Amy Wenzel Photography

A Simpler Time

Lately I've experienced waives of nostaligia that wash over me when I least expect it. I'm not always sure what triggers it...a few days ago it was the fragrant flowery and grassy smells blowing in through my window on the breeze after a morning rain. The experience is about a five second euphoric flashback where I experience the emotions I felt as a child- when everything in the world was magical and okay.  Then it passes. But aftward I just want to run out and rent "Anne of Greene Gables" or bake an apple pie, or go berry picking in the woods. Things that bring me back to a simpler time.  When we were growing up my Mom would take us four kids to the berry farms and we would all pick berries. It was fun at first but I remember getting bored and hot out in the sun after a while.  Then when we got home we would spend hours cleaning the strawberries and making jar after jar of homemade jam.  It was the best jam, but loaded with sugar I'm sure!   These photos from a recent session made me think of a simpler time and how I used to love to play outside  as a child with my sisters and brother.  We had a field like this behind the woods in our subdivision. I defintiely have a thing for fields.  They are so magical.   It was really hot the evening of the session.  I think we were all a little sweaty out on the farm!  Lots of mosquitos were there to bite us- I had to photoshop out a few mosquito bites I must confess.  But the girls were darling and really into the whole cowgirl thing.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this next one!  Grass in the mouth was HER idea.

And this was one of the last shots of the session. She had an idea for a picture and wanted to pick the spot and the pose and I gladly obliged. This is what she picked. How cute is this!!

Tall and Lovely

Another girl I had the great experience of working with...I'm just so elated that I added this element to my business.  I absolutely LOVE  doing High School senior photography! 

In hind site I'm pleased with how many different looks we ended up with in this session, from contemporary to completely old school. I saw the large circles when I was out driving one day and knew I had to come back there for a photo shoot.  I tend keep my eyes alert now while I'm driving because I'm always passing interesting things I never noticed before that will serve me later when I'm trying to think of a location for a shoot.  I wish I could just post the whole session- I love them all. I don't think I need to mention how incredibly beautiful and natural she was for the camera!   Can't wait to get some of these up on my website.

 

 

 

 

Miracle Photos

I call these "miracle photos" because all you photographers know how hard it can be to get good sibling shots sometimes!  I got lucky when all 3 kids decided it would be fun to lay on their backs together on the blanket. Granted, I had to sing some pretty ridiculous songs in a completely tone deaf voice to hold their attention. The little girl is a total tomboy and just wants to be like her brothers, or "my boys" as she calls them.  It was fun watching all 3 of them interact together. Every family is so unique.  I always leave sessions wondering what my family will be like someday.

(you can click on the photos to see a larger view)

Seriously adore these kids!!

These kids were fantastic to photograph. Big soulful eyes. Sweet dispositions. Rockin' cool parents to boot. It was just a genuinely good time. 

Busted!....

I wish I had time to write and share more photos but I really need to get to bed. This week has turned out to be busier than I thought. I'm editing 3 very cool sessions as well as doing lots of shooting, so pics will be on the blog in the next couple of days as I work to get them done. Plus I just purchased 3 fun new sets of proofing actions and I'm having so much fun experimenting with them that its slowing me down a lot!  I'm a person who can get bored and need more creative stimulus to keep my juices going.

I feel like my style is constantly evolving in a way as I grow as an artist and photographer. Once I conquer one challenge I'm on to the next.  This season I want to do even more highly "stylized"  sessions with more pre-thought and planning. For me those are absolutely the most inspiring kind!!  I can honestly say that I just love being an artist.  There is such a rush in feeling inspired and getting to carry out ideas that are floating around in your brain. Sometimes I feel like there is so much in my head that I want to do creatively that I am just going to explode. Well, to be fair there are also days when I feel brain dead and couldn't have a creative notion if you threatened my life. I think thats usually caused by sleep deprivation- which for me means getting less than 8 hours. Yes, you can all scoff at me. I'm a high maintenance sleep woman! 

So that is why I am ending this post now and going off to bed...naughty kitten in tow. He sleeps on my night stand now instead of my head. Thank goodness.

The Cobbler's Children

Ever heard the phrase, "The cobbler's children have no shoes" ?  Well, thats me. Very few photos of my life in the past couple years. Truth be told, I don't even own a point and shoot. If I want pics, I have to lug the big friendly professional camera around.  I've decided to start being better about this. I really want to remember EVERYTHING about the details of my life and events. I snapped a self-portrait of me and david before we left to go out on Saturday. We had a blast at the Saugatuck film festival and then spending the evening with friends on their boat out on Lake Michigan. We saw the most gorgeous sunset. Once again, I did not have my camera on me. Shame, shame...

WELCOME BABY NOAH

This is my beautiful new nephew at just 7 days old.  I'm so proud of him.  Every time a new baby gets added to my family I feel my heart expand, making room for one more person to cherish and love.  Sometimes I worry that  I'm loving so many people so much that my heart is going to break.  But thats the weird thing about love- you just never run out of it. There is always the capacity to love one more person so much it hurts.  Now if I just had a never ending supply of TIME  to spend with everyone that I love, that would be a different story. 

My older nephew LOVES his new baby brother and wants to do EVERYTHING to help take care of him. Last time I was at their house he had baby Noah in his lap and he said, "I just wish I could hold him forever. For the rest of my life."  I almost cried it was so darling. 

 

GROCERY DAY

Here are a few highlights from a recent beach session.  I don't have alot to say because I'm annoyed that I have to go buy groceries right now instead of doing fun stuff like photography!  haha.

LOTSA PICS

Ok, I've gotta lot of pics to share here...

Senior Session last week- we had a connection in that we were both the third child in 4 kid families.  I said "Third children are a rare breed."  And she said "Yes, they are!"

Lazy Sunday

I don't have a lot to say today. It's one of those days where you wake up and you can't figure out what kind of mood you are in. Its raining outside which makes me want to lay on the couch and watch continuous episodes of Battlestar Galactica. No, I'm not joking. I really watch that show. Watch is an understatement. I'm obsessed with it. At Halloween I'm going to dress up as one of the characters.  Believe me,  I never thought I could be intersted in a Sci-Fi channel show. How this happened I'll never understand.  Please save yourself and do not get hooked. I'm working on editing a fun senior session today- its always so hard to narrow down the proofs to a workable amount of editing. For now, here are 2 little sweeties...