Gresham Photography's Simply Colorful Blog

GOODBYE OLD BLOG!!!

2008-10-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

So if you've followed Stacey and I for more than a month online, you've seen some changes to our website and blog. A few months ago we redesigned our main website, and followed that up with a new blog design. After a couple of weeks of looking over our new blog, we decided that it really wasn't what we wanted it to be. Sooooo.....

We're excited to announce (Again!) that our blog design has changed! The big difference with this change is, our blog has also moved! You can see the all new blog at:

www.simple-color.com/blog

We're really pumped about all the new options that the updated blog includes, and the best part is....bigger pictures!!!

We've migrated all of our posts from this blog to the new one, but don't worry if you have them bookmarked! They're still here and will remain available indefinitely for you to come back to.

Now for the little favor that we need from you! We need all of our awesome blog subscribers to update their RSS feeds to show the new blog site. We love you guys, all of your comments, and your support! So do it already!!!

We hope you enjoy the new blog, and thanks again for hanging out with us!

-Brandon and Stacey

Beth and Adam

2008-10-28T18:20:00.001-07:00

I got to hang out with Beth and Adam this past Sunday, walking around downtown Birmingham and getting some fun shots! You might remember Beth from Lisa and Hugh's wedding that we shot earlier this year, so I was really excited to get to hang out with them again! Here's some of my favorites from the day!

Mallory's Bridals

2008-10-26T20:34:00.001-07:00

Stacey had the opportunity to head over to Tuscaloosa yesterday and shoot the beautiful Mallory in her wedding gown. It was a gorgeous day for shooting outside, and it didn't hurt that Mallory is such a gorgeous girl. Stacey's busy studying for some crazy PT finals tonight, so I volunteered to post some of her favorites! By the way, if you're name is Patrick....GO AWAY!

Melanie and Alan

2008-10-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

I had a great afternoon hanging out with Melanie and Alan today. We went all around the Magic City, and finished off with some awesome shots overlooking downtown Birmingham. The really cool thing about this couple is I didn't have to ask them to do ANYTHING. They're so comfortable in front of the camera, and even more comfortable with each other! Stacey and I will kick off our 2009 wedding shoots with their big day on Jan. 3rd! Enjoy some of my favorites guys!

Meet George

2008-10-19T18:31:00.001-07:00

Stacey and I broke down and added another pup to the Gresham family this weekend. We adopted George from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society as part of their "Adopt-A-Dog" month. As you've probably figured out if you follow this blog at all, Stacey and I are big dog people.

Bailey and George have really hit it off since we picked him up earlier this week, and it's all we can do to keep them from wrestling around the house 24-7.

It's no coincidence that we've named the dogs George and Bailey. My family has a long history for being "It's a Wonderful Life" fans, and we're hoping it's not too corny that we named them after the main character in the movie. Here's some pictures we took of George and Bailey today in between futile potty-training efforts.

NICOLETTE AND KEVIN

2008-10-11T21:53:00.001-07:00

What an absolutely amazing day we had with Nicolette and Kevin today! A gorgeous bride, handsome groom and some awesome venues made for one of Stacey and my favorite weddings of the year! These two newlyweds were so fun and relaxed throughout the day, and their patience with us allowed for some awesome images! The day started at the wonderful Saint Paul's Cathedral in downtown Birmingham and finished up at Park Lane in Mountain Brook.

We'd love to send some props out to Vince and all the folks over at Flower Stems for once again amazing us with some beautiful flowers and centerpieces. We also got to spend the evening with Joe from Feel the Beat Entertainment spinning the tunes. To both the Nieves and Stramara families, we'd like to thank you all for letting us be part of this amazing day! We'd like to say thank you by giving you all a few blog pictures to look at. Enjoy!

The Blink Girls

2008-10-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

One of the awesome things about going to photography workshops is hanging out with some extremely creative and talented people. The girls of Blink Photography were no exception.

The gorgeous Anna and Dani hung out with Stacey for her workshop with Audrey Woulard and from there, a pretty awesome photography friendship was born. OK, so we hung out for a total of 24 hours....but these two really have a passion for the work that they do, and Stacey and I know we'll be better photographers for having them as friends (Even if they live in Bend, Oregon!)

We spent our last few hours in New Orleans doing a little photo shoot between the four of us around the French Quarter. Here's some of Stacey's shots from the workshop with Audrey and then some of the beautiful Blink girls.

Image X - Day 2

2008-10-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

So I wanted to share some more images from our time in New Orleans. We had the opportunity to shoot some awesome models in some amazing locations! We also met up with the amazing photography duo of Dani and Anna from Bend, Oregon. They are officially our best photographer friends after a total of 48 hours together. We had a great time shooting around New Orleans with them today, so stayed tuned tomorrow for a post about the Blink Photography girls! For now, here's some of our favorites from Day 2:

Image X 2008

2008-10-07T20:52:00.001-07:00

Stacey and I have spent the last few days in New Orleans at the awesome Image X Workshop 2008. This gathering of 150 wedding and childrens portrait photographers from around the world has been nothing short of amazing.

We had the honor of spending the entire day on Monday with one of our biggest inspirations in the wedding photography world, Jessica Claire. Jessica is one of the top ten wedding shooters in the world, and we were so excited to watch her shoot and pick her brain for a day. We also met Candice Brooke and some other world-class photographers that would take a good while to list!

Today Stacey and I split up and went to separate workshops. Stacey spent the day with Audrey Woulard, one of the world's top childrens photographers. I spent the day with the "delightfully" awesome Chenin Boutwell, learning a ton about branding and finding a style that fits us.

