Ella Jane’s Snow Day Portraits | Greenville Children’s Photography

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Snow in the South is such a rarity; when it comes, it isn’t “business as usual.” We slow down, hunker in, and live life a bit more intentionally. After Greenville South Carolina experienced a beautiful fluffy snowstorm in January, I couldn’t wait to photograph some magical children’s snow day photography sessions! Miss Ella Jane was excited to get dressed up and brave the cold to become a bit of a Snow Princess for the afternoon. We had so much fun twirling her beautiful dress through the snowy yard…and even her snowman pal Olaf got in on the portraits! Snow is magical…childhood is magical…and the golden sun beaming through the trees created a winter wonderland that, too, was filled with a bit of magic. I hope you will enjoy Ella Jane’s snowy portrait session.

Introducing…Ella Jane in the Snow!

This portrait is definitely one of my favorites of this sweet girl!

And as sweet and happy as EJ is, she can also give the camera one heck of a sassy, serious model face too!

Color or Black and White..which do you prefer? I couldn’t decide! As soon as I think I’ve picked a favorite, I change my mind again! And how cute are Ella Jane’s fuzzy American Girl Doll ear muffs??

Love the intensity of her eyes…paired with a hint of sweet freckles.

Ella Jane’s portrait session was right before the Clemson National Championship game, so she had to include a Clemson photo in the session!

In spite of goofy Olaf’s best efforts, this pretty snowstorm was powdery and wasn’t the greatest for building snowmen. Sorry, Olaf!

I hope you’ve enjoyed the magic of this southern snow day portrait session! As always, it’s awesome when you leave a comment below to show us some love! You can also “like” this post to share it on your facebook page if you’d like.

–Amy

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Best of 2016 | Greenville SC Photographer

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I’ve always been a thinker and one who reflects. (Some, like my husband, might *possibly* say that I’m an over-thinker, but that’s a whole different blog post!) As 2016 came to an end–and as these years seem to end more and more quickly the older and busier we become–it is always bittersweet to think back over the past year. The challenges, the successes, the love and lovely moments that we enjoyed. 2016 was a wonderful year for Amy Clifton Keely Photography, and I cannot say enough wonderful things about the clients who trusted me with their life’s most treasured moments, who bared their hearts in front of my camera, and who filled their homes with portraits…memories…emotions.

One of my goals for 2016 was to deepen my connection with my clients and to create a more meaningful for experience for them. The logic is simple: the more comfortable my clients feel with me, the more likely they will be to let their guards down in front of my camera. The more you let your guard down, the more you will enjoy your portrait session, and the more you enjoy your session, the more you will FEEL when you view your portraits. You can go to any photography studio–or use your iPhone–to capture that cute outfit your kids are wearing, but not every photographer will be able to convey energy and emotions through your portraits. I hope that as you look through these images–some of my favorites from 2016–you will see a heightened sense of emotion, and you will FEEL something about these families, whether or not they are your own.

Amy Clifton Keely Photography’s Best of 2016…

As beautiful as formal, posed portraits are, photographs that show families living and loving will always be my favorites!

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Daniel is one of the sweetest Big Brothers I’ve ever seen.

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Beckett had the best faces during his family’s session at Mystic Tree Farm in Greenville SC.

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I have photographed the Majors since Emily, the younger sister, was a baby. It means so much that they make family portraits a priority and that they have chosen ME as their true family photographer. I love watching their family grow and change in front of my camera, year after year.

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I absolutely adore this black and white series of the siblings. So beautiful and such special personalities!greenville_sc_family_portraits_campbells_covered_bridge_amy_clifton_keely_photography-003

This photo on the right, taken at beautiful Campbell’s Covered Bridge north of Greer SC, is one of my favorites from the entire year of 2016! Even though you can’t see Graham’s face, there is NO doubt that it is full of joy and child-like freedom.

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It was so special to help Lauren and Collier announce their little one who is on the way in 2017! I’ve known these two forever, and I can’t wait to watch them become parents.

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2016 was a wonderful year for Amy Clifton Keely Photography babies! We welcomed some super sweet newborns into the world this year, and it was so special to capture their quickly-changing features and to watch these bonds between new parents and their babes. Of everyone who “lets me in” with their cameras, I think new parents have some of the most raw and beautiful emotions to capture. Thank you to each of you who asked me to capture this love and tenderness.

Baby Thaiden is the sweetest little boy, and I just loved the series I captured with his proud daddy. And the words that his mama writes on social media about being his mommy are just so heartfelt and precious. Sweet, sweet family.

