Capturing Moments All Over Greater Cincinnati

Front Page News!

2010-09-03T21:05:00.002-04:00

Oh yeah, I'm in there!

Quit Your Day Job

2010-08-30T10:45:00.008-04:00

If you are familiar with the wonderful craft world of Etsy, you may have seen weekly posts of hardworking etsians who have quit their day job to devote their time to their creative online shops.

In the past year the Hubby and I have started putting more and more energy and time into my shop, party to make up for a lack of income as that he had sold his business and partly in the hopes that I could someday quit my day job. I would have never have expected my shop blow up like it has this year. Wow. Every month we just got busier and busier, I began my days by going into my day job from 8-5 and then coming home for quick dinners and kisses from the kids then back to it until 2 or three in the morning. Even weekends have been filled with my normal wedding schedule then back the glaring screen of my computer, skipping the normal family events and fun of the summer as to not become completely buried under a mountain of work. Add sickness and multiple computer issues (thanks facebook) and the weight of everything has been getting to much to carry for much longer.

Needless to say it has been an exhausting year. It has also been rewarding in that as of two weeks ago I was able to quit my day job and today is the first day that it is officially so! I am sure the road ahead will be rough as we establish a new schedule and Mommy being home instead of Daddy (Sissy has asked for Daddy already 10 times today) but I am so excited to be able to fully devote myself to what I love to do, create, whether it's through the lens of my camera or on stationary.

I could have never made it through this year without the help and support of my frineds and family, especially my husband, who is my rock and who has been doing everything around here to take some of the weight of of me, my sister in law who is always willing to help me out in any way she can and my mom who has been up with with me until 2am for the last few months, learning the ways of Etsy so she can help with the overwhelming response to my shop as of late.

To begin this new journey I have had a blog redesign to better showcase my work and I think it's just more fun to look at now.

I am looking forward to what opportunities lie ahead and seeing my children grow up.

They are cute aren't they :)

Sissy

2010-07-12T22:21:00.004-04:00

Brother and sister

2010-07-11T01:40:00.007-04:00

Saturday in Eden Park

2009-09-13T02:18:00.013-04:00

I was asked to be a part of this beautiful outdoor wedding, and when I heard that it was going to take place in Eden Park...I was so excited. Not only is it one of my top two favorite places to shoot, we also shot many of the pre-ceremony pictures in the conservatory. Wow. It is so gorgeous in there, the bride chose to have her special moment with the groom in front of the waterfall. It was so special. Everything went so smoothly, and we even had time to go to the bridge for a short time with just the bride and groom before the ceremony. I thought the bridge would add a nice contrast to all of the greenery pictures we captured earlier in the day. The reception was a blast as well. This was such a fun family to work with, thank you for asking me to be a part of your special day! Here is a preview of your pictures:

The twins (and Ginny too.)

2009-09-07T14:19:00.009-04:00

This weekend I had another twin shoot. I was trying to think outside the box a bit and break from my usual routine. So the night before Carter and I went to the store and I saw these fall colors and thought...what about fall babies? That would work for a boy and a girl! So an hour and a few glue sticks later, I had two cute "hats" and the hope that the babies didn't try to rip them off their heads. And they didn't even try to take them off. I was so impressed!

This was sort of a special shoot because these little guys have never had a professional picture taken. They didn't even get a hospital picture!

Goodness, these two arebeautiful too! Look at their eyes. Their big sister helped with the baby wrangling, and I think we got some good shots out of the sesion. Here is a preview of the twins and Ginny:

Kaylee is 11 months old!

2009-09-07T03:31:00.007-04:00

My beautiful little girl is 11 months old and she finally got her first tooth. (Yes, way late...apparently I was 13 months old when I got my first tooth though, so it must be genetic.) This past year has gone by way too fast. Here is a sample of her second Etsy modeling session:

Monica and Keith

2009-09-05T02:13:00.023-04:00

Tonight I was given the opportunity to photograph a very intimate wedding. Check out how beautiful this couple is!

