Amie Hansen Photography

on a journey.. lifestyle photography

2011-11-06T12:13:00.000-08:00

and then my soul

saw you & it kind of went

Oh there you are. I've been looking for you.

he is so loved.. and he will be loved forever!

what would super heros do... personal post

2011-11-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

our superheros.. aka.. the cousins together. having fun running up and down the fields.

soak it all in.. baby lifestyle photography (SD)

2011-11-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

breathe it all in,

love it all out...

sammy d is what his mommy called him this morning.. such a special time to document a family enjoy their son and the stage sammy is at right now. he is 3 months old.. today was about documenting the family being together and everyday life.

i documented them bonding as they gave their son a morning bath. looking in the mirror with him to get that great smile he has... he didn't crack a smile but later we did get a smile from him.

look at those toes..

sammy is truly blessed to have two amazing parents to love him unconditional! it was shown to me today and it was so special to be apart of their morning routine. thank you S family for trusting me to capture special moments for you as a family.

more to come...

painting.. lifestyle photography.. personal share

2011-11-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

painting.. it was so fun to watch three boys have fun in paint.. g decided to try eating the paint.. as you can see.. my A was more interested in painting on his own and his way.. so it was a grey pumpkin.. and he wanted to be lefted alone. my D decided it would be fun to paint the deck instead of the pumpkin... but we had tons of fun documenting the boys playing and getting messy!!

enjoy the images.. they tell a great story!

a reveal... lifestyle photography

2011-10-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

a reveal of my sister's new baby....

it was a honor to be apart of this special weekend.

looking forward to more special moments with my family in the future!! thank you s family!!

miracles do happen... SD lifestyle photography

2011-10-23T18:42:00.000-07:00

FAITH in god

includes FAITH

in his TIMING!

this family is blessed with a beautiful gift coming in March 2012!

thank you D family for sharing a beautiful afternoon with me.

true value of a moment.. SD lifestyle photography.

2011-10-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.. well said..

photography for me is freezing those moments that you have with your children.. the way they look at you.. being silly.. the comfort you as a mom or dad give to your children.. it eases them.. you as a parent is all they know and as little/big as they get freezing those special moments you have as a family is what life is about.

being behind the camera and focusing on the moments is what i love!! the images below move me not only because this family is friends to me but because the images move me. they move me because it is them playing together, snuggling, reading.. it is them and that is more important to me than the standard posed picture. their children will get to see these images when they are older and know that capturing the moments of being together as a family is so important! thank you B family for being a family!!

feels like fall.. SD lifestyle photography

2011-10-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

feels like fall out and the leaves are all over the ground for children to play in and have tons of fun it.
ben did just that on a late afternoon. he was great at listening to me and so well behaved.
it was such a treat to work with him and his parents again. thank you again for coming out and visitng with me as well. enjoy your weekend. i will be in touch soon!

G family. SD lifestyle photography

2011-10-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

tatum is two.. her love for finding sticks was super cute and kept her busy.. that is what she wanted to do was play with sticks.. she started with a small stick but managed to find a large and long stick to play with, it was bigger than she was.. she is so sweet and curious about her surroundings. her sister avery is 5 weeks and she was content sleeping through the whole session. it was so precious to see and we captured some sweet moments of her with her parents. thank you g family for bearing the chill this morning. you have a beautiful family and it is always a pleasure working with you all.

a fall chill. SD lifestyle photography

2011-10-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

a fall chill in the air yesterday afternoon.. he didn't mind to much to be out in the chill though.

i just love working with his age range.. so curious about their surroundings and not afraid to show their personalities!!! thank you so much N family for coming out in the fall weather to capture moments of you being together as a family!!

2 loveable kids.. tire swing.. 2 sweet parents = fun and love!!

2011-10-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

FAITH

HOPE

LOVE

and now these three remain:

faith, hope, and love.

But the greatest of these is

LOVE

H Family.. SD lifestyle photography

2011-10-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

fall fell.. sd family lifestyle photography

2011-10-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

and we welcomed it with open arms!

B family. SD lifestyle photography

2011-10-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

being in the moments is special to document.. today was amazing. two loving parents together with their adorable daughter. amanda made my job easy by thinking about the session and including pieces of their life together as a family in the shoot. their love for music.. the playfulness of being with their daughter. reading a story.. though nieva wanted to turn the pages herself and close the book than read with mom and dad! i feel blessed that amanda and jordon allowed me to document them as a family of three.

thank you so much! may you have a beautiful day of sessions tomorrow amanda!

amie

mommy and son.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-10-06T19:36:00.000-07:00

as a mommy you have these special moments that you want so much to document and have in an image with the children that mean the world to you. i am sure each mommy out there has a special bonding moment and would love to have that image forever BUT as i know to well when a camera gets in front of my own children and other children they have other plans. yes we would love for our children to give us gentle kisses, a sweet cuddle, or just that perfect moment that your child looks at you and just beams.. yes we can capture those moments but children are children.. they want to explore, be an individual.. meet colton. he is one and he loves to climb and do just that be lefted alone while he explores.. his sweet mommy and i had this great vision of them being together as mom and son and capturing the tender moments they have together. he had other plans but we did get some sweet and fun moments and most important we created memories together.

thank you sweet friends of mine.. until the next time!

