Natural-light photographer serving the Boise metro area including Meridian, Eagle, Garden City & Nampa.

Portraits in Boise

Idaho Gun Lawyer: Alex

Time for a familiar face!  I met up with my favorite lawyer, Alex, last week to capture some images for her Boise-based Gun Law practice.  The doors to Alex’s new Idaho office opened several weeks ago…and I couldn’t be happier for her!  She’s already making a mark her new community with appearances on KTVB’s News At Noon and with a column in the Idaho Statesman.  We had a beautiful night for her session (albeit for a few pesky mosquitos) and even caught a couple of low-light photos under a stunning full moon.  Wishing you nothing but continued success as you build your Boise practice, Alex!


Class of 2012: Hannah

The bloggity is a rockin’!  Since I’m in sharing mode I thought I’d post a few images of my recent grad session with Hannah, a soon-to-be graduate of Mountain View High School!  Some of you may recognize this pretty face from a session we did together last Fall.  (Hannah’s mom requested a special split Fall/Spring session….which I was more than happy to accommodate.)   This time we met up in Meridian where we captured some awesome shots along the various hidden nooks and crannies on Main Street.  Hannah surprised me by showing up in a vibrant and stunning prom dress.  And was such a trooper when I asked if she’d be willing to pose in what will now be referred to as “the bat cave”.  You are simply beautiful Hannah!  It was such a pleasure to work with you again.  Best of luck as you prepare for graduation in the week ahead!


The Bluth Family

Eeeek…I’m behind on my posts!  I met up with the wonderful Bluth Family several weeks ago and have been so eager to share their images.  Photographing this family was such an amazing experience!  They were reuniting for a quick weekend together (some of the kids live as far away as Connecticut & Arizona)…so the session was truly meant capture a very special gathering.  Thank you for asking me to document your time together as a family, Bluths.  I truly felt privileged to capture your love for one another.


A Graduation Gift from Amanda Allard Photography

Graduation is just around the corner!  In honor of your upcoming celebrations, Amanda Allard Photography has re-opened all 2012 Senior Galleries for ordering.  And as a gift to you, we will be offering 12% off all graduation essentials ordered before May 5th, including:

• Custom Open House Invites

• Custom Open House Guest Books

• Single and Double-Sided Wallets

• Print Enlargements

• And, Digital Files (for use in Slideshows or for making your own Invitations)

This year, we’re offering 8 bold Open House invites to help you get your party started!  Click here to view your options.  Ordering is easy, simply click here for step-by-step instructions.  Don’t forget to enter GRADTIME at checkout to receive your 12% discount!*

A big phat congrats to all of you who are wrapping up your senior year.  Graduation will be here before you know it!

* Please note that only one Coupon Code may be used per order.  If you received a previous discount code as a referral gift, it may not be used in conjunction with this offer.*


Headshots: Rachel

Meet Rachel Sullivan…the newest member of the Coldwell Banker Tomlinson Group!  She might possibly be the most photogenic person I’ve ever worked with.  No….seriously…you’ve got it going on, Girl!

Rachel will be specializing in Eagle real estate.  If you doubt her awesomeness…simply take a peak at a few of her attached outtakes so you can see just how much fun she is to work with.  Congrats again on your new career, Rachel.  I know you’re going to make a fantastic realtor!

 


Class of 2012: Nate

Do you know what I love most about Idaho?  It’s never too cold for “Senior Season”.  In Northern Minnesota it was virtually unheard of to shoot outdoors in…GASP…February!  This past Monday I met up with Nate, a senior from Grand View, Idaho, to capture some late-season grads.  This brawny and brainy student was so much fun to work with!  Not only is he a football and baseball star, he also has aspirations to be a doctor someday.  Better yet, he was totally game for all of my crazy antics…which may or may not have included posing in front of a public restroom.  I hope these pictures prove what a photogenic guy you are, Nate.  Best of luck to you in the year ahead!  Fingers crossed that you end up at the University of Washington this fall.


