🦃 Happy Thanksgiving and My 5 Things... 🦃

Happy Thanksgiving my friends!

On this special day, I want to pause and share the things I’m especially grateful for right now. There are, as always, so very many… but I’ve narrowed it down to five this year that are at the top of my mind:

Jonathan. He’s the best dad and the most thoughtful husband. From taking little things off my plate so I stay (somewhat) sane during the crazy fall season… to making fires and snuggling our kids in the family room on Saturdays while I’m out shooting… to making our date nights happen even when it’s hard to squeeze them in… I could not be more thankful for all the ways he’s been there and shown us how much he loves us this fall.

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The clients I’ve watched grow up. I’m heading into year 13 as a photographer, and there are quite a few clients that feel far more like family to me than simply clients now. Joy wells up inside me when I look through my lens at these kiddos that I met as newborns or toddlers and are now into their double-digits and even teenage years. They’re not my kids, but I feel so proud of who they’re becoming and grateful beyond words that their parents keep bringing them to me to capture their journeys. ❤️

Shannon, Cricket, and Meg. Shannon’s a given… she’s my best girl and ever-faithful sidekick. And these two kitties have filled our home with epic joy this year!

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Stronger Executive Functioning Skills. 😂 No, seriously. When I began working at Vine Academy last year, I learned something amazing: I am not biologically a crazy, disorganized, chronically late person… I’ve only been that way because there are actual skills and strategies one must to learn in order to efficiently function! MIND. BLOWN. Since the beginning of last year, I’ve basically gotten one-on-one executive functioning coaching by Vine’s director and other teachers, and guess what?!?!? This old dog is learning some new tricks!!! Practice makes perfect… and I have PLENTY of practice ahead of me… but this fall has been my smoothest season yet and I am GRATEFUL for the peace of mind these new skills are bringing me!!!

The health of myself and those I love. If I’ve learned one thing this year, it’s to not take the health of ourselves or those close to us for granted. I’ve begun taking care of my body on a new level this year… paying closer attention to how much I move, what I’m eating, and my overall mental state. Self-care is a gift… not only to ourselves but to those who love us. It’s been modeled for me this year and I intend to embrace it until I can model it for the ones I love. ❤️

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Happy Thanksgiving to each of you… we’re sending all our warmest wishes on this sweet day of gratitude!

XOXO,
Amy

🙏🏼 A Holiday Ask and a Shameless Bribe 🙏🏼

Here’s my big ask:

When you’re sending your holiday cards, will you send me one too??? I LOVE seeing how you use your pictures in your card, OR, even if you went another route for photography this year, how your family is growing. I mean it… I just want to see your beautiful faces. It brings me so much joy to watch your babies grow up. 🥰🎄🥰

Here’s the bribe:

I will be taking all the cards that have been sent to me, putting them in a basket, shaking them up, and drawing one out for a free 2020 Lifestyle Mini Session. So pleeeaaasssseeee get this address on your mailing list:

My studio address:

44 Harrison Place
Hinsdale, IL 60521

And now… picture time!
Take a look at a few of the beautiful families that have joined me for outdoor sessions this fall:
(I wish I could put more in!!! It was a very, VERY busy season and we had so many wonderful families!!!)

The craziest ones...

The four weeks of October are the craziest ones of the year. They wear me out while simultaneously bringing me to life, and I love it. I recover during the week, then start it all again the next Saturday morning. Each family is incredible and beautiful in their own right, and if you think the pictures are beautiful… imagine how it felt to experience the love and connection in each of these moments from my side of the lens. It’s powerful and humbling and perfect.

That’s all I’ve got. Lemme show you the pictures:

The 10-Point Post :)

Hey friends.

There’s so much to share… because this world keeps spinning and life keeps happening and there’s not always time to disclose all the little things.

