Daddy's Home | OpLove: Homecoming | Fort Bragg, NC Photographer

 

I always say it, but I'm going to say it again. Homecomings are my favorite to photograph! I just love the fast pace of the event, the emotions tied into it, and my clients - they are just so happy to have this special day photographed for them. It's perfect.

This family came to me last minute. I had already cut off how many homecomings I was going to do for the month of September, and I was going to have to, unfortunately, decline the session — especially when she told me the date was the same as another clients date.

But, as luck would have it ... there was going to be two sets of soldiers coming home that day. One in the afternoon and one in the wee hours of the night. And because I hate to say no to homecomings, I took on her homecoming and was so happy I did. He lil' boy is ALL boy. He reminded me of my son ... bored out of his mind waiting for daddy. Oh! And his facial expressions, loved it. He was so happy when daddy found him and mommy, he just stared at daddy. It was adorable!

 To learn more about Operation: Love Reunited, visit their web site!

I only take a certain amount of FREE OpLove homecomings a month. I do offer homecomings at a nominal fee after I hit my mark for OpLove.

If you weren't able to book an OpLove photographer for a homecoming, Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC is offering a Welcome Home Special. Please feel free to email me for more information!

The photos and other content of this publication do not imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense.

Do not copy, save or alter these images without the expressed permission of Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. All rights reserved.

Fancy keys | Pinterest Thursday | iPhonography

This PIN that my guest blogger shared is so simple and quick, I had to try it myself. Sarah found the pin and said she HAD to try it right away - I felt the same way!

Photos courtesy Sarah

I would like to share with you the original blogger/pinner's work, but the link just takes you to a picture. However, Sarah was so kind to explain the pin.

Sarah's take: "As soon as I saw the nail polish house key pin on Pinterest, I knew I HAD to do it.

Basically, the idea is to paint the top half of your house keys with nail polish instead of using those super ugly plastic rings to help you remember which key goes to what.  It was super simple.  I just took glitter nail polish and painted it on the top of my house key.  I put on three coats of glitter nail polish, letting each coat dry before applying the next. I also applied about three coats of clear polish over the top to seal the glitter polish onto the key.  I did my keys months ago and they are still going strong!  I love the fun kick that it adds to my keys, and it goes really well with my fun keychains. Best part?  No more using the wrong key on the wrong lock ... sweet!

Side note: I tried this with plain color nail polish (meaning not glitter nail polish), and it only lasted six weeks or so before it was all chipping off and looked terrible.  DEFINITELY works way better with glitter nail polish."

My take:  I wanna do it! .... so I did!

And there you have it folks!  I hope you enjoy these as much as I do and don't forget! 

All my  photos were taken with an iPhone and copyrighted by SWP.

 *** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. ***

Emotional Return | OpLove: Homecoming | Fort Bragg Photographer

You could immediately feel the love with this family the second I walked into Green Ramp and saw the everyone. I already had the pleasure of meeting this soldier's family with an Already Gone session, but this was different. They welcomed me right into the family and we prepared to welcome home their soldier.

Mom and dad were there for the first time to welcome home their son. He has been on multiple deployments, but because of distance his parents weren't able to make it. But today, they did and wow! Just look at these emotional images!

For more information on Operation: Love Reunited, click the link.

The photos and other content of this publication do not imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense.

Do not copy, save or alter these images without the expressed permission of Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. All rights reserved.

Back to School Cutie | Children | Fayetteville, NC Photographer

GAP called .... they want their model back!

 I mean right?! Look how cute this kindergartner is!

I hosted a back to school mini session special ... and to my surprise, not many people jumped at the opportunity of the 30 minute session with adorable props and a GREAT price! However, I am glad that this lil' girl's momma jumped at the special! Lil' "Z" did a phenomenal job in front of the camera while momma played stylist. It was a joy to work with them, as always. Watching children grow up in front of my lens is always a joy. This little girl is the same age as my son and they love to play with each other. Love it and love her!

 *** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. ***

Failed | Pinterest Thursday | iPhonography

I know ... why is this a fail. Looks pretty darn good right? Wrong. Let me explain ...

It all started when I found this PIN. It looked soooo good and when my husband said he was going to go to Burger King for some Cinnabons ... I was like, no way. I can make some of this pull a part cinnamon bread. (Side note: it's a good thing my husband insisted on going to BK to get the cinnamon rolls, cause we ended up eating those.)

