Hersey Family Reunion Adventure on Lake James, NC | Boone NC Photographer

I had the pleasure of photographing this fun-loving family last week when they reunited for the first time in many months. Debbie and her family live in Colorado while the others reside here in North Carolina, but they stay close and keep in touch through regular Skype sessions and facetime chats. 

I hear that it's customary for them to have breakfast together every morning from far away! Don't you just love technology and how it keeps us connected with loved ones?!

These next couple of weeks they get to be face-to-face for a change because this tight-knit bunch will be meeting up in Canada for a relaxing summer vacation. It's a trip they take every year together to reconnect and unwind.

Even though there is a great distance between the sisters, they still managed to sync their pregnancies. The girls, Elise & Leanora (2 years old), were only seven months apart; however, the second time around they were able to deliver their babies even closer together! The boys, Taylor & Eli (6 months old), were only two weeks apart!



That's some good timing! Seriously, how'd they do that?! hahaha

The Hersey Family Photography Adventure took place at their private residence on Lake James. This location was chosen because their home is a special place.

This is their dream home, and it's also where Barb's dearly departed sweetheart, Randy, lived out his last days. They set out to build this house because he wanted her to be taken care of once he was gone. 

As you can imagine, his presence in this world is sorely missed, but the memories are vivid and ever-present!

Laura, the youngest daughter, is one of my best friends, so I've had the opportunity of experiencing the love shared by this free-spirited family on many occasions.

Her and I have been thick as thieves for the past four years now. I'm naturally drawn to folks that like to laugh and be goofy, so we all mesh well because this group doesn't take themselves too seriously either! 

We walked around the property nestled next to the lake, spent some time at "Loon Lookout," the furthest point on their plot. They named it after a species of aquatic birds often seen swimming around the lake.  

A boat ride on the pontoon was discussed originally but it was all wet from the rains received the evening before and it looked like more was due at any moment during our session, so we stuck to the dock instead.

The garden Barb keeps was at its peek and bursting with blooms, so we took the girls to play in the flowers! It didn't take long for them to start lopping off the heads of marigolds and daisies!

It was really cute watching them shout, "HOORAY! HOORAY!" while brandishing the blossoms in the air.

I asked Leanora (on the left), "Are you a princess?!" and she responded, "NO! I'm a PIRATE!" hahaha I promised her treasure so I could bribe her into cooperating for the camera! ;-)



And lookit that little face! Don't you wanna snuggle him?! Even though he hasn't been feeling well, Eli was an extremely tranquil baby throughout the entire session!

I had so much fun hanging out with these superb human beings that I get to call friends! 

It was an absolute blast, and I'm so honored that they chose me to capture the special connection they share.

My goal as a family photographer is to make having your portraits made fun for everyone, even the fellas who hate "posing" for family photos!

That's why I like to focus on helping you make new memories with an experience that is fit for your family whether it's with an "At-Home Adventure" or a hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway! 

 

Join The Adventure

Choose Your Adventure Sessions include: 1-hour session for up to four people at the location of your choosing in the Boone or Blowing Rock, North Carolina area, you'll receive up to 25 high-resolution digital downloads with printing rights, a website for viewing/ordering, and a smartphone app to quickly and easily share images with friends and family for 299 + tax.

Ready to book your exclusive Choose Your Adventure Session? 

Simply send me an email at wayfaringwanderer@gmail.com or message me through my website contact form and I'll get you on the schedule ASAP because availability is limited between Sept-Dec! 

Hi! My name is Jessica a.k.a. Wayfaring Wanderer and I reside in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains here in Boone, NC. I'm a free-spirited wedding, engagement, and lifestyle photographer who loves working with couples, families, and individuals who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. If you think we might be kindreds, I invite you to join the WW tribe by signing up [ HERE ] for weekly updates & get connected to the [ WW Facebook page ] to join the conversation! | Website www.wayfaringwanderer.com

{ Featured LINKS }

» No More Boring Family Photos!
» Scott Family Adventure on the Blue Ridge Parkway
» DIY Down-Home Backyard Wedding: Emma + Alex
» Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Wedding Styled Shoot @ Camp Sky Ranch

Scott Family Adventure on the Blue Ridge Parkway | Boone, NC Family Photographer

“I haven’t reached my daily number of hugs yet today,” Grayson proclaimed, “but I’m almost there!” 

I was so intrigued when he shared this that I prodded him for more information. I responded, “You mean to tell me that you have a HUG QUOTA to meet every day?!” He proudly countered with a resounding, “YUP, 12 a day!” 

