That time of year is almost here again. Where you listen to the waves crashing, feel the wind and sun on your skin, the smell of salty air, and tasting the ocean on your lips. Every summer is different here in the OBX; and each summer is full of families and new adventures. Planning your trip is just the start. What better way to remember your spectacular vacation at beaches like Nags Head, Corolla, and Kill Devil Hills than with your very own OBX family portraits. So this summer let Courtney Hathaway Photography capture the memories from your Outer Banks vacation.
Archive: ‘Couples’
Family Portraits {Outer Banks Beach Portrait Photographer}
Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013
Outer Banks Family Portraits {Outer Banks Beach Portrait Photographer}
Thursday, February 14th, 2013It’s that time of year again, the time when families are making their vacation plans for summer! It’s hard to believe we’re in February already, but school will be out before you know it and summer vacation will soon be here! Many families are making plans for their Family Beach Portraits and what better time than during your OBX Vacation?
So what’s different about this year? We’re moving forward with our desire to go totally digital, with the exception of our wall art! So what does that mean for you? We’ve revamped our session offerings, and now every session includes the digital files. Images from your session are accessed via your personal and private online gallery, where you will be able to download your digital files directly to your computer. Now each family member can log into the gallery and download their own copy of the images from your session!
Don’t worry, you still have the option to purchase prints through your gallery. We specialize in Wall Art (Prints & Canvases), specifically prints 11×14 and larger. Wall Prints are carefully mounted and receive a linen texture finish and protective lacquer coating for durability and longevity. Gallery Wrapped Canvases are printed on a high end canvas and wrapped around a wooden stretcher with the hanging hardware already attached!
To book your Outer Banks Family Portrait, please visit our website at WWW.COURTNEYHATHAWAY.COM!
Don’t forget to become our fan on FACEBOOK!
Dave, Rainnie & Lucy {Holiday Portraits} | Outer Banks Portrait Photographer
Wednesday, December 26th, 2012I love these two! Not only are Rainnie & Dave part of our awesome family, they were also in our wedding! They came back into town to pick up their new puppy, Lucy, and we were able to squeeze in a quick few minutes to get their Christmas Card photos for this year. I’m pretty sure Lucy steals the show, and is almost too much cuteness for one post! I’ve kept these a secret far too long, but now that the cards have been mailed and gifts open, they’re finally hitting the blog!
This shot was taken in my front yard (before I tried to steal their new dog!) and not even 2 days later, all those leaves on my beautiful tree were gone! Tis’ the season..hehe!
Alex & Rob + Haynes l Outer Banks Portrait Photographer
Friday, December 14th, 2012The hardest thing about taking holiday portraits, is having to SAVE them for the holidays! Aside from being a great friend, Alex is probably one of the sweetest and most thoughtful people I know. We got together with her, Rob, and their sweet puppy Haynes for a Christmas card photo. Rob’s a boat captain, like my Rob, and so it was only fitting that we head down to the marina and use the boat for some of their photos. They have probably the most well behaved dog I’ve ever worked with. Haynes will sit forever until you tell him he’s allowed to move….mine would have been in the water.
Amy & Brian l Engagement Day After Session – Outer Banks Wedding Photographer
Wednesday, October 10th, 2012Amy & Brian – I just can’t say enough about these two! Amy contacted me a while ago to inquire about Outer Banks Wedding Photography and from the moment I read the answers on her info form I knew we’d be friends. I mean, who doesn’t love beer can chicken? We both have a love of animals, especially our dogs, and for the duration of planning frequently text each other with funny pet pictures. As their wedding day quickly approached I was looking forward to meeting them in person! Their wedding was wonderful, and their family and friends welcomed me with open arms – definitely something that makes a wedding so much more fun for me. Amy & Brian opted for a more casual approach for their “Day After Session” and instead of wearing their wedding attire they went for everyday clothes, and wanted to include their dogs. We went with more of an engagment session approach and headed up to the 4×4 area of Carova Beach.
