by Amy | Nov 5, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
The is the Oase family. When we booked their session months ago–I never in my wildest dreams thought we’d have an evening so beautiful, so late in October. I figured it was a gamble at best. I figured we’d be fighting a biting wind and flurries. But, happily–I was wrong.
Despite the date, the weather behaved beautifully. In my few years in Practically Canada, I’ve never seen a nicer fall. It’s really been ideal. Perfect for a good crop of fall family photos. So while our evening together was a little chilly…our biggest challenge came from getting this adorable little one to crack a smile! And that’s a challenge I’ll happily accept. {But let’s face it…with cheeks like those even a perfectly neutral face is simply sublime. Isn’t she precious?!}
Lucky for me they came equipped. Between wagon rides and tosses in the air and kisses from her puppy–eventually we caught some really adorable images. See?
I’m so glad I was able to get to know this sweet crowd. Thank you for choosing me to capture the art of these precious moments!
Amy
by Amy | Nov 4, 2015 | Blog, The Art of Art, The Art of Gathering
Holy cow. There are a lot of unbelievable things going on right now. First, I can scarcely believe it’s November. Really?! Second, I cannot believe that the temps in Practically Canada are still on the balmy side. This is the longest, nicest fall I’ve experienced here. It’s glorious. I also can’t believe Halloween is over. It seems like I’ve been eating, sleeping and breathing Halloween for months now. Yikes.
I’ve been so consumed with the creepy I’ve hardly done anything else. {Okay, you know me…I’ve been doing plenty of other things.} But this year Halloween really took up a good chunk of my time. And if I was one of those bloggers who is actually really good at blogging…I would have kept you up to date on the whole thing. But, let’s face it. I’m just not that good. So here’s a recap.
I’m on the executive committee on the Minot Area Council of the Arts. A while back {like in March} we brainstormed some ideas for fundraisers. We collectively decided a Halloween party would be a good idea. And it was. After I found out we’d be staying here through Halloween, I volunteered to coordinate said event–and thus began a very fun, informative, stressful, time consuming, rewarding, endeavor. And so the Minot Monster Mash was born.
When I dug in to planning the Monster Mash, I started thinking about what kind of party I’d pay money to go to. If I would be promoting the event, I wanted it to be something I could honestly convince people to come to with my integrity intact. It needed more than just music, food and costumes. But since there were few people available to help, the scope had to be narrow and concrete enough to carry out. In the end, the driving force behind the Monster Mash is my deep loathing for the phrase, “There’s nothing to do in Minot.” I didn’t just want the Mash to be a night of “something to do” I wanted to teach a man to fish for things to do all winter long.
With that mission in mind I started seeking sponsors who offer things to do and entertainment more people should know about. I sought prizes that offered guests things to do. In the end, we gave away $800 in prizes that included everything from hockey tickets and skate rentals to wine and theater tickets. Our swag bags had information on wine tasting classes, cooking classes, fitness, theater, symphony, art and free ballroom classes. Oh–and don’t for a single second get the idea that I did this all alone. I had fantastic help–amazing graphic designers lent their talent, folks called sponsors, picked up gifts, met to get the details in order, promoted on Facebook, volunteered at the event, moved furniture, offered ideas, and just plain helped wherever they were needed. I owe lots of thank you’s to lots of people.
And now…without any more delays. Let’s relive the Mash.
The Monster Mash was held in the Minot Carnegie Center–originally a Carnegie Library built in 1911. The inside is gorgeous, weird, spooky and eccentric. The closets are filled with the old and odd. It was the perfect place for a grownup Halloween party. Spooky, yet refined.
Oliver Nicole Events took care of the decor. Tawyna, the owner was so incredibly easy to work with. She spoke my language of DIY and low-cost. I can’t put in to words how perfect the decor was. She absolutely nailed the atmosphere I was hoping to achieve. Ghostly, but not horrifying. Scary, but classy. “You know that party the parents go to in Hocus Pocus?…I basically want it to look like that,” I told her at our first meeting.
I know Tawnya did most of the work…but I helped where I could. I was so super proud when I secured a massive donation of only slightly damaged pumpkins! I loaded somewhere around 70 pumpkins in my car–which Tawnya put to good use. When she called to tell me the dead roses she’d been eyeing were $3 a stem…my genius mother asked if we could just use dead plants from my own flower beds. Duh. The centerpieces were then filled with dead or dying sedums and peony leaves. It takes a special level of talent to turn yard waste into a classy display and she totally nailed it.
