Posts in Category: Portraits
Flynn turns one and occasionally, turns on a smile
Now I love jumping jacks and cartwheels as much as the next girl. Ask anybody. Actually don’t ask anybody. But I don’t mind pulling out all the stops to get a kid to grin. We would love to tell you that when we walk into a room with our equipment or welcome kids into our portrait studio, children light up with joy. With glee and with abandon.
And sometimes they do. Please see exhibit A – Sawyer Jane below.
But Sawyer Jane was brand new (weeks old) and had just won a scholarship.
And been tickled.
And was probably pooping.
Flynn is, not surprisingly, an entirely different creature. Different parents, different gender, different stylists, teachers and chefs cater to him. And as handsome as he is, and handsome as he was as a newborn, the day of his one year photo shoot, he had been reading the Times, the Post, blog trolls and watching cable news and decided to be in a serious mood. His parents are clients of ours and we photographed Kathren & Nathan Lundy’s engagement and their wedding several years ago, as well as Flynn’s newborn pictures.
You can’t always win kids over and we pulled more than a few tricks out of our hats with sweet Flynn: songs, toys, videos, silly faces, dancing; you name it we tried it. He was mild and contemplative – and extremely cute – but there was no raucous laughter. To be honest, I love the individuality we see. Adults are this way, why can’t kids be?
Close to the end of our session, when we had almost caved to his seriousness and I began to run – literally – around inside the studio, yelling loudly, hiding behind a giant soft box in our own version of peep eye did he finally crack a little. Flynn’s a little statesman, although when we see him next, he may be on the short list for head writer at SNL.
I love that Kathren and Nathan were delighted to find we had captured more than one or two photos from his session. And always it’s awesome to witness and capture the changes in the lives of those we first met as engaged couples.
Serious or not, we love you, Flynn.
Defining Family | Dogs and Humans
We define family as weirdly and idiosynchratically as we define ourselves. No kids. 1 kid. 8 kids.
“We adopted,” “we foster,” “we just want to be auntie and uncle.” You name it.
And then there are our pets. If you own one, you get it. They are a completely different kind of family, with their unconditional love, guileless expressions, stinky breath, midnight BTUs and snuggling.
Our friend Carol has been a breeder for years, but also rescues and fosters dogs for new forever homes. If ever someone “got it” with regard to what dogs can add to your life, it’s Carol.
She asked that we photograph her with 2 brothers she’d been fostering, who were about to meet their new family and of course, we said yes. When we arrived the family that was adopting them was there too and the exchange of comments, advice and love started immediately.
Finding a family for two dogs isn’t easy and Carol bonded with both dogs until she found the right home. Watching them interact was beyond special. What started as a portrait session turned into a lifestyle shoot with the adopting family sitting in Carol’s backyard playing with the dogs while we just captured the fun and excitement. The kids played with their new brothers, threw the ball and watched the dogs play. We saw the dogs rescue the kids in the same way that this family was taking the pair into their home.
After the family left to go buy some last minute items they needed to be ready for their new family members, we had some extra time with Carol and the pups to do a little mini-session in her backyard. It gave her time to say goodbye and us time to capture them together and celebrate what an amazing person she is.
We’ve said so many times that pets save us as much as we save them and it’s true. Carol: we love you! And to all the families out there rescuing new family members: we celebrate you too. Pulling together, no matter what it looks like, is the best of who we are.
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.
new addition | newborn cameron
How lucky you are, Cameron. You can’t imagine the love that was surrounding you on this day. They say that newborns are near-sighted and mostly focused on mom’s eyebrows and forehead, so you will indeed have to take my word for what you couldn’t see. Behind my lens, you laid there in complete coziness, but you were not alone. So much of your family’s journey was floating around me. From seeing your mom and dad newly married and in love to capturing that couple with a baby on the way and a new daughter and now you. Your timing was perfect. Welcome!
Even your feet were in love with each other. They kept smooching.
Your sister Madelyn came to the shoot and we’ve photographed her growing up too. While we only see your family a couple of times a year, we always look forward to it. And now here you are. This may not always be the case [Secret: siblings can get on each others nerves, but it usually ends well. Keep that in mind when Madelyn boots you out of her room in 10 years.], but right now, you are the apple of her eye. Your sister adores you.
You are a precious being, Cameron and I’m adding my name to the list of fans to go along with your mom, dad and older sister. Come see me again soon, please and take sweet care of yourself. You’re at the very beginning!
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.
jaxon turns six months old
In no time at all, you can go from delicious 6 day old bundle to bib overalls.
Meet a little man working the bald is beautiful angle. And he really works it.
We blinked and this little brother and son is half-way through his first trip around the sun. If I had a nickel for every time I got to stare at the mini-down on top of a kid’s teeny head, I’d be rich and I’d still be behind the camera. That smile is going to break hearts and it’s already bringing his sweet mama, and this photographer, to her knees.
He’s thinking, processing, gesturing, grinning and for all we know making trades over the phone with a savvy broker who speaks fluent Baby. Perfect skin and working bubbles, Jaxon shines with that kind of inner light that comes from no worries. His grandmother saw these portraits and said: “How beautifully done! These show his personality so well.” And his mom thanked me for being “so patient and loving with Jaxon.” I love what I do. I love the families and the squealing newborns, the 6 month old squishies, the siblings and the crawling and everything that comes after. I cannot wait to see him at his first birthday. Maybe he’ll let his brother come along!
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.
celebrating sisters & their families ~ outdoor portraits
It’s always an honor to be asked to take portraits of people from my hometown or from my childhood. You think about where you are in life and remember how far you’ve come — how far we’ve all come over the years. It shouldn’t take a wedding, a funeral or a reunion to make you stop and breathe in that we’ve grown up, survived, are working to be better people and are continuing to grow and march forward into whatever is next.
I really was excited to be photographing these two sisters – Jennifer and Julie Huffman – who are now married and with sons and daughters of their own. You feel simultaneously mature and like a girl again when you get together and start gabbing and wandering, as we did on their family’s farm.
I grew up with the Huffman girls, but was truly friends with the younger sister Jenny. Oh my gosh you guys, there was this one time………….
just kidding! Jenny and I were friends all through elementary and high school. We were just one grade apart and we spent time at each others homes playing when we were little and then later we rode to school together and, as we got older, we’d go out together on Fridays and Saturdays to see friends or “cruise” around. Her older sister Julie, I’m sure, thought that we were insufferable, because that is sort of the job of siblings: be annoying right up to the point of driving someone crazy and then retreating.
These portraits were taken in the fall on family property with the idea of giving them as Christmas gifts and keeping them as heirlooms. My hope is that they will continue to look at them and smile as their own children grow up, see them as markers in time and certainly as great memories. Spring is coming fast and we’re booking our orchard sessions. Contact me via email (mail@pixelsonpaper.net) to reserve a spot from March 11 – 18.
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.