This is Amy's family and I'm so lucky because this is the third summer in a row I've gotten to photograph them! It's so fun for me to see the same families year after year and watch them grow. Baby Stella is the newest addition to this family, and Camden is her older brother. Also new to the photos this year were Gary and Sophia, brother and sister, and their parents. Yvonne and Greg with their three children and a boyfriend returned, and of course Amy and Harry, with Collin, Emma, Claire, and Quinten. It was wonderful to see you again and I hope we continue the tradition next summer!

We got older and Mary's family moved away to Kentucky when we were about 11. Julie and I continued this way through high school, and she and Mary stayed in touch as well. Julie wound up going to school with one of my good high school friends, so we even saw each other in our early college years. Then life progressed. We didn't have cell phones or Facebook...until about 2008. And then I got to reconnect with both Mary and Julie.

I saw Mary again for the first time in about 37 years this past week, and I had the pleasure of photographing her family! She was here visiting with her family - her husband, Darren, and their three children, Lilly, Josh, and Ben. She was staying in Corolla with her two sisters, Michelle and her husband, who have Jack and Erin, and Lisa and her husband, who have Kate and Olivia. They are such a beautiful family and it was a joy to reconnect with Mary and see her family!

Now as if that weren't enough, Mary perused my portfolio after her session. She now lives in Philadelphia, and she recognized a couple from one of the weddings I photographed about two years ago in May 2018, Madison and Aidan. As it turns out, Aidan's sister, Ava, is Mary's son's, Ben's, girlfriend. What a small world coincidence!

I love photography so much for all of these connections!

1. Reliable, Consistent, Professional

2. Turnaround time: Guaranteed 72 hours 

3. Photos delivered via online gallery

4. Sized in full resolution and reduced sized for MLS posting

5. Photos clearly labeled by room so that you can walk through the house and understand the layout

6. Light home staging included - beds will be made as best as possible, toilet seats down, lights on, extraneous items removed, towels straight, etc.

7. App for phone viewing available and included

8. Areas served include Corolla (before 4WD) to Nags Head to Pirates Cove to Powells Point. Other areas including 4WD require additional $50.

Technique:

Angles, exposure, height, equipment, editing software and process, expertise in real estate photography - these are all critical factors in creating gorgeous real estate photos that exceed your expectations. We use the proper equipment including a full frame camera, 16-35MM lense, and tripod to capture HDR photography. We edit the photos in two to three separate software programs to combine different frame exposures and create the most properly exposed photograph possible. Outside views from interior photos are properly exposed and not "blown out," while your interiors maintain the proper exposure as well. Angles and heights are consistent and pleasing to the eye, and the wide angle lense used allows for proper viewing of the room without excessively distorting reality. The editing process maintains the correct exposures and colors, delivering beautiful, bright, crisp, clean, accurate, real estate photos, displaying your property in the best way possible.

This is Kim and Steve and their lovely family. They have three adult children, two moms and a dad. George has 15 year old Alexis who was sweet and helpful with her younger cousins during photos. Kim's two daughters are married to Brandon and Ryan, and they have five children in middle school and younger. I know Braden was a little cautious about starting 7th grade, and I really hope that it's going well for him now that it's underway. Cici looked so pretty with her necklace and hair updo, and really enjoyed having photos taken. I appreciate this family so much and hope everyone is having a great school year so far!

Erin and Gerard have three beautiful and energetic kids. Nolan is the oldest at almost 10 and likes to play tennis. Griffin is almost 8 and likes to play basketball. Sienna is the youngest at 4 and is so cute. She makes sand into fairy dust and sings a song as she throws her fairy dust in the air, calling to bring the fairies to her.

