Also, they climbed a tree. MAJOR cool points for that. I'm so so so excited for their wedding this next September at the Celebration Farm!
Hello, friends! Wow….this fall has been so busy! Is it just me, or has anyone else looked at the calendar in blank confusion that we are just weeks away from Thanksgiving?! (Also, that means so close to the new Gilmore Girls episodes! SCORE.)
Josh and Selena get married in just about 10 days, and I'm so excited for their wedding! The first time I met Selena was when I photographed Liz and Scott's wedding back in May. She wasn't engaged yet, but already was hoping I'd photograph her wedding when that day came. Now, just 6 months later, that day is almost here! It's going to be a sweet November wedding and I just can't wait! Until then, enjoy some of my favorite photos from their engagement session from earlier this fall:)
Meet Elly! She's super sweet with just a bit of sass. We had no problem giggling together during her senior session, and found some great hidden spots in the Waterloo area for her senior photos! I was thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph her…because I did her older sister's senior photos a few years back! It's always a treat to be welcomed back by a family for more photos. Especially senior photos! Nothing like hanging out, laughing together, chatting about whatever randomness we want, and getting some great shots! Elly was a natural, and I hope you can tell just how kind she is from these few favorites on the blog. :) I'm still booking senior sessions for the class of 2017 in the Des Moines and central Iowa area, so feel free to connect with me via my contact page!
Jared and Alea had the sweetest August wedding one could dream of! It was a joy to capture them on their wedding day, making a covenant together in front of all their family and friends. It was perfectly them, which means boots, country music, and some of the best home cooked food that you could imagine was involved! I think that my favorite part of this day (besides Alea's dance with her father—talk about a real tear jerker!) was sneaking out for sunset photos on the golf course. MMMMMM, yes please. (Also, shoutout to my lil sister for seconding and snagging some of these photos!)
“At last, at last
Bones of my bones
And flesh of my flesh
At last”
Jesse & Sophie. Two people, so perfectly designed by a Creator for life with one another. They met through college, and most of their relationship has been long distance (try Iowa to Indonesia!) but now they finally get to live life…TOGETHER! Despite some crazy heat and humidity, and a few unexpected rainshowers, this day was lovely. Sophie and her girls got ready at the church, in the library. Her parents married here, and now, it was her turn! We took wedding party photos at the old brick church building, which was gorgeous and turned out splendidly. After the wedding, we headed to the reception hall in Nevada, where the BEST DANCE PARTY of my life happened. (And everyone else's too, I'd bet!) A highlight of the night was when "Jesse's Girl" came on & Jesse proceeded to dance enthusiastically to it. ;) The evening ended with a birdseed exit—and I LOVE how it looks like glitter in the photos! What a night!
“I’m gonna live where the green grass grows
Watchin’ my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord’s blessed
Point our rocking chairs towards the west
Plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows”
It's hard to express this day with words. Jess was my very closest friend for three years in high school, and watching her move away to college after graduation was so hard for my little 18 year old heart. However, our friendship remained constant…through twitter, skype, and the occasional sleepover. A few years in, Jessa started talking to a boy. Brandon. "B." And wouldn't you know it, college graduation, way too many miles of driving most weekends, a puppy-turned-dog, and grad school later, they are finally married!
Photographing Jessa's wedding day was so very sweet. It's what we dreamed of in high school, come true at last! Actually, it's not. It's better. Because our dreams in high school were sub-par and awfully hilarious. Good thing God knows better than that. ;) Enjoy Jess and Brandon's wedding day photos—a sweet summer day full of sunshine, prairie flowers, family, friends, and so much love!
