Oh, hey! It’s me again…Amy!

I am the creative force behind Iris & Willow Photography, formerly Little Love Photography. I live in Madrid, IA with my husband & three kids. I am a registered nurse by trade with an emphasis in Labor & Delivery and newborn care but I've always had a passion for photography, I just didn’t realize it until much later in life!

I like candlelit dinners and long walks on the……hahahaha just kiddddddding!! But for real, I have an unhealthy addiction to perfection, could eat cake everyday for the rest of my life, drink way too much diet coke and very much hate wearing shoes. I have a quirky personality and a lot of energy so I may not be everybody’s cup of tea and I’ve learned that that’s ok! The older I get, I am finding I have an increased fondness for tattoos. I love being able to express myself through art and making sure each one of my pieces have true and deep meaning that represents all of the good things in my life. Speaking of my life….right now, it revolves around my kiddos and their crazy schedules. My oldest son is nearing graduation and 90% of the time I couldn’t tell you where he’s at because he is a master social butterfly (wonder where he gets that from), be he also loves to hunt and spends most of his free time tinkering with his truck. My middle son is the sports enthusiast who wants to play every sport there is but is mostly serious about high school baseball and pumping iron at the gym. Then there’s my mini me who is a hardcore girly-girl who loves competitive dance and hanging with mom all hours of the day and night. Last but not least, my husband. He is my best friend, my soulmate, my better half. He is also my biggest fan who has supported me in making this business of mine a true success.

Now, on to the biz!

What’s the meaning behind the name anyway? I have been searching for a name that has true meaning to me since I first started this business in 2016. Every time I came up with something I loved, I found it was already taken or it was too similar to another business. One thing I did know for certain was that it had to contain the name Iris. Iris was my grandmother’s name. I was very close to her my entire life and my world has not been the same since she passed away. Ok, so where did Willow come from? Willow trees are often used as a symbol to commemorate the life and death of a loved one. From there, Iris and Willow was born.

What kind of photography do I do?

I used to wear many hats but life had other plans so I now only shoot newborns and the occasional milestone session for those who book my Baby Plan Package. After taking some time to figure out my place in life, I realized photography is and always has been my true passion.

I am passionate about newborn safety. There are way too many photographers out there that don’t actually take newborn safety into consideration and it’s quite horrifying. I am certified in newborn safety and have also been selected as a Qualified and Accredited Newborn Photographer by Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International (APNPI) . I am currently the only photographer in the state of Iowa to be awarded this honor and recognized for my hard work and talent. I have won many awards for my newborn images and I have also had my work published in magazines and on blogs. Being an L&D and newborn nurse, I know the ins and outs of the physiology of newborns. I know what poses are safe and also what poses to avoid. Please please please be careful when selecting your newborn photographer. The cost is going to be the biggest red flag. If the price is cheap, think about why that might be!