Gerard's brother is Justin, married to Allison, and they have, Elodie, who just turned 1. Allison's mom, Pam, was here for the pictures as well, along with their adorable dog, Puffin. Puffin loves Elodie and gave her a big kiss when she was getting her photo taken. I'm so grateful to work with this family again and hope to see them again next summer!

beach, family, obx, "outer banks", "outer banks family photographer", photographer, photography, Corolla, Duck, "Nags Head", "Duck Island Photographer" beach, family, obx, "outer banks", "outer banks family photographer", photographer, photography, Corolla, Duck, "Nags Head", "Duck Island Photographer" beach, family, obx, "outer banks", "outer banks family photographer", photographer, photography, Corolla, Duck, "Nags Head", "Duck Island Photographer" beach, family, obx, "outer banks", "outer banks family photographer", photographer, photography, Corolla, Duck, "Nags Head", "Duck Island Photographer" beach, family, obx, "outer banks", "outer banks family photographer", photographer, photography, Corolla, Duck, "Nags Head", "Duck Island Photographer" beach, family, obx, "outer banks", "outer banks family photographer", photographer, photography, Corolla, Duck, "Nags Head", "Duck Island Photographer" beach, family, obx, "outer banks", "outer banks family photographer", photographer, photography, Corolla, Duck, "Nags Head", "Duck Island Photographer"

As the four week countdown to the end of tax season has started, I am SO EXCITED for the upcoming summer family photography season!! I'm booking up now and can't wait to work with all of you beautiful families this summer!

 

The day was hot. Really hot. Sunny, few clouds, 100 degrees in the sun at least. The girls had beautiful soleless sandals, and had to put on flip flops for the beach because the sand was so hot! But Stormi and Justin didn't mind one bit. Stormi requested that Justin where a blazer for the photos and the ceremony, and he did, without a word about the heat. He wants his bride to be happy and does everything he can to see that happen.

After getting ready, Stormi made her way down the dock to the gazebo where Justin was waiting for her for their First Look.

Making use of the shade, the family gathered for some photos before heading to the beach for the ceremony.

It was a beautiful beach day and the beach was crowded, but the bride and groom only had eyes for each other, and the beach goers were forgotten as the ceremony began. The flower girls pulled petals from their shell covered buckets and the bride was walked down the sandy aisle by her father, hugging him as he led her to her groom. There was a communion, a sand ceremony symbolizing the coming together of two families on the foundation of the sand they stood on, and the exchange of rings and vows. After they were pronounced husband and wife, Justin kissed his bride, and the two newlyweds turned to their guests for a beach ball send off. 

Because of the hot temperatures, we kept the family photos short after the ceremony, and let the flower girls head back to the house to cool off. And then I got to have Stormi and Justin all to myself for some photos. Justin was so happy and was very excited to whisk Stormi up into his arms, and into the ocean. He took off his shoes and rolled up his pants, but not quite enough to avoid getting wet, as he made certain to keep his bride safe and dry.  

We had some fun taking photos in front of the ocean, and found some pretty spots against the dunes too, with beautiful light pouring over them.

I drove the bride and groom back to their house for the reception, where they began with speeches and a delicious meal of BBQ, macaroni and cheese, and vegetables. They had two adorable cakes commemorating their meeting at the gym, and a favorite of Justin's, oatmeal creme pies made from scratch from their favorite bakery in Richmond. They really encouraged me to enjoy the food and especially an oatmeal creme pie, which I must say was one of my favorite things I've ever eaten!

After the meal the cake was cut, and the bride and groom enjoyed their first dance together, with the Sound sparkling behind them. Stormi danced with her dad, and Justin and his mom enjoyed a sweet and emotional dance. The flower girls had a lively dance and the guests cooled off, relaxing by the side of the pool with their feet in the water. I headed back down to the dock with Stormi and Justin for a few last photos and said goodbye. As I walked up the stairs and turned to take one last look at the beautiful setting, I noticed them enjoying their first quiet moment together as husband and wife. 

It was a beautiful day filled with love and family. I wish Stormi and Justin a lifetime of love, joy, and peace together!

Officiant: Reverend Jay Bowman

Rentals: I Do OBX Chairs

🌞This will give me the opportunity to create an ongoing monthly stream of income and continue growing and innovating as a photographer, while providing you with photography that keeps you connected to the Outer Banks and the beach all year long. To learn more and support my photography, please visit my Patreon page through this link. I have a limited time offer for new patrons who join me through September 30 and am happy to answer any questions you have!

https://www.patreon.com/kimberlymichelephotography

My family and I are back home and I'm not sure I've ever been so glad to be home! We spent the week up in Arlington, near DC, and got to see some of our family, visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture (my husband and daughter went and loved it), shopped at Tyson's Corner, watched a lot of tv and movies, and played a lot of video games. My daughter, who was born in New York City, said yes mam (not so much because we've taught her to, but because she knows it makes people here happy), asked for sweet tea, and got some crazy looks. I'm so happy to be back in the Outer Banks where both are common. I went out to take a few photos of the ocean last night. As soon as the salt air breeze hit me, I put my toes in the sand and the warm ocean, instantly I felt better and decompressed.

