Thanksgiving Blessings to All

Sometimes we need a reminder of the “why” behind Thanksgiving and I’m pointing a finger at myself here too. I dug into my files, category “Uplift Me, Please!” and thought I’d share a few with you as we approach the big day of food and revelry.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

Albert Einstein
Sawyer Sherill Newborn Photography by Pixels On Paper Portrait Photography photo

In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it’s wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.

Elizabeth Gilbert
Pixels On Paper Photographers Howards Family Farm Fall Pumpkin Patch Photo

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.

Johannes A. Gaertner

We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.

Neal A. Maxwell
Graybeal family outdoor fall portrait NC mountains photo

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving.

W.T. Purkiser

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

John F. Kennedy

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 ©2021 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Gracelynn turns one – boho outdoor and cake smash photos

Our garden grows the most interesting blooms and recently presented a new one: we call it “the Gracelynn.” It’s bright, delicate and you cannot stop looking at it.

Gracelynn came to our outdoor garden studio to celebrate her first birthday and it was the perfect spot to grab photos of this lovely little flower. We created a boho setting for her to smash her very first birthday cake, but some of the real gems from this shoot are from her interacting with her fellow blooms.

Gracelynn’s mom chose a palette of pink, pale rose and neutrals and we just let this girl shine. She did not need any coaching!

Happy Birthday, Little Girl! You felt like a burst of spring in our midst. We hope that you’ll come back to see us any season that suits 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 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 ©2021 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Astrid turns One

This little maiden is Astrid and she’s currently a perfectly delightful little one year old. I can personally attest to this. We captured her parents, Macy and Jesse, for the maternity shoot and they were so excited, so beautiful, and my time with them showed me, especially during the height of Covid, how much hope was still in the world. I love it when my job reminds me of that.

We photographed Astrid’s newborn session in the studio, met up with the three of them for the 6 month session in the same location as their maternity photos and finally again for her one year session in our outdoor portrait garden. I love the lighting and the setting we chose. Babies in the outdoors just please me.

As with Astrid’s six month photo session, I pulled Mom and Dad away for a couple of shots just of them. It’s important to see yourselves as a couple too and not just parents. I’m so excited to see this little nugget grow into the girl she’s going to be.


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 ©2021 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Gifts that Last = Photos

As we all take the deep breath before “the Season” is in full swing, we’re also making lists of people we love and what they might love to have this year for the holidays. While you’re in that mode, we hope to remind you that portraits make gifts that last a lot longer and mean way more than most gifts we’re being tempted to by.

Portraits make The BEST Holiday Gifts

Charlene Gourlay Jon Rathbun Pixels On Paper Photography Raleigh NC Museum of Art Wedding Photo

We are now also taking reservations for At Home Christmas portraits and these not only make popular gifts, the portrait session itself is fun. We LOVE these sessions.

Pixels On Paper Photography Spillman Family Christmas In Home Portrait Photos

If you have had portraits taken by Pixels, please contact us about canvases, prints, books and cards. We are currently scheduling in home holiday photo sessions, so contact us at 336-990-0080 or email mail@pixelsonpaper.biz and let’s start planning!


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 ©2021 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Holiday Photos at Your Home

We are once again offering Christmas at Home photo sessions and we are already booking! Families are ready to create and document memories in their own home and we are just the photographers to help them do it.

Nothing is more important during the holidays (or anytime for that matter) than family. I want a way to create a personal experience for each of our clients. I want to capture families gathered around trees with handmade ornaments, trees where all the fragile ornaments are at a height away from little fingers, stockings are personalized and tree toppers are those that have been passed through generations. I’d love to capture children in their Christmas PJs while they show me an ornament they made at school. Children years from now will recognize their surroundings in a photograph. What it looks like is different for every single one of our clients.

The Andrews family (below) baked and decorated and played games. Their house and halls were decked and decorated beautifully.

While you may not know exactly what you want your holiday portraits or cards to look like, or what you want your family to be wearing, or if you want to include pets, it’s time to call and schedule your in-home portraits session.
Pajamas and tree decorating. Check.
Wrapping presents around a fire. No problem.
Playing touch football in the yard. Sure.
Decorating cookies and destroying the kitchen. Why not?
Playing board games or lying in a pile watching the Grinch or reading The Night Before Christmas. Absolutely.

… whatever the tableau, we’re in to brainstorm, laugh with you, help with the idea and document it. At home sessions are WAY MORE FUN than you know, unless you’ve booked us for a one in the past. Families have told us how thrilled they are to have these specific memories forever.

The Yorks (below) asked us to their home not long after their third child, a daughter Tinleigh, and we had time around the fire pit to roast marshmallows and discuss Santa’s plans.

Pixels On Paper Wilkesboro NC Photographers Holland In Home Family Christmas 2019 Photo

The Holland family (above in 2019 and below in 2016) invited us over and between the decorating and games, we captured fantastic images of this family of 5.

The Minick family (below) starting their own family Christmas traditions when their children Amelia and Matthew were much smaller.

We are currently scheduling in home holiday photo sessions, so contact us at 336-990-00980 to email mail@pixelsonpaper.biz and let’s start planning!


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 ©2021 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.