E family. SD lifestyle photography

2011-10-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

the e family is near and dear to my heart.

my friends

archer is going to be three. oh his love for digging, exploring and his wonderment about his world. i love watching him be a kid. he is great at it and amazing spirit. a bonus while i was talking with him this evening.. i asked him to give his little brother a kiss on the cheek and instead he gave me a kiss on the cheek. my boys enjoy being his friend and we always look forward to our visits with him and charlie.

thank you so much amber and jarrod for allowing me to be apart of your evening and family!!! thank you for your friendship and support.

B family. SD lifestyle photography

2011-10-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

meeting this family is a blessing. i have work with ava and kim two separate times and loved each time. but to see them as a whole family with dad in the mix was special.

a quote to share: happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.

i love this quote. the smile of both kim and chris looking at their beautiful daughter gave me the feeling that they do live each day with love, grace and gratitude. thank you chris and kim for sharing your afternoon with me. more to come.

amie

m family. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

boys will be boys!!! sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-30T13:48:00.001-07:00

liz and her loves.. mama and me lifestyle photography

2011-09-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

a mommy with her loves. nothing more special to witness than a true bond of love for each other. they were able to be together on a beautiful evening.. playing, painting and enjoy each other. and i hope creating memories that the kids can talk about.. like remember that time mommy when we sat on a blanket and painted, it was so much fun and special.

for me documenting is such a huge part of my life with my own boys and i love it when i can do it for others especially moms. they are always the center of the household, tending to homework, cleaning up faces and messes.. never slowing down to be in the moments with their children. i am that way with my own children and feel blessed that i am able to take a few moments here and there and document myself with my own boys.

liz is an amazing mom. she and i can relate to being home alone with our children during the week and tending to it all. thank you for allowing me to be apart of something special and memorable liz. looking forward to our next session with you all as a family.

amie

k family. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

the k family is such a delight to work with. i love running and playing with her twins. they remind me of my two boys. a love for life. her sweet little girl is precious.. love her smile and so happy. thank you so much valarie and joel for giving me the opportunity to document you as a family. it was a beauitful evening out together creating fun memories for you all to have. also a personal thank you valarie for always being such a huge supporter of me and my work!!!

also might add such amazing parents to their children. hang out with this family and you will see what i mean. such great role models of parent raising.

love his mommy. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

oh he loves his mommy so much. we did our best to have images of just him by himself but was so happy to be playing and in his sweet mommy's arms. so it was a playful session of trying to make him laugh and smile. thank you for sharing your sweet one with me again and love how much he has grown up and changed. see you soon!!!

mommy and son moments.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

andre is full of life.. as his mommy and i both say on a weekly basis.. drew and andre are just alike. on the go. wanting to climb, run, getting into everything. but that is why we love them. they are fun loving little boys. i love that joni took the time to document her being with andre. he kept us busy trying to get special moments between the two of them. it is hard because 1 to 2 year age range are moving and don't want to sit and cuddle or get loves.. so we played and did want andre wanted to do. it was special. thank you joni and andre.

sweetness of isabella~ sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

isabella.. sweetness all around.. loves her mommy. beautiful eyes that just shine through. she turned one last week and we came together to capture her at one!!

she loved to sit in the basket, it calmed her down instead of sitting in the grass~ she loved to grab her toes.. and place them in her mouth. she was a dream to work with and loved that we were able to capture sweet and fun moments with mom as well! thank you emily for sharing isabella with me a such a beautiful morning.

amie

children at play.. tent.. paint.. paper and tons of fun. oh an a candy apple! sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

a late afternoon adventure with two of my favorite little children to work with! i love when i can work with friends and spend time with their children. jaxon and kennedy are amazing children. we had tons of fun together.. inside the tent, running.. painting first on paper and than on rocks.. jaxon played a little bit of his guitar but quickly moved on. thank you matt and brita for sharing your children with me and documenting them being kids and having tons of fun~

amie

friends and beautiful moms~ personal post. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

to my friends:

always remember you are braver than you believe

stronger than you seem

smarter than you think

& twice as beautiful as you'de ever

imagined!