It's been a great (and long) three days so far, and we have another half-day to go before making our trip back to Birmingham. In the meantime, here's some of our favorite images from the week so far. We've been shooting a ton around the city as well and will post those later this week! Enjoy!

Ginger and Brandon

2008-10-05T12:02:00.001-07:00

We had the chance to hang out with Ginger and Brandon for their intimate wedding at Gabrella Manor. These fellow photographers made our day SO easy, since they understood exactly what it took to get some great pictures. Thanks guys for the beautiful day and entrusting us to capture some very special moments between the two of you!

Are U Able Race

2008-10-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

I thought I would take the opportunity to finally talk about my double life. Yes, I'm a photographer on the weekends, but during the week I am hard at work in the classroom trying to learn the skills to become a physical therapist. I know all my clients must think I'm crazy not to just pick one career path or the other, but the truth is. . . I love doing them both!!! I especially love when I can blend the two and help promote my future profession of physical therapy! This past weekend I got the chance to photograph the annual Are U Able race put on by students and faculty at University of Alabama at Birmingham's PT program to benefit research in the area of physical therapy. This race is designed to let people of all abilities participate in activity and it truly accomplished its goal this year. We had individuals young and old and some with various adaptive equipment (prosthetics) participating in the race. Here are some of the images I captured throughout the day.

-Stacey

This little guy was 2 years old!

These awards were made by children at Children's hospital in Birmingham who are receiving physical therapy!

Here's to my lovely PT class who put on this race! Awesome job guys!

Brasfield family shoot

2008-09-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

This couple got married in Mexico a few months ago and wanted some pictures of the family together. The best part is they were absolutely up for some fun, relaxed style portraits in one of our favorite locations downtown. Here are some of the pictures from this casual shoot! (can you tell we got into the jumping shots ;)

Kandess and Daniel

2008-09-28T17:49:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, I grabbed some engagement shots with this great couple. They were wonderfully coordinated for Fall and we had an awesome time playing among the field of flowers at Aldridge Gardens. Enjoy some of the pictures from their shoot.

Becca and Peter - Film

2008-09-24T10:48:00.001-07:00

Becca and Peter were so sweet to let me take a few pictures of them with the film Rollei camera. Although it takes a little longer to manually focus and set up the composition of the shot, the final product is always worth the effort. Here are a few of the old fashioned film shots from their wedding.
-Stacey

Chelsea and David

2008-09-21T15:05:00.001-07:00

Stacey and I got to hang out with Chelsea and David for their wedding yesterday! The rain came and went a few times, but it never kept these two from smiling and enjoying the celebration! Thanks guys for letting us spend your wedding day with you and enjoy some quick shots!

Nicolette's Bridals

2008-09-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I had an AMAZING evening with Nicolette and her mom today! We shot at a ton of different locations, from her ceremony site (The Cathedral of St. Paul), to the trendy loft at Flowerstems (Homewood Florist) in downtown Birmingham! Stacey insists that Nicolette could pass for an Audrey Hepburn look alike, while I'm more in the Maya Rudolph camp....but either way, she was gorgeous! Thanks for an awesome afternoon ladies, and enjoy some preview shots!

Jenney's bridals

2008-09-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Since we were trying to keep Jenney's look a secret from her groom before the wedding, we didn't post any of her beautiful pictures! Now that the day is past, we are sharing it with the world (quite literally since her face is on the front of our new website ;) Hope you like some of her bridals at Ross Bridge.

-Stacey

One last series! Oh how I love the colors at sunset!

Jenney and Daniel

2008-09-13T23:21:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I had such a blast today during Jenney and Daniel's wedding celebration! A ceremony at the historic First United Methodist Church of Birmingham, followed by a fun-filled reception (Including a TV with the Auburn football game) at B&A Warehouse. These two are sorta big Auburn fans, and it was a "little" noticeable throughout the day :-)....Thanks guys for letting us hang out with you, and enjoy a few shots on your way to the Caribbean!

LITTLE 'B'

2008-09-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

Stacey got to spend the afternoon with cute little "B" at a couple of different spots around Birmingham. This precuious little girl was unbelievably photogenic, and didn't seem to have any problem getting in front of the camera. When Stacey brought the pictures home, the only question I had was "Where's MY lollipop? Here's some of our favorites:

NEW BLOG DESIGN!

2008-09-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I were excited to finally release our new blog design tonight for everyone to enjoy! We're still ironing out some glitches but hopefully the new design will look cleaner and help emphasize our pictures a little bit better! Enjoy!

-Brandon

Ben and Cassidy

2008-09-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I got to hang out with Ben and Cassidy tonight for the first time. For those of you who follow the blog regularly, this awesome couple won our Free Wedding Photography Contest a few weeks ago! We met up with them at O'Henry's Coffee House in Homewood to talk wedding pictures. All I can say is, we're going to have an AWESOME time on their big day! We decided to shoot some quick pictures of Ben and Cassidy to help introduce them!

New Website

2008-09-07T06:08:00.000-07:00

After a lot of work and some unexpected twists that delayed us about two weeks, Stacey and I are excited to launch our new website this weekend!

www.simple-color.com is new and improved with some extra little features that we're really pumped about....

-Cleaner interface: We decided to go back to a simpler, white-space focused design for the new site ... allowing our pictures and their color to hopefully speak for themselves.

-New Sample galleries: We started out from scratch with our sample galleries, adding a ton of new pictures from some of our latest wedding.

- New proofing and shopping cart system: This is probably the biggest improvement from our old site. While we'll still be keeping our old proofing page open for our recent clients, the new proofing page and shopping cart system is sure to make everybody's lives a little easier. Now instead of emailing us your print selections after viewing them in the proofing section, clients will be able to view, order and select their print size directly from the online shopping cart. The new system will also allow anyone who wants to purchase individual prints to pay via PayPal online or simply order their prints on the web and send us payment in the mail. This new system will take awhile for us to integrate into our workflow, but we're hoping it'll be a big help to our clients in making their selection process a little easier!