Downstairs in the old Children’s library we set up a small gallery with local art. I loved the creepy entries we got. Oh, and that spooky photo of the girl with a sickle?? I found it in a closet. {Told you this place is a little weird.}
Going back to my original goal of showing off Minot’s art scene and things to do in Minot–we kicked off the evening with a performance by musicians from the Minot Symphony Orchestra. They absolutely blew me away. And I LOVED that they showed up in costume.
When 8pm rolled around guests started arriving. Lots of guests. The best part was that everyone {EVERYONE!} came in totally awesome costumes. Nothing helps a party like folks who are fully committed to the theme. I am still shocked that everyone who walked through the door arrived looking positively amazing decked out as someone they weren’t. The entertainers, the guests, the volunteers. Everyone looked great. That really had my heart doing somersaults.
When the party was in full swing, while Derek and I were dancing, I told him, “This is what you think Halloween will be like when you grow up…but it never is.” Seriously. Halloween and New Years are always so romanticized in the movies and on TV. As a kid you expect that you’ll grow up and have these super dazzling things to do–but that hardly ever comes to fruition. Finally in the year 2015–in my 28th year…Halloween was how I pictured it as a kid. All these people in a spooky old building, crowded with costumes, an awesome cover band and lots of dancing…to me, this is magic.
Okay. Let’s talk costumes. Everyone blew me away. I love the Frankensteins. And I totally admire Mr. F for staying in his mask throughout the whole party. I was also a big fan of the Man in the Yellow Hat {who took 2nd place in the costume contest.} Oh, and how can you over look Beetlejuice and Lydia! She nailed it. But wait! There’s more!! What about Disgust from “Inside Out”–amazing!!–or Mary Poppins–Or the coolest skeleton I’ve ever seen–or the Cheshire Cat {who nabbed 1st place.} Hippies, royalty, an awesome rendering of Bonnie and Clyde–Roger Rabbit, Sandy and Danny, Three Blind Mice! How do you decide??
We also saw a fully committed squirrel, someone dressed as a SnapChat, a full blown flying monkey {a little terrifying actually}, Ariel, Cruella, Red Riding Hood and a Wolf dressed as grandma…the list goes on and on. The costumes were wonderful.
The Mouse River Players came and did a Sanderson Sisters bit {I put a spell on you…}, the MSU Community Dance Club busted out a mash up that showed off thriller and ballroom styles all together, we were taught to Thriller, The Magic Tap Cloggers dazzled with their high energy Elvis mash up. We ate junk food and sang and danced and gave away prizes.
Some people left early. And others stayed to the very last song. Like I said…there are things I’d do differently and things that I think can be improved…I hope everyone had fun. But at the end of it all–this is the most fun I’ve had on Halloween in many full moons, this is how I think Halloween should be. I’m so glad so many people came out and shared this fun night and helped out the arts in the process.
It was a lot of work. But for some reason, I just love this town. I love it. And I hope that maybe, just maybe I can help other people love it too.
Xo
Amy
by Amy | Oct 22, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
It’s been quite a senior season. I’ve been so busy shooting these fabulous, young, ambitious faces I’ve hardly looked at anything else. Okay–so that’s not true at all–but the crop of 2016 seniors has been my biggest yet. But, alas…all good things come to an end, and up here in Practically Canada, the senior season ends with the yearbook deadline: October 30.
So. It’s official. Austin is the very last senior of the year. And, let me tell you, this was a great session to go out on. I shoot a lot of photos for girls {which I love}, but I do enjoy having a chance to photograph guy senior photos as well. Especially fall guy senior photos. Especially when it involves crazy cool buildings, fall colors and a dreamy sun set. {But the wind was almost a little much for us…} Anyway–without any more chit chat, here is Austin: Class of 2016.
Oh. Wait. Just one more thing. I think this kid looks like a Disney prince. Am I right? Look at that Flynn Rider smoulder. Seriously, he’s adorable. And by adorable…I obviously mean manly-handsome. *Awkward cough* I don’t really know how to compliment guys. I mostly work with girls and babies.
We were working with a very chilly North Dakota breeze on the night of his session. I was comfortable in a sweater and scarf, but my fingers were stiff and frozen on the camera. I can only image how cold it felt to Austin, who has recently been imported to Minot from the exotic land of Alabama.
