June 16, 2023

North Carolina Family Photographer

Abbi and Olivia! It had been a little over 5 years since I saw these two last! I photographed their engagement session and then they got married and then there was a pandemic and then they had a magnificent child named Arlo! They also adopted Basil, a second German Shepherd to be friends with Maizee (but really Basil is Arlo’s bff and buddy. Also Maizee’s bff and buddy. Also your bff and buddy and everyone’s bff and buddy). Arlo loves smiling and watching his Mama and Mom act like dinosaurs, which they do frequently and with great gusto. It’s really incredible to watch. The roars are intense. Arlo loves it. Arlo loves building with blocks and watching Basil swim in the pool. Arlo also loves playing with video game controllers and with his (badass) toy staple gun. Yes, it makes staple gun noises. Yes, it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen. And yes, I grabbed it and pretended to staple my clients because that’s what you do with a toy staple gun.

But what Arlo really, really loves is being turned upside down. I think he would’ve let us keep him upside down forever except that’s probably not safe so we made him take breaks but wow. He really loves being upside down when he’s not stapling things. He is heckin’ cute. He’s even more heckin’ cute when we goes swimming but we didn’t put him in a swim diaper so his diaper grew 3 sizes that day and he had a giant baby butt and we just love Arlo. Maizee, the black German Shepherd, is a polite lady who enjoys eating snacks and hanging around with all her friends. Basil is a high-energy ball of barking who is obsessed with tiny balls of reflected light that come from watches, rings, and cameras. She also enjoys swimming and fetching and protecting Arlo and responding to the word “squirrel” with lots of enthusiasm! I’m so happy for this family of 5. They’re so sweet and so kind and I’m glad to know them. I’m also glad that they introduced me to toy staple guns.

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March 10, 2023

Maggie+Humberto+Elijio // Durham Family Photographer

I’ve been having such a good time giving Carolyn Scott Photography bat logo stickers to toddlers all over the Triangle area before I take their photographs and seeing where they put the stickers. So far they’ve put the stickers in a lot of normal places (shelving units, paper, toys), and a lot of not-as-common places (cars). After “The Car Incident” I started telling toddlers to ask their parents for permission before they decide on sticker placement, but I have about a 20% success rate with toddler instruction retention. Elijio was one of the 80% who hear my instructions, understand them, but swiftly disregard them because it’d be more fun to cause sticker mayhem. He came into this game strong. First he put the stickers on his parents’ leather couch. But then he immediately pulled them off (they came off, thank goodness), and stuck them in his dad’s hair. I was a bit worried about that because Humberto has thick curly hair and I was… concerned. But thankfully the stickers also came out of his dad’s hair and then went directly onto Elijio’s own face. All within the first 5 minutes of the photoshoot.

It could’ve all gone horribly wrong so quickly upon my arrival but thankfully leather couches, hair, and faces were all saved. In fact, more stickers were added to the mix when Mom and Dad introduced The Little Gems. The Little Gems were tiny gem stickers that Elijio then put all over everything. Best placement there was, by far, the bejeweled Pterodactyl. Then Bill and Susan, Maggie’s parents, came over, and also became bejeweled before we all went down to the park and played dinosaurs and threw pinecones into the pond. All’s well that ends well and another successful photoshoot was ended without too much Goo Gone being required. A big thanks to Maggie and Humberto for their sense of humor and for having me back!

Kid putting stickers on shirt during photoshoot in Durham

Family on couch in Durham NC during photoshoot

Plastic toy animals sitting on the floor

Dad playing with toy animals with son in living room

Kid holding a dinosaur on living room floor

Family photo of mom and dad reading to son

Kid eating a banana at kitchen table while talking to his mom

Dad drinking out of mug with kid's face on it

Toddler's grandma arrives to greet him in the kitchen

Grandma dancing with toddler in the kitchen

Grandma playing on the floor with grandson in the living room in Durham

Grandma helps grandson build a tower of blocks

Three generations of family sitting in the living room

Three generations of family talking on the couch

Grandma playing with a donkey toy with grandson

Mom putting kid in the stroller and family photo together in the park

Grandma using the slide at park while playing with grandson

Grandpa using the slide at park while playing with grandson

Kid playing with dinosaur sculpture in the park

Family playing on dinosaur playground equipment

Candid family photographers in Durham NC

Parents walking with son to the pond in the neighborhood park

Parents and kid playing at a park in Durham

Family laughing while throwing pinecones into a pond

Dad showing son how to throw pinecones into a pond

North Durham family photographer walking outside

Family playing outside in Durham with toy car

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March 6, 2023

Megan+Carly+Jane+Ronan

I’ve known Megan and Carly for many years now and it was wonderful to reunite with them to celebrate the birth of their new baby Ronan and the wild, amazing ways of 2 year old Jane. Megan and Carly are fantastic people and it is not a surprise that their children would be the same! Jane is… incredible. Like, really incredible. She has amazing fashion choices (best shark shoes ever) and an extremely enthusiastic attitude. I feel the need to tell you that I did not pose Jane at all for any pictures. The facial expressions and poses are Jane’s and Jane’s alone. And there are a lot of them… and they’re all amazing. She was very excited for her photoshoot, greeting me at the door and yelling, “CAROLYN’S HERE!” to her parents and then proceeding to welcome me in and giving me a grand tour of her toys and house. She is an amazing force of a little person and I love her and all of her sheer joy. Ronan is an adorable baby so he enjoys eating and sleeping and looking at Jane while Jane enthusiastically hugs him. He is very cute and extremely well-behaved. I love this whole family and their amazing selves. Thank you to Megan and Carly for having me run around your house and be a part of documenting you all together!

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