Durham Family Photographer

Carolyn Scott is a Durham family photographer. She specializes in candid and documentary at-home family photography in the Triangle area (Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Cary, etc). Carolyn’s work has been published in several popular books and magazines, including Apartment Therapy, BuzzFeed, and Fangoria. Locally, she’s been voted Best Photographer in Durham Magazine’s Best Of Durham and INDY Week’s Best of the Triangle. She lives in South Durham with her husband Geoff and three cats.

April 6, 2023

Sarah+Tim+Theo+Linden // Durham, NC Family Photographer

I’m so thrilled that I got the chance to reunite with Sarah, Tim, and Theo – and to meet the latest addition to their family, Linden! I photographed Theo back in 2019, so now we needed to get some updated photos with his little sister. Sarah told me it would taken Theo a minute to warm up, but that was not the case, and within about 30 seconds he was showing me his breakdancing moves and telling me everything there is to know about soccer. Linden enjoys cooking food in her pretend kitchen and taking a ride on her puppy bike. They both love pretending to be monsters and attacking their parents, but who doesn’t? Sarah and Tim are great parents and people, so they abide all monster attacks and even feed the monsters dinner after a bike ride. We enjoyed a wonderful little sunny afternoon taking pictures in their home and in their gorgeous backyard. Bat stickers were placed on all bicycles so now I feel like there’s a little piece of me riding down the sidewalks of Durham… and what a wonderful crew to go riding with. :)

Family sitting on couch in Durham laughing

Mom wrestling with kids on couch and laughing

Father and son wrestling on ground in living room laughing

Dad sitting with kids on the couch and kids pretending to be monsters

Father and daughter at home docoumentary photographs

Kids having dance party in the living room during family pictures

Kids having dance party in the living room during family pictures in Durham NC

Girl working in pretend play kitchen at home

Girl smiling and holding out food from kitchen

Kids making food in pretend play kitchen

Kids offering pretend play food to parents

Parents sitting with son on the floor in living room

Parents building blocks with their kids on the floor during family pictures

Wedding portrait hangs on the wall of the family home

Dad helping kids put on shoes on the deck

Boy playing soccer in the yard with Dad in Durham

Boy playing backyard soccer in the yard with mom and dad

Girl crying and holding hands with mom in the backyard

Girl playing with remote controls in living room

Girl sitting on couch and smiling at her mom

Carolyn Scott Photography stickers on bike

Girl sitting on her puppy bike and waiting for her family to get ready

Boy carrying his bike down the steps of his house

Girl riding a bike on the sidewalk during Durham family photographs

Siblings riding bikes on the sidewalk during Durham family photographs

Girl riding her bike down the street and stopping to talk to mom

Girl walking her bike down the sidewalk with her mom and dad

Girl riding her puppy bike down the street

Mom helping daughter smell flowers in tree

Mom helping daughter put her bike helmet on again

Kids carrying tray of potatoes through kitchen

Boy carrying tray of potatoes through kitchen

Girl playing soccer with family in the backyard

Brother and sister portraits with silly faces

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March 28, 2023

Shannon+Jason+Frasier // Raleigh Couple Photographer

I don’t really want to say that anyone had a great pandemic, but Shannon and Jason came as close as it gets when they purchased their amazing downtown Raleigh condo and adopted their sweet pup Frasier. Their patio view is just incredible and they’re within walking distance to everything, but maybe the icing on the cake is that they can hear all of the Red Hat concerts and have the best seat for fireworks. BUT if they didn’t want to hang out on their own patio, they can also go up to their condo building’s patio, which is equally incredible. They enjoy everything that the city has to offer and love walking to restaurants and around the little neighborhoods downtown. And the best part is that Frasier enjoys every bit of this. Frasier is their tiny pup who is SO adorable and very smol and sweet. Frasier is obsessed with Shannon and Jason. He follows them everywhere. He gives them non-stop adoring stares. He panicked for the two seconds that they went into a room without him. He climbs on top of them and looks super pleased with himself. Frasier is living his absolute best life, and so are Shannon and Jason. I’m so happy for them and their newfound home in the city! Thank you guys for having me out to documenting your life and love.

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March 21, 2023

Jessie+Dan+Lilli // Pittsburgh Family Photos

Ohhh, friends of the blog will remember Jessie and Dan’s wedding at the Pittsburgh Aviary in 2018 where I met a really lovely little penguin named Disco who pooped on my shoe and it was the best cocktail hour ever. I also met a very small adorable owl. It was the best. Anyway, it was also the best because Jessie and Dan were there and they are absolutely two of the kindest, sweetest people in the universe. I like them a lot. I’m sad that we’re far away from each other, especially since I developed a strong, undeliable, and presumably lifelong bond with their cat Lola in the 1.5 hours I was at their house. Lola is an *extremely friendly!* cat. I’d like to assume that she only loves me, but I don’t think this is the case since she seems to also really love Jessie, Dan, their dog Charlie (also very sweet!) and their lovely little toddler Lilli (also VERY sweet!). Lilli is extremely close with Lola and Charlie. She hugs Lola a lot, and Lola is totally cool with it. Charlie also accidentally hits Lola in the face with his wagging tail a lot, and Lola is totally cool with it. Lola recently went to the groomer and came away looking like a small little tortie lion, and she is totally cool with it. Lola is cool with a lot of things and I am totally cool with Lola.

I love toddlers who love animals and treat them gently and lovingly and I know that Lilli will grow up to be a sweet and kind person like her parents. She offered both of her parents her crackers. She offered both of her parents her ice cream (!!). She even offered Charlie and Lola her ice cream (we intervened). I can’t say that I’ve voluntarily offered anyone my ice cream ever, and maybe I think I should take some notes on sharing from Lilli. It was so much fun to see this family all together – cats and dogs getting along together, toddlers and cats getting along together, world peace and harmony. I’m so happy to have gotten to work with Jessie and Dan again and to meet their amazing little crew!

parents sitting next to toddler on couch reading a book

parents reading a book to a toddler in front of fireplace

parents holding toddler in living room with black dog

toddler standing in a hardwood floor and smiling

mom holding laughing toddler upside down

toddler feeding a dog treats and cat with lion haircut

parents helping toddler walk on the couch

girl carrying around bunny doll and black dog

parents reading a picture book with toddler

toddler looking out window in pittsburgh

little hands on windowsill looking out window

mom and daughter looking out window in pittsburgh

parents trying to get little girl to dance

parents reading book to little girl in chair

toddler looking at stained glass in house

mother carrying daughter down the stairs

toddler gets cold while eating ice cream

toddler eating ice cream next to cat while holding cat doll

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