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Ava and Baby Erin were so cute, figuring each other out. newborn_baby_portrait_greenville_sc_amy_clifton_keely_photography-001 newborn_baby_portrait_greenville_sc_amy_clifton_keely_photography-002

Watching our dear friends Ashley and Marc become parents this year was one of the most amazing treasures. Samuel is ridiculously cute, and their love for each other is so deep.

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I could have photographed baby Jackson and his family all day, but I could not bring my camera away from him and his mama. This is one of my most emotional images from 2016.

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My sweet college friend Laura also became a Mama in 2016, and I just love this happy little “eskimo kiss” between her and Andrew.

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Smiley Miss Grace was pretty in pink for her session!

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You might remember baby Asher from my last post…the Christmas baby? Well, in 2016 he became a Big Brother to sweet little Felicity. I just love this family’s portraits, and the photo of Felicity and mama, below, may be one of my favorite images I’ve EVER taken.

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I am absolutely biased, but the sweetest, most perfect baby of 2016 is my niece, Reaves. Tony’s brother and his wife became parents to this precious girl, and she was a DREAM to photograph.

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Some families come together at the hospital, and some at the airport. It was so special to be part of Tucker’s late-night Homecoming when he parents brought him home from China to meet his three siblings, grandparents, and loving friends. So much love and prayers going into 2017 for this awesome family!

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2016 brought a continued relationship with Greer State Bank, which is filled with amazing people who truly care about the community of Greer. I have loved getting to know them through head shots, corporate events, and my own banking relationships.

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Another aspect of “banking locally” is that I get to photograph several featured businesses each year for the Greer State Bank calendar! Each of these awesome local businesses tells their story in the 2017 calendar, print ads, teller envelopes, and other marketing materials.

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Photographing Greer Family Fest, a featured event of the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce, is another highlight each year! The Anne Helton Creation Station is so much fun to watch the kids’ crafts, the Veteran’s Walk of Honor is always a tear-jerker, and this year I got to photograph Greenville native Edwin McCain as the headliner! I also enjoy photographing the Chamber’s Annual Celebration each winter, and this year I also got to enjoy the eye-candy–and the amazing food–at the first-ever Eat Like a Local dinner on Trade Street!

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While the bulk of my business these days is families and babies, I am absolutely still in the wedding business! This year, I had the privilege of photographing my cousin Emily and her love, Franklin. They are such an example of Godly love , and I cannot wait to see their marriage take shape. I photographed their engagement session at North Greenville University, where they met, Emily’s bridals at the Duncan Estate in Spartanburg, and their wedding at Pelham First Baptist Church, where our grandparents grew up.

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Last but not least is Jennifer and Mike’s “Love Story” session. (You’ll be hearing more about this type of session in 2017!) People often ask me, “Amy, what’s your favorite thing to photograph?” I think they expect me to choose a genre…maternity? weddings? babies? events? But always, my answer is simple: my favorite thing to photograph is love. Whatever relationship I’m capturing, whether it’s a head shot or a portrait of a debutante or a family or a wedding day, I want to show love. I want my clients to look back at their portraits and remember that day, not because someone dragged them into a field and made them smile at the camera, but because they had fun with the people they care about the most, and they were given a chance to celebrate those relationships. I hope that my 2016 clients feel that sense of celebration when they look back at their portraits, and I hope that more and more people who value memories and who understand the beauty of small moments will find me in 2017 and allow me to capture this love for them. Thank you to my clients for an amazing 2016. I wish you the best life has to offer in 2017! –Amy

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As always, I love it when you leave a comment to “show me some love” and let me know you were here!

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Asher’s Christmas Newborn Portraits | Greenville SC Photographer

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Anticipation. Christmas is the season of anticipation, and for new families, little can compare to the anticipation of the birth of their first baby. I’m continuing my “throwback” blog posts with another Christmas Newborn Portrait session! Little Asher has just turned TWO, but his in-home newborn portraits were some of my favorites. The lights, the Christmas jammies, the snuggly baby boy celebrating his first days home with his family and his first Christmas. There’s so much to love about this portrait session; I hope you’ll enjoy!

Asher…Christmas Newborn Portraits

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Seriously, how perfectly squishy is this little face?? I can’t get over Asher’s little bow lips and smushy cheeks!

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Sweet, snuggly family time. I’m asleep….just kidding!

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Brianna is such a sweet spirit, and she was such happy new mommy!

