Posts Tagged: merlefest
Merlefest Memories Part 2 – the music
Merlefest 2020 would have started tomorrow, April 23rd and Ryan, Finley and I would have joined our official photographer pals and hundreds of others who love music to celebrate. Wilkes County fills up with vendors, fans and of course, some of the best bluegrass, blues, indie, folk and country singers and musicians in the nation.
The line-up of musicians each year is impressive to say the least. For 2020, this was true too. Sadly, on April 7, 2020 one of the most beloved musicians and performers around, John Prine, passed away due to Covid-19 – the very reason there is no Merlefest this year. Prine was on the schedule to perform and we were all looking forward to it. Other famous performers included the Avett Brothers, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, Sam Bush and many more from years past.
What began as traditional Appalachian style music that Doc Watson and son Merle just exploded in both interest and talent. The festival benefits Wilkes Community College. If you want to learn more, I would encourage it.
We also want to encourage everyone to consider a gift this year too, since costs were incurred gearing up for the 2020 lineup, set up and coordination. To donate to Merlefest, visit the site.
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 LicenseAll photos are ©2020 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Merlefest Memories, Part I – the people
Back before we knew how bad it was going to get with the Covid-19 pandemic, we did know that rough times were on the horizon. The delay and ultimate cancellation of mass gatherings started in mid-March and we were not surprised that Merlefest 2020 was one of them.
It was the responsible thing for organizers to do, but we are certainly missing the crowds and energy this year. Merlefest would have been this coming weekend (April 23 – 26) and we long to be there.
So many new faces come each year to sit outside and enjoy music, play music, camp, sing-a-long and escape for a weekend. And, even more joy-producing, we see many familiar faces year after year. There are some serious fans, vendors and beloved musicians who just cannot stay away. We are part of that cohort, as official Merlefest photographers since 2015.
I mentioned energy before and it’s such a key to what makes Merlefest so special. Everyone wants to be there. It’s not some business conference; it’s a festival. It is a party. Music lovers swap stories, multiple generations show share the experience together, musicians show off their instruments and songs in progress, laugh, collaborate and “pick” together. There’s nothing quite like it. My heart isn’t broken, because I know cancelling was the absolute right call, but it’s a little bruised not to be there to soak up all that wattage. Still, it’s important that we all do our part.
One way that you can do your part this year is to contribute. MerleFest is asking for donations and ticket contributions to raise funds toward incurred expenses. Nearly 90% or more was already in place when it was clear that the shows would not go on. If you can and would like to make a donation, it would thrill us to no end. Go to the Merlefest site and do what you can with our gratitude.
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 photographsnewborns 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 LicenseAll photos are ©2020 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Event Photography
If you are new to our blog, welcome! Look around and make yourself at home. One thing you’ll notice fairly quickly if you visit the commercial page of our blog, is that we have been Official Photographers at Merlefest every year since 2015. And we love it. We love ALL OF IT.
We love the dynamism, the energy, the chaos, the crowds and fans, and BOY do we love the music. As photographers, we are all over the place during that weekend of bands, vendors and community celebrations. Our task is to capture all of it – not just the various stages where some of the best performances you’ll ever see are taking place. We roam on a schedule and freely and it’s all amazing.
Event photography in the form of weddings is a completely different animal and when we were grabbed hold of by music event photography, it grabbed us hard!
Not all events we shoot are days long and with multiple performers. Grievous Angels is a North Carolina band that Ryan and I love and we’re pals with the members. When they asked for photos of them playing, it was a no brainer. Like Merlefest, we were able to capture the energy and the musicians while enjoying the music. They play at smaller venues like coffee houses and they play to tried and true fans as well as newcomers who find themselves drawn in.
Pixels also covers non-musical events be they community or family. Last year in June, Ryan and I took Finley to Touch-a-Track, an event and fundraiser where we volunteered and captured photos.
If you have an event, musical or otherwise of the non-wedding variety, please contact us. We would love to hear more about it and help you capture and promote it with professional images and good vibes.
