Amy Wenzel Photography

Know Thyself

Before I wanted to be a photographer I wanted to be a pscyhologist and provide counseling for hurting individuals and families. I’m glad that didn’t pan out because I don’t think I could have handled it. But for those of you who are also into figuring yourself out, I recently came across the Enneagram, which is one of the oldest models for determining your personality/character type. It’s based on the idea that there are 9 types of people and it explains how each operates when they are at their healthiest level and their unhealthiest level. Unlike other personality tests, the point is to help you to understand yourself and others better and to learn how to overcome the “fatal flaws” that keep you from being all you can be. I am a Type 6- “The Loyalist.” It was fun reading about the different types and figuring out which one I was. You can do this here. Notice that at the bottom of the page for each type description you can click through to read a 2500 word in depth description. (That helped shed some additional light for me). Although I am not going to lie- it’s not easy reading about what you act like when you get into unhealthy levels. No one likes to hear the truth about themselves! haha. There is also a book available called Personality Types (by Don Richard Riso) that I am currently reading. David and I have enjoyed discussing our types and how it causes us to interact with each other. We couldn’t believe it when we read our compatability description. It really described our relationship. So weird! I would love for you guys to figure out what type you are and share your findings in the comments section. Give me a special holler if you are also a Type 6!

These photos are from a senior session that took place in November. I can’t believe in just 4 short weeks winter will be over!! I’m feeling better now. Thanks for all of your well wishes!

Rude Awakening

I woke up monday morning in pain. My whole entire spine was aching as well as my neck, head and eyesockets. My throat felt like it was collapsing on me. It was a strange set of symptoms. I laid there adjusting to the discomfort and realized I had been tossing and turning with it all night. Then the irrational fear gripped me. “Oh my gosh, I’ve got spinal meningitis…..holy cow what if I’m going paralyzed from the neck down??” I stumbled downstairs to lay on the couch and grabbed my phone to call my sister Angie (a.k.a. my second mom and also a nurse).

Angie: hello?

Me: (piteous voice) Hi I’m sick and I’m calling to find out if I have meningitis.

Angie: Oh, no. Okay, I’m on the other line with a friend I’ll call you right back.

Me: okay. (withering)

OVER AN HOUR LATER she finally calls me back. I’m officially offended that she is not more worried about me and the meningitis.

Angie: Sorry about that. So what’s going on?

Me: You’re too late….The meningitis has already taken me home to be with the Lord.

______________________

Despite my fears, I don’t think its anything serious. It’s just been a drudging week thus far as I force myself to do computer work so that I won’t get behind. Everyone is talking about how HORRIBLE the flu is going around right now. I’m sure some of you have it as you read this. I’m just looking forward to the sunny days of summer when I can go camping again and to the beach and not wear 16 layers of clothes.

This shot is my new recent favorite. I love the dark moodiness of it- it reminds me of when I used to shoot film. He looks so peaceful sleeping in his mother’s arms. Isn’t it funny to think that we all did that once?

I love you! But what’s your name again??

We just got home from a get-away weekend to Chicago with friends. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery to clear your head a little bit. Maybe I can post some pictures tomorrow from our fun times. Tonight I’m going to try and pull an all nighter to get some design projects done. Sometimes I find that my best work gets done in the wee hours when everything is silent and there are no distractions. My parents used to joke how when everyone else was winding down for bed, Amy was just waking up! I remember even in Junior High I would stay up sooo late writing in my diary and listening to the romantic light rock radio station on the boom box on my nightstand. (David, that is how I know all the love songs from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s!) Those diary entries are now some of the funniest things I’ve ever read. So melodramatic- “I love him so much it feels like I’m going to die.” No offense to any youngsters reading my blog, but seriously what does a 7th grader really know about love? It’s just so sad because I really thought I was in love with boys who I’d only said two words to. I guess that’s just part of growing up- finding out what love is and what it isn’t. A pretty painful process.

I’ve kept a journal since 5th grade and I’m thankful about that fact for many reasons. One is that as adults sometimes when we look at a kid, a tween, a teen, we tend to underestimate whats going on under the surface. For instance when I see a 10 year old girl, I don’t automatically assume that she’s struggling with issues, because I just see, well, a great kid. It’s been so long since we were that age that we forget what it was actually like to be 10. When I read those journal entries it reminds me. I was already struggling greatly with self-image, popularity problems, crushes on boys, rebellion at school and all kinds of stuff! And when I read back I realize that I felt much the same as I do now on the inside, I’m just in a grown up body now and have the life experience to cope with all these issues. I hope that it helps me someday as a parent when I look at my kids, not to dismiss the complexity of what is going on inside of them. Even at those young ages.

I just wanted to clear up some of the confusion from the last post- those are not MY sisters in the photographs. They are clients of mine who happen to be sisters. =) And today I am sharing some photos of another set of sisters. They are my little “humpty dumpty” girls in this shoot. Except for the part about falling off the wall.

Removable Bellies

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentines Day! I had fun meandering around town yesterday picking out sensless and gaudy gifts to stash around the house for david. My favorite find were these tiny decorative pins with funny looking monsters on them. They said totally random things like “rotund”, “texting” and “chlamydia.” I left a note that instructed him to prove his love for me by wearing the pins on his shirt today as “Valentine’s Day flair.” He definitely trumped me though- I woke up this morning and came downstairs thinking there would be a sweet note or something from him on my computer. But when I went into my office instead of a note there sat a little vintage cabinet I’ve had my eye on at a shop around the corner. It made me so happy to be surprised with something that I had mentioned in passing I wanted. His note said, “I know its not quite a ‘romantic gift.’ But that’s the thing- IT SO IS! I can’t wait to find the perfect spot for it.

This featured photo session was a blast because it’s not something that I get to photograph everyday- pregnant SISTERS. Pregnant sisters who will bare their beautiful bellies on the streets of Grand Rapids despite the howls, whistles and cat calls of every man, woman and child passing by. People even came closer to look because they thought they were models wearing prosthetic bellies.

Both of my sisters are pregnant right now, and one of them is trying to get her house packed up to move. It’s taking her forever and a day. She told me on the phone the other day that she wishes she could just unstrap her belly for a day and take it off because she could get SO MUCH WORK DONE! Then when she was finished she could just put her belly back on. Unfortunately for her, I hear it doesn’t really work that way.

P.S. In the lightbox there is a second row of photos