amyelisabethphotography

Meet Saidee ~ Class of 2012

2012-05-24T06:48:00.002-07:00

Meet Saidee. Class of 2012. With her long red hair, bright blue eyes, she is so beautiful! I absolutely loved this session with her. She has such a fun style, dressing in vibrant colors which accented her hair and eyes, not to mention her personality. Such a fun and happy, laid back girl! Her colors and clothing choice she wore brought these pictures to life. And those orange, suede boots? Love!!

Along with her session she brought her old fashioned bike and we incorporated it into a few shots, which turned out to be my favorites. I feel adding props to a session oftentimes will tell a story, describe one's personality, and for Saidee her bike showcased how fun she is!

Thank you Saidee for this awesome high school senior session!!! I wish you the best with all of your future plans after graduation!

Out Of Camera & After Editing

2012-05-18T07:22:00.002-07:00

My children are probably my favorite subjects to photograph outside of our flurry of pets around our home. But my daughter is probably my most photographed participant. She helped me prepare some images for my photography class I held last weekend. She patiently let me take numerous images of her, finding the best lighting and those catchlights, or reflections in her eyes. Which I love!

The image above is how it looked right out of my camera and on to my computer's monitor. Exposed nicely. Sharp. How I like it. I shoot in RAW format which basically means this image was completely untouched by the camera. When shooting in JPEG format, the camera will sharpen, add contrast, saturation, etc to an image which is perfect for everyday shooters who may or may not use any type of editing software post taking pictures.

But I do use an editing software. Hey, sometimes that is what I love most about taking pictures. Enhancing them to something even more!

I use an editing software called Lightroom which I have adjusted to and now love using. It has caused my editing workflow to speed up and cause my turn around time for editing sessions for clients so much faster. Which leaves me more time to take pictures of my kids!

In the picture above, I ran a preset which in seconds added saturation and vibrance with contrast and some added warmth. I sharpened the image and then I am done.

With this black and white version, I ran another preset to give this contrasty, warmer look. I truly love pictures in black and white. Maybe it is my love of Ansel Adams photographic style. Or how black and white adds a sort of a dramatic, emotional feel to an image. Either way, currently I am being drawn to editing more of my pictures to black and white.

Photography Class ~ A Recap

2012-05-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I held a beginner's photography class at my home. 8 wonderful ladies attended who wanted nothing more than to move out of Auto Mode on their cameras, get the most out of their cameras and create better images. I was really excited to hold this class and teach them about Aperture, ISO, Exposure, and so on. For four hours I saw lot's of lightbulbs go off above their heads as they learned something new and "got it"! So rewarding for me as a photographer to be able to share my tips, tricks and photo recipes with others so they can learn to take better pictures. I feel many of them left the class Saturday evening feeling so much more confident about using their camera and excited to try what they had learned! And that makes me pretty darn happy!

All of these pictures shown below were taken by my extremely talented big sister who has developed her skills as a photographer in leaps and bounds! I am so proud of her and love how we are able to share this passion for photography together. You can view more of her awesome work over on her website here and her own blog here.

I had this awesomely, yummy cake made by Jennie's Cake Creations for my class. I sent her some ideas of what I wanted, mainly a vintage type camera cake. One of the images I sent her was how this cake turned out. I loved it! Not to mention it was very good to eat!! She is super talented and I highly recommend her for creating your cake for any occasion!

Inside my home we did some "classroom" time. We worked on how various settings on our cameras worked. How to clean our camera. I talked about prime lenses and zoom lenses.

We moved on to how the Aperture ring in our lens brings more or less light into our cameras. How Shutter speed affects the speed of light entering our camera. What ISO is and how it works.

We then moved outdoors and used these cute runway models to practice what we had learned. And these cute models happen to be my niece and my daughter. I am so proud of both of them for being so patient to model!

I showed the class how to position your subject in sunlight. On Saturday it was a bit hazy so we didn't have real bright sun to contend with, but I kept my daughter at a 45 degree angle to the sun, turning her head a bit to ward off any shadows. We also moved the girls into some open shade and showed the class how this works well too.

In this picture I was demonstrating how to do some backlighting, or shooting my subject with the sun behind her. And there is my funny niece photo bombing the picture. She cracks me up!

Here I am taking a test shot and letting others know what my settings were for that particular picture.

This is my sweet daughter! I love this image!!

And my sweet niece who is so beautiful and will be 13 in just a few days!!

I am so thankful to those who attended my class on Saturday. I would very much like to teach this class again. I loved having the opportunity to make this class happen!

