Connell Family Adventure in Blowing Rock, NC | Maternity Photography | Boone NC Photographer

Ali & Stu have a tradition of escaping to the mountains of North Carolina every year after Thanksgiving to kick off the holiday season. They travel all the way from Jacksonville, FL (my hometown) to Blowing Rock, NC because it is one of their favorite places to getaway together.

Last year, I photographed them for their one-year anniversary and this year I had the honor of being their maternity photographer as they transition to becoming a family of three. I met up with the couple in downtown Blowing Rock again where we roamed around Main Street for the first half of their maternity photo session.

There's no better backdrop for photos than a place that you love to spend time when you're away from home on vacation. Working with adventurous families is something that I love, so it's a special treat when I have the opportunity to photograph a family while they are on an adventure in a place that they love!

This year, it was a whole lot warmer than the weather we experienced in December of 2013. There was zero snow lingering on the ground this time, but I'm not complaining because the weather we did have was incredible! Too bad I dressed all wrong for the temperature. I was burning up because I wore too many layers, although I was happy that we didn't have to deal with bitter cold and wind again.

The last half of our session took place at Bass Lake where the three of us took a leisurely stroll around the loop. I was surprised to learn that the couple had never been to this spot before during their annual trip to Blowing Rock, but I'm glad I got to take them on a new adventure to stretch their legs before the 7-hour car ride home.

It was a beautiful day for a walk in nature which, of course, made such a lovely setting for their outdoor maternity pictures. I'm pretty sure that in the pic below that Stu was whispering to Ali that he was DONE taking pictures. hehehe

CONGRATULATIONS to Ali & Stu! Y'all are just too cute together. You are going to be phenomenal parents and I am so happy about the adventures that are ahead for your growing family! You guys were such a blast to work with. Thank you so much for choosing me to be your family photographer again this year. It means the world to me that you entrust me to capture these precious memories.

In other news: I have LAUNCHED my new wedding photography website (http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com)! If you would like to see the transformation, I encourage you to visit the page AND also sign-up for the Weekly Wander to get notifications because I’m hosting some fun giveaways for the holidays over the next few weeks! Subscribe here » bit.ly/weekly-wander

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 }

» 11 Tips for Taking Awesome Family Holiday Photos
» Snider Family Adventure on the Greenway Trail
» Johnson Family Adventure at the What Fir Tree Farm
» Hersey Family Reunion Adventure on Lake James, NC
» Scott Family Hiking Adventure on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Johnson Family Adventure at The What Fir Tree Farm | Family Holiday Photography Session WINNER | Boone, NC Photographer

"ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAR!" Harper belted out at the top of his lungs from the safety of his Daddy's arms. It was pretty comical because just a few seconds earlier we were playing the tickle game and he was giggling so hard, but once I got out of reach he just roared as ferociously as he could. I guess it was his way of releasing the frustrations he had with not being able to tickle me back! It was hilarious.

This headstrong 3-year old had me on my toes the entire time I was photographing their family. His favorite thing to do once we "let him loose" was barrel through the Christmas trees at top speed! He had so much energy that it was nearly impossible to keep him still for very long. Just imagine me (and my assistant) running around like mad trying to keep up! I guess that's what happens when we shoot after the kiddos nap. HA!

The Johnson Family were winners of the "Friend of WW Giveaway" that I did a couple weeks ago in appreciation for my online supporters. It was something I hosted for folks that connect with me through my newsletter and on social media. All she had to do was like, comment, share, just interact with my posts on Facebook, Instagram, etc. to be eligible. I think that people that support me throughout the year are awesome, so I wanted to bestow a reward upon someone that I noticed making an effort to stay connected. It was as simple as that.

I'll be hosting another "Friend of WW Giveaway" for the launch of my new wedding, engagement, and family photography website in time for Christmas, so I recommend you sign up to get notifications via email. You don't want to miss exclusive updates because I have some fun giveaways in store,  even something for those that don't live in the Boone area! (LINK)

Back to this fun-loving family holiday photo session. It was one-hour long and it took place at the What Fir Tree Farm here in Boone, NC on an unseasonably warm day in the midst of winter. It was about 60° and it was glorious! Don't get me wrong, I love shooting snowy family photos, too, but it was nice to experience such mild weather after freezing temperatures.

