Amanda P Photography

{E}+{B}

2011-12-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

I had met Ericka a few years back when I first began my photo journey. Her boss needed a photographer for a weekend business event, and I was happy to volunteer! (great learning experience!) anywho.... we reunited on the lovely world of facebook, and a few pics later.... I was able to photograph her and her hubby to be, Brian. What an adorable couple and what a cute story! Teen love and lifes path placing them together for the long run! Makes me so happy :) welp... here are a few of my fav from the happy couples special engagement shoot at the gorgeous Getty museum!!.... enjoy :)

{B}aby {M}adison

2011-10-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

You think life is just one step at a time, you get in the groove of things, and then BANG.... You get a BIG surprise :) that's what happened to me about 10 months ago when my lil' buddy Braden walked out wearing a shirt that said "i'm the big brother!" Even better, my good friend Becca was blessed to have a lil' girl. So I was less than thrilled when she had asked me to do baby madison's birth announcement pics. She is a wonderful lil' model too! When a baby sleeps the whole time and lets you place them in any cute position... you've got a model on your hands :) here are my fav... enjoy :)

and these next few are her adorable 1st halloween pics :) awwwww....

{T}ipton {W}edding

2011-10-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, Ms.Taylor Drew stepped into my life. Working with me at the Sport Chalet, we became the best of buds. With our many wedding chats, and fiance stories, Taylor closely became my bridal bud! When she had asked me to photograph their special day, I was more than honored. Hearing all the funny stories about Jason made me feel like I have known him just as long as I have known Taylor. The day could not have been more than perfect! Congrats to the new Mr. and Mrs. Tipton!!!! here are a few (okieee... alot) of my fav pics.... enjoy :)

I was so obsessed with her shoes! I think her shoes had their own special photo shoot :)

Taylor wanted to make sure I captured the look on Jason's face when she was getting ready to walk down the aisle!.... I think his face was priceless once he saw his bride!

Congrats again mr. and mrs. tipton :)

September 24, 2011

{T}anner.... 5 months old...

2011-09-18T23:06:00.000-07:00

So just when I thought time was flying by.... here came his 5 month pics! I wanted to cherish the awesome "tricks" he has been doing, like sitting up, as his big photo shoot this month. I was so proud of him because he sat up for me 80% of the time. I can't get over the cute lil' booty and super adorable lil' curly Q he's working with his hair. He is becoming so strong and loves to play and try new things... He has even been trying to scoot across the floor... uh-oh... here comes the crawling!!! haha :) anywho, so here are my lil' studs 5 month old pics! I love them soooo much!... enjoy :)

Tanner Richard Yocky

5 months old

{N}elson family

2011-09-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

I've known the Nelsons for quite sometime. I went to school with Amber. My little sister went to school with Scott, which then led to our mothers knowing one another. It was a super fun shoot because it was in downtown long beach by the lighthouse, a location they had no idea was over there. We chatted and walked along the path and snapped some shots if I saw something that caught my eye. They were so awesome and such a blast to work with. Amber and her Husband Jeremy are also expecting, so I thought it would be fun to do some belly shots. One of Amber's belly shots actually ended up being one of my favorite pictures of all time. Anywho... here are a few of my fav with the nelson fam... enjoy :)

this picture has hit my top all time fav!!!!

{R}hiana + her loves

2011-09-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

I have known Rhiana for quite a few years now. She is my best friend Kylee's sister. Kylee had created a super cute idea for Rhiana for her 30th bday celebration. "30 days of Rhiana"... I don't want to go tooo much into details since I want Rhiana to have some surprises along the way... but my day with Rhiana was such a fun day! I wanted to do something that was a lil' bit of me for her. So what better way to express myself then taking photos! Rhiana has a son, Nathan, who I have also had the pleasure of seeing grow up into a handsome young boy. Rhiana also has a special someone close to her heart, Ernest. They have been dating for a few years now. So, I thought it would be fun to do a photo shoot with her and her special men! here are a few of my favs... enjoy :)

Rhiana and Ernest...

{B}rumm {F}amily

2011-08-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

Ohhhh the Brumm Sisters +2 ... what a fun shoot!!! Before I knew the Brumm sisters I saw them like triplets. I thought they all looked like each other soo much. After photographing them, I saw three lovely, individuals. First, there is Jenn, the oldest, then Elise the middle, and Kelsey, the baby. Jenn being protective and means business, Elise being the spunky one, and Kels, going with the flow. All together they make a wonderful portrait!