Any how, Joy the Baker, who's blog the pin came from, gave really good directions and the photos were excellent. My mouth was watering as I started to get the ingredients together. I suppose my trouble started here, when I discovered you needed yeast to make this wonderful bread. I figured, "eh, yeast only makes bread rise, I can deal with flat bread." So, I continued on my way with the other ingredients.

According to the BLOG:

Makes: one 9x5x3-inch loaf

Recipe adapted from HungryGirlPorVida

Print this Recipe!

For the Dough:

3  cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 ounces unsalted butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1/4 cup water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

2 ounces unsalted butter, melted until browned

I followed the directions to the tee ... until I got to the cutting part. My second mistake, I sliced the strips too thin. Third mistake, I cut them into weird squares; not like the perfect rectangles she had. Next, I piled all my jacked up squares into the bread pan ... again, wasn't as pretty as hers. Here is where I started to worry. I tasted the dough before putting it into the oven. If tasted like rubber ... like chewing on a tire. I was like, "eh, maybe the oven will soften it up a lil'."

After it cooked in the oven, and me eating one of BK's cinnamon rolls, I pulled out my masterpiece. I let it cool, and then I piled my not-so-stick-together squares into a bowl. And I tasted the bread. It tasted like a chewy, cinnamon and sugar plastic toy. But it wasn't unbearable. So, I wrapped the bread up in saran wrap and set it aside.

Fast forward to next morning, I unwrap the bread and attempt to pull me off a piece. And attempt again ... and again. With not avail, I couldn't pull apart my pull apart bread. I could however, probably break a window by throwing it at it.

Lesson learned: Use yeast.

All the comments on the blog explained how amazing the bread was and I believe them. I am not giving up on this recipe. I will attempt it again, and this time use yeast. This mishap has nothing to do with the recipe ... it was user error. LOL

And there you have it folks!  I hope you enjoy these as much as I do and don't forget! 

All my  photos were taken with my iPhone and copyrighted by SWP.

 *** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. ***

Daddy's first glimpse | OpLove: Homecoming | Fort Bragg Photographer

This homecoming was super special ... Daddy was going to meet his baby girl for the first time! I was so honored to not only be there to photograph his homecoming, but to photograph this special moment between daddy and daughter. I was epic. And oh so worth the wait!

 

For more information on  Operation: Love Reunited, click the link.
 
The photos and other content of this publication do not imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense.

 

Do not copy, save or alter these images without the expressed permission of Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. All rights reserved.

Love's return | OpLove: Homecoming | Fort Bragg Photographer

These two. I've already said it, but I'm going to say it again -- they're adorable! They are engaged and I had the pleasure of photographing them before he was shipped off. This was their ultimate test and they past it with flying colors. Congratulations you two!

For more information on Operation: Love Reunited, click the link.

The photos and other content of this publication do not imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense.

Do not copy, save or alter these images without the expressed permission of Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. All rights reserved.

Family of 6 fun | OpLove: Predeployment | Fort Bragg, NC Photographer

Rain kept this awesome, Operation: Love Reunited family away for one weekend, but we quickly rescheduled and I got to hang out with them at a park on Fort Bragg. Lil' man didn't want to have his picture taken, but he was a trooper and played along. We even got to look in the lake for fishes ... I dunno if there was any in there, but he sure seemed to enjoy it! And big sis was the joy of the crowd. She kept pep talking all her siblings, encouraging them the smile. Middle brother and Middle sis were just gems! Brother wanted to salute just like daddy and sister just wanted to smile for the camera. She's a model in the making! Daddy is almost home now and I bet these children (and wife) are super stoked to see him again!
 

Name tape has been edited to protect the privacy of the family.

Name tape has been edited to protect the privacy of the family.

Gorgeous right? By far my favorite picture thus far! I love her serene look and the softness of the background. Gah! Love it!

The photos and other content of this publication do not imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense.

Do not copy, save or alter these images without the expressed permission of Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. All rights reserved.

Pinned it, Did it: Part 10 | Pinterest Thursday | iPhonography

Guess what?! I pinned a lot of stuff this past week ... and didn't get to any of it! But that's cool, because I have another friend who saved my butt shared her awesome pin.

