Posts Tagged: summer outdoor family photographers
The Gift of Photography
Do you want to give the gift that keeps on giving? Give someone a pet.
OK, that is not the point of this blog, but this blog is indeed about giving.
Madelene and Gary Johnson are best buddies with Pixels’ clients Janet & Mike Martinez, the owners of North Carolina Mountain Investments. Janet and Mike wanted to give their friends something that they would love for Christmas last year, and happily for us, it was a gift certificate for a photo session. You know what this means: happy givers, happy receivers and happy photographers.
Madelene and Gary asked that we photograph them at their home away from home outside of Jefferson, NC, so we met them and their family there and it was spectacular. Their family consists of their two beloved dogs and as dog owners, we are always excited to be around and photograph animals.
Ryan photographed this family along and even in the New River and around their lovely home and outdoor seating areas and we cannot wait for the Johnsons to be able to display these and share them with Janet and Mike.
Gift certificates make wonderful holiday, birthday, anniversary or just because presents, so if you have someone you’re not sure what to buy for, consider this a reminder!
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs, engagements and weddings, brides, and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States LicenseAll photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Our Country – a Photographer’s Viewpoint
I’m about as interested in getting political in this blog as I am interested in unpacking every embarrassing moment I had in my 20s and walking you through each one. Not gonna happen.
But the 4th of July is tomorrow and when we aren’t perched over our grills, or swimming pools or fishing rods, or mayonnaise-based salads, or shooing children away from live fireworks, we may swap words like freedom, independence, liberty and patriotism with those close enough to listen.
In this moment of my life, I think about the word country and about all of the countries of my life that aren’t necessarily found on a map. Poet Wendell Berry wrote “The Country of Marriage” and I appreciate his metaphor. A marriage isn’t just about vows, it’s about the creation of a shared culture of how we live with our mates. Beyond the customary meaning of the word country, there are worlds I love and traffic daily and I find myself falling in love with the countries of my life: the country of motherhood, of family, of community, and the country of place – my home.
As mother to Finley, I’d have to say that parenthood is one of my favorite “places.” It’s where I wake up in the morning and lay my head at night and most of every day is spent managing our little country of Mom, Dad and Toddler. It’s governed by love, and with willpower and a lot of faith. Sometimes I’m the Mayor, but just as often, I’m whispering “Jesus take the wheel.” The land of motherhood is more than I could have ever hoped for. Reading chunky baby books, impromptu laughter, potty-training, watching Finley discover new tastes and smells and chasing his narrow rear-end all over the place. It’s grounding. It’s exhausting. Sometimes, it takes me to the ragged edge of my sanity, but truly – it’s magic.
The country of marriage has shaped me beyond words. Ryan and I are each others rock, sounding board, confessional booth, and shoulder. It’s where we test our metal as humans and where we rest when it feels like it is us against the world. That is home. Before there was Finley – there was the country of us. I’m so grateful for him and I know he is for me.
Community is absolutely a place and we know this first hand. We all thread and weave ourselves together in a community of neighbors, peers and friends and it’s alchemical. Something of substance occurs that holds us all together.
The country of work could easily be about the gear and the terrain. And I love both.
The country of work that is the best though is how intimate it can be. In those hours with clients, we form a little tribe all working toward the same goals: get the best images of the newborn, the wedding gown, the 4 generations of family, the first kiss after the I Dos. That world pops like a bath bubble when it’s over, but the memories and shared experiences last. I love that about our job as photographers.
Finally, there is what author Pearl Buck called “this good earth.” It’s not a zip code necessarily, but it’s the expanse of our home, where we point our cars when we want adventure and where we live.
I love my family. I love Ryan and our growing son, Finley. I love my parents, grandparents, cousins and in-laws and I love the people I get to work with, see out in my community and those who make my life richer and fuller. If I were to give any advice between bites of hot dog and ice cream sandwiches: celebrate what you love about our country and especially what you love about the micro-countries that fill your tank daily. Find those in your life who fit this description and thank them for being a part of your country.
Happy 4th of July.
With Love, Misty
“I give you a new command: Love one
another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By
this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another.”
John 13:31-35 (CSB)
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs, engagements and weddings, brides, and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States LicenseAll photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
The York Family Outdoor Portraits
I feel like I say this about every family that we photograph more than two times. Maybe I do. And then it occurred to me that perhaps Ryan and I are just blessed in this way beyond the other blessings that we already see daily. Maybe our superpower is attracting great people into our lives who just happen to be our clients. We find commonalities, share values, a world view or life experience, crack each other up, can relate about the ups and downs of life and become bonded for keeps. The Yorks are just such a couple and just such a family.