When Kelsey had asked me to photograph the family, I was more than thrilled. It's a surprise for their parents so shhh! In some of the pics you can see the letters D, B, and M. D standing for Denis, M standing for Margie, and the B standing for Brumm. Well, to be honest, during the shoot we found out these letters mean a great deal to this family....

D could also be Dad or Dicecca (Jenn's and Ryan's last name)

M could also be Mom or Marrero (Elise's soon to be last name with Brian)

B could potentially be Burdick.... (hmmm... Kelseys special someone.....)

either way, these letters mean a great deal to the fam :)

anywho... Here are a few of my fav pics from that day, enjoy... :)

during these next images, I had asked them, "Now pose how you would if your parents were taking a picture of you!" ... this is what they did... classic!

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Dicecca

Soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Brian Marrero

Brian saw a playground and insisted we take some pics there. I think it was a wonderful idea! (although, I think he just wanted to play)

and this is why these two are perfect for each other! we were totally done with the shoot and they were caught still playing!!! i LOVE IT!! :)

elizabeth {RAE} pielaat

2011-08-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

Being a Big sister is a BIG responsibility. Being Rae's big sister, is a HUGE responsibility. You always here stories of sisters saying,"we never get along" or "we always fight" and maybe "we didn't get along when we were little". So I'd have to thank my parents for the 8 year gap in age between my sister and I, because we always get along, we hardly fight, and I have always enjoyed her as my lil' shadow.

My furthest memory of us as sisters, would probably have to be when she was 2. I had my friends over, and we were playing barbies. Rae comes running into the playroom wanting to play, of course I tell her no, and my mom repeatedly would always say, "Amanda thats your little sister, she just wants to be with you." Truth is, I'm glad she was always there to be with me. Watching her grow into such a beautiful, independent young lady has made me wonder if I have done a good job in helping my sister become the wonderful young lady that she is. I'd like to think so :)

I have loved the many conversations we have shared over the years, and the many memories that we have sealed with a laugh. So in reality being a big sister might be a big responsibility, but being a little sister is just as big of a responsibility too. Trying to teach her life lessons, while in the lesson she is teaching me, is an amazing gift and bond that I cherish so close to my heart.

Well, I hope the big sister role has paid off because my lil' sister, who is now a young lady entering her senior year, is all grown up. Of course I still see her at 2, even when she's 40 I will still see her at 2 because she will always be my lil' sister. Being a photographer, she is always willing to be my model, and of course we had to have a funky senior sesh. So here is the first part of her senior sesh... enjoy :)

Elizabeth Rae Pielaat

Class of 2012

my lil' stud's 3 month & 4 month pic...

2011-08-19T23:44:00.000-07:00

So I'm really wondering where time goes. Honestly, Since Tanner, my nephew, has been born, I feel like I am falling behind in capturing the moments with him. In the beginning I was hoping to do a shoot with him once a month, But some of the months have made it into one or two photos and combining the months into one as a whole.... WHAT? don't ask me where the time goes!!! I don't even have kids yet, and I feel like I don't have enough time to sleep... so I'm wondering how my first child will be. But, for now, I have learned so much from Tanner, whos nickname has upgraded to STUD! :)

This is him at 3 months:

Look at those eyelashes!!!! there is something about these big brown eyes that just melts my heart :)

his little facial expressions are really starting to come in!

Hes becoming such an awesome lil' dude! He has upgraded to the "big boy passy" and naps are more frequent and scheduled pretty well now :) I think from these few pictures right here, you can see why I am so in Love!

