Posts Tagged: elkin wedding photographers
Anniversaries | The Darling Buds of May
Kaitly & Denny Gappens – 4 years on May 4th
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Jennifer & Thomas – 5 years on May 5th
Olivia & James – 6 years on May 7th
Kathy & Phillip – 10 years on May 12th
Andrea & Mike – 6 years on May 14th
Jessica & Zach – 8 years on May 16th
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed,
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature’s changing course untrimmed:
Jessica & Chris – 3 years on May 17th
Maggie & Saeger – 4 years on May 18th
Rachel & Ryan – 6 years on May 21st
Holley & Ron – 7 years on May 22nd
Kathren & Nathan – 3 years on May 24th
Shanna & Ethan – 4 years on May 25th
Ashleigh & Philip – 5 years on May 26th
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st,
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st,
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Sonnet 18 from William Shakespeare
Candace & Bob – 8 years on May 30th
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary! We love you all and hope the year ahead till the next anniversary is adorned with the blooms of prosperity, good health, laughter, devotion and LOVE!
Exposed Photography Retreat | Part 2
Last time, I blogged I wrote about a photography workshop and retreat I attended in late March and the pay-off was not only that I learned about natural light and how to manipulate it for photography shoots, but about how – through exercises, conversation and the community and sharing of other photographers – I had some light shined on aspects of myself that needed my attention. Elly’s Photography – and specifically Elly – hosted this retreat, aptly called “Exposed” and in 4 days I learned so much. It was the shot in the arm I needed.
The photos in this blog showcase artificial lighting techniques, including the use of off-camera flashes, gels, and fairly unrealistic kelvin settings.
In case you missed part 1 of this blog post, catch up on it here.
I mentioned in that last blog that I love using artificial light at photo sessions and that Ryan teases me. You know, if two lights are good then 12 will “really get me what I want.” LOL. For these shots, I practiced with different angles of light and exposure settings, as well as perspective. Some of these techniques I had knowledge of, but suddenly I was able to manipulate them in a way that I never had before. Others were completely new and opened an exciting new world of possibilities for my photos and our clients. My mind was focused, but part of it was note-taking for sessions to come.
The setting and the subjects were perfect and while it was a working and experimental time, it felt fun and relaxed. I would wager that I learned as much if not more personally about me and my craft than I did about photography itself. I realized that I needed to be out of my comfort zone to experience all that was in store. I learned that allowing myself to be exposed and vulnerable gives me a different perspective in life and through my camera lens.
I learned that I can only go so far alone. And I learned that I was ridiculously supported during this adventure.
What Makes a Wedding ….. A WOW
If you take an informal poll about which weddings people remember and what made them amazing, you’ll get a few surprising answers, but several themes come quickly into relief. The same goes for reading blogs and checking out WeddingWire. There are exceptions, but mostly the same categories bob to the surface.
The dancing. “Everyone was dancing. When it got late, the shoes came off, but most everyone just stayed on the dance floor.”
The details. “They spent so much time thinking about each element – from the seating, to the little gifts for the wedding party, to their vows.” The food and drink. “My dad kept saying, ‘it’s all about the food and booze and he was right. Our reception was the highlight. Everyone kept telling us how tasty everything was and how much fun they were having.”
As you can see, there’s usually a little bit of everything in the course of a wedding season, especially since the wedding season has become nearly three quarters of the year.
The venue. “We LOVED the views and everyone could roam or go inside to relax and then back outside to eat and dance.”
Ryan and I have shot weddings at some amazing places.
This and the shot above taken at On the Windfall.
Above and the preceding photo taken at Leatherwood Resort.
Those last two were taken in West Jefferson at Twickenham House. The food and music and views matter, but then there is the couple. Often, this is expressed as “how much love everyone felt.” We all need love and many of us cry at weddings, because they are such a fresh, new, pure and unapologetic celebration of it. Marriage is, we all hope, for a lifetime; watching two people say “I do” is a pretty overwhelming.
The final answer if you’re planning your wedding is YOU. You make it special by bringing people you love together to watch you take an enormous step into your future. Plan well, do your homework, work with the best you can find and afford, but remember that surrounding yourself with people who love you and bringing your heart to the party will make it a WOW. We hope to be there to capture every last detail.
Pixels is booking weddings, engagement and bridal portraits now for 2017 and 2018. Contact us! We’d love to work with you.
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.
Wedding redux part 2 ~ MORE SAGE ADVICE
“Don’t worry about pleasing everyone else. It’s YOUR wedding, so do what you want to do!! You will enjoy it even more if it’s everything you imagined it would be.”
Part II of our series, Wedding Redux, takes advantage of the insight of Whitney Pegg Parsons, married last year at Williams Farm. Have a peek at their wedding and then enjoy Whitney’s feedback.
What would you do less?
Stress about the situations you can’t change. Something is going to end up happening which causes some detail to perhaps not turn out the way you wanted. It’s just like life; you have to roll with it.
Positive or negative feelings or comments about any of the following?
Attire.
Do your research! Look at more than one place before deciding who you’ll buy your gown and dresses from.
Gifts.
Go with what is sentimental. You want to look back, with friends and family, and all be able to say ‘I remember that day perfectly.'”
Flowers.
Don’t get stuck on using a florist as your only option. Sometimes asking around, ordering flowers in bulk and decorating yourself can be just as beautiful and more cost effective.
Location.
