Amanda Eaton Photography

Out with the old....In with the NEW

2011-08-10T10:20:00.000-07:00

I've had a good run with this blog, but the new one is up and running and I have to admit that I like it way better :) It's also a way shorter url. Now it's www.amandaeatonblog.com. Isn't that much better? The new website should be up very soon also (as soon as I get all my new wedding galleries organized! This summer has been crazy busy and that is down the list on my priorities). So check it out...bookmark it...favorite it...tell your friends about it... :)

WELCOME TO THE NEW BLOG!!

Layflat Books

2011-08-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

As you all probably know, we have changed our wedding packages a few times this year and for the past 6 months have been doing strictly digital packages, a custom dvd and dvd case and your edited images on the dvd with a print release. For our 2012 Brides & Grooms I've decided that we will now be giving these beautiful layflat books (20 page/40 sides). The pages are thicker than a normal coffee table book and each page actually lays flat instead of having the binding in the middle made the pages bubble up (does that make sense?!). We offer coffee table books still, and also albums (for an additional price), but for any 2012 brides, this is what will be included in your package. You may also purchase them for your engagement session for $200 (8x8) or $275 (10x10).
This is what my lab has to say about them : Layflat Books are truly spectacular. Exactly what their name implies, they lay flat so photographs aren’t distorted by binding or creased by a hinge. Add a gloss or matte finish to your book and it will be second to none. Only in person can you truly appreciate a Layflat Book’s amazing qualities.
This book below is an 8x8, 10 page (20 sides) book with a gloss cover and pearl finished paper so it adds a little shimmer. I have ordered the textured satin covers too and I think I like them a little better, they are more matte and feel just a little nicer in your hands, but I wanted to see what this kind was like too :) I'm a sucker for presentation and how things feel in my hands!

And PLEASE excuse the awful coloring. I shot these on our backup camera and not only was the color profile different from what I should've used but the settings were weird because Nathan had used it for video and messed with everything! :)

new things right around the corner

2011-08-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

So this probably sounds crazy to you, but I don't really want to blog anything I've done recently. Ok, ok, I made it sound worse than it is. It's not that I don't want to blog (because I have LOTS of fun sessions and weddings to show you), it's just that I don't want to blog on this blog. Nathan has created me a fancy new blog that is so much more user friendly and just plain better than this one. It's just one of our big new changes, several more to follow shortly!
I hope that you're all enjoying the last few weeks of summer. Today it hit me, it' s August! After my wedding this weekend I don't have any more until September, which means that I'm halfway through this year and have barely blogged any of my sessions/weddings. So much to show you, and I promise that once the new blog is up, it's one of my top business priorities to blog each and every session. Hold me to it, please!
In other news, I am taking a very very VERY limited number of sessions in September (as in maybe ONE more for September), October and November, so if you want a session please talk to me now so we can set it up! I probably won't post again this week on this blog because we're hoping to have the new one up by Friday! Hope to see you there ;)

Owen | 6 Months

2011-07-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

Owen is part of my womb to one plan (which I no longer offer), so I have the pleasure of seeing his sweet, adorable, chubby face every 3 months until he turns one this December. THIS BABY...oh my goodness, there are no words for how precious he is. Seriously, I don't need to write anything, just look at him!

Hannah | 2012 Senior

2011-07-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

(looking for info on the IIluminate Workshops, click here)

I like Hannah. Hannah (and her mom and sister) were my very first clients. I took this one photo of Hannah and fell in love with photography. No joke! I thought, wow, this is really really fun...I could totally do this all the time... here's that photo and here is Hannah now, a year and four months after the first time I photographed her. I hope your senior year is amazing, Hannah! You are a beautiful girl, from your sweet spirit to wonderful smile :)

Contest!Contest!

2011-07-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

Who wants to win a seat to the workshop of their choice?! Seats are officially for sale (see post below this one) and a limited number will be sold so that I can personally interact with each participant better. If you're thinking, "Hey, I have a dslr and I would love to learn how to stop taking pictures in AUTO and get my moneys worth" then The Basics class is for you! If you already have taken steps to learn how to shoot in manual or have a grasp of how to use your dslr but want direction with how to get the shot then The Session is for you! Why am I calling it "The Session"? Simple. I couldn't think of anything better. :) Basically it's my dream session. All the details that make up something that I get giddy to photograph. There is a secret theme which will be revealed on the day of the workshop (August 27th) and we will be learning HOW to get the shots you're envisioning in your head. SO YOU WANT IN? Here is your chance to win a free seat!
1. Leave a comment with which workshop you want to attend, The Basics or The Session. If you want to attend both then leave two separate comments.
2. Spread the word on your facebook...ex status: I want to learn how to use this camera! or I want to shoot beautiful people! (wink). come back and leave a comment.
3. LIKE us on facebook..simple! come back and leave a comment.
BONUS: Suggest our page to your friends and leave a comment saying you did so.

