I am stoked to announce with this blog post that I will be staying in California this year. It's hard to leave when I have all this love flowing my way! 
Check out these beautiful images of the Neal family. 
I'll admit I was pretty intimidated when Emily messaged me about booking this session. She had tons of great questions and even asked me for some client reviews. She needed someone who was good with kids since her little guy is on the shy side. Let me tell you that I had a blast! Isaiah is extremely adorable and has such a fun personality. 
Should have known since they call him Thor! :D 

Then there was a big spurt of silly! :D 

I barely had to give her any direction. I would make a movement with my hand and that was it! 

It's been a busy summer so far. With my plans to move to Washington underway my calendar was suddenly hijacked by family sessions! I've had a blast so far and can't wait to share the images with you. First on my agenda is some news to my Central Coast fans, I've decided to put my move to Washington off, my big brother in Illinois is getting married in October. So that meant I had to choose between the two! I decided to plan a road trip out to Illinois, I'm booking sessions out there to pay for the whole thing! I'm really excited to go home again, although it's only been a year it felt like an eternity. 
So no worries kids! I'm not going anywhere! At least for a few months ;) 

Check out this fun Vegas family enjoying the Shell Beach air. 

I love it when families bring something to incorporate in their shoot. Don't be embarrassed because you have ideas! That's why I love family sessions, I love the uniqueness each one has to offer. 

I had a blast photographing the Beltran family at my favorite San Luis Obispo location. Laguna Lake of course! 
They were full of personality, especially that Jojo! :D 

Michelle and Bud are so excited to be expecting! They hired me for their gender reveal shoot, it was simply adorable.

To say that photographing a beach wedding is dream of mine, would be an understatement. I never imagined that my first wedding as a solo photographer would not only be a beach wedding, but a beach wedding at sunset. 
Laura & Kevin are great together. They both enjoy life to the fullest. Spending their time together seeing the world, who could want more from life? 
Thank you guys for letting me photograph your beautiful wedding. In Cayucos California, nonetheless! :D 
MUAH provided by the lovely Marissa, at Salon Lux in San Luis Obispo. 

I love Laura's style. It's light, and lovely. Her dress and it's simplicity is so beautiful. I love all the intricate little beads. 

Remember how I mentioned this wedding as being my dream come true? Here's the icing on the cake! They had a first look. It was exactly as I imagined it would be, romantic, dreamy, emotional. Everything that I crave in a photo. 

We couldn't have had any better light. The sky was gold, and warm. 

So much for viewing my blog. 
-Amanda

I ran a promotion a few months ago and was hired by a special family in Atascadero. The special part of the shoot was the location, it's their family home. It is absolutely beautiful inside and out! The property is large and on a hill with a gorgeous view. Their back yard has beautiful oak trees that make the area feel warm, and together. They have one of the coolest tree houses ever! I'm pleased to finally have an area where I can display these beautiful family photos. Thank you Manwaring family!

These boys adore their mom & dad. It was really sweet to see their interactions. They understand each other very well. Thank you for sharing your Bond.

That was especially true here. They wanted photos of the boy's childhood home for them to look back on. It's such a beautiful home, with many different textures around it. Basically a photographer's playground. 

Is what my sessions are about. I loved that these kids felt comfortable enough to be themselves in front of me. We had a blast!

Custom sand box and all! :D 

for visiting my blog. I really enjoy sharing my photos with you. Please feel free to comment and share! :)
-Amanda

This gorgeous baby girl will melt your heart. Her rolls, her cheeks, her smile, her sweet eyes. Only four months old and she is sooooooooooooo cute. With her being so little we were limited to an indoor location. So why not the living room? My first time using my studio light, I wasn't disappointed! Not my usual style, but I love the images nonetheless. The beautiful headband was made by my sister Kat. 
Please enjoy my chew-able newborn session. 

When I started messaging MacKenzie about photographing her family, I asked her to tell me a little about her kids. She told me that Kinley, her daughter was pouring out spirit and personality. She wasn't kidding! 

Kinley kept me on my toes the whole time, I felt her emotions in every expression. This is a girl who demands all eyes on her, and boy is she good at getting just that! We had a blast playing together. 

Kinley is the best big sister to a very handsome Benjamin. Benjamin is just shy of one years old. Don't let the age fool you, this boy has a smile that will melt your heart. It's a common trait in the family I'd say. 

This family had so much to offer me in our session. Thank you so much Rana family. Thank you also to Avila Valley Barn for letting us have a private session. Please enjoy the rest of the photos from this lovely session. I hope the images tell you a story. 

Thank you so much for checking out my first blog! Feel free to share, and leave feedback. 
-Amanda and Susie-Q