We threw a little bit of everything in during our adventure at the What Fir Tree Farm. It's one of my favorite locations to shoot at because it's such a lovely place, and has lots of different activities to keep kids busy (and happy!). Hiking and playing hide-and-seek among the trees wasn't the only thing we had fun doing. We also threw rocks in the pond and ran around with his doggie Diesel.

I'm so thankful that the exceptional folks that run the What Fir Tree Farm allow me to bring families out to make new memories. I love shooting outdoors in this wonderful place because it adds to the overall experience when you can smell pine heavy in the air and you get your boots muddy, that's what ADVENTURE is ALL ABOUT! You're willing to take a chance on unpredictable weather and moods because we can still capture raw and real and beautiful even if things don't go perfectly.

My goal with every family photography adventure is to simply capture the special connection that you share with your loved ones. That's it. There are no gimmicks or secrets to how I'm able to capture peoples spirits so genuinely. I'm just a stealth photo ninja that's there to take you on an adventure and ease the awkwardness of having your picture taken so that it's a lot less painful and a lot more awesome!

I'm so glad that I've had the opportunity to photograph the Johnson Family yet again. It's was Harper's 1st birthday when I last photographed them, so it was an honor to chronicle the growth of this merry family this holiday season. I had such a blast and I'm really looking forward to all of the families I will be photographing this coming weekend (Dec 6th & 7th) at the What Fir Tree Farm.

There are only two slots available on Sunday (Dec. 7th)! Short + Sweet Sessions are 20-minutes long, and you receive 10 high-resolution digital downloads, a 48-HR turnaround time so you can use them for easy gift giving, and all images are posted in an online gallery for viewing, ordering, and sharing for just $149 + tax. To book, call or text me at 828.773.8764 and I'll get you the details ASAP!

Time is running out if you would like to have me photograph your family this year! I'm closing up shop on December 15th and will not reopen until January 2015. I'll be taking the rest of this year off to recharge!

In other news: I will be launching my new website (http://www.wayfaringwanderer.com) this weekend! If you would like to see an early preview, I encourage you to sign-up for the Weekly Wander to get notifications so you don't miss any giveaways, promotions, or updates! Subscribe here » bit.ly/weekly-wander

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 }

» 11 Tips for Taking Awesome Family Holiday Photos
» Snider Family Adventure on the Greenway Trail
» Pennington Family Adventure at Valle Crucis Park 
» Hersey Family Reunion Adventure on Lake James, NC
» Scott Family Hiking Adventure on the Blue Ridge Parkway

11 Tips for Taking Awesome Family Holiday Photos w/ Wayfaring Wanderer | Boone Photographer

November and December are, undoubtedly, the busiest months for families looking to have the perfect photo captured for their annual holiday card or easy gift-giving. I send out a handy email with tips to help prepare my clients for their family photos a few days prior to the date we are going to take family pictures. I want to set everyone up for successful family holiday photos this year, so I decided to turn the email I share with my clients into a blog post.

All of the families that I will be working with is something that I look forward to because I love observing and capturing the close connections you have with your loved ones. I can't wait to meet all of the new families I'll be capturing this season during the holiday sessions at the What Fir Tree Farm on Dec. 6th & 7th (btw, I still have a few times lots available. Contact me for more details!).

No matter what season of life you are in whether you are newly engaged or a growing family, these tips can help take the stress out of the process. If you keep these insights in mind you will have a great time and end up with some awesome family pictures that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy!

12 Tips for Taking Awesome Family Holiday Photos. 

1. Coordinate your wardrobe, but not too much! - There is a fine line between coordinating and being too matchy matchy. Make this easy by choosing one main color and then select other outfits with complementary patterns or colors (think earthtones or varying shades of the same color) to build on the overall style for the family.

You do not have to match. In fact, it looks better when you don’t. A pop of color is always great! You’ll want to steer clear of shirts with large logos and limit patterns to only one person because it can be distracting otherwise. Above all, make sure you are comfortable in whatever you decide to wear, too!

2. Dress for the weather! I recommend that you check Raysweather.com to see how the weather is going to be for the location we are shooting in. If it is going to be cold, wear sweaters, coats, and gloves. We can briefly remove these items (for adults) if you want photos without them; however, it's best to be warm and cozy because if you're freezing it will, oftentimes, show in your photos and it's not really flattering. Make sure that everyone is bundled up and has on enough layers to stay warm. It's better to have more than what you need than not enough, I say, especially since these holiday family sessions take place outside!

