16 Jun

Marvin, NC Family Photographer | Happy Father’s Day

Marvin, NC Family Photographer | Happy Father’s Day

Just wanted to wish all of my wonderful clients and friends a very Happy Father’s Day!  I’m so blessed to have met so many wonderful Dads and Grandfathers while photographing families, and I can’t thank each of you enough for jumping into the photos with your family and children.  Here is just a sample of the amazing images I have been able to create thanks to all these great Dads and Grandpas that just love to have fun with their children and families!

Marvin, NC Family Photographer Father's Day Images

 

And this wouldn’t be complete without sharing images of my absolute favorite Dads and the most important Dads in my life.  Special thanks to George Buhl from Black Thumb Studio for photographing my husband’s entire family at a wedding last Christmas, and to Jessica Wernes from Dewdrop Photography for photographing my entire family this past Mother’s Day.  I love family portraits and so grateful to the wonderful photographers that photographed my family so I can be in the portraits with them!

And thanks to my husband, my Dad, my father-in-law and my two brothers-in-law for being the best Dads that I know.  You are all very loved and we are lucky to have you in our lives. These little munchkins are blessed to have amazing fathers and grandfathers!

Marvin, NC Family Photographer Happy Father's Day

10 Jun

Weddington, North Carolina Family Photographer | Ivy League

Weddington, North Carolina Family Photographer | Ivy League

Earlier this Spring, I had the incredible opportunity to photograph an adorable family portrait session right on the campus of Princeton University.  The campus was just gorgeous and the day and the light was beautiful, so add in a super sweet little boy and his wonderful parents and I might have been in photographer heaven for a few hours.  I have so many favorites from this session, and I loved just stepping back a few times and letting this family have fun together.  And I loved incorporating the beautiful buildings from the campus into this family’s portraits, as Mom is currently an art history professor at the university and therefore it has a special place in all of their hearts.

Hope these make you smile!  Enjoy!

North Carolina Family Portraits Weddington

Springtime Family Portrait session with Weddington NC Family Photographer Carolyn Ann Ryan
Weddington, North Carolina Family Photographer

 

07 Jun

North Carolina Family Photographer | Walking in the Rain {The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia – Cranford, NJ}

North Carolina Family Photographer | Walking in the Rain {The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia – Cranford, NJ}

About a month or so ago, I received a Facebook message from a friend letting me know that The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia was looking for a photographer to photograph their event.  Now, I specialize in family portrait sessions, and not event photography, so I initially wasn’t inclined to reach out.  Plus, I already had a session booked that weekend, and so this would mean more time away from my family.  My promise to my children is that while I do work most weekends, I will only book one session per weekend, so the other day is for them.

But then I remembered the reason my friend was involved with the Preeclampsia Foundation.  Sadly, she had Preeclampsia during her first pregnancy years ago, and she nearly lost her own life, and she did lose her little baby girl. Remembering her email that explained what happened to her that horrible day when she was about 8 months along in an uncomplicated pregnancy, broke my heart all over again.  And while she now has 3 adorable boys, her heart will never forget her baby girl.  And so I reached out to the Foundation, and I agreed to be their photographer for the day, because it was just something I had to do.

It turned out to be an incredibly inspiring day, and I met a ton of wonderful people, who smiled despite the torrential rain, and who cried together as we listened to the stories from the speakers.  I learned more about the symptoms of Preeclampsia, which every pregnant woman should know, and I learned about the life of Lauren Bloomstein, a sweet woman who lost her life to Preeclampsia after delivering her beautiful baby girl.  I now want to be more involved with this organization, and I hope to be available and invited back for future walks.  And I continue to pray for the families that have been impacted by Preeclampsia, and I hope to help spread awareness to help save lives.

I created this slideshow with my favorite images from the day and shared it with the race organizers.  I invite you to take a couple of minutes to watch, and also ask that you learn more about Preeclampsia and its symptoms from the Preeclampsia Foundation.

The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia – Cranford has raised nearly $50,000 for this cause and I know they were hoping to raised another $500 to reach that $50,000 goal.  If this slideshow and the stories inspire you, and you would like to donate, you can do so by clicking here.  Thank you for your time.

PS – One of my favorite parts of the day was meeting a mother who told her little girl that they weren’t just walking in the rain that day – they were going “puddle jumping” instead.  She turned the rain into rainbows for her daughter and everyone else that got to chuckle while watching that sweet girl have a blast jumping in every puddle she found.  And yes, you can find the adorable “puddle jumper” in the slideshow.

Hope she brings a smile to you on this rainy day.

 

03 Jun

Charlotte, North Carolina Communion and Family Portraits | Formal and Casual

Charlotte, North Carolina Communion and Family Portraits| Formal and Casual

When parents contact me for Communion Portraits, I always suggest booking a day separate from your actual Communion Day and turning the portrait session for your child into an opportunity to also capture family portraits too.  On Communion Day, families are often hectic and can feel rushed.  There is usually a tight schedule, and not as much time as they wish they had for photographs. When we book a separate day, we have all the time we want and need.  We have a chance to photograph the child that received their Communion, as well as their siblings and the entire family in their formal attire, but then as special treat, everyone can change into casual clothes, and that’s when the fun really begins!

And so I loved my Communion sessions this year, especially this one.  We started out with our formal portraits, and then the family changed outfits and drove to one of my favorite spots in Watchung Reservation. I love the outfits Mom selected, and the pop of color against the early Spring backdrop of the park.  I know Mom can’t wait to see their adorable images on her walls, and they’ll be arriving at her home very soon.

Enjoy!

Child Photographer, Carolyn Ann Ryan, photographs Communion Portraits in Charlotte, NC

NC Child and Family Photographer, Carolyn Ann Ryan, captures beautiful family portraits in Charlotte, NC