Jeff & Judy | Married Love

Many of you most likely do not recognize the two smiling faces below, but I know them very, very well. They're the first faces I recognized, the ones I am able to read in two seconds & know if everything is right or not, and typically the last ones I see every night. These two lovebirds are my parents, and today they celebrate 24 years of marriage! They're amazing people. I wish that each & every one of you reading this could have the chance to know them. They are full of wisdom and knowledge and love.  Although there are days where I would have told you "my parents are dumb! they don't understand! what do they know about being a teenager?!"...they aren't. They're actually really, really smart. ;)

I mean, obviously. They had me for their daughter, & firstborn at that! I think that's the smartest move they've made yet! ;D
My college friends are always commenting on how sweet my parents are. It's really true! But I haven't always appreciated them like I should. However, living at home post-highschool was probably one of the best choices I could have made. Because of the past 2.5 years, I have gotten to know my parents so much better, seen more of their daily lives, watched them grow deeper in their faith, and become more comfortable in sharing my personal life with them.

In return, they've continued to show me love & grace. They forgive when I am wrong, when I act out, or don't wash the dishes. My dad puts up with my cuddles & pokes, and my mom is always there to listen & give advice.  They're wonderful, really.

[oh hai, puppies! these are our slobber-machines, Rho & Chi.]

Dad & Mom, thank you for everything you've done for our family & continue to do! You've been nothing but an amazing testament to Christ's love for His church through your marriage, and your willingness to serve is something I'm still learning. I love you both so much! love always, Amelia Renee:)

Fall Fun! | Mini-Sessions

Fall has arrived in all it's glory, full of gorgeous leaves, crisp weather, and pumpkin flavored drinks. To celebrate one of my favorite months, I'm sooo extremely excited to announce my Fall Mini-Sessions!

Shoot me an email {ameliareneephoto [at] gmail.com} or give me a call {319.830.3152} if you want to set a session up!

Love Always,

Amelia Renee:)

Katie | 2013 Senior Portraits | Cedar Falls, IA Senior Photographer

Katie emailed me a few weeks ago inquiring about getting some senior portraits taken, and I was so thrilled to get to know her through the process! She's a super sweetheart, and we had fun visiting random spots in Cedar Falls in the gorgeous late-summer sunlight. When I found out that she's a super big book-lover (like me!) I just knew we had to include some...and I'm so glad we did! Katie, thanks so much for letting me drag you to some sketch areas ;) and surviving random flying sticks at my car with me! It was most definitely an adventure, and I hope you had as much fun as I did!










love always, Amelia Renee:)

just a lil' update...

I've got lots of gorgeous people to show off via photographs...soon, very soon! but this week holds some great educational things ahead for me, like tests and school assignments.;)
so I'll share just a few little peeks through the peephole to tide you over until I get back on my blogging feet.




love always, amelia renee:)

Kristen | 2013 Senior Portraits | Cedar Falls, IA Senior Portrait Photographer

the best thing a client can give you is their trust. when they trust you as a person & an artist, AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN! Kristen's senior session is photographic proof of that. in one of our emails, she told me, "I seriously don't want my pictures to look like the average cookie-cutter senior pictures everyone else has." whelp. no pressure there;) but if i had to throw my two cents of thoughts in (and trust me, i have thoughts!) i'd say that Kristen rocked her shoot, and we got crazy & created art. art that i'm proud to call mine, and hers, and now to share with y'all. i hope you enjoy viewing it as much as we enjoyed creating it!




















holyyyyy molyyy. girl, i want this one hanging on your wall! gorgeous!













leave Kristen some love in the comments below!
love always,amelia renee:)

summer's end | personal

i love summer, it's such a gorgeous season. but by the time school starts up again and daytimers fill up with assignments and meetings and football games, the girl inside me starts to ache for fall. when our fields are harvested, rolled up like a rug, to be put away for the winter, and the sharp wind pushes monotone clouds behind the trembling, fading leaves.
in our home, a sure-fire way to know that summer's end is upon us is to observe our dinner plates. this time of year, my mother is busy pulling the final ripe fruits and vegetables from our garden. you'll find us feasting on homegrown beets, frying up the last bundles of okra, or eating the best potato salad on this side of the mississippi river. but our favorite, hands down, are the deep red, juicy tomatoes! and our very favorite meal to make with these said red fruits? BLTs, of course!
so, from me to you, my favorite "end of summer" meal:
first, toast the bread— two slices per person, unless everyone is hungry, in which case you'll have to toast extra. (note: this is usually the case! ;)


cook the bacon, wash & tear slices of lettuce, and cut up ripe tomatoes in to thick slices.


pour yourself a tall glass of cold milk.


smear your choice of spread on the toast. good options include butter, mayonnaise, or my personal favorite, sweet mustard.


almost done! assemble your sandwich with the hot bacon and cut tomatoes & lettuce.


dig in! savor every bite, and maybe make another one. after all, those tomatoes might go bad if you let them sit on the counter for too long!

feel free to share a favorite start-of-school-time food or snack below in the comments!
love always,amelia renee:)

baby ellery | in-home session

there is something so amazing about babies! i don't know what it is. but they are so incredible. they are tiny little people! just like you and me, minus the talking and plus the diapers, pretty much. ;) i love just about everything about them (i may say differently when i have one or two of my own...but for now, nope! haha.)

baby ellery came in to our world just 4 weeks ago, and she's already got her own personality. (most of what she showed me was the "i don't like your big black box, so i'm going to wail for you" part of her personality...but she's not shy to share it! hah.) and it's no secret that she's daddy's little girl her and mama's sweetheart.

world, meet this darling girl. she'll be amazing you in 10, 15, 20 years...I can tell:)

i'll end with my favorite. every daughter should have a photo like this to cherish someday when she's old enough to realize how amazing mothers are!

love always,

amelia renee:)