-Testimonial section: We've finally added a place on our site where we can post comments that people have made about our work. No, Stacey and I aren't getting big heads, but simply hoping that the new "Happy People" section will allow prospective clients a place to see some of our past wedding achievements.

Easier calendar: Simply put, our new calendar is a lot more user-friendly then the somewhat clunky old version.

Online album samples: This area is still getting it's finishing touches, but when it's done it will allow everyone to see a ton of image of all of the different albums and options that we offer. So now our clients won't have to settled for long-winded email descriptions from your truly! :-)

With that, we hope you take a minute to look around the new site, and then shoot us an email with any likes or dislikes that you might have. Have a great rest of the weekend!

-Brandon and Stacey

Birmingham-Southern Football

2008-09-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I like more than watching football, it's getting to shoot it. I'm lucky to have the opportunity to shoot at all of Birmingham-Southern College's home games this year (perk of the job), and it was a gorgeous day today for football. Sad to say the Panthers lost in the last 30 seconds of the game 31-34, but it's great to get back on the field and shoot. Here's some of my favorites!

Jen and Jason - After the Wedding Shoot

2008-09-05T16:22:00.001-07:00

I had a great time shooting some of our recent newlyweds before they went back to their lives in Washington, D.C. Jen wanted a more urban feel to her pictures so we shot downtown on Morris Avenue. Hope you enjoy! - Stacey

You can tell that Jason's truly adores his bride!

Becca and Peter

2008-08-31T21:52:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day yesterday for Becca and Peter's gorgeous wedding at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Birmingham. This stunning couple was all about having some fun with their pictures, and it's really showing in the images we've reviewed so far! From St. Francis we headed to downtown Birmingham and the awesome loft at Flower Stems (Homewood Florist).

We were pumped to find out that the evening's entertainment would be provided by Brother 2 Brother, a rockin' band out of Tuscaloosa that we've had the pleasure of working with before. Thank you Becca and Peter for a gorgeous night and a wedding to remember! Here's a few of our favorites for you to enjoy!

FREE WEDDING CONTEST: THE WINNERS

2008-08-31T14:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks again to everyone for the patience this week as our family and friends decided on our winning couple for the Free Wedding Photography Contest. We heard plenty of feedback from everyone who was in on the judging expressing how important of a decision this was for them.

Stacey and I continue to regret the fact that we can't shoot all of the finalists' weddings! It weighs on our hearts as we read the stories of how much of an impact these people have on each other and those around them. That said, we don't want to leave our couples who didn't get selected empty handed. So we offering to give you guys a free engagement or bridal shoot, or 25 percent off any of our packages. We wish we could do SO much more for each of you, but we hope that this little gift might help you in some way as you prepare for your big day!

As for the winning couple.....we're excited to announce that our parents, sibling and family friends have selected Ben and Cassidy as the winners of our free wedding photography contest!!! We're SO excited to work with this awesome couple as they begin a new chapter in their lives! Stacey and I had a chance to talk with Ben and Cassidy earlier today and feel like we're going to have an awesome time with them during their marriage celebrations!

We wanted to share their submission with everyone in it's entirety....

Brandon and Stacey,

First let me say that this concept of giving away free wedding photography is amazing. Your obvious heart for people is going to bless some couple greatly. Second I LOVE YOUR WORK, absolutely beautiful! Now I will tell you the story of mine and my lovely fiancé relationship.

Cassidy is a hardworking, loving, and compassionate person. She is in her last clinical rotation of graduate school at UAB to become an occupational therapist. She desires to help people with disabilities and to show them love and compassion. We have been dating for 5 amazing years and I love her more every day.

Now for the classic question, “How did you meet?” Well I have been playing music for many years and one day in early May (‘03) Cassidy heard my music and lucky me, she liked it and we began to talk. At first it started with a few emails and moved to daily phone calls. I lived in Greenville, Al and she was attending Auburn University. We began to alternate weekends and travel to see each other. Things were great, other than being 2 hours apart.

Soon after we met I started traveling to play music, became a local student minister and started at a local junior college. Life was busy. Cass and I continued to have a long distance relationship for 2 ½ years. In that 2 ½ years we had many hard times. One was our puppy, Hayden, being hit by a F250 truck. Hayden was Cassidy’s world! She loved her dearly so when the vet said she had slim chance to survive Cassidy’s mother, Peggy, said to do whatever it took to save her. Hayden spent weeks in the intensive care unit with bills totaling well over six thousand dollars. Hayden is now a happy dog living in Birmingham with Cassidy and is almost 5 years old, but they are probably still paying off that visa bill.

After 2 ½ years of dating, Cassidy graduated from Auburn in Rehabilitation Services and was accepted into graduate school at UAB, so she would move back to live with her mother in Birmingham. I couldn’t take much more time apart and I knew something had to change. So I took a job as a part time student minister and picked up to move to Birmingham to be in the same town with Cassidy. What an exciting time it was!! I was now, after 2 ½ years, in the same town as my love, and I could see her every day.

Grad school started and I started my new job at Cahaba Heights United Methodist Church. Money was tight but we knew through our faith that we would be fine. Student loans piled up for Cass and my job did not pay the bills. So I started giving guitar lessons along with my student ministry, traveling with music, and going to school. Times were hard but what a relief to live close and see her amazing smile every day! It was all worth it.