We were so lucky - Hurricane Florence missed the northern Outer Banks and we had no damage. Our prayers are with our neighbors to the south and west who got hit so hard. There are donation sites all over town, as our community gathers supplies to take to those in need. We all know it could have easily been us, and they will need everyone's support to rebuild. 

Congratulations Stormi and Justin! You are a beautiful, kind, sweet, and strong couple and I wish you every happiness! It was such an honor to photograph your wedding. This is a sneak peek and I can't wait to get the full gallery to you. Have fun on your honeymoon!
 

Debbie has a phenomenally gorgeous family. I can always tell when a grandma is amazingly wonderful and loved, because her kids and grandkids want to make their photo session successful for her. Even if it's really hot and we have a west wind with biting green head flies! Debbie's family was this way. Except for one grandbaby who is too young to accommodate. Who I could not win over. And please let me tell you I am very disarming in my photo sessions and can make friends with just about all of my clients, from babies to parents to grandparents. Not this grandson. He wants his momma, and only his momma, and gave me the most angry look in spite of my best efforts:) But that's okay. I captured him as he is today. I can only imagine just how hard that must be for his mom. To be the only one that can hold and comfort him. I passed on the advice Aimee gave me over 16 years ago - this too shall pass, and you won't even remember that it was hard, but only how cute he was at this age.

Debbie has such cute grandchildren. This is the first time in many years that they have all been able to vacation together. As the oldest grandson is starting his senior year of high school, it may not happen again for awhile. Debbie went out of her way to make this special for them. She made the cutest little tutus for the girls and bought them princess crowns. It was really fun to spend time with this family for a little while on this evening!

What it includes:

Keepsake video & still photo combination slideshow

️ 24x30 Fine art wall canvas, photo of your choice

All the full resolution digital photos from your session

Personal service - everything you need to capture and select your photos

An example of the signature keepsake video & still combination slideshow is shown here, and additional guaranteed quality professional prints in many forms, are always available. The initial pricing for this package is reduced by 25% for a limited time. Please comment here or message me for availability and pricing. This package gives you everything you want from your photography session - the emotion and capturing of this moment, the beautiful wall print, and all the digital photos for social media, sharing, and everything else. This is available for all sessions including family, engagement, wedding, and seniors. I'm so excited to bring this to you

The weather on the Outer Banks in July is usually consistently hot and sunny. But this week was an anomaly, and it rained for the most part, Saturday through Wednesday. There were flash flood watches, flooding on the roads, and steady rain and thunderstorms for the day of her session. We waited it out, moved it earlier, then I just had to make the call to reschedule. Cheryl was cheerful and helpful throughout, being flexible as we must here sometimes with our changing weather. We rescheduled to Friday, and thankfully had a beautiful day and evening for her session.

Cheryl's grandchildren are just amazing! Evelyn, the youngest, is two. Most two year olds won't really smile for the camera, stand still when asked, or pose. Not Evelyn! She is truly unbelievable, smiling when I asked, standing still, posing, laughing. And her two older sisters, Olivia going into 2nd grade and Valarie going into 4th, were equally wonderful, having a good time and taking directions throughout the session. Valarie loves art and both girls will be playing instruments next year in elementary school, either trumpet or saxophone, as both of their parents are drummers! 

Sometimes, even when you're an adult, you have to get your individual photos taken. Thanks Mack, for doing what your mom asked, and letting me capture your portrait. And thank you Cheryl, for trusting me with your family's photos, being flexible, and working with me - I really enjoyed meeting all of you!

This was another one of those magical evenings on the beach when the light and sky were just right. After a week of rain, I'm so glad this family got a sunny day and beautiful evening photo session, with the full moon rising over the ocean. Can you believe this beautiful setting? I just love the Outer Banks and summer.

This is Fran's family, her husband, their two sons, and their families. Ryley has a younger brother, Conner, with equally beautiful auburn hair, just like their mom. Their cousins are Jackson, who is four and did a really great job taking photos, looking at the camera when I asked him to, and running and playing in between. His younger brother is Grayson, who just turned 1. It was such a lovely evening in Corolla - thank you!