So that's FIVE (5) possible ways to enter. You can do one, you can do all. Winner will be chosen tonight at midnight so I'm not giving you much time! Get it on it, people! :)

Illuminate Workshop

2011-07-19T21:26:00.000-07:00

Back by popular demand :) I am offering two workshops this summer. The first class (The Basics) is geared towards those of you who own a fancy schmansy DSLR but have no clue how to use it in manual. We will be going over all of those buttons that scare you and learning what their functions are and how to use them. Then we will head to two different locations and practice what we've learned on gorgeous models! This part was a big hit last time and I have to say that doing something first hand makes ALL the difference.

The second class will be held on Saturday, August 27th and is for those of you who already know how to shoot in manual (or maybe you just know how to "basically" use it but could still use some pointers), but we will be focusing on natural lighting, posing, connecting with your clients, perspective, location scouting...and best of all...I am planning an amazing styled shoot for us. There will be a theme, there will be lots of details to shoot, and again, a gorgeous couple who are ready to be treated like movie stars with the paparazzi in their faces. We will also go over basic workflow (how I do mine) and some editing (I will include some of my basic workflow actions that I've created) and prepping a blog post. You should have some basic knowledge of photoshop for that part of the class. I can't tell you how excited I am for this class. I have been thinking of it non-stop and can't wait for it!

So now you're wondering...can I come to both classes? Of course! And I'll even give you a sweet deal on the price too :) If you have any questions please email me and I will respond as quickly as possible. I haven't decided on classroom locations yet but they will be in Lee's Summit.

Where: Lee's Summit, TBA

When: August 19th (4:30-sunset) & August 27th (5:00-sunset)

Why: Because you want to learn how to use that nice camera you bought!! (And get some amazing images to add to your portfolio)

What you need to bring: Your camera (of course), Your laptop if you'd like, I will provide the rest..and some refreshments!

Clayton & Laura | One Year Anniversary

2011-07-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

This session totally slipped by without making it's appearance on the blog or my facebook! Laura's mom bought her a gift certificate (yes, I sell gift certificates!) for Christmas and we waited until the Spring to shoot. This week has been so freakishly hot that it makes me want these cooler (yet sunny!) days so bad. Here are some of my favorites..I really like these images!

Photo Talk + Coffee

2011-07-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

Hey Photographers!! Don't forget that on Friday night we are going to get together at Gusto Coffee here in Lee's Summit to hang out and chat! This is not a class, no one is teaching anything, we're just talking! There is an outdoor area that we could sit outside or we can try for indoors. Bring your business cards to exchange and we'll do some official networking while we're hanging out :)

What: Hang out with other local Photogs
Where: Gusto! Coffee 3390 SW Fascination Dr, Lee's Summit MO 64081
Why: Why not?
When: Friday, July 22nd @ 8:00pm (although you are welcome to go early and see if anyone else shows up early!)

See you guys there!

Lensbaby, baby!

2011-07-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

I just bought a lensbaby composer pro yesterday and i.love.it
Granted I need a lot of practice with it. So what better way to practice than by shooting into a bright sunset filled yard with a sprinkler and my favorite kids! :) SO FUN.

Thomas & Ashten | Engagement

2011-07-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

oh.my.goodness. Mid-July already?! I remember looking at my calendar for this year and seeing all of the weddings and wondering just how quickly time would pass...well, it's going by pretty darn quick. I have really slowed down on portrait sessions to focus on weddings, which is so different than last July when things really took off for me. I have to admit that I really love the way things are going right now! Shooting a wedding on a Saturday and then doing maybe one or two sessions during the week. I think I've finally found my niche. I'm really excited for a couple of portrait sessions that I have in the next few weeks...they are really going to let me get creative! In the mean time I have about a billion sessions that I would love to get on my blog, so I'm going to share some of my favorite photos of Thomas & Ashten and their awesome engagement session. Their wedding is coming up quickly!! Only two more before it's their turn! Enjoy these images of a very sweet couple...

