jaxon arrives just when we need something “BIG”
Below are your feet and they’re pretty perfect. That’s a good start.
Jaxon, you were born on July 21st and 6 days later, your sweet parents carried you into our studios where you were an absolute dream to photograph. You slept like a champ, took only a few little snack breaks and were as sweet as humanly possible. Your name, Jaxon, means “God has been gracious,” and He has been.
I would give my kingdom to know what you’re thinking about in this pic below. It’s the smile of a man who already knows something big is waiting just down the road.
There’s a great story about 2 brothers talking, both grown men, and one is getting ready for an important event in his life … a big, BIG day. His brother asks, “so are you ready?” And he responds, “Yep. It’s either going to be a HUGE success or a COMPLETE disaster,” and his brother smiles and says, “good!”
When the time comes, and you and Luke (and any other siblings who may come along in your tribe) are cheering each other on, remember that. Support the BIG gesture. I’m personally sick of the phrase “go big or go home,” but the sentiment is right on.
Dream big, succeed big, play big, reach out in big ways and if you’re going to fail, then fail trying to accomplish something that matters to you. Don’t just get by. Don’t phone it in. Look at that picture of you smirking knowingly and swing for the fences.
And good luck, dude. We’ll be watching with interest.
never underestimating the importance of gratitude
The story behind this note from famous children’s author Roald Dahl is pretty simple. You know Dahl even if you don’t think you do. He penned many books for kids, but the standouts are Fantastic Mr. Fox, James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and BFG (Big Friendly Giant). A little British girl, Amy, sent Mr. Dahl a letter after reading BFG, where the Giant catches dreams in a net. Along with her letter Amy sent a bottle with “a dream in it.” To make the dream, Amy and her father combined oil, colored water and glitter. You can see from Dahl’s response that he thought it was special. His note to her was too and she still has it even now in her 30s.
We race through life, always planning to stop to say the BIG THANK YOU. We thank vendors, clients, strangers, friends, and God every day. We write thank you cards. That’s how we were raised.
But then the next thing needs doing and the next. Yes, we’re busy. Yes, we have photos we need to upload so that we can share them with the clients who are waiting excitedly. Yes we want to share them with you all. We’ve worked weddings, waited on weather and nursing babies, schlepped up mountains and light poles, tiptoed through churches and orchards. We always want that 25th hour, that 8th day,
but regardless of the where, when, who or how
of our photography business, the one theme always present is gratitude.
You all send us your dreams in the form of ideas of how you want to remember your family, your wedding day, your children, your celebration on film. We shake the bottle of color and glitter and try to deliver. But make no mistake, it’s all of us together that make the dream and we cannot thank you enough for making our life of dream delivery possible.
So, thank you, thank you, thank you ALL OF YOU who’ve made our life so much richer. We hope to keep working with and enjoying you all for many years to come. And we also pray that only the best dreams blow through your windows each night.
With love from,
Misty & Ryan
a classic southern summer church wedding ~ read: HOT & lovely
If you were hoping to get a piece of cake with Clemson paws on it, see a completely glamorous bride, and a husband who cannot stop smiling, you missed it. You missed the cake. The rest is below. Jason, Jessica and their nearest and dearest gathered last month to celebrate them at their wedding at St. John’s UMC in Rock Hill, SC. It was fun, tender and hot as blazes, but we took the images that made them the happiest. The couple shared this: “We are blown away at the moments you captured. We are weepy just thinking about it. You created memories for us that we will always have and that we will return to for the rest of our lives.” Mission accomplished.
If you want to see what can be done with high heels AND mountain views, I hope you’ll check out Jessica and Jason’s engagement portraits. I can’t tease it any more than that.
Jessica told us that her favorite photo is of her with Jason as they walked back up the aisle as husband and wife. We agree. You can tell how crazy in love they are. We also loved the simplicity and classic nature of their wedding – the colors, the church, the flowers, everything was gorgeously understated, elegant and lovely.
St. John’s provided us with so many opportunities to shoot, but we love photos of these two outside especially. To wit: a lamppost was scaled in the making of these memories…. we suffer for our art.
