hand colored image of a mother and daughter standing in front of an old truck in a barn

Mothers & Daughters – Past and Present

The love shared between a mother, and her daughter knows no boundaries. Theirs is a unique bond that has stood the test of time. Mothers, women in general, have come a long way throughout history. We can’t imagine the hardships our ancestors endured, but we can imagine the lives of mothers in more recent times. With Mother’s Day around the corner, we wanted to capture what those moments may have looked like, not wanting to do just ordinary modern portraits. We hope these glimpses of mothers and daughters will stir thoughts and memories inspiring you to continue the legacies of those before you. So here’s to mothers and their daughters everywhere with love from us on Mother’s Day!

“Mothers and Daughters Past and Present” was the product of creative minds brainstorming over a lunch of hummus and pita (thanks Neomonde!). Photographer Chris Nieto, makeup artist Ashley Bromirski and hair stylist Cheri’ Leathers chose the quaint town of Apex, NC as their backdrop selecting locations to best represent each chosen decade. Staying within the town, selecting wardrobe for each era, and photographing in a style that best represented each decade were the big challenges. Photographer Chris Nieto’s goal was to give each image the natural appearance of aging as if the viewer were perusing through the decades of a classic family photo album.

old black and white image of a mother and daughter sitting outside of Halle Cultural center in Apex NC

mother and daughter posing together in denim jackets for a 1980s glamour shot

The 1930s

old black and white image of a mother and daughter smiling as they stand on a porch posing for a portrait on mother's day

old black and white image of a little girl and her mother dressed up sitting on a wooden bench in Apex

Traveling / Out On The Town

Set in the centerpiece of the Apex Historic District, the Apex Union Depot made the perfect backdrop for this mother and daughter in their best dress as they appear to be ready for travel. Simply stated hair and makeup with pink cheeks and Shirley Temple curls for the daughter and softly pinned hair with a touch of lip color for the mother.

sepia tinted image of a mother and daughter waiting for a train at Apex Union Depot

black and white tinted image of a mother and daughter standing on a train platform in Apex NC

black and white tinted image of a mother and daughter dressed nicely standing on the porch of a house in Apex NC

black and white image of a mother walking by a picket fence and her daughter skipping behind her on Mothers Day

The 1940s

color image of a mother and daughter standing in front of an old truck in a barn

All in a Day

Capturing farm life but not just in black & white. We wanted a hand painted look with this mother and daughter. This set was shot at a private home in downtown Apex.

Large families were normal and everyone was expected to do their part. Here we see a mother and daughter walking in their garden most likely wearing home-sewn clothes or even hand-me-downs. No STITCH FIX service here!

faded black and white image with a frame around it of a mother and daughter taking a picture together

black and white image of a mother and daughter walking in plowed field

faded black and white image of a mother and daughter standing in front of an old truck in a barn

The 1960s

hippie mother kissing her baby daughter on the head as the baby smiles for the camera

Flower Child

With the free love movement of the 1960s, we wanted to capture the “hippie” mother and daughter in an open air nature setting with flowers. This was shot on a very hot summer afternoon on a private farm in Apex. The hair and makeup was kept simple with a focus on natural long hair and healthy, glowing skin.

mother carrying her naked infant daughter through a corn field in Apex NC

mother walking her diapered daughter through a field of flowers

mother holding her daughter in a cloth diaper outside on a wooden swing

mother walking her diapered baby daughter though a field of red and yellow flowers

yellow tinged image of a mother with flower crown hold her daughter

hippie mother holding and smiling at her daughter

The 1980s

glamour shot wallet strip of images of a mother and daughter posing together

Glammed Up!

We couldn’t resist paying tribute to the infamous mall glamour shots with all their big hair and loud makeup glory. This series was shot in a private Apex home using an electric blue backdrop for that extra pop of color. Our glamorous “mom” her is local Apex real-estate agent Michelle Congleton Smith Society Realty Group.

Crimped hair, brightly colored makeup, flashy clothes, crazy nails, and the “wallet” size prints say it all! Who wouldn’t want to spend mother’s day at the mall?

mother and daughter posing for a 1980s glamour shot for mother's day portraits

woman posing for a glamour shot with a blue background and wearing a gold jacket

young daughter posing for a glamour shot against a blue background

woman smiling for a glamour shot with a denim jacket on posing for her mother's day portrait

faded color glamour shot of a mother and daughter posing in a studio for Mother's Day

The 1990s

grainy image of a mother and daughter walking together in downtown apex

snapshot of a girl with dark makeup on sitting with a cigarette in her hand

Grunge & Buisness

A nod to the working mom juggling her career and a teenage daughter. Set on the streets of downtown Apex, a town officially added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1994.

Slicked back power hair and dramatic makeup for mom and typical grunge hair and makeup for daughter. These images were shot on a disposable camera to keep a little of the authenticity of the 1990s.

mother and daughter standing together for a picture

daughter with her sunglasses on sitting with her mother who is smiling for the picture

mother and daughter trying to have a conversation while drinking coffee

daughter ignoring mother as her mother smiles at her while they sit for coffee

happy mother and a stoic daughter taking a Mother's Day picture together in downtown apex NC

Modern Times…

Mom taking a selfie for mother's day with her daughter as the other daughter listens to music

Fitness & Selfie

What better place to enjoy the outdoors than Jaycee Park in Apex. Kristin Zwahr and her daughters are Apex residents and Kristin is a real-estate agent with Premier Carolina Realty. Strolling around the park with her girls, this mother uses a selfie stick to document their time together (these images would certainly be posted on social media). Mom’s naturally curly locks were diffused and makeup was kept soft and fresh. Daughters each got a colorful streak and fun hairstyles. Makeup was candy-inspired lips and cheeks.

mother taking a selfie with her happy daughter and her angry daughter at Jaycee Park in apex NC

Mother taking a selfie with a selfie stick posing with her daughters

mother and two daughters jogging together in Jaycee Park in Apex NC on mother's day

Mother smiling as she is taking a selfie with a selfie stick posing with her daughters

Mother and daughter taking a selfie on a soccer field at Jaycee Park in Apex NC

Your Mother’s Day Portrait Artist

Cheri’ Leathers – Hair Stylist

I’ve been behind the hairstylist’s chair since 1996. First traveling as a color educator, then opening a day spa before finally choosing a studio just for myself. Through my experiences I learned what I love most is working one on one with clients helping them to achieve their best hair day every day. And yes, I’m a proud naturally curly red head!

Ashley Bromirski – Makeup Artist

From a young age, becoming a professional artist/illustrator was always a dream of Ashley’s until she realized her true passion as a makeup artist working with what she refers to as talking canvases. “My goal as an artist is to get to know my client’s personality/lifestyle and create the perfect look for whatever the occasion giving them the confidence that they will look and feel their best!”. With her flawless attention to detail and vibrant personality Ashley stays quite in demand both in the Raleigh & surrounding areas as well as in the high country of Boone, Blowing Rock, and Banner Elk. When she’s not painting faces, Ashley enjoys life with her husband, their daughter, and red fox lab.