There were the usual bouts of waiting for “the breeze to pass,” followed by a crazed effort to get a few images before the next gust. When I move away to a less windy location I think my sessions will be drastically shorter without all the wind-intermissions. It’s just another quirk of this crazy place–and I actually like it, because while we wait we get to chat…and let’s be honest–getting to know my clients is my favorite part of any shoot.
Here’s my favorite thing about Austin and his mom: They were both talking about how beautiful the North Dakota landscape is. I totally agree!
I hear so many complainers who yap and yap about how ugly it is here, how boring it is, how they hate the weather and the landscape and the lack of trees. It was utterly refreshing to be with people who looked around at the rolling hills and said, “This is so pretty. Back home all our hills are covered in trees–so we never get to really see the hills and the landscape. It’s beautiful here.”
Amen!
Beautiful is right. The wind was calmer out of town. The light was perfect and creamy. The grass looked golden in the setting sunlight. The hills are on fire with fall color. It is beautiful.
I’m so grateful to Austin for hanging out with me and choosing me to take his senior photos! You’ll get your drive tomorrow–in plenty of time for the yearbook deadline. Have an amazing senior year–and welcome to Practically Canada.
Amy
by Amy | Oct 13, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
Everybody…say “Hi,” to Lilly. We shot her fall senior photos just over a week ago. For those of you in Practically Canada, it was the same day as the Norsk Hostfest–cold, chilly, ending in icy rain. We almost cancelled. Almost. The rain held off until the end of the shoot, and even then we powered through for “Just one more shot…” {I think that’s a lie all photographers tell at one point or another.}
But honestly, with golden fall colors leaking out of every nook and cranny in the landscape and a senior who is as fun and adorable as Lilly–why wouldn’t we press on? I had so much fun getting to know this one who–at the beginning of her session told me she’d never had her photo taken before, not professionally. It was absolutely lovely to spend time with her, her mother and sister. Between takes she may have been wrapped up in a blanket, but these are some of the warm-fuzziest fall images I’ve taken to date.
I get asked all the time, “What kind of clothes should I wear to my session?” If you are wondering that…book mark this page. Lilly totally nailed it in the wardrobe department. From the vintage pieces her sister told me she picked up in Kansas City {so cool!} to the Target boots they, “Just picked up on the way to the session,” her look is perfect for senior picture day–especially for fall senior photos. Classy, modest, in style without being overly trendy, enough accessories to look special but not over done–and most of all she looked comfortable and natural. I love it!
After these photos in the red blazer {I want this outfit so badly} the weather started to take a turn. Little drops of rain began to fall, the wind picked up and it got colder. The way this gal could control her face and look so beautiful with wind-blown hair and ice cold hands–it floored me. I’m so glad we went out to the country and got these shots–despite the weather. I love the look of the wind in her skirt and how you can see some rain drops on the fabric. It’s all very magaziney.
I think she was glad to put on a cozy flannel shirt after those photos!
Congratulations to Lilly on her senior year! Thanks for choosing me to capture this special season in your life!
Amy
by Amy | Oct 9, 2015 | Blog, The Art of Projects, the house
Well, well, well, well, well. The day has finally arrived. The basement has officially been finished since July {wowzers that’s quite a while…} and I’m finally posting the B&A here on the blog. For a long time I testified that the master bedroom redo has been my favorite project…or maybe the patio…but I think those just got trumped.
Maybe it’s that those other projects were done by myself–and for once Derek and I actually had a chance to tackle a project together. Maybe it’s the HUGE payout in the B&A images….the glory of having a second bathroom, the brilliantly bright can lights, killer storage, or just how darn cute it is. I may never know the reason, but this is my favorite project to date.
As lots of you know–we started from scratch. A totally unfinished, cement-walled, damp basement. We had things to store and they weren’t stored well. Instead the lowest level of our home was a cluttered mess of seasonal goodies that we could barely get to when we needed them. So, just to warn you all–the before photos are really a mess. Honestly, I’m a clean person. Really. I am. Please don’t judge the book that is me, by the cover that is the way our basement looked.
I’m serious. If you are going to judge me…look away right now.
Stop scrolling.
Okay, fine. You can look. You can all look. Just never bring up how cluttered it was when we talk face to face.
The now finished basement is open and mostly dedicated to being a guest quarters. It also houses a storage space, laundry nook and second bathroom. Here’s a B&A of the bedroom. {And the most amazing thin is…all that stuff on the left is still with us–well most of it–it’s just organized, restored and accessible now.}
Now watch it morph.