It was a wonderful ceremony, that we followed up with a short session at the church and then a short session at Lakeside during an amazing sunset. It was a fantastic evening overall. Thank you Monica and Keith for allowing me the honor of sharing this special day with you. Here is a sneal peek of your pictures:

2009-08-31T01:02:00.011-04:00

This weekend I had the pleasure if meeting yet another lovely family for a session. They were all three a bit under the weather, but they were troopers as I led them all over the Spring Grove Cemetery. Our session was a bit shorter than normal, but I still managed to get these shots.

Even not feeling too great this family was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed my time with them. Their love for their daughter was so evident on their faces throughout our time together. Such a beautiful family and adorable little girl. Her little pigtails really made me yearn for Kaylee to grow some hair!

Thank you guys for coming out and hanging with me this weekend. Here is a sneak preview of your session:

Alivia is turning 3!

2009-08-30T00:47:00.011-04:00

This afternoon I had a very special session with a soon to turn three year old bursting with personality. Just the way I like it. She was such an adorable little girl and her exuberance really came through in her pictures. As well as her love for her big sister.

One of my favorites so far of this shoot is the series where she looks lovingly at her sister then plants a big kiss on her cheek.

Thank you Jessica and Frankie for giving me the opportunity to photograph your precious little girls today! It was an honor.

Here is a sneak preview of your session:

2009-08-23T02:19:00.007-04:00

Recently I had the pleasure of photographing a very lovely young lady's senior pictures. Thatnk you Stephanie for being so easy and such a delight to work with! I hope you enjoy this sneak peek at your pictures:

One of my favorite families!

2009-08-23T01:12:00.011-04:00

I am so happy to post some recent pictures of one of my favortie families. They believed in me and encouraged me to go into business for myself. They were one of my first paying clients and their feedback and support really helped drive me to be where I am today.

Not to mention that they are a wonderfully fun family with two adorable little guys who also happen to be my nephews.

Thank you guys for your continued support! You really don't know how big of an impact you have made on me just by giving me a chance and also referring me to your friends. I am eternally grateful to you!

Here is a sneak peek of your session:

The proposal...

2009-08-17T10:02:00.016-04:00

Saturday morning Becky and I had a very special session with Crystal and Kenny. He had called me earlier in the week to inform me that although wedding plans were in place they were not “officially” engaged as of yet. So he was hoping to surprise her and propose during our session. Needless to say Becky and I were ecstatic to be involved in such a devious plan. He passed the ring off to me, while Becky distracted Crystal and when we came upon a special lake-side spot I posed them as if he was proposing like it was a standard engagement shot. I then told him to wait because I had a prop to make it look realistic. Out came the beautiful ring. It took her a minute to realize that this was for real and that ring was hers.

Congrats to the both of you! Becky is looking so forward to your awesome wedding next month. Here is a sneak peek of your session:

Kaylee's First Etsy Modeling Session

2009-08-17T01:36:00.010-04:00

Kaylee has finally had her modeling debut for Etsy. She wasn’t loving the hat and decided she was not in the mood for pictures, so we will be having a second session tonight if she is in a better mood. I think her mysterious disappearing tooth may be the cause of her unwillingness to cooperate. Of course Carter had to show her how it’ s done with the bribe of $1 to be my assistant and the promise of picking out a prize from the dollar store.

I have to say if you could have witnessed this shoot you would have been surprised to see there were any pictures that came out of it that she wasn’t crying in. (Very unusual for her.) So I guess I can’t complain.

I know I may be prejudice, but these are the most beautiful children in the world. They are so precious. Hopefully Kaylee’s cuteness sells some tutus on Etsy, more tear-free pictures (fingers crossed) to come soon.

Bikes and Brides

2009-08-16T18:18:00.021-04:00

Another exciting weekend filled with fun and photography! Friday evening Christy and I ventured to Lawrenceburg to a lovely estate for some pre-ceremony wedding pictures. The groom and groomsmen all showed up on their motorcycles. It was very unique and resulted in some great shots. The grounds were phenomenal, a great place to capture some very special moments.

Here is a sneak peek for Sarah and Brandon. I hope you enjoy them. Thank you sharing your special day with us.

Baby Cash

2009-08-11T11:08:00.012-04:00

Last night I had the pleasure of meeting baby Cash, only two weeks old and already a rock star. He was so well behaved and even looked right at the camera for me. What a cute little guy!

