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15 Years of Pixels On Paper – Pt. 3 – And Here We Are
During the last 15 years, we have gained so much. That is perhaps my greatest understatement to date. From double-booking weddings for most summer weekends, to adding commercial and business photography, incorporating graphic design and branding services, we just kept growing.
5 years ago we were asked to be Official Photographers at MerleFest and have been there every year except 2020. We really missed that event and our fellow photogs this year, but know we’ll all be back.
In 2015, we held a BIG party to celebrate and show our gratitude to friends, family and clients. We’ve been blessed beyond measure and believe me, we know it.
We have also gained so much personally. Ryan and I became parents since our 10th Anniversary party, and Finley changed more than just our work schedules. He’s our first thought when we make big decisions in business and at home.
After Finley was born, we re-prioritized nearly everything and realized that our schedule of weddings was going to be hard to maintain. The climate was shifting to trends of do-it-yourself with your iPhone or hire a family member or non-professional to handle it, but for us it was also the sheer number of weddings we were asked to photograph.
Ryan and I were keen to be present for raising our kid. That was the deciding factor. Moving forward, we will still photograph weddings, but they are on a case-by-case basis and are few and far between. Our focus now is on family portraits, the occasional community event, newborn portraits, outdoor photography and Day in the Life documentary portrait sessions. And of course, graphic design and commercial work continue to be a staple.
Only occasionally do I wish for a crystal ball, as we call it a wrap on 15 years and prepare for the next 15. My faith leads me to work on my patience and being present for Ryan, Finley, our family and ways to be better as a human and better as a photographer. There aren’t enough words to express how amazed I am that 15 years have passed and how grateful I am for what each one has taught me. Thank you to all of you who have supported us and continue to. We’re here! It’s a weird world right now, but we’re still at it. Happy Anniversary to Pixels and
… much love to you all,
Misty & Ryan
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 LicenseAll photos are ©2020 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
15 Years of Pixels On Paper – Pt. 2 – The Big Move
As much as we enjoyed our chapter as a busy couple in Charlotte, running from wedding to wedding and meeting new clients, Ryan and I always wanted to live in a more rural community, be closer to family, and have a place where we could have a slower-paced life (I’ll let that sink in…. as those of you who follow us know, things have only gotten busier until recently). Our vision was of a small “Main Street” store front with a studio below and our home above it.
God had other plans and, as always, they were better than what we wanted for ourselves. We didn’t get a downtown business footprint, we found our forever home. We started looking in earnest in 2010 and by 2012 we were settled into our beautiful 160+ year old home.
And then the work began.
By this time, we were 7 years in and our once casual “hobby” was a fully formed entity. We had a brand, infrastructure, more and better equipment, schedules … we were legit ya’ll.
We transformed the house into a studio and showroom space and everywhere I turned, I found advantages, opportunities and ideas to make our business and our lives better. This took years, but it has all been worth it: the blood, sweat, tears, exhaustion and time.
I cannot say enough about how this place has enhanced our lives and made us even better at what we do. I could finally manage newborn portrait sessions the way I wanted: providing comfort, privacy, controlling the thermostat and of course the lighting and props. No more substitutions and “must” improvisation. We still improvise, but boy can I work better with all my resources around me and I love that we have spaces for clients to change outfits, relax, feed a newborn, experiment with theme, etc. We also added a vegetable garden (well, that is for us) and an Outdoor Portrait Garden – a favorite of families and perfect for first birthday cake smash portraits.
The more newborn and first year photos I took, the more I appreciated having a place like this. And we no longer relied solely on sending links to clients to preview their portraits. Brides and grooms, new parents and our growing list of commercial and business clients could come to our showroom, flop down on the sofa and see the images, discuss their options, if they needed wall treatments and frames and place their orders. It elevated us to full-fledged pros, not just amateurs schlepping our gear at the beginning of the process and laptops at the end.
This business, this home is so much more than a roof over our heads. It’s so much more than a studio space. We make memories and do life here, but it’s also a place of real creative magic. And it continues to be. I’ll share more in our third blog celebrating our 15th Anniversary in business. Keep your eyes peeled for the last installment.
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 LicenseAll photos are ©2020 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
15 Years of Pixels On Paper – Pt 1
It’s true. We’ve been at this professional photography thing for 15 years! Feels like we should celebrate, huh? It’s hard to know when some part of your childhood will help define not only your developing passions, but also your professional life. With hindsight being what it is, I can easily look back and say that Ryan and I were meant to open Pixels On Paper.