The closet situation was a little tricky since codes indicate that you aren’t allowed to put a fuse box in the back of the closet. But–I think it turned out really nice. We have a skinnier closet, but we gained some open shelving.
Just to give you a run down…the short closet on the left opens up to keep linens, shoes, etc. There’s also an outlet in there, so you can place a TV on the shelf facing the bed, and hide the cords. The skinny clothing closet has two rods and one shelf. The space where the dresser is could easily keep a desk or office nook. The door on the right leads to the bathroom…which you saw earlier this week. The bathroom door was salvaged from the upstairs redo.
I should have done a better job documenting the bathroom…but alas, I did not. But here is a pretty good look at the totally unfinished space where the basement now stands.
Our laundry hook up is right at the base of the stairs. Before the redo, wood paneling hid crumbing cement walls and just looked tacky. With the whole basement finished, I wanted to be sure we could hide the washer and dryer–so guests weren’t looking at something that reminded them of chores when they visit the great city of Minot, ND–renown for being a relaxation hub…
The doors we used were a major steal. They are stock doors that I stained and fancied up with trim and nice knobs.
The stairs were our biggest challenge. They are old and not square and were covered in layers of carpet, linoleum and vinyl. All of these things were held in place by about nine thousand staples, screws, and nails of all sizes.
We added some nice storage with shelving under the stairs. The doorway in the right on the photo above leads to a “less finished” storage area. Our freezer, some extra furniture and seasonal decor lives back there now. Derek made some awesome shelving that easily organize those big RubberMaid tubs–and makes it easy for me to get them out without help. You can see the shelves below. I’ll have to show you that area in another post.
We were a little concerned that this new, freshly finished space wouldn’t flow well with the rest of the house…which is on the old, thrifty and eclectic side. But if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s granny-ing up a space. I didn’t buy a single thing do decorate with. Instead I joyously got items that previously had no place in the house and stuck them downstairs. I steered clear of using any decor that was new, and just shopped the shelves in the other rooms of our home.
I layered the bed with vintage coverlets, pinned up some of my artwork that didn’t sell at a craft fair, and brought out my weird array of books to display. An old lard tin is the bathroom trash bin, a planter holds towels, and an end table that once belonged to Derek’s grandmother keeps the bathroom organized.
I love this space. Dearly. Thanks to all of you who came over and helped frame walls, hammer nails, or install ceiling tile. And thanks to all of you who have been asking to see the end result. It’s a pleasure to share the end result with you.
Happy Friday!
by Amy | Oct 5, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
This is Abbe. As you can see she’s graduating in 2016 and she’s the first of a crop of fall senior sessions I’ve got coming up. We had a gorgeous evening for shooting…which I think was appropriate for this gorgeous girl…with gorgeous hair {that looks a lot like Taylor Swift’s, if you ask me.}
Anyway–enjoy a short look at some of my favorite shots from her session and congratulations to Abbe on her last year of High School!
And…as a special bonus we snapped a few images of Abbe’s big sister as well. Two beauties in one night–so fun!
See you tomorrow,
Amy
by Amy | Oct 2, 2015 | Blog, The Art of Projects, the house
Sometimes projects are just too big to handle alone. No matter how much I wish I could learn every skill in the whole world, it’s just not feasible. So…when that happens you call in back up. Last time I wrote about the basement I talked briefly about our process of finding contractors. Tonight I’m going to tell you about our plumbers–and one of the most awkward things I’ve done over the last calendar year.
But before I get to that…let me just say that making a bathroom from scratch is a lot of work. And it’s complicated. We tried to tell ourselves that part of it was ready…since there was a floor drain. Okay, maybe that was just my wishful thinking. The reality was that drain in the floor or not, making a bathroom where there was formerly only a cement floor and cement walls was a real challenge.
So the weirdness begins. Derek and I are not architects. {Even though in my restless college years I did a semester as an interior design major…so I’m somewhat savvy with drawing up floor plans. Somewhat.} However, we drew up our own plans, on graph paper, to a very rough scale. We went to the hardware store and looked at tubs and toilets and sinks. The whole shebang. Then came home and figured how it would fit in the space we had. We made a plan.
Then the plumbers showed up.
They’d already come for the estimate and a second visit–when Derek was actually able to be home–to go over details. So on the day they arrived ready to jack hammer up the floor I thought everything was already in order.
But they had questions. And suddenly there was an issue with putting a tub in. And there was a question about how far the pipes could reach. And it would all end up costing more money than planned. And did I really want that? And how should they proceed? And how big is the exact unit that was going in?
