The Wilson Family at Home

“If you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any moment”

— Carlos Santana

I'm pretty sure you've never met someone with a bigger smile than George... aka Mike. I remember doing box jumps at Iron Tribe a couple months ago and he tripped, somehow gashing his arm open (to the point of stitches) and he just kept on smiling and tried to keep jumping (though the coaches promptly stopped him to prevent further injury). 

Then after he got the stitches, he still kept smiling, and kept coming back to the gym as if nothing had ever happened. I was so impressed. It was no surprise to me that photographing his family was a breeze. The whole family was just so happy and willing to do any of the crazy things I suggested, sure to include little Max along the way. 

Of course Blake and Austin were all too willing to pick on each other and their home and neighborhood served as a perfect backdrop for their portraits. Hope you enjoy a few of these favorites from the day!

Anthony's First Birthday!

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”

— Omar Khayyam

This week our nephew turns one! Oh my goodness! I cannot believe an entire year has gone by nor that we live down here now and get to participate in these (almost weekly) family parties and gatherings. It seems like just yesterday we were at the hospital welcoming him into this big world.

Amber and Tony decided to do a Lumberjack themed birthday party for the little guy so everyone wore flannel to participate. They had fun themed food, cornhole and of course a bonfire with s'mores! (My favorite). 

Anthony wasn't so sure about the cake at first. Not having tried anything so sweet prior, he probably thought it was a dream. He also wasn't sure about eating with his hands, preferring his utensils, but he was more than willing to share with anyone who wanted a bite. :)

We had so much fun celebrating with everyone. We're so excited to watch you grow up little guy! Can't wait to take you on some serious adventures in the coming years!

Stoner Family Session at Lake Norman

“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future”

— Earl Nightingale

These cutie pies always know how to have a good time! From roaring like a lion, pretending to be superman, and showering mommy in kisses to seeing how many times they can roll down the hill before they get sick; I always love hanging out with Charlie and Finn! As soon as I got to their house Charlie immediately grabbed my hand and started walking me toward his art gallery so he could tell me about every single one, and Finn talked about all the things he loves in the color red. (especially my car...2 points) :)

Chrissy always manages to find a new location for us to shoot and this time we were both blown away with the gorgeous grasses surrounding the lake at their golf club. That mixed with the gorgeous golden sunset made last night a dream. 

Forever grateful for my ever expanding family so many opportunities to spend time with them. 

Yates Mill Family Session with Jenn, Nick and Roman

“Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures.”

— L. Drachman

The moment I met Roman, I knew today's session was going to be an adventure! I asked him what his favorite thing about being six was and he said "wearing bigger shoes." Watch out world, this little man is looking to fill some shoes, and I've no doubt he'll accomplish all his dreams. 

I had him climb the fence for this photo and figured he'd enjoy jumping off so I encouraged him too. Without hesitation he climbed even higher to the very top THEN jumped! When I had him jump for the family walk he did a backflip, surprising all of us! He hurt himself a little on that one but his sweet momma knew exactly what he needed at every turn. I was blown away when she had him raise his arms a few times to make sure he wasn't injured then when he had his hands up started singing "YMCA" causing immediate giggles, and of course, then he was fine. It's so much fun watching families interact and be themselves. 

I had so much fun with you guys today Jenn and Nick! Thanks for being adventurous and willing to climb rocks and steep banks and just let loose! Hope you enjoy these images!

The Farr Family in Banner Elk

“Where there is love there is life”

— Ghandi

I must say I am loving this new family tradition. Last year Stephanie told me her side of the family was renting a cabin in the mountains for the holidays and wanted some extended family photos. We all had so much fun on top of Beech Mountain as we adventured through the woods around the cabin, they decided they wanted to do it again this year. Except this time, with Matt's side of the family!

Leslie managed to find the cabin at the very top of the tallest peak in Banner Elk; the road to get there was an adventure in itself! It's crazy to me that I grew up and lived in the mountains for 23 years and never discovered either of the hidden roads they found for these adventures. The mountains are just full of surprises!

Little Milo was *slightly attached to mom and dad all morning, but everyone jumped in and did their best to bring distractions and treats and snuggles. That's what family is all about after all, helping each other out when we're struggling. I had so much fun with you guys! I hope you enjoy these memories from the day!

I'm pretty sure Captain wins the "best dog of the year" award, so well behaved and not to mention extra soft and fluffy! 

Goldsboro Homestead Family Session

“To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.”

— Mark twain

Oh my goodness, I can not tell you how much fun I had with these two and their little Cruz this week! They are here from California visiting family and we just had to squeeze in a family session while they were. Jen wanted to use her childhood home in Goldsboro as the backdrop and capture a few memories with Cruz and her beautiful momma. 

