Posts Tagged: NC Outdoor photographers
favorite family portraits from pixels on paper
Mothers, Fathers, Couples, Babies, Children, Siblings, Grandmothers, Grandfathers, Cousins, Aunts and Uncles.
Mommy, Daddy, Gramma, Grampa, Mamaw, Papaw, Gigi, Nona, PopPop, Nana, Sissy, Bubba, Bro, and on and on the names and terms of endearment go. There are as many descriptors and tags for us as there are types of people. And it’s trite, but you know where I’m headed with this…… they all make up Family. I recently heard someone say that we don’t wake up each day thinking, “this day will be filled with drama,” and the next, “this day is going to be fun and filled with comedy.” I believe this. It’s always all of it – replete. The same is true of families. Looking through the buckets and buckets of family photos Pixels has taken over the years brings into sharp relief how much we love taking family portraits and just how many versions of “Family” there are….too many to count and each one miraculous. What’s below barely scratches the surface.
We are currently booking portrait sessions in our favorite orchard, but you need to book yours ASAP. We cannot wait to see 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 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.
outdoor mountain family portraits
The Polands have 4 kids, fourteen grandkids, 2 dogs, a donkey and 2 horses. LARGE. They are spread out all over the country so capturing these photos was a one day thing and everyone in the family, pets and all, were there.We met James and Judy one night while dining outside at The New Public House in Blowing Rock and liked them immediately. We spent hours on the porch that evening sharing stories, drinking wine and enjoying each other’s company. They told us about their large family made up of their kids and grandkids and their farm just outside of Boone. The various members of the clan rarely see each other. One son is in the military and often deployed. Another son lives in Florida. The family is made up of several blended families and the only time in years that they would all be together in the same place and at the same time was a single day in between the holidays. Judy really wanted a family portrait. Who could blame her? One woman, her husband and in a mere few decades…… a cast of thousands!
In only a couple of weeks, Judy called us and gave us the ONE DAY and we were off. We love this shot of Judy and James surrounded by their fourteen grand “babies.” We found a perfect spot on their farm and all of the colorful clothes the kids wore made it work. 9 girls and 5 boys…… LORDY!! And they were so cute and funny with loads of energy.
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.
Will you go to prom with me? spring, pink dresses and pretty portraits
The movie, Pretty in Pink was a massive hit in the ’80s, which means that only the moms of kids going to prom this year will know what I’m talking about. Molly Ringwald and her not-as-cool friends struggle with the usual high school angst that comes to a crescendo at ….. wait for it …… the PROM. The fashions in the movie do not hold up over time, but the story does. High school is a wondrous, complicated, anxiety-producing, profound and fleeting time in life. You can’t grow up without going through it, so you just dive in and have as much fun as possible between exams. Which leads me to: It’s prom season again and time to book your portraits.
Our amazing models, L-R: Hannah Holbrook, Molly Holbrook and Erica Walker
Our job – and privilege – is to capture you and your friends dressed to the nines, laughing, having fun and celebrating the fact that spring is coming, followed by prom, followed by SUMMER! Whether it’s on location (like this orchard we love), in our studio or outside in our portrait garden, we’re booking sessions and look forward to seeing you all and taking portraits that you’ll love and look back on with fondness.
This photo session from 2015 was particularly fun, because of the bohemian theme and styling with chic dresses and accessories for our models, the blossoms on the trees, the props and the girls themselves.
For Hannah, Molly and Erica, dresses, shoes, and accessories were provided by BeYoutiful Prom by Bridal Traditions. The flower crown and corsages were provided by Innovative Occasions. And not all of the pictures we take are of girls in pink surrounded by flowers, folks. Here’s a look at a bit from last year…
We’ll be creating orchard portraits like these again this year! Weather permitting, we’ll schedule them for the first week of April. Times and sessions in the orchard are limited, so please book now. And if you’re not going to prom but want to take advantage of the orchard this time of year for family portraits, a bridal or engagement session or portraits of your kids, let us know ASAP and we’ll get you in our books.