Amanda Allard Photography 2011 Rewind

I know it’s almost March, but it’s never too late for a little love.  A big beautiful thank you to my amazing 2011 clients!  I traveled through 5 states to snap this year’s round up…and enjoyed every minute capturing these wonderful moments.


Shopping Spree Saturday!

Best start to a day ever!  I had a message in my inbox this morning saying that this little ditty garnered me 2nd place in the Sierra Trading Post’s winter photography contest.  This is my first iPhone winning contest image!  (I love my phone…WHOOT!)  Many thanks to my hubby for unknowingly posing for this photo during our Superbowl Sunday snowshoe trip up at Beaver Creek Summit…AND for helping me haul out all of the new gear I picked up this afternoon compliments of my prize money!


Alex: Packin’ Some Heat

Last weekend I met up with my favorite attorney from Oregon!  Alex contacted me at the start of the month to see if I could capture some fun and unique business portraits to help her promote the addition of “Gun Law” to her Gold Coast practice.  I absolutely love opportunities like this (that push me a little outside of my comfortable little box)!  During the session, I felt like I was capturing stills of the next Bond Girl.  I mean…come one…have you ever seen an attorney like this?   Not only is she a smokin’ hot…she’s knowledgeable and passionate about firemans.  That’s a triple threat in my book!  Here are just a few of my faves from the session…


Happy Holidays: The Bluth Family

Meet the Bluth family!  I met up with this wonderful family last weekend to snap a few holiday photos for them.  They were such a joy to work with!  Especially little Josh, who kept me laughing with his funny jokes and facial expressions.  I was incredibly honored to capture this family together as their oldest son, Taylor, will be departing for his 2 year mission in just a few weeks.  Something tells me that this charismatic young man will be greatly missed by his family.  (Best of luck, Taylor, as you prepare for your travels in the Philippines!)   I’m looking forward to sharing your full gallery of images with you in the next few days…


Happy Holidays: The Kirsch Family

Another familiar face from Synchronicity Counseling.  (Catching up with these beautiful ladies has been awesome!)  Kristine booked a holiday session for her family shortly after I snapped her new head shots in August.  I was so excited to meet her two little munchkins, especially after hearing about them during our first shoot.  (I mean…come on…have you ever seen such perfect cheeks?)  And I must say, for little ones, they are they did an absolutely amazing job cooperating for the camera.  Thank you so much for introducing me to your adorable family, Kristine.  I can’t wait to share more pics with you! 


Happy Holidays: The Barowsky Family

It’s November, so you know what that means?  It’s time for my annual holiday rush!  This year I kicked off my holiday season with a familiar and very pretty face.  Some of you may remember Denae from a business shoot I did last summer (with the ladies from Synchronicity Counseling).  I was absolutely thrilled when Denae contacted me in October to schedule a holiday session for her family.  We decided to meet down by the Boise River so her three adorable boys could be photographed in one of their favorite play spots.  Despite the fact that the river bank was bustling with photographers, we were able to capture some beautiful  shots of this good lookin’ family.  


Playdate: Anthony, Julie, Lauren & Lucas

Wow…is it really November?  Where has time gone?  My grad season is finally winding down, so I’m jumping feet first into family holiday portraits.  I’ve been so excited to share these pictures with you!  These adorable kids live right down the street from us!  How lucky am I?  I met their mom shortly after we moved to Idaho, when she warmly welcomed us to the neighborhood with some freshly baked zucchini bread.  She then advised me that I had the LARGEST spider she’d ever seen crawling on the front of our house!  (Seriously still gives me the Heebie Jeebies.)  Kris and I can’t wait to get to know this wonderful family better as we continue to settle into our new home and neighborhood.  And as for Anthony, Julie, Lauren & Lucas…I can’t wait to watch you cuties grow!   