Meet Jessica ~ Class of 2012

2012-04-30T06:21:00.001-07:00

Meet Jessica. Class of 2012. She has these amazing green eyes that just sparkle in the light. Her smile is endless. And her personality is relaxed and happy. Someone you want to be around all the time.
I met with her and her mom last fall in October and we had such beautiful weather for Jessica's senior photo session. She and her mom are very close to one another. Almost like sisters. Giggling together. Smiling and laughing. Talking about their family, school, and Jessica's plans for college. Their easy going way about things relaxed me. Jessica's natural ability to pose and smile in front of my camera created such beautiful images of her. I couldn't have been more thrilled with how these turned out.
Thank you Jessica and your mom for such a fun couple of hours together!

Yes, she is holding a snake. Her mom and I were screaming like little girls when we saw
this snake slithering across the trail we were walking on. Yes, I loathe snakes! And it was quite apparent her mom is too! Jessica, full of confidence and fearless of reptiles, picked this snake up posing for a picture. Jessica, you are far more adorable than the creature you are holding!

Meet Andreas ~ Class of 2012

2012-04-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

Meet Andreas. Class of 2012. Big smile. Super sweet. Did I mention funny? This session left me feeling thrilled, content and yet sad. Andreas had recently found out his dad was diagnosed with a dangerous form of brain cancer. This broke my heart. So much so and ironically because it is the same type of brain cancer my husband is facing. I had spoken with his mom before his session and learned of this cancer news. I was instantly taken back in time to when my husband was diagnosed, reliving everything she was telling me that was happening to her husband. I felt shaken. And angry about this cancer. Yet, I felt suddenly connected to Andreas and his family. I so wanted to reach out to them and tell them it would all be okay.

During his senior session with me, we laughed. Alot. But we also talked about brain cancer. He had so many questions about it. What his dad was going through. What would happen next. Radiation. Chemotherapy. Emotions were riding high for him and I hoped all of my answers would provide him with some comfort, knowledge, and hope.

His close friend Aneesha, who I photographed a few weeks before, accompanied us. She really helped Andreas feel more comfortable in front of my camera. I think her being there helped ease any nerves he was feeling about being photographed. And after about 20 minutes he loosened up and seemed quite comfortable posing for us!

Andreas has plans to attend Northern Michigan University in the fall and I am so excited for him. I attended NMU for a short while myself and I think he will really love this college. His dad continues to heal and beat this cancer. Which makes me so happy for them. I can only imagine his dad feels extremely proud of Andreas!

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Photography Class May 12th!

2012-04-11T07:34:00.005-07:00

This idea to hold my own photography class has been popping up in my mind alot lately. I have so many moms who come up to me and ask me questions about how to capture better pictures of their kids, pets, flowers scenery and on and on. I always love these questions. I love to help them in hopes they will take better pictures. But there is more to just pressing the shutter button on your camera and hoping it will magically take a perfect picture. Ha! Been there. Done that. We don't live in a perfect world do we? Sure, we can set our cameras to Auto Mode and let the camera do all the guessing for us, but we bought our fancy DSLR camera to take awesome pictures. Right? Why not learn what all those other buttons do? Why not be as awesome as our camera??

Of course you can learn how to move out of Auto Mode. Yet, it takes practice. Lot's of practice. And patience. Tons of patience. Trial and error. Learning to take charge of that black box in your hands called a camera. And learning to move away from having the camera choose all the settings for us. You own the camera. Why not really own that camera?

Taking pictures is not rocket science. It is however about learning what I call photo recipes. Each particular photo situation involves a special recipe. Ingredients and skills. Lighting. Aperture. ISO. Shutter speed. Exposure. Oh my.

With such an interest in photography all around me I have decided to share my talent. My passion for photography. With hopes to teach and guide others along so they can achieve more from their camera. Lose the red eye! The blasted whiteness of flash. Dark pictures. Blurry moments. Become a better photographer and take those pretty pictures. Make your friends jealous.

On May 12 I have decided to hold my own photography class directed towards beginners with DSLR cameras(cameras with interchangeable lenses). This class will mainly be geared towards woman who want to take better pictures and move outside of that green auto mode box!

I will be teaching about lighting, aperture, ISO, shutter speed and how all of these are used to create better pictures. Learn composition and taking a photo journalistic approach to your photography. I will share some of my photo recipes and how they worked for a particular pictures. I will share what type of lenses I use and how each of them works for various photo situations. And this will be a fun time! Not complicated. A chance to develop your photography skills. Take your picture taking to a higher level. And feel more confident about that black box in your hands!