3. Get Plenty of Rest! - Get to bed early and get a good night's sleep. Happy children = beautiful portraits. Rested parents = beautiful portraits. Also, when scheduling your time for photos don't forget to factor in naps and when those usually occur.

                       

4. Make Sure You Eat! - Fill the bellies of all session participants beforehand, if possible. This is especially true for young children and DADS! No one is happy when they’re hungry. Have snacks and water on hand just in case. Snacks can also be good for “bribing” the tots because they like to have treats to look forward to after the family photos are done! My suggestion would be to make sure that whatever snack you bring isn't too messy like crackers and won't turn their mouth blue like a lollipop. Nope, I won't photoshop that out either! :P



5. Don't Forget Props! - Bring along any small, meaningful items you'd like to incorporate into your session. A handmade quilt is a great prop to include and it can be used for sitting on the ground and staying warm! Comfort items for the little ones are also a good idea to include such as a special stuffed animal or toy. Think about what you might and might not want showing up in your final images. You don’t want to bring items that are too large or that will distract from their smiles!

                       

6. Arrive Early! - Arrive 15 minutes early to give yourself plenty of time to prepare and for last minute issues that may arise like a bathroom break if there is one nearby. Any amount of time that you're late to a photoshoot will directly impact the length of your session. Meaning, it will be deducted at the end which shortens the amount of time that you have.

7. Relax and just have fun! - The best photos are the candid ones of you being a family rather than the posed ones. We'll get some of those, too, but try to relax, play, and be yourselves. Don't focus on what you want the result to be and just enjoy the experience. You’ll get the best (and most natural) photos that way. My goal is to capture real moments as they unfold.

If mom and dad are stressed, then chances are the kids are going to pick up on that. Do your best to go into the shoot as relaxed as possible and realizing things might get a little hectic! With that being said, I'm all about making the shoot as fun and laid back as possible, so we'll do our best to keep everyone happy. Just know that if your toddler doesn't want to sit still that it's totally okay. Sometimes we have to let the little ones call the shots in order to keep the peace and their cooperation!

8. Be in the Moment! - Don’t feel as though you must be looking at the camera at all times in order for me to capture magical moments. Mom and Dad can be looking at the baby, Mom and Dad can be looking at each other, etc. Switch your gaze from the camera to your loved ones. Of course, I will let you know when I want you to do something different by directing you, so don’t worry about how you’re doing because I like to guide you along the way.

                     

9. Crazy is OKAY! -The main objective of ALL of my photoshoots is to ensure that everyone is having a good time. I want your experience to be fun and stress free even if things don’t go according to plan and smiles don’t happen on cue. If you have a toddler, it's likely they will have their own ideas about what they want to do, which is perfectly fine.

I’m used to toddlers keeping me on my toes so it’s not a problem if they want to break free from Mom and Dad to explore on their own. I will gladly follow with my camera in-hand as they play! Taking tiny breaks helps them go the distance so they aren't being bombarded with posed shots the whole time, too, so it's a win/win.

10. Watch For Preview! - Wait anxiously for your sneak peek and start planning how you'd like to display your new images. I recommend that you "like" the Wayfaring Wanderer FB page if you want to see a preview within 24-hours! Another sneak peek with a handful of images will also be posted within 7 days here on the blog while you're waiting to see your final images, so be on the lookout for that, too! It, typically, takes 14 business days before you'll get notification that your final gallery is ready to be viewed. My holiday turnaround time this year is a lightning fast 48-hours!

11. See it for yourself! - Last but not least...spend a quick 10-minutes watching this video with more great tips on achieving “Family Photos with Natural Emotion” which is something that I strive for when photographing families.

Let me know if you found these tips useful or if there's anything that I should add. I'd love to hear from you in the comments! 