s family.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

a family that loved to explore, hunt for bugs.. a big sister that has such a giving and loving heart.. she was a great helper for her younger sister. it was so special to see and she admires her sister. they loved being together. it was chilly but this family did amazing. their children were so well behaved. they made my job so easy.. if only i could have controlled the wind.

here are so of the special moments of the s family.. their children..

thank you amy and layton.

being a mom.. personal post. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

i love you drew..

i am your parent, you are my child. i am your quiet place. you are my wild. i am your calm face. you are my giggle. i am your wait. you are my wiggle. i am your dinner. you are my chocolate cake. i am your bedtime. you are my wide awake. i am your lullaby, you are my peekaboo. i am your goodnight kiss. you are my i love you.

a special morning get together is what we had with amazing mothers and their beautiful children! i love my friends, they are there for me through thick and thin. they are my support system, a listening ear, a hug, care of my own children like they are theirs.

friendship: my friends remind me, by their very steadfastness, that truth, beauty, and goodness exist in this world, and that no matter what, there are and always will be people loving people through thick and thin.

thank you my sweet friends for being you, each one of you are special and dear to my heart and my boys.

avery.. sd newborn lifestyle photography

2011-09-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

avery.. you are so loved and cared for. your big sister loves you and it was such a blessing for me today to spend a few special moments documenting your family adoring you. you knew what you wanted and that was your beautiful mommy. i loved that your mommy was able to trust me and allow me to just document you in her arms. thank you melissa and tyler for welcoming into your warm and beautiful home. looking forward to sharing more soon and working again with you.

enjoy the precious gift that you have melissa in tatum and avery!

n family.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

as a photographer the one thing i treasure the most is when people you met a year ago, come back to you, trust you in your vision. documenting their children being themselves.. and love your style. i truly believe that families should find a photographer that they love for their style, customer service and fits their needs and stick with that one photographer. i do this personally for myself as well and when i get repeat customers (aka friends) come to me again that means the world to me. i also believe that it is easier for the children as well because they have a familar face and aren't to uncomfortable around them.

the n family came to me last year.. as the mom's oldest son said, last year it was super hot this year it is cold and windy!!! it was chilly but they did amazing.. and i just love mom's style of clothing!! perfection.

thank you from the bottom of my heart n family for trusting me in my vision and allowing me to do what i love. i hope you enjoy your peek and i will be in touch soon!!

amie.

mom and daughter.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-19T07:40:00.000-07:00

a daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts this world has to give.

~laurel atherton

a beautiful creation handmade by god placed into the arms of a woman to raise up.. to love.. to nurture and to treasure as a friend. your daughter!

thank you kim! ava is beautiful inside and out! i am so happy you gave me the opportunity to be in your present and document you together.

a tradition.. personal post

2011-09-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

our tradition as a family is to make a trip out to the apple orchard.

the sunday morning started out on the chilly side.. after our church morning we ventured out to see the horses... the apples trees filled.. walking along tasting the apples and filling our bag. it was a great time as a family and being with friends.

mom and son.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

love this quote.. no one else will ever know the strength of my LOVE for you. after all, you're the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside!

a stunning mom with her son! this session tugged at my heart. i simple adore doing sessions of a mom with their own children. moms out there don't take the time to capture them being in the moment with their own children in front of a camera, freezing moments to have forever. we are always the ones trying to document a child but never worry about us in the images.

she came in with open arms and heart to allow me to lead the session. moments that i captured are to me what should be captured, playing and the simple affection shown to each other. images speak for themselves. thank you so much s family for giving me your hearts on a beautiful morning.

amie.

wishing you all a smile and happy week

2011-09-11T20:22:00.001-07:00

hope this beautiful smile brings you all a nice week ahead!

my friendship with the l family

2011-09-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

friendships are very important to me.. the l family is so kind, helpful and caring to myself and my boys!

thank you from the bottom of my heart tamara for being my support when i need it!!!

meet her son.. he is a busy two year old just like mine is.. we had to try every trick to get him to work with us.. i am such a perfectionist when it comes to session and i wanted her to have the best!!! she is a great photographer as well with her camera and captures smiles and laughs of her son but that day he just wasn't up for it. he wanted to explore and be two!!! it was a session that gave us moms a chance to talk, enjoy our boys together on a beautiful morning and afternoon!

thanks again!! you all mean the world to me.

my love for documenting the details

2011-09-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

i did a session a few weeks ago in a loving home.. it was full of warmth, love, beautiful things, colorful and playful!!

i documented her coloring.. these images i adore.. they speak to me because she is in her element. they aren't the perfect images.. the settings are high because of low light but for me the imperfections are perfect to me.. i thought i would share.. a sweet girl writing her name and creating her own art!

meet the S family.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

the s family! smiles to share.. a show of a belly from time to time.. a laid back family with love to share! thank you for allowing me to freeze moments for you to have for a lifetime.

sister love.. sd children lifestyle photography

2011-09-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

together as sisters, playing and having fun! the beautiful big sister was such a helper! making her little sister smile, relax and have fun.

thank you girls and to your mom for a wonderful morning!

more to come!

