From the downiest bit of hair fluff that smells indescribably baby and yet something only J.R.R. Tolkien could describe – something elves or fairies make – to their feet that manage to wrap like rising pretzel dough – newborn babies are the closest thing to heaven. They are intoxicating, which is why you see mothers, aunts, grandmothers and countless others holding a newborn, then rolling their eyes into the back of their heads while sniffing and cuddling. You see a newborn being held, the head is supported, but mostly what they are doing is smelling that perfect newborn head scent of unadulterated yum.
The feet really are too much. There are wrinkles and ridiculously small nails and they twist and turn, based on how they were in utero, into impossible shapes that can fit in your mouth. Find a baby’s foot and maybe a little clarified butter (and a decoy) and you’ve got snack time.
What is he thinking about? Warmth? Peeing?
What I always think about is scale. It’s important to capture the beginning and it’s hard to miss the study in contract between his little head and his father’s hand supporting it… the size of his fist next to his father’s fingers. They’ll never be able to create that again and I love capturing it during that one moment.
While we’re settling in with our own newborn masterpiece (forgive me, but he’s pretty perfect) and preparing for the holidays, I’m holding my newborn close and thinking of the newborns I’ve photographed, the exhausted parents who are in love with them, and how I know the time will fly. I’m wishing rest and peace for us 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 ©2017 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Hannah Leigh Harrison was born July 10th to beaming parents Jamie & Daniel Harrison. These are beloved friends and clients of ours for years. We photographed Jamie & Daniel’s engagement portraits and then their October 2015 wedding. Along with Daniel’s son Henry now there are four of them, since adding their favorite new palindrome Hannah. The couple took us up on the offer we make to all of our wedding clients for free newborn photographs if and when they begin their family. We usually photograph newborns within the first 10 days of their lives, because that’s the window for getting those sleepy, curled up and cozy photos. It’s important though to make exceptions for babies delivered via C-section, so we invited the family to our studio on the 26th and it was still a wonderful and successful shoot. Hannah did not disappoint.
Before Hannah’s arrival we were planning for the shoot. Jamie & Daniel sent me photos of her nursery and various areas in their home where they wanted to hang photos. I found out her nursery colors and also that Jamie’s favorite color is purple. I then used those details and photos to plan the backdrop, gather props, wraps and headbands that Hannah would wear. With this preparation I was able to compose photos and design wall art that will coordinate with the family’s home and proportionally fill some of the bare walls. We love providing this service and our families/clients do too.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2017 Pixels On Paper. Pixels On Paper Photography Wilkesboro, NC Baby Photographer, Boone NC Family Photographer, Newborn Photography, Newborn Photography Winston Salem, NC, Newborn Photographer, Baby Photography, Baby Photographers, Charlotte NC Newborn Photographer, NC Newborn Photographer, NC Baby Photographer, Charlotte NC Baby Photographer, Winston Salem NC Baby Photographer, Boone Family and Portrait Photographers, Boone Photography, Boone Photographers, High Country Photographers, NC Photographers. Husband and wife team providing creative photography for weddings and portraits in NC, specializing in the NC High Country, Charlotte, Winston Salem and in the NC Mountains.
No matter what it looks like, motherhood is profound. Mothers declare – with this first amazing act of carrying a child and then giving birth to it – that they will forever share their food, put their immediate needs aside, hold their child’s head above the rising water, look for sacred lost things, and provide comfort, perspective, structure, laughter, physical and emotional affection, joy and support till the very end.
How lucky you are, Cameron. You can’t imagine the love that was surrounding you on this day. They say that newborns are near-sighted and mostly focused on mom’s eyebrows and forehead, so you will indeed have to take my word for what you couldn’t see. Behind my lens, you laid there in complete coziness, but you were not alone. So much of your family’s journey was floating around me. From seeing your mom and dad newly married and in love to capturing that couple with a baby on the way and a new daughter and now you. Your timing was perfect. Welcome!
Even your feet were in love with each other. They kept smooching.
Your sister Madelyn came to the shoot and we’ve photographed her growing up too. While we only see your family a couple of times a year, we always look forward to it. And now here you are. This may not always be the case [Secret: siblings can get on each others nerves, but it usually ends well. Keep that in mind when Madelyn boots you out of her room in 10 years.], but right now, you are the apple of her eye. Your sister adores you.You are a precious being, Cameron and I’m adding my name to the list of fans to go along with your mom, dad and older sister. Come see me again soon, please and take sweet care of yourself. You’re at the very beginning!
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.