The Majors: Family Session

When we finished our session, Jessica asked me "Do you think we got some good shots?" Holy shamoly, YES! This is my second session with the Major girls, and this time they brought dad along. The girls were completely adorable, the fall leaves were still beautiful, and the late-afternoon light was beyond amazing. I ADORE these photos! I actually teared up a couple of times when I was making my selections, because they are so sweet. To all moms (including Jess) who aren't sure if their kids sat still enough or smiled their "real" smile: trust me, we'll get the shot!! :-)

A little twirling...

Apparently I'm making the "family reflection" a signature shot! This keeps showing up in all my family shoots...

Oooh, I love this!

Two of my favorites from the day...and I don't think they even knew I was still shooting! ;-)

FYI, my last 3 posts (Majors, Nelsons, & Daniel) were all shot at Furman University over a 9 day period...and they all were shot within about 40 yards of each other! My goal was to make each session look and feel unique even though I was shooting in basically the same location all 3 times.

*UPDATE: To view the Major's proofs, please CLICK HERE. The password is their older daughter's name. If you would like to save your shopping cart, please provide your email address when prompted. Thanks!*

Don't forget to show me--and the Majors--some love by leaving a comment below!

The Nelsons--Family Fun!

OK, so I completely love this family! So cute, really creative, and up for anything! Most of my blog readers probably know that I also work for a non-profit agency; well, I met Andy at our annual golf tournament, where he bid on a photo session with ACP in the silent auction. His wife Stephanie was super-excited when he came home NOT with more golf clubs, but with a gift certificate for a family portrait! I'm pretty sure Andy scored some cool-points for that move. :-)



We met out at Furman for a mix of traditional portraits, casual moments, and just plain family fun....and lemme tell you, this family is fun!! (They are my "jumpers" from this post...)







This one cracks me up...I love it!



So sweet!



Is it possible to resist this face?? Doubtful!



If you read the blog regularly, you may remember that I don't have such a great track record with kids + water. I spotted some cool rocks in this pond that I wanted the family to stand on, but we waited until the end of the session "just in case." Fortunately, everyone managed to stay dry this time, and I got this crazy shot of Andy and Stephanie's youngest son leaping towards dry land!



I think Stephanie actually squealed when I said we were going to take a silhouette shot. :-)



Thanks Nelsons for such a fun photo shoot! All four of you were awesome to work with, and I can't wait to see you guys again!

*Online gallery: CLICK HERE to view and order proofs from this session. Password is the oldest son's name. If you would like to save your shopping cart, please supply your email address when you log in to the gallery. Thanks!*

Daniel: 1 Year

There should be warnings for cuteness like this! Daniel recently turned one, and not only is he super-adorable, but he is also really happy and squealy and giggly!

I used to work with Daniel's mom, Tasheka, until she and Ambrose got married and moved away, but they just moved back to SC with little Daniel. It was great to spend a beautiful fall afternoon with them at Furman.

I looooooove these sweet Daddy/Son moments...











Ambrose and Tasheka...



I love the progression of Daniel's expressions in this series...



High five! How precious is the comparison between Daniel's little hands to Daddy's big ones??

"Patty-cake" always put a smile on Daniel's face during our session, especially the "roll 'em up, roll 'em up" part that he's doing here!

Tasheka, it was great to see you again and to meet your family! Welcome back to SC!

*To view the complete set of proofs from this session, CLICK HERE. The password is Tasheka's maiden name. If you want to save your shopping cart, please log in when requested. Thanks!*

Catching Up--Sneak Peek!

I'm behind on laundry, behind on cleaning my house, behind on blogging, and behind on editing. Ack! Do you see a trend?? I had 3 amazing sessions recently with 3 awesome families--perfect weather, gorgeous fall colors, and lots of good energy from the kids and parents. What more could you ask for? (Except maybe to be caught up on the edits, hehe.) Here's a sneak peek from each family to get ya started...

Thanks families for hanging in there--the rest are coming!!

Here's to You...