We photographed the Lindsey, Mitch, Tate and Turner a few years ago with Lindsey’s family and again last year with outdoor portraits of Mitch’s family. This most recent occasion was about birthday celebrations for their boys, Turner and Tate. The two year old loves trains so we all met up at the Depot in North Wilkesboro. His theme? CHOO CHOO ~ I’M 2! Cute huh? He is obsessed with trains, train tracks, the cars, all of it. And the four year old is ALLLLLL about fishing, so there were plenty of props for each little man. If only we could all hang onto passion the way we do when we’re so young…. “she said wistfully.”
Lindsey has envisioned a stairwell wall collection as well as one above her bed and we’re in the process of getting the canvases created and up on the walls for this crew. We’re also already planning next year’s session. We had so much fun at this one, that we cannot wait. Ideas are brewing!
As we watch this family grow, and I look at these images, that blessed feeling returns. We are happy to be doing life with these guys. Lindsey, Mitch, Turner and Tate: We love you!
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs, engagements and weddings, brides, and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
An Outdoor Wedding ~ in a casual way
Is there a penalty for saying this one was special, if it’s true more than once? We feel this way about more than a few of the couples we photograph on their big day, and this one goes in that category. While we don’t know Dylan and Elizabeth intimately, Dylan’s dad, Richard, has been a friend of ours for over a decade. Plus, who can feel cynical about the world when there is a bagpiper – IN A KILT – playing during the ceremony? Dylan’s uncle not only played the bagpipes at Dylan’s wedding, he played them at Richard’s, so this was a tradition worth keeping. Elizabeth and Dylan are a low key couple, extremely cool and fun, and so was their wonderful outdoor wedding.
You want to know how to mix the casual with the tender? Take cues from these two. Part of the laid back atmosphere they wanted to create for their wedding and reception was to have it at their new home in New London, NC surrounded by their families and friends and their beloved dogs. Elizabeth and Dylan had only been in their new digs for a few short months and worked hard to get the place ready. While the dogs made cameos, any dog owner will tell you that getting them to pose takes more than a nod and a wink but they made it.
On the traditional and tender side: Dylan was given a pair of cuff links just before the ceremony that were his grandfathers as a special touch from Richard. Additionally, someone shared the old Southern tradition of burying the bourbon at the ceremony site to ensure good weather the day of the ceremony. It worked!! As the tradition mandates, the bourbon is dug up and there was a toast of bourbon with the guests after the ceremony. The groom’s sweet Grandmother made the desserts and the catering was provided by Lexington Barbecue as in THE best barbecue. Richard commented, “who knew my son was a barbecue snob?!”
We stole the couple from the ceremony late in the reception because the sunset was just too gorgeous not to get photos with. These two are so relaxed with each other, so happy and in love and their future just appears to be only filled with light and joy and silliness AND DOGS.
We look forward to watching these two grow their family and their lives together over the coming years and loved being a part of their big day. Our thanks to Richard and their whole tribe for letting us in! We love you guys!
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs, engagements and weddings, brides, and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2017 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
outdoor family portraits ~ some late summer fun
I giggle a little every time I hear people opine that they just don’t have time for a portrait session. It’s not condescension, I promise. I understand busy. I “do” busy myself like plenty of other folks. This is life. But I also know that with a plan and a little will, you can pull off a photoshoot with you and your loved ones. Exhibit A: the Mendelson and Hon families we photographed recently.
We photographed Caroline and Andrew Mendelson’s wedding April 6, 2013. They found us through two referrals and were married in NC even though they lived in Boston at the time and still do. Caroline contacted us just a few weeks ago to find out if we were available to photograph her family along with her Mom and Dad, Mr. & Mrs. Hon while they were visiting them in NC for a week. OF COURSE, we made time in our schedule to make it happen. 
The sweet Mendelson family has increased by two since we last saw them 4 years ago. Big sister Julia and little Hannah were so much fun to get to watch, tickle and photograph. We loved getting to spend a few hours in Dobson, NC catching up with everyone and celebrating Mr. Hon’s birthday, which just happened to be that day. I suspect he’ll love looking back on photos of his two grand-daughters – a couple of little cupcakes – who came to celebrate with him and his wife. These latest memories will soon decorate the walls of their homes.
We do our best to accommodate requests for family portrait sessions because we know how much they matter. We’re spread out in this enormous country and time together is at a premium. Creating heirlooms for families like the Hons and Mendelson’s is our distinct pleasure.
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the NC mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs, engagements and weddings, brides, and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2017 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.