I absolutely love it when families are willing to be adventurous with me. We were climbing through thorn bushes and laying down 2x6s to cross creeks and learning about soybean crops all along the shoot. Jen and Erin were all smiles and giggles the whole time and we absolutely had a blast!

We could not get over how gorgeous it was in Goldsboro this time of year. The November air was cool and crisp yet the sun provided that incredible glow through the changing trees. I hope you enjoy a few of these images from our session! 

Treyburn Country Club Family Session | The Goodwins

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”

— Lao Tzu

Seeing the transformation of this bunch from last years' Christmas Portraits to this year was amazing. Taylor and Jake had their new little baby Desmond and he is absolutely perfect! Harlan and Miles have joined the rowing team and are doing awesome, and Dennis walked across Spain on the Camino! I loved so much following his trip online and then hearing about it more in person. I love his thoughts on the trip:

"My suggestion after this experience, no matter what you do, do something in your life you don't think you can do. Push yourself. Get out of your comfort zone, live life to the fullest. Don't be afraid to live. You will not be sorry. It will not be easy, but it will be something that you will treasure, and something that you will be incredibly proud of yourself for doing."

Love that so much, and I couldn't agree more! When A.J. and I biked to the coast and back we were exhausted but exhilarated. Can't wait to have another adventure asap and hope with everything I am that we will always have epic adventures just like Dennis! Love you guys! Hope you enjoy a few of these images from the shoot! 

The Painter Family - Home Session

“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. ”

— Audrey Hepburn

These beautiful ones have been dancing in front of my lens for several years now, it's been so amazing watching their little family grow. If Dylan is not just the cutest little thing with her bright smile and bouncy ponytail, I don't know who is. 

Courtney wanted to do a home session this round and I thought that was an awesome idea as they have just moved to Charlotte and bought such a beautiful and well lit home new home! Just like their home in Raleigh, it felt so comfortable when I walked in and it was the perfect setting for a morning filled with giggles.

Even though the whole neighborhood is under construction right now, we were able to sneak in some backyard and streetside photos as well. Little Dylan loves to ride her scooter up and down the street. 

Grandma was visiting, so of course we couldn't resist a few snuggles. 

Dylan absolutely looooooves her piano and insisted on showing me what she's learned so far! We had so much fun!

Rose Garden Family Portraits | Rafidi Family

“We do not remember days, we remember moments”

— Cesare Pavese

Engagement, wedding, maternity, and now two kiddos and 5 years later these two are still deeply in love and crazy about their incredible girls. We had plenty of time to catch up as little Grace led us around The Raleigh Rose Garden seeking the best rose and the coolest hiding places.

Johnny said his favorite thing about two girls is that they really love each other. Next, Hannah asked Grace who her best friend was and without hesitation she said Zoe. Apparently they love to fall asleep next to each other and wake up giggling. I love that SO much! Siblings are the very best!

The garden was of course, still beautiful, with or without the fall sunshine, still vibrant and filled with flowers! I hope you guys enjoy a few of these images from this afternoon!

Ward Family at Home

“Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.”

— Maya Angelou

Oh my goodness these cutie pies are SO much fun to photograph! Always with huge smiles on their faces and words of encouragement and kindness on their lips. It's hard to believe we've been friends for so many years now. I absolutely LOVE these two little ones and Emi's expressions on this shoot are to die for! 

When Kathryn told me little Emi was catching a cold we debated postponing the shoot but she suggested using their backyard instead of a park in case we needed to take her in real quick and of course it worked like a charm! They have a super cute little neighborhood so we were able to include the kiddos AND Gnarles their incredible pup...who is a pretty big fan of kisses ;) 

Sloane, as always, was a gem, and more than willing to accept all of Gnarles' kisses! 

Pullen Park Family Photo Session | Veraolivero Family

“Not everyone is meant to make a difference. But for me, the choice to lead an ordinary life is no longer an option.”

— Peter Parker

Considering Alex sported a Spider Man graphic tee at the end of the session, I figured a Peter Parker quote would be acceptable. ;) 

I had a blast with these guys last night! Alex is graduating this year so this was technically a senior session, but it's so much better when the whole family is involved! Having Joey tease him in the background and asking him questions about crushes and his future brought out his natural modeling skills. Then Joey stepped in showing they were BOTH naturals! Love it! 

Elizabeth and Roscari were no different, everyone came prepared to have a great time and there was plenty of joy to go around. The weather at Pullen Park was amazing allowing us to walk all over the park, and Elizabeth was the hero of the day walking the entire park and climbing hills and train tracks in her heels! She kept skewering a few leaves which always made the boys laugh, we had so much fun! Here's a few images from the day!

