“I Got Rhythm” …… who could ask for anything more?
Ira Gershwin was the lyricist to his more famous brother George. THE George Gershwin of An American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue, Porgy and Bess. They were both geniuses. But we love and remember George because he provided the music we love and know so well. Ira wrote and George played and composed on the piano.
And apparently so does Peter, … the Ledbetter’s cat.
You heard me. Feline, with a captial F-sharp. He’s got rhythm. He’s got music. He’s got incredibly tolerant and loving parents.
Peter the Cat – Piano Player Extraordinaire
So, let’s set this up. The Ledbetters are a couple we met during our November Pumpkin Patch Portraits in 2014. Their beloved pup was with them and we took a shot of the trio that they ended up using as their Thanksgiving card. Since then, their dog has passed away to that perfect world where no one follows you with a baggie or makes you wear seasonally appropriate/holiday costumes. Their highly photogenic and piano loving cat, Peter, is now making his own mark, noise, nuisance, irritation, laughter, eye-rolling, ….you get the idea.
The Ledbetters with their precious pup, Thanksgiving 2014
Peter is active during the day, but especially busy at night. The Ledbetters told us that the most interesting times are around midnight when they sit bolt upright in bed and then realize that Peter is merely inspired and on the move across the keys to try out some new ideas. Cole Porter, Elvis Costello, Beethoven, Elton John, Harry Connick, Jr., Ray Charles, Thelonious Monk – Peter loves them all. His parents often find him under the piano with his noise canceling headphones jamming out to his faves. Currently, though he’s devoted to more experimental and original compositions.
These two, like so many of us, love their pets, treat them as family, and we were happy to take photos of Peter for them in our studio, where pets are not only welcome, they can be the subject. Peter is not our first nor will he be our last family pet photographed. Visit us and find out more about the Pixels on Paper’s studios and check out our other blogs about pet portraits: Woof Session, Kristen + Dustin + Tiger, Chelsea’s Tennis Ball.
Pablo Neruda writes poems about the sea ~ Rayne Hatfield washes gently into this world, with style
Ocean, if you were to give, a measure, a ferment, a fruit of your gifts and destructions, into my hand,
I would choose your far-off repose, your contour of steel, your vigilant spaces of air and darkness,
and the power of your white tongue, that shatters and overthrows columns,
breaking them down to your proper purity.
– from The Wide Ocean, by Pablo Neruda
And here is Rayne, as if wrapped in seaweed and delivered directly from the sea. Even her name evokes refreshing water – a summer storm, a cool bath, a plunge into an adventure or just the way we all feel when running into the surf or diving into a pool and then reaching the surface for air – reborn. Rayne’s mom, Kim, is a friend of ours and owns our favorite pet store, “Waggles” and she brought this little mermaid to us with a wardrobe bigger than most of us have before our 5th birthdays. (Kim’s cool that way.)
Awash (see what I did there!) in blue – sweet Rayne’s portrait session was precious. She was this little bundle in sea foam and sweet baby freshness and ….. sleep. We love newborn portraits, because the babes are so stinking cute and mushy and perfect. Rayne’s was the very definition of that kind of session at our in house studio. Placing her in little outfits or her birthday suit with a bit of cute bling was easy and tender.
Check out the ruffles, the tush and the sweetness of this little surfer to be (maybe?). We always wonder what on earth these babes will think when they see themselves later, so we definitely cultivate strong relationships with all of our clients and relish watching newborns become toddlers, watching toddlers become kids and kids become siblings. The evolution is both spectacular and personally grounding. At Pixels, we do not take this lightly. We’re the documentarians. We’re the stewards of those bits of time that seem to disappear before you can find lost car keys or your cell phone.
Creative photography is one of our specialties, whether you’re a mermaid, bride-to-be, a family ready to snap a moment in time or just looking to capture something fun and smart about your life RIGHT NOW. Get in touch with us and we’ll figure out how to get the right shots of you …. and we try only to get the good ones!
When Whitney Met Preston
There’s a great moment in the movie “When Harry Met Sally” – no not THAT ONE – when Harry introduces Sally to his friend hoping Sally will like him and Sally introduces Harry to her friend in the hopes that she and Harry will hit it off. They do NOT. Their friends, however, fall in love with each other instead and pretty quickly know that they are perfect for each other. This leaves Harry with Sally,… as it was meant to be and let’s all raise a glass to the late, great Nora Ephron for being a genius of insight, humor and writing.
But I digress. Our story is about Whitney and Preston, who met through friends in a similar situation and found out that in fact they were the ones who were supposed to be together. They too fell in love, dated for 5 years and will be married in just under 3 months. These engagement portraits were the first real photos they have of themselves as a couple outside of cell phone photos.