Here is a sneak preview of last night. Thank you for welcoming me into your home and letting me capture your beautiful little son.

Featured in a Treasury

2009-08-11T10:56:00.004-04:00

I awoke yesterday morning to find that some of my invitations were featured in someone's winter treasury. Etsy is such a wonderful forum where all sorts of individuals can give kudos to each other for their work. I appreciate the acknowledgement! Thank you to snowflakedesign, your stuff is beautiful too and it is so nice of you to take the time to recognize fellow artesians. Etsy is lucky to have you in it’s community.

Here are my invites that were featured:

A lovely Sunday afternoon

2009-08-10T01:55:00.013-04:00

Today I was invited to attend the celebration of the wedding of Amanda and Todd. They were married last week on the beach in the gulf shores of Florida, one of my favorite spots. It was a beautiful party. There were slideshows of the actual wedding on giant TV's, a "candy bar", really cool custom coloring books for the kids, cornhole, the coolest card box ever, plus lots of other unique details that made the afternoon very special.

Thank you for letting me be a part of it!

Here is a sneak peek of your pictures:

A Sunday at Spring Grove

2009-08-03T00:37:00.013-04:00

Today I spent the better part of my Sunday with two lovely families at one of my favorite places to shoot around Cincinnati. It couldn't have been a nicer day for pictures. I had a lot of fun. here are a few highlights from today:

Thank you again to these wonderful families. I hope you enjoy your pictures as well as the blessed lives you have ahead of you!

Sister's session...what a bunch of cuties!

2009-07-22T01:07:00.008-04:00

This evening I made a new friend. She let me take (many, many) pictures of her, she was big help wth her little sisters and she even assisted me in taking my gear to the car when I left. I brought my rainbow tutu along with a few other props and it was love at first sight. With the promise that she would get to wear such a cool item when we were done I was lucky enough to capture the following.

Here are some highlights from tonight:

And then the big reward...the rainbow tutu. I loved it too.

Thank you ladies for spending the evening with me!

Vintage Collection up on Etsy

2009-07-17T02:51:00.006-04:00

So I am rolling out my vintage collection great for late summer/fall weddings. All of the following invitations can be customized to fit your wedding colors. I also now offer coordinating Thank you cards, programs, bookmark favors and favor cards. Check out my etsy store for more information!

Asd I was posting these tonight I began to wonder if someday Kaylee will see these and what she will think about how many wedding invitations I have put out there on the internet with her name in it. I hope she is not mad! :)

New Line of Wedding Invitations Inspired by Our Magical Vacation to Disney World

2009-07-08T08:41:00.005-04:00

This May my little family, Maw Maw Ann, Kiki and I took a magical journey to Orlando for a week of much deserved R & R. We also had big plans on taking our kids...namely my two and a half year old Carter, to their first trip to Disney World. He is quite a Mickey Mouse and anyhting Disney fan so everyone was quite excited to see his reaction when we arrived at Magic Kingdom and he saw the castle for the first time. Upon arriving at the Castle a performance broke out featuring all of our favorite characters and the whole group of us was moved to tears. I wish I could bottle the feeling I had when my son's eyes feel upon his hero Mickey for the first time.

So my trip inspired me to try and share some of that magic. I really wanted to create a special line of invitations based on that wonderful castle. So I put up a request on Etsy looking for a special artist to draw something for me that I could use to make this happen. I luckily found a fabulous shop called CityofDionne that created just what i was looking for. Something unique and one of a kind.

Here is a preview of my new line that I hope to complete soon.

It can be customized for any sort of invitation, and would make a fantastic invitation suite for a fairy-tale themed wedding.

Happy 50th Anniversary Leroy and Alice!

2009-06-27T23:49:00.001-04:00

Today I had the pleasure of joining Alice and Leroy and their family for their 50th Wedding Anniversary. It was a beautiful day and their yard was a great place to take a few pictures of everyone. Here is a sneak peek of their very photogenic family:

Thank you for asking me to be a part of such a special day! I wish you a happy anniversary and many more wonderful years to come.

Another adorable baby!

2009-06-21T08:39:00.001-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I had the opportunity to photograph another two week old baby as well as her big sister and mom and dad. Isn't she adorable? Look at that long, dark hair!