Class of 2012: Gabe

Next up, another pre-vaction session!  I met up with Gabe, a senior from Capital High, the evening before we flew out to California.  To say that his session was memorable is an understatement!  We started Gabe’s shoot at the Idaho State Capitol building in downtown Boise.  Gabe volunteered as a campaign intern for Governor Otter…so the Capitol building is a place near and dear to him.  Just as we were setting up to start the shoot, we heard a large protest rounding the corner.  It ended up being the first Occupy Wall Street rally in Boise.  Despite the noise and chaos, Gabe did a great job of staying focused on the shoot.  After snapping our shots at the Capitol, we headed Downtown to capture a few urban-themed shots.  We wrapped up the evening at Kathryn Albertson Park where we actually saw a red fox hunting right by the park’s entrance.  You don’t see that every day!  Gabe, you were beyond wonderful to work with!  I look forward to sharing more of your pics with you in the near future.   


Class of 2012: Hannah

Prior to our trip to California, I had a hectic week of sessions.  I’ve been busy playing catch up since our return!  First up is Hannah, a 2012 senior from Mountain View High School.  You better get used to this girl’s pretty face (and stunning eyes)…because you’ll be seeing more of her in the Spring when we shoot the second half of her split-session.  We began Hannah’s session down in Hyde Park.  It ended up being the perfect place to shoot due to the abundance of shade.  After the sun dropped in the sky, we made our way to the Boise River to snap few shots in a more natural environment.  And just as dusk descended upon us, we squeezed in one final stop at one of my favorite Idaho barns.  The rising harvest moon added a special touch to the final images we captured.  I can’t wait to share more pics after Hannah and I meet up again in late-April. 


Class of 2012: Bailey

We’ve got spirit, yes we do!  We’ve got spirit, how about you?  Does anyone else remember the cheers from their high school football games?  After meeting up with Bailey, a senior cheerleader from Capitol High, last week…I got to thinking about how much I used to enjoy screaming my lungs out on chilly Friday nights.  Speaking of which…Bailey officially wins my Senior Trooper award for braving a particularly cold and dreary session.  However, thanks to the cloud cover, the lighting was absolutely amazing.  We started off Bailey’s session in Kathryn Albertson Park, where some of the Fall colors are just starting to emerge.  Then, we headed down to Hyde Park to capture a few urban/retro inspired shots right along the historic district’s main drag.  Towards the end of the shoot, a couple of Bailey’s friends joined us for some girlfriend shots.  (Made me miss my besties!)  Bailey, you were so fantastic to work with!  Thank you for putting up with the wind and cold…and all of my crazy antics.  I’d also like to thank Bailey’s mom, Chris, for helping out with the shoot.  (Due to rescheduling, my fabulous assistants were unavailable.)  I can’t wait to get started on the rest of your pics!


Class of 2012: Rachel

Last night I met up with the beautiful Rachel, a 2012 senior from Eagle High School.  Rachel was so comfortable in front of my camera, and was an absolute joy to work with!  Oh and need I mention…Drop Dead Gorgeous?  Someone get this girl an application for Cycle 18 of America’s Next Top Model!  Seriously.  Rachel is actually a huge fan of the show….which didn’t surprise me at all.  She definitely knows how to work it!  However, she has much loftier ambitions than becoming a model.  After Rachel graduates, she plans to move West to pursue an education in holistic medicine.  Brains and beauty…what a lucky girl!  I absolutely adored working with you Rachel!  I can’t wait to share the rest of your pics with you!


Class of 2012: Gabrielle

Last Saturday I met up with Gabrielle, a pretty senior from Mountain View High School.  Gabrielle loves the performing arts!  In fact, she hopes to land in California after she graduates so she can pursue an education in directing, writing and acting.  Sounds like a triple threat to me!   I couldn’t have been happier with the outfits that Gabrielle selected for her session.  They provided the perfect pop of color that I strive to capture in my shoots!  You were so wonderful to work with Gabrielle!  I can’t wait to see where life takes you. 


Class of 2012: Reid

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of meeting up with Reid, a stunning senior from Capitol High School.  When we spoke prior to her session, Reid mentioned that she really wanted some photos with her two Yellow Labs, Jackson & Zoe.  So we kicked off the shoot down by the Boise River with her two favorite goofballs.  Reid loves hanging out down by the water, so it was the perfect place to get things started.  Reid is also a country girl at heart.  She absolutely loves wide open spaces and old barns!  So, it seemed fitting that we capture her in her boots and cowboy hat in front of one of Eagle’s finest.   We ended Reid’s session at Wood River Cellars.  Despite a few clouds, we were able to capture some beautiful shots in the vineyard.  Reid, you were so fantastic to work with!   I know you’ll accomplish whatever you set out to do in life…whether it be that 4.0+ GPA…or Med School.  Enjoy your senior year!


