a photography workshop shines a light in the dark places
Toward the end of March, I struck out on my own and took a leap outside of my comfort zone to attend a photography workshop and retreat. I love perfecting my craft, learning new techniques, comparing notes, etc., and we all need professional renewal, regardless of what we do. The invitation promised a focus on wedding photography, mastering and using lighting and exposure, and connecting with both your clients and your own desires in life. Tricks of the trade meets self-help meets community and introspection. I’d made excuses for not going in the past and this had an extra element of trepidation – spending 4 days in a house with 9 other women, all strangers. But what’s growth without a bit of surrendering to the unknown?
This retreat was hosted by Elly’s Photography and I’ve been a fan of her work for years… another incentive: meet a fellow traveler, working photographer, wife, business woman. As it turns out, Elly’s really a life coach in addition to wonderful photographer and I found that my need to stretch was more important than my fears of hanging with strangers – without Ryan – in a house for 4 days. I needed it more than I knew. 
Both before and during the retreat, Elly and I spoke for hours so that I’d get the most out of my retreat. She asked questions about what I wanted to learn, what I wanted to see change in our business, how I wanted to connect with our clients. But then there were even harder questions. What are you really passionate about, what drives you, where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15 years, what is your impact? I did work in “Clearing,” “Dream Casting,” and communication exercises. Photography is easy for me, the personal stuff can be really hard and at times very emotional.
I needed someone to ask me the hard questions. I needed my creativity to be reawakened, to have a new perspective. I needed to have more tools in my tool box to offer our clients. I needed to be surrounded by 9 other creative people that felt the same as me. I ended up having a blast and learning a lot about myself.
The best part is that, through all of the personal aspects of the retreat, it was mixed with learning new ways of using my camera and seeing both natural and artificial light differently. Over the past 8 years I’ve become very comfortable with using artificial lighting for photography. I can manipulate light to be what I need it to be in almost any situation. This is a good thing. In fact, Ryan often jokes that I always wish I had one more light to add to the scene no matter how many I have. But what I found during the first half of our workshop is that I had stopped looking at natural light the same way. Natural light can be manipulated. It can be found in sources and locations I have ignored. All of the portrait photos in this blog use natural light and it’s not necessarily sunlight. The dark dramatic head shot photos for example were taken in a bathroom stall with a single overhead light on. The photos are not altered or changed in Photoshop at all. They’re straight out of my camera. I am newly empowered and so excited about using what I’ve learned during portrait photography, weddings, events, day in the life shoots and elsewhere. 
The next blog will be a continuance of this one, so stay tuned!
What I Love Thinking About
I know a lady who likes to say, “these are the things I’m thinking about instead what’s bothering me.” She’s not burying her head in the sand or failing to solve problems or face challenges; she practicing what she says the Buddhists call “good thinking.” It takes practice – like most things worth getting good at – but it can change your mood when the world feels all wrong or the people around appear to be on hiatus from being kind.
So here’s what I’m thinking about instead of what worries me about our world.
Spring is here and summer is coming. There’s a great thought. Cooking and eating the food I grow in my garden, cutting flowers, relaxing on my front porch. Yes to that.
And I’m thinking about family. I love mine and we love to photograph families of all sizes. Each one contains a library of stories, memories, legacies and shared laughter, pain and joy. Family is always a happy thought for me.
Babies. Think about a baby you know or one you’ve raised and your mood will shift immediately. I love thinking of babies. Babies in tutus. Babies wearing hats. Babies in overalls. [Digression: babies in overalls is a HILARIOUS concept to me. They are 20-ish inches tall! “They ain’t driving no tractor!!!” “They ain’t bailing no hay!!” But, there they are… in their denim and buckles and it’s just the funniest, sweetest thing. The only way they are being helpful is that you’re belly laughing at the cuteness. Just saying…] Pick your favorite baby image and ponder. You’re happier, right?
Twinkling lights at night and summer evenings spent by a fire pit, on a porch swing, in a tent or hammock or playing cards by lantern at an old picnic table. I love that kind of light at night.