Amanda is an elementary teacher and comes up with the cutest ideas for her classroom. She also get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest, as do all of us I'm sure. (Pinterest makes us look awesome, doesn't it?) Any who, for this year, I noticed she made this adorable PIN, from Fantastic in First's blog.

Photo courtesy Amanda.

According to Fantastic in First, the instruction are as follows:

"1. First, you need some storage crates that are made to store hanging folders. This gives you a lip around the top edge for the "lid" to sit on.  I bought mine at Walmart when they had all their back to school stuff out, so I think the crates were around $5 each.

2. Take a crate and head to your local home improvement store.  A very kind gentleman cut 6 pieces of plywood for me that fit perfectly in the top part of each crate.  Please note:  It is so important to take a crate with you, not just the measurements.  Our happy helper had to shave little bits off of each piece to get them to fit, which would have been impossible to do without the crate.

3. Next, you'll need to purchase some foam.  I bought a roll of 1 inch foam at Walmart.  It was actually cheaper than it was at the fabric store.  You'll need to cut the foam to fit each piece of plywood.  I then used spray adhesive to stick the foam to the plywood.

4. Last, find some cute fabric to wrap the "lid."  Cut your fabric a little larger than the foam covered plywood so you can wrap it around the edges.  I used a staple gun to upholster the "lids."  Just be sure to pull the fabric taught as you staple.  I did the two longer sides first, then the short sides, and then tucked the corners, much like a hospital corner on a bed."

Photo courtesy Amanda,

 
Amanda's take:  "They turned out pretty good. However, I used spray adhesive to attach the material on the first one. Which I think would have been better, but I sprayed it on top too which caused it to be really crinkled when it dried.

I used staples to attach the other ones, which was really hard to get the material on evenly. So, I think if I had just used spray adhesive on the bottom of all of them, it would have worked best.

I also sprayed scotch guard on top to help be able to clean them easier. Some people have used those cheap table cloths to cover them because they are easier to clean and come in cute patterns."

My take: How stinkin' cute right?! I mean, stools AND storage?! Perfect for any teacher or mom who wants organization!

Thank you Amanda for sharing your pin with us! I look forward to hearing your student's reactions on the neat chairs their teacher made! If you'd like to follow Amanda on the rest of her teacher/education pins, click HERE.


**Next week's Pinterest Thursday will have a different sub-name to it, but will still be Pinterest Thursday. I'm tired of the "part #" of my headlines and want the blogs to be more searchable!

And there you have it folks!  I hope you enjoy these as much as I do and don't forget! 

All my  photos were taken with Annie's iPhone and copyrighted by SWP.

 *** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. ***

Welcome Home | OpLove: Homecoming | Fort Bragg, NC Photographer

I had the pleasure of photographing this awesome reunion. Dad was so excited to see his family, he ran to them. So awesome! And the way baby looked at daddy, oh, priceless! Have I mentioned that I love homecomings?!

To learn more about Operation: Love Reunited, visit their web site!

    If you weren't able to book an OpLove photographer for a homecoming Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC is offering a Welcome Home Special. Please feel free to email me for more information!

The photos and other content of this publication do not imply any endorsement or recommendation by the Department of Defense.

Do not copy, save or alter these images without the expressed permission of Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. All rights reserved.

End of August | Monthly Photodump | iPhoneography

Just realized, as I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Enjoying the Small Things, that I haven't done my monthly photo dump! Every month I share with you my photos taken using my iPhone and "enhanced" with Instagram or another app like that.

Well, August was just as busy as always.

My family and I had some great out fun. My son got to climb on fire trucks, be an ambulance driver, and ever test out a dirt bike with training wheels. My puppy also got to test out my patience when he got into our recycling and tore everything to shreds. Who needs a shredder with him around? I had another Army magazine pick up one of my photos for their cover and I finally finished my son's Avenger room. My son did fabulous being my model for my back to school special and we got him his new school supplies for kindergarten. August proved to be REALLY wet. It rained almost every day (and night) and we also said goodbye to the Olympics. I got to canoe down the Lumber River and learned more about iPhonography. It rained all day when my husband and I went to Busch Gardens for an adult playdate and was super excited to welcome home my son from Grammas after taking pictures of a soldier's reunion with his family. To top it off, we baked some amazing pizza cupcakes. Phew! What a month! Stick with me for next month as it brings more homecomings, more pins, and more fun!

