Burton Photography

Keller picked Banner Elk for his senior session because that's where Grammy and Poppy live. He's been going there his whole life. That told us everything we needed to know about how to plan the day.

We started at the Lees-McRae College library. He loves to read. It was the obvious first stop.

Then we went to his grandparents' house, to a room downstairs with shelves of books, a leather chair, and a bearskin rug on the floor. His spot. We photographed him there like he'd been sitting there a hundred times, because he had.

We finished on an open hillside outside Banner Elk where you can see across the mountain ridges for miles.

Keller has been busy with marching band, moot court, mock trial and more reading than most. He's trading his Charlotte Catholic adventure for a new one at UNC Chapel Hill. We can't wait to see what he does there.

This is what happens when a photographer stays in your life long enough. (see comments!)

This is Hank.

The first portrait was made in May 2011 at Portraits on the Parkway. He was five years old.

The second was made in 2024, his senior year. Same mountains. Same kid — and yet completely, unmistakably not.

What strikes me every time I look at these two images together is that the person he was going to become was already there in that little boy's face. The warmth. The confidence. That easy, unhurried smile that makes you feel like everything is going to be fine. It was all there at five. He just had to grow into it.

Katie — you've trusted us with your family for a long time, and watching Hank become the young man he is has been one of the quiet privileges of our work. Thank you for letting us be part of it.

For the parents out there: this is why we show up every May on the Moses Cone Estate. These portraits are not just pictures of what a child looks like. They are the beginning of a story you will want to have later.

Portraits on the Parkway 2026 is May 20, 21, and 22. School-aged children, ages 5–18. The $195 session fee applies as a credit toward your portrait order. A portion of the event's proceeds goes to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.

If this post made you think of a family who needs to hear this, share it. You might be doing them a favor they didn't know they needed.

Here's the link to more information and registration:
https://ncphotographer.com/portraits-parkway-2026

Registration is open for our annual 21st Portraits on the Parkway event! Part of the proceeds are donated to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.

After 20+ years of this event, we can honestly say that it is some of the MOST fun that we have all year.

Do you have kids or grandkids and would love to have a beautiful portrait of them? We have decades of experience and expertise at coaxing those natural expressions you love.

All of the details and registration link can be found here: https://ncphotographer.com/portraits-parkway-2026

Hi Friends! Our sweet house is for rent - the current tenants will be moving out in a couple of weeks to move to their new home.

3 bedrooms. 1.5 baths. Extensive recent updates. The rent is $2300 per month. (We have not raised the rent in two years.)

Please pass this information along to anyone you know looking for a great place to live in the High Country.

House for Rent - Boone, NC Single-family house for rent in Boone, NC. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms.

We met Emory for her senior session this past weekend. It was a beautiful fall mountain afternoon! Happy times!!!!!!!

I hadn't seen Emory since Portraits on the Parkway a few years ago but I look at her portrait every day that is hanging in our studio (she and her younger brother). It was great to see the "grown up" version of who she's become.

High School senior portraits are all about creating memories of this once-in-a-lifetime moment in a young person's life as they close one chapter and are poised to begin a new adventure.

This past Friday, we met the Covington family for a portrait session. Little Tripp has been a joy to photograph since we first met him as a newborn. He's the most happy, fun, curious little boy possible. My heart melted when he said my name.

HOWEVER, it was Jonathan who had his complete attention. Lot's of times, it's me playing puppets and singing songs to the little ones to get those expressions we love. Not this time! It was Jonathan 100% who got the reactions from Tripp we were hoping for. It was really sweet to watch everything unfold.

What a really, really, really fun session! Thanks, Kerstin Groover Covington and Christian Covington for trusting us to create these portraits for you.

When a disaster is just too overwhelming to comprehend, it seems as though the small things are what pierce your heart.

We LOVE installing portraits! Here's what we were doing yesterday...

Lori Townsend, your home is lovely and your boys are the BEST!

Have you ever wondered what WE see vs. what YOU see when you are watching us create portraits?

Here's a little taste!

Senior Portrait Season is in full swing. There are still some open dates on our fall calendar so if you've got a senior, give us a ring and let's discuss how we can help you always remember this amazing time through portraits.

We KNOW how hectic senior year is for everyone - seniors AND moms - you can trust us to take all of the stress of out the portrait process.

NCphotographer.com