Choose somewhere that is memorable and most fits your style. Google can be your friend here. There were a lot of local places I would never have known about if I hadn’t looked online. Most importantly, choose the location first. It will determine the date of your wedding and help with other details.
Decorations & Decor.
PINTEREST!!! Everyone has their own ideas of what they want their wedding to look like, but sometimes it’s harder to execute than you think. Enlist the help of those online, your friends and family and they will help you better determine what is going to be the most feasible.
Number in the wedding party?
Choose the few who are most important to you. You shouldn’t feel that just because someone is your friend that it means they have to be in the wedding party. Some friends don’t even feel comfortable being in the party to begin with. Choose people who, when you look back in 50 years, you’ll see the photos and appreciate that they are still your friends and people you still talk to.
Number of guests?
It is always bigger than you think it’s going to be and that is okay! I was so worried because my list kept getting bigger and bigger due to family members and I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Some people will never come but just like to get an invitation. I would recommend setting a maximum number of guests and never going above that number.
Time of year?
There is always going to be some weather issue that may possibly get in the way. I’d say choose whatever you want and can handle and then go for it. As for time of day, it depends on the season.
Wedding Planner or “family-and-friends-all-hands-on-deck” approach?
Don’t choose a family member or close friend. Planning a wedding can be stressful and you don’t want to depend on someone you may end up having a falling out with… a falling out over something stupid. Choose someone you can rely on who has experience. They will be able to help you plan out a schedule so you don’t forget any details.
Name 3 things you would do differently if, by some strange wrinkle in the universe, you could do it all again (but with the same spouse):
My main things would be stress less and enjoy more. I would worry less about the little unimportant things and enjoy the big details even more. When the day actually came, I felt like it was over in a matter of minutes and would have loved to have had more time to enjoy it! I would also have done more research on attire for dresses and suits and saved myself a lot of last minute stress!
Name 3 things you would NOT change:
Even though it was stressful at times, it turned out to be a mostly perfect day. One of the most important things I would never change are the people I chose to spend my special day with. They enjoyed it as much as I did! Secondly is the photography. There is no other way to go back to that day other than through the pictures. Choose a photographer who is relatable and whose style you love and you won’t be disappointed (Misty & Ryan, of course)!!
Finally, and most importantly, find the right person – choose the right spouse! If you know that no matter what goes wrong with the wedding that they are with you, it’s all that matters.
It’s only going to happen ONCE, so stand back and take a minute to really live in every little detail that you can.
In case you missed them, click here to read Redux part 1.
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 babies and kids, 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.
2015 Pixels highlight reel ~ part deux – WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY!
Starry, starry night in the mountains
As a followup to our engagement highlight reel for 2015, you knew we had to do a wedding version; I mean, c’mon. It’s fun for us to remember and reminisce about the couples and their families, but also about the locations, the weather, the unexpected moments that entered our lenses and the magic that happens when a planned photo has an element of surprise. Whether these couples were basking in “end of the night starlight” or nestled on a rainy church lawn, in a field with horses or smooching under a glass roof, they were in their own perfect moment. Here are just a few of our favorite shots from the weddings Pixels had the privilege to photograph.
Above are Micala and Tyler at their reception. See more of their wedding in Todd, NC and reception in Laurel Springs.
Below are Rebekah and Josh. Their wedding is a guide for any couple who have a theme in mind. They didn’t miss a single detail.
Wedding with Scottish details and Scottish weather
This outdoor wedding provided us with so many opportunities to experiment (including the shot below) and so many moments of tenderness with the couple and family.
Caught in God’s perfect light…
This shot of Meghann is not from her wedding, but from her bridal session, but we had to include it. Taken near her family’s farm in Warrensville, NC, she took our breath away in every shot.
Bride in a perfect mountain landscape
A Charlotte City Center wedding is an event unto itself, but these two only saw each other that day. Their wedding under a glass ceiling was gorgeous and special. We love this shot.
Center City Charlotte rooftop kiss
Whitney and Preston’s wedding was deeply personal and rife with details about them.
Joy in the meadow
The best portraits aren’t always of the bride and groom. This one of Sarah and her decorated military dad was just too perfect. And so was her wedding to Danny. Not one shot of Sarah and Danny disappoints.
Father and bride….
Katie and Josh’s wedding managed to be Elegant Celebration and Crazy Party in one evening. Autumnal details for the groomsmen’s ties and bridesmaids’ bouquets at the wedding gave way to glowing necklaces and bracelets for the reception.
The Big Send Off in Blowing Rock, NC
A fan favorite as weddings and wedding stories go – Elisabeth and Isaac. These two decided to buy a house and up-end the whole wedding timeline. It didn’t stop them from having a brilliantly simple and gorgeous Tanglewood Park wedding, though.
“We did it!”
Amber and Andy’s wedding was special for so many reasons, not the least of which was that they were starting a new family with Andy’s young daughter and cementing a new life anchored in love, respect and joy. This shot captured part of that vibe.
A New Family Story Begins
So many of our favorite shots of brides and grooms are taken outside where nature can play a role. This one of Kendall and Nathan though was just perfect. See some of them outside as well at their lovely wedding in Wilkesboro, NC.
A private moment in the pews
We are booking weddings for 2016 and 2017 and would love to help capture the moments that solidify memories – both planned and unexpected. Call us at 336.990.0080 or email us mail@pixelsonpaper.net and let’s get started!