July 21st 2007 we got engaged!! Our relationship was great, but everything else was in shambles. When it rains it pours, in the next three months Cassidy’s mother lost her job that she has been at for over 30 years at Saks Inc. due to downsizing. She is a single mother with 3 children and has now been without a job for well over a year. In the midst of this Cassidy’s car that she had been driving for 7 years died. She purchased an old used car, which the transmission fell out of within weeks of buying it. She had to take out loans to purchase a transmission that cost her about the same as the car did. All the while my car also blew up after putting 270,000 miles on it as we were leaving to play music in North Carolina. We still knew God would provide.

A few months later Cassidy began her clinical rotations and got to show her amazing compassion to people with disabilities and we also began wedding planning. I decided to stop traveling and playing music so that I would not be a husband on the road. I earned my degree in biblical studies and continued to do student ministry and local worship music. I have recently taken a large pay cut and had to take on more guitar lessons. Peggy, Cassidy’s mother, was unable to find a job for well over a year. She recently got an administration position at a church making less than a ¼ of her previous salary. Because of this Cassidy’s family is losing their home, her mother can no longer afford it. They are working hard to clean it up and are preparing to move in with Cassidy’s grandmother. My mother is also a single mother of 3 children and she is living off of a teacher’s salary; my father died when I was younger. With money so tight for us all, I as well as our families have no idea how to give Cass the wedding she deserves. As the wedding draws closers, Cassidy decided to take an additional student loan to finance the wedding and pay it back slowly with the rest. Sounded like a fine plan and our love grew deeper daily. Cass is made for me, she is PERFECT and after 5 years she still knocks me off my feet.

Three days ago Cassidy called me in tears. She says we couldn’t get the extra loan that was going to finance our wedding, because she isn’t enrolled for the entire school year (she graduates in December). I started frantically searching the internet for caterers, photographers, and dress shops we could afford I ran across your site and saw your free wedding. I showed Cass your photos and she fell in love, I think she told me she even asked if you guys were available, she said it was “wishful thinking.” (I intentionally did not show her the free wedding competition portion; I hope she didn’t find it). The two things Cass cares most about with our wedding is all our family being there and a photographer who can catch this special day just right. I hope you consider us as a candidate for your amazing gift.

Either way God Bless you for what you do.

-Ben-

... Ben and Cassidy, we can't even begin to express enough how excited we are to be part of your day! We've never met you in person, but already we can tell that we're going to have an awesome time on your wedding day! We're flattered that you would include us in such a special moment and promise that we will do our absolute best to help your big day become a lasting memory!!!

-Brandon and Stacey

Brooke and William is Live!

2008-08-29T22:59:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome time with Brooke and William back in June, and today I FINALLY got their proofs done for them. Thanks guys for being patient. Enjoy the shots!

Saying goodbye

2008-08-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

Friday was a tough day for Stacey and I as we had to say goodbye to our closest friends, John and Kara. Two of the smartest people we know, the Stephensons are headed across the U.S. from Birmingham, Alabama to Seattle, Washington.

For the past few years (It seems like a lot longer), we've spent at least a couple nights a week at each others homes. It definitely helped that we lived in the same apartment complex too! We celebrated birthdays, holidays, job hirings, job quittings, and just about anything else that we could think of together. From late night games of spades to watching hours upon end of football on Sunday, John and Kara have literally become staples of our everyday life.

Great opportunities await both of them in Seattle in the form of family, friends and some awesome job opportunities. As John was finalizing his job plans in the weeks leading up to their leaving today, I couldn't help but joke that I was hoping he wouldn't get a job in Washington, but at the same time was praying he'd get an awesome position.

We'll be seeing them again, of course, but Birmingham to Seattle isn't exactly a day trip! So for now, here's to Rapha, Max and Bailey; homemade pizza, games of Catan and spades, late night talks over drinks and cigars, trips to TCBY and Vietnamese food, shrimp eating, Nascar, and good times with great friends.

We wish you guys the best as you open a new chapter of your life, and thank you for some of the awesome memories we've gotten to enjoy while you were here in the Ham. With love,

-Brandon and Stacey

Rapha the good cat...

...and Max the bad cat...

Karen and Robert

2008-08-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

Tropical storm Fay did her best to try and dampen Karen and Robert's day, but this patient couple kept smiling and didn't let a little rain get in their way! We had an awesome time trying out some new shooting locations and techniques as we dodged our way around the dreary weather. A gorgeous ceremony at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Birmingham was followed up by a dance-filled reception at the Parish Hall! Thanks guys for letting us be part of your moment!

FREE WEDDING CONTEST: FINALISTS

2008-08-23T22:49:00.000-07:00

It's been a challenging few weeks for Stacey and I as we tried to narrow down our picks for the three finalists of our Free Wedding Photography Contest. I cannot even begin to express how difficult it has been to choose between all of our more than deserving applicants.

We've read a ton of stories of strength and perseverance during hard times, love lost and then found again, and couples who've given up the "big wedding plans" to pursue their dreams. We never thought this would be an easy choice to narrow down to three, but we also could never have imagined some of the amazing and heart-felt stories that people were willing to share with us.

We wanted to both thank all of the couple who submitted their stories, and apologize to those we weren't able to put in our final three. Each and every one of you is deserving of a gorgeous wedding, and if Stacey and I felt like we could do all of your weddings (And still make a living!) we most certainly would.

We want to encourage everyone who applied but didn't make the final three to PLEASE still contact us about your wedding. We're more than happy to try and work with you and customizing a package that might be able to fit within your budget, and the least we can do is refer you to some other photographers in the area who will give you gorgeous pictures at a great price. We're more than happy to refer you to any other affordable vendors we know!

And now for the big announcement....