*Note: I don't usually "journal" on the blog, but I do hope you'll take the time to read this post...*

I love music--all kinds. And yes, that includes country. Even the bubble-gum kind that inspires my dad to rant about how "that's not REAL country; Hank Williams Sr., now that's country!"

Rascal Flatts have a fun little song about all of the reasons why they hit the road and go on stage night after night--the kids who pile too many people into their car just to get to the show, the cute girls hoping to catch a glimpse of somebody famous in the back parking lot, the moms and dads who leave their babies at home and dance up a storm in the aisles. The chorus says "You're the heart and the soul and the reason we do what we do; here's to you!" 

The reasons why I do what I do with photography are many: inspiring others to look at the world in a new way, creating art from everyday experiences, preserving too-fast moments, documenting life and love, and capturing personal history. As in the Rascal Flatts song, though, it isn't so much about the art or the final product as it is about the individuals, the lives, the stories captured in those prints.  I do not take it lightly when you trust me with your wedding, your newborn baby, your family moments. I get to know you and your story, I plan, I prepare, I pray--both for my abilities and for you. I do this so YOU have your life documented, so you can relax and enjoy your wedding day, so you can always remember that new-baby smell, the giggles of your toddler, the transformation of your child into an adult, and the love that you share with your family and friends.

In the past week, two of my newlywed couples have just lost a loved one--in one case, the groom's father, in the other case, the bride's father. Both have shared how they displayed photos from their weddings at the memorial service, and both have shared how much these images mean to them and their families during this time. 

I have a hard time expressing how humbling this is to me:  not only was I allowed to play a part in the story of their love, but I also am playing a part in the story of their loss, and ultimately in their healing. It is truly an honor. 

YOU are the reasons I do what I do.

Here's to you.

iRock...well I'm gonna

Lots of things are going on with Amy Clifton Photography, so read on to find out lots of changes. :-)

For starters, I've got a new toy...the 24" iMac. Woohoo! It is possible that I may be in love..how can I resist its humongo screen, not to mention that it's so shiny and just plain yummy.





I've been working off of an ancient PC with a 15" screen, so this is quite the upgrade! iLove it!

Also, I'm completely restructuring my pricing and packages, and I hope to have that in place by the end of the year. The new plans will offer lots of options for my clients, especially in terms of albums and canvases. Shoot me an email if you are interested in booking a session now and locking in the current prices! acclifton@aol.com

Probably the most exciting news is that I've begun working with the fabulous team at Peculiar Productions, who are kicking out branding, logos, websites, marketing, you-name-it for me. Hopefully by the end of the year, ACP will have a whole new look. I canNOT wait!!

One of my first conversations with Tim from Peculiar Productions went something like this:

ME: "You're gonna make me a rockstar!"

TIM: "You already ARE a rockstar. We're just going to put you on the right stage."

Sah-weet.

Stay tuned!

Little Miss Ella Jane

Just 13 days after Ella Jane's Birthday, I visited with her, Robyn, and Burton for Ella Jane's newborn portraits. She is such a sweet baby, and she has the cutest spikey hair. (Of course I'm not biased, considering Ella Jane's mommy is one of my closest friends...)



Ella Jane has quite the collection of hairbows! Good thing she's got the 'do to pull them off.







Consider yourself warned: extreme pouty-face ahead.





A Clemson Tiger-in-Training, with Burton's class ring.



And of course the little feeties with the wedding rings. (Happy 1st Anniversary, Robyn and Burton! 11/3/07)



It's Ella Jane's world now!

Robyn would say, "nude-y booty."

As Ella Jane's birth announcements say, "All of God's grace in one sweet little face."

Robyn, Burton, and Ella Jane--I love you guys! Thank you for always trusting your most precious moments to me and my camera, and thanks for being a crazy-good PR team for me. ;-)

PROOFS: To view Ella Jane's proofs, click here. (The password is Robyn's maiden name.) Please log in when prompted if you want to save your shopping cart. Thanks!