Their love for each other is evident in their body language, laughter and ability to listen to and really see one another. Always a good sign and so fun to watch. The lyrics from one of “their songs” – My Best Friend by Tim McGraw – describe them perfectly.
“Oh we just get closer – I fall in love all over – Every time I look at you…
And I don’t know where I’d be – Without you here with me – Life with you makes perfect sense – You’re my best friend.”
These two are serious about the foundation of their relationship – a combination of friendship, lots of laughter, commitment and a very strong faith in God. They’ve made plans to incorporate traditional vows into their late summer ceremony and have also added braiding the God’s Knot into the day. For the uninitiated, the God’s Knot is made up of 3 strands of cord: one for God, one for the bride, and one for the groom. During the ceremony, holding the cords as a couple, Whitney and Preston we will braid them and as they are being braided the pastor will read a piece of scripture that describes each strand. They told us that, “God is the biggest factor in both of our lives and we know that as long as we have our faith in God, He will make our marriage and lives together as success and full of love as He sees fit.”
As we prepare to capture their wedding, we asked them for some thoughts about anticipating both the day and their future. “Our wedding day will be the one day in our lives that all the people we love, both family and friends, will be there to help us celebrate such a special time. We are also very excited about all the photos that will be taken! Pictures serve as memories and this is one moment we never want to forget!”
[A quick interjection/aside here]: People talk about the importance of making memories through photos all the time. It really does take an occasion – like a wedding – to show you how fleeting those moments and those days are and how grateful you are that someone documented your joy, your youth, your hope and your character in that particular moment in time.]
Pixels: What do you want to tell your families?
Whitney and Preston: “We want our families to know that without them our relationship wouldn’t be as strong and successful as it is. Both sets of our parents have shown us what lasting relationships need and how they should be.”
We have every confidence that these two will work to make their relationship last, surrounded by the support of family and friends (it matters, folks!! you need your tribe around you) and grounded in a strong relationship with God. They are looking forward to the next chapter in their adventure and to starting a family in the next few years.
We LOVE you guys, Whitney and Preston and wish you only more fun, more cracking each other up, more quiet time at home listening to tunes and watching favorite movies and only the best as you build a full – a TRULY full – life together.
Meet Copeland Ward ~ a name you may know before too long
Many of us, in the South especially, grew up hearing, “Pretty is as pretty does.” What is on the outside is just the genetic dressing you were given, but your heart and spine, your care for others, your reactions to life’s circumstances, and your interactions with the world are ultimately what determines the manner of man or woman you are. That said, how you look really is the most important thing. It just is.
<SMILING> Just wanted to make sure you were awake.
At Pixels, we’ve created head shots for business men and women, aspiring models or actors who need a portfolio and those who shine among us and want to share that sparkle for any number of reasons or objectives. Who wouldn’t want to help someone accomplish their goals and be a part of capturing the very best sides of themselves on camera? Copeland Ward is just such a candidate. She’s a busy soon-to-be high schooler, active in gymnastics, is a competitive cheerleader and has joined the pageant scene to great success.
We invited Copeland to the Pixels studios and also coordinated professional hair and make-up for her and even planned the wardrobe. Our goal was to create a look both youthful and classic, but that would also capture Copeland as the vibrant, interesting girl she is.
It’s hard to convey everything about a person in a photo or two, but what we can do as photographers is highlight those features that make you want to meet them or know more or both. Copeland’s eyes and especially her smile invite you in and show such warmth and youth and life and hope… at least that’s what we think. She’s a jewel.
A few weeks after we took these pics, she entered the Young Miss Wilkes County pageant and won. SHE WON! She’s now preparing to compete in the Young Miss North Carolina pageant. We’re so happy to have played a part in this journey, no matter where it leads.
If you’re interested in having Pixels work with you to develop a portfolio by capturing portraits, contact us. We’d love help you!
1 silent auction ~ 1 horse farm ~ and 3 generations of VanMeters
Early this spring, we wrote about photographing 3 generations of one family on a single day – the Perry Family in Linville, NC. We loved celebrating with them and watching them interact with each other. Honestly, it’s fascinating (read: funny, surprising, humbling) just to see parents and babies together, forget multiple generations. But watching grandparents plus parents, plus siblings and a 3rd generation toddler is even more fascinating. It’s not as though we get a John Steinbeck novel type synopsis for every family photo shoot we do (although that would be cool). We ask questions, do our homework and show up ready to be present, inclusive and creative. This shoot was even more fun, because it was an unexpected prize. Emily VanMeter Styers (second from the left below) went to a silent auction and won our photo session! Nice, huh? And this very shot is one they all ordered enlargements of to hang in each of their houses.
Pixels would love to photograph your family – whether it’s on your property or at our studio – we have both inside and outside options by the way. Get in touch with questions and check out our other blogs.