Call us (336) 990-0080 or email mail@pixelsonpaper.biz.
a bridal portrait session in the greens of mother nature
Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous
to be understood.
How grass can be nourishing in the
mouths of the lambs.
How rivers and stones are forever
in allegiance with gravity
while we ourselves dream of rising.
How two hands touch and the bonds will
never be broken….*
Bride-to-be, Kendall Shephard, reminds of us a swan a little bit. Dressed in white, gorgeous but not overdone, long, lean, elegant. She stands out, but just so, in all that green. Her fiancé, now husband Nathan Williams, works for the North Carolina Wildlife Commission and the couple spend an enviably high percentage of their time outdoors hiking, playing and exploring. We chose the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, NC for her bridal portrait session and it made perfect sense. She was happy and completely in her element, even in a wedding gown.
Kendall shined, surrounded by shades of summer green, rippling water, moss, stone, rocks and branches. She was this perfect column of light. A classic beauty in the middle of natural beauty.
These portraits were taken in June of this year and the couple were married in August. She was just as, if not more, beautiful on that day with Nathan by her side and surrounded by her nearest and dearest, so stay tuned for the blog about the Shepherd-Williams wedding. But this day was Kendall’s and she could not have been more clear and pure and alive wandering in the woods and musing with us about her upcoming wedding.
*Let me keep my distance, always, from those
who think they have the answers.
Let me keep company always with those who say
“Look!” and laugh in astonishment,
and bow their heads.
– Mary Oliver, nature poet
piccard fall family portraits – goodbye summer, helloooooooo autumn
Some of us mourn when it starts creeping toward us.
“Wait, what? We just got settled in and then it was the 4th of July and now you’re telling me to change out my closet and garage?!?!” “I barely used that new floaty, those new grill tongs, that umbrella for the deck, that swimsuit and visor I got for Christmas!” “We were going to go to the beach twice!” “We were going to cook out more with the neighbors.”
Others of us crave it … we anticipate it, rubbing our hands together like we’re practicing for that first bonfire.
But like it or not, summer is rounding the corner y’all; it’s time for Autumn – capital A Autumn. Since we’re making yet another trip around the sun, and summer will return, let’s focus on the good of this coming season – the gorgeous leaves, brisk mornings, fire wood, scarves, heated car seats, football, soups and stews and snuggling with those we love.
And seriously – NO ONE wants to snuggle someone in a sweaty tank top. And if you do, no judgement, but we don’t want to hear about it.
The Piccards were ALL about the snuggling in October of 2014 when we met up and photographed them along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It started raining when we arrived, but the delay gave us time to grab lunch and bond and when the weather cleared, we were able to grab shots of this family of 4 with wet leaves beneath them and mountain fog surrounding them.
We’ve got spirit, yes we do, and boots and blue nails, HOW ‘BOUT YOU?
We’ve know mom, Brandii McCoy for many years, since we’ve worked with many Charlotte, NC sports teams and Brandii is the dance and cheer coach for the Charlotte Checkers, the former NBA Bobcats, and now the Charlotte Hornets. She’s used to being in front of the camera, so we knew we’d get great shots of her and her lovely family looking pulled together. We also wanted photos of them just being themselves, relaxed and silly and goofing. During conversations, we learned that Brandii and her husband had never had formal portraits of themselves taken, so this session and our lunch with them made for a lot of fun for all of us.
The girls, Karsen and Adler, knew how to work it, by the way. Check out the crossed legs and ankles, the subtle head tilting and, of course, there was the unscripted cuteness. 
We look forward to many Autumn shoots in 2015 and now is the time to book your fall portrait session. Pixels has openings, but they fill up quickly, especially the weekends. We’ll want to capture the best pics of you (and yours) during the height of the season. Call us at 704.641.1131 or 336.990.0080 and let’s make a plan!!