These past two weeks have absolutely flown by…I’ve just put the finishing touches on the wedding highlights video for Lindsey and Sam. We are thrilled to be able to share our vision of the wedding day…One of the things we make of a point of doing is lots of images of the details. Typically the bride (and sometimes the groom) and the bride’s mother spend countless hours making decisions about every aspect of the wedding day. Unfortunately, the wedding day becomes a blur of activity and the details go unnoticed. It’s the photography that allows the bride and her mother to really enjoy the results of their many hours of work. I trust you will enjoy the video of the highlights of Sam and Lindsey’s wedding day.

Tuesdai Singleton competed in the most recent LaReunion Cafe Idol contest, and she did very well. She didn’t win, but she won our hearts. Tuesdai’s parents house was lost in the tornado that ripped through Alabama on a Thursday night last month. The Idol contest was held on Fridays. Yes, you guessed it…Tuesdai’s family insisted she compete, and we all cheered her on while she gave it her all as she sang. It was obvious that Tuesdai was having a difficult time with her songs, but we also knew that she is a winner in every sense of the word. Tuesdai came to the studio yesterday (brought her sister in for a few photos, too) so we could do some photos for her upcoming CD. Tuesdai is in the process of recording her first CD! So excited for her. This may be the cover…we’re still looking at her images to make a decision, but I really do love this one. Feel free to comment!

Being a high school senior is such a cool thing…you’ve waited a long time to become one! You deserve a year that is all about you and your accomplishments. When it comes to your senior lifestyle photographs, use a photographer who is dedicated to creating images that are all about you…Gretchen B Seniors. Our new website is under construction…I’ll announce its launch soon…check out our new facebook senior page and watch the video to see why you’ll want Gretchen B to tell your story in photos. Gretchen B…voted one of the top five photography studios in the Birmingham area–let us show you why.

Call us at 205.999.3531 to find out about our 2011-2012 model program (hint: you’ll get free sessions and even earn hard cash!).

You know, today with the digital age, a lot of people who own cameras believe they are photographers. That’s like saying that owning a drill makes you a dentist! Trust a professional like Gretchen B, and you’ll have the best photos ever taken of you…we guarantee it!

* Studio and on location sessions
* Changes of outfits encouraged
* Slideshows, Albums, Wrapped Canvases
* FREE pre-session consultation
* And much more!

Connect with us on facebook and you’ll get $25 off your session fee OR book before July 15, and we’ll double that to $50 off!

My little piece of heaven is located in Helena, Alabama. My studio is perched above Buck Creek which flows into the Cahaba River…home of the rare and beautiful Cahaba Lily. LaReunion Cafe is a quaint coffee house and cafe that at the center of the activities in Helena. Del and Robin, owners of LaReunion, continue a tradition started by the former owners (then known as Big Mountain Coffee) with LaReunion Idol. LaReunion Idol is, of course, based on American Idol. This year the field was so talented, we had 12 contestants at the beginning and then the winner was chosen from the top four after weeks of performing for their supporters. Winners were chosen after the votes were counted and the judge’s gave their scores. It was very exciting! What great talent we have in this area (remember Bo Bice and Taylor Hicks!)

(As a side note, Robin and Del, owners of LaReunion, set up a table for donations during the Idol contest for Two by Two Rescue which raised awareness of this Helena based dog rescue organization. Two by Two is different from many rescue organizations in that they have a strict “no kill” policy, and they places dogs in foster care until permanent homes are located. Several hundred dollars were donated, and one of the dogs was adopted. How cool is that?!)

For four weeks, we went to LaReunion to cheer for our favorites…one of whom won! John Elrod is a friend and fellow photographer, and we were excited to listen to his smooth voice and watch him as he played to the crowd. John is a very quiet guy, but you wouldn’t know it when he’s on stage. John performed at the Buck Creek Festival in front of hundreds of people from and around the small town of Helena. He was outstanding!

Gretchen B Photography is pleased to be involved in LaReunion Idol…I donated a photo session and a print credit for the top two winners of this contest and will do the same for the Idol Jr contest which starts in June. Mike is first runner up and a very talented musician and singer, too.

Meet both Mike Jones and John Elrod…Mike is the first runner up. These images were created in my studio and on the front porch of my building. Gotta love the light on the porch! I’m also playing with some low key lighting which I find very rewarding. The images seem so intimate and personal. Let me know what you think…

Mike Jones

John Elrod

Today, my camera and I went to Edgewood to see Jan Moon of Dreamcakes fame where I met Avery who will be celebrating her first birthday. She and mom were in the store to order her birthday cake.

Baby Avery

Then I had the great pleasure of taking some photos of Jan with her wonderful brick wall as a background. Loved it! (I want one…a brick wall that is!).

What’s a visit to Jan’s with checking out the goodies?!

Next on the list was a visit with Katie and Shay at Engaged Library where I had so much fun taking a few photos of a door-to-door salesman as well as Katie and Shay. What a fun couple of hours!

Madeline is a senior at Hoover High School, and she is dating Parker who graduated from Hoover last year. They came into the studio last week, and we had a blast playing with my continuous lights. They are so much fun and have a very close relationship. Parker and Madeline are so playful and at ease with one another. I thoroughly enjoyed being their photographer and hope you enjoy the slideshow of some of my very favorite images. Check them out!

Baby Jordan came to the studio for very special photos. She is three months old, and in several of the images, she is wearing a blessing gown that is made from her mother’s wedding dress. And the blessing gown was hand made by Jordan’s maternal grandmother! What a privilege I had in creating heirloom images for Heather and Justin! Here are just a few of the images in a short slideshow for a quick sneak peek!

The White Room in Cahaba Heights carries several designers including Rivini! This past week I photographed Tori wearing three Rivini gowns. We were able to use the area in front of The White Room–the weather and the light were perfect for an outdoor photo session. Here’s one of my favorite photos from the shoot and a slideshow that may inspire you to purchase a Rivini gown…so feminine and sexy.

The end of the school year is fast approaching, and the postcards from the school’s photographer will be arriving in the mail telling you the day and time of your senior photography. Did you know that the school contract is for the photo that will appear in the yearbook and not for the “lifestyle” photographs that are taken after the formal picture? Why settle for photographs that look like everyone else’s (stand by that tree and tilt your head to the right)? There is no better time than now to get pictures that tell a lot more about you than you can follow directions on head tilt!

At our studio, teens bring the things with them that they love–drums, guitars, baseball bats, golf clubs, shoes, purses, ballet costumes, prom dresses…you name it! Bring what matters to you. Want pictures with your car? No problem. Want pictures for facebook and twitter? No problem. Want pictures with your best friends? Bring them! Want to have a blast and get pictures that are all about you. (By the way, we also do pictures that your parents and grandparents will love!)

We have a few spots available for our high school model program…check out the photos in the slideshow, and let me know if you are interested in getting more information. I’d love to meet with you!

This is the second time I’ve had an opportunity to photograph beautiful Nora. She has the biggest eyes and adorable curly hair. She has parents and two older brothers who totally adore her. You can see that she is a very happy baby. Nora is crawling and standing up with assistance. She had a fabulous time on my soft rug…there were times that I wished my camera had video capability. (I will have one of those in the near future!). Enjoy Nora as seen through the eyes of Gretchen B Photography!

(Tip for photographing children…stay on their level!)