Charlotte NC Family Photographer Archives - Charlotte Family Photographer

27 Apr

Engaging Charlotte NC Family Photographer| National Tell-A-Story Day

Today is National Tell-A-Story Day and I thought this photograph of a Mom and her little man sharing a story was the perfect image to share today. Isn’t amazing what happens when we open a book to read to our children? All Mom had to do was open this book to read to her son, and this sweet moment just happened. I love how he just cuddled into her arms ready to read with his Momma. It’s the simple, classic moments in life that are filled with memories. They bring us back to childhood and to our favorite places. Being a mom now, I love reading time with my kids and this photograph speaks to my heart as I remember all those nights with my own little munchkins snuggled into my arms and lap ready to read a good story together.

From National Day Calendar, it says “On National Tell A Story Day, it does not matter if the story is a short story or a long story, fiction or nonfiction, a tall tale or folklore. This is a day for them all. We encourage you to tell your stories and even share them on social media using #NationalTellAStoryDay.”

10 Apr

Classic Charlotte NC Family Portraits – National Siblings Day

As you may have heard, today is National Siblings Day and I love taking a few moments on this day to share some of my favorite portraits of siblings from the last year. Siblings are your instant best friends, biggest supporters, shoulders to cry on, and they will be a special part of almost all of your childhood memories. And yes, they are also the people you will likely fight with the most, but regardless of the fights, teasing, or competing, they are the people that will always be there for you when you need them. They will be in your biggest cheerleaders in life, and even your defenders should you ever need them.

There is just something amazing that comes with being and having a sibling, and it is definitely something to celebrate. It is unconditional and everlasting.

Having a sister myself, I have always loved the song “Sisters” featured in the movie White Christmas. ‘Sisters, Sisters, there were never such devoted sisters . . .”

While many of these are classic portraits of siblings, I think the last image at the bottom may be one of my favorites showing the silliness of siblings working together in opposite of their parents. That image was not posed or requested and was just a natural moment from an adorable family session.

And below, here are some favorite images of my family members. On the top left is my four beautiful nieces, which my daughter jumping in. On the top right is a photograph from a family party showing my father with his eldest brother along with my aunt and my mom. The brother two images highlight the sibling goofiness and friendship of my own two children. The bottom left photograph was taken by my talented friend, Annette Goodman, from Annette Goodman Photography during our family portrait session last year.

03 Feb

North Carolina Family Photographer | Valentine Gift Idea

Charlotte, North Carolina Family Photographer’s Valentine’s Day Gift Idea

Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away. It’s amazing to realize that we are already into the second month of 2016, and I just finally started remembering to use 2016 instead of 2015 on my checks. But now it’s time to think of Valentine’s Day presents. While I’m not ready yet for myself, as a Family Photographer in the Charlotte, North Carolina area, I do have an amazing idea for all the Dads and Husbands out there, and I’m so excited to share it!

What does a Mother love more than anything else in this whole word? It’s not chocolate, jewelry, flowers, and it isn’t even wine (although, wine can sometimes be a good friend).

It’s her family!

So, this Valentine’s Day, give her a gift that will surprise and delight her. Give her the gift of Memories. Give her the gift of Family with a gift certificate towards a Family Portrait Session.

This is a gift that won’t just last this year, but when she orders beautiful family portraits for the walls in your home, she will see them everyday and always remember the Valentine’s present she loved so much!

Now, I know what you might be thinking. Are you envisioning a torturous family session where you are desperately trying to get your kids to smile? Why would you sign up for that?

That’s where I come in and make that part of the process as painless as possible. With years of experience, I have the secrets to reducing the stress of a family portrait session. We’ll discuss everything to help you and your spouse prepare for the day during our pre-session consultation call. When you arrive at the session, the goal is simply to have fun while spending time with the ones you love the most.

What comes with your gift certificate?

a beautifully packaged gift certificate all ready to present (no wrapping needed)
a $100 print credit to use towards your print order (special offer valid now through February 120th)
on the day after Valentine’s Day, your spouse will receive an email with our online booking calendar to select her session date

How do you get one?
Simply call me at 704-256-7270. I look forward to working with you and your family!

