All Things Madison photographer Whitney Briscoe of Whitney Briscoe Photography is what you would label a photographer who can do it all.
13 years of self-taught professional photography experience lends itself to her lengthy resume of shooting weddings (she stopped counting at 150 of them!), families, high school seniors, professional headshots, newborn, restaurant food, boudoir, interiors, you name it.
Whitney Briscoe Photography | Madison, Alabama Photographer
Briscoe’s work is clean, bright, and exactly the type that a subject is proud to show off for decades to come.
For this reason, it was a no brainer to scoop her up as my partnering photographer who occasionally runs around town for me to make featured articles such as Tom Brown’s, Crumbl Cookies, Champy’s, The Pet Hospital of Madison, and more all look their best. (Psst: Tom Brown’s actually hired her to do additional photography for them after seeing the photos that she took for this site because she’s just that great. Yay Whitney!)
Tips for Fall Family Photos
With the first day of fall around the corner, I spoke with Briscoe about the advice she gives to families who are about to take family photos.
- Pick a color scheme for the whole family that focuses on 2-3 colors. As long as everyone wears some variation of these colors, you’re in good shape!
- Mix patterns and solids. You want to somewhat coordinate (again, it all goes back to the initial color scheme), but steer away from being overly “matchy”.
- For men: You’re safe wearing a pair of jeans or khakis. Keep it simple!
- Consider having someone in the family wear a chambray shirt or dress. Briscoe says that throwing a little chambray into the mix is generally a good neutralizer and adds to the laid-back feel of the photos.
- Ladies & girls: Have fun with accessories! Consider wearing a hat, a chunky bracelet, or a statement necklace. Briscoe says that accessories often give photos an extra pop.
- Give the least amount of thinking to your shoes. “I often ask my clients to take them off anyway,” shared Briscoe.
More about Whitney Briscoe Photography
Briscoe, a Madison native and graduate of Bob Jones High School, says that portrait photography is her bread and butter.
“I’m very comfortable with kids and families and the posing that comes with that,” she shared. “I go for genuine reactions and real laughs.”
She says that she’ll offer gentle posing suggestions but otherwise just lets families do their thing.
Briscoe, a mother of a preschooler and an infant, says that having her own children has helped in the way she photographs other young children.
“I try to talk to them one-on-one and sing songs with them. We talk about things they’re interested in. I just want the kids to have fun so that I can capture that side of their personalities.”
A mother may stress that her child won’t be in a good mood or that the time of the day just isn’t quite right, but Briscoe shares that moms have nothing to worry about. She says that she’s able to work her photographer magic to capture families in a way that appears natural and light-hearted.
Photographer Joys
“I love watching families grow,” shared Briscoe. “I have families that have hired me to photograph their engagement session and wedding, and then hire me again when they have their first child.”
“I even have some families who have kids in middle school now that I’m still taking photos of!”
One of Briscoe’s favorite parts of her job is seeing her images hung on her clients’ walls. She says that is surprises her every time she sees her own work framed and displayed.
“To me, I just feel like I’m working. But I know it’s more than that.”
Briscoe shared an example of a moment that is so much bigger than “just” taking a photograph.
“I’ve been at weddings where I’m taking a picture of a bride dancing with her grandfather, and then he passes away, and she shares that photo of him on social media. When people share those images, it means so much to me because I’m reminded of the part I played in that special moment.”
[Author note] When Briscoe was first getting started, my parents hired her to take pictures at my grandmother’s wedding in February 2009. JW was the sweetest man, and he sadly passed away just 18 months after their wedding. These images bring back very sweet memories from that brief time in our lives spent with JW.
Briscoe says that you can always fall back on pictures because they last longer than a lifetime.
Briscoe acknowledges that hiring a photographer can be expensive, which is a big reason why she’s passionate about offering mini-sessions throughout the year.
“I have a hard time myself spending money on photography, so I get it,” jokes Briscoe. “I always try to keep in mind what I would pay for a session.”
In closing, Briscoe shares that it’s been a long road to get to the point she’s at now with her business, but that she’s incredibly proud of what she’s grown “from the ground up.”
Fall Mini Sessions
Briscoe offers fall mini sessions every year and has a handful of them left for All Things Madison readers to book ASAP. Tell her I sent you!
“I do these mini sessions every fall and spring to catch the good weather here in Alabama.”
Images will be back in plenty of time to include on Christmas cards too. For more information about dates, pricing, etc. please reach out to Briscoe via her Whitney Briscoe Photography Facebook page or by emailing her. She can also be found on Instagram.
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