I dug out the highly accurate floor plan we had made up–but the questions still remained and Derek was at work. So, I made some choices. I changed the plan. This was one of the most stressful mornings of my recent life. I axed the bathtub and shower combo, instead opting for a shower stall…which seems very small in theory.
While they tore up the floor, I stewed upstairs hoping that Derek wouldn’t hate the choices I’d made, and that a three foot shower would be big enough to hold a grown-up-sized showerer.
When they left, there was a hole in the floor and our job was to fix it–which you can read about in the last basement post.
In the end, it all ended up just fine. After the floor had been cured and we’d added studs for an additional wall–the downside of my choice for a shower stall…one more wall to frame–they plumbers came back and put in the shower. Derek is a genius, so he installed the toilet and sink for us. Things were really starting to look finished–then we turned on the shower.
As great as the plumbers had been, they made one little mistake. The shower faucet didn’t work properly. The “on” was “off”, the middle of the temperature gauge made the water hot…while cold was warm and hot was cool. Weird. A simple phone call and they offered to come back and fix it. Which leads me to a very. embarrassing. morning.
When I got on the phone with the man in charge of our project, he told me the crew would be by mid-morning–probably around 10:30 am. Cool. That’s great.
I wake up on the morning of the appointment. It’s 8am. I get up, throw on some grubby gym clothes. Stretchy pants and an athletic, long sleeved t-shirt. It’s purple {you know how I am with purple clothes.} It’s the kind with a weird athletic hood. You know, with a perfect circle for your head to go through–very effective for outdoor running, very stupid looking in real life. To paint a perfect picture, I need to tell you that I typically go to bed with wet hair. I sleep on it and it gets crazy and wavy overnight. In the morning I tame it down…but first thing in the morning, it’s a curly, beach-head mess.
So I throw on the t-shirt. As I pull it on, the hood catches up over my head. Totally fine, because I’m cold anyway, and no one is in the house to mock my appearance.
Since I’ve got some time, I clean the bathroom upstairs and get laundry together. Meanwhile, Panda {the world’s most precious baby angel cat} is meowing, meowing, meowing. Because, although she is adorable and my BFF, she’s also addicted to food–and in the morning she demands her breakfast.
I finish rinsing the sink, flush the freshly scrubbed toilet and grab two laundry baskets stacked on top of each other filled with clothes. Hood still up, hair still a mess, I head downstairs. It’s 8:30am.
As I descend the stairs I loudly declare in a sing-song voice, “It’s breakfast time for babies!” I’m obviously talking to Panda. She’s a baby angel, after all. And that’s just kind of how I talk to my cat–whether I’m alone in the house or not. I can’t help it. I’m weird. And in this moment, I looked really weird too. Like a purple scuba diver without a mask. Then it happens. From the kitchen I hear,
“Hello?”
It’s a man’s deep voice and it’s not Derek. For a split second I freak out. Then I see who it is. The plumbers. One standing on my kitchen mat, the other just outside on the deck.
“Mrs. Smith?”
Oh. My gosh.
Quick. I pull the hood off my head, run a hand through that crazy mane and sit the basket of dirty sports bras on the table.
“Hey, yeah. Morning…I was just, uh…”
“We knocked and knocked but you didn’t answer. Sorry for trying the door. It was unlocked.”
Ahh, yes, knocking while the water was running and the toilet was flushing. “I was just talking to my cat.”
“What?”
“What? I mean…I need to feed my cat. But that can wait. She’s too fat anyway.”
Blank stare.
“Nate said you guys wouldn’t be by until mid-morning.”
“Nope this is our first stop.”
“Okay…well, let’s go downstairs…”
Happy Friday. Try not to be too awkward this weekend. The bathroom is hard to get in a picture, but I did my best. Better, non-phone photos are coming next week.
Amy
by Amy | Oct 2, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
I know. I know. It’s been like a million years since I last posted. Going for long periods of time without posting used to really stress me out. But I’ll be honest. I think I needed some time away. A period of time where I’m not typing things into the abyss of the Internet for all to see. A period of time that gave me a chance to see what’s next. So instead of the usual stress that would come from a long absence from the site…instead, I’m feeling refreshed and encouraged.