If you want to be notified when I release details of my next giveaway or promotion, I encourage you to subscribe to the Weekly Wander so that you can be the first to know as soon as details are announced! **NEW** Christmas Family Photo Session dates will be published in this week's newsletter, and those on my list will get first dibs on the special offer I'm sharing! » GET NOTIFICATIONS

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 }

» Remove Holiday Stress w/ SHORT + SWEET Family Photo Sessions
» Snider Family Adventure on the Greenway Trail in Boone, NC
» No More Boring Family Photos! | Choose Your Adventure Family Photography
» Pennington Family Adventure at Valle Crucis Park 
» Scott Family Hiking Adventure on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Snider Family Adventure | Short + Sweet Family Photography Session WINNER | Boone, NC Photographer

Meet the Snider family! They were the winners of the "Share the Wander" photo contest I did this month. To WIN a family photo session with me all they had to do was share an image from any family adventure and post it directly to the Wayfaring Wanderer FB page along with a sentence or two about the picture and why you love going on adventures with your family. I'm a sucker for a good story!

Kelly posted an adorable image of Ian with Fina Mae on his shoulders and captioned it with,

"This is a snapshot from our first beach adventure as a family this September. It was so much fun to enjoy the ocean with our little girl! She loved the wind and water and getting to spend loads of quality time with daddy and mama. We love the way being parents allows us to see the world with new eyes."

It didn't require soliciting your FB friends for a bunch of likes, I simply put the names of all of the entries in a jar and picked a submission at random. While I think all of the families that entered would have been a blast to work with, I'm so happy that Kelly participated in the contest and won the session because they were such a sweet family to work with.

I know them already since they live in the Boone area—it's such a small town—and we have also purchased from their booth on occasion at the Watauga County Farmers' Market.

I've also had the pleasure of being the wedding photographer at an event where Kelly and Ian played music for the couples' ceremony. They are an incredibly talented family and make beautiful music together. Kelly is also in a band, The Sheets Family Band, and they play old-time music at events and weddings, too.

I was serenaded by the couple as they sang a song about a rooster to soothe their baby girl when she started getting finicky.

It was surprising how calm she was throughout most of the session, although smiles were harder to come by despite the ridiculous noises I was making to amuse her.

Fina Mae was attached to her banjo-shaped wooden rattle, it kept her pretty happy. There's no doubt that she'll be playing along side her parents in no time!

Their family photos took place on the Greenway Trail here in Boone, North Carolina where we braved the wintry weather for their holiday session.

Miss Fina Mae was eight months old on the day we did their pictures. I'm glad I got to help them celebrate this milestone by capturing the memories of this special day for them.

After we met up, they told me that it's been a while since they've visited the Greenway Trail. They don't live in town so it's not a place they venture to. I'm happy that it was a new adventure for the three of them. I love shooting at this location and do so regularly because it's such a pretty spot for outdoor family photos!

I inadvertently sent the three on a detour because they parked at the opposite end of where we were supposed to meet, so they had to trek a bit to get to the area where I was located.

I felt so bad that they had to walk further than they needed to, but they didn't seem to mind, and I suppose it was a great way to get their blood pumping before the photoshoot!

One of my main concerns of any session during the winter is to ensure that the baby / toddler / children stay cozy and are bundled up; I'm super paranoid about babies staying warm!

As soon as I saw the family walk up, I didn't waste any time starting our session. We jumped right in because I wanted to make the most of our short 30 minutes together, and because it was freezing!

As brief as our time may have been it was a pleasure photographing this snugly family of three. Thank you so much to the Snider's and everyone who participated in the Share the Wander Photo Contest for a Short + Sweet Session with me!

It was a lot of fun reading the entries and seeing your adventures in the photos that were shared. All of those happy faces reminds me of why I'm so grateful to do what I do because I get to be a part of creating memories just like this for the families and couples I have the honor of working with.

 Thank you for your support, it means the world to me. Because of you I get to do what I love another day! 

If you want to be notified when I release details of my next giveaway or promotion, I encourage you to subscribe to the Weekly Wander so that you can be the first to know as soon as details are announced! Christmas Photo Session dates will be published in this week's newsletter, and those on my list will get first dibs on the special offer I'm sharing! » GET NOTIFICATIONS

Friends of WW that don't live close enough to WIN a photosession with me, I'll be hosting a series of giveaways after Thanksgiving that include some of my favorite things because I don't want you to feel left out! That's all I'm going to say about this for now. ;-)

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 }

» Remove Holiday Stress w/ SHORT + SWEET Family Photo Sessions
» No More Boring Family Photos! | Choose Your Adventure Family Photography
» Pennington Family Adventure at Valle Crucis Park 
» Hersey Family Reunion Adventure on Lake James, NC
» Scott Family Hiking Adventure on the Blue Ridge Parkway