A. E. Wiley Photography

08/11/2022

After more than fifteen years of being a professional photographer, I have closed my business with a grateful heart.

I am so grateful to have been able to watch your families grow and your children grow up. Some of "my" very first babies are heading off to college in a matter of days, and that is one of the small pleasures that I have come to see as the definition of a life well lived.

This job has given me a privilege that I never envisioned when I began in 2005. I've seen so many moments of joy, as well as some incredibly poignant and grief filled times, while documenting your lives, and I'm forever thankful to each of you for trusting me to be in the valleys and on the mountaintops with you.

Like each of you, the pandemic has refocused this stage of life in my house, my own family's needs have changed, and I'll continue to "do photography" as a hobby, but no longer as a business. Again, I'm so grateful for your giving me the opportunity to run a small business while being part of your families' stories.

Y'all know my not so recovered perfectionism well, so here are the bullet points to cover the details:
1. I have closed my business with the State of NC and no longer have the privilege license required to do business and collect sales tax legally.
2. I don't have a firm plan in place, but I do plan to take a limited number of returning clients' sessions in exchange for donations to a local charity that I would like to support.
3. I have several favorite local photographers whom I can recommend if that would be helpful.
4. I will be destroying the physical (CD!) backups that I have of old (pre-cloud based backup) sessions. My contract specified that I would only be responsible for storage of ordered images for 30 days, but if there is something that you ordered and need to have replaced, I am happy to see if I can help before I destroy the CDs. The deadline for any requests like this (sessions photographed in 2017 or earlier) is 9/1/22.
5. I currently have huge digital archives and will eventually have to downsize them. While I don't have an immediate timetable in mind, please get in touch by 10/1/22 if you need or want something that you ordered in the past 5 years. (For older sessions, please see #4.) I will be glad to sort through my digital files to see if I can help.
6. Again, just to be clear, I'll be glad to look, but I do not guarantee image storage beyond the 30 days promised in my contract.
7. When in doubt, shoot me an email, and I will help if I can.

11/01/2020

I don't even know where to start... This baby boy completes a family I love more than I love to photograph them, and that's saying something. He probably already knows that he has the best sisters in the world, and that they love him more than words. His mama doesn't like to be photographed, but the camera sure likes her. Here's to one of the best "things" in 2020... Sweet Baby Brooks. What a treat to meet you. I can't wait to watch you grow up, Little Man.

08/11/2019

No better way to update a neglected FB page than with this gorgeous girl... She has always been sweet, funny, and kind, which is my favorite kind of pretty.

11/18/2017

Edited and edited and edited and now to bed :)

10/25/2017

A few of Mom's favorites from a recent morning session... with *the sweetest* one-year-old ever.

10/02/2017

Fall busy season is in full swing... Handsome one year old's portraits this morning and a new "toy" appeared on my porch last night. Thus begins my favorite season...

09/05/2017

I'm (finally) editing some of my own family pictures as I get ready for fall busy season. I have some weekday availability in September and October, and a very few weekend sessions left with delivery in time for Christmas. Please call 919-624-1633 or shoot me an email at [email protected] if you'd like to book a session this fall. (Facebook messages are absolutely welcome, but the notices sometimes come very late ~ please don't think that I'm ignoring you.)

02/20/2017

Does your professional head shot make a good first impression? Now is a great time to make an investment in your personal brand. Give me a call to update your website, LinkedIn profile, and social media with a professional portrait that you'll be proud of.

02/01/2017

Here is one of my favorites from my very busy fall season. As my son said after seeing this fun crew, "I wish I had a twin brother, but I'm not sure you could handle it." (Their mama can definitely handle it, btw.)

01/10/2017

I love Southern Daisy Photography's sassy way of saying that prints are often a better long term value than digital files. And professional quality prints are a whole lot prettier than that USB, too.

Technology changes and becomes useless after time, but prints last for a lifetime and generations beyond!

ETA: I recently rebranded and changed my business name, so that is why the watermark doesn't match the page name. ☺️ Thank you for all the shares!

12/09/2016

I'm getting quite a few contacts via my website with no return information. Please feel free to PM me if you do not receive a response any time that you contact me ~ I will never knowingly ignore a message.

11/10/2016

Thank you, thank you to all of my 2016 newborns, babies, children, and families. I look forward to posting lots of gorgeous portraits as soon as I get your portraits delivered, which is job #1 always. At this time, I am fully booked for sessions with delivery in time for Christmas, with the exception of newborns. I so appreciate each and every one of you for helping to make 2016 a wonderful year personally and professionally.