I had gotten some negative kickback from my blog a while back–and it all caused me to stop and think about what I was doing. I thought about stopping the blog altogether…or just writing about work {which is pretty much what I did over the summer.} But at the end of the day, I like writing. And I like you. And although I’ve sparsely been posting, I’ve continued to receive lovely comments and followers and requests to repost my content around the web. It’s been very encouraging. I’ve asked the Lord if I should put the blog away for good–and these things have led me to believe that I’m supposed to stay here and share. {Which I really do like doing.}
God continues to gift me a passion for sharing life with those around me. Maybe the way I share it will change in the coming months {and to be honest, I’d be okay with that.} For now, though…I’d like to come back. After all, I never finished telling you about the basement. I’ve got things scheduled out…and you’ll have the full B&A by next Friday. So…yeah. It’s pretty amazing. So be ready.
The senior season has come to a close. Almost. I’ve got a few stragglers left on my desk and planner, but for the most part, those gorgeous, fresh faces have all smiled pretty and will be submitting their images to the yearbook staff in a few short weeks. Summer also gave me an opportunity to photograph lots of fun {and large} families–which was a neat challenge. I made my annual pilgrimage to the Dells, went to summer camp for grown ups, helped prepare giant meals at a summer camp for kids, face painted, danced to For King & Country, met the world’s cutest baby {my niece}, finished the basement, over came my fear of sparklers, and finally did my very own sunflower mini session. It was a great summer. Maybe I’ll tell you more about it sometime.
Tonight…I wanted to show you my favorite shot of all the folks I photographed this summer season. Well…okay. One of my favorite shots. I have lots of favorites from every session. But here they are. Just look at those gorgeous faces. And heck, maybe this rundown will give you some summer photo ideas of your own.
1. Caleb–a secret Super Man…who didn’t laugh at most of my jokes…but did smile on command and test my ability for naming baseball references in movies.
2. Kylee–those eyes!! And the fun we had with her entourage of friends…and the awkward mix up in the parking lot.
3. Maddie and those haunting photos in the ghost town of Balfour. I loved exploring creepy places with Maddie and her mom.
4. Mikaela–I loved this moment when her family was standing off to the side, blowing bubbles, trying not to fall in the river. It was so fun to have the family involved! And…side note…she’s the closest thing to a real model I’ve ever shot–girl knows how to pose.
5. Cassie–the hottest senior of the season. Temps were about 100 ˚ during her session and she still made it look good.
6. Sylvia–and her best friend. Gorgeous, golden hour photos in rustic places out in the North Dakota country side. This was a seriously great evening.
7. Erin–totally worked a formal gown on the farm. She’s one of the most versatile girls I’ve ever photographed. Beautiful in a gown…or holding her shot gun.
8. Ethan–I love this image. He has such a wise personality and I think you can see that on his face here.
9. Sydney‘s session fell perfectly with the canola crop. Sunset in the yellow fields is a magical thing I’ll always remember.
1. Anne and Jay told me that don’t consider themselves to be photogenic. Images from their engagement session argue otherwise.
2. These brothers were wild and crazy–at lease the younger ones, but they sure made for an entertaining evening.
3. I never blogged it, because it was hush hush for a while…but I was totally in on an engagement surprise! So special!
4. The Anderson‘s invited me to their farm for photo day. Such a gorgeous home and a lovely family…even if the toddler had to be bribed to smile.
5. One of three family reunions I shot–these cousins were zany and I liked it.
6. While the ladies of the family were being photographed, the coolest kid of the season was just sippin’ a Capri Sun.
7. Another group of cousins. A gaggle of boys and only one girl! They were a challenge to keep still, but getting to know this clan was a hoot!
8. The Winninghams were photographed out at the trestle shortly before moving away from Practically Canada. I loved the challenge of shooting an anti-smile teen. {But I think in the end he had fun.}
9. How cute are Molly and Craig? I’m so glad I was able to squeeze this little session at the last minute!
10. I’m pretty sure Haley and Jay have one of the cutest little girls on the planet. She was all smiles and giggles!
11. Charlie was mostly interested in the trucks on the road during his session and used baby sign language to say “more” when they passed. More! More!
12. The Rodgers‘ annual session was a hoot as usual. I loved the cool, blue tones on their clothes.
13. This summer also brought about Ann and Jay’s wedding. Their big day was a perfect picture of love and God’s adoptive character for us! Such a precious family.
14. What an honor to celebrate Maddie’s birthday with her. She got a photo session all to herself–no brothers or sisters allowed. Only giggles and tutus here.
15. Three generations of godly women gathered on a very hot evening for some photographs in the sunflower fields–such an honor to capture this season in life for them.
I hope you’ve had a great summer too. Thanks for being here.
xo
Amy
