A Big Dish of Thankfulness with a side of humility.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for. I get so wrapped up in my work this time of year that it is sneak peek after sneak peek and you don't get to hear much from me, your photographer. I think now is a good time to give my fans a glimpse of not just my work but the person behind the images.

This year really has played out in fast forward for me. Every year I fill my home with images from a Christmas 7 years ago to this years Christmas. That was my daughters first and we have pictures of her on Santa's knee. Yes it is the cheesy mall photos but I will be the first to say that sometimes, especially Christmas those images are necessary. I see her at her 4th Christmas when her new brother joined us and I see her now. I see how a life can be summed up in images and it is a numbing feeling to think about all of those memories. The first step, the first bicycle ride, losing the first tooth. It all happened somewhere in between those photos. That is what I will have to hold onto. Those images will light a warm fire in my soul every Christmas and will motivate me to set on Santa's knee for a mall photo for the next 20 years if I have too! Hopefully one day I will have images of my grandchildren on Santa's knee.

It can be a daunting task to be a wife, mother and business owner but Im thankful for answered prayers I have seen in my life. A prayer to be a faithful wife to my husband, to live out the vows we committed to eachother eleven years ago. To be a mom and caregive to my children. To raise them up in what I believe to be the will of God. This alone can make your knees tremble. To know that you are responsible for this little person. Another answer to prayer is this crazy thing called photography. The wonderful network of friends and mentors it has given me. I am thankful for the ability it has lended me to help others.

I am amazed at what God has done in my life and I am likewise humbled by his blessings. So it is my prayer this Thanksgiving that you reach for your fullest potential. That when your knees tremble in fear you will kneel in prayer.

I hope that each of you take time to forget about the turkey and dressing to take a moment to look at each of the blessings in your life and the valley's as well and to be thankful at the wonderful person they have shaped in you!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Shop Black Friday Now!!

I know most of you are going to be at the shopping malls bright and early on Friday but you can shop my Black Friday sale now thru Saturday! To see current pricing and figure your Black Friday Savings visit... http://www.amanda-reed.com/clientinformation2010 and select investment. That will give you all of my pricing...for everything just figure in your discount. If you need your images posted online call me asap or if you know your image number have it on hand when you place your order!! 304-667-8507

Brittany!!

Okay, I had another rocking senior session today. I swear Im the luckiest senior photographer in the world. I have the most amazing clients and every session is unique and fitting to their individual style...and Brittany has plenty of style. See for yourself! Thanks Brittany. I had a blast!

BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKED!!

Ricky and Kristin

So I went to school with Ricky but here is a little information. I dont remember Ricky from school and Ricky doesn't remember me either! I knew his name because of his family automobile dealership in our town but I couldn't spot him out of a lineup. Somehow we hooked up on facebook and here I was chatting with Ricky about my business and his family business and said, I have to add Ricky's wife because I wouldn't want some chick on facebook writing back and forth on my hubs' wall! lol...well I met Kristin and now Ricky is history! I dont know what I would do without my facebook chat time with Kristin. Now that he is job hunting out of state we have made a pact to visit in a new destination once a year to have our girl time! I love you both and Im so glad you won the mini session at my open house! Im still praying for a job close to home though! :)

Kristen Westside H.S.

Meet Kristen. Does she have beautiful eyes or what. I know she left out of here with the big head because I went on an on about those eyes! I had tons of fun with Kristen and she was super easy to shoot and let me drag her into beat up trucks and woodsy paths. My cat Tango took quite a liking to her as well and ended up in a couple of her pictures! lol Thank you for making the drive up here to the boonies...although that would be my opinion of your neck of the woods too! Enjoy!

Black Friday

Please call me ASAP if you need to view your images for puchasing at our Black Friday Sales Event or you can stop by or call me with your order! 304-667-8507

Cory and Amanda

So glad to be photographing these two! Corey was one of my first senior clients and his family has been awesome to my photographic endeavors! I recently shot Miss Amanda's senior session and yes that is the goregeous red truck girl. That's what my fans who comment on my images refer to her as! Thank you for coming by. It was wonderful for me to see the both of you so happy and exactly where you need to be! Enjoy your sneak peek.

