Posts in Category: Families
5 men in the making + one mom keeping mayhem at bay
“My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, ‘You’re tearing up the grass’; ‘We’re not raising grass,’ Dad would reply. ‘We’re raising boys.’”
-Harmon Killebrew
Now imagine being a single mom raising boys. Raising them in the grass and mud, watching over their bruises, scrapes and homework, their after school activities, preparing their meals, sorting out their arguments…. teaching them what they’ll need to become good men. She’s fearless and selfless and clearly understands the day-to-day and the big picture.
Meet Stacy Eldridge and her 5 (YEP – FIVE) boys. They are as interesting, kind, smart, curious, fearless and singular as she is. She’s also a nurse, by the way, and for all we know she secretly has a 4AM paper route. I mean why not? She’s superwoman.
The Eldridges are a tribe of the best kind.
Stacy allows them to be boys – riding dirt bikes, picking on each other, rolling in the dirt, playing pranks and keeping each other grounded and humble.
We fell in love with this crew and were excited to honor Stacy’s desire to capture them in their element, so we took photos on a family farm near Hamptonville, NC, with their big bikes and even larger personalities. We also focused on each young man, capturing them for Stacy to remember this time …… or use later for bribes.
For this post, we wanted to include a photo of the boys from 4 years ago for the sake of comparison. We look forward to seeing them grow up and into the men they’ll become.
Time passes quickly. We’d love to take photos of your family and then follow up in a year or two or when you’re ready. Call for an appointment and we’ll noodle with you about the best way to capture your tribe.
a day among the blooms ~ mckenzie goff and stacie shumate ~ spring photos and milestones
Stacie under the blossoms
Last April, we got to venture into the fruit orchards near Brushy Mountains with two subjects: McKenzie Goff and Stacie Shumate (with their loving moms in tow). It was hard to decide what was more beautiful: the girls or the venue. Petals were bright and showing off, some ready to fall, but the trees were perfectly lovely and camera-ready.
And so were the girls.
At Pixels on Paper, we love outdoor settings, and when a place like this one is so replete, you seize the moment.
McKenzie was turning 13 – (Welcome to your teens!!) – and after chatting with her mom, we knew that this girlie-girl would blossom (sorry for the pun, but there it is) in this field of natural pink perfection. And of course, she did. McKenzie was not shy in front of the camera and between her smile and the setting, it was magic …. the petals in her hair, the sunset behind her, and the gaze that captured her just at that moment, but seeming to be well beyond her years.
McKenzie – young woman
McKenzie with blossoms in her hair
McKenzie Goff with a sunset
Our other amazing subject that April day was 10 year old Stacie Shumate. She is that balance of American girl – toggling between sports and “dress-up.” Her mother, like many of our clients, understands the importance of documenting milestones and moments, time and place.
The highlight was capturing a pic of her from above (it’s at the top of this post). I’d already envisioned a photo of Stacie lying on her back under the blossoms, with me in a tree photographing down through the limbs. Easy enough, right? I ended up on a ladder hanging between branches with the sun directly above. The brightness of the sun was a bit much for her. Smile: eyes closed. Eyes open: squinting. We tried several times and then her mom began cracking jokes and both Stacie and I started laughing. I laughed so hard that petals began to fall over her and that’s how we got our favorite shot of her.
As always, we loved being a part of the day, the laughter and the memories.
Stacie in repose
Stacie’s green eyes
Pink and white blooms come out the first week or two of April and only last about 5 days. Times and dates are limited, but we want to fit you in. Reservations need to be made in advance, so call to make an appointment. Sessions start at $125.
the extravagantly beautiful orchard in bloom
megan & luke | maternity photography | wilkesboro nc family photographers | pixels on paper specializing in creative newborn, baby, maternity and family photography
Megan and Luke are one of the sweetest most down-to-earth, hardest working couples that you’ll ever meet. You can’t help but laugh and enjoy spending time with them. They’ve been married for four years and are now expecting their first child, a little boy, in early October. Why do I mention the hard working part you might wonder? Because they’re farmers. Not just gardening small time type of farmers, but real, true, salt-of-the-earth, 16 hour days, year around, acre upon acre, generation after generation, full-time farmers. And the family farm, well it’s mind-blowing gorgeous. If you’ve ever seen mid-west US farms, imagine one of those surrounded by beautiful mountains in the heart of the NC Yadkin Valley. Their baby boy is going to grow up in the most beautiful of surroundings with a lifestyle that can’t be beat. We’re already taking bets on how young he will be when he learns to drive a tractor or combine.