Meet My Team: Ashley & Michelle

This post is long overdue!  But I have a good excuse…I promise.  I’ve been unexpectedly busy since moving my photography business to Idaho!  I’m loving the fact that I’m finally a full-time photographer.  It’s something that I’ve been dreaming about since my portrait business took off in Minnesota!  It has been so fun getting to know the Boise area and finding new places to shoot.  I have to say…living in a larger city definitely has its advantages!  Including…an awesome college (go BSU!) which has a Photography program.  I was completely overwhelmed by the response that I received last June when I placed an ad for a Photography Assistant on the campus website!  I received approximately 35 resumes…and slowly but surely narrowed down the candidates to two! Meet Ashley and Michelle…my new go-to gals.  I’m so excited to have you girls helping me out!


Class of 2012: Anne

A couple of week’s ago, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Anne!  Her shoot was scheduled the day before school started…and she was SO excited to get back into the swing of things!  During our session, Anne told me that she and her mom kept super busy over the summer with their Bowling League and Zumba lessons!  She even showed off a few of her new dance moves.  You were such a pleasure to work with Anne!  I’m so glad that we snapped a few photos without your glasses…you have beautiful eyes!  I hope you’ve enjoyed the first two weeks of your last year of school.


Business: Denae, Kristine & Marci

Words can not express how much fun I had working with these pretty ladies!  Kristine, Denae & Marci are counselors with Synchronicity Counseling, in downtown Boise!  Several weeks ago, Kristine contacted to let me know that she and a couple of her colleagues were in desperate need of new business portraits.  So we headed down to Hyde Park last week to capture some colorful images in the beautiful evening light.  Thanks for selecting me to capture your new head shots, girls (you made working on a Friday night fun)!  Can’t wait to share the rest of your images with you…


Class of 2012: Amber

Oh how I love grad season!  Especially when I get to meet up with pretty girls like Amber, a 2012 senior from Centennial High School.  I mean seriously…have you ever seen eyes light up like hers?  Not only is this girl gorgeous, but she’s also incredibly smart.  Amber is active in Centennial’s competitive speech program and plans to study law after she graduates next Spring.  Lucky for me, this girl was game for just about anything, so we started her session downtown in Boise’s Freak Alley.  (I love the City of Boise for setting aside this space for artists.)  There were so many murals to choose from, it was hard to pick and choose our backgrounds.  After we captured the color downtown, Amber did a quick outfit change and we headed over to Albertson Park to capture some photos in a more natural setting.  The light was buttery soft by the time we got there….so it was hard to stop shooting.  But we had one more stop!  Just before sun down, we ran up to Centennial High to wrap up the shoot with a few shots of Amber in front of her school.  Such a fun evening!  Thanks for selecting me to capture your grads, Amber!  I can’t wait to share your full gallery with you!


Homecoming: Bria + Kevin

On Friday, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Bria & Kevin.  Kevin is currently serving in the United States Army in Afgahnistan, so this beautiful couple has had to spend some time apart this past year.  Last week, Bria traveled all the way from Alaska to Idaho to welcome her husband home.  If you need evidence as to how much these two miss each other, just look at the pictures below.  (You two were so amazing to work with!)  During the shoot, Bria mentioned that she has worn out all of her favorite pictures of the two of them.  (She has looked at them daily since Kevin was deployed).  Bria, I hope this shoot has provided you with some new favorites to flip through until Kevin returns home safe…for good.  Enjoy the rest of your precious time together.  I hope to see you again next year, after you relocate to the Boise area!

* A special thanks to Wood River Cellars for allowing us to use their vineyard and grounds for this special homecoming shoot *

** Bria, here’s the special ANTM reference I promised you during our shoot…the camera loves you!  **