Expecting Kadence

Over the years, I've observed that belly pictures are always met with strong reactions.  Expecting mothers are either extremely excited to capture that special time that comes right before welcoming their child, or they are very self-conscience of the changes they are experiencing and a camera is the last thing they want to see aimed their way.  I think Ashley is the perfect client to present to the latter.

Being an excited first time mother, Ashley had her maternity session booked in her first trimester.  We scheduled her session about two weeks prior to her due date in November.  We decided to go with a mix of studio or outdoor shots.  I've known Ashley for years and photographed her several times.  I can definitely say she had a certain "glow" about her that day.  While we were shooting, we talked baby names, nursery decor, and holiday plans with a newborn in tow.  She and Joe were so pumped about their impending parenthood, and I think it shines through in their images.  Here are a few of my favorites, along with their slideshow of the session.  Enjoy!

To see in HD, visit us on Facebook or YouTube!

Ashley + Joe 06.09.07

Ashley and Joe have been Simpkins Photography clients since the beginning.  It takes a lot of faith to trust two fresh-out-of-college artists with such an important event, but Ashley never blinked.  We had worked together in the retail circuit for years, and she knew exactly how hard we'd work for her. 

We started with an engagement session in Spring Park of Tuscumbia.  Ashley's bright personality definitely came through in her color selections in their wardrobe for the day.  Of course Joe would have been happy with simple jeans and a tee, but oh the things we do for love...We had a beautiful spring day, and even got to walk with some of the visiting geese as we moved around the park.

For her bridals, Ashley stepped back and let us put our creativity to work.  She was fearless, letting us put her in some not-so-comfy spots so we could take advantage of the vibrant flowers that were in bloom all over the park.  This headshot is still one of my favorite bridal portraits.  The absolute calmness...

On the big day in June, hot would have been an understatement!  I'm pretty sure temperatures were grazing the 100 degree mark.  I can look back and pin point this as the day that my mother became my assistant.  Although she was attending the wedding as a guest, she decided to show up early to be a proud mamma and watch the photo shoot.  I remember glancing over to the 15 foot water fountain behind the alter and thinking how did I forget to bring a drink to an outdoor event.  Then out of the blue, my mom comes walking over with a cooler of water.  She started proceeded fluffing dresses, pinning boutonnieres, and rounding up people to have their picture taken.  An assistant that can read my mind and be two steps ahead of me at all times...priceless.  She's been with us ever since.  I like to say she traded in her "band/softball/volleyball mom" time for days as a photo groupie.

Once the ceremony began, however, the heat was forgotten completely.  Ashley and Joe's wedding was the closest thing to Cinderella that I've seen, right down to the horse-drawn carriage bringing the bride and her father to the end of the aisle.  Everything was absolutely perfect.  One of those sweet moments I love capturing during the ceremony was Ashley wiping a little tear from the tip of Joe's nose during the prayer.  It was a private moment that was missed by the crowd, but now they can remember that rush of emotion forever when they look back at their wedding album.  Congrats to Ashley & Joe, three years and going strong!

I've also included a slideshow of Ashley & Joe's wedding album.  The soft color them combined with washed grunge and artistic stamping has been showcased in our studio and at various bridal fairs for the past few years.  I call this our "happily ever after" look...

To see in HD, visit us on Facebook and YouTube!

In the fall of 2010, Ashley and Joe welcomed their first child, Kadence Leigh.  See more of Miss Kadence in our next entry!

Introducing Brody M!

Let's just go ahead and say what everyone does when they see pictures of this little guy, "check out that awesome hair!"  Little Brody was born on November 2 to one of our past wedding couples, Becky and Dan.  We've photographed him twice since then, once for a newborn session and again for his 3 month session earlier this month.

Brody made his grand entrance a bit earlier than expected, so our newborn photo shoot actually took place in the Maury Regional NICU just before Christmas.  When I first got the call from Becky, I have to say I was a bit nervous going into the hospital surrounded by such fragile babies.  But Brody was growing so fast and changing daily, and Becky wanted to capture all of those stages, especially considering the family had no guarantee of going home before the holidays.  The day of, however, the only thought I had once I got into the hospital room was wow.  My mom, who was assisting that day, just whispered, "I think that's the prettiest baby I've ever seen."

Brody proved to be a great model (already working the good hair vibe).  In fact, he recently was "published" in a billboard spot for the hospital.  I think he may have a career ahead...  He also had some great sentimental props from his family during his session.  He had an heirloom basket from his grandmother, his first toys from his big sister, and of course some Alabama baseball items from his parents.

At the beginning of February, I got to pay a house call for Brody's 3 month session.  He's grown so much in such a short time.  For this session, I got to see those big blue eyes on full alert mode, trying to figure out why I kept flashing lights and unwrapping him from his snug blanket.  Once again, Dan got to sneak in some baseball props.  I don't know, but I have a hunch Brody will be a little slugger before he's really able to pick up a bat...

As always, it's hard to narrow down pictures for display.  I chose a few of my favorites from each session, and included a video with highlights from each as well.  Visit us on YouTube and Facebook for full resolution video!

