Amanda Megan Miller Photography

My Arch-Nemesis: The Robin

amandamegan — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:40:09 +0000

A couple weeks ago, as I was leaving the house, I noticed some debris on the lantern above our garage door. I thought it was odd and started to get closer to see what it was. It wasn’t until a bird swooped in, nearly taking my head off, that I realized it was a nest! A bird’s nest in MY yard! Gah! I quickly ran into the garage, slammed the door behind me, and called the spouse. It had to go! The nest had to come down before this bird really set up shop in our yard and started calling the shots, swooping in to peck my eyes out (Dramatic?! Who, me?!), keeping me from getting to my own garage. Of course, my spouse laughed at her ridiculous city girl of a wife and said she would handle it tomorrow. The next day, I get a text message from her with a photo attached. The photo was of two perfectly blue robin eggs in the nest. For a moment I thought how pretty they looked, but it wasn’t long before I realized that the bird was here to stay. She had to stay…we couldn’t kick a mommy robin and her soon to be babies out of their home! I may be terrified of her (like most things in nature), but I’m not cold hearted!

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So, now…I had to be brave. I had to face her every single day if I wanted to be able to leave my house and get to the car. But this bird was out for blood. Whenever I would approach the garage, she would stare me down with evil in her eyes. She even tried to get at me while I was IN the house, flying at the window, nearly giving me a heart attack! It was decided, we were not friends. We were arch-enemies. She was on my turf, but she thought I was encroaching on hers!

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But, then something happened…the eggs hatched and the little baby birds were the cutest thing I’d ever seen! Poking their heads out and chirping for their mommy, so cute! (Okay, so maybe nature is a little cool…) And I started to care about my feathered arch-enemy and her new little family! Everyday, I would look out our back window to see how they were doing and I quickly forgot how intensely I once wanted them to vacate our yard. So, after some rough storms this week, I ran outside first thing in the morning to make sure their nest was still safe and sound in our yard. How far this city girl had come, running outside to check on her birds, who am I?! As I got near the garage, I didn’t see anything in the nest and I didn’t hear any baby chirps. I started to worry and moved closer to get a better look. Suddenly, I heard squawking…I looked up to see mom headed right for me! I have never hit the deck faster in my entire life! Laying on the ground, covering my head, my heart beating out my chest…I finally looked up again to see her perched on the fence squawking away for some back up from daddy robin. I quickly ran for the house and never looked back. Fine! Arch-enemies, we shall remain. That’s the last time I try to go out of my comfort zone and embrace nature! Needless to say…I park on the street now, she can have the garage!

Engagement Session: Pilar & Blake – Part 1

amandamegan — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:32:07 +0000

One of my favorite parts of this time of year is reconnecting with my couples for their engagement sessions. We’ve had a meeting months ago around when you booked for your wedding, but actually getting to spend some time, hanging out, and getting to know each other better in front of my camera is such a blast! It gets me even more excited for the wedding day, as I start to learn a little more about my couples, how they interact with each other, and essentially how they love each other! I get to pick up on mannerisms and inside jokes. I get to see how they look at each other and talk to each other. I get to see those sly smiles and hand squeezes. I get to experience it all! (And adorably in front of my camera, no less!) And it reminds me how truly lucky I am to get to experience it. To experience couples’ love stories firsthand, day in and day out! To be honored with being chosen to be a part of their big day! It’s such a gift!

And I have to say getting to work with couples like Pilar & Blake makes my job even better! These two are crazy adorable together and I’m not sure they even know it! Not to mention, they might be the sweetest people I have ever met! I can’t wait for part 2 of their engagement session next week!

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In love with this image…

And did I mention Pilar could be a model?! Totally gorgeous! So excited for these two to be married come July!

Wedding Bells: Val & Rich – Backyard Wedding

amandamegan — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:00:35 +0000

Last summer, I had the opportunity to second shoot Val & Rich’s fabulous backyard wedding alongside the fantastic Nikki! Since I’m a city girl to the core and most of my weddings are within the city, I had never shot a backyard wedding before so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I have to say my expectations were completely blown away! From the the ceremony between the trees and gorgeous tented reception to a fabulous singer performing a song written by the groom for his bride to the spontaneous teepee of branches created by the children, the day was absolutely beautiful. Here are some of my favorites from Val & Rich’s special day…

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One of my favorite first looks! Gah, they get me every time!