Scarlett & Colin| Engaged

2011-07-03T21:59:00.000-07:00

For Scarlett & Colin's engagement session we headed down to the west bottoms (the first time I had ever shot down there!). They wanted the look of the buildings and grungey walls and we definitely got it! We actually shot on my birthday and it might sound weird but this session was the perfect birthday present for myself! I seriously love what I do and being able to hang out and photograph a fun couple was the icing on the cake (bad "birthday" joke). I had a really hard time narrowing down images for the blog so enjoy this lengthy post! I can't wait for your wedding in September, Scarlett & Colin! Also, check out the video Nathan made here!And Happy 4th tomorrow!

Samantha| Senior 2012

2011-07-01T22:08:00.000-07:00

I love photographing senior girls. Seriously, one of my favorites. Being able to get one person to connect with you in front of a huge daunting camera is no easy task, but it's so rewarding when you get beautiful images like these :) I took these a few months ago and am just now getting around to putting them up! Here were a few of my favorites, I love her freckles!

Evan & Danae| The Book

2011-07-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to book weddings for 2012 and this year I am showing my clients a lot more of my work in the form of printed products. I wanted to order an engagement session "lay-flat" book to show off and decided to go with my session of Danae and Evan. This wasn't an engagement session but I just love the lighting and their outfit colors and Danae's vibrant hair and lips! :) I'm so excited to get this 8x8 lay-flat book and when I do I will be sure to photograph it for you guys! Here is the layout:

Matt & Ashley | Wedding at The Elms

2011-06-23T20:36:00.000-07:00

We have had a hot spring here in the midwest, so I was expecting Matt and Ashley's outdoor June wedding to be a hot one...we were all surprised when we had perfect weather that day. There is always a big risk with an outdoor wedding but I'm so glad that they took the risk and things worked out wonderfully...they were able to get married under a beautiful gazebo on a perfect Saturday afternoon. I met Matt and Ashley through a referral and after we booked their wedding I didn't see them again for several months (totally normal). One day I was driving down my street and noticed that the house 4 houses down had new owners, and the girl looked A LOT like Ashley! I emailed Matt and lo and behold, out of all the houses in this city, they bought one four houses down from their wedding photographer! I told them it will be easy to get them their photos :) Enjoy!

I could've given you reception pictures but this post is incredibly long as it is! Congratulations Matt & Ashley! Some of these shots were from my awesome 2nd shooter, Bethany Person.

Michelle & Jerry Engagement Preview

2011-06-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

Hannah|9 months

2011-06-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

If every baby were as easy to photograph as Hannah, I may be a full time baby photographer! GOODNESS... the faces she gave me were priceless! Every time I see her she just gets cuter and cuter. I love the shots on the quilt, and guess what? That quilt was Bree's when she was a baby! Bree is Hannah's mommy by the way :) Enjoy these adorable shots...I'm sure they'll bring a smile to your face!

photos are important.

2011-06-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

...and I don't just say that as a photographer. taking photos is SO important. my dad told me the other day that he heard that our minds will only keep memories of things that we re-tell ourselves over and over again. have you ever noticed how hard it is to think back and replay everything you did one week ago...or one month ago..or year..it's impossible unless something happened to cause you to make a memory. something you'll recall and play over in your mind. photos are the perfect way to save a moment in time. i keep my camera at arms reach most of the time so that i don't miss out on too many of the funny little things my children do and i love being able to look back at all of the images from their lives and remember what was happening when i snapped that photo. take pictures, people!!
we went on a little stay-cation to Worlds Of Fun (a local amusement park) last week and it was the perfect excuse for me to buy the little polaroid camera i had been wanting from target :) i couldn't (nor would i want to) haul around my d700 so this plastic camera was perfect..plus i love the look of polaroids, they're timeless. my dad was so upset that he "ruined" the family picture i asked him to take, but he missed the point..we have a photo of our little family, at worlds of fun, maybe it's not set up perfectly and it's a little far away, but it serves the purpose and i love it. because he took it i'll remember that we had to beg riley to be in it, that we were hot and sticky, we had just rode the viking voyager...memories that i want to remember.

The other Terrell Family :)

2011-06-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

Remember a few weeks ago I showed you THIS adorable family?? I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff's brother's Jim and his wife Misty and their adorable babies a few weeks after Jeff & Sally's family session! I went out to their beautiful home in the country and we walked around and captured some great memories...including oreos on faces, tall grass and big cowboy hats and a very in love mommy and daddy :) I checked out Misty's blog afterwards and saw that she has lost a lot of weight the past year- way to go, Misty! You look AWESOME and your family is adorable!!