This is Tanner at 4 months:

poor kid haha... I had to buy him this amazing passy!!!! So, as most of you prob know if you follow my tumblr blog, I am obsessed with Mustaches.... they are awesome, and so what better way then to give my lil' stud a stache :{

He is such a trooper with me... I have a feeling he already knows that I am the crazy auntie with the camera. He follows me really well when i take pics of him now, awww my model :) welp thats all of tanner for now until next month... enjoy :)

{Y}oon kids

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

Meeting up with Brandi and Eddie for the Quan wedding was awesome because I was able to also meet up with a few more of my little sister's elementary school teachers. One in particular were the Yoons. The Yoons were one of the firsts to let me step into the babysitting carrier by watching their first son Nicholas, who is now 10 years. I was also able to babysit Nathan, their second child who is now 8. Time had past and in the years that I have missed the babysitting times, Noah, 5, and Elizabeth, 21 months, were born. So, It was an absolute honor when they had asked me to take some family photos. It really takes your breath away when you see children grow so fast. The Yoons are a very loving family, and they have done such a wonderful job raising four wonderful kids. I only hope to continue photographing the family as time continues to move forward. here are a few of my fav... enjoy :)

"A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart"- unknown

Nicholas and Nathan

Noah and Lizzie

The Yoon Kids

{B}randi & {E}ddie

2011-07-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

Not only was it was a gorgeous wedding, But more or less... what a gorgeous couple! I had met Brandi a few years back when she was my little sister's 1st grade teacher. What an honor it was to capture the happy couple's special day. Through out the whole day, I could just tell the amount of LOVE that Eddie has for Brandi is endless. The sun decided to be extra hot that day, and even throughout all the pics, what an awesome couple for sticking through it! :) here are some of my favs from Mr. and Mrs. Quan's special day... enjoy :)

This was Brandi's something old, her Grandmother's ring

Conrgats again Mr. and Mrs. Quan

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

Old Ranch

{B +E}

2011-07-04T07:47:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to show you guys more pics and post the full blog of {B+E}.... so until then enjoy the 4th! :)

{T}anner.... 2 months old...

2011-06-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast time is flying... we are a little past the date, but we still created tanner's 2 months photo session :) he is becoming such a big boy! We love when he does his trick...aka... roll over on the belly or back. It's the cutest thing, and seeing how strong he is by holding his head up is awesome! He also has a famous frown (one just like mommy). Other than that, there is a lot of smiling, and baby giggle noises happening... Here are a few pics that i love. I can tell its just going to get harder and harder too cause he is a wiggle worm haha... enjoy :)

the baby parts of tan man :) they change and grow so fast, thought it'd be a good idea to capture them

He holds his head up like a big boy!!

the famous frown :(

TAaaaa DAAAaaaaaa i can roll over

Tanner Richard Yocky

2 months old

{B}ill & {B}rit

2011-06-12T23:14:00.000-07:00

I have known Billy since I was in elementary school, and was super happy for him when Brit came into his life! Even Better, I was super happy when Bill proposed to Brit!! :) They are perfect for each other and def have a chemistry like none other. When they asked me to shoot their engagement photos, You better believe I was more than thrilled. I was introduced to the cerritos sculpture garden by CharlaBLUE and thought this would be the perfect place for these two! Here are a few of my fav from today!... enjoy :)

Congrats again guys!!!! can't wait till the wedding day :)

{C}aleb

2011-06-12T23:05:00.000-07:00

Lots and lots of babies this year, and I love being able to photograph them all :) My friend Angela, was blessed with a fabulous gift on April 22,2011 when baby Caleb De'andre Martin-Hobson was entered into the world! He is such a precious little guy and is so happy and observant! I think through the whole photo shoot he only slept for maybe 15 minutes because he was so alert, and you could tell he just wanted to learn and obtain new knowledge. I couldn't get over how strong he was at 7 weeks and how he absolutely hated the "frog" position! The best part was the pacifier, which angela calls the "mute button". He def has his sucking tool down :) anywho... meet mr. caleb... enjoy :)

The "MUTE BUTTON" haha

{J}ayda's 3!!

2011-06-08T10:29:00.000-07:00

Talk about time flying! My lil' bestie is already 3 you guys!!! 3!!!!!! She is the most amazing lil' 3 year old too. She has the most caring personality, and the joy she has when she gives hugs is so heartfelt. The best is when I haven't seen her in a few days and she runs up to you and says, "mann-mann i've missed you sooooo much". She has accomplished a bunch since she was 2, and the weirdest one for me is when she uses correct dialogue in complete sentences now. Just yesterday we were having lunch, and she looks over to me after taking a bite of her burger and says, "mann-mann, isn't this really good? This is a really really good burger. Do you want a bite?" I love it! I love watching her grow.

Anywho... For the lil' Bestie, Jayda had a princess party. All we heard for that month was "My princess party, my princess party!!" Here are a few pics from the day... enjoy :)

the royal shoes

Happy birthday Lil' Bestie!