D family.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-11T05:29:00.000-07:00

meet the d family. i have captured moments for them before.. this time we had tons of fun.. running.. having a staring contest.. playing parachute with a quilt.. they picked flowers for their beautiful mom and just having silly times together as a family. thank you d family for joining me again and making memories with your children. more to come!

meet shelan.. sd children lifestyle photography

2011-09-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

she was a joy to work with this morning.. a beautiful fall morning.. her beautiful blue eyes, she is a ray of sunshine. the dimples, oh they are so cute!! she is full of life and loved! thank you for sharing your morning with me michelle, kyle and shelan..

S family.. family lifestyle photography (SD)

2011-09-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

i loved the old wagon.. it was the dad's wagon when he was little and now he can play and ride it just like his dad did in the past. he loved the cars i brought for him to play with.. in fact so much he did have to shed a few tears when we had to do images without the blue car. he quickly forgot about it. he was swinging and playing with his sweet and down to earth parents. it was a casual meeting.. we even saw hot air balloons during our time together! it was a beautiful evening to capture moments of them being a family and in love!! more to share! thank you S family!

urban look~ S family. SD lifestyle photography

2011-09-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

a great family to style the urban look! the s family was a pleasure to work with! thank you for spending your morning with me and looking forward to sharing more with you all!

audrey.. documenting her at three

2011-09-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

audrey turned three.. she is full of life.. a morning playing with puzzles, story books, running, playing hide and seek.. picking flowers.. playing with sidewalk chalk.. we were busy but loved every moment of it!! thank you heather and brandon for all that you do as friends for my family!!

a home of happiness and love.. family lifestyle photography (sd)

2011-09-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

this home was full of life.. love.. and happiness.. beautiful artwork created on the wall and made with love.. happiness filled each home that i went into.. full of life the four of them.. opening their home to me as i documented them as a family!! thank you senta and justin!

E Family.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-09-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

it was a hot afternoon, but the family and i made the best of our time! soon we will want the sun and hot days to come back to us.. winter will be here soon.. so a fun filled afternoon of keeping the girls entertained and playing. miss taylor loved to explore and full of energy. i loved that she was willing to play and run!! miss hadley she was independent herself but wanted to be by herself and loves from mama. mom and dad did such a great job of playing and entertain the girls as well. thanks for bearing the heat with me cory and janson! have a safe labor day weekend and i will be in touch soon!

F family~ sd lifesytle photography

2011-08-30T18:09:00.000-07:00

a few of my favorites from a fun session on a farm.

the girls were amazing, listened to me, smiled, had fun together!!

thank you angie, jason and to your girls for allowing me to document you as a family in your own space.

more to share soon!

bonding~ mom and son.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-08-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

emily and cole, mom and son.. documenting them together, playing with their dog tucker.. tucker ran all over the fields, he had tons of fun!! cole ran as well, climbed trees and just a great afternoon of sharing stories and getting to know each other. thank you emily and cole, you are a great team and raising a great son as well emily!!

a love story~ documented.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-08-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

a lovely wedding documented!

thank you matt and brita for allowing me to be preset with you on your special day!

meet jordyn, beau, and lexie.. children lifestyle photography

2011-08-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

a beautiful evening to get out and capture sweet moments of these special kids!! it was nice to meet them all!!

we had a lovely time.. beau throwing chestnuts into the lake, miss jordyn wanting to place everything into her mouth, she kept her lovely mom on her toes the whole time. and sweet lexie we only spent a few minutes together but she is so beautiful and i just love her smile!!

thank you tessa and your family for coming out on a beautiful evening to capture moments of each child and who they are!!! it was a pleasure to work with you and looking forward to our next visit!!!

she is five! children lifestyle photography

2011-08-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

her pink cowboys.. with that pretty dress.. we played in the fields together, no fear at all. she sang twinkle twinkle little star to me, she talked with me, we shared secrets as well! it was a fun time getting to know her at five!!

i pray for a happy first day of school for this sweet girl!!! thanks for sharing your evening with me.

day two.. our life in a day.. personal post

2011-08-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

our day.. busy but fun!

start of the morning, he doesn't want to get up. he wants to sleep more.. but he does get up, to watch cartoons and eat a little something before school starts. a short walk down the block to the bus stop.

we wait and he says to me.. mom.. i am still a little scared but i know i still have to go to school and learn.. smart boy.. on the bus he went and didn't look back.

so drew and i start our day together.. just the two of us.. a playdate at arrowhead park with great friends.