Class will be held on Saturday, May 12 from 1-5 pm. Cost for this class is $50 and will include notes from the class, hands on instruction, and light snack and beverage.

I will also be having some random giveaways through out the day!! Oh yes! You will love these giveaways!

If you would like more information on attending this class, please send me an email to dvmswife@aim.com

Meet Chad ~ Class of 2012

2012-04-06T08:37:00.003-07:00

Meet Chad. Class of 2012.

Let me just say Chad is the nicest kid around. Mature. Responsible. Polite. All around super nice. I had such a fun time with him and his dad during Chad's high school senior session. Chad picked out the perfect location to begin his session. A "railroad graveyard" and a place I didn't even know existed. And it is an awesome place. Old empty train cars? Yes!

Old train cars create perfect backdrops. They bring an edgy, dramatic look with so much contrast which really makes a subject stand out. I know I want to do future sessions here!
Chad's idea to set up his drum set inside a vacant train car was absolutely the coolest thing and I had a blast during this photo shoot. Not to mention Chad rocking out on his drums truly made it extra fun. Talk about great acoustics!! He is super talented behind a drum set!

Thank you Chad for a fantastic few hours photographing you and creating some fun images!

Chad is a huge football fan and was a key player for his high school's football team last fall.

That is his dad in the background catching the football. Great catch!

Meet Kirstin ~ Class of 2012

2012-04-04T07:12:00.003-07:00

Meet Kirstin. Class of 2012. Lovely brown eyes. Gorgeous smile. Awesome style. She rocked her photo session. She is just the prettiest girl!

I so enjoyed working with her. Every picture is stunning, in my humble, honest opinion!

We hit a couple locations near where I live with perfect country-side settings, tall grasses, vibrant color. Perfect. These locations set the stage for Kirstin's photo session creating beautiful backdrops. I bring along a few chairs to these sessions and the one shown in Kirstin's pictures was my Grandma's antique chair. I know my Grandma would have been giddy to see me using it for these pictures!

Thank you Kirstin for such a fun evening with you!

Jill, Andre and Autumn Rose

2012-03-30T06:36:00.005-07:00

I love this couple and now their sweet bundle of joy, little Autumn Rose, completes them. They are awesome parents and little Autumn is certainly the center of their attention, and rightly so!
I was anxious for this session and happy to visit their home and photograph them all together. And of course, happy to get my baby fix. My 11 year old daughter who accompanied me on this session looks far too grown up now and amazing she was once as small as Autumn!
This little peanut was such a delight for me to photograph. At five months old she was so very patient and overall just so happy!
I am sure I will have more photo opportunities with her which I am very excited to do!
Thank you Andre and Jill for allowing me to create these images for you!

Meet Krysta and Ryan

2012-03-28T07:31:00.002-07:00

After a few emails back and forth to set up their engagement session, I was finally able to meet these two love birds. And yes, they are so in love. Ryan just adores Krysta and you can clearly see it in these pictures. His adoring looks towards her were incredibly sweet! They were so cute together and I loved being their photographer for a short while that day to create images for them.

Their wedding is coming up soon! They have a wedding planned for the Bahamas. Oh how beautiful that will be. And I so wish they were taking me along to be their photographer!

I wish them the best as they will soon begin their life together as husband and wife.

Congratulations to you Ryan and Krysta!!

Meet Lisa ~ Class of 2012

2012-03-27T08:09:00.002-07:00

Last Fall gifted me with some beautiful weather for photo sessions. I couldn't have been more lucky. On this October day with Lisa, we had not only warm air temperatures, but beautiful colors around us from leaves changing to golds and reds. So perfect. Add in some late afternoon light, and everything glows.

Lisa has this friendly, happy personality and we got along really well. She has this killer smile and with her bright, blue eyes, she shines in front of the camera.

Outdoor sessions like these are my favorites! I am reminded to appreciate my surroundings in Northern Michigan every day.

Meet Little Miss "M"

2012-03-26T06:42:00.004-07:00

Oh what sweetness this little girl is! I had a wonderful time photographing her last month. She was adorable and just a blast to take pictures of.
Her mom had got in touch with me prior to our scheduled session to let me know of her cute little outfits planned for her picture date. I am always excited when a parent has ideas and outfits planned for their children prior to my session with them. That gives me a plan as to how I will photograph them as well as what props will work as well.
This session with little M took place in her home where she was completely at ease showing me all of her toys, books and interacting with her mom and dad. One year olds are busy, busy, busy so me and my camera really got a work out!

Such a delight to photograph her!!