After a lot of arm wrestling, late night discussion watching Olympic replays, and back and forth disagreements....here's who Stacey and I have selected as our final three couples (in no particular order) for the Free Wedding Photography Contest:

JOHN PAUL and ALLISON

John Paul and Allison have been on a journey of perseverance, and their true love shines through in the words they shared with us about their love story. Stacey and I were treated to a bunch of pictures that highlighted their relationship's journey through good times and bad. From the first date, to the fairy tale proposal.

This awesome couple has dedicated their lives to the the ministry and the arts. From John Paul's various endeavours in sharing God's word, to Allison's teaching of the piano, these two have both taken on lives of service to others. With a father who is also a preacher, I can more than understand not only the stresses and strains that come with a live in the ministry, but also the financial hardships that can happen when your primary goal is sharing the Word rather than saving for retirement :-)

Thank you John Paul and Allison for taking the time to tell us your story!

BROOKE and DAVID

Brooke and David have had what should be consider THE long distance relationship. David, who is a member of the United States Marine Corps (Oorah!), recently returned from his second tour of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The two have dated for five years or so, after growing up only miles apart but never officially meeting until 2003!

David's time away and dedication has been a constant challenge on their relationship, but with his last tour being his final scheduled assignment, Brooke and David now have some time to focus on starting the family that they've both been hoping for. Brooke is also currently working towards her nursing degree, leaving slim pickings when it comes to wedding funds.

Brooke and David, we very much enjoyed your wedding proposal story, and thank you for sharing such an awesome moment with us!

BEN and CASSIDY

The trials that Ben and Cassidy have been through in the past few years are more than many could imagine experiencing. This awesome couple has weathered some heavy storms during their relationship, and come out closer every time!

While Ben has diligently pursued his musical career over the pat few years, Cassidy has been working hard here at home to earn her degree in Occupational Therapy. It seems like every time something goes right for this couple, something also decided to go wrong. From having both their cars die when they need them most, to family financial strains that have left the scrambling to pay bills, when it rains it seems to pour for these two! Through it all, however, Ben and Cassidy have been able to rely on each other for support, and decided recently that they wanted to make their commitment to each other final.

Thank you guys for your touching story!

-----

Thanks again to all who submitted their story! Please note that while we haven't included each couple's full story, we will be publishing the winning couple's submission. Now we hand the decision making off to some of the closest people in our lives, including both our sets of parents, my brother and his wife, and our best married friends. They will have the extremely difficult task in selecting our winning couple from our three finalists!

Have a great week everyone!

Free Wedding Photography Contest: Last Chance!

2008-08-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

We just wanted to remind anyone still considering entering our Free Wedding Photography Contest that submissions are due at midnight tomorrow (Sunday, August 17th)! We'll be announcing our three finalists here on the blog next Sunday, so be on the lookout for that post!

Keli and Jared

2008-08-15T23:05:00.000-07:00

I had such an awesome time with Keli and Jared today at the University of North Alabama campus and in downtown Florence. These two were so relaxed and fun to work with, and didn't let a little rain bother them during the shoot. I was so excited when they decided to end the shoot with a little hop in the fountain in downtown. Yeah, they're awesome!

Olympic Birthday

2008-08-13T17:36:00.001-07:00

Many thanks to all of my friends who hung out with me on 8.8.08 for a little Olympic opening ceremony watching (They were faked by the way) and poker. No, my birthday is not on August 8th, but we shot a wedding the next day (my real birthday) so we decided to party the night before.

The highlight of the night definitely came when it was time to blow the candles out on the cake. Our best friends John and Kara are hardcore cake bakers, and they're always up for a good challenge. So I asked them to make me an Olympic-themed red velvet cake. Their creation was nothing short of a masterpiece. The cake itself was made up of five smaller cakes, all red velvet-flavored, but with each cake sporting one of the Olympic ring colors.

If that wasn't cool enough, my candles turned out to be a homemade olympic torch that John took for a relay around the house before handing it off to me to blow out. Freakin' awesome!

Enjoy some shots from the night, especially the part where my buddy Blake almost got run over (or lit on fire) during the torch relay...

Coming Soon!

2008-08-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

We're really excited about a big project that we've been working on over the past few months! We're hoping to make an announcement about it over the next week or two, perhaps in conjunction with our Free Wedding Photography Contest announcements! Lets just say this project will make both our clients, and our, lives much easier!

Stay tuned for more details! But for now, here's a little hint about the surprise:

Revealing isn't it?

Free Wedding Photography Contest Reminder! One Week Left!

2008-08-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

We just wanted to shoot out a quick reminder that submissions for the Gresham Photography Free Wedding Photography Contest are due on August 17th! You've got ONE WEEK to get your submissions in!!!

We're so excited to hear from all the awesome couples that have sent submissions in! This is going to be an extrordinarly difficult decision for us and our family and friends! Please feel free to shoot us an
email with any questions you might have!

Jennifer and Jason

2008-08-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

We headed back to the American Village in Montevallo yesterday to hang out with Jennifer and Jason. It was a gorgeous day without the humidity that we've been suffering from in Alabama for the past month. We had so much fun with these two throughout the day, as they were up for anything when it came to pictures! Enjoy a few shots guys, and have fun in Hawaii!

Happy Birthday!

2008-08-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

I wanted to wish my wonderful husband of 3 years a very Happy 25th Birthday! More pictures to come from his Olympic-themed birthday party from last night. . . but until then we are off to shoot a wedding at American Village. If you have a chance, leave him some comments to wish him a happy birthday and give him some blog love! Until next time. . .

PS-Baby I love you very much! You are such a huge support to me and you are truly my match in every way! Have a very happy birthday!

Laura and Bart is live!