Val & Rich’s wedding was not just a joining of two people, but a joining of two families! They are basically a modern day (and gorgeous version!) Brady Bunch! Love it!

One of their daughters found a frog and brought it into the reception! Gah, city girl ran away scared after snapping this photo! Backyard weddings blow my city girl mind! And their sons began to spontaneously build a teepee out of large branches that had fallen from the tree! I was in awe! What a fun memory to have from your wedding day! So, of course, mom and dad had to test out the teepee their children had made!

Such an incredibly beautiful night!

That Unpredictable Ball of Baby and New Routines

amandamegan — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:26:42 +0000

One of the things that gave me the most anxiety when I was preggo awaiting our little boy’s arrival was the impending loss of control I felt coming my way. With my stereotypical type A personality, that loss of control was downright terrifying! I like things super organized, I like schedules and plans, I like routines! And when things are beyond my control, I start to twitch. Okay, not really…but sometimes I feel like I just might start! And the thought of an unpredictable ball of baby-ness coming into our lives and throwing off all my daily routines was totally twitch worthy. But, I kept from twitching by telling myself I would just have to learn to go with the flow more. I would have to learn to let go of my old routines. I would have to learn to live with a little unpredictability in my life.

And so far, so good. I’ve survived. The first month or so was frustrating for sure! I wanted to finish this album design right now, I was so close to being done! I wanted to edit that session yesterday and not wait another day! I wanted to write up some blogs in advance, not the morning of! I wanted to eat my breakfast in the morning, not half way through the day! I wanted to work out for a full hour, not just 20 minutes! And it was making me crazy to not be able to do the things I wanted to do when I wanted to do them! I was getting frustrated and even angry. But, eventually, I realized my aggravation was getting me nowhere, only more aggravated. And being upset wasn’t helping to get things done or take care of the baby. So, I gave in. I realized that it’s not just me calling the shots anymore. That unpredictable ball of adorable baby needs me to take care of him and be a good mommy, so he gets to call the shots now too! I had to give in, I had to compromise.

So, when he cries bloody murder and demands my attention, I save my work, quickly make notes of where I left off, and go cuddle that baby until he is the happiest little chipmunk I’ve ever seen! I stop trying to hastily finish those last dozen images whilst letting him cry for a few minutes more so I can ‘finish’ what I am working on first. I stop getting angry when I have a lengthy to-do list for the day, but he insists on being held for 20 hours out of a 24 hour day. I give in, I go with the flow. I stop typing. I close the laptop. I smile, pick him up, and smother him with kisses. I’m a happier (and probably much better!) mommy just as much as he is a happier baby as a result.

I’ve learned that as much as I try to make my old (pre-mommy) workaholic life and routines fit exactly into my new full time mommy AND wedding photographer life, it’s just not going to happen. We have to build a new life. We have to find some balance between the two. We have to find new (much more flexible) routines. And I am happy to say we are making progress. I have felt much more settled and content with it all the past couple weeks. I am working, shooting, and out and about, but when I am home I am trying to be more flexible. He sleeps through the night, finally has a schedule of sorts (My type A heart rejoices!,) and we are making our own new routines together. My favorite is our early mornings together. Some days we wake up and have our liquid breakfasts together (coffee and milk, respectively), some days we we stay in bed to cuddle the morning away, and some days we go out and find some peaceful quiet time together. No laptops or work before nine in the morning. 6AM to 9AM is all about mommy and baby time, totally unplugged. And then when he goes down for his morning nap, it’s work time for Mommy. But those few hours of not letting myself worry about my ever-growing inbox or trying to split my attention to do 20 things at once has left me feeling so happy and balanced lately that I’m wondering why I didn’t give into flexibility sooner! It’s a beautiful thing.

