Posts Tagged: baby pictures with props

Roman Turns One. Airplanes and Cake Smash

We cannot stop it. Time is going to do what it’s going to do….. keep passing. Suddenly Roman, below, is a year old.

Pierce One Year Portraits cake smash airplane by Pixels On Paper Portrait Photographers

The third child of Andy and Traci Pierce just celebrated his first birthday and this family does not “phone it in.” They come to PLAY with themes and props and outfits and the big dessert – cake.

Father Andy is a commercial pilot and we have used themes before in photo shoots with his two older brothers. Holden was Pierce baby number one and the aviation them was chosen for him. Then Sawyer came along as a little surfer and pharmacist like his Mom. He even had (and still has) the curls of a man who lives by the sea and in hammocks during his downtime. Roman is the last and third child for Andy and Traci, so they decided to go for it one more time. Traci got the idea from Pinterest of shooting on location, and tasked Andy with finding a plane.

He did. From WWII. Decked out in flack jackets and aviator shades, we all met up in Concord on a gorgeous mid-March dad, with perfect blue skies and lots of wind.

The weather always plays a role, if only to bless you or challenge you. Thank goodness that it was merely a challenge instead of a curse. Traci is detail-oriented, admittedly type A – something she and I share, so she wants all of our time and effort to be worth it. With the wind blowing us all around, Roman was freezing, but Holden and Sawyer were loving it! They fit the roles of pilot and copilot already. We had a couple of “is this going to work?” moments, but we couldn’t be happier with the results.

I feel confident that the family will be having caption contests with the image above for many years to come. Holden with his tongue sort of sticking out conspiring the plan, Sawyer with his curls and “about to pounce lets get do it” posture and little Roman looking like “LETS TAKE A MINUTE TO THINK ABOUT THIS BOYS.”

We ended up back inside, playing around the hangar and avoiding the wind and Roman’s mood shifted from “I’m freezing” to “this ROCKS!” Everything turned out beautifully and I loved capturing the colors of the plane, the natural light and the boys. We adored the plane’s owner who was so accommodating and cool too. He helped make the day a success.

The cake smash went off well too. First birthdays have to have cake and like his older brothers, Roman was able to get the anticipated – and much deserved – sugar rush. Cake theme: why yes, planes!

Roman: we’ve said this about your older brothers, but we are serious when we say it to you: we cannot wait to watch you grow up in front of our lenses and in our midst. Congratulations on your first year on earth. Here’s to so very many more.


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.

Tinleigh 6 months portraits in Ruffles and Bows

York family six months baby portrait photos by Pixels On Paper Photographers Wilkesboro NC photo

Tinleigh is the only girl among her siblings and it feels like a blink since she had newborn portraits taken. On this occasion, we turned our studio over to her and her stylist and let her go nuts. For her six month portrait session, with no brothers around, and my stash of dress up options, ribbons, ruffles and pearls, this little light shined. Man, she is cute! And her mom loved seeing her all girly for the photo session.

Although it was hard not to see a little tomboy in her since she’s surrounded by brothers, Tinleigh loves all things girly at the moment. I created a creamy Victorian setting and in a little ruffled onsie she was adorable. We also let her drape herself in a bright pink tulle number, … as one does.

I love the expressions this little girl makes. Her face says a million discerning and hammy little things in micro-seconds. I cannot wait to chat with her when she starts talking.

I typically keep my two year old Finley out of the studio during sessions, but Tinleigh is so accustomed to being entertained by her brothers that when she appeared to be getting bored I allowed my little curly haired Ginger to join us. She loved it and was all eyes and smiles. He perked her right up, something I know from first-hand experience that he’s great at.

I cannot wait to get this little nugget, with or without her older brothers, in front of my lens again. Maybe another outdoor, day in the life session with the whole family……….hmmmmm. I have a phone call to make!


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 weddingsbrides, 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

Barrett Turns One

Some photo shoot themes have to be crafted and developed out of thin air. And others are a natural because of family hobbies, vocations, passions, whatever. For Barrett Spillman’s one year portraits and cake smash, the choice of baseball was a home run….. I know. I’m ducking as I type, but this stuff writes itself, you guys!

Mom Elisabeth told me her idea of “MVP of the Year” and to “run with it” and that’s exactly what I did. Both her father and her husband Isaac, play baseball, so this theme felt like a fitting tribute to them and a fun way to celebrate their one year old.

