A Year in Review | 2021 Pups & BTS

I am a Sweet Home Alabama Photographer who loves serving easy-going, joyful clients who love their dogs! One of my goals for 2021: photograph more PUPS! And looking back, I can confidently say I did just that. And to conclude a great year, I’m reliving some of the moments that happened behind the scenes.

Here are all the adorable PUPS from 2021 & a few more BTS images. Cheers to a New Year, friends!

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Pup Portraits

I became a “dog mom” 8 years ago to the sweetest Cavalier King Charles. He changed my life & brought so much joy into my life. It wasn’t long until I realized that so many others consider their four-legged companions as family too. Call us crazy & obsessed, but it’s amazing how loyal & loving such a small (or big) creature could give to a human.

A few of my clients have given me the title of “dog whisperer” & I love it! I love meeting all the pups & hoomans that love them so. 🐾

DMP is a BIG fan of Hand in Paw therapy teams here in Birmingham, Alabama. I had the opportunity to photograph two of their Picasso Pets sessions this year. I photographed the event two years ago, but seeing the beginning of the paintings & meeting the artists were super cool.

Brittany, Director of Communications for Hand in Paw & DMP Bride 2020, & Debby with the finished portrait painted by local artist Thomas Andrew.

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Behind the Scenes

A lot of times you only see the final portrait, but never knew the chaos that took place behind the scenes. Sometimes you find the wedding coordinator serving her bride nuggets or a groomsman carrying the bride’s gown. Other times it’s the parents dancing just to get their child to smile or the countless cups of coffee keeping us going.

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Tuesdays Together Birmingham - Rising Tides Society

2021 brought about a new & exciting change for me. I took on the role as leader of Birmingham’s Tuesdays Together Chapter. TT is a community of small business owners & entrepreneurs, from hobbyist to seasoned professional, gathering the second Tuesday of every month (unless otherwise noted!) in the spirit of Community Over Competition. Find us on Facebook! Honored to be able to connect to so many incredible people here in the Magic City in a very unique way. Stay tuned to see how this group makes waves in 2022!

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Thank you for supporting DMP in 2021!

Woof, woof! DMP’s furry assistant popping in to say “thanks”!

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Looking for Weddings???

Click here for that recap!

A Year in Review | 2021 Lifestyle Portraits

2021 - oh my. Where do I even begin?! You were completely different from years past, yet oddly familiar to the one you came after. Masks were still a thing but vaccines made us photographers, who see multiple families weekly, a little bit safer.

I spent my time in both Birmingham, Alabama & Mobile, Alabama serving clients from all ages. Newborn babies, big sisters, college seniors, dog-moms, extended families & everything in between!

Thank you, sweet client turned friend, for trusting me with your memories. DMP celebrated year number SIX in July & I still have to pinch myself when I realize that I am living my dream. You have brought this Alabama small business owner so much joy!

Enjoy browsing some of my favorite memories from Lifestyle Portraits of 2021.

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Portraits

DMP celebrated so many exciting seasons with so many wonderful clients. Everything from awaiting babies to college graduations to saying YES & so many mini sessions in between. I also got to meet up with several returning clients for updated family portraits, which was most certainly a highlight to this pandemic part two year that we had!

ICYDK - I work at Birmingham-Southern College part-time in the Student Development department. And one of its icons is the Ginkgo Tree. So when it bloomed this year, I knew I had to shoot “Golden Sessions”. Love how these turned out! So much!

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Newborns

One of the many joys of being a photographer is getting to be the first one to capture that family portrait with a new addition. Ten families welcomed me into their homes to capture the first few days of their baby’s life. What a treat to capture those tiny toes & sweet details in the nursery. Bonus: getting to watch several of my couples become parents! Love being able to catch up & meet their little one.

LOVED being able to capture Kelly & Quinten’s journey to parenthood. From their announcement last year, maternity session, meeting their baby girl in the hospital & to this year’s family photos. Goodness I adore them!

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Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Special thanks to my husband; my number one fan!

You encourage me to be a better person & challenge me to go beyond in my small business. Thanks for being the best dog dad while I am away on Saturdays photographing weddings.

And thanks for taking unlimited number of pictures for this photographer-wife of yours. I appreciate everything you do to keep this photographer’s dream going!

All my love,

Debby

*P. S. A bonus blog is coming your way soon. Hint: woof, woof!

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Looking for Weddings???

Click here for that recap!

Anna & Adam | A Birmingham Botanical Gardens Maternity Portrait Session

Last year, these two were planning their Alabama wedding & this April they’ll become parents! 
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It comes as no surprise to me, because I remember discussing this during their engagement session. Anna & Adam couldn’t wait to start a family of their own & are going to be the absolute best boy mom & dad.