So - 10 random things I’ve been dying to share. Some are silly. Some are business. Some are informative. And some are totally ridiculous. You decide which is which, haha:

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  • Yoga has kicked off again at my studio, and I’m LOVING it. My favorite yoga instructor, Jeannette, is leading classes at the Hinsdale studio and here’s the link to see what classes are available. Hint: check out the 3-class beginner’s pass, it’s an awesome deal. :) I’ll be there every Tuesday morning (5:30 a.m.) and Sunday evening (assuming it hasn’t rained on Saturday because: session reschedules, lol).

  • I’m still working at Vine Academy… but part-time this year! This school has my heart. It’s the most caring, rigorous, intentional, and strategic educational facility I’ve ever seen. I handle marketing, help with admissions, and teach art… then head out at 1:30 to focus on my photography work. So far this year it’s been the perfect balance. I love both jobs so much… not something to take for granted! ❤️

  • We got 2 cats and I adore them both. Turns out you can be both a dog person AND a cat person… omg!!! Meg and Cricket keep us laughing all day long. Who knew felines could bring so much joy to a family???

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  • My sister Allie had a BABY GIRL!!! Those of you who have been with us for the long haul know that Allie was our business manager until her sweet little boy was born about 8 years ago. Now we have another little one to love. Is she perfect? Yes. Am I obsessed? Ummm… just a wee bit. 😂😂😂

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  • I’m making chicken soup right now and it smells amazing. Is there a reason that I’m telling you this? Not really. It’s just that I’m just super-proud of my 1) planning, 2) shopping, 3) chopping, and 4) boiling. I will be putting a bay leaf in it soon because my Granny taught me that without a bay leaf your chicken soup will taste “off.” #wontquestiongranny

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  • I’ve read some incredible books in the past few months. My top two favorites: Atomic Habits by James Clear and The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene. Both life-changing. But you don’t have to take my word for it… 📚🌈

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  • My kids and I have a killer idea: someday we will start a puppy farm. We believe this idea has merit… 4-5 litters of puppies, $10 admission… unending snuggles… and BOOM. We’re living the high life, surrounded by puppies. All golden retriever pups, obviously… what do you think?

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  • I took pictures of hummingbirds this weekend at the lake. I’ve been trying for EVER and finally got lucky this past weekend. I tried so hard and was so tickled that I did it. This one’s my favorite. ❤️

Ok sweet friends. Those are my musings… I hope you all had a lovely Labor Day weekend!!!

XOXO,
Amy

The Grand Champion

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I had an obsession with horses from the time I was about seven years old. My big sister took horseback riding lessons, and after watching her once I was hooked. I wanted a horse. I needed a horse. Late at night, my mind haunted me with dreams of a horse of my very own: tall, chestnut-brown, with a mane and tail that flew behind it as we raced across wide-open spaces. It was an impossible dream, and I knew it. But for years… YEARS… I was heartbroken that we lived in the Chicago suburbs and not on a farm somewhere that horses were a more reasonable choice of pet. 😂

I watched horse movies all the time. My favorite was National Velvet with Elizabeth Taylor. A twelve year old girl wins a runaway horse in the town raffle, names him The Pie… and quickly realizes that he can run faster and jump higher than any horse around. She trains with a family friend (Micky Rooney), cuts her hair to disguise herself as a jockey, and enters the Grand National, “the greatest horse race in all of England.” I watched The Pie become England’s Grand Champion so many times that our VHS tape began to wear out.

Between the dreaming and horseback riding lessons my parents signed me up for and endless National Velvet viewings, my heart could barely shoulder the disappointment of living horse-less, except for one saving grace:

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Jenny.

Jennifer Rebecca Warner, a 35 pound, black-and-white, runt-of-the-litter English Springer Spaniel, was our family dog. We got her as a puppy when I was in kindergarten and she was a member of our household for the rest of my childhood. Jenny was no horse in stature, but her heart must have been as big as any horse’s ever was; she was eager-to-please, patient, and as gentle as any girl could have ever wanted. I would gallop around the block with her running beside me on the leash, pretending we were off on wild adventures as a horse and rider. I made her a harness in the winter and she would “pull” us down the sidewalk through the snow, proudly bearing the title of my sled horse. My dad even helped me build a “horse jump” for her (complete with adjustable pegs) so Jenny and I could train together for our own Grand National.

