Hannah Leigh Harrison was born July 10th to beaming parents Jamie & Daniel Harrison. These are beloved friends and clients of ours for years. We photographed Jamie & Daniel’s engagement portraits and then their October 2015 wedding. Along with Daniel’s son Henry now there are four of them, since adding their favorite new palindrome Hannah. The couple took us up on the offer we make to all of our wedding clients for free newborn photographs if and when they begin their family. We usually photograph newborns within the first 10 days of their lives, because that’s the window for getting those sleepy, curled up and cozy photos. It’s important though to make exceptions for babies delivered via C-section, so we invited the family to our studio on the 26th and it was still a wonderful and successful shoot. Hannah did not disappoint.
Before Hannah’s arrival we were planning for the shoot. 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.
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All photos are ©2017 Pixels On Paper. Pixels On Paper Photography Wilkesboro, NC Baby Photographer, Boone NC Family Photographer, Newborn Photography, Newborn Photography Winston Salem, NC, Newborn Photographer, Baby Photography, Baby Photographers, Charlotte NC Newborn Photographer, NC Newborn Photographer, NC Baby Photographer, Charlotte NC Baby Photographer, Winston Salem NC Baby Photographer, Boone Family and Portrait Photographers, Boone Photography, Boone Photographers, High Country Photographers, NC Photographers. Husband and wife team providing creative photography for weddings and portraits in NC, specializing in the NC High Country, Charlotte, Winston Salem and in the NC Mountains.
No matter what it looks like, motherhood is profound. Mothers declare – with this first amazing act of carrying a child and then giving birth to it – that they will forever share their food, put their immediate needs aside, hold their child’s head above the rising water, look for sacred lost things, and provide comfort, perspective, structure, laughter, physical and emotional affection, joy and support till the very end.
Mom Shanna had the courage to endure weeks of bed rest, 6 weeks in the hospital, including being inverted to prevent going into early labor and all after losing one of the twins she was carrying in the first trimester. All because of and for this little creature.
She and her husband Ethan, (revisit their wedding photos here) were certain that they couldn’t have children after Shanna had to have surgery to remove a very large tumor from her ovaries. But then she became pregnant and a whole new series of challenges were laid at their feet. Her time, pain and trials were not without an excess show of strength, love and bravery though, and that included a village of prayer warriors, friends and people who didn’t even know the couple. I remember being astonished and heartened as social media kept everyone in the loop about her progress, health, and concerns. At just over 20 weeks, Shanna was admitted to the hospital and put on strict bed rest. At 27.6 weeks, on August 2, she gave birth to Tucker Clayton Matherly – a little fighter in his own right. He weighed 3 lbs. 2 oz and spent 66 days in the NICU. Thanks to the Ronald McDonald House, his mom was able to stay close during the evenings while he was in there and watch him gain strength. Tucker visited our studio with his proud parents at 12 weeks old. His first 10 were spent in the hospital.Shanna and Ethan’s deep love for each other gave them strength, if Lao Tzu is correct, and their deep love for their unborn son gave them immense courage to make sure he made it home.I remember thinking after Shanna had been in the hospital for 6 weeks straight that if I had been in her shoes I don’t think that I could have done it. A small sterile room, the same four walls, family and friends on the outside going on about their lives, being away from her husband and home. And then having to watch her son from the outside looking in….
But when I held Tucker during our newborn session, talked to him, looked into his sweet face and cried with Shanna over this miracle, it was perfectly clear how and why she did it. God has blessed this family and my prayer is that he will continue to bless 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, 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.
Someone once said that “the days are long, but the years are short” and it’s true. It’s usually repeated by those of us over 40 who still feel 24, but I won’t go there. This blog is about babies. Big, round, gushy, adorable, cooing, cuddly, pooping, burbling bundles of life and hope. Some parents want to document way more than babies first newborn portrait and we love that we offer a way to do this.
But first… here’s Holden. Soak up that deliciousness. I mean seriously – WHAT ON EARTH is he dreaming about to be making a face that awesome?
Little Holden is no longer the teeny-weenie newborn or the 6 month old above, and we know because we photographed him several times as part of the Brand New Baby Collection, a package we offer to families who want to capture the first year of their child’s life and then some. We feel like we not only get to know the family even better, but are able to see and record even minuscule changes in each baby’s growth.
Below are a couple of goodies from Holden’s 1st birthday portraits and cake smash photo session.
The Brand New Baby Collection is something we love to do for parents, because it allows us to start with maternity (if Mama wants those shots) and takes us through the first year of the child’s life: newborn portraits (within the first 10 days of your babies life), 6 months, 1 year/birthday photos and with discounts on cards and a variety of package options including digital files, prints, image selections, etc.
Harper, Carson and Ivy are 3 more kiddies whose parents chose from this package and watching them transform was so much fun.
Contact us with questions about Brand New Baby packages or consider giving this package as a gift to expecting mothers and fathers. We photograph at our studio in Wilkesboro, where we have an outdoor portrait garden and lots of props and set ups or at a location that’s meaningful to 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, 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.
Jaxon, you were born on July 21st and 6 days later, your sweet parents carried you into our studios where you were an absolute dream to photograph. You slept like a champ, took only a few little snack breaks and were as sweet as humanly possible. Your name, Jaxon, means “God has been gracious,” and He has been.
I would give my kingdom to know what you’re thinking about in this pic below. It’s the smile of a man who already knows something big is waiting just down the road.
There’s a great story about 2 brothers talking, both grown men, and one is getting ready for an important event in his life … a big, BIG day. His brother asks, “so are you ready?” And he responds, “Yep. It’s either going to be a HUGE success or a COMPLETE disaster,” and his brother smiles and says, “good!”
When the time comes, and you and Luke (and any other siblings who may come along in your tribe) are cheering each other on, remember that. Support the BIG gesture. I’m personally sick of the phrase “go big or go home,” but the sentiment is right on.
Dream big, succeed big, play big, reach out in big ways and if you’re going to fail, then fail trying to accomplish something that matters to you. Don’t just get by. Don’t phone it in. Look at that picture of you smirking knowingly and swing for the fences.
And good luck, dude. We’ll be watching with interest.