Jayda Marie Fernandez

3 Years old

{R}oss and {A}manda

2011-05-15T17:22:00.000-07:00

I had the honor of shooting with CharlaBlue yesterday for a Luyben Wedding! What a wonderful day it was, and special props to char for introducing me to the beautiful location, the Cerritos Scultpure Center... AMAZING! I had such a blast photographing there, and the couple was awesome. I've known Ross and Amanda since High School, and its always funny seeing people you grow up with take the next big step in their lives. Amanda looked gorgeous, and Ross, handsome as ever! The special Duty of the second shooter is capturing the males, and I had a great time photographing Ross and his groomsmen! What a great group of guys, creative too! here are some of my fav pics of the happy couples day!... enjoy :)

I love capturing Char in action! :)

{M}ichaela

2011-05-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

I was worried that today Mr. Sun wouldn't pop out, but luckily he shined so bright just in time for Michaela's Graduation pictures. Michaela will be graduating from CSULB this May with a BA in accounting! WOW is all I have to say about that!! :) I was very honored to photograph her for such an important part in her life! Michaela, congrats again girlie!!! YOU DID IT!!! here are a few of my favs... enjoy :)

congrats grad!

Michaela Campos

may 2011

{T}anner.... 1 month old...

2011-05-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

Well it just felt like yesterday when I posted pics of baby Tanner being born, and now here I am again posting pics of his 1 month old photo session! WHAT THE HECK!!!... my lil' peanut is already one month old! wow, time is moving pretty quickly. Tanner is my very first newborn shoot in my studio. With the help of props from CharlaBlue, I was able to get a few good moments. The key secret is "SLEEP". once they are asleep... anything is possible! :) here are a few of my favs from today... enjoy :)

{T}ink

2011-04-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

For Mothers day, Tony's brother bought his mom a kitten. This is Tink. She is so cute!! I captured a lil' photo session with her... enjoy :)

{E}aster

2011-04-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

Easter was such a blast this year. Most of all the little ones aren't so little anymore, so the easter egg hunt was a special one just for my flower girls! :) it was funny to watch the chaos of everyone else being so excited to watch them hunt for eggs, while the little ones had no clue what was going on... haha. Jayda kind of got the hang of it, and Merritt was just as excited to hold one egg and then pass it to someone else. Cutest thing ever! Here are a few pics of that lovely spring day... enjoy :)

there is just something about easter dresses that make a young girlie twirl and twirl!

I love when Jayda draws pictures for me. This time Merritt was able to get in on the fun!

the above two pics are so funny... jayda doesn't understand the game of jacks yet, but she sure does love the colors and putting them into different piles. She is also so very girlie! My sister Rae painted her nails for the special occasion... :)

As you probably already know, I'm never really in too many pics... so my fiance insisted that he take one pic of me and my siblings. I have to give him props because it is actually a great pic!

this is my brother Nick and his partner Matthew with their loving child, Leo...

I give mass props to any photographer that photographs animals! This candid was hard enough and we are still missing one! haha Lola kept running off... So this is Leo, My dog Abby, and my Aunts dog Casey. They all have such a good time together!

{B}raden's 2!

2011-04-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast time flies!!! my good friend Becca had her son 2 YEARS ago!!! crazy... but anywho, Becca and Matt did a wonderful job hosting a mickey fun-filled day for Braden's 2nd birthday. With a moon bounce, a taco man, and lots of sweets, what better time could there be! Here are a few pics of the birthday boy's special day...
enjoy :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRADEN

2 years old

{C}al and {T}ony

2011-04-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

This wedding was so fun and unique. I had a blast shooting detailed shots! It was a little bit of a different situation too because this bride happened to be Charla's good friend. Every photographer wants to get the best shots for her bride, but when her bride is her close friend, she also wants to be a part in the wedding fun! So I tried my best to get as many fun and unique shots :) Cal and Tony, I wish you guys a lifetime of happiness! congrats again!! :) here are a few of my fav.... enjoy :)