Danae & Evan....just for fun

2011-06-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

Danae...Dan...one of my very best friends in high school and thanks to facebook I still get to keep up with her life in Oklahoma. I always knew that she would be successful, and I was right. She just graduated from Law school (yeah, that's right, she's going to be a lawyer!!) and lives in Oklahoma now with her amazingly sweet husband, Evan. I'm so happy that she found someone who is so perfect for her. And their one year anniversary is next week! When I saw that she was coming to KC I begged her to do a session, and thankfully she agreed :) This is one of my favorite sessions, we got to just have fun and enjoy the beautiful sunset.

Summer

2011-06-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

i LOVE summer. getting out of bed easier because the sun is shining warmly through our window. swimming in my parents pool. kids in their swimsuits all day..or diapers for the younger ones. sunshine sunshine sunshine. iced coffee. new freckles. laziness. or not laziness because i'm actually energized by the sunshine. longer evenings. fresh fruit and veggies from my dad's garden. tank tops and cutoffs. golden sunsets. i just love it.

I asked for the biggest smile ever.

My niece...Hailey

Rachel & Jake| Wedding Part ONE

2011-05-31T20:38:00.000-07:00

Remember Rachel & Jakes Engagement session last month?? Well, they're Mr. & Mrs. Langsdale now! Their wedding day was dark and stormy...and I mean really really dark and stormy...as in, it looked like it was nighttime at 10am. BUT a few minutes after I showed up to start photographing the rain turned to mist and we were able to get some shots outside. And then as we headed to the church the sun actually came out and we had some blue skies..a wedding day miracle for Rachel & Jake :) Their reception was in The Stanley in downtown Lee's Summit, it's a new venue and it was so nice! I love the way they have it decorated and it's right there in downtown so we got to walk around and get some shots of the two of them before the wedding started. These are all shots before the ceremony...part two will be coming next week :)

Lynette|2011 High School Senior

2011-05-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

Meet Lynette. She's fun and sweet and has an amazing smile that makes you want to smile with her. When I first met her I recognized her immediately but couldn't place where from...she works at my local grocery store (that we're at a hundred times a week!) and I've gone through her checkout line several times! I'm so glad that I had the pleasure to meet her and I'm sure that she has an awesome future ahead of her.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

{Lynette's favorite bible verse}

INTRODUCING....

2011-05-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

It's finally here! My new website is about 90% finished and up and running! I say 90% because we don't have a final picture in the "about us" section and we don't have the videos up yet...but you get the idea :) Nathan worked really hard on it and I think it looks awesome!! As you'll notice on the site, things have changed for Amanda Eaton Photography. We are making the transition from shooting "everything" to shooting mostly weddings, engagements and seniors, with a few portrait sessions here and there. Does this mean that I won't do families or babies anymore? Not yet! Next year that may be a different story, but for now we're slowing changing our focus. Our hope is that next year we will book enough weddings with photography & video that Nathan will be able to do this with me full time..so please tell your friends and families that if they need a wedding photographer and videographer: Check us out!!
The engagement session videos will be done soon and we'll let you know when they're up! In the meantime, check out all of the fun pages on the site and let us know what you think! One really awesome thing is that now we will be offering our brides and grooms their own websites with all of the details of their weddings and their engagement session photos! We love you all and appreciate your business and friendships so much. Thank you for allowing me to be able to do what I love, and have such a great time doing it!

www.amandaeatonphotography.com

The Terrell Family (one of them, that is!!)

2011-05-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

When I saw Sally and Jeff get their adorable daughters out of their car, my first thought was, "I want these outfits for my daughters!"- they were cute from head to toe! Jeff is a local pastor, which also spoke to me because my dad is a pastor and I am one of three daughters, just like the Terrells! They were so easy-going and fun to hang out with and we had a great time walking around downtown Lee's Summit and Longview Lake. I had another "Terrell" family on my calendar, but since they hadn't mentioned anything I figured it was just a coincidence..but sure enough after I posted a few pictures on facebook we realized that I would be working with Jeff's brother Jim and his wife Misty and their adorable babies a few weeks later! They both didn't realize that they had booked me! I'll be posting their session soon ....:) Here are a few favorites...