Close to My Heart ~ The F.I.L.M. Project

2012-03-09T15:54:00.006-08:00

The F.I.L.M. Project; meaning, Family Images for Lasting Memories. For families stricken with cancer. Oh how this program holds close to my heart and soul. I am really excited and anxious and scared all at the same time about participating in this program. What is it exactly? It is a program for professional photographers to photograph and document those facing cancer's journey, young and old, creating lasting images for them, their family and loved ones with absolutely no charge to them. Such heroes braving cancer right in it's face. They will have images they and their loved ones will always have and always remember. Because without pictures, we have memories yes, but with pictures we have those memories completely frozen in time. Remembering how it felt to have those pictures taken. The weather. What they wore. The location. The smiles, oh and so importantly, the laughter. Giggles. Fun times. Keepsakes. And no matter what lies ahead in their cancer journey, these images will remind them how very much they are loved. How much inspiration flows from them. The courage. The strength. So very brave.

Facing cancer head on.

Cancer has been in my life for nearly three years now. My husband was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in July 2009. And just like any cancer, took us by complete surprise. Shook up our world. He is beating the odds yes, but most importantly, reminding me daily to take each day for what it is, and make the most of it. To follow dreams. Be tough. And just live. Be thankful!!

The F.I.L.M. Project hits me right in the gut. I can't turn away from this opportunity. While I don't know what it is like to be the one stricken with cancer, however as a caregiver, the pain and fear extends out to me on a daily basis. Facing this disease. Unsure of the future. Living the "new normal". Trying to push away the fear. But living each day. Inspiring others. Because cancer just plain sucks and most often does not play fair. So we fight it and continue to do so.

Brothers forever. Gilly, so strong, so tough. An inspiration to everyone.

With The F.I.L.M. Project, for me, I will be able to share my gift of photography, " inspire healing, faith, and hope for these families during their most fragile times".

I believe memories should never be overlooked. They give us something back. We never forget. We can always remember. And with pictures, you have that memory frozen in time.

Yes, LIVESTRONG!

To learn more about this program, The F.I.L.M. Project, please go to their website here. And on Facebook here.

What I Love ~ Custom DVDs and Cases

2012-03-08T06:05:00.002-08:00

I really, really like these for my clients when they purchase a disk of their images following their photo session with me. I wanted something that is customized, presentable and pretty. Yes, pretty! But overall, a nicer way to present their disk in something other than a plastic case with a computer made stick on label. Something I was offering before, but no more!

Now my clients will receive a hard cover case that holds their disk of images and will keep them protected from being scratched or crushed.

And I can customize them with an image and name on the front cover. Love that!

And with their disk, I create an account with an online printing lab so that they can order their prints and print products from a lab that I know and and am comfortable with. And once they purchase their disk from with their images from their photo session, they have access to printing at will. Burn disks for friends and family members. Create images for scrapbooking or to make cards or calendars. Order various sizes of prints needed. Endless possibilities. Not to mention, have beautiful images! And that makes me smile.

Meet Erin and Cooper

2012-02-28T06:30:00.002-08:00

Meet Erin and her sweet, canine friend Cooper. I photographed them in September of last year. Erin was getting ready to head to Florida to continue on with her schooling and wanted some pictures on the beach with Cooper. She also asked for a couple pictures to be taken with her grandma and sister. And I love the picture of them sitting together on the bench. Their grandma must be so proud of these two young ladies!!

Cooper was really good in front of my camera. Some dogs are a bit shy and scared of the shutter sound of my camera. But he was a very patient boy. He loves Erin very much and trusts her so.

This was just one of those sessions I truly enjoy. On one of my favorite beaches. In the company of super nice people and Cooper of course!

Meet The M Family

2012-02-07T06:08:00.000-08:00

Meet the M family.

I had so many fun family sessions this past fall meeting new people and sharing a few hours of their day photographing them. Sessions like this one are my favorite. We had such perfect weather and spent a few hours exploring some of the prettiest places. I just let this family be and enjoyed taking pictures of them being the adorable family they are. After our session I drove home feeling so blessed to be able to have this gift of creating these keepsakes for this family. What an amazing feeling.

First Glimpse ~ Baby Autumn

2012-02-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

First Glimpse. Precious baby Autumn. If her adorable, chubby cheeks weren't cute enough, add in that red hair, button nose and blue eyes! Oh sweetness!

Meet Paige ~ Class of 2012

2012-02-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

Meet Paige. Class of 2012. We had wonderful weather last fall, perfect for me. I love a beautiful autumn day. Warm yellows and reds. Still a bit of warmth from the sun, with a hint of summer here and there. A slight breeze.

