Birmingham Children’s Photographer | Bang Images

I’m Jennifer. I started Bang Images in 2015. I photograph families, individuals, and couples, including Micro Weddings. Photographing children brings me great joy!

HOW IT STARTED

I’ve been photographing children for over two decades! My first experience was when I was a nanny for twins. As someone just out of college and floundering a bit, this was a wonderful opportunity. I had an Art Education degree but wasn’t sold on the idea of teaching at first and ended up spending close to a year trying to decide what to do with my life. During that time, I kept two year-old twins. I enjoyed the job quite a lot, and they were great fun to photograph. After some time, I decided to go back to school to get my BFA in Photography.

My oldest child is 19, barely a teen anymore. I got a lot of practice photographing him, especially during my 12 weeks maternity leave; we spent just about every hour of every day together. I was still using film when he was born; he was nearly three years-old before I even held a digital camera.

Then my daughter entered the world and I somehow became even more fascinated with my little life and these wonderful subjects. She loved being photographed for the longest time and would agree to hop in the car whenever the best light presented itself and I suggested a photo adventure. The thought of being photographed now, as a teenager, immediately turns the corners of her mouth down, but I have high hopes that we’ll find that photographer/subject sweet spot again when she’s older.

THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

We were lucky to live in a neighborhood full of families and I got even more practice photographing little ones. My camera was never far away. I began to embrace digital photography because of the instant gratification and convenience, especially while having two young children, but I missed my darkroom.

I eventually warmed up to the idea of teaching and worked at Creative Montessori School for fifteen years! (As it turns out, it was my student-teaching experience that left a bad taste in my mouth, not teaching itself.) I often photographed my students in the classroom, on the playground, and at a variety of school events. I’ve kept a connection with the school and visit periodically, and have even photographed for them since I stopped teaching. In fact, if you look at the Creative Montessori website, you’ll see a number of images I created.

I resigned from teaching in 2015 to begin Bang Images and give it my full attention. I’m comfortable with several big decisions in my life, like taking out those loans to pursue my photography degree, saying yes to my husband, deciding to have children, accepting the teaching position, and eventually resigning. It was a great fifteen years! Founding Bang Images is on that list of my biggest and best life altering decisions!

I photographed families, individuals, and couples, including weddings when I began Bang Images. Not much has changed, except now the weddings are “micro”. I refuse to find a niche smaller than “people”. I know myself and feel I’d grow bored if I narrowed my focus. This is my answer today; ask me in a year and it may be different.

HOW IT’S GOING

I enjoy photographing children being themselves. There’s no need for cheesing at the camera or being forced to look or sit still. I love laughter and wild child personas, but I also enjoy a quiet moment with a steady gaze. My goal is always to capture the essence of the person I photograph. They serve up “the real” and I’m just a patient observer and documentarian.

I am proud to say that I am a Birmingham children’s photographer. Visit the Family Sessions gallery if you’d like to see photographs of children with their families. If you think we’re a good fit and you’d like photographs of your own, please contact me. I’ll just be over here trying to live my best life photographing all the people I possibly can.