The reception was held at Gettys Art Center in Rock Hill, because the bride and groom vibed on the old interiors of the place. True enough, it’s an amazing spot for a reception. One – air conditioning in July! Big plus. Two – beautiful stained wood paneling.
Jessica: “We cried when we danced with our parents. I didn’t expect my dad to dance with me. I was 100% surprised. It was quite possibly the best moment I have ever had with him. And I loved seeing the photos of Jason dancing with his mom.”
In the spirit of sharing the love for other wedding vendors, we ask our clients who they hired. Here are those chosen by Jessica and Jason: Wedding gown: Castle, Spartanburg, SC
Wedding coordinator /planner: Crystal Beck. Jessica told us that she was “a game changer.” The bride didn’t worry about anything.
Flowers: Jasn’e Creative Design.
DJ or band: Split Second Sound out of Charlotte NC. “Eric was the BEST! I would hire him again tomorrow if I had a reason.”
Catering: Essie’s Catering. Yummy food.
Cake and desserts: Carrie Shafer. “She is a friend- doesn’t do it professionally but they were DELICIOUS.”
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.
katie & tim’s twickenham house wedding
“We were so happy to see cousins we hadn’t seen in a long time, friends from Hawaii, Seattle, Colorado, all hanging out, chattering and later playing music for the ceremony. We loved our DJ, photographers and how much love we felt surrounded with. If we were to give a couple advice about their wedding, we’d tell them to get married in the mountains and make the wedding a full weekend, an inclusive event.” 
We photographed their engagement portraits at The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC so clearly these two adore the mountains. Even their sweetheart of a dog is named Saluda (google it). The wedding was small, intimate and personal. It focused on marriage, family and friends, the most important aspects. The day was an intersection of both elegance and personal touches: Katie’s Mom made the cakes, using recipes passed down through generations. A close friend of Katie’s “did” everyone’s hair and makeup. The same friend undercut her own hair with the couple’s initials surrounded by a heart.
Tim & Katie wrote the table assignments on their snowboards and a canvas candid photo of the pair with an I Love You message was used as the guest book. Finally, an artist friend drew and designed their can cozies to include Saluda’s profile. Those were only a few of the thoughtful details, gang. Katie plied her trade, big time.
The sunset could not have been better if we’d ordered back drops from Cecille B. DeMille. Watching friends gather after we’d photographed the couple, was one of the sweeter and more beautiful moments of a day filled with beauty and love.
We’d be nuts not to mention the other vendors who contributed to this amazingly cool wedding.
Katie’s gown: Jean’s Bridal – Charleston, SC
Wedding and reception venue reception: Twickenham House and Hall
Flowers: Flowers by Desi
Music/DJ: Dan with On Target
Caterers: Gadabouts
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 babies and kids, 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.
pixels vendor spotlight: Bridal Traditions Wedding and Prom Attire
Somehow, after all of these years and too many collaborations to count, we’ve never blogged about Bridal Traditions as a beloved and favorite vendor and partner of ours. Kelly Shumate, the owner of BT, is a dear friend and not only have we worked with her, but for her, creating her custom logo and branding.
We also took her wedding renewal portraits in one of the more unique and beautiful sessions we’ve had with a bride and groom. Honestly, that’s the word for Kelly and the options and perspective she provides to her customers at Bridal Traditions and beYOUtiful Proms – unique. Kelly built her business from the ground up starting with a vision but only working at it part-time. She found gowns for weddings, provided dresses and accessories for proms, and later participated in prom campaigns like All About Prom where she could supply the right attire to each lady. By 2008, with no debt (NO. DEBT.) and a storefront, Kelly left her other job and became fulltime owner, operator and visionary for BT.
Kelly is fun to collaborate with because she brings so many creative and clever options to the table when we’re the photographers for a particular promotion or event. You can have the word “Traditions” in your business name and still be modern, fun and completely distinct. 
Every bride, every prom attendee wants to be and look remarkable. You like Scarlett O’Hara? Kelly and her team have got ya. Love The Great Gatsby? Done. Bohemian Chic? She can make you into that perfect gypsy. We look forward to many more years of working with Kelly and her amazing retail operations at Bridal Traditions and beYOUtiful Prom Attire.
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 babies and kids, 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.