Posts Tagged: outdoor photographers
Joanne and Doug’s Elkin Creek Vineyard Elopement Photos
Everything about this story, this couple, and this day makes me happy. Joanne and Doug Morris found each other again after decades apart and eloped to Elkin Creek Vineyard to say their I Dos. I’ll say more about the reconnection in a moment, but first I need to express how honored we were to be their photographers. And those who want a private wedding, especially spur of the moment, to begin their lives together, go for it. Joanne and Doug made a wonderful choice in Elkin Creek Vineyard, and this is a favorite venue of ours as photographers and as a couple.
Joanne only saw the place on their wedding day – April 23rd – and she just wanted portraits after she and Doug said their vows. After they finished their ceremony near the property’s windmill, we photographed them in various spots around the venue. Their natural affection for each other was evident. They were so sweet together.
We fell in love with these two, and their sweet dog Bailee. Their story is a lovely one: dramatic and dreamy. Joanne and Doug met in St. Louis while in college and, along with their brothers, made their way through chiropractor school. They dated and the tribe remained close, but after graduation, they all parted ways, and both Joanne and Doug married others, had children and began separate lives.
Flash forward many years and Joann was having a recurring dream that Doug’s brother would come to her and ask her to contact Doug. She brushed it off as a weird blast from her subconscious mind, but the dream was relentless. Finally after 4 nights in a row of this dream of Doug’s brother insisting that she find Doug, she got on social media and they reconnected. The timing was perfect as each was single. A few months later, they started dating again and got engaged.
During this afternoon in April, we loved watching them together as we asked them to pose.
Days later, when Joanne called to ask if we’d gotten “just one good one” I laughed, because so many of them were fantastic. Their love jumped through the lens.
I’m so excited for these two to start their lives together near Durham with their sweet dog. Love can happen at any age and through lots of life’s ups and downs. We’re so incredibly happy for 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 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 License All photos are ©2021 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
Bride Jackie showered with love
The beautiful girl in the pic below is a hyphenate to us.
No she’s not a singer-producer-actress.
She’s a chef-photographer-niece. And she’s FAB.
Jackie was our niece first, of course, and we’ve loved her forever. During her college days, she acted as our assistant for extra large weddings when we needed another pair of great eyes, swift feet and brilliant can-do attitude. Now, this girl-lady-woman is a talented chef in Savannah, Georgia … a town that knows its food.
Just last month, I photographed her small bridal shower in Asheville. We’re all still hip-deep in Covid World, but this event mattered so much to us. The couple expertly created a delicious spread for the party, in-part because food and catering sources are limited/strained, and because these two are so great at what they do. Cookies and cupcakes were custom created by Love & Butter Baking Co to accompany the small bites, luscious sliders, chicken and waffles and more.
Hosted by Jackie’s sister Krystin and a dear friend, the theme was bohemian in both atmosphere and goodie bags. Family members and friends gathered from VA, FL, NC, GA, and while others joined through Facetime from CA and South Africa to shower the bride with love and gifts.
The pair planned to be married in September, but since the country isn’t quite ready to reopen just yet, they have rescheduled their ceremony to May of 2021 and Pixels is definitely looking forward to photographing the occasion at Crest Center & Pavilion in Asheville.
In the meantime, we love you, Jackie. Stay safe and know how loved you are!
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 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.
Happy Anniversary … to a couple we know
It has been a year. A whole, big, replete, exhausting, fun, “where are my keys”, “doesn’t she look amazing?”, “I can’t believe we survived”, “oh holy moly, that was the best!!” year since our 10th anniversary in business as Pixels on Paper.
The calendar tells us that there is a beginning of every new year and it’s January 1. But the thing is…. your birthday, your anniversary is the beginning of YOUR new year and Pixels On Paper was birthed in June of 2005. It’s our birthday. It’s Pixels On Paper’s 11th anniversary. We did it – AGAIN!
Minick Outdoor Maternity Portrait Photography
During the last 12 months, we’ve photographed siblings holding onto each other. We focused our lenses on businesses we love, vendors we collaborate with and admire, taken post-wedding photos with mountains in the distance….. families gathered and smiling… orchards in bloom, brides lit with joy, new husbands unable to stop grinning, kids racing around and babies, babies, babies. We have loved every single minute.
Prom girl in bloom thanks to Bridal Traditions and beYOUtiful Proms
Boondocks Brewery – the installation of new tanks for yummy brews
Bridal bouquet by Edenhouse Floral
Private home ready for sale (and it sold… quickly)
Hoben family reunion on family property (and that’s just 16 of them)
Quinceanera photos for a gorgeous young woman
a Southern Belle to end all Southern Belles
Charleston SC engagement portraits
We also got to send some love to locations where we shoot weddings and events. The Holiday Inn City Center in Charlotte, Leatherwood Resort and Winding Creek Wedding Barn are merely 3.
the rooftop at the Holiday Inn City Center Charlotte
Leatherwood Mountain Resort is scenic, elegant and rustic
from a photoshoot at Winding Creek Wedding Barn
It was our second year as official photographers for Merlefest. We were completely rested about a month later.
WE LOVE THAT GIG.
And we captured loads of babies…. some were reaching out for “kid-dom” but they’re still babies.
Here’s to the next 12 months, the coming autumn (2 weeks away) and holidays and thanks to you all for an amazing year.
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.