Posts Tagged: high country nc
the love of parents – portraits of grace in the 21st century
How’s that for a grand title? Parenting has been on my mind for a minute: certainly years ago when I realized the sacrifices of my own parents, and absolutely again when becoming a parent myself with Ryan, my partner in all things.
Parenting is a full library. It contains every journal about how to do it, parenting magazines showing it in all its shades, every map of potential adventures with a child, every poem or bit of wisdom from the Kahlil Gibrans, and every scrapbook showcasing the memories of parenting. I imagine rows of volumes about life with a child – in good times and bad, on bikes, on camping trips, in boredom, during downtime, at holidays, recitals, studying, first days of school, and all the random but well-captured calamity that “just happens.” The layers of thought, work, imagination, terror and self-analysis that go into the concept of genetically forming a child and then physically raising that child, while trying to impart and protect them are frankly endless and would fill shelves – and do.
But honestly, especially these days of division and acrimony on cable news 24/7, what is most valuable to me as a new mom of a nearly one year old are the examples and illustrations of parenting with LOVE. I read and seek counsel, believe me – from the doctors and psychologists and from the Bible, but when I have nothing left to metabolize mentally, I return to simply providing love for Finley and looking to my friends, and clients, for proof of it. It’s not over-intellectualized or over-wrought, it’s easy and natural and primal and perfect.
Seeing that love through my lens is restoring me, ya’ll. Thought I’d share.
Listening. Spending time. Including them in preparing for the new baby. Picnics and time together. We’re photographing memories, but we’re also watching our friends and clients be “show up” parents. We’re watching them be present.
Parenting through showing others how to care for the least among us, including adoption dogs.
Parenting through some friendly competition.
And being the protective parents during some much needed downtime.
Our time with these families gave us some insight into what we might expect with Finley, and looking back at some of the photos I’m reminded about what matters most: sticking together and showing love and grace. Starting at home.
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.
Graduation is coming – Senior Portraits
Am I the only one who thinks that we jump from Thanksgiving to Easter in some wild time travel experiment every year? Some days are blinks and others are lifetimes and while the winter has dragged on in the Carolinas this year, it’s nearly May and high school seniors are feeling the euphoria of graduation. Yes, exams stand between them and the finish line, but if memory serves, those days will be blinks too and summer will soon follow.
Every year, we photograph seniors and rising seniors in high school – not for yearbook photos – but for parents who want to put a pin in this speeding time train. I’m mixing my metaphors, but you’re with me, right? Graduation is a milestone and it’s worth celebrating. My son is somehow 6 months and I know that the moms and dads who hire us for these senior portraits are thinking, “yup… just you wait, Misty!” I’m thinking of Timberli and Chris Roberts – whose 3 kids we’ve photographed over the years.
Paiton Roberts at 11, 14 and 18 years old.
We love doing these shoots for several reasons, not the least of which is that we too get to watch these kids grow up. If you want to get on our schedule, contact us and let us capture portraits of your kid before they start some serious adulting.
If you want to see more – here you go!
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.
engagement portraits – inside, outside, sandals, boots, urban or in the mountains
We’ve photographed brides and grooms-to-be in every type of clothing and every type of setting. Flip flops and water……… heels downtown and everything in between. At Pixels, we want your engagement portraits to represent you, showcase who you are, what you care about, how you met, and in a place that makes you comfortable and will be remembered in the years to come.
Contact us to discuss your plans and ideas and let us help you get excited not only about your engagement portraits, but to develop save-the-date cards, discuss your wedding and show you some Pixels love.
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.
Meet the New Case – our newborn son
I’m obsessed with his cheeks. I know, but I ask for no leniency, Judge! From the moment I could see them in the ultrasound pics, so plump and round, I was enamored. They’re even more adorable in person. Close runners up are his lips, fingers, toes… well everything. So there’s the love affair portion of this which is the vast majority of it when I intellectualize it.
But there’s the exhaustion too and it’s what we all think about with newborns: the absolute lack of sleep. We’ve learned how much a person can do with so little sleep. It’s astonishing, really, but I don’t want to make a habit out of it. I’m amazed at how quickly days turn to nights and the nights are so very very hard. But when he’s awake and serene – God help me, he’s perfect.
What is not serene and perfect is postpartum depression. I thought about not mentioning it, but what is the point of sharing if I’m not going to be honest and forthright. It is a very real thing and the internal struggle of hormones, body, intellect while tired and wanting to remember who you were and who you now are is dicey. I’m still very emotional and my body hasn’t healed. I’m not yet able to do everything I was doing before and pick up life where it left off. I know I’m only 41, but I’m 41, you know? There are times when I feel that God is taking this opportunity to show me how little in control I actually am. And for a person that’s always strived for independence and perfection this is a situation where I can do neither. It’s a hard lesson. I know I’m growing, but the patience part is not easy. If you’ve been through it, I send you a hug in my mind. I get it. Thank God for perspective and knowing how to take the long view.
Professionally, this session was a study in insight. We’ve been photographing babies for a long time and wanted to capture our own portraits of Finley. For once I felt what every Mom who comes into our studio with a newborn must feel. Anxiety when he cries and doesn’t cooperate, frustration when you are so close to having him settled for that perfect shot only to have him abruptly need to be fed; discouragement because you would think it would be easy to swaddle my own child… it’s harder. If anything, being a new Mom has helped me be a better newborn photographer rather than the other way around. 
Ryan and I never thought we would see each other in these roles. It’s showing us sides of each other and our marriage that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. The few hours (never sequential – ha!) that Finley is awake and alert are my favorite times of day these days. His eyes wander all around taking in every sight and sound. We are at the beginning and it’s crazy, but the Finley shaped hole in our lives was filled just in time and perfectly by this little dude.
Thank you for loving us. We know that that love extends to our son and it means more to us than we could ever express.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just bzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
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.
Maddie’s Outdoor Fall Senior Portrait Photography
This wraps up the 3rd senior in the family of three kids – er young adults. We previously photographed Paiton and Quinton. Mom Timberli wanted photos every couple of years to capture the growth and changes in her three kids and you guys. Like her siblings, Paiton and Quinton, Maddie has transformed into a stunning young lady and amazing person.
Below: Maddie 2010, 2013 and 2017. See what I’m talking about? One minute she’s a barefooted girl, cute as the day is long, and now she’s elegance and grace. 
We’ve been planning these sessions all year with Timberli who wanted each of her seniors to be photographed during different seasons. Paiton was Spring, Quinton was Summer and now Maddie in Fall. The Roberts’ family home now showcases a collection of 24″x 36″ canvases of each senior.
Here they are … and parents everywhere sigh at how fast it all goes by. Now we’re hoping to convince parents Chris and Timberli they should do a Winter session to complete the seasons. We love this family and can’t wait to see all the other milestones they have ahead of them and that we hope to photograph.
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.