You won’t believe how much fun this photo session was! Kennedy is going to be a senior this coming school year, and we explored downtown Des Moines and the surrounding area for some really fun senior pictures. Check out the blog post for the perfectly sunny evening, and lots of sweet photos.
This session was full of great light and lots of laughter, and even some magical wildflower fields! Hannah giggled at all my dumb jokes, and made our time together a blast! We started downtown in Des Moines, canvassing a wide range of locations, before heading up to the lake for some dreamy sunset photos. Enjoy a few favorites from Hannah’s senior photo session!
Megan and Evan’s wedding day remained a gorgeous celebration of love, despite the months of hectic re-planning due to Coronavirus. They kept their original date, and chose to marry outdoors in the gorgeous space of Rock Creek State Park in central Iowa— with just immediate family and a couple close friends to witness their nuptials. Click to see more of this stunning outdoor wedding!
I uploaded a few new photos, along with some previous work, because I’m having such a blast with the class of 2021! Summer is my favorite season to take senior photos —maybe this will show you why! The light is soft, we get late sunsets and lots of pretty wildflowers. Plus, it might be hot… but at least it isn’t cold! After all, Iowa seems to spend half the year in winter. ;) Enjoy some stunning senior portraits and email me if you’re in need of your own senior pictures here in Des Moines, Ankeny, Ames, or even Cedar Falls or Dubuque!
Click to see more engagement photos of Kayla and Michael in Ames, Iowa!
Evette and I met during our college years, and we didn’t really stay in touch. However, social media has a way of keeping even acquaintances connected. So when Evette moved to Des Moines, and got engaged, she sent me an email. It was so much fun to reconnect with her during engagement photos with her and her fiance, Cole!
Sierra’s vibe is “boho bride” and I loved the outfits she put together for this session! I just can’t wait to see her vision for their wedding day come to life. It’s going to be one AMAZING event, and I am so excited to celebrate with these two and their families! Check out more photos from this sweet summery farm engagement session, just outside the Des Moines limits.
Everyone has their own bucket list, and photographers have two— their personal one, and their business bucket list!!! This girl has a looooong list of locations that I can currently only dream of traveling to for the purpose of photographing a proposal, engagement, or even “elopement” style wedding! I don’t know that my list has ever formally been shared on the blog before… so I’m laying it out now and throwing it into the world wide web! Maybe, just maybe, someone I know will decide to take me up on a destination engagement (or anniversary or wedding!) session. Because you really don’t have to look far for some really epic spaces!
Madeline officially graduates from high school this month, and although we took her senior photos back in March, it was chilly and overcast… so we decided to take a few more with the green spaces and flowers that pop up in late spring. The Rose Gardens in Des Moines set us up for the perfect June evening— I’ll never get tired of it! Plus, I hadn’t taken any senior photos there yet, so I’m glad Madeline was up for it. :) She brought along her cap, gown, and tassels for the occasion, perfect for celebrating high school graduation!
This wedding day is as sweet as the almond cake I snuck at the reception! ;) Cody and Noelle’s covid-altered wedding absolutely made the month of May such a joy! They married in an intimate ceremony at St Joseph’s church, with a reception at Izaak Walton in Des Moines. Click through to see photos of this wonderful wedding day!
This family is near to my heart. After all, I’ve taken their annual family photos for 5 years now! It’s crazy to have known them since it was just mom and dad… now they’ve got two sweet kids, and lots of laughter in their home. Click to see more photos of this sweet springtime family session.
Never before seen on this blog— this super fun senior session took us all over town! We explored the river and wildflowers running through town, to her front stoop at home and some gorgeous alleyways downtown, and ended on the tennis court to commemorate Ariana’s time playing on the tennis team in high school! Check out this spunky & fun senior photo session, in cute little Waverly, Iowa!
After a crazy spring, full of funky weather and COVID cancellations, we finally managed to get a date and location set for engagement photos with Kirsten and Mike! These two had plans to marry in Michigan this summer, but now we’re playing locations by ear. Thankfully, these two were able to drive down from Minnesota to meet me in Mason City for engagement photos. We had a little bit of a chilly evening, but captured some super cute photos of these two in love!
Our family enjoyed a morning walk among the glorious spring bluebells at the Katoski Trail in the Cedar Valley. I couldn’t help but take some photos (what else is a professional photographer to do!?)
Graduation photos on Drake University’s campus!? Yes please! Photos with Griff the Bulldog!? HECK YES! Click to see Kelly’s sweet grad pictures and senior photo session here in the heart of Des Moines!
Whitney and Daniel waited SO patiently throughout the month of April for the weather to warm up and things to settle down with COVID to schedule engagement photos. (We actually planned to take them in April, but pushed photos back to May… and honestly I’m so glad we did because we had the MOST gorgeous night!) You’re going to love this couple. They’re so much fun, and it’s going to be a blast celebrating their wedding in October!!!
Family and maternity photos go hand in hand. That’s why I was so excited to receive Emily’s email! Click through the link to see this precious family, exploring the campus of UNI in Cedar Falls… and some fun spring pictures we took before baby #2 makes his arrival next month!
If you’re in need of some professional headshots, Amelia Renee Photography has you handled! From consults about outfits (if you need assistance picking out the right clothes) to locations and posing, Amelia will guide you through the entire process. Don’t hesitate to ask now for availability. No matter the weather or season, we’ll make taking professional portraits fun and easy!
Mary Beth and Dan planned their dream wedding day for the last Friday in April. We chatted on the phone in November, and again in person in March. What none of us knew was that a global pandemic would radically change their wedding day plans… but never, ever, their marriage plans. ;) Instead of a large wedding ceremony at St Ambrose with a reception full of friends at the Tea Room, these two held an intimate ceremony. But, even their closest friends couldn’t be stopped from cheering outside the church. Click through to see more of this sweet spring wedding in downtown Des Moines!
Pandemic or not, time marches on. Including schooling and graduation! Cory is a 2020 graduate of Iowa State University, and he wanted to commemorate this milestone with some professional senior photos. It was a joy to meet this young man, and capture photos for him to remember this season of life. Congrats to the Class of 2020!



















