Posts Tagged: NC Newborn photography
for the love of newborn babies
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.
A Full Circle
We want to believe that “things come full circle.” In fact, we say it with a spirit of hopefulness. There is continuity in life: births, deaths, struggles, triumphs, remembrances, redemption, connection and repatriation. It takes age, wisdom and being observant to realize it and I would like to believe that Ryan and I are those people. We certainly try to be!
There is also the idea of creating a large and full circle of people around you: those who inspire and challenge you, have your back, love and celebrate with you and hold you up when you just cannot do it alone. Ryan and I have both in our lives: that sense that things are coming full circle as we prepare to be first time parents AND that we’re surrounded, literally and figuratively, by people ready to help, support and love us in this new chapter.
Over the last 14 years, we’ve been blessed to be a part of your lives (and we have no plans to stop). But as we get ready to greet our son (the full circle in my belly at the moment), I’m reminded of all the chapters of your lives we’ve captured on film and those chapters we’re about to embark on ourselves. We’ve learned so much watching you all.
We’ve photographed engagement portraits in all sorts of settings, celebrating the beginnings of new marriages. We’ve taken bridal portraits inside and outside with brides in sneakers or cowboy boots, in gardens, in tiaras, on staircases and in the woods. Those moments absolutely take us back to our own engagement, wedding and first years together.
And the weddings themselves we’ve photographed – too many to count – where there is the crush of emotion and relief and joy and then “let’s get out of here and go on a honeymoon!”
Children. This one is particularly tender for obvious reasons, but watching you all as we took maternity photos, newborn portraits, first birthdays, new siblings and the growth of your families has been the best. You hunker down during the hard stuff and laugh out loud during the silly bits, but your commitment to family is something we understand completely.
We love living our lives in the open amongst such amazing friends, colleagues, and family – those by blood and those forged from common interests, trust and deep connections. While we may need to hibernate a bit when our little man arrives, we’ll be happy to share stories, ask questions and continue to watch our lives come full circle. We love you all so much and thank each of you for the part you play in our lives.
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.
Sweet Hannah’s Newborn photography
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.
A behind the scenes photograph taken by Mom Jamie of Ryan and yours truly photographing Hannah in the basket.
I love this shot and so do the parents. They have a million adventures ahead of them, but for now it’s about snuggling and gazing at each other and bonding. We look forward to watching her grow, watching Daniel grow to love her even more and especially watch her realize how lucky she is to be a part of this family.
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.
A Brand New Girl | Newborn Pictures of Penelope Jo
Penelope Jo was born February 28th at 4lb 12oz – a miniature gift and one month early. While small enough to put in your pocket on the way to grab lunch, she was completely healthy and discharged before her mom. I KNOW. “Look out, people!! I’ve got stuff TO DO!!” At only 8 days, Whitney and Preston brought this little jewel to our studio for their first ever photo shoot as a family of three. She took my breath away. How can something so teeny pull your heart out of your chest? But she did and I was only the latest. Her parents and grandparents are doing all they can do not to gobble her up.
We photographed Whitney and Preston’s engagement and wedding and watching them gush over Penelope Jo was incredibly sweet. She may be the smallest newborn I’ve photographed – both adorable and beyond cooperative. In fact she was so good that I didn’t want to stop photographing her as she slept peacefully. No matter what props or positions we put her in, she would bend like a reed and as cutely as possible. 
I have no interest in wishing this little girl’s life to fly by – especially with that little tutu and headband – but I’m anxious to see her and photograph her often and watch her grow up. So much satin and sweet, so much cool and composed. She’s a little dream.
Newborn Tucker’s First Portraits | Courage, Strength & Heart
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” -Lao Tzu
Mom Shanna had the courage to endure weeks of bed rest, 6 weeks in the hospital, including being inverted to prevent going into early labor and all after losing one of the twins she was carrying in the first trimester. All because of and for this little creature.
She and her husband Ethan, (revisit their wedding photos here) were certain that they couldn’t have children after Shanna had to have surgery to remove a very large tumor from her ovaries. But then she became pregnant and a whole new series of challenges were laid at their feet. Her time, pain and trials were not without an excess show of strength, love and bravery though, and that included a village of prayer warriors, friends and people who didn’t even know the couple. I remember being astonished and heartened as social media kept everyone in the loop about her progress, health, and concerns. 
At just over 20 weeks, Shanna was admitted to the hospital and put on strict bed rest. At 27.6 weeks, on August 2, she gave birth to Tucker Clayton Matherly – a little fighter in his own right. He weighed 3 lbs. 2 oz and spent 66 days in the NICU. Thanks to the Ronald McDonald House, his mom was able to stay close during the evenings while he was in there and watch him gain strength. Tucker visited our studio with his proud parents at 12 weeks old. His first 10 were spent in the hospital.
Shanna and Ethan’s deep love for each other gave them strength, if Lao Tzu is correct, and their deep love for their unborn son gave them immense courage to make sure he made it home.
I remember thinking after Shanna had been in the hospital for 6 weeks straight that if I had been in her shoes I don’t think that I could have done it. A small sterile room, the same four walls, family and friends on the outside going on about their lives, being away from her husband and home. And then having to watch her son from the outside looking in….
But when I held Tucker during our newborn session, talked to him, looked into his sweet face and cried with Shanna over this miracle, it was perfectly clear how and why she did it. God has blessed this family and my prayer is that he will continue to bless them.
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.