Toothless

2011-05-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

I noticed a few dark spots on his teeth, so we set up a dentist appointment. They couldn't get us in for a month so I said "fine" and didn't really think about it much, I mean, we brushed every night so I wasn't too worried. Well the day of the dentist appointment came and Rowan and Riley were both sick, throwing up sick...they never get sick...we had to move our appointment and two months went by before we finally made it in. The dentist literally rolled his eyes at me after looking at Rowan's x-rays. I took it that wasn't a good sign. He was going to need A LOT of work. I was terrified. I HATE dentists, I hate going to them, hate the shots, hate the numbness, hate the drilling,,,hate. The day before his first appointment my mom gave me a flier for a new pediatric dentist and we decided to cancel his appointment with my dentist and check out the new ones. I'm so glad we did! Spencer & Spencer Pediatric Dentists in Lee's Summit- they were so much more nice and Dr. Spencer explained to me how quickly baby teeth get cavities and that I couldn't blame myself for this. It's hard not to. We decided the best thing would be to have him put under general anesthesia at the hospital and then Dr. Spencer could do everything in one sitting..and it was a lot of work. At the time we had planned on fixing his front two teeth which had started chipping, but since they couldn't schedule the surgery until another month I had a feeling we would lose those front two.

The day of the surgery I was terrified. I kept quoting Philippians's 4:6-7 (my verses for anytime I'm anxious..my c-section verses :)..

Philippians's 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We arrived at the hospital at 7:30am for his appointment at 9:30, so we waited two hours and then got to go back and talk to the anesthesiologists (which I had met both of them during my c-sections in the past and love both of them), they were great with Rowan and then they asked him if he wanted to be carried back or walk on his own..he hopped off the hospital bed in his cute little loony tunes hospital gown and walked into the area we (Nathan and I) had to stay out of. I wanted to cry. We waited two hours (TWO HOURS!!) and finally the dentist came out in the waiting room and took us in a small room to talk. He told us things went well (phew) and that he had to remove the front two teeth, but everything else went as planned. He had to give him a bunch of shots in his gums so he said he'd be really upset and sore when he woke up and that he'd need us there to comfort him. After about twenty more minutes we finally got to go back as he was waking up. I saw my baby half asleep on the hospital bed, blood all over his mouth and pillow. He looked so small on that bed. I was prepared for screaming but what I got was an answer to my prayers I had been praying all morning...Rowan never once cried, never even complained. As the nurse took his IV out blood splattered on the bed and he quickly said "IS THAT PAINT?!", she replied "That is the cutest thing I've ever heard".

Today I finally got a photo of his new smile. He looks way too old now, but as precious as ever. My sweet 4 1/2 year old baby boy.

Rob & Laurie

2011-05-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

Laurie was always a "kid person", she always loved babies and baby-sitting which was total opposite from me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my children and being a mom, but you know the kind of people I'm talking about- the ones who enjoy baby-sitting and working in day-cares and nannying (all of which my sister has done and loved). I always knew she would be a great mom and now here we are, both of us are moms enjoying raising our children with the amazing husbands God has blessed us with. Laurie and I both were married at age 20 and had our first child within that first year...her and Rob were pregnant after one month (I waited a whopping three months:) and then after Jude, their oldest who is now 2 1/2), they found out they were pregnant with Hailey after just three months! Laurie got pregnant again back in October but miscarried around 7 weeks. We were all shocked as none of us (my mom, grandmas and Laurie and I) have had any before and it was so upsetting because I just kept thinking Why Laurie? but she handled it so well and had a very thankful attitude for her two healthy babies that she already has. It was a hard few months for her but a few months after she was pregnant again! She went in for an ultrasound to make sure things looked ok and she called me afterwards to let me know things looked ok. Every time this happens to one of us we always joke "there are two in there!" or "yeah both babies looked good!" just to see if the other one would fall for it, but this time I could hear the tears in her voice as she choked back "Both babies have strong heartbeats"..and I just knew she was telling the truth. Laurie & Rob are expecting twins :) She's 16 weeks along now and things are going well, but please keep them in your prayers over the next 5 months until the twins are born!
We shot these is about 10-15 minutes after I took some shots of my parents with all their grandkids!

Jessie & Chad|Engagement Session

2011-05-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

I'm a lucky girl...I get to hang out with gorgeous, fun couples and take photos of them! :) I love how each of my clients feel like they could be my friends, it's a great thing. I feel so comfortable and relaxed and it never feels like work. Seriously, I was trying to explain this to a friend earlier this year after I had a wedding consultation with a possible client/bride and I left knowing that we just didn't "click". I told him that I knew I wouldn't be shooting her wedding because with all of the other brides and grooms I've met with (and booked) there is some kind of instant connection between us. I just know that we'll get along and work well together. I love each couple and they are all so different- let's just say it's going to be an awesome year for my wedding clients! :) Here are a few of my favorites from Chad & Jessie's engagement session a few weeks ago...They are so CUTE and were down for anything (seriously, I have the most awesome clients). Here are just a few favorites :)

P.S Our NEW website and blog will be up SOOOOON! :) SO excited for the changes to come!

