Posts Tagged: nc mountain photographer
happy father’s day 2016 ~ a little look back with humor and heart
We love our dads and Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 19th, so we want to celebrate fatherhood. The golf membership, neck tie, new leaf blower gift clichés were tired 40 years ago, so we’re skipping them.
And you’re welcome.
Instead of pablum, how about some photos we took of dads being dads with quotes that convey the depth and humor of fatherhood?
Here you go……
“There should be a children’s song: ‘If you’re happy and you know it, keep it to yourself and let your dad sleep.’” – Jim Gaffigan
“Having a kid is like falling in love for the first time when you’re 12, but every day.” — Mike Myers
“Be a dad. Don’t be ‘Mom’s assistant.’ Fathers have skills that they never use at home. You run a landscaping business and you can’t dress and feed a 4-year-old? Take it on. Spend time with your kids and have your own ideas about what they need. It won’t take away your manhood; it will give it to you. I did that. I spent more time with my kids. And I found out that I’m a pretty bad father. I make a lot of mistakes and I don’t know what I’m doing. But my kids love me. Go figure.” – Louis C.K.
“I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.” — Harry S. Truman
“I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom.” — Umberto Eco
“You can tell what was the best year of your father’s life, because they seem to freeze that clothing style and ride it out.” – Jerry Seinfeld
“It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.” — Friedrich Schiller
“The only way I can describe [fatherhood]—it sounds stupid, but—at the end of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, you know how his heart grows like five times? Everything is full; It’s just full all the time.” — Matt Damon
“I gave my father $100 and said, ‘Buy yourself something that will make your life easier.’ So he went out and bought a present for my mother.” – Rita Rudner
“My daughter got me a ‘World’s Best Dad’ mug. So we know she’s sarcastic.” – Bob Odenkirk
“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant, I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.” – Mark Twain
“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me.” — Jim Valvano
“Having children is like living in a frathouse – nobody sleeps, everything is broken and there’s a lot of throwing up.” – Ray Romano
“Never raise your hand to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected.” –Red Buttons
“When you have kids, there’s no such thing as quality time. There’s just time. There’s no ‘Ooh, his graduation is better than going to the mall.’ It’s all kind of equal. Changing her diaper and her winning a contest – – it’s all good.” – Chris Rock
“A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” – Billy Graham.
We agree. Looking through these photos was a walk down memory lane as we thought about our clients and friends with kids – – – just how much these dads feel the responsibility of their children’s futures resting on their shoulders at the same time they want to enjoy every micro-second. This fathering thing is not for boys and we celebrate you men.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dad’s out there!
wedding redux #5 ~ hire a planner, avoid stress and dance more!
Did you hear that bell? Well, you know what that means!!! It’s time for another Wedding Redux, where we ask couples whose weddings we photographed to talk candidly (and helpfully) about things they loved and things they would change. It’s in the form of a Q&A, complete with friendly advice and feedback. Today’s couple – Elizabeth & Kyle Bishop – are faves of ours. We shot their engagement and bridal photos and then their amazing March wedding. Pay attention brides and grooms – their input is thoughtful and detailed!
YOU’RE MARRIED. You’ve done it! Now… IF you could plan and execute your wedding day all over again, what would you do more of?
Kyle: “Dancing. I wish we had been able to invite more people that would have danced with us. I think it would have made the reception more festive.”
Elizabeth: “Eating! Even though we tried to make sure ahead of time that we would get something to eat, we still only managed a few bites of the appetizers. We chose such yummy food for our guests and then didn’t get to enjoy any of it.” [PIXELS NOTE: Look for Kyle’s funny addition at the end of this blog about food. And sadly, we see this all the time. Great intentions to eat the food and then it never happens.]
What would you do less of?
Kyle: “Prep work. Hiring a wedding planner would have helped with that.”
Elizabeth: “A wedding planner definitely would have been nice to have, especially with all the other things we had going on while we were planning our wedding.”
This came up a couple of other times during the Q&A with these two. The wedding planner vs. friends and family debate. The Bishops told us how they wish they’d hired a planner to take the stress off of themselves and their many family and friends who stepped in and stepped up to help from the planning all the way through the day. It’s a tough call, when you have a budget, and Ryan and I certainly don’t get a kick-back if a couple decides to hire a planner. We just want happy couples. We’ve seen weddings planned with family and friends that were flawless and relatively stress-free but you never know. The key word is stress. So figure out ways to eliminate as much of it as possible.
What do you wish you’d done, but were afraid to do?
Kyle: “Learn a couples dance to break into for our first dance. That would have been pretty neat.”
Elizabeth: “A choreographed couples dance would have been a lot of fun, but neither of us is very confident in our dancing skills. Our friends and family probably would have loved it though!”
Positive and negative feedback (or advice) on any or all of the following:
Attire?