From aspiring teachers in kindergarten to awkward teenagers on the softball diamond to being high school cheerleaders (Go Raiders!), we’ve walked through so many seasons of life together. I am grateful for friendships that have stood the test of time & am so giddy to witness my dear friend become a mommy.

Enjoy a few of my favorites from her maternity portrait session at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Guest appearance by her handsome hubby, Adam!

Elizabeth & Michael | Birmingham Botanical Gardens Engagement Portrait Session

When a bride inquires with Deborah Michelle Photography & lists out that her & her fiance are “super laid back & fun!” And that they want their wedding to be true celebration of their love story, you can go ahead & count me in. Then immediately send me a photo of your pup & I am so your Alabama Wedding Photographer!

Elizabeth & Michael were the perfect pair to roam about with at one of my favorite Birmingham spots, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Michael shared with me one of the most romantic proposals I've ever heard & I just loved hearing him tell me all about it in person. Hint: it involved a ferris wheel!

These two gladly came to Birmingham for their engagement portrait session & the next time I see them will be their wedding day in Mobile, Alabama. My two hometowns collide in the best combination possible!

I’m telling you, these two are naturals! These first few portraits were taken during the “crash course in posing”.

Ah! I cannot wait for July when we get to celebrate these two in Mobile, Alabama!

Venue: Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Abbie | Birmingham, Alabama Bridal Portraits

Finally! Alabama wedding photographers can relate to keeping bridal portraits under lock & key until the bride’s wedding day.

Abbie is one of my sweetest friends. I’ve been photographing her & her family for a few years now, but being asked to be her wedding photographer was a dream come true! Abbie & her fiance met in Mobile, got engaged across the bay in Fairhope (see their ridiculously adorable engagement session here) & started planning a wedding in North Alabama for the first of the 2020. When it came time to book her bridal portrait session, she knew she wanted them taken in her hometown of Birmingham.

In true Alabama weather fashion, the weather drastically turned cold the day before her session was scheduled. But being the champ that she is, Abbie endured the 45 degrees for some of my most favorite Birmingham bridal portraits.

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Bride: Abigail McAuley Henderlight

Photography: Deborah Michelle Photography

Dress & Veil: Bella's Bridal and Formal

Hair Stylist: Olivia Robinson

Makeup Artist: Ellen Hunter Darty

Venue: Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Florals: Debby Cullum

Grubb Family | Birmingham Botancial Gardens Greenhouse Family Portraits

Have you ever tried to coordinate eight different schedules for one hour? Let me tell you it ain’t easy. But Deborah Michelle Photography’s New Year New City Giveaway winner, Morgan, made it happen.

Most of you probably remember or participated in that giveaway. I thought why not do a free session in my new city of Birmingham, Alabama?! This opportunity allow me to make new contacts & visit a new location for portraits. Talk about a win, win! But I knocked it out of the park with this one.

Morgan is the absolute sweetest soul. Upon winning she decided to include her entire family in on her portrait session & what a treat. I got to meet not only her & her husband, but also her parents, sisters, nephews & even grandparents! Rain may have dampened our original plan but thank goodness for the greenhouse at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Morgan’s nephews ended the session as every rainy day session should by jumping in the puddles outside.

Thankful that I was able to capture some long overdue family portraits for Morgan & her sweet family.

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Morgan’s mom & dad have been married for 31 years. The secret, I asked them, “Keep God first.”

Thirty-one years later, Rob & Shawn, have three beautiful girls; two of which have married.

But it doesn’t stop there - their oldest child has three of the most adorable boys. And bonus, two of the great-grandparents were able to be there at the session. So we had to include them in a couple of portraits as well.

The ladies. Love them so much! And can we just talk about their outfit choices for a second? So perfect.

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Meet Morgan’s oldest sister, Jordan. Jordan & her husband, ?, have been married for six years & have the three curly haired boys you see throughout these portraits. Let’s just say the greenhouse had so much for these guys to explore!

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Met Morgan. Morgan was tickled to have won DMP’s New Year New City Giveaway. Herself a newlywed as well, we shared stories of our hubbies via email & found out we shared a love for missions. Morgan & her husband, Jeffery, are currently renovating a house to flip & told me it’s been a great teaching tool for marriage. I can only imagine the ideas & compromises that have to be made when working on a project that big.

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Meet Erin. The younger sister. She may or may not model for a few local boutiques hence absolutely killing her portrait time. Her & her oldest sister, Jordan, have started a hair & makeup business called Dearly Beloved Hair & Makeup. Their work is stunning; you should definitely check them out.

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We couldn’t leave them men out of course.

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To the Grubb Family, thank you for sharing your rainy afternoon with me at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. I left with sore cheeks from all the laughter & felt like one of the family. I hope you treasure these family portraits for years to come.

When’s the last time that you & your entire crew got dressed up & took family portraits? If you can’t honestly remember, then it’s time for a session to update those frames on the mantel. Simply email me & we will go from there.