he ran in the open fields, crawled in them to, this boy of mine, no fear.. he tried to tickle me and we had fun!

a morning snack with his friend!

handfuls of grass, rocks and crumbs of bread is what kept him busy along with his friends by his side!

at home, playing and taking breaks to be silly before lunch.

a quiet time watching his favorite.. toy story!

he took a great afternoon nap.. i was able to work out and get some house work done before i headed down to the end of the block to wait and wonder what aidan's day was like.. and drew waited with me.

drew he misses aidan so much during the hours he is away.. he asked all the time where A is at.. at school i tell him, he is so ready for him to be home.. but i don't know why because they still fight and pick on each other and drew gets it the most.. but they sure love to play together.

before the day draws to a close, a review of the BEE binder of what he did at school and also what we need to work on together at home. today he had to practice writing his name three times and than count to 20!

than we packed a lunch and prepared his clothes for the next day of school and than it was off to soccer practice..

a busy day in our life but fun!

the kissing hand. personal post

2011-08-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

it's my first day of school

the kissing hand is what we read

it's about a raccoon

who did just as his parents said.

with a kiss on his hand

the raccoon's heart grew brave.

the thought of his mom's love

he would take with him and save.

like the raccoon's first day at school.

i was scared and little shy.

but because of what you said,

i was brave and got by.

all through the year

as my hands make pictures for you,

i'll remember the kisses

that you gave me, too!

beautiful soul.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-08-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

she is beautiful.. a gentle soul.. a heart full of compassion.. a senior.. loves to teach.. she has a plan for her life.. to help others with.. she may follow her mom's footsteps or her college studies may lead her a different path. a new beginning will soon come for her but my wish for her is to enjoy her senior year. be safe, create beautiful memories with friends and family. i was truly honored to spend a couple of hours with her and a friendship with her family was formed. all i can say is thank you..

little a.. she is 3! lifestyle photography

2011-08-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

meet this sweetheart, of course she would be shy to a stranger with a camera in her hand.. her mom was so patient and sweet to her, gave her space, mom blew a lot of bubbles for her to catch, she wanted to try but just couldn't figure out how to get a bubble to appear! she adores frogs, and guess what we saw on our walk in the park, a frog, she lit up and wanted to see where that frog would go. she is three, wants to do things her way just like every other three year old is. it was a lovely morning and thank you for playing with me.

mama love

2011-08-18T09:46:00.000-07:00

i truly feel it is so important as a mama to be in the moment with your children and capture that on film or with a camera. the lovely kelli and her two children.. we did just that.. she trusted me and the process. she stayed back when needed, allowed me to work with each child.. gave her heart to each of her kids and stayed in the moment with them. you can see the love and affection she has for her children and that her kids adore her.

this is what i love to capture and strive for in my work.. enjoy the moments of kelli and her beautiful children!

thanks kelli!

sisters... sd lifestyle photography

2011-08-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

two sisters, blonde, full of life and happiness. i had tons of fun capturing silly and fun moments with the two girls. they are blessed to have to older brothers to protect them or pick on them as well.. their bros were goofy and i will share more of them later but for now enjoy the two girls.. doing a pose or two, we had a stare down contest.. who won??? they told secrets but what were those secrets about, who knows but just them.. memories i hope they will remember of our time together. thank you ella and anaka for a fun evening.

time.. a personal post.. lifestyle photography sd area

2011-08-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

time.. it is moving along, at a beautiful pace.. sometimes it is hectic and i lose myself in the shuffle of day to day chores and to do list. we are at a place in our son's life that time is moving.. he is growing.. he is five.. going to kindergarten and gone all day long.. what will we do with our time. the monkey see monkey do team won't be together during the day, will drew feel a loss of his buddy? how will aidan adjust to school? is he nervous and won't share his feelings with us?

today we had open house.. it was overwhelming.. aidan, drew and myself in a classroom full of other parents, their kids and aidan's teacher was there. he was shy at first with meeting his teacher. he has several friends from his spring tball team and preschool classmates as well. i have this sense that it didn't hit with aidan yet that he will be going to school, what he will be doing, i had this sense that he was overwhelmed as well. we carefully managed to get his school supplies placed in his number 9 cubby, i wonder will he remember at the first day where his stuff is at??? i showed him but was he present in our conversation.. i will worry about how he is doing and is he paying attention. i know he will do great and love it but he is my first son and time is moving along. i am thankful that monday is our first day and brian will be home to share in the moment and be with us all as we walk into the school doors for the first time..

i found this saying and it is perfect and calms me.. while we try to teach our children all about life. our children teach us what life is all about.

he is smart, loves to play, a silly boy at times, we love him and cherish each day that we get to walk this new path of going to school and learning.

the monkey see monkey do together!!! love it!

