Ashley Warren Studios bio picture

Welcome to the blog!

I am a portrait and wedding photographer in the Birmingham area. My style is a blend of traditional and contemporary. Everyone loves a nice portrait, but it is the less guarded, more intimate images that stir our emotions. So, I try to capture both!

My blog is where you can see my most recent sessions, so look around and make yourself at home. Check out my website by clicking on the "website" link. Also, please to leave me some comments! I would love to hear from you! Welcome and come back soon!

It’s my Birthday, so let’s have a contest! – Birmingham Alabama Photographer

Tomorrow will be my birthday. I will just go ahead and embrace it gracefully. I will be 34. There, I said it. It’s out there. Fortunately, I only feel 33. :) After 30, birthdays don’t quite have the same appeal as years before. BUT, I am going to celebrate another wonderful year on this planet and count my many, many blessings! I have had a fantastic 34 years and can only hope for 34 more great ones! So, in honor of my aging process, I am going to have a contest for the best quote. Comment on this post or, on the post on my Facebook Fan page. I will pick my fav and the winner will receive a free set of accordion mini brag books!! Any client from 2010 or one with a scheduled appointment is eligible. (I would love to hear quotes even if you aren’t in the running for the books. :-) ) Winner will be announced next week!

back in the day...

Beach Sessions – Panama City, Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe, Florida photographer

I will be offering beach sessions to those vacationing in the Panama City/Mexico Beach area this fall. These are the dates we have nailed down, but more may follow. Please contact me if you would like a spot! Have your family portrait done on Florida’s snow white beaches and help out the Gulf Coast at the same time! :-)

At Home Custom Photography – Mountain Brook, Alabama Photographer

I got to spend time with Miss C again the other day. She has grown SO much! I was so excited when her mom suggested we shoot at their home! I don’t usually do home shoots, (Not that I don’t enjoy them!) I just think people see them more as a “lifestyle” type session and that is not how I market myself. I REALLY do love doing home sessions and hope I get to do more in the future! We were still able to get those timeless portraits, but lots of fun, unique shots as well. We got to play with her dollhouse, jump on the bed, dance around in our tutu and show of her favorite shoes. (she has a thing for shoes, but what girl doesn’t? :-) ) Take a look at this adorable little thing!

Our Wild and Wacky Summer! – Alabama Photography

Man! We had a great (busy) summer this year! We had decided to do a “stay-cation” instead of the beach for a number of reasons. (oil included) It ended up being so much fun! I encourage you all to explore fun places right here in Alabama! Here are some of the fun activities that the Warren crew were up to!

The summer started with Michael competing in a 100 bike race. whew! He didn’t have a whole lot of time to train, but still made it 75 miles! I was so proud! There is no way I could do that!!! The boys has fun playing with the toys at the finish line. ;-)

Trevor celebrated 7 year at the Lego Store. Fun for all!

We had some baby birds born in our back patio and watched them grow and finally fly away!

We got to go to the lake with friends and had the best time! The boys even got up on trainer skis!!!

Celebrated Memorial Day with LOTS of family. Just the way I like it. I think we topped out at over 20+ people. Cousins Conclave 2010, baby!

Headed up to the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville for the Star Wars exhibit. We are a family of nerds, so it was equally enjoyed by all! :-)

Had a blast celebrating StopSMA’s win in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge! They won 250K twice to go towards research for a cure!

Discovered a rather LARGE hornet’s nest in our yard. Fortunately, Michael’s chem gear came in handy. I hunkered down in the car with my camera.

Spent the day at Alabama Adventure where both boys learned to turn flips underwater. Quite impressed!

Went camping at Lake Guntersville. Michael had gotten a trail-a-bike, so we could all ride together! We also took quite a few day trips from Guntersville, including: Cathedral Caverns, Little River Canyon and DeSoto State Park. The caverns were AWESOME!!

That’s wraps up our summer! It was fun and busy, and loved every minute of it!

75 plus miles later!

Happy 7th Birthday, Trevor!

I want it. :(

one of our baby birds. Looks like he is in the awkward teenage years. :)

First time up!

reminds me of the video of the squirrel on skis behind the toy boat!

crappy point and shoot pic, but love their expressions!!

J's new friend. Isn't he cute?

C's new buddies

My cute little cousins and their pets

this totally cracks me up.

Hex bugs races!

they got heated!!

Cousins!!!

My uncle! I am so blessed to have him in my life!

yeah, you know it.

Sista Cuz!

The Sprocket! (U.S. Space and Rocket Center)

Can you see the subtitle on the TV? It reads "Chewbacca bellows" hahaha!

Llight saber envy

enjoy this blog post, you must.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure you aren't supposed to do this...

THE HORNET'S NEST IN OUR YARD!!!

Ok, so maybe we went overboard a little...

I love the smell of insecticide in the morning.

Fun times at the Stop SMA party. Love my girls!

Our new toy: a tag-a-long bike. The kids love it and now the whole family can ride together!

Sunset on Lake Guntersville

Outside Cathedral Caverns

Happy Accident. Had my white balance on tungsten from the lighting in the cave. I call this one "Ghost Boys" LOL

DeSoto State Park

Little River Canyon Falls

Amy Carson - Ashley these are wonderful pictures - Its so awesome that you get to capture all these special moments with your family on camera (and that you share them with us!)