Rachel & Jake|Engagement Session

2011-05-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

Rachel & Jake....what a sweet couple! Their wedding is in a few short weeks and I can't wait! Here are a few of my favorites from our engagement session..

How cute are those shoes?

Max & Hannah

2011-05-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

We've had quite the week here in the Eaton household...starting one week ago when I went in to the eye doctor and said, "Sure, why not" when he asked if he could dilate my eyes...what was I thinking? I had a session that evening (which hopefully I'll be blogging soon!) and was unable to see straight until about an hour before it started! Then I went to bed that night and kept waking up with a toothache.. I went to the dentist early on Saturday morning to discover that I had a pretty bad cavity and needed a root canal. He gave me a temporary fix until he could get me in yesterday, so my mouth was completely numb until about an hour before I met Max & Hannah. The next morning I had a wedding, then the next few days my 8 month old was sick with a high fever and teething also so it's been a long week...oh yeah, I got my root canal yesterday and my jaw got a little over extended so it was locked up all day and I freaked out alllll day until it finally relaxed. YIKES. Can't wait for things to return to "normal" around here! But enough about me...

Meet Hannah & Max. One of my adorable & awesome couples this year. Their wedding is going to be in Jefferson City (the capital of Missouri) and I couldn't be more excited! Here are a few favorites from their engagement session...

Danielle| 2011 Senior

2011-05-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

Setting up Danielle's session was no easy task :) We struggled with finding a good time due to a week of cold and rainy weather but finally we met early on a Saturday morning and I'm so happy we did- as you can see, she's gorgeous!Of course the craziest thing happened as soon as we got out of our cars- it started hailing on us! Missouri weather is just craaazyyy. But thankfully it stopped and we had a great time. Danielle brought her friend Isabelle (who is here studying abroad from Germany!) for a few shots also. Here are a few of my favorites...

Congratulations on graduating this year, girls! :)

ch-ch-ch-changes

2011-04-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

I know I've been saying it for awhile..but it's true. Changes are just around the corner and I couldn't be more excited! This year is flying by already but I'm soo looking forward to the summer months and all the weddings I have this year. Nathan is working hard on the new website and blog, and I'm having fun editing some awesome sessions. I just wish there were a few more hours in the day (and that I was fully energized for those hours), and then I feel like I could accomplish so much more...

These are from a mentoring session I did a few days ago...Thank you, Carolyn for being our model! {She is just too pretty!}

3

2011-04-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

Has it really been three years? Three years since I went in for a scheduled c-section, a mom of one 16 month old baby boy, and became a mother of two. Three years since I saw them lift this BIG, screaming baby over the sheet in the OR and show me my daughter. Three years since the awful discovery that I was still bleeding and needed to be rushed back for surgery, and three years since things turned out ok... no, better than ok. God has blessed us with another beautiful little girl since then, and every day with our three children has been an incredible blessing.

I've posted about Riley before...she's hilarious. She cracks.me.up. She is emotional and sweet and sassy and has a mean streak. She is THREE years old now! Here are a few photos from her birthday.

Riley at 6 months:

Interested in free senior portraits??

2011-04-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

Laura & Clayton Preview

2011-04-11T20:42:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to get started on these photos! I love when I get extremely excited just glancing through my raw images..here are a few I picked out for now :)

Favorite

2011-04-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

These moments are too few. I love Saturday mornings when we first wake up. Harper is in bed with us, the kids come in and jump on Nathan. That last image makes me so happy- half closed eyes and a drooly chin :)

what i've been up to lately...

2011-04-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

Meet the Canaday's| Part II

2011-03-31T21:29:00.000-07:00

Here's the last part of Dan & Shanelle's wedding! The reception was so convenient, I loved it! They simply had the guests turn their chairs around that was that. The food was amazing and ALL made by Shanelle's mom, Maria. I was stunned when I heard that. The mother of the bride usually has a few things going on before the wedding so to hear that she had pre-made everything...wow! And such a fun idea- it was like Chipotle with tortilla chips. So so good! Alright, now that I'm making myself hungry...here are a few favorites!

