Day in the Life – Finley & His KeKe at the Pumpkin Patch
Day in the life portraits are where the future belongs for some professional photographers if you ask me. I love these kinds of sessions. We’ll always need formal family and baby portraits, orchestrated weddings and milestone celebrations, but the juice for me these days is found in capturing the every day little moments. I love watching a day unfold around even mundane activities and allowing families to be present in those moments while I do the work of capturing them.
I carry my smart phone with “crazy awesome high end” camera too, but for this particular adventure, I brought what I call my real camera. I’m not throwing shade, ya’ll, but sometimes you need the right tool for the job.
My almost 2 year old loves nothing more than to be outside with his grandmother KeKe (my amazing mom) and if you add tractors, the ability to run and play – this kid is living his best life. On this particular day, when we visited Howard’s Family Farm in Harmony NC, he most definitely was in heaven.
Moms out there will understand how fortunate you feel when you’ve found a group of other Moms who’ll encourage, support, and entertain each other. I am happy to have such a group. We have a bible study together and outings such as this one with our kids. I loved being able to shoot specific images of them with their kids as well.
What do you get when you have a handful of towhead babies and fields of green? A documentary photographer’s dream. This day we had great weather and the cutest subjects.
Together with our kids, we had a hay ride, picked pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, played in a ball pit and the largest sand box Finley has ever seen. They all slid down a combine slide and rode in a cow train. I was able to capture completely candid moments, a whole day of adventure, and all of us doing life together.
My Mom, Finley and myself ended the day by sitting next to a field of Zinnias sharing a picnic lunch of ham sandwiches, tomatoes, goldfish and apple slices. I don’t care if it’s PB&J or salmon en croute, everything tastes better eaten outside.
I have already printed photos of Finley with my Mom that I will treasure as well as photos of Finley just being Finley. That day is already in the history books, but I have proof of it. I have proof of three generations of us exploring, eating and laughing, images that will remind me of what Finley was like just before he turned two, and I have images of our time with friends, that carefree day when our little tribe wandered around together celebrating each other and simple pleasures.
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.
Roman Pierce is Six Months | Baby Studio Portraits
“Roman is ‘pure joy and his smile will light up a room.'” Thus saith the mother of three boys. So either he’s pretty delicious or she has become inured to any type of baby behavior that isn’t precious. I’m guessing that it’s the former.
Traci Pierce admits that her third little man is her most mild-mannered, even keeled, and easiest baby. As the photographer of all her sons’ newborn, 6-month and first birthday portraits, I think it’s safe to say that she may have one of each kind of boy. All different and all yummy little individuals.
Traci went with the all white dress code and theme – a choice that is elegant, much like Traci herself. We kept it simple, fun and easy. What mother of three needs extra tasks? You’re right, sweet reader…. NONE!
Older brothers Holden (4 years) and Sawyer (3 years) had basically the same palette for their photo sessions back in the day. The similarities in their faces is uncanny, so I encourage you to check out those blogs featuring them.
The little video packages we create are such a fun way for parents to share the photos from our session with family, keep for posterity, watch and re-watch, and of course use later as bribes.
Roman: you have a cool name, like your brothers’ names. You are already a classic. And like them, you have a sweet face, and some pretty awesome parents. Go get ’em, young man! 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 ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Barrett Turns One
Some photo shoot themes have to be crafted and developed out of thin air. And others are a natural because of family hobbies, vocations, passions, whatever. For Barrett Spillman’s one year portraits and cake smash, the choice of baseball was a home run….. I know. I’m ducking as I type, but this stuff writes itself, you guys!
Mom Elisabeth told me her idea of “MVP of the Year” and to “run with it” and that’s exactly what I did. Both her father and her husband Isaac, play baseball, so this theme felt like a fitting tribute to them and a fun way to celebrate their one year old.
I love doing an outdoor cake smash but rarely get to because many parents prefer to photograph them indoors. Fortunately, these parents weren’t at all worried about their little rookie getting dirty.