And this day was just what we needed for Paige's senior pictures. How very lucky we were! Such a pretty girl she is. Beautiful smile. Gorgeous eyes.

We hit a few locations I had not photographed yet and fell in love with the light and backdrops. I was so inspired and truly loved this session.

Even her Great Dane friend accompanied Paige!

Sisters

2012-01-31T17:56:00.000-08:00

What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it?
~Jenny DeVries

Before & After in Lightroom

2012-01-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

Edgar, our beloved feline kitty is one of my most sought after subjects. Mostly because one he is very cute, two, extremely handsome, three, patient and four, usually willing. And that just makes photographing him that much more fun.

So here is a before and after of him hanging over our leather couch looking quite thrilled with having a camera in his face. Note his one ear has detected something other than the click of my shutter button.

The before is on the left as seen right out of the camera. And on the right, a little bit of tweaking in Adobe Lightroom. Some sharpening, blacks for enhancing and I added what is called a Preset to spruce up the overall colors, warmth and feel of this image.

And voila!

Image specs, Nikon d700, 50mm 1.4 lens, 1.8 aperture, ISO 640 , 1/40th of a sec. Preset used, Cleopatra by One Willow Boutique

The Happenings

2012-01-23T09:17:00.000-08:00

I've been slacking in the blogging department. And not that I don't have sessions to share. Not that I don't have stories to write about. Or upcoming photo ops. There are many I would like to share. But life has been busy. Leading up to Christmas was somewhat insane. Let's just say, our Christmas tree did not make an appearance into our home until December 23. We had painting going on in our home. Lot's of painting. Lot's of mess. A big job. And I am happy to say it is done. I will add that if you are planning on having your home painted, please do well in advance of any holiday. I am not complaining. I love our freshly painted walls. Love the color. Love how we de-cluttered our home and rearranged furniture and started from scratch hanging any decor. Our home feels fresh and kind of new. At least for a 1912 farmhouse.

In the midst of December I acquired a new computer. The other, old computer I had slaved over for hours to keep going and not fail me with the thousands of images filling it every month was slowly dying and not keeping up. But needless to say....long live the Dell.
I am loving my new computer. It is a complete necessity for any photographer running their own business. Time spent in front of a computer uploading, organizing, editing, ordering pictures is a huge part of my business. Certainly my computer is like my assistant!! And I could never do without!

I am truly excited for 2012! Last year was amazing for me. With all of the people I met and developed friendships through by being their photographer couldn't be more rewarding. Feedback from clients throughout last year helped my business grow. It helped me develop as a photographer. To keep developing and continue growing are so important to me. I don't want to become stagnant as a photographer. I only want to become better. Try new things. Stay in my comfort zone where I am at my best but yet willing to try new photo opportunities; like studio lighting!

2012 is already looking like a positive and growing year for me. I am booking weddings, high school senior portrait sessions and family sessions. Even though winter is truly upon us, these winter months still keep me busy. I am using this time to try out new print products. Learn new editing software. Attend photography conferences. Update my social media and website. Basically, just stay fresh and stay inspired. The photography world is amazing. There are SO many ways to go about this business. And for now, I am fairly content in how it is treating me.

Leading into a side door that enters the Duke University Chapel in Durham, North Carolina.

I Heart Faces ~ Furry Faces

2011-12-12T09:42:00.000-08:00

This is Eddy. A seven year old Irish Wolfhound I had the joy of photographing this past summer. The most gentle giant, fun loving fella. He was so fun to take pictures of and in this image he was galloping around the beach like a horse and I am pretty sure he was smiling in this photo. He was quite comical!!

So it is Pets Wee over at I Heart Faces with a Furry Faces photo challenge and for me it has been faarrrr to long since I have entered a picture in one of their weekly photo challenges. I love this website for so many reasons. Whether you are a beginner, amateur or pro at photography this site provides for everyone. Stop on over and check out some awesome tutorials and other tips!
And be sure to see what other photographers have entered for this week's pet theme!

First Glimpse....Baby Brit

2011-12-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

First Glimpse. Baby Brit.

She is 3 weeks old. And all what sweet babies should be. Tiny. Perfect. Dressed in pink. Adorable.

First Glimpse....The M Family

2011-12-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

First Glimpse. The M Family.

We had a cold, cold morning for this session. But I adore this couple and their sweet new baby boy so the cool air really didn't matter.

Oh Sweetness!

2011-12-01T13:53:00.000-08:00

These little darlings are twin sisters. Unbelievably adorable and very much adored. This was one of those sessions when I love, love, love being a photographer.