What we both experienced as kids was a parent who always had a camera in one hand. My mom loved photography and took courses, learned to develop from 35 mm film to prints and took the time to experiment with it when I was a girl. I remember her waking me before dawn to hike to a vista where she would photograph waterfalls, the sunrise and the views at first light. Those are such fond memories.
A tradition from Ryan’s childhood was a posed shot on the stairs on Christmas morning of him with his siblings. In the Case family, his dad was the documentary photographer and loved the tradition of getting an updated image each holiday.
In the early 2000s, Ryan and I lived in Charlotte and were active leaders with our church youth group, acting as chaperone’s and guides for activities and big trips. We also photographed everything, but with no agenda really. During a conversation with a good friend, Sandy, she mentioned that she loved our pictures and asked that we photograph her upcoming wedding.
We thought she was joking.
She wasn’t. We came home early from a youth group mission trip (our one little rolling camera bag pre-packed and in tow) to capture Sandy’s big day. Before long we were taking courses, going to conferences, and being asked to shoot more and more weddings. Suddenly, a few weddings became weddings in the double digits and we booked sessions for folks who wanted a milestone captured or a family portrait done.
Out of state conferences allowed us to travel and expand our understanding of light in new settings, hone our business skills, and learn from fellow and veteran photographers. I’m so grateful for both the theoretical and hands-on education we got during the those first 4-5 years.
It wasn’t long before we realized that Pixels really was a business and a passion that needed nurturing as we moved forward. Pixels might provide a way for us to move out into the country and be closer to family. More on that to come in part two! Meanwhile, I’m beyond nostalgic thinking about these beginnings and how far we’ve come…
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 LicenseAll photos are ©2020 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Siblings in Photography
It’s been said that a sibling is the only enemy you cannot live without. I’d like to think that I would use the case-by-case method instead of thinking that this is true across the board.
While musing recently about a possible influx of babies due to being quarantined in 2020, I reviewed so many images of children, of kids being kids, of the demure, the knuckleheads tamping down their laughter while I was shooting images, and of little cherubs (sorta) …. brothers and sisters, friends, conspirators, frenemies, … siblings.
A favorite line about siblings someone recently shared with me: They are children of the same parents, each of whom is perfectly normal until they get together. I love this and it prompted me to find other summaries and observations about siblings.
”The advantage of growing up with siblings is that you become very good at fractions.” – Robert Brault
“Half the time when brothers wrestle, it’s just an excuse to hug each other.” – James Patterson
“They say that no matter how old you become, when you are with your siblings, you revert back to childhood.” – Karen White
“A sibling is the lens through which you see your childhood.” – Ann Hood
“To the outside world, we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were, we know each other’s hearts, we share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys.” – Clara Ortega
I would like to add (as an only child) that cousins deserve to be included in this mix too. Those relationships that build and shape us are just the best.
Take the opportunity to have those relationships photographed.
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 LicenseAll photos are ©2020 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Maternity Portraits to Come
If there was ever a time when an enormous dose of hope would come in handy, it would be about now. I see hope in the natural world which just cannot help itself. Spring follows Winter and the poets get busy. We suddenly remember that renewal, rebirth, letting go of the past and embracing what is next is good for us – body and soul, good for the individual and for the community.
Motherhood
I hesitate to project my silver linings on other people during a pandemic. There has been loss and struggle and heartache enough in every direction, but I TRY to deploy gratitude at least in equal measure to anxiety. We’ve been joking in our circles that there may be a spike in the curve when it comes to new faces on the planet. Quarantine has made time to – ahem – get reacquainted. If in 2021, we see babies born of a pandemic (please, let’s all agree not to call them “Covid Babies”), that would be just fine with me. Babies mean motherhood and parenthood, and I know what a gift that is.
Maternity sessions are perfect opportunities for using props, adding a theme or exploring a character. I have seen more than one mom-to-be dress up, don flowers, wade into springs, etc. They never disappoint.
Growing Families
One of the best parts of the gig: watching families add to their sweet ranks. Getting siblings involved before the new baby and after is a blast for this mom/photographer. I love it.
… and then babies
They arrive and nothing is ever the same.
And that, my friends, is a good thing.
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 LicenseAll photos are ©2020 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.