Becky + Dan

Becky + Dan  06.12.09

Becky and Dan have been Simpkins Photography clients since 2008.  We first met Becky at the WZYP Summer Bridal Fair in Huntsville.  After meeting a few times and getting to know us and our approach to weddings, Becky and Dan asked us to shoot their summer wedding, along with some autumn engagements.

Becky and Dan's engagement pictures were taken in Tuscumbia at Spring Park.  We had fantastic November weather and perfect timing to catch all the vibrant colors of the season.

Becky & Dan were married on June 12, 2009 at Doublehead Resort in Town Creek, Alabama.  On the day of the wedding, we started out with a perfect summer morning...that turned in to a surprise thunder shower about 3 minutes after "I do."  Since the ceremony was outside, and Becky and Dan opted for the tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony, we decided to have another session after the wedding so Becky could have those beautiful outside images she had envisioned. 

The supplemental session took place about a month after the wedding in Nashville, Tennessee.  I was so pleased with this session, from start to finish.  We walked around the capital and surrounding areas, getting a nice mix of nature, architecture, and some iconic images that would make any couple (or photographer) proud to show off.  In fact, we liked these images so much, they made our feature couple shots for the 2009 WZYP Summer Bridal Fair, as well as our open house event that fall.

Click the video below to see Becky & Dan's favorite images that made it to their albums.  I've also included some of the great images that barely missed the cut.

Last November, Becky and Dan's family expanded with the birth of their son, Brody.  Check out his newborn pictures next time! 

To see full resolution video of Becky & Dan, visit us on YouTube or Facebook!

Introducing Kaden!

To kick off our baby blogging, I thought we would introduce the world to Kaden, the newest edition to my family tree.  Kaden was born in October of 2010 to my cousin, Erica.  We took his newborn pictures about two weeks after he was born, and just completed his 3 month session a few weeks ago.

So far, Kaden has been a photographer's dream baby: no crying and happy all the time!  For the first session, he napped the WHOLE time, which made for some adorable sleeping shots.  As long as he stayed wrapped in our soft furs, he was cozy and content.  For his second session, he was wide awake and watching everything with those beautiful blue eyes. 

Here are some of my favorite from his sessions.  To see Kaden's full slideshow, visit us on  YouTube or Facebook!

Renee + Adam 02.14.08

With years of work behind us, I want to mix in some of the old with the new for our blog readers.  We'll be showcasing some of our past sessions, as well as introducing you to our new clients and their images.

Renee + Adam

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I thought we'd kick off our first wedding post with an anniversary shout out to our 2008 V-day couple, Renee & Adam May!  Renee and I were fellow art students in college, and it was so great working with her again.  The wedding was in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.  In addition to the wedding, we also shot a bridal session for Renee at Falls Mill in Fayetteville, Tennessee.

To see HQ video, visit us on YouTube or Facebook!

Welcome to Simpkins Photography!

It's taken a while, but we are finally bloggers!!!  For our first blog, we’ll give those of you that are not familiar with our business the grand tour of our history.  I'm Ashley Simpkins, owner and photographer of Simpkins Photography.  I handle the photography, marketing, website maintenance, client relations, finances, and everything else related to Simpkins Photography.  The term "Renaissance Woman" wouldn't even begin to cover it, but I love every minute.  How many people get to say that they are living the dream?  I know how lucky I am, and hope I pass that passion on to each and every client I photograph.

The main thing that our clients know from the start is that we are a family business.  We photograph relationships of all kinds.  How can you understand the dynamics of relationships if relationships are not the heart of your business?  My wonderful husband, Bryan, is our secondary photographer and constant morale booster.  Shelia, my super supportive mother, rounds out the year-round staff as our assistant, with father-in-law, Wayne, operating as our seasonal Santa.

We have been in business since April of 2007.  We started out under the name of Innovative Imaging, LLC, which was updated to Simpkins Photography in January of this year.  Professionally, I have studied photography going on 9 years.  I earned a Bachelor of Art with a concentration in Photography in 2006, and have been continuing my education with conferences and training classes ever since.  I became a member of the Professional Photographers of America in 2007, and benefit from its knowledge source by staying current with the ever evolving technology and the digital world in general.  Before starting Simpkins Photography, I was fortunate enough to work with several other professional studios and learn from their experiences. 

When our little business started out, our focus was primarily on the wedding market, although we have worked with a variety of subjects.  After 4 years, we can definitely say we've hit our stride with our brides and grooms.  We've been able to perfect our style and deliver unique, consistent images to our clients. 

In the summer of 2010, in an effort to transform our part-time studio into a full-time gig, we began expanding our focus to our other lines of work, primarily babies and children.  Talk about a rewarding area of photography!  Getting to be part of a child's introduction to the world has been such a wonderful experience.  The best part has been growing our business with some of our previous brides and grooms as they expand their families.

The goal now is to continue doing what we do:  preserving moments to remember for a lifetime. 

Gradually, we'll be sharing our experiences and letting the world (or at least the blogging community) get to know us and our work.  We hope you'll follow along and become a fan of Simpkins Photography!