Blog - Dana Ashlyn Photography

MAY 5 - 2026

The Difference Between a Beautiful Photo and a Portrait That Lasts 50 Years There are many ways to create a beautiful photo.A genuine smile. ...

APRIL 28 - 2026

What If My Child Won’t Sit Still for an Heirloom Portrait? If I had a dollar for every parent who began a phone consultation with, “I just ...

APRIL 21 - 2026

A PASTEL PORTRAIT OF A 6 MONTH OLD BABY BOY This pastel heirloom portrait of a six-month-old baby boy in Raleigh is a quiet celebration of ...

APRIL 14 - 2026

A Beach Oil Portrait Painting Celebrating Sibling Bonds at Topsail Beach This beach oil portrait painting of a brother and sister at Topsail ...

APRIL 7 - 2026

THE ERA

Why Heirloom Portraits Aren’t About the Moment — They’re About the Era In a world where thousands of photos live on our phones, it’s easy ...

MARCH 31 - 2026

ENDURING

What Makes a Portrait an Heirloom The word “heirloom” gets used often in photography, but not every portrait truly earns that title. ...

MARCH 24 - 2026

STILLNESS

Why One Meaningful Heirloom Portrait Matters More Than Hundreds of Photos We live in a world overflowing with images. Phones are filled with ...

MARCH 17 - 2026

MADE TO LAST

Why Oil Portrait Paintings Are Designed to Stand the Test of Time This oil portrait was created nearly twenty years ago.And today, it still ...

MARCH 10 - 2026

A Milestone Oil Portrait of a Seven-Year-Old Girl in Raleigh This milestone oil portrait of a seven-year-old girl in Raleigh is a beautiful ...

MARCH 3 - 2026

Why Framing Is an Essential Part of Heirloom Portrait Art In heirloom portraiture, the artwork doesn’t end with the portrait itself. ...

FEBRUARY 24 - 2026

TWO TRADITIONS

Oil Paintings vs Pastel Heirloom Portraits: Choosing the Right Style for Your Child When families begin planning an heirloom portrait, one of ...

FEBRUARY 17 - 2026

Building a Family Collection of Heirloom Portraits Heirloom portraits are more than single moments captured—they are the foundation of a ...

FEBRUARY 10 - 2026

A PASTEL HEIRLOOM PORTRAIT OF 5 YEAR OLD IN RALEIGH This pastel heirloom portrait of a five-year-old boy in Raleigh was created with one very ...

FEBRUARY 3 - 2026

Five-Image Composite Portraits for Babies and Children - Raleigh Heirloom Portrait Artist The classic five-image composite has been part of ...

JANUARY 27 - 2026

A Charcoal Heirloom Portrait of an 18-Month-Old Boy This charcoal heirloom portrait in Raleigh features an 18-month-old little boy with the ...