Posts Tagged: Outdoor photography
Andrews Family Christmas 2021 Portrait Photos
Our Christmas portrait sessions this season have been wonderful. Ryan had the pleasure of photographing the Andrews family this year. We love the Wilkesboro’s Christmas decorations and visit them as a family many times during the season. They are a perfect place to get photos.
Mom Kristen, Dad Matthew, and sons Luke and Jackson met up with Ryan and they wandered around capturing some great shots. Kids love playing in and around the lights – we know our son does, and the Andrews boys do too. It was a perfect location for their photos.
We’ve photographed this lovely family more than a few times. We photographed Jaxon’s newborn session, his six-month portraits, and one year portraits, as well as an At Home Christmas session. Watching their boys grow up is a reminder to enjoy every moment with our family. Tis the season, afterall.
colorful outdoor family portraits on the blue ridge parkway
This family means a lot to us.
Kim Hatfield is the owner of Waggles Pet Supply. You may recall that we provided portraits for pet food and donated along with Waggles to the Wilkes Animal Shelter. We collaborate with her and her business on so many great causes and we simply adore her and her family as humans. But the best gift, the biggest compliment is that we get to photograph her family. Kim and Terry have a precious daughter, Rayne.
We photographed Rayne’s newborn session and she’s only gotten more cute and more animated. She grins with her mouth open like she’s in the middle of a sentence or a funny thought. It’s hilarious to watch. Kim and Terry’s one request for this session was that we include mountains as a backdrop, which is not a tall order. We’d been eyeing this location along the Blue Ridge Parkway for months, but had never photographed there before. Pretty lighting, great views and a spectacular sunset! We love the outcome.
We know we’ve said this, but we’re outdoorsy so we’re saying it again. We live in a beautiful place. North Carolina, particularly our mountains and valleys, will stop you in your tracks. And it’s not just the mountain views, it’s the details of rock and moss, sky and grass. This family stood out in their bright clothes in every setting we placed them in.
Doesn’t Rayne look like she’s going to grow up to be a great chat? The woman you’re going to want to sit next to on a flight from Toronto to Dallas? She’s a charmer and people are attracted to her every expression. Even butterflies have attached themselves to her shoes…. oh wait. Nevermind.
A fun aside: At Pixels on Paper’s 10 year anniversary, the Hatfield family attended of course and Rayne was the star of the day. She was wearing the most adorable outfit, everyone wanted to hold her and she wanted to be hitched to the hip of the funnest and snuggliest among the partygoers. Those dancing were at the top of her list since she could bounce to the rhythm on the dance floor. Our dear pal, photographer Michael Anderson, of Michael A. Anderson Photography, captured the shot below of her.
I wanted to end with the shot below, mostly because Rayne looks like she’s just blown a kiss and is saying “That’s All Folks!” Watching her grow up is going to be the biggest treat. Kim, Terry and Rayne: WE LOVE YOU!!!!
the meade family ~ a visual narrative
A dear friend of ours tells a story about coming home to his very young sons one evening, the oldest of which was around 4 years old. The sitter left a note that was found later saying that she’d prompted the boy about how much he loved bears. She took the time to write down, “he said adamantly, ‘I don’t love bears!!! I love my daddy!”
Our pal still has the note, even though his son is now in his 20s.
What if she hadn’t taken the time to write down that little moment, that little throw away comment? It would be gone.
This life of ours is a continuum, isn’t it? At any given time, bits can be solidified or lost.
We do our part at Pixels On Paper Photography to help with this by being your journalists, and sometimes archivists, of sorts. We capture and catalog your family by establishing a set time, a studio, amazing outdoor settings, imagination, photos and a great amount of care.
The Meade family continuum has been a blessing to us. We first photographed them in 2010, in a field near a family farm in the NC Mountains.
2 years later, we took pictures of their newborn second child, Alarie – a bundle of sugar that put all of us dangerously close to becoming diabetic.
Our third session was in the fall of 2013 near the Blue Ridge Parkway and Blowing Rock, and their last session in the summer of 2014, included pictures of Carisa, Bradley, Slater (their eldest and boy-man) and Alarie. Mom, Carisa told us, “it’s a blessing to watch our two children interact, and show their love for one another. This summer session revealed a great example of sibling love, and capturing those moments was priceless!”
Slater and Alarie are a study in complete opposites. Slater is a 40 year old man stored handily in the body of a 6 year old. He is the only child that age we know who worries more about others more than he worries about himself. He’s an old soul combined with great parenting.
Alarie could not be more different. She is fearless, silly and may have Red Bull running in her veins where there should be blood. We’re waiting to hear back from her pediatrician. She will take on anything at any time. She finds trouble, gets into it and when punishment is doled out, leaves Slater often saying, “well I guess now we’re not going to be allowed to [fill in something fun here].”
They love each other though. All 4 of them and it shows. Can’t you tell?
We asked Mom, Carisa: What do you want to remember most or tell yourself when you look back at these photos in 5 years?
“To be very thankful we captured these special moments that I can’t ever go back to relive.”
The Meade’s have committed to this concept by having us create a wall in their home of some of these captured moments.
We could not be more proud to be their journalists and archivists.
We’re looking forward to seeing them this summer and for many more to come!