Mountains. Dance with the one who brung ya, right? I love our mountains and if you’re a hiker, hike. If you have a view, sit back and take it in. I love living in a state replete with mountains and mountain views.
Love that lasts. Who doesn’t want to remember that? Give brain power and care and thought to that; you’ll thank yourself. I love thinking about lasting love: some of it is as new as a baby but will last a lifetime and some already as old as a steadfast marriage. It’s all good.
Going away. I love thinking about travel – allowing myself to escape to my favorite memories and then get excited about the possibilities of travel in the future. Ryan and I have done and seen a lot in our marriage and thinking about that journey makes me smile, regardless of locale.
Home. I think about home and am more full than I could ever describe to you guys. We host you there when you come to our indoor studio or out in the garden, but it’s the center of our world. It’s comfort, it’s creativity, it’s food, it’s gatherings …. our “workin’ week and Sunday rest,” as Auden put it. God blessed us big time with our over-a-century-old home.
Whatever is potentially weighing on you, … take the time – make the room for “good thinking.” List your happy places, people, pets, memories, foods and let that happy into every artery you have inside of you.
april anniversaries | celebrate love & spring
Caroline & Andy – 4 years April 6th
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
And amen to that. Spring is for poetry and love and poems about love. Musicals with singing birds and otherwise sane people bursting into song, etc, etc. The key is not to waste it. Sometimes winter feels like months of interminable chill and spring more like a single afternoon.
These couples are celebrating April anniversaries and we had the pleasure of being the documenters of their favorite spring day.
Jill & Brent – 9 years April 11th
Kristen & Dustin – 6 years April 16th
Michelle & Bradley – 7 years April 17th
Anna & Brad – 8 years April 18th
Ashley & Phillip – 4 years April 20th
Rachel & Brandon – 10 years April 21
Lisa & Charlie – 8 years April 25
Sabrina & Brian – 9 years April 26th
Bailey & Phillip – 5 years April 28th
Ernest Hemingway – not known for his poetry, or his gravitas for that matter – wrote: “When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people…” LOL!! These sweethearts didn’t have that problem, clearly.
CHEERS to you all! Ryan and I raise our glasses on your behalf and to decades more springs together.
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.
A Brand New Girl | Newborn Pictures of Penelope Jo
Penelope Jo was born February 28th at 4lb 12oz – a miniature gift and one month early. While small enough to put in your pocket on the way to grab lunch, she was completely healthy and discharged before her mom. I KNOW. “Look out, people!! I’ve got stuff TO DO!!” At only 8 days, Whitney and Preston brought this little jewel to our studio for their first ever photo shoot as a family of three. She took my breath away. How can something so teeny pull your heart out of your chest? But she did and I was only the latest. Her parents and grandparents are doing all they can do not to gobble her up.
We photographed Whitney and Preston’s engagement and wedding and watching them gush over Penelope Jo was incredibly sweet. She may be the smallest newborn I’ve photographed – both adorable and beyond cooperative. In fact she was so good that I didn’t want to stop photographing her as she slept peacefully. No matter what props or positions we put her in, she would bend like a reed and as cutely as possible. 
I have no interest in wishing this little girl’s life to fly by – especially with that little tutu and headband – but I’m anxious to see her and photograph her often and watch her grow up. So much satin and sweet, so much cool and composed. She’s a little dream.
Rattle & Hum | MerleFest 2017
If you combine jangley guitars, fiddling, soulful singing, drums, stomping, brilliant songwriting, mountain inspiration and camping, you’re probably at Merlesfest. And if you’ve never been, consider making it this year.
It’s spring in the North Carolina mountains and, more specifically in Wilkesboro, where MerleFest was born. For nearly 30 years (the festival began in 1988), crowds of music lovers, players, and entertainers have gathered to listen to and contribute to the festival atmosphere. Like so many other music festivals, MerleFest is singular… the fans, the musicians, the inspirations, the talent, the views, and the overwhelming sense of family, culture and heritage.For the last couple of years, Ryan and I have been official photographers and we’re going again this year in that capacity – from April 27th – 30th. Let the preparations – and energy conservation – commence.