Mommy and Me Session | Jessica and Eden

“Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime full of adventures”

— Lewis Carroll

When Jessica told me she wasn't interested in any posed photos, that she just wanted someone to follow her around as she and Eden did what they always do - adventure through the world - I knew we'd be a perfect fit. 

I've been able to get to know Jess over the past few months at Iron Tribe and I love watching not only how she interacts with Eden, but how she leads by example what it means to be strong, adventurous, and confident. She treats her like an adult which I love, she talks to her calmly when she gets fussy, and she explains things carefully, never tiring of her questions and always just as excited about the 20th leave or pine cone or tree as she was the first. 

They make a great team and it was so fun watching them play at Lake Johnson. Can't wait for our camping trip next week you guys!! 

No tree was too high or path too overgrown for Eden, she just jumped right into it, fully expecting her momma to be right behind her... and she always was. 

Charlotte Family Portraits | The Mayhews

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Somewhere in the middle of rural Carolina lies a magical hidden forest where chipmunks busily prepare for winter, pine needles fall gently to the ground and if you wait patiently and are pure of heart, you'll be greeted by the enchanted fairy princess. 

Ok... so maybe that's not *exactly how it went down, but I feel like I found the childhood equivalent of a speakeasy. You have to drive past it three times, whisper the secret password to the fairy sitting on the mushroom at the entrance and then be transported to a magical land.

When Brentlee said she found a gorgeous tree farm as she was scrolling through Instagram but didn't know the exact location...just somewhere in a little town off a rural road... I could just taste the adventure! I got out to the general area an hour early and just started driving slowly down all the roads, pulling over and checking out areas that looked promising until I saw a tiny hidden sign that looked like it might actually be the place. I was not disappointed. 

After hiking through the brush a few yards it opened up to this incredible dream land and I felt like skipping! (ok maybe I did a little) It was incredible and when I confirmed with them where to find my car we were off on our adventure!

 Thank you so much guys for suggesting this and being willing to hike a little to make it happen!

Extended Family Session | The Coles

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass...It’s about learning to dance in the rain”

— Vivian Greene

I'll never forget arriving to shoot Amy and Kevin's wedding several years ago with storm clouds looming on the horizon and Cathy walking up to everyone she saw, giving them a bear hug and repeating this quote.

Cathy is one of those people who arrive with such a force of joy and compassion that before you know it she has become a lifelong friend. I've worked with hundreds of families over the years and of course I love them all, but there are some that I get to spend time with across multiple weddings and other celebrations, like the Coles, and for that reason they become a part of my own extended family. 

This epic gathering of all the kids and grandkids (except Holly!! Miss you!) was filled with every emotion in the book. The kids live all across the country so getting them in one location at the same time is no easy feat. In fact we had precisely a 30 minute window when everyone could be there at the exact same time so we hustled to make the large group portrait happen in exactly that time frame while playing with the rest of the portraits before and after.

Tears of joy were in full swing as everyone hugged and made jokes, drank bourbon hot chocolates, roasted marshmallows and chased around the kiddos. There were other tears as well; as we thought back through all the joyful celebrations and difficult hospital stays, tears of gratefulness for a life well lived and sorrow for a hopeful yet uncertain future. It's situations like this that have me just bawling behind this computer screen as I type. I love these guys so much and it's so hard to watch them in pain. Fortunately they all have a grand view of the world so the positivity abounded. 

Cathy and Dayton's relationship is one for the history books...they have provided such an incredible legacy for their children. One overflowing with love, acceptance, determination and unadulterated joy. I am so grateful for every moment I get to spend with them and overwhelmed with the incredible gift the artist's life affords: to be able to be so close to so many families and feel my heart explode with love as they welcome me with open arms into their homes over and over again. Thank you for all the hugs yesterday guys! Miss you already!

If you look close, you'll see the snow falling!

Adam created a low salt version of his famous almonds to accommodate Dayton's dietary needs. They were well received :)

Basically everyone knows by now that smore's, bourbon and cigars are like my three favorite things. That and the community that typically surrounds all three. Love that the kiddos got to participate in this joy first hand. (well, at least the marshmallow part) ;)

Even the littlest one made his appearance just in time for the celebration. It's so exciting watching your family continue to grow Cathy and Datyon!  

Joyner Park Family Portraits | The Peabody's

“There is no way to happiness - happiness is the way.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh

It's so fun having the opportunity to watch families grow, and cheer each other on. I had the opportunity to photograph these cuties a couple years ago and Abbey's senior portraits earlier this year. They are so supportive of each others dreams and goals. They're about to send Abbey off to college and little Hadley is preparing to perform on Who's got Talent with her impressive gymnastic and contortionist skills. They all just love each other so much, it made me so happy to capture them together. 