All my personal photos  were taken with my iPhone, edited with Instagram and framed together in Photoshop.

 *** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. ***

Pinned it, Did it: Part 9 | Pinterest Thursday | iPhonography

This Thursday, I didn't do any pins I am happy to feature one of my fabulous friend's pin. Annie is just as addicted to Pinterest as I am ... which, as you all know, is pretty extreme! But obviously, I pin a million things and only get around to one or two a week. So, I asked if I could share Annie's pins for her dinner she made for her and her daughter last night.  She saved my butt happily agreed.

Annie's Pinterest dinner last night: (looks amazing right?!)

Photo courtesy Annie

 
First up was this amazing PIN: A Ham and Cheese Cresent Roll

Photo courtesy Annie

Looks amazing doesn't it?! She got the pin from Cooking4Carnivores blog:

"Start with a roll of 4 regular Pillsbury crescent rolls. Unroll them and divide the rolls in half leaving two triangles connected. You should have two rectangles. Lightly flour them and a rolling pin. Flatten the rectangles out some. Then place them on a greased cookie sheet. Top each with your chosen ingredients. This night we both had swiss cheese. The carnivore also had deli ham, while I had vidalia onions and basil. Once filled roll the reactangles. Then bake these beauties according to the directions (usually a little more than ten minutes at 375 degrees). Remove from the oven while golden brown and serve while hot."

Annie's review: "I found the middle dough didn't cook it all the way so maybe try cooking it at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. (My daughter) doesn't like the rolls. She's eating the cresent rolls and taking off the ham and cheese. And I personally don't like the Swiss, but sometimes when it's cooked with other things, it's not too bad. But I don't care for this and probably wouldn't make these again."

My take: Maybe substituting the Swiss with another cheese, maybe American? I think it may taste a lil' more like a Hotpocket. It's an option. I think I might try it out, it looks fairly simple and quick to make on a busy week day.

Side not: Annie cooked the rolls for 17 minutes instead of the suggested 10 minutes and still had a "not-so-cooked" middle.

Next up was this PIN: The Best Broccoli of Your Life

Photo courtesy Annie

Yum, yum, yummy! My family is BIG on broccoli and with Annie's review, we will definitely be trying this out! She got the pin from Amateur Gourmet's blog:

"You preheat the oven to 425. Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. (5 Tbs olive oil, 1 1/2 tsps kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper) Now add 4 garlic cloves that are peeled and sliced and toss them in too. Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until 'crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.' When it’s done, take it out of the oven–and here’s where it gets really good–zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts, and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Also add 2 Tbs fresh basil."

Annie's review: "Absolutely delicious! Crispy and crunchy. I'm surprised I got a picture before I ate them all! Seriously Shari, you HAVE to try this recipe!"

My take: Um, yes. I will be trying this and probably will be making it for the rest of my life! LOL 

Thank you Annie for sharing your pins with us and if you'd like to follow Annie on Pinterest, click HERE.

And there you have it folks!  I hope you enjoy these as much as I do and don't forget! 

All my  photos were taken with Annie's iPhone and copyrighted by SWP.

 *** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. ***

Waves and Sun | Beach Session | Wilmington, N.C. Photographer

I had the pleasure of photographing my sister at the beach. I mean, I couldn't have asked for a better model or backdrop. I could, however, done without all the wind these two days of shooting!

I headed to the beach for a lil' get away with the family and told my sister to be ready for some photography. LOL She does a lot of pageantry and told her I'd help out her portfolio, if I could also get some fun lifestyle images as well. I don't think I had to twist her arm much ... except for the part where I told her she had to get up before the sun rose because the best light is in the morning. (I failed to mention that we could take pictures in the evening as well ... but, eh. I got her up early instead!)

Without further ado ... her gorgeous images:

Gorgeous right?! If you would like to schedule a beach session, I won't say no! LOL Email me at SharilynWellsPhotography@gmail.com and set it up today!

*Session fee is due at booking in full to ensure session slot.

*Travel fee will be added to session fee.

Do not copy, save or alter these images without the expressed permission of Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. All rights reserved.