2008-08-07T20:36:00.000-07:00

We had such a great time earlier this year with Lara and Bart! They got married at the gorgeous Dawson Memorial Baptist Church and followed that up with a blast of a reception at The Club overlooking downtown Birmingham.

Family in Atlanta

2008-08-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

So I took Stacey over for a little family time on Sunday to hang out with my brother and his wife at their new house on the outskirts of Atlanta. We played some serious Wii bowling and my bro cooked up some awesome burgers. We also took the opportunity to try out the Rollei a little more on some family portraits. After seeing myself in some of the pictures, you can be on the lookout for an upcoming post about my new weight loss program.

Isaac (my little brother) is Rampart.....I, am not

my family is addicted to Starbucks....isn't everyone?

a little Wii action...

thought I had won the boxing match....

Raleigh (my older brother) wound up winning after I collapsed from a heart attack

Bridgette, my brother's wife, enjoying a little sun (and 100 degree temperatures) on the back porch...

Bridgette's mom Paula...

tired out with her husband Brent...

my parents...

let the Rollei fun begin...

Emily and Adam

2008-08-03T00:35:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I had such a great time hanging out with Emily and Adam today! This laid-back couple was up for anything when it came to pictures, despite a 100+ degree heat index and threatening thunderstorms! They followed up a gorgeous ceremony at Trinity United Methodist Church in Homewood, Alabama, with a lavish reception at the Vestavia Hills Country Club. Thanks guys for the awesome day and enjoy a few sample shots!

Deborah and Quinn

2008-07-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I got the chance to shoot some pictures for Deborah and Quinn. I was so excited that they brought their dog along for a few shots. I think he enjoyed the chance to run around the campus for a while too. Here are a few of their pictures.

PS-the montage at the bottom is my first portrait shoot with my birthday present! I really love the feeling in the photos.

Julie and Kevin's wedding is live!

2008-07-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I had so much fun with Julie and Kevin earlier this year. These two shared an amazing day of love with their closest friends and families.

Stacy and Bubba

2008-07-28T18:15:00.001-07:00

I got to spend Sunday afternoon at our favorite spot in downtown Birmingham, getting some fun engagement shots with Stacy and Bubba. We'll be shooting their wedding later on in 2009, but it was fun to get to know them a little better before the big day gets here! Thanks guys for the fun afternoon and enjoy a couple of samples shots from the session!

Andrea and Dee

2008-07-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

We spent Saturday dodging rain clouds, but had a great time with Andrea and Dee (One of the most patient couples we've ever shot by the way!). These two didn't let a little rain dampen their day at Ross Bridge Resort in Birmingham, as they enjoyed an intimate wedding ceremony followed by a blast of a reception with some awesome food and great music courtesy of the guys at Feel the Beat. Thanks for letting us party with you guys!

Lisa and Hugh

2008-07-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

What an elegant wedding Lisa and Hugh celebrated yesterday! This awesome couple enjoyed an intimate ceremony with family and friends, followed by a gala reception at the gorgeous Harbert Center in downtown Birmingham. Throw in a little big band music by the Joe Giattina Orchestra and you have quite the party. Thanks guys for letting us be part of your moment!

My birthday present!

2008-07-18T18:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry we haven't blogged in so long! Things have been busy with starting school but I wanted to take a brief second to share my fabulous birthday present! My poor husband has had to listen to me whine for 6 months about wanting a vintage, manual focus film camera. He always looked at me with this strange face because we have the best in Nikon digital equipment but I kept wanting a camera that was 50 years old. I'm a sucker for the old-fashioned look, and while it may not be right for every picture I just think there is a beauty about it. Anyway. . .enough of my babbling. . .here is a picture of the camera (a Rollei!!!!) and the bottom square picture is the one taken with the camera.

Kayla and Justin

2008-07-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I got to spend another day at the gorgeous American Village with Kayla and Justin! We always seemed to be able to dodge the rains that came and went throughout the day. The Miller's emotional ceremony was a gorgeous beginning for an amazing couple. Congrats guys and enjoy a few shots from today!

Jami and Michael is live!

2008-07-11T22:21:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I were so excited for Jami and Michael's wedding from the moment we met them! This gorgeous couple couldn't have made our job any easier! From our engagement shoot in Nashville, to a gorgeous day at Ross Bridge here in Birmingham, we're so grateful that they let us be part of their big day! Thanks guys and enjoy the proofs!

Free Wedding Photography Contest Reminder

2008-07-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

We just wanted to shoot out a quick reminder that submissions for the Gresham Photography Free Wedding Photography Contest are due on August 17th! (That's in about five weeks!!!)

We're so excited to hear from all the awesome couples that have sent submissions in! This is going to be an extrordinarly difficult decision for us and our family and friends! Please feel free to shoot us an
email with any questions you might have!

Stacey's 25!

2008-07-08T05:43:00.001-07:00

She's going to hate me for this!

I wanted to wish my dear wife, business partner, and better half a happy 25th birthday. Hopefully, I can find some way to communicate to her by day's end (and for years to come) how much I care for her and how much her love means to me!

Katie and Gaby

2008-07-06T19:44:00.001-07:00

Now that's a party! From the start of the day with McAllister's Iced Tea at the makeup counter, to singing "Rocky Top" at the top of your lungs at 1:30 a.m., Katie and Gaby's wedding was definitely an event to remember! These two had a gorgeous ceremony and a reception that was full of a ton of memorable moments. Thanks guys for letting us be part of your big day!

Stars and Stripes

2008-07-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Stacey got to do some baking this morning and I did my part as official batter and icing taste tester! We wanted to wish everyone an awesome Fourth of July and also flaunt our killer baking skills in your face. Notice the bottom red stripe of strawberries is exceptionally place by yours truly!