Elizabeth: “LET YOUR DRESS SHOPPING BE FUN! Going into shopping, I think a lot of brides stress about finding “the one” but we shouldn’t. The right dress at the right price IS out there and you will find it. It may not be at the first or second shop and that’s okay. It also might be at the first shop and that’s okay too. My gown was the third one I tried on and I insisted on trying several others because I thought “‘It can’t be this easy.'”
Food?
Kyle: “We liked the choice of food but the delivery was lackluster. Many people had to wait longer that we would have liked to eat.
Elizabeth: “Food was… a bit of an issue for us. Everything was delicious, but there seemed to be a lot of confusion between what we expected, what we were told we would have, and what we ended up with. Most of our guests didn’t realize there was any issue, but it was a source of stress for us leading up to the event and on the day of. Be sure that you know exactly what you’re getting, how it will be served, and what the kitchen’s plan for timing is.”
Flowers?
Elizabeth: “We were lucky enough to have my sister and maid-of-honor offer to make all of our flowers from various craft paper and book pages. It was a lot of work for her, but it was the prefect addition to our day and not having to worry about picking up flowers on the actual day was a big load off our minds. We did have a live flower bouquet to toss though. I was not about to throw one of my sister’s creations.”
Location?
Kyle: “We had our dream wedding. Boone was the best place for that.”
Elizabeth: “Where do you want to get married? Go there! We knew that no matter where we had our wedding, most of our family was going to have to travel several hours, so we chose somewhere WE wanted to get married. If you do have a wedding away from home, I would suggest providing your guests with a list of favorite restaurants and local activities. Many of our guests arrived the day before and spent time shopping or sight-seeing before our ceremony started.”
Elements of the ceremony?
Kyle: “The chapel was the right place. Again, somewhere special that we always wanted to get married.”
Elizabeth: “Your officiant can really make a big difference. We were lucky enough to have a family member that is also an amazing minister. Find someone that makes the two of you feel comfortable and who can speak to you as a couple.”
Number in the wedding party?
Elizabeth: “I always imagined a small wedding party, maybe three. At most four. I am, however, lucky for have a husband with a lot of friends and a desire to include them all. I admit, it stressed me out a few times along the way, trying to coordinate that many people, but in the end everything worked out well. Kyle’s guys were wonderful about helping with setup and all of my girls were perfect. My biggest piece of advice would be not to worry about tradition too much when it comes to your bridal party. I had a bridesman, who stood on my side and our grandmothers were our flower girls. Everyone loved them!”
Time of year? Time of day?
Kyle: “It was a perfect time of the year. We got snow and sun. What more could we ask for?”
Elizabeth: “I think these things are really personal to each couple. We knew we wanted a big party of a reception and that we wanted it at night, so that dictated our ceremony time. We also knew that we didn’t want our anniversary too close to either of our birthdays or any particularly important holidays. I would advise finding out when the peak wedding season is in your desired area, and then choosing a date a couple of weeks before or after that. Doing that helped us really stretch our budget.”
DJ vs. a band?
Kyle: “Our DJ was the best decision. We were able to pick out the songs that we wanted and direct the flow of the evening to our liking.
Elizabeth: “We wanted so many different kinds of music that a DJ was really the only way for us to go. Ours had a great song selection and managed everything really well. The only thing I would mention here is to make sure ahead of time that your DJ is comfortable announcing things during the reception. We assumed that was part of being a DJ and we were wrong.”
Vows?
Kyle: “Write your own and it will allow you to show how much you care about each other.”
Elizabeth: “We wrote our own and I loved it. I admit, I was nervous to read my own words in front of everyone, but it was ultimately more important to me that Kyle know exactly how I felt. My biggest advice here would be to speak up! I was so nervous and emotional that I wasn’t able to project very well and as a result, not all of our guests heard what I was saying.”
Name 3 things you would do differently, if, by some strange wrinkle in the universe, you could do it all again (to the same person of course):
1. Lock down the schedule of events for the reception so that everything is on time.
2. Hire a wedding planner to lower overall stress.
3. Have a pizza from Capone’s pizza for my grooms cake.
Name 3 things you would not change / would do the same:
1. Location and Time. I feel like our wedding was perfect.
2. Our photographers. They were the best vendor decision of the wedding. [THANKS, GUYS!]
3. The oldest couples dance got some people on the floor dancing that didn’t dance the entire night.
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.
outdoor mountain family portraits
The Polands have 4 kids, fourteen grandkids, 2 dogs, a donkey and 2 horses. LARGE. They are spread out all over the country so capturing these photos was a one day thing and everyone in the family, pets and all, were there.We met James and Judy one night while dining outside at The New Public House in Blowing Rock and liked them immediately. We spent hours on the porch that evening sharing stories, drinking wine and enjoying each other’s company. They told us about their large family made up of their kids and grandkids and their farm just outside of Boone. The various members of the clan rarely see each other. One son is in the military and often deployed. Another son lives in Florida. The family is made up of several blended families and the only time in years that they would all be together in the same place and at the same time was a single day in between the holidays. Judy really wanted a family portrait. Who could blame her? One woman, her husband and in a mere few decades…… a cast of thousands!