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Of course, Sophie the Pup had to be part of the family portraits!

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Without a doubt, this candid portrait is one of my favorites from Asher’s newborn session. I just love this quiet moment and all that it stands for during the crazy rush of the holiday season. Friends, I wish for you all to create moments filled with peace, reflection, snuggles, and joy this season.

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As always, please click the “like” button below to share this post on facebook. I would also love it if you’d leave a comment below to share some holiday love!

Merry Christmas!

–Amy

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Carter’s Christmas Newborn Portraits | Greer SC Photographer

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Today is baby Carter’s first birthday, so I wanted to celebrate him with a “throwback Thursday” post of his Christmas newborn portraits from last year in Greer SC. I have been a completely terrible blogger over the past year, and I have worked with so many amazing families whose love just shines through in their portraits. These special people deserve to be seen, so I’m hoping to get back on the blogging bandwagon in the coming months!

Big brother Tanner welcomed Carter last Christmas, and Tanner is the most famous kiddo in downtown Greer! Tan-man helped introduce his baby brother to the local coffee-shop, all of the best festivals our little city has to offer, and made sure that he was always selfie-ready for social media. Tanner and Carter’s parents are integral players “here in Greer,” as the owners of several local businesses, including Events at the Davenport, Greer Event Rentals, and YourMark.

Happy 1st Birthday, Carter!

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I am obsessed with these gorgeous windows in Carter’s home, and I love this sweet moment with his Mommy and Daddy.

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I love sweet candid moments when families are all snuggled together at home. In-home newborn sessions means that no one has to bundle up baby and go out into the world before you are ready, and it also means that I can capture your sweet new baby in his or her first home.

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Tanner was so excited to help (re)decorate the tree while his baby brother ate and changed. This cross ornament was a super special one for him to show me.

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Brother feet are super sweet. <3 In no time at all, I bet these feeties will be the same size!

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And….this is what happens when you celebrate Christmas immediately after coming home from the hospital with a new baby…tons of fun, and a wee bit of craziness and exhaustion! 😉

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Thank you, Stevens Family, for trusting me with these most special first portraits of your family of four. I hope that Carter’s first birthday and this Christmas are filled with magical moments!

As always, friends, if you like what you see, please leave a comment below to show us some love!

–Amy

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Emily + Franklin | North Greenville University Engagement Portraits

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Emily + Franklin met while they were students at North Greenville University, so it was only natural that we would photograph their engagement portraits on the campus that means so much to them. Their love for each other is strong, but their love for the Lord is even stronger. Our very first stop during the portrait session was in the Prayer Chapel at NGU, where Franklin prayed over their relationship. It was so special to him leading their relationship in this way. These two have such a relaxed, sweet, fun spirit about them, and you can just tell that they are the perfect fit. Emily is my cousin, and I am so happy that she has found such a wonderful guy for her. Patient, kind, respectful, and full of smiles for one another…Franklin + Emily were so easy to photograph, and I can’t wait for their wedding TODAY!!

Introducing….Emily + Franklin’s Engagement Portraits

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So much happy! I just love these two!

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I love what this image says about their relationship. Safety, comfort, and just being at home in each other’s arms.

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How cute are they???

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When I photograph couples, I love to play some silly games to get them to loosen up, to create some fun memories, and to capture real expressions. It also gives me a chance to step back and just let them be in the moment, like this shot…

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We stuck around North Greenville’s campus until the sun began to set over the NC mountains in the background. I’m SO glad that we waited–these next few shots are some of my favorites!

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Love love LOVE. We don’t just play silly games during portrait sessions…I also like to ask my couples questions that get them to dig deep and think about their relationship. This real emotion is the result. No fake smiles, no “act like you love each other” commands…these are true moments, y’all.

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(I can’t decide…color or B&W. What do you think??)

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There’s always a point during a portrait session where I make a fool of myself when I see something special on my side of the lens. Pretty sure (because they told me) that Emily and Franklin didn’t know where I was going with this shot…but I’m glad they trusted my vision, even if they didn’t know what that vision was!

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Emily and Franklin, your love is something special. I’m so touched that you wanted me to capture your story through my photographs. My prayer for your wedding day and every day that follows is to see the best in each other, to laugh so deeply that your eyes crinkle up 😉 , and to always lift up the other in prayer. Thank you, truly, for choosing me as your photographer!

As always, friends, it’s so great when you leave a comment and show us some love! You can also click “like” to send this blog post to your facebook feed.

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