Meet the Canaday's| Part I

2011-03-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

When I was a lot younger (maybe age 10?), my cousins moved to Emporia, KS so my uncle could preach at a church. We went to visit them during the summer and I remember it so well! We met a few kids our age, one of which was Shanelle. She is a wonderful person and I'm not just saying that. We went to camp together all through Junior High and High School (a very high drama time for girls) and Shanelle was one of the few that was drama free. We loved Emporia and all of our wonderful friends so much that while I was still in Junior High we wanted to move there just to be closer to our friends :)
I always knew that Shanelle would end up with a great guy, so I was really pleased to meet Daniel. He is gentle and sweet and looks at Shanelle like she's the prettiest thing he's ever seen. Again, I'm not just making stuff up here, if you met them you'd see it! :)
Their wedding day was cold and stormy but it never dampened anyones spirits. Shanelle walked down the aisle to everyone standing and singing "All Creatures" by David Crowder. It was beautiful witnessing how they gave the focus of the day to God. They definitely grasp that marriage is a covenant made before Him and they really honored Him that day. I was teary eyed during most of the ceremony :) Here are a few favorites...

Part two coming soon...

Dan + Shanelle|Wedding Preview

2011-03-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

I have so much to tell you about this wedding. Not all the little decorative details, or all of the fun shots we were able to get despite the thunderstorm outside...but about the love for God these two have, and the love for each other. I have never felt so blessed to witness the marriage of two people before. What a happy, happy day. More coming soon!

...and yes, my logo is slightly different again...I'm in a transitional phrase and trying to figure out what works best for me, hope it doesn't annoy too many people :)

Illuminate Workshop

2011-03-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

When I first started working on this workshop, I knew that I wanted to have something physical to hand out. Something that the attendees could take home with them and look through and glance back at when they needed to. I'm really pleased with the final product :) Each person attending will go home with a beautiful brown folder with 20 pages of notes, tips and examples, plus a photography glossary filled with phrases that you will hear a lot on your journey to learning more about digital photography. I snapped a few photos to show you what they look like- but I didn't want to give away too much so I kept it pretty vague :) There is still time to sign up for the Saturday, April 2nd class- I need to have a final head count by the Friday before the class (April 1st) so I can have the handouts ready. Buy your seat HERE!

Easter Mini Sessions

2011-03-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

Here we goooo!!

2011-03-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

Today we launched our new website! We're so excited to share it with everyone and it's been something we've been working on for a few months now. It all started back in the fall when I told Nathan that there is a need for modern, stylish and affordable photoshop templates. At first I'm not sure if he gave it much thought, but then he started designing...and he hasn't stopped since. I'm so glad that he's found a creative outlet and it's something that will hopefully be very beneficial to many photographers. Head over to the site and check it out! We have a few blog posts up already to give you an idea of what kind of things we'll be blogging about. We are going to be doing giveaways, interviews with photographers and inspiration of all sorts. The shop isn't open quite yet, but you can still check out the products. Nathan designed everything SUPER user friendly. You install the actions and push play and they will direct you through everything! We have printed several products and they look awesome! We would love your support while we get this new endeavor launched...please spread the word about Inspired Standard! Share on your facebook page, tweet about it, leave us some comments and send us your inspirational ideas!

www.inspiredstandard.com

Like us on FACEBOOK

Sun Flare

2011-03-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

(I heart faces photo challenge)

Stephanie & Dan|Married

2011-03-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

5 months later..I have been meaning to blog this but of course time just slipped away from me! And then I thought, "I'll just put up a few favorites..." and then turned into about 40. So here they are, better late than never, right? At least I got the bride and groom their images within a few weeks, hah :)

Illuminate Workshop Details

2011-03-05T09:31:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited about this class that I'm going to be giving. When I bought my first dslr (to get better photos of my kids), using it in Manual Mode wasn't something I even wanted to try. In fact, I ignored that "M" for a long time. I was getting OK shots in AUTO or No-Flash, but the truth was that I just had no idea where to even begin and the stuff that I read confused me. When I finally learned (and guess what, it's really not that difficult to learn!) I couldn't believe I had waited so long. You paid all that money for an expensive camera so it only makes sense to learn how to use it!
Here are a few of the topics we will cover:

Shooting in Manual Mode
Using available & natural light instead of flash
Shooting in all types of light during all times of day
Setting up the shot
Depth of Field
Metering
Histograms

We will have two hours of "class time" which will be very hands on, and one hour of shooting with models (outdoors). The Friday class we will be shooting at Legacy Park and the Saturday class will be shooting in downtown Lee's Summit. Bring your camera, a pen and any questions that you have! Handouts will be provided.

