“The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Without proper care for it we can have no community, because without proper care for it we can have no life.” – Wendell Berry
We don’t know about you, but we look at this picture above and do not think: “Oh, sure! They’re farmers!” This picture says, “welcome to our world, sweet thing.” They might also say, “You’re going to be outside quite a bit as a kiddo, and there will be tons to learn and many places to explore, but we love you and promise to show you the way. You have no idea what grace you’re about to inherit.”
Megan and Luke Mathis however are, wait for it, farmers, and they are the real deal. But what did we expect? That couple from Grant Woods’ famous painting American Gothic?? Remember those two – you know the old, dour pair with the pitchfork and sense of despair and exhaustion? On the contrary, Megan and Luke are the full time farmers that the 21st needs and depends upon and we have no doubt that their little boy Carson will continue to nurture the land, care for what surrounds him, contribute to the family business and bless everyone he meets. We adore these 3 and want to be a part of documenting every single moment they want us to grab.
We were also honored to create a new wall for the Mathis’ of pictures from this shoot. We hope they consider it a tribute to their generation and the next and the next – “acre upon acre,” family after family.
We envy you, Carson. That’s really the bottom line. The adventures you’re going to have on that land are untold, but your story is waiting for you to write; and you will add a line or verse every time your feet go running through the woods. Get your sleep now, boy. It’s all out there.
Following is a video we put together from our shoot with the Mathis family and we love creating these as part of family photography packages or as special requests. We find that people are anxious to share the shoot in one file that can be passed to family and friends.
Have a look at the video and maternity photos of Megan and Luke, pre-Carson, on their gorgeous land.
A dear friend of ours tells a story about coming home to his very young sons one evening, the oldest of which was around 4 years old. The sitter left a note that was found later saying that she’d prompted the boy about how much he loved bears. She took the time to write down, “he said adamantly, ‘I don’t love bears!!! I love my daddy!”
Our pal still has the note, even though his son is now in his 20s.
What if she hadn’t taken the time to write down that little moment, that little throw away comment? It would be gone.
This life of ours is a continuum, isn’t it? At any given time, bits can be solidified or lost.
We do our part at Pixels On Paper Photography to help with this by being your journalists, and sometimes archivists, of sorts. We capture and catalog your family by establishing a set time, a studio, amazing outdoor settings, imagination, photos and a great amount of care.
The Meade family continuum has been a blessing to us. We first photographed them in 2010, in a field near a family farm in the NC Mountains.
2 years later, we took pictures of their newborn second child, Alarie – a bundle of sugar that put all of us dangerously close to becoming diabetic.
Our third session was in the fall of 2013 near the Blue Ridge Parkway and Blowing Rock, and their last session in the summer of 2014, included pictures of Carisa, Bradley, Slater (their eldest and boy-man) and Alarie. Mom, Carisa told us, “it’s a blessing to watch our two children interact, and show their love for one another. This summer session revealed a great example of sibling love, and capturing those moments was priceless!”
Slater and Alarie are a study in complete opposites. Slater is a 40 year old man stored handily in the body of a 6 year old. He is the only child that age we know who worries more about others more than he worries about himself. He’s an old soul combined with great parenting.
Alarie could not be more different. She is fearless, silly and may have Red Bull running in her veins where there should be blood. We’re waiting to hear back from her pediatrician. She will take on anything at any time. She finds trouble, gets into it and when punishment is doled out, leaves Slater often saying, “well I guess now we’re not going to be allowed to [fill in something fun here].”
They love each other though. All 4 of them and it shows. Can’t you tell?
We asked Mom, Carisa: What do you want to remember most or tell yourself when you look back at these photos in 5 years?
“To be very thankful we captured these special moments that I can’t ever go back to relive.”
The Meade’s have committed to this concept by having us create a wall in their home of some of these captured moments.
We could not be more proud to be their journalists and archivists.
We’re looking forward to seeing them this summer and for many more to come!
Before Isaiah (3 months old in these pics) launches his financial planning consortium, he wants to get accustomed to the garb. The kid digs a tie – just look at his face.
Isaiah to the room: “does this color work with my diaper?”
We took Ashley and Kevin’s wedding photos in 2011 and then they asked us to take pictures of their newborn. Like some of our clients, the parents want us to focus on their kids (literally) and leave Mom and Dad on the sidelines. We encouraged the Ellis’ to be a part of this shoot and they complied. We’re so happy they did.
Between the smiles, nuzzling, Isaiah’s expressive eyebrows and the way he pulled faces in front of his glowing parents, it became a memorable shoot for all of us. We LOVE this family and look forward to being a documenting element for them for many years to come. Isaiah is a study in facial expressions, by the way…
Isaiah is now 6 months old and his secretary will begin taking calls at his new offices this September. We’re encouraging him to find some pants in the meantime.
Below, see an engagement and wedding day photo featuring Ashley and Kevin. They met, fell in love and have now – multiplied!
Welcome into the world precious newborn baby Brock! Take a peek at a few of our favorite photos from his newborn photography session in our Wilkesboro NC portrait studio. We’re thrilled to be the first to capture his first professional baby pictures!
We have lots of props available in our portrait studio that are available for portraits but we also welcome parents to bring their own personalized items such as these pilot and baseball props.
Watch this slideshow to view even more photos from Baby Brock’s newborn photography session with Pixels On Paper.
In addition to family photography, we offer full year baby photography packages and maternity photography. Learn more about us at www.pixelsonpaper.net and contact us for booking information.
Having a professional portrait studio space to photograph newborns has given us the ability to create a safe, warm, inviting and relaxed environment for both parents and babies. Sanitation, preparation and efficiency during a newborn portrait session are top priorities for us. We want to take this opportunity to answer some of the most frequently asked questions.
When should I contact you to book my newborn session?
We HIGHLY recommend you contact us during your pregnancy to start the booking process. We want to add you to our schedule as soon as possible and keep tabs on you throughout your maternity. Although we make every effort to fit in last-minute newborn session requests, our schedule fills up quickly and it may not be possible to do so. Once you are on our calendar, you are given priority after your baby arrives and we will be sure to schedule your session within 10 days after you leave the hospital.
Why does my baby need to be so young for a newborn session?
The ideal time for a newborn session is generally when a baby is between 5-10 days old. They are still very sleepy and are still comfortable being curled up similar to how they were positioned in the womb so their legs tuck up underneath them very comfortably. We can pose them in all those sweet poses quicker and more easily while they sleep. Every passing day after birth brings more awake time and less tolerance to the posing.
Where will the session take place?
All newborn sessions take place in the Pixels On Paper portrait photography studio located at 1198 Johnson Lane, Wilkesboro NC. In studio means we can devote more time to the session because we don’t have to pack up all of our equipment, props, lighting and supplies each time we have a session. We can guarantee our light and environment is perfect and exactly what you have come to expect in our photos rather than trying to search for the right location and light in your home.
How long will the session take?
The session can last anywhere from 2 – 4 hours depending on how often your baby needs to be fed and how well your baby sleeps through the posing and accessory changes; every baby is different and some babies may need more soothing and slower transitions than others. Taking our time and perfecting every shot is more important than rushing a session.
We offer full year baby photography packages and maternity photography. Learn more about us at www.pixelsonpaper.net and contact us for booking information.