Gerry's family was very flexible, and waited for me to find my way through the flood to their house. We had a good time out in the sunshine on the beach and got some family photos. I just love the big smiles on Gerry's grandson! He was such a big help for the photos. Thank you all for your flexibility and for making the best of the sunshine after the rain!

It was also such a treat to work with this family! This was their first ever family photo session, and we had so much fun together. Vicky was well prepared - she picked beautiful colors and coordinated her family perfectly, picking up accent colors in each other's outfits. She also knew that the clouds were a good thing:) She and her husband, Lawton, have a beautiful family. Liam is excited to start Kindergarten in the Fall, and really loves running and playing in the sand. He had such a hard time letting go of his stick:) And two and a half year old Myla is just beautiful and fun to work with! She even posed for me, which is rare for someone her age. Thank you so much for working with me - it was such a pleasure!

Jess contacted me back in April, my very first schedule of the summer season, and scheduled her family photo session. She told me she planned to vacation with her family and her long-time friend, Shan and her family, who may want to join in the photo session too. And I am so glad they did, because I really enjoyed working with all of them together!

Jess has been a pet groomer for 16 years and loves her job. Honestly, I wish I was closer to her so that I could try to get Leo (our golden retriever) on her schedule, because I'm certain she's really good at what she does! Her husband, Travis, manages a grocery store, and maybe one day they will come live here on the Outer Banks! They have three sweet children, Colson, in 7th grade plays basketball, Peyton in 6th grade with beautiful eyelashes, and Avery, a cartwheel champion in 2nd grade.

Jess and Shan have been friends since middle school I think! Shan's husband is Shane, and they have Jordan, 16 and going into 11th grade, a beauty and definitely deserves the best big sister award, Brady, who has one more year of pre-school, and Addie, who just turned two in May. They all came from PA to visit the Outer Banks, and I am so glad for the opportunity to work with them. I hope to see them again next year!

Julia and her husband have two beautiful girls, Simone who is 5 and likes ballet, and Maura, the sweet 7 month old. They had such cute matching dresses on. Heather and Chris have three children, Lance in 7th grade who just really didn't want to smile, until his mom offered him $5 if he would:) His brother Preston is in 4th grade, and their sweet sister Edy who I talked about before. Tia and her husband have the beautiful Olivia, who got to take photos on her dad's shoulders at the end of our session. The grandparents of this sweet family are Larry and Winnie, who were very accommodating and fun to work with! Thank you Julia for setting this up and giving me the opportunity to work with you and your family!

I had a great time catching up with Justin and meeting Monique and their two children. Rachel is the youngest, going into 3rd grade, and Caelan is her older brother, heading into 5th. Both play soccer, and Rachel loves to dance. They were a lot of fun to photograph, and we were so lucky to have a gorgeous sunset on the beach. Sometimes when the clouds are just right, the sky is just amazing that last half hour before sunset. This sky is real - no Photoshop overlay here - this is how it looked. It was an amazing session! 

Brian is married to Lisa, and they have two very nice boys, Jon, who is going into 9th grade and Joe, who just finished his first year of middle school. Both play baseball and basketball. Joe was so polite, he sent me a message afterwards thanking me for photographing his family. Their super sweet cousins are Bella and Mia, both in elementary school. Karen and her husband, Chris are Bella and Mia's parents. The girls had fun running, playing, and trying to time their jump perfectly. I hope I get to work with this family again next summer!

The Littles don't always want to get their photos taken, so we just let them have their way and snap some sweet photos regardless. I had fun working with this lovely family from Raleigh and PA!

These kids were so much fun to work with tonight! A surprise for Grandma - they worked hard to make her happy:) They were so happy and so good, especially for younger kiddos at sunset!

Sometimes having your photo session at sunset just isn't the best option. Reschedules due to weather, little ones that shouldn't stay up that late, whatever the reason, beach sessions are always gorgeous! This one was in the morning with the big ocean sparkling behind. I truly loved meeting Christine and her family. She is so sweet and genuine, as is her family, and I really hope to work with them again next year!

Meet Yvonne's fun family from PA! They are sweet and fun and I'm so glad to know them! Kids from pre-school to med school, and the parents that make it all happen. Happy vacation!!