brita and matt lifestyle photography

2011-08-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

brita and matt...

i truly believe people meet for a reason. i had the pleasure to meet brita last fall. i took her son's 3 year old pictures and we had so much fun playing together. fast forward to a new year. she was in love and wanted me to document their love story. i was and still honored that she put trust in her special day to do this for her and matt.

so the day came.. their day.. a cool morning with clouds, a fear of rain in my head.. but mid afternoon it was full of sun and a beautiful day for the two of them.

i was with brita most of the afternoon, her gentle heart, patience shined through as she watched her son make a mess of cutting paper all over the hotel room. she greeted all that came to check in on her with a hug and open heart. her family and friends just beamed with happiness and joyful tears of their day finally being here.

a moment of brita and matt seeing each other was so special and unforgetable of seeing true love in a simple hug, kiss and sweet words to each other.

they are a true gift to capture love in front of a camera. they don't have to try, they simple look at each other and it is there.

their day was perfect and i am truly blessed to have been there, a witness to a true love story that will continue to grow and be a friend to them both!

thank you brita, matt, jaxson, and kennedy!

a mama with her loves.. sd lifestyle photography

2011-08-14T13:54:00.000-07:00

airplanes flying in a field.. a silly boy crashing the planes together.. a sweet girl reading stories with her mama. together they play and fall.. at last the fun begins when cupcakes are in their hands.. the smile says it all!

thank you to my new friends!

girls..south dakota lifestyle photography

2011-08-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

sisters, pink, bubble fun, running through the tall grasses to catch a bubble, giggles, tickles from daddy, a helping hand from mommy or sister, playing together as sisters do.. the pigtails, the animals sounds to make her smile and laugh, moments together and memories to hold onto forever!

anabel is 1! sd lifestyle photography

2011-08-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

anabel is one already!! she is beautiful.. her love for her big brother lights up her eyes, her love for books, her snuggles.. she is a true princess indeed.. her beautiful and thoughtful mama tried everything to get her baby to smile and she just wanted to eat rocks or be playing.. so we did just that.. went to her room and played.. she looked at books.. watched her brother be silly.. it was a lot of fun to see tamme's children in their own environment.. looking forward to our next adventure!! thanks tamme and john!

s family.. south dakota lifestyle photography

2011-08-07T19:13:00.000-07:00

s family.. they have such big hearts.. so giving and thoughtful people. our family just adores andre!

thank you for being the people you are.. have a beautiful week.

marley~ children photography

2011-07-30T11:08:00.000-07:00

i love taking photos.. it is apart of me and sharing that passion of mine with others and giving them images of their children and they love them in return fills my heart with joy..

meet marley.. she is so sweet.. loves to share hugs.. says love you so sweet.. she has beautiful blue eyes.. a tint of curl to her lovely hair.. she was dressed so sweet.. things i remember from our time together during this session in the moutains of montana.. she loved to catch the bugs that were flying around us.. she played with her books and toys.. she especially loved the part when she started to throw the toys at us.. it made her smile and giggle.. so we let her keep doing it... i also loved the part of her singing with her mommy.. the itsy bitsy spider...
she is so loved by her mommy. her mommy is such a sweet mama to her.. very attentive to her and teaches her things about life..

thank you to her mama for allowing me to capture sweet moments of marley at two!!!

happy birthday to my sweet sister

2011-07-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

happy birthday to you melissa!

we love you!

you are a beautiful person inside and out!!

loved every moment we were together!!! feel better soon sweet grayson

camping journey... my family!

2011-07-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

our camping trip.. it was an experience with four toddlers.. three vehicles packed full with camping gear.... fun memories were shared.. a long hike to a fishing hole for the men to fish at.. a surprise throw of a sippy cup into the river.. a brave uncle jumping into the freezing cold river to fetch the cup.. a little birthday celebration for sweet marley.. roasting marshmellows.. making smores.. sitting by the fire and at last sleeping kids in their tents. memories were made with all of us together!

let's play dress up... south dakota lifestyle photography

2011-07-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

love for life.. meet kennedy

2011-07-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

sweet delilah would like to introduce...

2011-07-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

her little sister lucy claire!

such a pleasure to meet lucy claire! she slept through all the fun and playing her sweet sister did!!! thanks patti, rob and delilah for giving me a chance to meet your new baby! she is beautiful!

a special bond.. south dakota photography

2011-07-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

i met this sweet girls this morning.. they seem to have this special bond between the two of them.. patient with each other.. playful together.. capturing them being sisters!!

he is one!

