The only type of blog we love more than a round-up of our favorite blogs ALL IN ONE PEOPLE! …. is a blog that is a round-up of baby photos that we’ve taken over the years. As a mom and a professional photographer, baby photography is a passion of mine.
For those of you new to “the round-up” – it’s basically a way to compile a bunch of flashbacks to our baby blogs. If you are expecting a baby, it’s a chance for you to see the kinds of studio, and occasionally outdoor, sessions we do at Pixels. This is going to be a 3-part series. Let’s start with newborns!
Above is baby Marion, who was born on her exact due date: December 3, 2018. As a lover of old-fashioned names, I’m a fan of hers already. I love how it evokes another time, the tradition of family names and makes me think of timeless beauty. This little rosebud is named after one of her grandmothers. Read more >>
Meet Barrett Spillman. We loved shooting images of this little man in our studio. Since his parents love to be outside and love nature, we decided to keep the attire and props to earthy neutral colors, with simple softs furs and adorable little bib overalls for his portraits.> (opens in a new tab)”> Read more about Barrett >>
This little nugget below is Hannah Harrison. Before Hannah’s arrival we planned for the shoot. Parents 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.> (opens in a new tab)”> > (opens in a new tab)”>Keep reading >>
A few more: Luka (below), Tinleigh (next) in the ruffles, and finally Miss Ava in purple.
Themes are popular and we oblige with props when we can, but moms and dads tend to have an idea and bring their own. Below are just a few favorites in the theme realm!
Sawyer Pierce on is little surfboard. > (opens in a new tab)”>Read more >>
Little Rylie with some of his Disney pals.> (opens in a new tab)”>Read more >>
The ball with Wyatt’s name was ready long before is birth. Capturing his pic with it was the payoff. His Dad is a huge baseball fan. > (opens in a new tab)”>Read more >>
Holden Pierce (brother to Sawyer mentioned earlier) wore gear that was a nod to his father’s occupation: pilot. What to Expect from a newborn photo shoot.
Stay tuned for two more round-ups about baby portraits: 6 month portraits and 1st birthdays!
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 ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Baby Tinleigh York was born a mere few weeks after we shot Mom Lindsey’s maternity session. In fact, they hadn’t even seen the images when Tinleigh made her debut. She was early, but she arrived just in time, as far as father Mitch is concerned. If you read our blog about her maternity shoot, you’ll learn that this is family largely comprised of boys. There are practically no daughters on either side of the family, so there was an almost disbelief that this child was actually going to be a little girl.
The Yorks came back to our studio and we took their first official portrait as a family of five in our portrait garden and then moved inside to capture Tate and Turner with their new girl in pink.
Couple of fun items to mention: Dad Mitch shared that he honestly didn’t think that the baby was a girl until he saw her. That’s how accustomed this family is to giving birth to and raising boys! When you think your doctor might be wrong! Now, we love watching him with Tinleigh. He adores his boys, but he is a goner when it comes to his baby girl.
And Disney played a role in this shoot. According to Lindsey and Mitch (and the calendar), Miss Tinleigh was conceived during a trip to Disney World. Thanks, Uncle Walt, for the pixie dust! So of course, we incorporated Mickey and Minnie Mouse into the photos.
Lindsey is thrilled to be able to branch out with her color palette after focusing so much on Turner and Tate who are, by anyone’s measuring stick, ALL BOY. Pink, rose and cream are a part of her room, so I made sure to choose complimentary props from Lindsey’s new stash and our own Pixels store room.
Sweet girl: you were wished for, wanted and are now loved beyond words. We’re going to love celebrating you every step of the way. Here’s to many more sessions with you and your adoring family and to a childhood filled with laughter, love and all things girlie!
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 ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
In J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, the title character says, “Little boys should never be sent to bed. They always wake up a day older.”
Sadly that’s too true, and moms everywhere will tell you they pray for a time when their sons can be more independent, while they quietly mourn it too.
This little bundle is Luka and he was in our studio with big brother Conner, Mom and Dad, Sierra and Dakota this summer to celebrate his arrival to planet earth. For this session, he had not had many nights of sleep, or time to grow up, so he was still the teeny boy we hoped he’d be.
This image above of these two boys makes me want to cry. They are so snuggled in and Conner loved having his new little brother in his arms. Oh, Lord, may that brotherly love continue forever.
Because Mama Sierra wanted some similar shots of her boys, I went back to sweet Conner’s newborn portraits from 2015 and set up Luka’s so that I could create side by sides. Luka is on the left and Conner is on the right. I know!! These two are more delicious than words can convey.
Having this crew in our studio allowed us to control props, diaper changes and temperature, but everything went smoothly and I was even able to use some new “boyish” props and colors in the mix.
We love these studio sessions where everyone can relax in a controled (mostly!) environment and we can capture a family with their new member.
Welcome to the World, Little Luka. 10 fingers, 10 toes, big eyes and soft skin: you’re already a classic.
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.
If you’ve ever heard a friend, relative or even yourself lamenting the fact that you didn’t get more photos of specific milestones, then take note. Pixels offers a “Baby Package” that we thoughtfully put together so that you’d never look back in regret. You don’t have to figure out which portraits you want in order to cobble together your own package. We’ve done this for you.