Looking back, I’d say that Jenny was a fixture… if not a pillar… of my childhood. She was endlessly patient with my antics. She would follow me anywhere. She was the one waiting at the door after school every single day, excited to see me and undoubtedly wondering what kinds of silliness we’d be engaging in that afternoon. She was more than happy to be my horse, and, though she never had the chestnut coat or flowing mane and tail, I knew deep-down that she was and always would be my most special girl.

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Jenny was faithful through my childhood and often-challenging teenage years, keeping her place by my side as I moved on from my horse obsession to typical teen things: sports, friends, and boys. And the summer after my freshman year at college, I stood beside my dad and held her head in my hands as she passed. I walked out of the vet’s office that day without my 35 pound heart-of-gold Grand Champion, poignantly experiencing the downside to the risk we all take in loving so deeply.

Last week as I was teaching camera camp, we passed by a lady walking her small, black-and-white English Springer Spaniel around town. The kids begged me to let them take its picture, so I asked the owner who gladly obliged. This sweet dog looked so much like our Jenny that I had to swallow a lump in my throat as they walked away… and even found myself looking back over my shoulder for one last glance as they made their way around the corner and out of sight.

From where I stand, your family’s dog is one of the most important things your child will remember long after their childhood has passed. Dogs are with us for far too short of a time, but the years we have with them are richer as a result of their love. Laying in bed that night last week, I found myself wishing I had better pictures… wonderful, authentic pictures… of my sweet Jenny. It wasn’t a thing back then… but it is now. If I had pictures of her, I would certainly have had them in my hands that evening to enjoy… to get lost in… and to remember. They would have been a balm to my heart, which was still aching a bit after the chance encounter we had in town that day.

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Dog sessions are coming up in August… the 17th and the 24th. I’m not charging very much for them because I know this is a tough session to justify and I really want you to consider it… believe me when I say that you will never regret signing up and taking a quick hour out of your Saturday to do this one very important thing.

We will play. We will have fun. And we will celebrate the life, love, and spirit that makes your dog so special to you and your family so you can hold onto those memories forever. Here’s a link… I hope to meet your dog soon!

 
 

✔️ The Headshot Event ✔️

Ok, I get it. You’re not chomping at the bit to get in front of the camera. 😂 It doesn’t matter… having a solid, professional headshot is sooooo important. Here’s why:

A good headshot often leads, indirectly, to better opportunities.

Even if you’re not looking to change jobs anytime soon, there’s a solid chance that those you work for and with will come across your headshot through Slack, LinkedIn, Twitter, Teams… and their impression of you matters. Right or wrong, it can affect how others feel about your work. A good headshot can lead, indirectly, to better opportunities.

So let’s get yours freshened up, shall we? I'll make it quick and painless… and then you can checkity-check it off your list and (literally) put your best face forward.

Below is a link to grab one. Once you book it, I’ll send you all my thoughts about what to wear, how to prep, etc…

Let’s get ‘er done my friends. 📷 Saturday, September 7th. See you then!

 
 

☀️ 5 Things to Know For This Summer ☀️

Holy moly, there’s SO much to talk about, friends!

As summer officially begins for me and our little family, I am tickled pink to sit down and share what’s going on here on the photography front right now. There’s so much to look forward to!!!

K. Here’s what we’ve got:

1) Sweet Shots Camera Camp!!! The announcement over on Facebook was enough to nearly fill both classes, but there are still a few spots left in next week’s camp (July 8 - 12). If you’re interested, check them out here -there’s one for 3-5th grade and another for the middle schoolers!