We could not get over how gorgeous it was this afternoon at Joyner Park, the October air was cool and crisp yet the sun provided that incredible glow through the changing trees. I hope you enjoy a few of these images from our session! 

Dorothy Dix Park Family Portraits | Romero Family

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart”

— Helen Keller

It gives my heart great joy when families know how to have fun together. These guys not only had fun this morning but they brought all the love with them. The kiddos wanted to make sure they had an individual photo with every family member there and were more than willing to cuddle and bear hug and be super sweet together for the photos. 

If there's any advice I can give to families before coming to a session, it's to come with an open mind and heart. We'll certainly go our best to get "proper" portraits up front but when you have the freedom to be yourselves and let the kids decide what we're going to do next, the images are so much more fun and filled with genuine smiles and laughter. 

Thanks for being awesome this morning you guys!! 

Little Leo loved stealing my stool every time I stepped off of it, so of course we had to snag a photo of him sitting on it for his second birthday portrait! :)

Celina loves her daddy SO much. I'm pretty sure we took at least 100 images of just those two being sweet. There's just nothing better than a family that loves each other. 

Knightdale Station Family Portraits | Prieto Family

“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold”

— Zelda Fitzgerald

Oh my goodness, I have been photographing this incredible family since these two beautiful twins were still in their momma's belly, and have followed with all the kiddos now. It has been such a blessing to watch them grow up and see how they care for each other. Marsha and Christopher are amazing parents and their love overflows through their girls. They take such good care of little Henry and were so happy to carry him around and help him walk. 

They invited me out to their beautiful new home to capture these images and while we were surrounded by construction, we managed to sneak in a few spots that made it look like a dreamy forest instead. The girls were a little hesitant about the bugs, but once I showed them a few photos they were eager to run through the tall grass. When it came to their parents kissing for photos though, they weren't having it! Haha! Kids are so funny. 

I hope you enjoy a few of these images from our session! Thank you guys for always being such generous hosts! 

Joyner Park Extended Family Photo Session

“Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life”

— Lisa Weedn

I've known this sweet family for years now. From various church encounters and youth group gatherings to the dance floor at several weddings to partnering with them to make BREW Coffee Bar happen in it's initial stages and now we're planning Jessica and Jeff's 2018 wedding! It's been such a fun few years!

Dan is hysterical. Whether he's offering to pay for the wedding in gold doubloons, trying to order pizza delivered to Raleigh from Viola's Restaurant in Florida, or discussing Disney Princess outfits that would be best to wear for the photoshoot, he always keeps me on my toes! 

I've I've combined Senior Sessions with Family Sessions before, but never an Engagement Session. It was so fun to see the family pick on Jessica and Jeff from behind me while I got a few romantic portraits and then again when Dan and Kathy had a turn! These guys know how to have fun, and they topped off the session with Dan's 1971 Ford LTD. So fun!

Steampunk Family Photo Session with The Ritch's

“Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale”

— Anonymous

I know I say it every year, but I just LOVE the Ritch family! For 5 years now they have made their family photos into an event they are able to get really excited about! Even little Phoenix gets excited! Courtney comes up with a theme and gets to work on costumes and props and together we find the best location to fulfill her vision. 

This year was steampunk, though I'm sure she could also pull of gorgeous gypsy princess as well. ;) The props for steampunk are infinite and Phoenix LOVED being a pilot. Josh loves to fly him through the air and adding the goggles this time made him feel like a real fighter pilot, complete with sound effects as he shot the camera. 

I had so much fun shooting these you guys! Can't wait to see what you come up with next year!!

Washington Oaks Park Couple Session | Beth + Sean

“I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade... And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.”

— Ron White

I knew we were a perfect match when the pouring rain didn't cause Beth and Sean to pause for even a second. They asked, "If we could keep your camera dry could we just shoot in the rain?" Ummm, yes please! Luckily it faded to a drizzle, but I absolutely adore adventurous couples and these two did not disappoint. It rained the entire session and they did were not phased at all. The Hurricane Irma induced mosquitos that insisted on finding ways around the layers and layers of bug repellant were no match for their determination to just have fun. Makes me so happy :)

They have been dating for 4 years now and were experts on picking on each other and making each other laugh. When I told them to reenact their first dance (from the wedding they met at) they didn't pretend it was ballroom dancing, they immediately threw their arms up in the air as if Kanye had just dropped a beat. You just have to love people who don't take themselves too seriously. 

You guys I had SO much fun! Thank you for battling the bugs like proper ninjas and dancing in the rain with me!

Venue: Washington Oaks Park

Hair: The Braid Bar

Makeup: The Bardot