21 Jan

Charlotte, NC Family Photographer receives International Awards at WPPI Competition

Charlotte, NC | Award Winning Family and Pet Portraits

I am beyond thrilled to announce that Carolyn Ann Ryan Photography recently earned four Silver Awards in the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) Second Half 2015 Image Competition . Each year, I submit a handful of my favorite images to the top Image Competitions in order to have my work reviewed and critiqued by some of the most talented photographers in the industry. And I’m not alone in this effort as thousands of entries are submitted by photographers around the globe and every entry is critiqued and scored by the panel of judges.

I’m ecstatic to have multiple images recognized by the judges, and with these awards I have earned the title ‘Associate of WPPI‘. All of the images below were created during portrait sessions with my clients, and I am truly honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to create each of these images. Whether photographing an adorable family of six or a family’s new puppy, I have truly loved being a part of each of these moments.

Charlotte NC Award Winning Family Photographer wins silver award from WPPI

Together is All We Need

Charlotte NC Family Portrait Photographer Award Winning Cat Photograph earns silver award from WPPI

Lost in a Sea of Green

Charlotte NC Family Photographer Award Winning Mother and Son portrait wins silver award from WPPI

Sharing Secrets

Wanna Take Me Home?

28 Oct

Charlotte NC Family Portraits | Focus on the Moments

One of my favorite wedding photographers is constantly reminding photographers that photographing a wedding isn’t about capturing and documenting the shoes, rings and table cards, but it’s about capturing the moments of the day. I think the same can be true in family portraits. It isn’t about photographing a styled session and showing photographs of children holding berries or pinecones (while I will admit these can be beautiful images and wonderful accents to a gallery), but it’s about documenting a family together for an afternoon. It’s about the squeezes and hugs, the way they look at each other, the giggles and laughs, and the stolen moments of pure adorableness. And it’s about remembering the couple of hours they spent together just enjoying each other’s company and being happy. But sometimes, my favorite part of these sessions is remembering the moments that triggered that perfect giggle or smile and what might have been happening behind the scenes to create those seemingly perfect moments. If the viewer of the photographs only knew how we did it. Because yes, maybe the giggles were generated by the tiniest family member singing a song about poops while the family walked together holding hands. As you can imagine, that might just cause the rest of the family to crack up with real, genuine laughter and for me – it becomes the perfect moment. I just love those moments. They are my favorite.

16 Oct

Charlotte, NC Family Photographer | Beauty Multiplied

Charlotte, NC Family Photographer | Beauty Multiplied

I really have a special place in my heart for families that have four girls. While I also love families with 1, 2, 3, 5 or more girls, there is just something about the magic number 4. Maybe, it’s because my only sister has four beautiful daughters and my nieces are some of the most awesome kids I know. There is something so amazing about their sisterhood and friendships – words can’t even describe it. It is so evident in the way they support each other in everything they do. And well, my sister is the equivalent of a superhero in my eyes. I absolutely have no idea how she does all that she does, and in the midst of what could be chaos for some, has created an incredibly loving and crazily fun home and family.

And so, I have a crazy amount of respect and love for parents with four daughters, and I have so much spending time with their families and seeing the family dynamics. This family was no exception, and I saw the same crazily awesome feeling of sisterhood existing in this four beautiful girls, and it was such a pleasure to spend an afternoon with them. But I think all in the family would agree, that the littlest munchkin absolutely STOLE.THE.SHOW! We just couldn’t stop giggling at the amazing and sometimes hilarious expressions she provided. It became evident that she just didn’t love sitting in the grass, especially as she would hold her legs up in the air while Dad was trying to sit her down. And then, she just kept us smiling throughout the day. These images not only gave us beautiful photographs for wall portraits and holiday cards, but we were also able to create the most perfect Thank You card for the littlest first birthday party!

I hope these make you smile today!

12 Oct

Charlotte, NC Family Photographer | Even when they are not so little . . .

