Posts Tagged: creative outdoor photography nc

Looking back at 2023

We are diving head first into 2024 but not before completing a blog post that recaps the photos of our client’s and friends from 2023. We continue to feel incredibly blessed that so many each and every year trust us to photograph and capture the most important memories of their lives. We met some amazing people, felt like a part of so many of these people’s lives, and more often than not were right there along side of them having just as much fun. We gained numerous friendships last year. 2023 brought senior portraits, family portraits, newborn photography, photos of children, pet pics, and commercial photography both in our studio and out and about on location. We are inpatient when it comes to figuring out what 2024 will bring and excited about the photographs we will capture and designs we will create

The following are a few of our personal favorite images from some of those we photographed in 2023. Enjoy the view!

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 ©2023 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Barn building complete + the finishing touch

So my mom raises charolais cattle – pretty white cows with pink noses and has for a while now. As if she doesn’t have enough to do. If you can today – call your Mom and tell her that you know how amazing she is.
Now where was I?
A while back our clan built a barn on their property for these cows and it’s completed now. We still had one finishing touch to add and that was something Ryan and I worked on.

There is a beloved member of Mom’s charolais cattle and her name is Shiloh. She is both matriarch and pet (she finds time to be both in her busy schedule) and was the inspiration for a quilt/plaque that Ryan designed, I painted and he built. We knew it would be the keystone of the barn and a signal to my mom’s love of what she does.

After we finished creating the quilt/plaque, we took it to share with Shiloh, …. you know… to get her approval.

I promise that we’re safe. Seeing Ryan atop all of those pallets would make your heart stop if you didn’t know Ryan. He wrapped up the project by hanging the quilt above the barn door exterior.

We love it! Mom loves it, and Shiloh – while seemingly underwhelmed – appears to be a fan too. She celebrates her 12th birthday on March 9th. Happy Birthday, OG (that stands for old gal!!)
To see the beginnings of the barn build, check out this blog!


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 ©2022 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

Portraits: Plan your year!

Yep. You nailed it. I miss you. All of you. I miss the giggling and group hugs that come with family portrait sessions. I miss the waving as we all arrive on site – at the overlook, the property, the park, the orchard, campus or cabin retreat. I miss changing my lenses amid the casual chaos of family dynamics.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been plenty busy, but with the holidays over, and the temps around freezing most of the time, this girl just wants to hibernate. The wilderness bear in me takes over and I am inclined to cook, bake, read, create art projects, and sleep exclusively. As long as I can keep these boys I love nourished and healthy……… that’s winter for me.

At some point though, I peep over flannel sheets and think: I MISS EVERYBODY! So let’s talk about planning your photo sessions for this year and find each other again!

  • Are there members of your clan who are graduating from high school or college this year?
  • Is someone expecting a baby and perhaps would benefit from our one year baby packages or a maternity shoot – or both?
  • Are you blessed enough to have multiple generations in your family and want to capture everyone before the young scatter and the older folks find it harder to get around?
  • Is there a milestone birthday, anniversary or celebration planned for 2022 that you want to commemorate with a fun photo shoot. Believe me, we get it. There are daily distractions, but these moments matter. Consider planning a portrait session. 

Kids! If you haven’t had portraits of your children with their siblings in a while, consider doing it this year. Any season, indoors or out, with or without bows and costume changes, we can make it happen.

Think about the year ahead and contact us to schedule or with your ideas. Let’s do this in 2022!


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.

Wilkes Community Partnership for Children Christmas 2021 Event

At the end of last year, during the holiday season, Pixels on Paper teamed up with the Wilkes Community Partnership for Children to photograph their “Sugar Plum Fairy Christmas Event.”
For years, I have raved about this organization to anyone who will listen. They do so much for children in our community, and our Finley has reaped the rewards for years. 

This event was in held in Wilkesboro and was free and open to all children.

But first, a little bit about the Wilkes County Partnership for Children. This Smart Start program prepares children for school and provides school readiness, child safety, and child development programs to families in our area. This organization also has a diaper pantry, Imagination Library, reading programs, parent support groups and a bevvy of resources that families, teachers and other community members can readily use. I cannot say enough about this org and urge you guys to check them out.

This event brought out the goods! While Finley ran for Mayor (this kid loves to chat up the 2 and 4 legged creatures equally), we captured images of Santa & Mrs. Claus, all of the arts & craft activities, cookie decorating, and time with miniature horses. We forget with all the screens and the speed of info how nice it is to stroll while chatting with neighbors and not feeling in a hurry. This was THAT day, and I loved 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 License All photos are ©2021 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.

York Family Christmas Photos 2021

Our holiday portrait sessions took us mostly outside this season, which gave everyone an excuse to wear their seasonal sweaters. The Yorks, whom we’ve known for a good while and photographed many times, were another family that put on their holiday duds and invited Ryan to photograph them at their home.

Mom Lindsay, Dad Mitch, sons Tate and Turner and sweet daughter Tinleigh got to show off the kids’ new tree house – BUILT BY MITCH! – and run around with the newest member of the family, weimaraner pup Allie. It made for an active and fun shoot for everyone.

And these children…. as I write I’m remembering the times before they had Tinleigh and how all three of these kids has grown so quickly. These images are going to be heirlooms we hope, because they capture such a fleeting time. Plus, I love seeing the tartan plaid, the suspenders and bow tie, the snowflakes and missing teeth. It’s all precious to a mama.

The treehouse itself is crazy-impressive, and we can imagine many fun afternoons with those kids exploring and having adventures in it. What was also memorable: the Weimaraner pup. The children are, of course, in the love with her and she let them tickle and snuggle her between and during shots. They are the cutest!!

Other photo and portrait sessions with the Yorks:
Spring in the Orchard
Christmas at Home
Tinleigh’s Newborn Portraits
Outdoor Maternity Portraits
Summer Outdoor Family Portraits

and there are many more of Tinleigh’s first year and large family gatherings. We adore this growing family and appreciate that they call on us to document their lives through the seasons and the milestones.
Merry Christmas, Yorks! Cheers to 2022!


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.