Still curious to learn more about this charming custom, I asked, “Where did that rule come from?!” Without hesitation, he shouted, “My DAD!” 

I was so enamored with this idea because I’d never heard of a daily hug requirement before! Although I have read plenty of articles about how hugging is healthy for you, so it made perfect sense to me! 

In fact, I’m going to do my best to increase the number of hugs I get on a daily basis because of this happy discovery. I love {{{ HUGS }}}! 

I have to admit, I was slightly nervous about photographing a family with older kids (11 & 8) because, so far, I've only worked with families that have children in the toddler stage or younger. While I wasn't sure how they would behave, I was ready and willing to stretch myself and experiment a little! 

The Scott Family Adventure took place along the Blue Ridge Parkway on the 2.3 mile Green Knob Trail Loop. They were one of the families I selected that WON a Choose Your Adventure Session in the flash GIVEAWAY I did last month!

Didn't know I was doing that?! Well, it was exclusive to those who are subscribed to the Weekly Wander! Click the link to join the list for news about future giveaways and freebies!

I selected them because I really enjoyed reading the responses given to describe their family in the survey I asked people to fill out. There were all sorts of neat things I learned about them before the session that had me excited to work with the family of four!

The location was chosen because this adventurous family loves to spend time playing outdoors. Since they like to go camping and hiking, naturally, the Blue Ridge Parkway was suggested. 

I offered the idea of this hike for their adventure because it takes you through so many different environments in a 2-hour period, and it’s not technically difficult or too taxing!

Hiking with Jeffery (Dad) included frequent stops to identify and reveal the splendor of nature. It was a lot like going on a trek with Cody (my fella) because he does the same thing! I've learned a lot of names for different plant and tree species as a result of our adventures.

As they examined a variety of specimens, the boys asked countless questions that Dad happily supplied the answers to. 

A small sampling of Indian cucumber that grows wild in the woods was also shared!

At one point, Grayson got caught off guard by a crawdad that pinched his palm. That was immediately after Jeffery explicitly assured him that it WOULDN'T bite if he inspected it further. OUCH!

But he laughed it off and endured the sting like a champ and we continued on our course!

It was refreshing to see Zeb (11) & Grayson’s (8) willingness to soak up his wisdom. The boys were so engrossed in what he was teaching them.

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by how attentive, friendly, and courteous the boys were. 

It didn't take me long before realizing that I had nothing to worry about and I could just “be me” and joke and cut-up with them. I'll do practically anything to get a laugh!

It was awesome that they had their own ideas for photos to capture, too. “Hey, will you take a picture of me doing this ____________!”, was heard numerous times! I enjoyed capturing Grayson’s jumps and handstands. This image of him and his Dad looking at one another from around the tree was his idea and I loved it!

As we walked, talked, laughed, goofed off, and got to know one another more, this family continued to dazzle me with their unique dynamic. These four are definitely some of my new favorite peeps! I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to capture their adventurous family!

Using adventure is my sneaky way of getting folks to have fun so the camera feels less intrusive. They might feel uncomfortable or “weird” about it at first, but that soon fades away once they are in the midst of an adventure!

My goal as a family photographer is to make having your portraits made fun for everyone, even Dad who hates "posing" for family photos! That's why I focus on helping you make new memories with an adventure that is made just for you! 

Join The Adventure

Choose Your Adventure Sessions include: 1-hour session for up to four people at the location of your choosing in the Boone or Blowing Rock, North Carolina area, you'll receive up to 25 high-resolution digital downloads with printing rights, a website for viewing/ordering, and a smartphone app to quickly and easily share images with friends and family for 299 + tax.

Ready to book your exclusive Choose Your Adventure Session?

Simply send me an email at wayfaringwanderer@gmail.com or message me through my website contact form and I'll get you on the schedule ASAP!

Hi! My name is Jessica a.k.a. Wayfaring Wanderer and I reside in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains here in Boone, NC. I'm a free-spirited wedding, engagement, and lifestyle photographer who loves working with couples, families, and individuals who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. If you think we might be kindreds, I invite you to join the WW tribe by signing up [ HERE ] for weekly updates & get connected to the [ WW Facebook page ] to join the conversation! | Website www.wayfaringwanderer.com

{ Featured LINKS }

» No More Boring Family Photos!
» DIY Down-Home Backyard Wedding: Emma + Alex
» Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Wedding Styled Shoot @ Camp Sky Ranch