Newborn portraits are first, of course. You cannot have a Baby Package with no baby. Labor is over and now comes the fun part: raising this little angel through the first year. Don’t worry; you can do it and so too can you get those newborn portraits taken. Part of our studio is designed specifically for these sessions, with a lovely and private place to rest, nurse and change. We suggest that you bring in your new bundle sometime during their first 10 days. We make it easy on you! This isn’t our first rodeo.
At six months, we bring families back in for more portraits. Babies are ready to sit up – making them perfect models – but they are not yet walking, so we can get them alert and happy, curious and surrounded by siblings, toys, lights or in a theme. At six months, they are incredibly responsive and some of the best portraits we get are at these sessions.
At one year, it’s time for a party, so families who buy this package set up cake smashes, celebrate on location, at our studio, with a theme, costume changes – you name it. Kiddos at one year may or may not be walking, but they are alert, are showing their personalities and are ready for their close ups.
Some expecting moms don’t think that they will want these, but we always hear from those who choose a maternity session that they are so glad they did. We recommend the seventh month and we will not only pose you in the most flattering lighting and angles (don’t stress), but we’ll also make sure that you’re completely comfortable and cared for.
For newborn, six month and one year sessions, clients receive a 10 x 10 custom designed album that includes all of your favorite images, as well as an 8 x 10 portrait from each session at the end of the year. If you choose to add a maternity shoot, it’s a minimal upgrade and completely worth it. The baby package also comes with a 20% discount on all card orders, so you can send announcements or holiday cards using these images and maximize your package.
We also offer two other packages. The Baby & Baby which includes a one hour maternity session, a 2 hour newborn session and a 5 x 7 from each session. You can also schedule a one hour Baby Bump or Newborn session.
All of our wedding clients receive a free newborn session and/or credit toward a newborn session can be applied to the package purchase.
We hope you’ll call us if your curious, have questions or want to chat about the news that you’re expecting (CONGRATULATIONS!) and work out best dates.
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.
I’m about as interested in getting political in this blog as I am interested in unpacking every embarrassing moment I had in my 20s and walking you through each one. Not gonna happen.
But the 4th of July is tomorrow and when we aren’t perched over our grills, or swimming pools or fishing rods, or mayonnaise-based salads, or shooing children away from live fireworks, we may swap words like freedom, independence, liberty and patriotism with those close enough to listen.
In this moment of my life, I think about the word country and about all of the countries of my life that aren’t necessarily found on a map. Poet Wendell Berry wrote “The Country of Marriage” and I appreciate his metaphor. A marriage isn’t just about vows, it’s about the creation of a shared culture of how we live with our mates. Beyond the customary meaning of the word country, there are worlds I love and traffic daily and I find myself falling in love with the countries of my life: the country of motherhood, of family, of community, and the country of place – my home.
As mother to Finley, I’d have to say that parenthood is one of my favorite “places.” It’s where I wake up in the morning and lay my head at night and most of every day is spent managing our little country of Mom, Dad and Toddler. It’s governed by love, and with willpower and a lot of faith. Sometimes I’m the Mayor, but just as often, I’m whispering “Jesus take the wheel.” The land of motherhood is more than I could have ever hoped for. Reading chunky baby books, impromptu laughter, potty-training, watching Finley discover new tastes and smells and chasing his narrow rear-end all over the place. It’s grounding. It’s exhausting. Sometimes, it takes me to the ragged edge of my sanity, but truly – it’s magic.
The country of marriage has shaped me beyond words. Ryan and I are each others rock, sounding board, confessional booth, and shoulder. It’s where we test our metal as humans and where we rest when it feels like it is us against the world. That is home. Before there was Finley – there was the country of us. I’m so grateful for him and I know he is for me.
Community is absolutely a place and we know this first hand. We all thread and weave ourselves together in a community of neighbors, peers and friends and it’s alchemical. Something of substance occurs that holds us all together.
The country of work could easily be about the gear and the terrain. And I love both.
The country of work that is the best though is how intimate it can be. In those hours with clients, we form a little tribe all working toward the same goals: get the best images of the newborn, the wedding gown, the 4 generations of family, the first kiss after the I Dos. That world pops like a bath bubble when it’s over, but the memories and shared experiences last. I love that about our job as photographers.
Finally, there is what author Pearl Buck called “this good earth.” It’s not a zip code necessarily, but it’s the expanse of our home, where we point our cars when we want adventure and where we live.
I love my family. I love Ryan and our growing son, Finley. I love my parents, grandparents, cousins and in-laws and I love the people I get to work with, see out in my community and those who make my life richer and fuller. If I were to give any advice between bites of hot dog and ice cream sandwiches: celebrate what you love about our country and especially what you love about the micro-countries that fill your tank daily. Find those in your life who fit this description and thank them for being a part of your country.
Happy 4th of July.
With Love, Misty
“I give you a new command: Love one
another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By
this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another.”
John 13:31-35 (CSB)
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.