{B}aby {T}anner

2011-04-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

   Well, its official! I'm an Auntie!!! (well...not by blood, but def by the bond of friendship) Last wed. I received a call from my bestfriend Kylee at 8am saying, "we are at the hospital, but take your time." Ignoring the "take your time" part, Tony and I rushed to the hospital. 30 hours later, with a loving family in the waiting room, a couple of trips to the cafeteria, an ice cream party at 1am, .... Tanner Richard Yocky was born! best part... I was able to be apart of the whole thing! talk about an emotional day!
   I guess it is true when you have a friendship so close to your heart, you can sense things. around 3am I had this crazy urge to go and visit Ky. I missed her and I just wanted to make sure she was ok. And let me just say, women are amazing. I sat with Ky watching the contractions rise and peak and then come back down. I held her hand letting her know the worst was over. A couple hours later she gave me the best news, "I want you to stay in here." I was nervous, but boy was I excited. Contractions were getting more intense, brandon, her sister, and I coached her through it, and in only two pushes my nephew had arrived!
   This experience was like none other. I was so honored and blessed to be there for every moment, and I will always have a special bond with Kylee and Brandon. Not a dry seat in the room once Tanner arrived. I gave Ky a kiss on the forehead, then I tried to capture memories for them that they will always treasure! here are a few of my fav... enjoy :)

Contracts to the new Parents!

Tanner Richard Yocky

5lbs 8oz. 19.5 inch

{Z}oo

2011-04-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

Tony, my fiance, had never been to a zoo before, so for his 25th I took him to none other than the San Diego Zoo. We spent such a wonderful day together in San Diego, and Tony had such a great time! I loved watching his expressions when he saw a rhino or a cheetah. It made me fall in love with the zoo all over again. Best part for me were the PANDAS!!!! its my nickname and i just love them so much. Tony's favorite were the TIGERS and the lions. Here are a few pics of the day... enjoy! :)

{C}ourtney and {J}ohnny

2011-04-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

Last week, Charla and I went down to San Clemente to capture the adorable couple, Johnny and Courtney. This wedding had a mind of its own, let me tell you! It was nothing but gorgeous and Charla did such a wonderful job capturing all the moments and handling the large wedding party! I love being able to see all these weddings, it gives me ideas for my own, what to do and what NOT to do... so far its been a very positive experience! Here are some of my fav pics from their special day... enjoy! :)

the first look is so intense. The build up drives me nuts and it is probably one of the best moments to capture. The sigh of relief is great, and the rest of the day is hopefully smooth sailing.

I love mess ups and during the reception it is a great time to play with lighting...

these were just randoms, but i thought they were kinda neat....

{E}rica and {N}ick

2011-04-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

This year is an exciting year because I will be second shooting for CharlaBLUE photography. This was the first wedding of the year for her business, and let me just say it went out with a BANG!!!! The wedding was held in San Francisco, and seriously who could ask for a better view and backdrop. The wedding was amazing, funny and totally their style. The best thing about working with Charla is the chemistry we have with one another. I have never worked with another photographer so well! I absolutely love it and I can't wait to see how the rest of the year goes :) here are some of my fav pics of the happy couples wedding... enjoy :)

{A}ngela & {B}aby

2011-03-31T22:19:00.000-07:00

Angela and I have been friends for about 5 years now. She is the pride and joy at work with her belly!!! We all love rubbing her tummy and asking if the baby will be named after one us...I still think it should be Amanda even though its a boy :) anywho... So Annie, another part of the sport chalet crew, put on a baby shower for baby Caleb. It was such a blast and Angela looked great!!! She is super mom already! Sport Chalet crew can't wait to meet lil' handsome but until then here are a few shots from the shower... enjoy :)

{A}lexis and {E}lizabeth

2011-03-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

Today I spent a wonderful afternoon with Alexis and Elizabeth, cousins with such a special bond. Alexis, 3, was so funny and had such mystery in her eyes... but lucky for me, once she started wondering off into her own world, I was able to get some great one on one shots with her! Elizabeth, 4, was so silly. She loved taking pictures, but would hardly stare into the camera. It is so funny how fast you have to capture children and their personalities because their attention span is like slim to none, especially if you are at a park! I think I was able to capture a few adorable pics... here are my fav... enjoy! :)

{L}il' {P}icasso

2011-02-21T13:17:00.000-08:00

Jayda is a joy to watch! It is so fun to just observe her behaviors and see what her mind is creating and thinking. Today she amazed me watching her paint, choosing different colors and seeing what would happen when the paint brush would hit the paper. She is my lil Picasso :) ps. that apron she is wearing was mine when I was 4! here are a few of my favs watching her enjoy art... enjoy :)

{L}il' {B}estie

2011-02-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

*friend (frend) noun: person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection.

