Posts Tagged: NC
York Family portraits – 4 generations & the gift that keeps on giving
I have a pal who finds hilarious pictures of her family from old portrait sessions and gives them as gifts each year, along with NEW portraits. It’s sort of a repurpose, re-gift, re-laugh about it. The time progression is its own reward along with her Mother’s laughter and recollections.
The York sons did something similar for Christmas last year, minus the goofy shots from the 1990s. These three men bought a family portrait session – a gift card from Pixels actually – and presented it to their parents, Mark & Denise York. The gift card was good for a family portrait of the entire York family, something they knew that their Mom had been wanting for a very long time.
Listen up, sons and daughters, especially if you’re looking for a Christmas or anniversary present for your parents: your mom and dad did all of that laundry, schlepped all of that sporting equipment, sewed quilted ballet bags to carry your point shoes, baked untold dozens of Toll House cookies, worked with paper mache, checked homework after 11 pm, wiped your rear end, taught you to drive and throw a football in a tight spiral and stood in line to buy toys you’ve long forgotten about …………… you with me? THEY EARNED IT.
Mrs. York cashed in her certificate at the end of August after undertaking the kind of coordination that would make the Pentagon cringe. She had 15 family members (4 generations) to pin down and she stuck the landing. On a gorgeous day at a picturesque family farm in North Wilkesboro, we met up with this crew and thank goodness for perfect weather. Finding another date would have been many more months in the making.
When we photograph families, extended families and multiple generations, we always capture a variety of combinations for the individual family units and the matriarchs and patriarchs who want everyone and all the time. Gift cards for photography are available for any occasion at all times but are especially popular at Christmas. If you’re interested, please contact us and we’ll start planning.
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.
outdoor family portraits ~ some late summer fun
I giggle a little every time I hear people opine that they just don’t have time for a portrait session. It’s not condescension, I promise. I understand busy. I “do” busy myself like plenty of other folks. This is life. But I also know that with a plan and a little will, you can pull off a photoshoot with you and your loved ones. Exhibit A: the Mendelson and Hon families we photographed recently.
We photographed Caroline and Andrew Mendelson’s wedding April 6, 2013. They found us through two referrals and were married in NC even though they lived in Boston at the time and still do. Caroline contacted us just a few weeks ago to find out if we were available to photograph her family along with her Mom and Dad, Mr. & Mrs. Hon while they were visiting them in NC for a week. OF COURSE, we made time in our schedule to make it happen. 
The sweet Mendelson family has increased by two since we last saw them 4 years ago. Big sister Julia and little Hannah were so much fun to get to watch, tickle and photograph. We loved getting to spend a few hours in Dobson, NC catching up with everyone and celebrating Mr. Hon’s birthday, which just happened to be that day. I suspect he’ll love looking back on photos of his two grand-daughters – a couple of little cupcakes – who came to celebrate with him and his wife. These latest memories will soon decorate the walls of their homes.
We do our best to accommodate requests for family portrait sessions because we know how much they matter. We’re spread out in this enormous country and time together is at a premium. Creating heirlooms for families like the Hons and Mendelson’s is our distinct pleasure.
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the NC 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.
now scheduling: fall outdoor mountain portraits of families, children, engagement & bridal
Driving around yesterday, I rolled down the windows for a few minutes and experienced that first smell of fall. Leaves are falling and changing and the smell was that welcome first sense of the next season. Where did summer go? ALL of our seasons in NC feel like transitions to the next and I love it. We never have 10 months of summer or 9 months of winter like other parts of the country – thank the Lord. Autumn is coming. Start layering your clothes and adding a sweater to the back seat when you head out.
This means that it’s also time for fall portraits and we’ve planned a limited number of outdoor sessions for family, child and engagement portraits. We want to capture these while it’s gorgeous, but in specific areas, because this pregnant first time mom-to-be has her eyes on the prize when it’s not pressed against a lens. Book now! Details below.
We’ll be photographing fall portrait sessions from September 30th until the second week of October (or until Little Man Case arrives) in Boone, Blowing Rock, Jefferson or Wilkesboro. Based on the lack of rain, history and the handy-dandy Farmer’s Almanac, we anticipate the color change in the NC mountains to be earlier this year. We encourage anyone who wants photos to reserve their session as soon as possible. Session fees start at $150 and are due at the time of reservation. Call 336-990-0080 or email mail@pixelsonpaper.net for more info or to reserve your session. 
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.
Madi and Preston’s Jefferson NC Mountains Outdoor Wedding
Madison Ball and Preston Roberts made it official on July 8th of this year in a small ceremony followed by an epic, large reception. The ceremony was intimate and romantic, and on the groom’s family farm in Warrensville, near a bend in the river, surrounded by 30 or so of their nearest and dearest. No rain, but some tears while they were saying their vows. The reception with 200 guests was held later at Jefferson Landing Country Club in Jefferson, NC and included lots and LOTS of dancing, drinking, karaoke and laughter. 