In only a couple of weeks, Judy called us and gave us the ONE DAY and we were off. We love this shot of Judy and James surrounded by their fourteen grand “babies.” We found a perfect spot on their farm and all of the colorful clothes the kids wore made it work. 9 girls and 5 boys…… LORDY!! And they were so cute and funny with loads of energy.
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.
now booking winter portrait photography throughout the nc mountains
It’s winter. It hasn’t felt like it completely yet, but the cold is coming and winter in the NC mountains is stunning. Snow on the ground, leafless trees, broad meadows and our awesome mountains make a perfect landscape. This time of year is an opportunity for portraits that are unique, creative and cool (insert snarky laugh track here).
Honestly, we wish more brides would consider portraits this time of year and not shy away from the elements. We’re all accustomed to the greens, yellows, and pinks of spring, but winter white is breathtaking and bridal portraits this time of year turn out to be singular, and with an equally beautiful palette. Barren trees and dormant grounds can still be amazing in the dead of winter. A beautiful bride will stand out even more against such a backdrop.
Even though not much snow remained on the ground during these shots, we set up this shoot with our gorgeous model, Tiffany Roope and once accessorized, she was the winter princess of each portrait.
We live in a part of the country that knocks our socks off, and then requires that we promptly put them right back on. BE BOLD! Have you thought about bridal portraits that are different from what you’ve seen or taken into consideration engagement portraits that creatively showcase a fall or winter landscape? Don’t be afraid to try something that might not have occurred to you before. The results can be unforgettable. Our reviews will tell you that we are creative and adventurous, but we are friends and guides also. We will not steer you wrong.
Contact us for bridal portraits by phone – 336.990.0080 – or email. We’re booking and would love a chance to work with you to do something new!
By the way – Tiffany’s dress & accessories were provided by Bridal Traditions Wedding Attire.
Pet Portraits yield mountains of pet food for our local animal shelter
In early November of last year, we broadcasted that we were booking appointments for Christmas photos of families, kids, new babies, couples and your other adored family friends. We also set aside a special day to photograph your pets. Here was the deal: on December 12th, we would prepare a festive and decorative setting for pets at our Pixels On Paper portrait studio in Wilkesboro for a free session. We would provide you with a photo file of your pet for use on a holiday card or to print, frame or share. In return, you would bring a 20 lb bag of food for us to donate to the Wilkes Animal Shelter.
We exceeded even our expectations!
We filled our truck to overflow and delivered it to the shelter. Upon our arrival, they told us that they were almost completely out of dog food. Their food storage building had only a few bags until we unpacked literally our truckload.
The last time we did this fundraiser, we contributed 560 lbs of food to the shelter. That was 2012. For 2015, we more than doubled it, delivering 1,243 pounds of dog and cat food. Our partners in this, Waggles Pet Supply & Dog Wash matched more than half of our donations.
We love this fundraiser, though it’s an exchange of pet portraits for pet food. It’s a foodraiser! I don’t have a soapbox speech on this, gang – I just want to say THANK YOU. Thank you, because it matters. We hear in our communities fairly often about the importance of outreach and “meeting a need,” be it for a school, a church, a specific neighborhood that is struggling or for more well-known causes related to health and sustainability. These local animal shelters in our communities meet a real need as well, so whether you are a former or current pet owner, or just a big-hearted human, we appreciate your willingness to be a part of the helping team!
Below is a selection of our portraits subjects. No cat, dog or human was harmed in the taking of these. They were mostly snuggled to bits.
Our donation offers a small decrease in expenses for the shelter which can then prolong the time the animals have to be adopted.
We’re incredibly grateful for all those who participated, let us love on and photograph their fur babies, and especially to our partner Waggles Pet Supply & Dog Wash for their generous contribution of food and freebies.
Learn more about how you can give back:
About Waggles Pet Supply & Dog Wash
Waggles Pet Supply & Dog Wash is a locally owned and operated business in Historic Downtown Wilkesboro. Two sisters, Kim and Robin, with the assistance of their mother Anna have created a unique place to spoil pets. Waggles offers accessories, specialty foods/treats and grooming supplies. A Do-It-Yourself Wash is available where you are supplied with everything you need to wash your dog, but Waggles cleans up the mess. Waggles Wash, and Dazzle Dog Grooming are also available.
About Wilkes Animal Shelter
Wilkes Animal Shelter receives more than 6,000 impounds per year. Approximately 100 pounds of pet food are used per day. Donations of food, bleach, blankets and towels are always needed. The Humane Society of Wilkes volunteers work closely with the personnel at the Wilkes County Animal Shelter to help get shelter pets adopted or placed in foster homes. The Wilkes county animal shelter is located at 408 Call st. Wilkesboro NC. Their number is 903-7688 and their hours are 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday – Friday, and 10:30 AM to noon on Saturday.
