Posts Tagged: Blowing Rock Wedding Photographers
Perfect Outdoor Wedding, even with some rain
After our first meeting or two, we photographed their engagement portraits at Cone Manor and we could already see their sense of style and certainly their affection for each other. The wedding was absolutely amazing, though. This was the first time that we’ve shot a wedding at the Gambill Estate and it is a gorgeous venue for weddings.
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 ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Summer Weddings – We’re Ready! Are you?
Summer is a busy season and we aren’t even there yet. When there is so much green out every window of our homes and cars, I think about the brides and grooms (and their parents) who are gearing up for what they plan to be a massive milestone and celebration: a summer wedding. Look at Whitney & Preston – above. They are downright charging toward the future. And for us – the near future is about the outdoors and watching others say, “I do.”
Outdoor summer weddings are a favorite because we live in a gorgeous state and green is indeed everywhere. There are trees, barns, lakes, casual settings, arboretums, and fresh flowers everywhere as backdrops and set dressing and couples always seem to become more fresh and lively themselves.
Each of these couples decided that being outside in warm climates was the right choice for them – even at the risk of weather. And these were some of our best days as wedding photographers. If you are just starting to plan your engagement, we hope that you’ll contact us about engagement photos, wedding plans and any places or themes that excite you. We would love to be a part of your day!
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 ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Lighting, Weddings and Musts to Know
We thought – with so many in the depths of planning weddings – that we would share some of our expert advice about timing. This is not timing as in “did he propose in the middle of your grandfather’s funeral?” (Guys: don’t do that, mkay?)
We’re talking about timing so that your photographer can get the shots you really want on the day of your wedding. Brides and grooms have gone to the trouble of thinking through what moments and people they would like captured, where they are having their weddings and choosing the season. But one of the things that needs to be considered most during planning is timing. It’s important in comedy and it’s important on your wedding day.
- What time does sunset occur?
- What time should your ceremony start and how long will the ceremony portion last?
- Do you want lots of shots taken outdoors?
- Where will your reception be and do we need to allow for drive time while the sun shines?
Much of our pricing depends on the amount of photo coverage hours needed, so planning ahead is key.
Ryan and I begin photographing approximately two hours before the ceremony for those couples who do not plan to see each other beforehand, which is customary. I work with the bride, bridesmaids and the bride’s family for an hour and can capture shots of her getting ready and transforming herself and spending quality time with specific people. This allows us to get all the fun of the preparation while still giving the bride time to freshen her make-up and ready herself for walking down the aisle. If a bride wants photos of her hair and makeup being done, we’ll need even more time, but we can help you get that sorted out when we speak.
Ryan photographs the groom, groomsmen and groom’s family during the second hour. This allows us to complete all photos that do not include the bride and groom together before the ceremony gets underway. You’re up, you’re fresh and ready and excited and it just makes sense. It makes the process more efficient following the ceremony and allows the couple to get to their reception sooner.
Following the ceremony we need 30-45 minutes (depending on wedding party and family size) to photograph the bride and groom together with their families and wedding party. We prefer to begin with family first, then the wedding party, and then with just the bride and groom for the most amount of time. We know that you want to join the party that is YOUR celebration, so having a plan and knowing where the sun will be if you want outdoor photos is something we can anticipate and create for you.
If you’re interested in seeing more of our weddings, visit that page of our blog where you can see the anticipatory beginnings, tender middles and lovely ends to ceremonies across seasons. Here is also a blog of ours for those interested in seeing how lighting can affect the details of a wedding and make them truly shine.
During the reception, we photograph candid moments of all kinds and do not interrupt the bride and groom for posed photos. We want you to mingle and celebrate, dance, eat and enjoy your day. Those moments make amazing photos anyway. The only exception we make is if the couple requests sunset photos at which point we will watch for the perfect moment before stealing the couple away from the reception for a minimal amount of time.
