Posts Tagged: baby mountain family photographers
Expecting baby Triplett
If you follow this blog with any regularity, you’ve heard my sermons about the importance of capturing milestones because once they are gone, they are gone for good. Here’s another story from the file folder and it happened recently.
Tabitha, a school mate of mine, called me about her daughter Caitlin who is expecting a baby. She wanted to make sure that she had maternity portraits taken. In the past few months, Tabitha lost several family members and was feeling the sadness that comes from loss and the passage of time. She was determined that memories and milestones, especially for her own child, would not be missed. So at 34 weeks, this gorgeous mom to be, her husband and Tabitha herself all met me for an outdoor maternity photo session.
We met at a park where we could socially distance while taking advantage of the natural elements. I LOVE these photos. They invigorate me. I love the light, their smiles, and the sense of expectation and hope in a year that has been largely about challenges and worry about the future.
Expecting mothers have loads of fears and now there are even more. They want their own moms to be present during the birth and that is difficult during a pandemic. The new restrictions, on top of the usual anxiety, make pregnancy even harder. These photo shoots are a time to put them at ease and allow me to be an “encourager” as well as a photographer.
It won’t be long now before Caitlin and Matthew are holding their new baby and feeling like the world is shifting toward the light. A new baby is a blessing, even during the toughest times and I’m so delighted that Tabitha was so adamant about making this happen for her daughter and son-in-law. The images are gorgeous.
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…
Hello Pregnant Ladies out there. I’m booking maternity sessions and these, along with newborn and baby sessions, are my passion.
Capturing the entire family as part of a maternity session is not a must, but these images show such a specific moment in time: the “who we were before you arrived” photos to show the new baby later. They also make great wall hangings and excellent gifts.
Some moms want to add props that speak to their passions and the passions they hope their new babies will embrace. I personally love a theme and using props. Those sessions tend to take on a life of their own.
A favorite maternity shoot was a surprise from Jeremy Arnold to his expecting wife (above). They later welcomed their son, Wyatt.
Embracing the elements as part of your maternity portraits? Yes. Water, earth, sky, a special river or creek, lake or mountain vista… all of these set the stage and the results tend to be breathtaking.
While it is still fair outside during the months ahead, consider scheduling your maternity shoot. I can help you consider locations, themes and the best way to capture you as a mom or mom-to-be for posterity. I promise, you’ll be glad you did it.
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. 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.
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.