*lil' bestie (litl) (besty) noun: a kid who comes into your life and is nothing but sunshine when she is with you. a child who loves you unconditionally no matter what. a young girl who surprises you by the way her eyes are learning and capturing information. a female in which is a much younger age of you but can have so much in common with you. a friend that is like no other!

This is Jayda... she is my lil' bestie. When she was born, I felt a connection between us right away. I would joke when she came over, being that she was only a few months, and I would say, "by bestie. I love you! text me!!!" she later started referring to me as bestie or mann mann. If you ask her she will say I am her bestie. anywho....I have always been into beanies... I love them, they are cozy and not a lot of time has to go into doing your hair when you're wearing a beanie! so... of course I found a beanie in her size and just had to buy one!!!! :)

She knows my camera very well and she is a wonderful model! I love telling her, "Ok... pose! ... pose 2... pose 3..." and seeing what she makes up. I later looked at these pictures and realized she is not a baby anymore... she is a little girl. :( Man how time flies!! She is funny, smart, caring, loving, gentle, and sweet. Here are a few of my fav pics... enjoy :)

{H}ayley

2011-01-26T17:44:00.000-08:00

Hayley and I have been friends for about 3 years now. While in School hayley actually helped me with one of my projects by being one of my models. My piece was on movement, and ms hayley is quite the ballerina!! her on point is like a swan floating on water.... so peaceful :) Anywho.... so it was my honor to help her with some head shots. This shoot was a piece of cake and even though a normal head shot is simply just a cropped pic of your "head"... she still seems to bring personality to the photo, which I LOVE! her are my favs... enjoy :)

{L}il' {Y}ocky

2011-01-16T19:38:00.000-08:00

This maternity session is so close to my heart because the couple I photographed are my bestest friends!! I met Kylee in 2004. Our friendship means the world to me and I was so honored to have photographed such an important part of their life. We are all so excited about Lil' Yocky... (name coming soon) and can't wait for him to arrive! He has so much love and it is such a joy to see. I am truly so happy for them. There's something about seeing your bestfriend glow that just brings a HUMONGOUS smile to your face. I wish Brandon and Kylee the best of luck in the next step in their life, and hope to be the bestest bestfriend auntie ever :) EEEEEeeee IM SO EXCITED!!!! CONGRATS BRAN AND KY :) here is a sneak peak of my favs... enjoy :)

{C}urrie Family

2011-01-10T14:08:00.000-08:00

I had such a pleasure photographing the Currie yesterday at Heritage Park in Cerrritos. I have never been to heritage park, and let me just say... what an Awesome location!! I was worried about the clouds in the beginning of the day, but once the clouds moved a bit, mr. sun was able to join in for a few shots. This was also my first time photographing a family of 13! It was such a blast, and Katie, the girlie who put this all together for her family, was such a great assistant gathering all her fam together. The Currie Family was such a joy to photograph. They reminded me of my family, just pure happiness when you get all together. It made the shoot even BETTER! Thank you Currie Family for letting me be apart of this special time and letting me capture the love! heres a sneak peak... enjoy :)

{M}erritt is 1

2011-01-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how fast time flies!!! its crazy... my little cousin is already 1!! She had such a cute Under the Sea party. She is so adorable and I absolutely love photographing her because she is so full of joy and such a happy baby. She knows me well with my camera... I think she will be my next go to model :) here are a few of my favs from that day... enjoy :)

{K}ellie and {J}imi 11.7.10

2010-11-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

Kellie and Jimi were such a joy to photograph. Me and the bride had met word of mouth from her sis. We actually all went to high school together, so it was funny to see some of my friends at the wedding as well. The great thing about kellie and jimi was the fact that they were so easy going. We got along great and hopefully they will love the pics as much as i loved capturing their special day! congrats you two!!! :) here is a sneak peek of some of my fav pics of the day.... enjoy :)

{P}umpkin {P}atch 2010

2010-10-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love the pumpkin patch!! its one of my favorite childhood memories that I hope to continue with my own children someday. for now, My "lil bestie", aka Jayda my little cousin, is my ginny pig. I love taking her places and the best part is she is a great model! :) my good friend Becca and her son Braden also joined us in the fun! all in all it was a great day... here are some of my fav pics of the day... enjoy :)

this pic was taken in the car ride to the pumpkin patch... she is too funny!