Not only was the farm the perfect setting for their maternity portrait photography, but we’re already visualizing future family portrait photography in our heads. We’re hoping to recreate some of these photos with the addition of a little one as their family grows. These moments and memories are priceless. We are blessed beyond measure to be able to photograph them. Thank you Luke & Megan!
We hope our readers and fans will enjoy this little glimpse into their world as much as we did.
Pixels On Paper specializes in creative wedding, senior, newborn, baby, maternity and 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 or to reserve your portrait session. Our portrait photography studio and outdoor portrait garden is located in the Yadking Valley NC Mountains, NC High Country in Wilkesboro, NC.
family outdoor portrait photography | wilkesboro, nc | the church family
We photographed a Bride’s portrait session at the Church family home a year earlier. The Bride’s family and theirs were close family friends. Since they saw how “magical” their woods looked in the Bride’s photos they began planning an outdoor family portrait session of their own with us. We photographed these images back in the Fall when their home and surrounding land was gorgeous with North Carolina Fall foliage (sorry Blogging in a timely fashion for us is so hard). We agree, their woods really do look magical. We enjoyed photographing the Church family and are grateful for the opportunity to create these heirlooms for their entire family.
View the family’s portrait photography slideshow and even more photos in this video created by Pixels On Paper Photography:
Contact us to learn more and to schedule your own appointment for family portrait photography either at our photo studio, your home, or an outdoor location near you! More details on our website at www.pixelsonpaper.net!
50th wedding anniversary photography | family portraits | outdoor family photos
Its encouraging to know that in a time where the statistics on marriages seems to be so negative, that there can be examples of how it really can work and be a life long journey. We were blessed this summer to not only capture one 50th wedding anniversary, but to be able to photograph two!
It has always been fun to see how much love a newlywed couple can have for each other on the day of the wedding, but when you get to see that same emotion 50 years later, it touches your heart in a whole new way.
Brenda and Jerry Waddell were the first of our silver anniversary family portraits this summer in Wilkesboro, NC. As a gift to them their family organized and paid for family portraits. They not only wanted portraits with each other, but also took the opportunity to have outdoor family portraits with their children, grand-children, and the latest addition to the growing family, their great-grand daughter. It is simply amazing to see what hard work (because marriage takes lots of hard work), praying for each other and a great sense of love at all times will get you. This family has been such a blessing to us in more than one way and we are honored to be a part of their lives.
Our second anniversary outdoor family photos was for Wilhelmina and Harold Wood who celebrated 50 years of marriage in June. We were delighted to go to their historic farm house in the NC Mountains and spend time with them while they told stories of how they made their marriage work. The house made for a wonderful significant backdrop and provided the opportunity for them to relive fond memories with us of raising their daughters, working on the farm, and taking care of each other. Misty and the Wood’s youngest daughter Melinda were friends all through elementary and high school so this couple were especially precious.
The opportunity to celebrate marriage in all that we do certainly does not stop after the wedding day when the wedding photography is over. As photographers we love being a fixture in the lives of all of our clients and are truly honored when we can be the photographer that captures memories years after they say I do. We look forward to the day when we can photograph life’s moments both big and small for all of them, including celebrating momentous anniversaries.
Learn more about our portrait photography packages and outdoor family portraits in Charlotte, Boone, Blowing Rock, Wilkesboro NC and the NC High Country call 336-990-0080, visit our website www.pixelsonpaper.biz or send us and email at mail@pixelsonpaper.biz for more information.
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All photos are ©2013 Pixels On Paper. Pixels On Paper Photography, Family Portraits, Blowing Rock Photography, Family Portraits, Outdoor Family Portraits, Studio family Portraits, Outdoor Family Photos, Family Photography, Wilkesboro Photography, Family Photographer, Wilkesboro Photographer, Portrait Photography, Portrait Studio. Husband and wife team providing creative photography for weddings and portraits in NC, specializing in the NC High Country, Charlotte, and in the NC Mountains.