I hope everyone enjoys their day off today as much as I am, and for those of you going to see some fireworks tonight, here's a little tip for how to take some great pictures of them:

Brittany and Jonathan

2008-07-01T22:58:00.000-07:00

I got to spend this evening out at The Meadows Golf Course in Harpersville shooting with Brittany and Jonathan. These two have so much fun together and I really feel like it showed in their pictures. Enjoy a few sample shots guys!

Heather and Dude is Live!

2008-06-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun with Heather and Dude back in May. Their proofs went live today! Enjoy guys!

Karen's Bridals

2008-06-29T18:59:00.001-07:00

Stacey spent some time with Karen at the Gardens earlier this week. Karen is such a patient and relaxed bride, and Stacey couldn't stop talking about how much fun she was to shoot! Enjoy the shots Karen!

Brooke and Will

2008-06-28T23:23:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I had such a great time with Brooke, Will and Co. today in Gardendale. From hanging out at the fire station, to enjoying some awesome time with the couple after the ceremony, we couldn't stop taking pictures! Have fun in Mexico guys and congrats!

-Brandon

Lisa and Hugh

2008-06-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

Stacey spent some time Sunday afternoon in downtown Birmingham playing around with Lisa and Hugh. We'll be shooting their wedding later this year at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Hoover. We're looking forward to it guys!

Emily and Adam

2008-06-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

I got to spend some time on campus at Birmingham-Southern College earlier this week hanging out with Emily, Adam and Daisy. Emily and Adam are so relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera, I really didn't have to ask them to much besides "be yourselves." As you can see from the shots, they're pretty darn good at that!

Katie's Bridals

2008-06-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

I got to shoot one of my favorite bridal sessions in a long time on Sunday evening. Katie is such an awesome girl and is marrying an equally awesome guy in Gaby. I had the priviledge of shooting their engagements earlier this year. I also am going to spend the 4th of July partying with these two the night before their big day. Firecrackers anyone?

Jenney and Daniel

2008-06-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

I was able to spend some time at our favorite spot in downtown Birmingham on Sunday with Jenney and Daniel. We'll be shooting their wedding later on this year and can't wait to spend some good quality time with this couple. Thanks for hanging out with me guys! Enjoy the shots!

Ashley and Eric

2008-06-22T11:02:00.001-07:00

Stacey and I headed south to American Village in Montevallo, Alabama yesterday to hang out with Ashley and Eric. These two were so laid back throughout the day, despite swealtering heat and some last minute vendor issues! They were so patient to let us take them out in the 90+ degree weather for some awesome shots! Thanks guys for letting us spend the day with you and the Starbucks! Enjoy the shots!

-Brandon

Joy and Justin in B&W

2008-06-21T00:29:00.000-07:00

As I was editing Joy and Justin's wedding pictures over the past few weeks, I couldn't help but notice how awesome these two look in black and white! Don't get me wrong, they look pretty darn good in color too! Here's some of my favorites from a day of fun with the Martucci and Cutlip families.

-Brandon

Laura and Bart

2008-06-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

We had a great day with Laura and Bart on Saturday. The rain held off and it ended up being a perfect day. . . complete with a beautiful sunset. What made it even better is that they got to share that sunset with their guests because their reception site at The Club is set atop a hill overlooking the city. Here are a few pictures from their day.

Jennifer and Jason

2008-06-12T17:07:00.001-07:00

Stacey had an awesome opportunity to spend some time with one of our brides-to-be and her fiance, Jennifer and Jason, yesterday in and around Washington D.C. Talk about a backdrop for pictures!!! This fun-loving couple showed Stacey the sites and let her capture some great images! Enjoy!

Introducing...The Simple.Color. Signature Album

2008-06-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Stacey and I are excited to announce today that we're FINALLY making the jump into the flushmount album market. We've been dragging our feet for the longest time, as we worked to find a vendor for the albums that fit us just right. We received our first sample album in the mail today, and couldn't wait to post some pictures for all of you to see.

This album will sell for $800 and will be included in a newly formatted All-Inclusive package. It will also be available for individual purchase to all of our clients, immediately. The album is made of premium, heavy duty pages and is printed in gorgeous four-color definition. The covers and designs are truly unlimited when it comes to customizing this album to fit your style and preferences!

Please feel free to shoot me any questions you might have about the new album!

Crystal and Riley

2008-06-08T00:23:00.000-07:00

We had a blast over in Tuscaloosa earlier today shooting Crystal and Riley's evening wedding at First United Methodist Church. These two were so relaxed on their day, Stacey and I forgot a few times that we were shooting a wedding!!! (Aren't they always supposed to be stressful?!) We were so grateful that this awesome couple gave us some time at the reception, which was held at the gorgeous University Club in downtown T-Town, to let us get some fun shots of them together. Enjoy the shots guys and congrats!!!

Wings win the cup!

2008-06-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

The only reason why I'm getting to post this is because Stacey already went to bed. Shhh! Don't tell her!

As many of you who've met and spent any time with me will know, I'm a slightly HUGE Detroit Red Wings fan. My father introduced me to the team from, oh, the moment I was born. Every hockey season I drag my poor wife to Nashville (The closest city where the Wings play regularly) to watch the guys play, constantly embarrassing her in front of thousands of Predators fans throughout the game.

Well, tonight is a GREAT night as my Wings won the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in 10 years. I apologize from straying away from photography for a few minutes, but I had to give them a shout out!

