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 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 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
by Amy | Sep 9, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
Meet Erin. Isnt’ she gorgeous? She’s really amazing. The kind of girl lots of girls want to be…but very rarely can pull off. Absolutely stunning in a formal gown on her grandparent’s ranch–in the wheat field…WOW–and later, totally hard core when she showed off her camo and shot gun. This session was crazy fun and impeccably styled…thanks to Erin’s vision and super awesome props brought along by her aunt.
And speaking of the aunt…have you Practically Canadians heard of the Granville Junkaholics? If not–you should totally look into it. It’s shabby chic at it’s finest and most fun. I am so very happy to have had a Junkaholic along on the shoot to lend props, help pose and cast vision. {Some of the items you see in the session will be on sale at their fall sale!} She also gave Erin the friendly reminder, “A real smile, Erin!” I also own a big thanks to Erin’s mom and sister…who provided genuine giggles from the star of the shoot and help with poses and fly-away hairs.
It was hard to narrow down the shots I wanted to show you here–but here are a few {ok, lots more than a few} of my favorites. I like to call them country chic senior photos, but you can just call them awesome.
Can we talk for just a second about this dress?! Let’s just say she’s lucky I didn’t swipe it after the session. I. Love. This. Outfit!
Yikes! It’s two of my favorite things: Pets and vintage cars! Together it’s almost more than I can take. I am trying hard not to squeal as I write this {because my own precious Panda Cat is snoozing and I don’t want to disturb her} because it’s just so perfect. This teal truck reminds me of the aqua truck from Savannah’s session a few summers ago.
See what I mean? Pretty and tough. I love this. Erin truly is a girl after my own heart–adventurous, outdoorsy, awesome. I’m so glad we got to spend the evening together and I hope she has the most amazing senior year ever!
Amy
by Amy | Sep 8, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
This summer {is it okay that I’m still referring to summer…even though we are past Labor Day?} has brought me the pleasure of photographing three extended family sessions. Remember? The Rodins and the Rodgers? Getting an extended family photo poses it’s challenges: there are many eyes to capture between blinks, there are lots of smiles that need to happen simultaneously, and there are lots of bodies to pose. Challenges aside, these big groups are always a hoot. Because even though there are lots of little limbs to keep in place, there are also lots of silly moments and genuine laughs.
My time on the Ankenbauer Ranch was an afternoon I wouldn’t trade in for anything. From the moment I knocked on the door and the littlest one informed me that if I was good during picture day we all got ice cream–to the last shot which released the young kiddos running for the house in relief–and Midnight the cat who tried to continuously photobomb the family–it was farm fun from start to finish. I hope this family enjoys the images we captured as much as I enjoyed getting to know this swell gang.
by Amy | Sep 7, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
Meet Caleb. The first guy of my senior season. It’s kind of surprising, really…because the senior season is nearly over. But I guess that’s how boys roll–waiting until last minute and all. Girls seem to be on the front end of things when it comes to getting senior photos scheduled.
But I digress…because I’d be lying if I said I truly understood the mind of teenage boys.
Back to the topic at hand. I was thrilled when Caleb scheduled photos with me. Girls are fun to photograph…but it’s also a treat to man things up. I mean, really–how awesome are those Superman photos?! I had a fabulous evening with Caleb and his mom, Michelle. I had a blast getting to know them and wish Caleb the very best senior year! Here are some of my favorite shots from outdoorsy, super hero-y, baseball senior photos. My fingers are crossed there’s one he and Michelle deem year-book worthy in here!
The summer of 2015 has been a summer of athletes and musicians! I’ve had more athletes this summer than ever before. And I’ve loved photographing each one. To me, there’s nothing cooler than images that put a person in their element…especially when that element comes with cool props and fun locations {like the ball park!} These were my first baseball senior photos and they were so fun to get. Major props to Michelle for bringing baseballs with writing on them–love it!!
The icing on the proverbial cake of this session came at the very end when we stopped by Tom’s Service Station. There aren’t too many photos from this pit stop, but I love the ones we got. And boy, oh boy was it fun when Tom himself came out and invited us in to check out his sweet vintage ride and garage–which was like stepping into a time warp. So. Fun.
Thanks to Caleb and Michelle for the great evening! Your photos will be in the mail as soon as the post reopens tomorrow!
Amy
by Amy | Aug 25, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
A couple weeks ago I was invited to capture some very special family photos. You may recognize some of these precious faces. I’ve photographed Jenna {remember her awesome senior portraits?}, and Kate {wedding, engagement, puppy portraits}. But on this {very hot} evening we were on a mission to get some unique photos of the women of the tribe. I loved gathering in with three generations of Christ-loving, fun, beautiful ladies.
The collage below is a compilation of my favorite images from the whole session. These weren’t moments that I orchestrated, by telling them to hug or look at one another. These were moments that just happened. Tight squeezes, head to head, frozen affection that will last a lifetime.
Oh. And I couldn’t leave off tonight without throwing in a few of my other favorites…Like this one of the coolest little boy I’ve ever met. He patiently waited while the ladies were in the spotlight. He generated smiles from them with his adorable, juice-box sipping antics. Who doesn’t love a cold Capri Sun on a hot day?
I’m so glad to know these beautiful sisters!!
by Amy | Aug 25, 2015 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
This is Cassie. During her session I took to calling her Sassy Cassie…like she’s never heard that one before… Not because she was super sassy in her tone or attitude–but because she has total control over her face and can put out the fiercest “sassy-vibe” I’ve ever seen.
I love it. It’s a quality I admire, since I have almost no control over my own facial expressions whatsoever.
Anyway. She is gorgeous and funny and smart and plays the violin {how cool is that?!} I loved hanging out with her. Traipsing around downtown Minot…stumbling across the coolest, most colorful wall I’ve ever seen, and sweating it out in the 100˚ heat wave…it was all fun with Cassie. And I wasn’t kidding about those temps. She might look cool as a cucumber, but the air certainly was not. And neither was I. By the end, she still looked fantastic…but I had belly sweat and back sweat seeping through my shirt. Wait–was that too gross to broadcast? That’s a prime reason why it’s good to keep me behind the lens.
Now…without any more talk of sweat stains and sassy attitudes. Check out Cassie–class of 2016.
How cool are these? Major props to Cassie for overcoming her dislike of heights and rickety walkways to get this shot!
This colorful wall in my favorite photo-alley was a pleasant surprise! I shot Kylee’s images just a week earlier and this was no where to be seen–I love the way that black top really pops against this super-colorful background.
Of all the images from her shoot, these with the violin are my favvvorite! The colors, the shapes, the lighting…I love it all. I think Cassie looks gorgeous a violin in her hands. Am I right?
I loved shooting these images. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: Seniors are my favorite! Cassie’s session was a total blast. I’m so glad to have gotten to know her a bit and wish her the hap-hap-happiest senior year ever!
