Posts in Category: Portraits
Why We Love Photographing Faces
Well I don’t know why you guys love faces, but for me, it’s the unexpected, the surprised, the tender, the ridiculous, the charmed… you get me? It’s the expressive nature of the human face. I love the expressions that enter my lens and end up in frames or in albums or on holiday cards. I read that “researchers” have identified 21 distinct facial expressions, but I would swear that there are more.
Baby Faces…
Couples
Fall in love and suddenly all of it – the excitement, the fascination, the bewilderment, the abject helplessness in the face of the one you love – is easy to spot on the faces of the newly engaged and just married. Cases in point are below.
Happy, Fun Faces
And then there is just love, tenderness, humor, and peace. I could blog about the expressions I’ve seen on people’s faces for months and never repeat a photo.
Kids
Seeing the 21 + expressions on the faces of kids is its own reward.
When families come to us for photographs, I am always excited to see and meet new faces. Once we start the shoot, it becomes more than a joy…. the faces that are displayed remind me why I love my job. There are just too, too many great faces. Bring yours to our studio or let’s plan a day out to capture the faces of those you love the most.
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, 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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States LicenseAll photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Ashleigh High School Senior
This lovely 18 year old is Ashleigh, and recently when we photographed her family in Stone Mountain, we also made time to get photos of her as a soon-to-be high school graduate. In May of 2020, Ashleigh will finish up at West Wilkes High School and head on to her next adventure. I love this young woman and I have been photographing her since she was about 3. I cannot believe that she’s graduating from high school, because I graduated HS with her mom!!!!! I have a two year old, Ashleigh’s mom Jenny has an 18 year old. We Gen-Xers all took our own paths and I love it.
One of the things I love about Ashleigh is that she knows her own mind and is perfectly happy to share her thoughts. She’s not rude, but she’s sassy and holds her own when ribbing her brother and parents, who were on the shoot with us. She is fun and funny and honest with herself. This is a girl I won’t need to worry about.
During the outdoor portrait session, Ashleigh had three or four wardrobe changes, and wore a boho style hat that she loved. She looks fab in it, if I say so myself.
Not all rising seniors or almost graduated students are happy with the options provided through their school and Ashleigh really wanted images that could work in a photo album, graduation invitations & announcements and especially on social media. We made sure that we captured loads for her to share, print and frame. Seniors: there are a lot of options out there and you have specific needs during this time in life. I promise, we’ve got you covered.
Congratulations, Girl! Ryan and I are so proud of you and hope you’ll keep letting us snap your photo long into the next chapters of your life.
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, 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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
LeAnne – Portrait photos of a UNCG Grad
If you are over the age of 30, this photo shoot will hurl you back in time: back to college graduation. Your life as an adult is ahead of you and it’s all just about the next chapter and big decisions. Ah, to be young.
We’ve known LeAnne McAbee since she was a high schooler and was a part of our All About Proms photo shoot 5 years ago. When she contacted me about her latest milestone, I couldn’t say “YES” fast enough.
When LeAnne determined that should would graduating in December, she was excited and ready to plan and so were we. She definitely wanted to get images when autumn was in full glory around the campus of UNCG, but you know that the best laid plans of mice, men, grads and photographers can easily be spoiled. We’ve learned not to expect the weather or Mama Nature to cooperate. The day of our October session, it was 98 degrees. LeAnne was the best though – even when she had to put on her polyester gown.
We shot all over campus at some of LeAnne’s favorite spots, and even at a few that we found accidentally. She was so lively and fresh-faced, it wouldn’t have mattered where my lens was focused, but the blue sky and her blue dress and gown were perfect. While photographing on the alumni hall steps we reminisced about the time in 2014 when I photographed her on similar steps at the Wilkesboro history museum. Will I be forgiven if I use the cliche “time flies?”
It’s an incredible feeling to see this once young teen now as an accomplished young woman, making big plans and following up on her dreams. We knew she would. Next steps for this year include taking (and I’m sure acing) the LSAT, and then beginning law school in the fall of 2020. Congratulations, LeAnne!! We’re so proud of you.
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, 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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States LicenseAll photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Heirloom Photography
A while back, we blogged about engagement portraits as heirlooms. While 21st century portraits are no longer as severe and in grainy sepia tones, they do still serve a purpose as historical artifacts. I look at these young sisters below and think of the photos we’ve taken of children that their mothers cherish.
When we look at images today and see the amazing things we can do with filters and timing, it’s no wonder that everyone wants to be their own archivist, storyteller, photographer and keeper of the family history. Consider finding those moments where it will mean the most to have professional shots and remember that they will one day be heirlooms. And consider getting a professional to take them. You won’t regret it.
Two young brides above and below. They are a mere 150 or so years apart.
One family portrait – posed above.
A family portrait – posed below.
Sometimes the heirlooms are not heirlooms because they are posed. Images become heirlooms because they capture something specific – like the bride reading her favorite book for her bridal portrait. It was important to incorporate it for her. Sometimes, it’s the place – like the mountain home that a family rented so they could converge from all over the country for a reunion. Or it’s the mountains that became a back drop for an engagement photo shoot. And sometimes it is the unexpected moment, like the one above we caught of the bride and groom sharing a happy, sorta private hug.
Maternity portraits and new family portraits are heirlooms as well for generation and these shots, especially in informal outdoor settings tell a beautiful story of time, place and love.
Consider the photo albums and images in frames that you love seeing from those relatives you’ll never meet and schedule a photo shoot that will some day be relished by your future family.
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, 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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States LicenseAll photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Fall Portrait Sessions
While we’re all still trying to decide between a tank top and shorts or to pull out the sweaters we know we’ll need, it’s time to think – if only late at night when you have a few minutes of peace – about setting up fall portraits. Families gather for camping retreats around crackling fires, hikes and reunions. Kids play in the leaves. Friends want to dress up before going out for parties and get more than selfies, but mostly fall is the perfect time to get photos to use for Christmas and holiday cards, to give as gifts, and to celebrate another new season together.
This little vagrant above was trespassing (unnoticed at first), but once spotted we picked him up, reported him to authorities and then took him to wait at our place when, oh wait……….. that’s my son.
Senior year portraits that aren’t strictly cap and gown, family time and events, even personal milestones, all of these are perfect opportunities for a photo shoot. The temperatures are also premium in North Carolina as are venues.
If you’re even just thinking about an autumn portrait session in the NC mountains or at a private and favorite spot, contact us to start planning. We look forward to capturing a moment in time with people you love!
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, 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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States LicenseAll photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.