2011-07-19T20:06:00.000-07:00

he is one!!! it was so much fun to see andre smash his cake and eating it!! he was full of smiles! i loved that aidan, drew and i had a chance to go over and celebrate with andre on his special day!! enjoy your birthday party this weekend andre!! see you soon!

mama love with her son.. south dakota photography

2011-07-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

i truly feel blessed to have this mama in my life and oh that sweet charlie.. he is such a good baby!! he is growing up so fast. i loved that she took the time to document herself being a mama to her son! i think it is so important for all mamas to step in front of the camera and be in the moment with your children. you will have those moments in images forever! also just remembering the time you spent in front of the camera.. having fun with them and being in the moment.. thanks jessie for doing this for yourself and for your son.. he will treasure those images forever!!!

more to share with you jessie but here is a few.. have a nice week with your boys!!!

in the rain.. personal post

2011-07-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

this week was a slow week of picking up that camera every day and documenting the boys each day.. so on a weird weather day.. we were outside playing and all of the sudden it starting raining on the boys.. so i grabbed my camera really quick and starting capturing the boys playing in the rain.. aidan trying to catch rain drops with his mouth.. them splashing each other in the small rain puddles.. playing in the wet mud and rocks.. it was a 15 min joyous time for them.. so i might not have captured the boys in the moment each day this week as i have in the past but i think i made up for it.. them enjoying the rain..

G family~ south dakota photography

2011-07-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

a slight wind in the air this morning as we walk together.. sharing our stories of getting to know each.. them being a family together.. the beautiful girls were amazing to work with.. enjoyed being in the moment and i capturing them being girls.. i couldn't help myself with sharing more of the girl images.. more to share melissa and thanks for coming out, trusting me as your photographer and my vision!

inspirational post.. renewing my passion

2011-07-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

breathe in

inspiration &

trust

yourself the

answer is

yes you can.

i spent a lovely afternoon with the inspiring and gifted kelli hunt.

i am always wanting to push myself and learn more.. i crave to learn more, to be

better.. to push myself out of my comfort zone.. kelli is a sweet person inside

& out. thank you for being honest, teaching and pushing me to rethink my approach

to my work of art!!!

please take the time to look at kelli's work.. she pushed herself to go strictly

film photography and her work is amazing, soft tones, light is beautiful and

fine art throughout her work.

thanks again kelli!

l family sioux falls, sd photography

2011-07-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

caden.. newborn photography sioux falls, sd

2011-07-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

brothers.. children photography sioux falls, sd

2011-07-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

a fourth celebration.. personal post.

2011-07-04T17:54:00.000-07:00

last night we had a little firework fun in our front yard.. sparklers, smoke bombs, airplanes, poppers.. aidan loved being able to light the small stuff and than he would run out of the way.. it was cute.. drew didn't know what to think of all the noises.. he stayed close to us..

tonight we are inside.. boys are wore out and unfortunately they have came down with some type of flu or something.. high temps and sleeping a lot the last couple of days.. so hoping this week they start to feel better..

the images are from last night's fun.. hope you all had a great fourth of july and staying safe..

happy fourth of july to all!

the 4th!!!

2011-07-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

have fun, create memories together and remember to take a photo of you with your loved ones during the celebration of freedom!!! be safe and happy 4th of july!

e family (sioux falls, sd family photography)

2011-06-29T19:05:00.001-07:00

a summer walk.. they are here.. sioux falls, sd children photography

2011-06-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

they are my boys.. i love them to pieces... just us together on a summer walk.. and of course camera in hand!! we played peek a boo, played together in the tall grasses and pushes in the old wagon..

monday share.. children photography sioux falls, sd

2011-06-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

if you want to know where your heart is look to where your mind goes when it wanders.

reminder: mini session giveaway ends tomorrow night at midnight.. winner will be announced wednesday morning! good luck and be creative!

reminder of mini session.. ends tuesday (sioux falls, sd photography)

2011-06-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

ends this tuesday... please share!!!

as a reminder for this mini session.. specializing in children stages and mama with their children! no family sessions.

Well your time is NOW! I genuinely want to do more for my photography clients! I love working with your families, I love returning clients, new clients, clients turned friends, friends turned clients you name it! So here is the kicker!

I am giving away a free Mini Session. What is a mini session you ask? Its a condensed version of a full session. They are 30 minutes long.

Whats the catch? you have to bring a fun prop for your mini session! You have to be willing to come to me for photos in the sioux falls, sd or surrounding area. you have to come with a fun prop for your photos!! A funky hat or chair, a vintage or stylish outfit, a vintage toy, balloons, you name it!! (think outside the box)

So wanna know how you enter? If you choose to enter simply mention what prop you plan to bring along! I will come back and randomly choose the winner on Tuesday June 28th, 2011 so you have a little over a week to enter. The winner will be chosen totally at random however you can earn an additional entry by making sure that you “likers” of my facebook fan page HERE. You can earn a THIRD entry by posting about this contest on your facebook page! You do NOT have to like me on facebook to win. The extra entries are not required at all. but if you want an extra shot feel free to do the second and third things listed and come back and let me know you did.

