Girls Rock Bham or as they’re formally known, Girls Rock Birmingham, is such a cool opportunity for young girls in Birmingham! It’s a non-profit organization with an amazing purpose. They aim to “help girls build self-esteem and find their voices through unique programming that combines music education, performance, and promotion.”
The 2024 performance was held at Cahaba Brewing Co.
While it may seem their primary purpose is to encourage a love of music, they also “foster a solid foundation for young girls to grow confidently as individuals while developing rewarding musical skills”.
I’ve been photographing for Girls Rock Bham since 2018 when my own daughter participated in their summer program. We anxiously awaited her ninth birthday so she’d be old enough to attend. I remember the first morning when we dropped her off at the Alabama School of Fine Arts (the location of that summer’s Girls Rock camp). She was so nervous. It’s hard to do something for the very first time, and maybe even more so being one of the youngest there.
I’d say within the first hour she felt right at home. Her smile spoke volumes when I picked her up in the afternoon.
Within five short days, they accomplish so much! They meet their band mates and create a band name, a personal stage name, and band logo. Together they write a song and learn to play an instrument (or in rare instances, learn to play it even better). They also learn stageĀ presence for their big performance at the end of the week. Throughout the week, they’re boosting their self-esteem without even trying. An important part of camp is to learn about the HERstory of music too. They get to meet professional musicians as well, hear them play live, and learn their stories. And maybe one of the biggest takeaways is all the practice in patience, tolerance, and love. WOW!
If you’d like to see more Girls Rock Birmingham event photography, check out a blog post from 2019. This was the last in-person summer camp because of COVID until this year, 2024.
Just for fun, I added a photo of my daughter singing at her 2019 Girls Rock Bham performance at Good People Brewing. And if you look closely, you’ll see my old logo. š
A lot of my event photography is for non-profit organizations. I also photograph corporate events and birthday parties for children and adults, among other things. And if you’re aware of my work, you know in addition I photograph families, individuals, and couples, including Micro Weddings. I think my versatility is my strength. Contact me for your photography needs!