These two are just SO much fun to be around! They are so full of life and happiness, it’s really contagious! There are many people you feel like you instantly connect with, but Amy is one of those girls! We finished up our session, loaded the dogs up, and off we went! The best part of the day, driving off the beach in the bed of the truck (like a true Carolina girl!) with Amy watching the sun set! I definitely can’t wait until they come back down. Amy, I think the OBX needs another resident like you! 
**To view more images from Amy & Brian’s session, be sure to become a FACEBOOK FAN and see the rest of their session! For more information about booking a session or wedding don’t forget to check out our WEBSITE.
Coquina Beach : Part 1 l Outer Banks Family Beach Photographer
Wednesday, July 18th, 2012Many of my sessions take place at Coquina Beach in South Nags Head. Why? It’s just pretty darn awesome! The OBX is a great place to be, but if we’re being honest, not every area is that great for photography. Many of my clients are looking for a gorgeous family beach portrait – one that incorporates both “beach” and water. If you’re on the fence about if it’s worth it to make the drive to Coquina, this is the place for you!
Meet the adorable Morgan and her awesome parents! They’ll be our models for today’s blog post.
So the first great thing about this beach are the beautiful dunes! Coquina is maintained by the Park Service, and is totally unobstructed by beach houses or other structures. This means it’s just a wide stretch of beautiful dunes! This offers a great backdrop for family photos, and has many added benefits. One thing we struggle with here on the OBX is wind…it can really make or break your family session. Everyone wants a beautiful water shot, but if the wind is blowing off the water, you’ll have hair wrapped around your face!
Enter “Plan B”. By turning around you’re able to use the dune line as your backdrop – free of beach tents, large cottages, or flag poles. It also helps to minimize distractions. The water is very enticing for a lot of littles ones. Often, as soon as they get near the water they are totally uninterested in anything but looking down to stare at it. This is one of the reasons we start our sessions in the dunes, and end up at the water for casual and candid photos. With kids you get a limited amount of attention span, and the less distractions you have, the better!
These guys took my suggestion and decided to have their session at Coquina Beach, as I told them about the variety of scenery we would have to work with over where they were staying. Like many parents, Morgan’s figured out AFTER they got here and had already scheduled their session that Morgan wasn’t exactly a fan of the sand or ocean! This can certainly complicate things when it comes to a family portrait on the beach, but luckily we were already set to shoot at Coquina.
Morgan was happy as a clam to sit on mom & dad’s lap or be held for photos…..for a while. Hey, she’s 2, and really if they last more than 15-20 minutes at that age you’ve struck photographic gold! Bring on “Plan C”. Coquina offers a great weathered wooden walkway that stretches from the bath house to the beach. It became pretty clear that Morgan was haveing NO parts of getting her cute little toes in the sand so we headed up to the steps and walkway. This gave Morgan a spot where she could sit/stand/walk, which kept her happy, and in return the rest of us happy!
Now don’t worry, we know water shots are important (and not the bath house shower kind!) so we do venture down to the water’s edge for casual and candid shots!
Check out our next blog post that showcases Coquina and all that it has to offer! Be sure to become a “fan” on our FACEBOOK PAGE, and to book a session or wedding visit our WEBSITE.
Laura & Dave Engaged : Round Two l Outer Banks Wedding Photographer l OBX Wedding Photographer
Monday, April 30th, 2012So I’m starting to think that whenever I need some rain on my yard, I should just schedule a session with Laura & Dave. Their first engagement session yielded some pretty rough weather. We had grand ideas of a quick stop at the airport for some aviation themed photos (Dave is in the Air Force) but quickly had to reevaluate our plans. Turns out that weekend was a nasty wet mess….and it was C.O.L.D. We managed to squeak some out inside a hanger, and finished up the next morning before they headed home. They braved the cold and drizzling rain, but we definitely got some great shots. Laura really had her heart set on beach photos. We tried a couple other weekends, and each one had really wet and windy weather….hello spring on the OBX!