And here are our gorgeous models for the Saturday class! (minus her baby bump:)

And for the Friday class I am currently looking for some children ages 7-10...because if you can shoot children, you can shoot anyone! :)

Whether you're shooting for fun or thinking about getting into the photography business, I'd love to help you learn from my experience.

Buy your ticket here:http://amandaeatonphotography.blogspot.com/search/label/illuminate%20workshop

Middle Girl

2011-03-04T19:24:00.000-08:00

My Riley girl. She says things like "Blankely" for blanket and "Mamamama" (british sounding) for mommy, and "Fingy's" for fingers. She has a little chip in her front tooth. We aren't quite sure where she got it, she's a daredevil. We play cinderella and I'm the stepmother. She answers to me, "Say yes stepmother" because she didn't quite understand when I directed her, "Riley, say: Yes, Stepmother". She loves chalky milk (chocolate milk) and anything disney princess. She'll be three soon but she acts and looks so much older. My sweet baby girl. I'll read this to her tomorrow when she wakes up and I know she'll like seeing her picture on here. They grow up too fast and I'm constantly reminding myself of that through the happy times and the temper tantrums. I love you, Riley. You're one of my most favorite blessings!

-Mamamama

Iheartfaces: Anything But a Face!

2011-02-28T20:29:00.000-08:00

My 4 year old son playing peek-a-boo with his baby sister (bright and early, that's why he wasn't dressed yet :) I haven't entered one of these challenges in a long time, but I thought this one was a fun challege- a photo where the focus isn't the face. This one tells a good story, and if you could see her face better, you'd see how much she loves her brother :)

Jeremy+Melissa+Fog

2011-02-28T18:49:00.000-08:00

If you live in the KC area, then you know the crazy weather we've been having. This past week we've had 70* weather, sunshine, rain, hail, snow, FOG, ice, and back to sunshine today! I recently bought a new lens (yay!) and was dying to use it, so I asked my friends Jeremy & Melissa (from my church) if they wouldn't mind me shooting them after church. "You guys wanna let me shoot you after church?" Creeepy..no, they knew what I meant :) It was ridiculously foggy outside- so foggy in fact that I couldn't see if I was focused in some of these images, but I like the effect. They are sweet, and cute, and young and in love. Jeremy & Melissa started coming to my church last summer right after they got married and moved here. We're all so glad that they've joined our church family. Thanks guys for indulging me, and we'll do it again soon in prettier weather :)

The Franz Family|Lee's Summit Family Photographer

2011-02-28T07:11:00.000-08:00

I feel so blessed that Jamie, Greg and Jadyn let me be their photographer. They were some of my first clients and hopefully I will be able to capture Jadyn growing up for years to come! The first couple of times that I photographed Jadyn, she was a little shy..but as you can see, she's an old pro now :) These were some of my favorites!

The Ruhl Family|Lee's Summit Family Photographer

2011-02-24T21:07:00.000-08:00

Illuminate Workshop

2011-02-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

The Spring Session Giveaway Winner!

2011-02-18T13:47:00.000-08:00

The winner of the Spring Session Giveaway is: Kylie Sierra!

How did I choose a winner? I thought it would only be fair to make it a totally random picking so I went to www.random.org and entered the number of entries and it selected a random number for me: 14!If you had asked me to enter you on my fanpage then I added your entries to the end of the list in number form so that no one was excluded. Thanks so much to everyone who entered, reading all of the entries I wished that I could do them all for free- but I might lose my mind so I better not go that route :) Contact me at contact@amandaeatonphotography.com, Kylie and we'll set up your session!!

Spring Session Giveaway!

2011-02-12T20:09:00.000-08:00

We hit 1,000 fans on facebook! I haven't done a session giveaway in a long time, so this is pretty special! Here are all the lovely details:

-About one hour's worth of time in Lee's Summit (either more of an "urban" look in downtown LS or we will find a field or park for a more natural look)
-Option of 2 outfit changes
-75-100 high resolution images burned to a disc with a copyright release

Who can enter? Anyone! High School Seniors, you can enter for your baby, your family (your immediate family, this does not include anyone outside of you, your spouse and children), Engaged couples, Married Couples, In-love couples :) Anyone!

How to enter:
Leave a comment HERE on the blog saying why you want to win and what kind of session you're envisioning. For extra entries leave a comment on my facebook fan page, put this giveaway in your status and tweet about it! Then come back here and put a separate comment for each entry. You can have up to 4 entries!

The session date will be your choice of either Monday April 11th or Tuesday April 12th. Now Enter! :)
Winner will be chosen at random and the contest ends on Friday, February 18th at 3pm- I'll announce the winner that evening!