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Gavin’s Five Year Spring Outdoor Portrait Photos

If you follow this blog, then you’ll find that most times our clients become great friends, and Jessica is one of those clients and friends. I adore her, and we have been photographing her son Gavin since his arrival. Now this little man is 5 YEARS OLD! Here’s a peek at his fourth birthday session, where you can also link to previous portrait sessions.

For the big number five, we decided to meet at a park in downtown Charlotte, NC. Putting this kiddo in a room with props is a fool’s game. Gavin is high energy, which is not code for “too much.” He’s delicious and we’ve enjoyed photographing him over the years, but he is all boy and loves to be outside, getting dirty and mixing it up. He is fueled by adventure and exploration. During our last session, he pulled his shirt off and made a break for it on foot. I remember Jessica taking off after him in her wedge heels. His energy was the same during this session.

Ryan captured these images and made sure that Gavin was able to sample all the fun this park had to offer. Happy Birthday, Buddy! Fly, run, play, soldier on and we’ll see you soon!

Pixels On Paper Photography Gavin Mendieta Five Year Spring Outdoor Portrait Photo
Pixels On Paper Photography Gavin Mendieta Five Year Spring Outdoor Portrait Photo

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 newborns and families, 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 ©2022 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Newborn Photos Magdelyn Gwynn

How do I love being behind the camera capturing shots of newborns? Let me count the ways, people!! This precious nugget is the daughter of a couple whose wedding we shot 6 years ago. Meghann and Josh had a gorgeous mountain top event that was outside, colorful and filled with so much joy. I remember it like it was yesterday. After their honeymoon, they continued to be pet parents, and proceeded into their new life with vigor and no real thoughts of parenting actual humans on the horizon.

Enter Magdelyn Gwynn. I imagine a movie director’s jump cut to today, where we all find ourselves besotted with Maggie. There were several moments during this newborn photography session that brought each of us to tears. She is absolutely precious in every way that newborns are, and these two are amazing parents.

Meghann shared that she had a theme in mind for the portraits when she contacted me, and together we worked to create it for the nursery and for these portraits. The palette was inspired by the couple’s trip to Hawaii, and along with the flowers and other accessories – including a purple heirloom blanket that was woven on an actual loom by a family member – made for some images that will become heirlooms themselves.

One of our favorite shots from their 2016 wedding (above) was inspiration for several images I took of Maggie. Wrapped up in her mom’s gown, she looks like a little angel floating in a bedding of clouds. We even used Meghann’s garter as a headband for Maggie. I love the effect. She looks crowned like a princess weighting to grow up to reign – and enjoy cheddar goldfish.

Maggie’s parents are App State alums and boosters, so we included Mountaineers paraphernalia, as well as a helmet of Josh’s from high school. It doesn’t ALL have to be frilly. Josh is already so incredibly in love with his daughter, but when we’d arranged her into the helmet and gear, he got a little emotional. I love how these images turned out too. Her little golden tutu and crossed legs are the cutest.

There will be more images of little Maggie to come in the months ahead, and I for one cannot wait to see her again. Welcome to the wide world, little dumpling.


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 newborns and families, 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 ©2022 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Walker’s One Year Portrait Photos

Walker Tibbett DID IT! He made it to his first birthday and was helped along by the child favorite “Little Blue Truck” and all the fanfare and cuteness that comes with it. Walker belongs to the Joey and Brooke Tibbett – a couple we have photographed and loved for years!

Mom and Dad – while not featured in this particular blog – are two of the sweetest people we’ve met and had take advantage of our wedding and one year baby package, so we’ve been fans of theirs for a while. Their engagement portraits, wedding, Brooke’s maternity portraits, Walker’s newborn and 6 month images will tell you everything you need to know. There is love in abundance. [You know what? Don’t even look at those links. You’ll be overwhelmed…] This family and this kid pack on more cute than the average human can take.

If you missed the spoiler in the images, go back.

Joey and Brooke are expecting their second child and sweet Walker is going to be a big brother! Brooke bought the t-shirt and wanted it included to make the announcement. Congratulations, you guys and Happy Birthday to Walker.


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 newborns and families, 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 ©2022 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Barn building complete + the finishing touch

So my mom raises charolais cattle – pretty white cows with pink noses and has for a while now. As if she doesn’t have enough to do. If you can today – call your Mom and tell her that you know how amazing she is.
Now where was I?
A while back our clan built a barn on their property for these cows and it’s completed now. We still had one finishing touch to add and that was something Ryan and I worked on.

There is a beloved member of Mom’s charolais cattle and her name is Shiloh. She is both matriarch and pet (she finds time to be both in her busy schedule) and was the inspiration for a quilt/plaque that Ryan designed, I painted and he built. We knew it would be the keystone of the barn and a signal to my mom’s love of what she does.

After we finished creating the quilt/plaque, we took it to share with Shiloh, …. you know… to get her approval.

I promise that we’re safe. Seeing Ryan atop all of those pallets would make your heart stop if you didn’t know Ryan. He wrapped up the project by hanging the quilt above the barn door exterior.

We love it! Mom loves it, and Shiloh – while seemingly underwhelmed – appears to be a fan too. She celebrates her 12th birthday on March 9th. Happy Birthday, OG (that stands for old gal!!)
To see the beginnings of the barn build, check out this 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 newborns and families, 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 ©2022 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.