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2) This year’s summer minis are now open! 🎉 These sessions were a big hit last summer and I think it’s safe to say we all (myself included!) fell madly in love with the images that were captured. Right now there are sessions available on July 13th, August 10th, and August 17th. Sign up now, figure out your outfits later. 😉

My opinion? Families should have a pretty strong reason NOT to do one. Images like these are that important and no parent in the history of ever has regretted capturing loving connections. ❤️

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3. Mini 4 hour photographer coaching packages are available for September (when school starts again and weekends are more steady for everyone!) 📷 For those of you looking to strengthen your photography businesses… OR get one off the ground… this is a fab chance to get all your ducks in a row. 🦆🦆🦆 These are usually $600 but I’d love to get them booked up so we’re offering them for $450 right now. Everybody wins… hurray!!!

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4. August Sweet Shots Levels I and II are open! Specifically, August 10th (Level I) and August 24th (Level II). These classes are super fun, but more importantly, you’ll learn to use your DSLR like it was meant to be used… and your kids will always have the amazing pictures you take of their childhood from that point on.

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And FINALLY (told you there was a lot!)…

5. DOGGO SESSIONS!!! Hehe. I’ve always adored dogs, but this year I’ve intentionally begun to photograph them... and I’m loving every minute of it. If there’s enough interest, I’d like to open up a day of sessions devoted strictly to our sweet pups this August. 🐶 I’m not planning on them being much… perhaps $250 for a session that features your faithful, fluffy bestie. If that sounds like something you might want to do, would you shoot me a quick reply? You’re not committing… I’m just trying to gauge interest. Not sure if I’m the only one crazy enough to love this idea. 😂

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Love to each of you!!!

XOXO,
Me

Here's to the Dads...

Here’s to the Dads

To the twirlers, the giggle-makers, the snugglers, and the ride-givers.

To the secret-tellers, the chasers, the flower-givers, and the protectors.

Here’s to each one of you.

Well done.

Keep doin’ what you’re doin’, guys. ❤️

It's my birthday!!! EEEEEK!!!

Guys. It’s my birthday. 🎉🎉🎉

And it’s not just any birthday… it’s the big THREE-NINE. And (please feel free to begin rolling on the floor laughing right now) I’m freaking out a little.

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Hahaha, I know. Those of you who are already in your 40’s and beyond are like, “GIRL! Your 40’s are amazing! You will come into your own and LOVE how you feel about your life.” I know. Thank you. I’ve heard.

But… I don’t know… I guess it’s just that 40 is RIGHT THERE. I can touch it. My “young years” are waning faster than a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos in a room full of middle schoolers. I. Am. Thirty nine. Mom-ing it up in my white Honda Odyssey, feeling ever-so-25 yet feigning surprise at my mom’s reflection every time I pass a shop window. The final chapter of my youth is upon me, and no amount of fast-acting retinol cream can slow this train down.

So it’s time to make peace with this thing called age. Time to do the work. Time to practice gratefulness and focus on a few things that matter more than my fear of growing older. I’ve been giving this lots of thought, and here are the four things I’d like to focus on between now and March 4, 2020:

  • I’d like to play more, specifically with photography. Expect a few extra model calls this year on Facebook, because I’m learning that (at least for me!) one of the best ways to stay inspired is… you guessed it… to play. ❤️

  • I want to strengthen my listening skills. My aunt called me today to wish me a happy birthday. She is beautiful, adventurous, and hilarious, and I love every moment I’m with her, but on the phone I tend to talk a LOT due to nerves. Today, though, I closed my eyes and just listened. She told me a story that had us both giggling and left me smiling long after we hung up.

  • Appreciate my body. Not just accept it… appreciate it. Regardless of its state of elasticity or size. Lol. I know this is basically everyone’s goal. Mine too. Affirmations, here I come… 😂

  • Finish something big. I loooove starting projects. I’m an amazing project-starter. If there was a job for project-starters I would probably be a leader in the field. But finishing?!? That’s a whole different ball game. I want to know how it feels to truly FINISH something I’ve started. Right now I have my sights set on Sweet Shots… but am still firming up exactly what that means. I’ll try to keep you posted. 😉

I think those things may bring me a little closer to the way I want to feel about life at 40. In any case, it certainly won’t hurt to try, right?

365 days.

Here we go… ❤️