Wedding Bells: Mallory & Matt – The Drake Hotel

amandamegan — Thu, 16 May 2013 05:00:41 +0000

Second shooting when I’m not booked with my own weddings gives me an opportunity to hang out and work with some of my very favorite people (my photographer friends!), I love it! I’m seriously so lucky to be a part of such an amazing network of photographers in Chicago. (None of that crazy competition feeling!) It is truly such a wonderful feeling to lift each other up and help each other reach our goals and dreams. And to be able to call some of them friends, not just colleagues, is such a great thing! So, I especially love to have those friends alongside me to shoot my weddings and to be alongside them to shoot their weddings when I can. Second shooting for Emilia is always a blast and I feel so lucky when we get to hang out together doing what we love! Especially, when it’s at The Drake Hotel! Because, I mean…hello gorgeousness! Here are a few of my favorites from Mallory & Matt’s fabulous wedding at The Drake Hotel….

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A Little Sparkle To Get You Going

amandamegan — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:35:53 +0000

Some days you need a little something to get you going. A little something to motivate you for the day. A little something besides your double shot Starbucks drink! Some days you need a little sparkle. A little sparkle, just because! (At least in my world you do!) So, today, I’m wearing my ridiculous sparkly sneakers and loading up on caffeine to tackle a long day! And there’s nothing that some sparkle sneakers and a double dirty chai can’t accomplish! Let’s do this!

Wedding Bells: Lisa & Eric

amandamegan — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:00:49 +0000

More favorites from 2012 to share today! I always love second shooting with the ever amazing Lauren and Lisa & Eric’s wedding in Peoria was no exception! Even the rain couldn’t stop this adorable couple from having a wonderful time on their wedding day! Here are some of my favorite wedding day portraits from their special day!

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Our First (Sort Of) Mother’s Day

amandamegan — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:18:17 +0000

Firstly, I must say Happy belated Mother’s Day to all those wonderful mommies and women out there who put in the never-ending hard work of care-giving and the endless supporting of their loved ones! We wouldn’t be half the people we are today without you, so thank you from the bottom of my heart!

We got to celebrate our first mother’s day yesterday and I have to admit…something felt off. Left and right people wished us a happy mother’s day, Grayson even made me some handmade paper flowers (His momma K helped, of course!), and it was so very sweet of them, but it felt weird. I mean I definitely feel like a mommy now…but I am totally still a newbie mommy in training here! I almost don’t feel deserving of flowers, cards, and pretty things on this special day of honoring all the women who have made us who we are today. They are the ones who have put their heart and soul into making us who we are! They have been through the ups and the downs. They have been at this for some time, putting in the long hours day after day, year after year! They have earned their stripes! But us….we have only been at this for a couple months! We are not worthy just yet! Don’t get me wrong…I’ll never turn down some pretty flowers or a massage! (Or anything sparkly for that matter!) But, I do feel like I’m just starting this adventure of mommyhood and I’m not deserving of all the mommy praise on a day like Mother’s Day just yet. But, one day! One day, I will feel like I’ve put in the work! One day, I will gladly welcome breakfast in bed and pampering galore totally guilt-free!

Until that day, I will continue to be thankful for the many women in our life who have put in the work! Who have weathered the storms, been our rocks, and never left our sides. And I am so grateful that Baby Gray has these amazing women to be a part of his life too!

What I’m Wearing: Wedding Wear

amandamegan — Thu, 09 May 2013 05:00:21 +0000

A new year, a new edition of What I’m Wearing to weddings! I fell in love with this little black peplum dress from Anthropologie and I am pretty sure it is quickly going to become my go-to dress to wear to shoot weddings. So comfy (as in, it is so easy to move and shoot in!), so cute, and you can change it up just by the accessories you pair with it! And for cooler evenings, I would pair this look with a simple cardigan. Voila!

Dress: Anthropologie / Shoes: Stuart Weitzman / Earrings: J Crew (No longer available) / Rings: My wedding rings! / Bangles: Adia Kibur / Camera: Nikon D4 / Bag: Shootsac

Wedding Bells: Jessica & Mike – Fulton’s On The River

amandamegan — Wed, 08 May 2013 05:00:13 +0000

Still a handful of 2nd shooting gems from last year to share! Today, I wanted to share some of my favorites from Jessica and Mike’s fantastic wedding at Fulton’s on the River that I shot with the fabulous Nikki! I have to say….being introduced into your reception via water taxi is probably the coolest thing! Such a fun moment for everyone when the couple rolls up to cocktail hour on a boat!

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