We love graphic design and commercial photography whether logo design, brochure design, head shot photos, architectural photography or product shots. At Pixels On Paper we pride ourselves in listening to a broad range of clients and customizing our photography and graphic design services to meet each individual request. Our skills, styles, and visions come together to be a permanent record that either reflects an identity or delivers a message that speaks to thousands. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your business needs. Email us at mail@pixelsonpaper.net or call 336.990.0080 to learn more, receive a quote or to let us know how we can put our skills to work for you.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
merlefest 2019
Another year in the books and we returned with more great memories, stats and gratitude that being Official Merlefest photographers is a part of our business profile.
At this year’s festival, Ryan and I shot approximately 30 bands and performers. We’re always amazed by the talent… never surprised, but amazed, you know? I get why there are so many television shows dedicated to singing, songwriting, finding musicians with talent and the like. They are everywhere. Each year the line up is diverse, but 2019 seemed more so than ever before. It was incredibly inspiring to see and hear bands of all different cultures, races and genres. Traditional bluegrass, Americana, Afro funk, Celtic, blues, country, Indy rock, etc.
Merlefest is a little bit like going to camp. You get there and remember the things you love about your time spent and see faces you love that you’ve missed all year. I realized how much I missed the work itself, and how much I love the crew we work with throughout the event. Seeing them only once a year feels like being cheated, but it makes it more special when we’re all together again.
For Ryan’s part, he missed the atmosphere of live music and live performances. Like me, he can get lost in the sounds on stage while capturing both performers and ambient crowd fun. He also said he missed the late night editing sessions when he and other official photogs would process and laugh and swap stories.
I also felt a bit of remorse for how “out-of-focus” I was last year while juggling being a new mom to Finley. There’s some negotiating when trying to breastfeed between photographing stages, getting the work done but then wanting to make it home to tuck the little guy in by bedtime. Whoa it was hard! This year held much less pressure and felt normal again.
And on that front: Finley is no longer content riding on my back in the carrier for 10-12 hours. He attended the fest on Thursday with Grandma KeKe. He spent the majority of his day on the playground, in the kids area sand box and playing with rocks in the VIP seating. What we became even more aware of because of this kid is just how incredibly family-friendly the fest is. With an entire kids area, activities and even stages of entertainment specifically for children, it’s a huge draw for families.
Another revelation was realizing that I was approaching an A-list performer with a pre-conceived notion only to have that perception completely changed for the better after watching, listening and meeting that artist. I love those personal shifts that come with professional growth.
For Ryan – it was about being up close and personal, on stage even with musical talents and feeding off their energy during a performance. That’s what turns him on.
Each year, the fest challenges our photography skills and takes them to a level of creativity and demand that’s unlike anything we do all year. We love how much our relationship with other photogs on the team has grown. It’s fun to be in the upload room together throughout the event comparing our work, sharing experiences, laughs, and exhaustion. It truly feels like summer camp.
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 LicenseAll photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Our Merlefest 2018 – Part 2
So much of being event photographers and particularly musical event photographers means being flexible, running around like a crazy person, knowing when stop, drop and roll and when to snap…. not like a maniac, but when to snap a moment. Sometimes it’s random and lucky, sometimes it’s absolute precision and experience and sometimes it’s a function of the reverie of music, memory and fun.
Ryan and I happen to be big time music fans which comes in handy when asked to return as Official photographers for Merlefest and asked to spend a long weekend capturing singer-songwriters, trios or bands we love. We can find the right moment to capture their instruments, collaboration or groove. We’re aware of our jobs, but transported by the music too, you know? As a job, it doesn’t suck. We love the lighting, the venues, the crowds and all the angles that allow us to bring these portraits to you.
Here are more of our favorites from 2018 Merlefest. See 2018 Merlefest Part 1 here.
We Banjo 3
We Banjo 3
Mandolin Orange
Town Mountain
Robert Earl Keen
The Mavericks
The Barefoot Movement
Jamey Johnson
Cliff Ritchey
This year’s Merlefest was not only a blast of great tunes, it allowed us to watch some favorites, see some new faces and capture dynamic moments and crowd-pleasers.
Doolin’
Misty McGuire Case’s photo of Rhianon Giddons performance on Saturday at MerleFest is featured on the Wilkes Journal Patriot.
Ryan Case’s photo of the band Doolin’ caught in mid air at MerleFest is featured on Wilkes Journal Patriot.
The Barefoot Movement on the Watson Stage
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.