Thank you to Rick & Deanna for inviting me into your home. I have posted a sneak preview of yesterday's photos below. I hope you like them so far!

No groom, a '35 Ford and 100 mosquito bites later...

2009-06-20T01:43:00.002-04:00

Tonight we finally shot our long awaited trash the dress session with Trina. It was so much fun! Unfortunately Trina's hubby was a bit under the weather and couldn't make it, but we made do. My assistants Christy and Becky did a fabulous job and I cannot wait to see their shots. Here are a few highlights of what I captured:

Trina is a phenomenal model. She is absolutely beautiful and so lucky that her wedding dress still fits after 18 years! Thanks again Trina for letting us shoot you tonight. I hope you like what you see :)

Ault Park Family Shoot

2009-06-16T23:53:00.002-04:00

This evening I had the pleasure of shooting Bill and Trina and their lovely daughters at Ault Park. This was a sort of warm-up session of the couple as that they have graciously volunteered to pose for me later this week. They all did a great job!

I loved their orange shirts, they really stood out against the beautiful green in the park. We thought we were going to get rained out as that is sprinkled a bit here and there, but the hard rain held off until the end and luckily we were close to our cars when it really started coming down.

I had a special helper today, one of my two wonderful assistants. I can't wait to see what great shots she got! Thanks for coming along Becky!

Here are a few highlights of tonight's session:

Thank you guys for being so much fun and braving the rain with me!

2009-06-14T01:07:00.001-04:00

So today I was lucky enough to be asked to take a few shots of my beautiful new niece Ana Maria. Here are a few highlights from Ms. Ana's first photo shoot.

She is such an alert baby for being 2 weeks old. Look at those big eyes.

She is such a little angel.

With a nine pound baby you can expect a lot of cute rolls.

I think this may have been the shot of the day. I was lucky enough to catch a little gassy smile :)

Hi Mama.

She was just a bit too big for my basket shot.

Here are a few more of my favorites so far:

Hopefully I will get the rest of there up in my new client proofing gallery within the next few days, as soon as I figure it out. Congratulations to the new parents and thank you for trusting me with such an important task! I hope you like them!

What's coming...

2009-06-10T16:49:00.000-04:00

What’s coming up. I am happy to announce that I have several shoots planned for the next few weeks that I am pretty excited about. A beautiful newborn studio shoot this weekend, a family shoot at a really cool park in Colerain and to top it all off a TRASH THE DRESS Session next weekend! I wanted to expand my horizons a bit so I thought it would be a great experience for both my two wonderful assistants and myself. Make us flex our creative muscles a bit. I put the work out and found the perfect couple. Bill and Katrina. They were not pleased with their original wedding pictures from 18 years ago. The dress still fits and they are ready work it for the camera. I can’t wait to see what we come up with. Highlights to come!

We are thinking a very organic farm, creek tall grass setting. If this one goes well I believe we will do another one in July. So if you know anyone with a dress who wants to model and earn some free pictures, send them my way!

2009-06-10T11:50:00.000-04:00

So the website is finally almost ready to be released! You can sneak a peek here: http://www.capturedmomentsbyamyleigh.com/

I can’t wait to hear everyone’s feedback. A lot of thought and creativity went into it and I feel like I am baring a piece of my soul by putting it out there for everyone to see.

It has been a exhilarating, frustrating, time consuming couple of months to say the least. Between deciding on a perfect template to base it on, a place to host it, selecting the perfect colors, music and not only feature my photography, but to also make it convey the emotions I try to capture with my camera. I really wanted to make my current and potential clients feel a stirring of sentiment when viewing the opening slideshow and hearing the accompanying music. I am hoping some of the special things I did make it really stand out in the sea of photography websites out there.

Since there is not an abundance of text on the site, I though I could compliment it with this blog. What a fantastic way to share some of my experiences during the events I have the pleasure of shooting. Plus I may sneak in a photo or two of my two cuties Carter and Kaylee. They are both already seasoned models when it comes to Mom and the camera. You can also expect to see highlights from my recent shoots as well as upcoming ideas I am working on.

Thank you for taking the time to share this with me. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and ideas with you in the future!