Most receptions last 3-4 hours, so if a couple plans a formal exit complete with sparklers, bubbles, and a getaway car, they will likely want us to photograph that exit and stay until the end. However, if a couple does not plan a formal exit and anticipates staying until the last guest leaves, then they can plan on less photography coverage hours and we will slip out (after hugs, a last check-in and goodbyes) and let you keep partying.
For us, lighting your day is important and we know how to handle it. You have other things to think about, so once you’ve chosen place, season, type of wedding and time of day, we’ll know how to counsel you and make things work.
While your wedding is photographed to memorialize it and is a big production, it is also one of the biggest milestones in a person’s life. We want you to feel the joy of the day and not just like you’re modeling or being posed. So consider the season, the time of day, time changes for daylight savings if those apply, how much of the behind the scenes you want captured, as well as the outdoor and natural light and we’ll do our best. To help, here is a favorite website we use to determine sunset time.
After all the planning, it’s an adventure! Let the magic happen!
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 ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Sharing is Caring – The win-win of client referrals & community
Ever heard that phrase? Well sharing really is caring when it comes to our clients and the reciprocal love fest that happens when they tell others about us. Lately, we’ve been musing about how much our clients stick with us over the years. In fact – true, loyal friendships have developed and we consider more than two handfuls of our clients to be family now. It’s a real perk of this gig: doing life with you guys.
Celebrating Pixels’ 10th Anniversary with clients (ie our friends and family)
photo by Michael A. Anderson Photography
In an effort to spread some of that love around, we’re introducing a referral program to reward those who share our name with others, allowing us to continue growing our business and our community of family.
So, if you are an existing client, listen up – (please and thank you):
- Any existing client of Pixels (you’ve hired us for a wedding or portrait session of one type or another) who refers us to someone who then books us for a wedding, will receive their own FREE portrait session PLUS $250 in print credits from us.
AND, ALSO:
- Any existing client of Pixels who refers us to someone who then books us for a portrait session, will receive their own FREE portrait session that year PLUS $50 in print credits from us. For every additional referral they send us, they will receive yet another $50 print credit. The more you send others who book with us, the more rewards we’re happy to lavish on you.
Portraits, for us, come in all types, just like our subjects come in all shapes and sizes. Newborns, first birthdays, families and family reunions, milestones, graduations, and of course bridals and engagements.
- KEY NOTES: We want our existing clients to make sure to tell the folks they are referring to us to MENTION THE REFERRING CLIENT’S NAME, so that they get the rewards they deserve. If someone books a wedding or portrait and doesn’t mention that they heard about us from you, how will we be able to shower you with some love?
- This program offer EXCLUDES limited edition and promo session referrals. Contact us if you have questions!
If you have friends, family, coworkers or neighbors who are about to embark on a milestone or celebration, we hope you’ll tell them about us. And when you do!!!!!!….. you will be rewarded. Thanks all!!
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 ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Wilkes Wedding Expo ~ March 11, 2018
ATTENTION BRIDES-TO-BE:
Save the Date!!
March 11th from 1 – 4 pm
at the John A. Walker Center on the campus of Wilkes Community College
Pixels on Paper, along with other professionals from the wedding industry, will be in attendance to chat with you about your dreams for your big day. Pixels has been a vendor at this annual event for years, and we’ve discovered that it’s not just a great way for us to showcase what we do best, but we’ve met some of the best people and couples whose engagement, bridal and weddings we’ve photographed over the years. Many have become lifelong family friends.
If you haven’t made plans to attend, you can find the information HERE and we encourage you to come and get details you never expected to find and ideas you’ve never heard or thought of.
Tickets online for brides-to-be are $5 and for brides and friends of the bride at the door, they are $8. You can expect to find caterers, furniture rentals, djs, reps for various wedding venues, invitation and stationary options, crafts, décor ideas, dresses, gifts and more. Kelly Shumate, the host of this event and owner of Bridal Traditions is one of my great friends and we never miss an opportunity to collaborate and support each other. Get your tickets and we look forward to seeing you there!
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 ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.