As a family photographer, I truly believe there is never a bad time for family portraits. It doesn’t matter the age of your children, younger or older, it’s always a great time to update your photographs. Children deserve to have tons of beautiful images and photographs with their parents that they will keep and treasure years into the future. When children are teenagers, it’s awesome to remind them of the importance of family and the closeness they share with their family members. As children get older, they often start to realize that their parents are their best friends and their biggest fans and champions. These relationships are so fun to capture in images for both parents and children. During this particular session, I especially loved showing these beautiful girls just how stunning they really are, and my favorite photographs from the day were the ones we created of the sisters together. Their incredibly close friendship just shines right through in these photographs. Through thick or thin, these sisters will forever be each other’s best friend.

18 Aug

Marvin, NC Photographer | Back to School Portraits

Marvin, NC Photographer | Back to School Portraits

Tomorrow will be the first day of school for my oldest child. As we relocated from New Jersey to Charlotte, North Carolina earlier this Summer, tomorrow’s Back to School brings excitement and a little nervousness. We are entering a whole new world tomorrow, including the world of school uniforms. We were so excited that we couldn’t wait for the official first day (tomorrow), and took advantage of last night’s beautiful light to capture these Back to School Portraits.

Wishing this girl a wonderful day tomorrow and can’t wait to hear about all her new friendships and the adventures that await her this year.

Mom Photographer Tip: Some of the best smiles and giggles from our brief session came when a fly buzzed my ear and I jumped around in a circle trying to get away from it. I’m sure it was an amusing and entertaining sight and I’m happy it wasn’t caught on video. My daughter thought it was hysterical! But that is definitely something that can be faked while photographing your own kids that is bound to bring a few giggles.

19 Jan

Future Charlotte, NC Family Photographer – The Road Ahead

Getting ready to move to Charlotte, NC

Carolyn Ann Ryan, Family Photographer from NJ, gets ready for relocating to Charlotte, NC

As we have been packing away the holiday decorations (and yes, we are definitely delayed on that task), the reality of the next six months is sinking in more and more – and our upcoming move to Charlotte, NC is almost here. If you are a subscriber to my monthly newsletter, then you probably already saw the news a few months back that my family and I will be moving to Charlotte, NC in June 2015. My husband is being relocated for his job, and so while we are excited about this opportunity, we are also going to miss our family and friends in NJ, and I will certainly miss my wonderful clients.

I’m definitely a sentimental person, and therefore with each holiday and milestone, I can’t help but realize that this is our last Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s in our NJ home. When we purchased this house, we thought it was just a starter house and we would probably only live here for a couple of years. And here we are, 10 years later, and this house has truly been our home. We have loved this town, our friends, neighbors and this whole community.

But I also have been keeping my thoughts focused on the road ahead. These will be exciting times for our family with new home construction, new schools for the kids, new friends to make, warmer weather to enjoy (really happy about this one), and many new adventures for all of us.

What does this mean for Carolyn Ann Ryan Photography? I’m still in business in NJ until the end of June, but the last sessions in NJ will be held around mid-May to ensure that all images are processed and all ordering appointments are complete before we move.

I will unfortunately be unable to donate gift certificates to Tricky Trays and Silent Auctions in NJ this year, but if you know schools in the Marvin, Weddington, Ballantyne, Matthews, Wesley Chapel, and Pineville areas in North Carolina that will be hosting fundraisers in the late Spring, please let me know and I may be able to provide a gift certificate.

Additionally, if you have friends in the South Charlotte area, near Marvin, Weddington, Ballantyne, and surrounding neighborhoods, then please let them know that Carolyn Ann Ryan Photography will be re-launching in the Fall and I’m looking forward to working with families in the area!

We still have six more months to go, but just wanted to give a special thanks to all of our wonderful NJ and NY clients! It has been a privilege to work with you and your families, and thank you for making me part of your moments and memories! If you are ever in the Charlotte, NC area, then please get in touch!

17 Jul

Playful Charlotte, NC Family Portraits | Ready, Set, Leaves!

I just love how the fall season creates a beautiful backdrop for a family portrait session. It’s the combination of colors, lighting and cool breeze that make it my favorite time of year, and this session highlighted everything I love about the season. Mother Nature provided all the fun we needed.