Tiffany!!

I had a blast with Tiffany. For the life of me, I dont know why, but I rarely get clients of the tween age and this is the best age to photograph your child! I love it. They want to be all grown up but they havent lost their giggles and grins entirely either! Please take the time to schedule a session for your children ages 7 and up. You do not have to be a high school senior to come out and mark this moment in your life! I dont want to miss any moments of my children lives...I wish I could wrap them up and keep them at this stage forever but the truth is I love every stage and every age and thank goodness I can capture them. I hope you will do the same and if not with me than pull out your camera and chart those memories. It goes by way to fast!

Black Friday Sale

Watch for details concerning our Black Friday Sale! To take advantage you must have previously purchased a portrait collection by the sale date! Please stop by on Friday from 9 til 5 to view and order addtional images and products or call me to reinstate your online gallery and call me with your credit card ready. All sales are final and must be paid the date of sale. See you on Black Friday!

Teaser Continued....

No need for explanations! I do however have to thank my wonderful friends Doug and Edy for opening up their home and allowing me to give Autumn that historic mansion feel to her images. The house is currently on the market and if I did not have so much invested and family here I would be living on Washington Street in Lewisburg. It is fabulous!

Teaser!

So this makes session number 2 for Autumn and we did not get finished up so number 3 is on the books! If you want an awesome session like Autumns...and trust me it is. Wait til you see more, than I have some tips. TRUST ME....I am the photographer you chose for a reason. If you dont like my ideas and let me lead you are not going to get what you see on my website found here AMANDA-REED.COM I know lots of times clients think a location is beautiful but photography is painting with light and thats what I look for first! I have to see some good light to work with. So with that said, please visit my website before making a decision to book me. I am not the photographer for everyone. Do I want to be? Of course but I want to be the best at what I do not average at everything. Autumn thank you for trusting me once again and enjoy this teaser in anticipation of tomorrows sneak peek. Yes this image is a little out of the box or should I say frame but if have you checked out any fashion layouts in your magazines lately? No styrofoam numbers and hideous backdrops! I also have to thank Autumn's mom for being so darn cooperative!!

Amanda Reed: Family Photographer

The Holtzapfel family are right up my alley and Im even hoping we could become neighbors. Right now dad is full time in pharmacy school but they are looking for some property not only for a home but also to maximize their love of hunting season! While shooting their session we had to sidetrack for a second so their little guy could check out some buck rubs! Yes in West Virginia we look for deer sign including, buck rubs,scrapes and deer poop. Its just a way of life. On any given day our kids can look out the back door and see 20+ deer or a possible coyote and we can not forget the bear that took off with our dog food! Now that I have rambled on about our country abode on to the images!

Mara Is One!

This is not the first time I have got to photograph this little beauty. Mara recently turned one year old and we needed to catch this moment because all to soon she will be losing her first tooth and getting ready for the first day of kindergarten. Oh I miss my little girl at this age but I wouldnt go back. I want to encourage my own daughter to find her way, live life to the fullest and to do that she has to experience new opportunities and learn new lessons. Jessica and James nurture every talent and help her to develop every skill but most importantly tuck her in to bed, enjoy the fingerprints on the fridge and the cheerios stuck to the floor. Cherish every mess, every smile and every goodnight kiss. I believe the change we seek starts with our children and that comes through us. So love, learn, discipline and raise up this generation to be filled with hope and the courage to learn from every heartache and grow with every mistake! Happy Birthday little one and reach for every star!

John GWHS

Today I was blessed to meet up with John and happy because the farm I pass countless times a month belongs to his parents and this is my dream shooting location. It has fields and streams, buildings and equipment from years gone by. I think the only other place on my list I want to shoot now would be the neon graveyard in Vegas and one day I will accomplish that as well! John thanks for having me out and showing me around!