BABY ALICE IS LOVED! | NEWBORN LIFESTYLE WITH TWIN SIBLINGS

Baby Alice was eleven days old the chilly spring morning that we met. She was determined to not miss a thing during our Newborn Lifestyle session together. Her bright eyes stayed open and I was able to capture some of her sweet little personality while she watched her brother and sister giggle and play close by. They absolutely ADORE her!

I met Alice's mom at East Carolina University and had not seen her in years. I was so excited to see her again and meet her beautiful family. Being welcomed into someone's home is always an extra special experience. Lifestyle sessions allow for natural moments to unfold in the comfort of your home, with dreamy natural light shining through the windows. After a little snack and some snuggles, Alice dozed off in her adorable nursery while I photographed her tiny features so her parents will have those memories forever.
 

DOUBLE THE LOVE WITH TWINS

I met Amber and Caleb at a Tree Farm when they were weeks away from welcoming their two little boys into the world. What a treat it was to be invited into their home and meet the boys when they turned six months old! They are identical but sported their own little individual personalities. They cuddled on the bed, showed me their precious nursery, and showed off their squishy rolls for the camera. I could hang out with these guys all day! 
 

MOUNTAIN TOP | FAMILY AT SUNSET

Exploring mountain tops and reuniting with friends are perks of my career that I do not take for granted. We waited for the perfect evening to meet at the mountain top summit. After exchanging hugs and meeting my friend's beautiful children, we shared laughs and took in the view. Aside from an awesome evening spent together, one of the things that I will hold close to my heart from this session is one sentence that my friend told me after receiving her gallery - "If for a second you ever second guess what you are doing, DON'T." I can't wait for my next mountain top adventure, and capturing memories for another beautiful family!
 

ON THE FARM | FAMILY AT SUNSET

This family session = when everything just falls into place perfectly! Thank you to Jenny, for finding the perfect location! We had a warm, sunny evening together, chasing down horses and twirling in the field at sunset. It was a pleasure to photograph your beautiful family!

OLD SALEM PAINTINGS | WINSTON - SALEM ARTIST, BILL EDWARDS

In March 2017, we strolled through the streets of Old Salem. He would point to the buildings that interested him, and I happily photographed them. He had a vision to create a calendar of Old Salem buildings. Fascinated by the history, array of colors, and mostly the challenge, 98 year old artist Bill Edwards had dreamed of putting together a calendar of his watercolor art. He explained to me that every true to life detail of the buildings needed to be represented in his paintings, with the only added liberty being to remove vehicles out of the background. This is to ensure that Old Salem is authentically represented in his work. 

Born in Alabama in August 1919, Bill Edwards has story after story to share of his colorful life. With a special knack to grow anything, his picturesque art studio is nestled in his back yard garden, currently boasting blooms of a camellia named after him - The Japonica 'Bill Edwards' Camellia. Bill Edwards traveled the world aboard the USS Memphis Flagship of the Atlantic Fleet in World War II. Some of the many places that he visited surround him in beautiful paintings in this studio. Bill Edwards moved to Winston - Salem in 1957, and opened his art studio in Clemmons, NC in 1982. After chatting it up with my mother in the produce section of the grocery store, he has been welcomed into my family for Easter and Thanksgiving celebrations for many years. 

I put together a gallery of photographs for Bill Edwards to choose from our day at Old Salem. He narrowed them down, and then had them transferred to slides. He then projected the images onto a screen, and began to sketch. Over one hundred hours went into the watercolor paintings for his calendar, and a countless number of foot taps as Bill Edwards loves to listen to jazz while he works. He even sang while I photographed him in his studio. 

I'm proud to have played a small part in this beautiful masterpiece. 

 

SUNSET IN THE TREES | JENAE + FAMILY

I love that photography provides me with the opportunity to meet wonderful new people. This sweet family recently moved across the country. Everything came together perfectly for our sunset in the park. We had a beautiful evening with the sunlight shining through the trees. Jenae rocked her flower crown and showed me her favorite spots in the park. And how perfect is mom's dress twirling in the rays of light? 
 

ENGAGED AT THE FARMSTEAD | DANIELLE + JOEY

We had a lovely evening one year out from their wedding to celebrate Danielle and Joey being engaged! The Farmstead venue in Mount Pleasant, North Carolina was a stunning backdrop for celebrating this exciting time for Danielle and Joey. They danced, laughed, snuggled, and shared a gorgeous sunset together. I can't wait for their wedding day in September. Fall is my favorite time of the year, and a wonderful season for weddings!
 

