Amanda

I'm located on northern edge of Battle Creek, Michigan, but am happy to travel within the region (travel fees will apply for sessions more than 30 miles from 49021). I do not have a studio at this time. I offer sessions year-round and while I know Michigan winters can be rough and unpredictable, snow sessions can be so much fun! I have several locations in the area that are exclusive to me, as well as many of the tried-and-true sweet spots around town. Have a location in mind that's special to you? Let's do your session there!

Natural and vibrant! I love true-to-life moments and natural editing. Clean, vibrant images are what you'll see in my portfolio samples and in your final gallery. I start every session with what I call the "Grandparent Pose"... you know, the one that the grandparents will choose to print and hang on their walls. This is the one where everyone is posed together (or in the case of high school seniors and individual children, a classic "yearbook pose"), looking at the camera and smiling. Starting here achieves two things: 1) it's what everyone is used to and comfortable doing, and 2) it helps get out some of the nerves and move us into the more candid posing. After the "Grandparent Pose", I focus on light posing (providing a general direction in how to stand and where to put arms/hands, etc.) and will start providing some prompts to create movement and connection in your images from those poses. Never worry about what you should be doing; I'll provide continuous guidance and feedback as we go through our session. Your gallery will have the perfect mix of posed and candid portraits, which is the best of both worlds!

When I receive a Contact Form from you, I'll generally reach out within 24-28 hours to answer questions and discuss your session details. Once we pick a date that works for everyone, I'll send you a link to complete the booking process. You'll read & sign the Client Agreement, complete a short questionnaire that will help me plan & prepare for our session (and give you a chance to send me questions!), and pay the non-refundable retainer, all in one place. My system will send automatic email reminders about your session as it gets closer, as well as payment reminders for the balance of your session fee.

When you book a session with me I'll send a Client Guide that I've put together for my clients that I send before every session. It includes information about clothes, hair/makeup, and other useful tips to help eliminate stress from your experience. I also have a great resource that shows color combination examples, which if you're a visual person like me, can be a huge help in putting together your outfits. That being said, here's my Top 6 Tips (because I couldn't stop at just 5!): 1) Don't be too matchy-matchy! Long gone are the days of everyone wearing denim or khaki on the bottom and white or black on the top (please, please let those days be long gone!) Pick 2 or 3 main colors and go from there. I recommend not using more than 2 different prints in your group. 2) No logos and no neon colors (these ones are self-explanatory!) 3) Dress up a level from what you consider "nice" attire. I don't wear a dress on a normal day and my middle son definitely doesn't wear a bow-tie on the regular, but kicking it up a notch was perfect for our family photos! 4) Don't forget about the shoes! It's so easy to put on your tried and true kicks, but they'll stick out like a sore thumb in your photos, I promise. 5) Don't wear anything uncomfortable. This one might seem like it goes against #3, but even if you're choosing outfits that are a bit 'fancier' than your day-to-day, still make sure everyone is comfortable in their choices. Be sure to try on ALL outfit pieces before your session. 6) Don't forget to consider your home decor when choosing your colors. This is one of those things that even I didn't think about until just recently, but it just makes sense! Nobody wants to hang a giant canvas on the wall in outfits full of red and black when their home decor is muted creams and yellows (just as an example).

I have zero shame in making a fool of myself to get your kids to relax and have fun. If I can tell they're getting overwhelmed, we'll take a break and play for a little bit. Pick flowers, find rocks, play Simon Says and just let them be kids. I'll try to sneak in some candid shots of these moments and that usually allows them to warm back up. To prepare for our session, definitely talk about it with your kiddos, try on the clothes they'll be wearing and if all else fails, bribe them (for real!) If your kids are older (i.e. teenagers who act like it's physically painful to smile), promise them the sooner they cooperate, the sooner they're done!

1. Extreme heat/humidity - I generally don't photograph in "real feel" temperatures over 95 degrees. Anything 90-95 degrees I'll give you the option if you'd like to reschedule. Temperatures that high are pretty miserable (especially if there are kiddos involved) and sweaty faces and red cheeks aren't how to want to remember your session! 2. Extreme cold - If the temperatures look to be under a "real feel" of 20 degrees, I'll reschedule our session. Being outside in that kind of weather isn't good for your health and it can possibly cause my gear to not perform at its best. 3. Rain - I don't make a final call for the chance of rain until a few hours before our session when the radar is more accurate. 4. Wind - If there looks to be high sustained winds (generally over 30 mph), I'll give you the option to reschedule your session. Blowing hair isn't fun for anyone!

After your session, I generally try to provide a sneak peek on social media within a week or so, with your full gallery delivered no later than 3 weeks after our session. Your images will be in an online gallery and include a print release. There will also be a virtual store in your gallery, allowing you the option to order from a wide selection of photo products and prints, which are produced in a professional lab and shipped right to your door!