While I am so excited that the summer is here and we get to have great beach days, lots of ice cream cones and have the kids stay up way past bedtimes, images like these remind me that just around the corner is my favorite time of year. After the hot and humid weather disappears, there is still so much more fun and excitement to look forward to and so many fun sessions on the way! And now is a great time to think about booking that Fall family session!

13 Dec

Charlotte Photographer shares The BEST Christmas gift idea ever for your wife!

Dads & Husbands of all generations,

When it comes to Christmas shopping for your wife:

Are you still trying to think of that amazing gift for your wife for Christmas?
Do you want to give her a gift that will surprise and delight her?
Do you want a gift that will show her what an amazing woman and mother she is for your family?
Do you want something that will make her smile nearly everyday for the entire year and many years to follow?

Then look no further, I have the answer for you.
What does a mother love more than anything – more than jewelry, vacations, food or even more than coffee? The answer – her family! So give her the gift of family by giving her a gift certificate for a family portrait session so that together we can create absolutely beautiful images of your family spending time together.

Still not convinced?
I know what you might be thinking. Are you envisioning a torturous family session where you are desperately trying to get your kids to smile? Why would you sign up for that? But that’s where I come in and make that part of the process as painless as possible. With years of experience, I have the secrets to successful and painless family portrait sessions, and we’ll discuss everything to help you and your wife prepare for the day during our pre-session consultation call. When you arrive at the session, the goal is simply to have fun while spending time with the ones you love the most.

What comes with your gift certificate?

a beautifully wrapped gift certificate all ready to present on Christmas morning
a $100 print credit to use towards your print order (special offer valid now through December 23rd)
on the day after Christmas, your wife will receive an email with our online booking calendar to select her session date
your session fee will be booked with the 2013 session rate (session fees will be going up in 2014)

How do I get one and finish my Christmas shopping TODAY?
Call me at 908-889-5416 and you enjoy the rest of season stress free!

Charlotte Photographers shares the BEST Christmas Gift Idea ever from Carolyn Ann Ryan Photography

12 Dec

Stylish Uptown Charlotte Family Photographs| Big Sis

Having an older sister is a gift – she’s a friend, a partner in crime, a teacher and sometimes a second mom. This big sister is not only a confident young lady but she has a fun, silly side which allows her to be that quintessential big sister. This younger brother is so lucky to have her to look up to and one day their roles will reverse and he’ll return the favor. Siblings, what a gift!

28 Nov

Dreamy Waxhaw, NC Family Portraits | Give Thanks!

Thanksgiving is about eating, laughing and most importantly spending time with your loved ones. It’s a time to GIVE THANKS for all that we have. Life is busy and sometimes we forget our greatest treasures are the people right in front of us. During this session, this beautiful family of four took the time to celebrate their family and give thanks for each other.

Today, I’m so thankful for my amazing family and friends that support me, even through the busiest of seasons, and also thankful for every moment that I get to spend doing something I love. Thank you to my husband, children, parents, sister, sister-in-law, my entire family and all of my friends and clients!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels to be with the ones you love!

13 Nov

Delightful Waxhaw, NC Family Photography | Feet

Feet are funny! In those first few years they are so adorable and cute. I love how babies and toddlers are always fascinated by their feet but what makes me smile about these twins is how he seems more interested in his sister’s feet than his own! It was just instinct for him to grab his sister’s foot as soon as she kicked it forward. It speaks to the connection between them, and I really I hope that connection simply grows, as they grow up together.

07 Nov

Vintage Charlotte, North Carolina Extended Family Portrait Session | Props!

This vintage Charlotte, North Carolina extended family session is special for two reasons. First, I love when extended families get together and share the love and second, I absolutely love and appreciate when they bring props!!! Working with props is always fun, it not only helps me understand their personality but it just brings a great energy to the session. These hats are the perfect example! The kids had such a great time and their own creativity just shined through as well. One of my favorite images is the tango, and it’s even better because it was THEIR idea!!! I love when the kids join in and help plan the photographs, because then their smiles are just that much bigger in the images!