Ryan and Amanda – Jasper, Alabama Wedding Photography

I had the honor of photographing Amanda and Ryan’s happy day last Saturday. These guys are so much fun and so laid back! Two qualities I love! :-) They are so blessed with great friends and family too! I loved all the yellow touches she used even down to a yellow wedding cake. These two are high school sweethearts and you can just see that they love each other just as much or more than they did back then. All the best guys and thanks for letting me be a part of your beautiful day!

Heather Odom - Beautiful!! Need I say more!

Amanda Elliott - I love them all!! Thank you so much!!

Case – Birmingham, Alabama Infant Photographer

I had the honor of meeting Case and the two women that love him more than life itself! Case has had a lot of obstacles put in front of him at a young age. He was born premature and due to complications of being a premie, has Cerebral Palsy and is almost completely blind. Everyday he works hard to do things children much younger can do. At the time his mother booked his session, he was unable to hold his head up. BUT, within a few weeks, he was holding it up like a champ! It just warmed my heart that the sweet little guy put on the biggest grin when I talked to him! And talk about a smile! Just adorable!!! His “therapy dog” had to join in for a couple of shots. She was hysterical! Apparently during the course of our session, she decided she was bored of all the picture taking and curled up for a nap in my chest of blankets and rugs. :-) Thank you all for letting me photograph your sweet Case, he is amazing!

mmmmm, kisses. :-)

More kisses!

There is a seriously amazing bond between him and his "Nona."

can you tell?

LOVE this! haha!

taylorhaynie - Ashley, I LOVE these! Wonderful job...gave me chills. I know Case's mommy will cherish them. Love the emotion you captured!

Heather Odom - Got a lump in my throat just looking at these!! Amazing Amazing job!!

Couple of cuties! – Birmingham Alabama Newborn Photographer

I had a couple of sweet babes in the studio recently and man, they were both amazing! I couldn’t have asked for more from them. One sweet little boy and a darling little girl. Mr. J’s parents were wedding clients of mine, so it was double special to get to photograph him! It’s so great to get to photograph such wonderful little miracles! Baby fever anyone?? :)

Also trying out some new vintage editing techniques. Love to know what you all think…

one of my favorite pics this year.

another fav

Chad and Cecily – Birmingham Alabama Wedding Photographer

Cecily and Chad celebrated their big day at Historic Rucker Place this a couple of weeks ago. It was a beautiful day, but there were threats of rain. It did rain some, but was not a damper on the good times! Cecily and the girls got ready at the Cobb Lane Bed and Breakfast. Such a cute place!! Cecily’s dress and birdcage veil were a wonderful pairing with the vintage feel of the locations. Congrats guys! It was a pleasure!!

Cecily was an awesome bride, she even did her bridesmaids' makeup!

yes that is a stuffed peacock.

hello gorgeous!

First meal as a married couple!

Cecily's mom made her cake! Go Becky!

I love Chad's expression in this pic. You mean you've never done this before Chad? :-)

Ok, now this is first...They had a man under the table in a fruit mask telling food jokes at the reception. Histerical!

Big news and changes for Ashley Warren Studios – Birmingham Photographer

Ok, so I have been putting off this announcement for a while, but I feel it is time. As of next summer, I will no longer be photographing weddings. EEK! I know, I know! I have been dragging my feet because I didn’t want my current brides to somehow get the idea that I was jumping ship or that my heart isn’t fully in it. THAT IS SO NOT THE CASE! I LOVE shooting weddings! I receive so much joy getting to know my brides and grooms and sharing in their special day! I am fully committed and involved in creating timeless beautiful images for the couples I have on the books in the upcoming year. PLEASE know this!

There are a number of reasons that I will no longer be doing weddings, but the biggest is my family. As some of you know, my husband is in the Air National Guard. He deploys quite a bit and definitely doesn’t have the job where he can reschedule if I need him. More often than we would like, I am playing single mom to the boys. My oldest started “big school” this year and my youngest will be starting next fall. I got a very sudden reality check with our first year of “big school.” I never see my son! He is gone all week and all I have are the weekends. Throw in a ballgame, practice, church, etc. and you are toast! I am just NOT ok with not being there for them on the weekends or telling them that they will have to miss this or that because I have a wedding. So with hubby’s crazy schedule and deployments, I really need more flexibility and my Saturdays back.

I still may do a wedding here and there for a friend or family member, but I will not be marketing myself as a wedding photographer or have a web presence as such. Who knows what the future holds, but for now, this I what I truly believe is right for me, my business and my family.

I thank all my past and future clients for trusting their most important day to me. I value that trust like you could never know. It makes me so happy to be able to document such a special time in people’s lives. Thank you all!

Heather Odom - I know you must have put a lot of prayer and thought into this decision. I understand completely!! It's for those same exact reasons (except the deployment part) that I don't book a lot during ball season. It's one thing that our entire family LOVES and enjoys together and I made the decision I just couldn't miss seeing them play. We only have our children at this age for a little while!! Proud for you!!

Sugar and spice – Trussville, Alabama Baby photographer

Miss E is one of my baby plan cuties. She is such a mess! So expressive! This was her one year session, and she had just started to take a step or two. During the session, she took like 5 or six in a row! It was so cool to get to witness that! She was so proud of herself! :-) Thanks for such a fun time Miss E!

how can you resist that face?

who doesn't love a scrunchy face?

she had only taken just a couple steps prior to our session. So happy to be able to capture her first time really walking!