Even cooler EVERY person that enters into this contest will receive a $25.00 amie hansen photography gift certificate good towards their next session. (Not valid for sessions currently booked.)

Lots and lots of luck!!!

And because I am a photographer so I feel the need to share a photo~

a family together... sioux falls, sd photography

2011-06-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

ethan sioux falls sd children photography

2011-06-26T05:20:00.000-07:00

meet ethan.. he was curious about the world.. looking around wondering about the feel of grass, the bright sun.. he loved his brown hat and his mommy and daddy did great to make him smile.. they are great parents to ethan i can tell that they love him to pieces.. he sure is a lucky boy.. thanks for sharing your morning with me b family!

Klaridy sioux falls, sd children photography

2011-06-25T20:41:00.000-07:00

a moment i remember of our time together this morning.. she was singing i am three over and over again.. so sweet and not a care in the world! she has grown taller since last fall but still has a beautiful smile and soul to her. i enjoyed seeing this sweet family again. thank you m family for being you and sharing sweet klaridy with me..

cole sioux falls, sd children photography

2011-06-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

he loved my tricycle.. he was styled so handsome and his parents were champs as we walked through tall grasses and trails to find great locations. he is loved deeply by his daddy and mommy! i love that i am able to be in the present of a famly that cares and loves their child so strong!! thank you for trusting me in my vision of the session and hope you love what you see so far..

delilah... sioux falls, sd children photography

2011-06-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

a lovely afternoon session with an almost two year old full of curls and a love for being outside!! i truly love being able to capture moments of children being themselves.. watching them walk through the tall grasses in a pretty little dress.. the dirt and mud between her toes.. the sun how it touches the soft curls.. the newness that will be soon, of a new baby girl into her life.. here is my story of images from today and more to share.. thank you patti for coming out.. walking and talking.. it was great to see you and looking forward to our next visit and meet baby lucy.

for you.. my clients...

2011-06-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

as a reminder for this mini session.. specializing in children stages and mama with their children! no family sessions.

Well your time is NOW! I genuinely want to do more for my photography clients! I love working with your families, I love returning clients, new clients, clients turned friends, friends turned clients you name it! So here is the kicker!

I am giving away a free Mini Session. What is a mini session you ask? Its a condensed version of a full session. They are 30 minutes long.

Whats the catch? you have to bring a fun prop for your mini session! You have to be willing to come to me for photos in the sioux falls, sd or surrounding area. you have to come with a fun prop for your photos!! A funky hat or chair, a vintage or stylish outfit, a vintage toy, balloons, you name it!! (think outside the box)

So wanna know how you enter? If you choose to enter simply mention what prop you plan to bring along! I will come back and randomly choose the winner on Tuesday June 28th, 2011 so you have a little over a week to enter. The winner will be chosen totally at random however you can earn an additional entry by making sure that you “likers” of my facebook fan page HERE. You can earn a THIRD entry by posting about this contest on your facebook page! You do NOT have to like me on facebook to win. The extra entries are not required at all. but if you want an extra shot feel free to do the second and third things listed and come back and let me know you did.

Even cooler EVERY person that enters into this contest will receive a $25.00 amie hansen photography gift certificate good towards their next session. (Not valid for sessions currently booked.)

Lots and lots of luck!!!

And because I am a photographer so I feel the need to share a photo~

children~ sioux falls, sd photography

2011-06-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

capturing childhood as it happens

that is my goal

freeze moments because they grow up so fast!!!

documenting the details of Myiah~ workshop

2011-06-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

be together~ children photography sioux falls, sd

2011-06-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

the best things in life.. being together and creating moments!

thank you cindy, angie and your beautiful children for being together..

andre~ children photography (sioux falls, sd)

2011-06-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

andre he is going to be one soon and growing up so fast. it has been so much fun watching him grow and soon he will be walking and on the move. thanks joni for coming out this afternoon and being such great friends to our family!

lauren~ sioux falls, sd photography

2011-06-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

your vision will become clear

only when you look into your

heart. who looks outside, dreams...

who looks inside, awakens...

quote by carl jung

brothers.. sioux falls, sd children photography

2011-06-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

the best things in life aren't things.. it is moments..

thank you for a fun filled morning boys!

documenting the details part 2 Wyatt!

2011-06-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

what do i feel when i see these images above.. a two year old, being free and having an adventure, exploring.. a cool treat.. sour candy.. sweet tooth.. silly faces..sticky fingers... images tell a story.. i encourage you all to sit back and create a story with images.

documenting the details of Wyatt~ workshop. sioux falls, sd

2011-06-11T13:05:00.000-07:00