The attention to detail was amazing. Every item was thoughtfully planned and held special meaning. Preston’s family’s farm has been in the family for several generations, so it was saturated with memories. In fact, Preston’s gift to Madi was a horseshoe that he found while preparing the property for the ceremony. Family members believed that it probably belonged to his great-grandfathers’ mare. They plan to hang it in their home for continued good luck. Madi’s gift to Preston was equally thoughtful and cool: she gave him a hand-crafted watch, made from wood with a special inscription on the back. The beautiful details were everywhere. What was not at the wedding were their rings. They’d been left behind in someone’s car. So they improvised and used Preston’s father Tom’s ring for him and Preston’s sister Meghann’s ring for Madi. It was too funny – and sweet!
Favorite memories of this day for the bride and groom include when they were reading their vows, first seeing each other when Madi and crew made their gorgeous river side entrance and when Preston sang the song he wrote for Madi. Karaoke, drinking and dancing were obviously on the list as well. The reception was an absolute celebration.
Madi told us that they wouldn’t change a thing about their wedding day. In fact, she said her only advice to future brides and grooms would be to make the party last longer and do not hesitate to take it all in. “It flies by!” We’re so happy for you guys! Thanks for letting us a be a part of what was a truly great day and part of your family. We love you two!
Interested in their vendors? Here’s a list:
Wedding Gown: New York Bride and Groom, Charlotte, NC
Hair: Jamie Ball, Shear Shakti, Boone, NC
Makeup: Lorna Vega, The Cutters Edge, West Jefferson, NC
Reception Venue: Jefferson Landing Country Club, Jefferson, NC
Flowers: Four Gals and A Florist, West Jefferson, NC
Flowers: Nic Ball, High Country Greenhouses, Jefferson NC
Cakes/Desserts: Ugga Mugga Bakery, Blowing Rock, NC
DJ or Band: John Hawkins, Boone, NC
Caterer: Jefferson Landing Country Club, Jefferson, NC
Videographer: Honey Dew Films, Greensboro, NC
Kendra & Nathan Wed at Elkin’s Barn at Blueberry Hill
On May 20th, we photographed the wedding of Kendra and Nathan as they tied the knot at The Barn at Blueberry Hill in Elkin NC. It was the first time we’ve ever shot a wedding at this venue and we LOVED it. It’s a real barn with a real barn feeling, but with air conditioning (!!) and the owner, event coordinator, setting – everything – was perfect.
What was also perfect was the couple. Even the groom’s goof made the occasion memorable.
Kendra is a lot like me: a Type A personality who wants every single detail to be perfect. She looked gorgeous and so did her bridesmaids in this setting. The weather turned out to be perfect (it rained for 5 days straight after the couple left for their honeymoon) and the guests were so much fun. There were no dull moments!
Groom Nathan teared up watching Kendra walk down the aisle. Kendra: “Most people might have needed a tissue after seeing Nathan become a little emotional as I walked in. I luckily, did not. I had the biggest smile on my face that nothing could wipe away. Why? Because I knew I was moments away from marrying the man of my dreams. Sounds cliché; I know, but it’s true. I had waited on that day for many years and that day, the day I had dreamed about for a long time, had finally arrived.” 
A highlight for the couple (and a laugh moment for the guests) was when the little groomsman just wandered across the aisle while vows were being said. Super cute!!
These two told us that Nathan’s performance really hit the high point when he kept messing up repeating his wedding vows. The pastor finally had to turn the page with the written vows so Nathan could just read them instead of trying to repeat them. 
Other memorable moments, according to the bride, groom and family include: when Nathan’s young cousin Ava walked up to the bridesmaid who’d caught the bouquet and snatched it out of her hands; when the groomsmen took over the photo booth to get shots of them wearing only their underwear and suspenders and when, coming back from their honeymoon, the TSA officer at the airport opened Kendra’s bag and those same underwear shots of the groomsmen were on display. They confiscated her belongings.
Kidding!
The barn vibe was so much fun, along with their photo booth, DJ, barbecue and amazing desserts. There was a LOT of laughter and silliness, dancing, chatter and sheer joy. Between Kendra & Nathan’s family members, there are 303 years of marriage experience surrounding them. This bit of info was shared at the ceremony and we thought it was so lovely. We hope that Kendra and Nathan add a minimum of 50 years to that total and enjoy every moment of it. 
Kendra & Nathan’s wedding vendors:
Wedding Dress: David’s Bridal
Wedding & Reception Venue: The Barn at Blueberry Hill
Flowers: Richard Hincher
Photographers: Pixels On Paper
DJ: Kevin Carter of Dirt Road Entertainment
Caterer: Brushy Mountain Smokehouse