So imagine how bummed I was when on my way home from the grocery store the day of our session it starts to rain. I don’t just mean sprinkle, it was a full on monsoon. By the time I was half way home, it had stopped and looked fairly clear down south where we were going to be. I called her and told her to get ready and meet me ASAP, we were going to bump our start time up and see if we could beat the rain….and we did!!! We got to the beach and it was definitely windy and chilly, but wasn’t raining. We even managed to pull off a good 10 minutes of sunshine and blue skies before it went away. I’m SO glad we were able to get our session in, and no one blew away!
Meghan & John {Engaged} l Salute To Love l Outer Banks Wedding Photographer
Wednesday, April 25th, 2012Meghan & John – there is so much to say about these two. They are an amazing couple, with an amazing story!
It all started with an idea by the awesome people who run OBXbrides.com, a local wedding organization here on the Outer Banks. They wanted to host a dream wedding, but not just any dream wedding, one for a deserving military couple. The idea was that military couples would submit their story about why they should win the dream wedding. Submissions were narrowed down to the top 10, and opened for worldwide voting.
On a whim, John decided to submit their story, not really thinking they would win. (Check out their submission here!!) Imagine his surprise when not only were they selected as the top 10, but they were voted as the winners of the dream wedding!!! Their story is so touching. John, a service member in the Air Force, met Meghan, a US Olympian, at a coffee shop in Colorado. John was in the Air Force Academy, while Meghan was training at the Olympic Training Center – chasing her dream of competing with the US Synchronized Swim Team at the 2012 Olympics. Their world came crashing down when Meghan had a pain in her knee checked out by doctors, only to be told she has a tumor the size of a golf ball behind her knee cap. The next 9 months were filled with hospital stays, chemo, and surgery. John proposed a little over 1 month after Meghan finished her chemo, and the rest they say….is history!
John & Meghan travelled to the OBX for a weekend in March to attend the OBXbrides Wedding Weekend & Expo. There they got to meet with all the vendors who would be making this day possible. That’s where I come in. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to photograph their engagement session while they were in town that weekend. Mother nature was NOT on our side, and the rain had been falling since the afternoon before. We had only 1 day to get these taken, and they were happening rain or shine. Luckily John & Meghan are are easy going as they are sweet – and were not the least bit worried about getting into the rain! I met them where they were staying, at The Sanderling Resort & Spa, who is also the host of their wedding. We started out under the safety of the covered porches, venturing out at the very end to brave the wind and rain.
I absolutely can’t say enough good things about these two. At no point do they ever think negative. Last weekend they travelled back to the OBX, along with family and friends, to celebrate their dream wedding by the sea. Meghan & John – it was truly amazing getting to work with you both. Your relationship is a true testament to love and “in sickness and in health”. Best wishes to a LONG and happy life together!
Leah & Kevin {Holiday Photos} | Outer Banks Photographer l OBX Photographer
Friday, January 20th, 2012I met up with my brother Kevin, his girlfriend Leah, and their two corgi’s for some holiday portraits Downtown Manteo. Since last year they’ve added on a second dog, which makes getting the Christmas card photo a little more challenging – but we were able to bust it out!
Mahler Family l Outer Banks Photographer l OBX Photographer
Tuesday, December 6th, 2011I love photographing friends, it’s almost like not working at all! My friend Debi and I were chatting about her family holiday photos while running down the road. Debi and I both do a fitness bootcamp, in fact, we started on the same day so I guess you could say we’ve been together from the beginning. Six months ago we were both running our first 5k and now we both just finished our first Half Marathon. It’s insane to think of how far we’ve come. Debi is hysterical – she always keeps me laughing, and after spending the afternoon with her family the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! We met up downtown with her husband and kids to get the perfect Christmas card photo. Everyone, right on down to Sasha the dog, was on their best behavior!