We adore Elisabeth and Isaac and have photographed their engagement, bridal, wedding, Barrett’s newborn portraits and At Home Christmas. So it’s nice to feel relaxed and ready to play with faces we know well. This family is one of those who’ve hired us from the beginning and appreciate the continuity we capture through photo sessions over the years.
Now for some baseball! Thanks to our Parks and Rec director here in Wilkesboro who met with me and gave me full access to newly refurbished baseball fields that were otherwise locked down for the season. It’s hard to have a baseball shoot without the right setting. And thanks to my dear friend Ashley Shumate, the busiest baseball Mom I know. She let me borrow all the baseball gear to bring my vision to life for the Spillmans.
Barrett loved being outside, in the dug out, and on home plate and played the role of MVP as if he were born to it! His first birthday cake was a reward, so he was game for just about anything we needed from him. He was a good sport!
Those expressions during the first taste of icing are always priceless and rewarding.
We also photographed some studio portraits where Barrett wore an outfit that was a family heirloom. It’s been passed down and worn by other babies in the family turning one before him. Hence the need for these shots to be indoors. I wanted to preserve and protect it for future generations. That and it was 100% wool! To hot for outside.
Happy Birthday, Young Man!! We’ll see you soon, I hope – whether you’re a sports star or not, we’re fans of yours.
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.
Baby, Baby Series Part 3 – 1st BIRTHDAY & CAKE SMASH
“I just completed my first trip around the sun. Time to start my memoirs.”
If only we could record even the obtuse, undefined, blurry world of a one year old, what an interesting document that would be. What would we glean about ourselves, our sensory experiences and most especially our developing soul? I would love to be tasked with being the documentarian of the Life of the Mind – Year One Project. Here’s more of our son Finley (above) and his first birthday cake smash.
Instead, we at Pixels document the first year from the outside and it culminates with a first birthday cake smash and/or photo session. See more of Sawyer – above – on his first birthday.
Gavin’s birthday party took place at our favorite orchard. Here’s even more from that day!
But it’s not all about the sweets and the mess that follows. We ask our client parents to bring other props or take advantage of ours and if possible, we love to take the session from our studio into our portrait garden and yard.
See a little more of Ivy’s first birthday and lemonade stand.
What we cannot provide in an internal monologue for your one year olds, we can provide in photography. See some of our other favorites.
And this little man below is Barrett. You’ll see more of his first birthday cake smash any minute now!
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 ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Baby Baby Roundup – Part II
We’re on a roll – or getting there – with our round-up of favorite baby blogs. This one will showcase favorites 6-month baby portrait sessions. Ryan and I are hip-deep in parenthood and love it – even the trying times are quickly turning into memories for us to laugh about and eye roll over later.
[Casual aside: If you’re going to do this parenting thing: DO IT. I watch friends celebrating another year circling the sun and it goes by so fast. AND THAT, my dear readers, is why getting professional portraits taken is vital.]
Case in point, pardon the pun… we take professional images of our own child Finley Case at every milestone. Yes, we capture images on our smart phones too, but we make time to get out the pro gear and do it right. Here’s his 6-month photo shoot.
Other favorite 6-month portrait sessions that are memorable favorites.
Sarah Grace – below – was too big for planting in a flower pot, as she was in her 8th month and a girl on the go. Getting her to sit still took creativity of anther kind. Keep reading >>
Harper, below, also loves pearls and ruffles and 6 months is the perfect time to get baby girls to sit up, dress up and light up. Read more >>
Sweet Ava went from a purple tutu in her newborn photos to being a little woodland fairy in her 6-month outdoor portrait session.
Gavin donned his autumn gear for his 6-month outdoor shoot. So it’s not just pearls and studio portraits at this age. We encourage families to join in, to dress up or down, to go outside and have props. Whatever makes you happy! More on Gavin’s 6-month shoot >>
And we close out with sweet Conner T in a summer outdoor shoot at the family orchard. Read his 6 month blog >>
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.