Julie and Kevin

2008-05-31T23:48:00.000-07:00

We've been looking forward to Julie and Kevin's wedding for what seems like forever! This amazing couple enjoyed their first kiss EVER today and we felt priviledged to share in the moment! (And the second, and the third, and fourth.... :)

These fellow Samford/UAB grads celebrated their big day in a musical style that included some awesome piano playing by some of Kevin's first and last piano instructors, as well as piano-themed groom's cake. Thank you guys for letting us be part of your celebration, and we hope you enjoy the mountains!!!

Jami's bridals

2008-05-28T06:23:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share just a few pictures of Jami's amazing bridal session. She was quite a brave bride, choosing to do some portraits downtown in her dress before her wedding. I think it was well worth the risk because her photos turned out awesome.

We also did some at Botanical Gardens for a more classic feel.

Jami and Michael

2008-05-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

I was completely blown away by this beautiful ceremony. But even more than that, it was truly apparent how much this couple cared for each other and how much they appreciated their loved ones' support. Their were plenty of gifts and surprises to go around at this event. Jami thanked all of her bridesmaids with beautiful Tiffany bracelets, Michael surprised Jami with a gorgeous suite to get ready in at the hotel, and Jami surprised Michael by asking one of her bridesmaids to sing "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns and Roses, one of Michael's favorite bands. These two really knew how to throw a party and I think everyone had a wonderful time, including us. Here are some highlights from their wedding at Ross Bridge Resort.

Mi Familia

2008-05-22T16:29:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help but post some pictures of my adorable cousins. I got the chance to visit them right before our flight was supposed to fly out of Huntsville. I am so thankful I got the opportunity to see them because they are growing so fast. In fact, my cousin Katelyn just graduated from kindergarden. Here are just a few snapshots from our visit.

-Stacey

We'll shoot your wedding ... for free!

2008-05-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I love about my wife more than anything else, it's her kindness.

Stacey has the innate ability to care for people....whether she's known them for 15 years, or just met them yesterday. For those of you who've spent some time with her on your wedding day, you know she has a kind, loving heart.

You also know that she LOVES to take pictures.

That said, a few months ago she approached me with an idea she had gotten from a photographer that she loves and admires....Jessica Claire

"Let's shoot someones wedding for free," she said.

I leaned back in my chair, and gave her the question she hates more than anything (because I ask it way too much!)

"Why?" I said.

"Because we can," she responded.

That's Stacey. She wants to shoot a deserving person's wedding for free because she can, and would love nothing more than to make a deserving couple even happier on their wedding day. She went on to explain that, while we always try to keep our prices affordable for everyone, we understand that there are people out there who would love some great pictures of their wedding day, but simply can't afford to hire a photographer. She wanted to give those people the same memories that we strive to give all of our clients on a weekly basis.

With that little precursor....

Stacey and I are announcing today that we want to shoot someones wedding completely free of charge in 2009. But before you get excited...there's a catch.

We're looking for a couple that has a story to tell. Whether it's a hardship they've overcome, or one they're currently facing....we want to hear their story. And we want them, a family member or a friend to tell us why they deserve a free wedding shoot.

So here's what the couple that we choose will get in return for their story:

- A full day of wedding coverage
- A minimum of 300 wedding proofs on a copyright-free DVD
- A 40-page, custom-designed coffee table album
- A wedding slideshow DVD put to music from your day
- A free engagement shoot, including a copyright-free DVD of the images
- A free bridal shoot, including a copyright-free DVD of the images

Here are the guidelines:

- The couple, or a family member or friend of the couple, must submit a written story via email of why they feel they deserve a free wedding from Gresham Photography.
- The submission must include a picture of the couple for us to use when we announce the winner.
- Family and friends of the couple are more than welcome to submit for the couple, but please be sure they would want us to shoot their wedding before you do!
- The couple must be getting married in the U.S. during 2009. While we will travel anywhere to shoot your big day, we simply can't afford to pay for airfare, or travel outside of 100 miles from Birmingham, Alabama without a little help. We welcome submission from anywhere in the U.S., but with the understanding that you might have to help out with some travel expenses if we pick you.
- Your date must be open on our calendar. We will hold all dates of submissions we receive open until a winner has been chosen.
- Your submission must be TRUE. This contest IS for couples who have overcome great odds, hardships, or are otherwise deserving of free wedding photography. This contest IS NOT for people who can afford a photographer, and just want to win something free.

Please include the following in your submission:

- The bride and grooms' first and last names.
- Their story (How they met, got engaged, and why they deserve this free wedding coverage)
- Contact information for both of them.
- The wedding date and location (We at least need to know the city/town where the wedding will be.)
- A digital picture of the couple measuring no less than 800 pixels in size on its longest side.

- All submission must be received by midnight on August 17, 2008.
- The final three deserving couples will be announced on our blog on August 24, 2008 by midnight.
- The final couple will be announced and contacted by August 31, 2008!!!
- Please email your submissions to brandon@simple-color.com.

Our selection committee will be made up of two of our closest friends, my brother and his wife, and both our sets of parents. Stacey and I will choose the three finalists, but will leave the big winners up to our family and friends.

That's it! We look forward to hearing from you and please feel free to contact me with any questions!

-Brandon

Rebecca and Peter

2008-05-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

I had the best time with Rebecca and Peter the Friday before we left for the cruise. They gave me the "official" tour of the University of Alabama campus right before commencement was to take place the next day. There were caps and gowns wandering the campus grabbing snapsnots, but Rebecca (a recent grad herself) was too busy playing with her hubby-to-be to worry about those pictures. This couple kept me laughing the whole time and made me feel really comfortable. Peter even let me pick on him a little bit about his baseball skills. Guys . . . I hope you like the pictures and go Cubs!

did you that there is an Abbey Road in Tuscaloosa?