I love doing an outdoor cake smash but rarely get to because many parents prefer to photograph them indoors. Fortunately, these parents weren’t at all worried about their little rookie getting dirty. 

We adore Elisabeth and Isaac and have photographed their engagement, bridal, wedding, Barrett’s newborn portraits and At Home Christmas. So it’s nice to feel relaxed and ready to play with faces we know well. This family is one of those who’ve hired us from the beginning and appreciate the continuity we capture through photo sessions over the years.

Now for some baseball! Thanks to our Parks and Rec director here in Wilkesboro who met with me and gave me full access to newly refurbished baseball fields that were otherwise locked down for the season. It’s hard to have a baseball shoot without the right setting. And thanks to my dear friend Ashley Shumate, the busiest baseball Mom I know. She let me borrow all the baseball gear to bring my vision to life for the Spillmans. 

Pixels On Paper Photography Barrett Spillman One Year Portrait and Cake Smash Photo

Barrett loved being outside, in the dug out, and on home plate and played the role of MVP as if he were born to it! His first birthday cake was a reward, so he was game for just about anything we needed from him. He was a good sport! 

Those expressions during the first taste of icing are always priceless and rewarding. 

We also photographed some studio portraits where Barrett wore an outfit that was a family heirloom. It’s been passed down and worn by other babies in the family turning one before him. Hence the need for these shots to be indoors. I wanted to preserve and protect it for future generations. That and it was 100% wool! To hot for outside. 

Happy Birthday, Young Man!! We’ll see you soon, I hope – whether you’re a sports star or not, we’re fans of yours.

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 weddingsbrides, 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.

88x31 lucy & glens valle crucis wedding photography | pixels on paper boone wedding photographers

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.

our foundation part 4 – babies

Continuing our series on the foundations of our photography business with another focus on baby portraits and MAN ALIVE are they fun. They can have their moments, don’t get me wrong, but the results are always worth it and we love partnering with parents to enjoy the time and get the best shots of their newest family memories.
More of our favorites are below, including birthday cake smashes, playing dress up, orchard portraits and more. Enjoy!
Fun Portraits with Pets and Babies

Six Month Photos of Finley
First Birthday Cake Smashes

Adding a Sibling


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 weddingsbrides, 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.

88x31 lucy & glens valle crucis wedding photography | pixels on paper boone wedding photographers

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License

All photos are ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Wyatt ~ the newest, gorgeous member of the Arnold family

The Arnold’s might as well be in our family tree, because we love them so much and have been able to experience so many sweet moments with them over the years while behind the lens. Their wedding was exceptionally beautiful. Then came a sweet Irish blossom – Berklee – their daughter and first child. We wandered behind them through our favorite peach orchard and later had the privilege of helping husband and father Jeremy surprise his wife Meghan with a photo shoot when she was preggers with this little man below. It was a gorgeous day with lots of love and coordinated outfits.

Pixels On Paper Photography Arnold Family wilkesboro nc photographers studio Newborn Portrait PhotoPixels On Paper Photography Arnold Family wilkesboro nc photographers studio Newborn Portrait PhotoPixels On Paper Photography Arnold Family wilkesboro nc photographers studio Newborn Portrait PhotoPixels On Paper Photography Arnold Family wilkesboro nc photographers studio Newborn Portrait PhotoPixels On Paper Photography Arnold Family wilkesboro nc photographers studio Newborn Portrait Photo

During the outdoor maternity shoot that Jeremy set up with us, we grabbed some images with a very special prop: one of Jeremy’s baseballs from his time as a college player. They wrote Wyatt’s name on it in anticipation of his arrival. So we made sure to incorporate the ball into some of the shots of Wyatt.

Pixels On Paper Photography Arnold Family wilkesboro nc photographers studio Newborn Portrait PhotoPixels On Paper Photography Arnold Family wilkesboro nc photographers studio Newborn Portrait PhotoPixels On Paper Photography Arnold Family wilkesboro nc photographers studio Newborn Portrait PhotoPixels On Paper Photography Arnold Family wilkesboro nc photographers studio Newborn Portrait Photo

Seeing these four again and especially watching Miss Berklee with her new, real life baby was – as we say in the South – precious. We love this family so much and now if time could just slow down for all of us so that we can enjoy these little moments just a little bit longer.


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 weddingsbrides, 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.

88x31 lucy & glens valle crucis wedding photography | pixels on paper boone wedding photographers

All photos are ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.