{R}aquel and {B}en

2010-10-11T22:23:00.000-07:00

This wedding was extremely special to me. My cousin Raquel... (aka rocky) tied the knot with Ben in the bright lights of Vegas this past weekend on the lucky day 10.10.10. I was so happy and honored to have captured their special day :) here are a few of my favs.... enjoy :)

{NYC} photo shoot out

2010-10-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

I love trying new things and expanding my knowledge on photography as much as I can. while reading "American Photo" magazine, I came across an add for a model shoot out. Basically a model shoot out is a bunch of photographers trying to build a portfolio. I went for it! let me tell you... what an AMAZING experience. I was one of five girls there out of one hundred and fifty photographers, I was the farthest traveler, and the youngest photographer, and I loved every minute of it!

Studio work is an amazing deal! The technical aspect with lighting is wonderful and this shoot out allowed for the photographers to learn different techniques as well as different types of lenses. I have a good chunk of photos that I love from this experience... Here are my fav... enjoy :)

{K}ids

2010-10-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

I think one of my most favorite thing to capture is children.... I love the emotions, personalities, and expressions they bring out to the camera. They only know what their personality expresses to them, therefore the end result is amazing because every kid is so unique in their own way. At this young age its not really about how you look or what you need to do to stand out, but more of the fact of just enjoying each day with who you are.

Here are a few pics of some kids at MacArthur elementary, where my mom works and where i also went to school. enjoy :)

{M}el and {C}haz

2010-10-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

this wedding was super fun because I was able to take a mini road trip with the brummel fam to San Fran, photographing with none other than CharlaBLUE. We had a blast! some of the pics I ended up cherishing were in black and white so here are a few of my B&W favs from Chaz and Mel's special day... enjoy :)

of course there were some more shots in a warm color that I loved as well... enjoy :)

{K}ellie and {J}imi

2010-10-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

meet kellie and jimi... I had so much fun on this engagement shoot! not only were they awesome... but there personalities just shined right into the camera :) This shoot made me even more excited to capture their wedding! can't wait!!! .... till then here is a sneak peak of the happy couple... enjoy :)

HI :)

2010-08-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

k.... so this is it!!!!!!!! welcome to amanda {P} photography :) im excited to take this journey with you and let you into my crazy and outgoing kind of a world! now this is pretty fresh and still out of the oven for me, so sit next to me and enjoy the ride...

lets start with that background info...

ever since i was a little girl, there was always another "amanda" in the class. I was blessed to have a common name but i was also blessed with a unique last name. I would have to say a special thanks to my Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Young, for giving me such a strong nickname that has still stuck with me. My last name is Pielaat. {You pronounce it Peee- LOT... yup its unique just like me :) } any who.... so when i was little i was always known as Amanda P. I'm proud to say that this nickname is who i am and what better way to express myself as none other than Amanda P. with amanda {P} photography.

the letter {P}....

this letter might have to be my fav letter! Not only does this letter represent my last name but it can also represent photographer, passionate, positive, peaceful, and just a nickname my friends have given to me... panda. I had no idea that such a wonderful letter could describe a person.

i first started becoming interested into photography when i was in High School. I was a big time scrapbooker. Oh yeah.... i loved placing my pictures and memories into a creative way. i didn't even begin to realize that to create these scrapbooks might not even be the scrapbooks themselves but rather the photography behind it. So, I became an editor for the sports section for my High School's yearbook. Thats when my passion for photography started to build. I loved checking out the camera and shooting anything and everything. It was a blast. From then on i just focused on having fun with photography.

I graduated from Lakewood High School and took off to my next stop in the road, college. I attended California State University of Long Beach and started my college career in business. Although business is just business, i wasn't passionate about it. I then decided to change my major to Art and enrolled in photography classes. To this day, changing majors was the best decision i have ever made. My journey to becoming a photographer has been amazing. I am now able to say that i am a well round photographer and view art in a totally different level. I graduated from CSULB 2010 in Studio Arts with an emphasis in photography, and now i can truly say out loud that i am a {P}hotographer!

so now that you have the 411 on my background... lets begin the journey together! until next time don't forget to smile today :)