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER AT SUNSET | CARMELLA + NATALIE

Natalie had a vision - to capture the bond she shares with her beautiful doll of a daughter, Carmella. Everything came together perfectly for our sunset in the field. The fall light danced through the tree line and this mother and daughter duo twirled and blew bubbles with George Ezra music playing in the background. That was until I found out Carmella is a Beyoncé fan, so we switched it up. ;)

I am forever grateful when given the opportunity to capture a vision and fleeting moments of life.  
 

INDUSTRIAL STYLE | THE FOLEY FAMILY

A smile filled my face so far my cheeks hurt, and my heart filled with joy. That's how I felt when I received a text from Teigan after sending her the gallery of images from their family session -

"Jenni, these are incredible. I cannot thank you enough! This is ten million times more beautiful than I ever could have imagined!"  

We spent a rainy evening together running through empty halls, peeking through oversized windows, dancing with bubbles, story time, and puddle jumping. The girls are free spirits and their awesome parents invited me to capture this fleeting stage of their lives.

"Some people feel the rain - others just get wet." The Foley family embraced our rainy evening and weren't the least bit worried about getting wet. Letting go and embracing the elements makes for the best memories.  
 

QUEENS UNIVERSITY WEDDING | LACEY + OLIVER

It was an honor to be part of Lacey and Oliver's wedding day! Their love story dates back to over ten years ago when they meet at Stoole Pigeons Sports Bar in Charlotte through a mutual friend. Oliver proposed to Lacey in Uptown Charlotte, which is also where we spent a sunrise together for their engagement portraits. It only made sense that they would be united in Charlotte and celebrate at the place that brought Oliver to the United States - Queens University.  With family traveling from Guatemala, and ten years worth of mutual friends, Lacey and Oliver's wedding day was bursting at the seams with love and gratitude.

Lacey looked stunning in her Martina Liana gown with her hair styled to perfection by Tammy and Mae with Modern Salon & Spa. Ballantyne Limo drove us to Little Sugar Creek Greenway in style for a quick wedding party portrait. It seemed only fitting that their was a soccer game happening! Soccer is the reason Oliver traveled to the United States. The soccer players happily let us interrupt their game, and pose with the soccer ball.

Congratulations, Lacey and Oliver! Your wedding day was beautiful and I am so happy for you both. A special thank you to Yessica for helping me capture the day!

 

SUNSET FIELD | CHRISTINE MATERNITY

Christine greeted me with a hug and arms that felt like ice! She had blasted the AC in her car ride to the field to prepare for the heat! With temperature predictions of close to 100°, I thought for sure Christine would prefer to postpone our session together. Not only did she eagerly agree to continue as planned, she showed up with ice packs, bottled water for days, and a cooling towel! A smile never left her face - even when fire ants decided to join in our session. 

Christine and Zach cuddled and danced effortlessly in front of the camera. I have no doubt their new addition will have a fun and joyful life with these two for parents!

Christine has an amazing eye for vintage must-haves. Check out her collection available for rent at Carolina Charm!
 

UPTOWN CHARLOTTE FAMILY PORTAIT SESSION AT THE WESTIN

A morning with this fun, extended family at The Westin in Uptown Charlotte! Filled with beautiful light, giggles, and snack time. 

Thank you for spending the morning with me!

 

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CAROLINE | FAMILY OF THREE AT THE PARK

Freedom Park is one of Caroline's favorites spots! She is full of life and energy- she gleefully ran all around the park and showed us the best spots. We were lucky to have pops of colors on this beautiful fall evening. 

 

STERLING | FAMILY SESSION IN THE PARK

Sterling has the sweetest little personality! She greeted me with a big smile and eagerly chased and popped bubbles. We spent the morning together strolling through the park, sitting by the water, and duck hunting. Sterling found a few favorite leaves on the ground which she carried around for most of our morning together until she found the perfect home for them! It was a pleasure meeting Sterling and her mom, and capturing the sweet age of two. 
 

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214 MARTIN STREET | JENNIFER & MICHAEL RALEIGH WEDDING

Jennifer and Michael invited me to share in their wedding day story on June 24, 2016. They were married at 214 Martin Street - a quaint venue on a cobblestone street in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Jennifer and I met on a Skype call and she shared her romantic proposal story - Michael popped the question during a hike at Lake Tahoe! Their dog Jazzy was a part of it, as well as a photographer that Michael had arranged to be there! Hearing Jennifer's excitement about her love for Michael and the plans for their wedding day made me so excited to meet them and capture memories for them.

The wedding day was full of laughs and dancing from Jennifer and Michael's awesome wedding party and families.

My favorite parts of their day included -

Jennifer's first look with Dad
The way Michael looked at Jennifer so lovingly the entire day
The Maid on Honor and Best Man speeches - both were amazing speakers and shared stories and jokes that had everyone laughing!

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Shelton for including me in your day! Thank you to Kiersten for capturing some great moments.