THE NEW BLOG HAS ARRIVED!

I won't be coming back here anymore...so you shouldn't either! The new blog has arrived, and it's simply glorious...head on over...hurry!

www.amsphotographer.com/blog

Sara & John

So a few months ago two good friends of mine from college got engaged...we're going to wait for warmer weather to go 'frollicking in the fields' for pictures (as Sara put it), but they wanted a head shot for their announcement in the paper and Sara needed one of herself for her new job's website...I wanted to wait for the new and improved blog to show you these, but I'm not good at being patient ;-)

This one is my favorite for the paper...

but I like this one too...

And this one isn't for the paper...but I thought it was sweet....

and here is the same picture with one of David Jay's texture's from Switzerland applied to it...I thought it was very appropriate since Sara and I travelled Europe together after college...

another one I liked.....

and here it is with another texture from Switzerland (for those of you who don't know, textures are actual images placed on top of your picture and then edited for different levels of transparency so your image shows through...these are images from David's recent trip to Switzerland)...

These are my two favorite headshots of Sara...

And...here is my favorite of the day....

CHCHCHCHANGES!

Changes are happening here! Soon you will be introduced to a new and improved blog, with tons more features including a rotating flash header and larger images....and with the new blog will be a committment to blog every day! While surfing the net, staying in-the-know about all of the latest and greatest things wedding photography related, I come across tons of great sites that would help my clients plan thier weddings, so I'll be passing those along as well as other things also! That's not it, new websites are coming!! I've had my new portrait site picked out for over a year, but I haven't found the perfect wedding site yet...and the vendor I will be using is introducing 3 new sites over the next two days...so I have been not-so-patiently waiting to see them! I'm sure one will be perfect! AND-I've purchased my new slideshow software and I can't wait to share it with you!!! Life is good here!

The big 30 | SURPRISE!

This post is a little delayed...blogger hasn't been working right for me lately...I get a post all written up, then I go to upload my photo's and it craps out on me....that won't be a problem for long though (hint, hint), so stay tuned for some announcements in the next few days...

That isn't the only thing that's gone wrong lately....Saturaday was the much awaited, 30th birthday surprise party my brother's girlfriend put on for him at Longfellow's....My whole family came to the area to celebrate...including my little brother who flew home for the occassion (I haven't seen him in over a year)....and I was so excited! Hubby and I started out late...partly because I left work late (it's tax season, so we're working Saturdays), and partly because hubby wasn't ready when I did get home, partly because we were in the middle of a terrible ice storm...but anyway, to make a long story short, I was low on gas, but didn't stop on my way home to get him because I think it's my hubby's job to pump while I sit in the car, nice and toasty warm (don't all of us women feel that way)...so when we got on the road together we pulled into the only gas station in town and my car started to do this jumpy thing...IT WAS OUT OF GAS, lucky, we were 5 feet from the gas pumps....THEN THE POWER WENT OUT....that's right, we were out of gas, at a gas station, with no power (and for those of you who don't know this - gas pumps don't work without power)...and then it hit me, my whole family was together, less than an hour away, and I wasn't going to make it...then came the tears, then the yelling (because of course, this was totally not my fault)....then I talked to my parents, and my mom pointed out that it was 50% hubby's fault, 50% mine...and I kind of got that....then it hit me...I HAD AAA (his mom had bought it for me as a gift), so AAA came with gas, and off we went to the party....

I missed the surprise, but had a ton of fun just the same! Here's a few shots of the party...

Lesson learned...never let your car run low on gas!!! It didn't run right for days! And, a BIG thanks goes out to my brother's wonderful girlfriend who made this party happen! She's the best thing that ever happened to him, and hopefully he'll be getting her a big, big ring soon!!!!

Giving Back | Part Two!

OK....so this post is two weeks over due...but it's the middle of tax season and I'm crazy busy! Anyway, I'd like to give back in a second, but no less personal way this year...A dear friend of not only ours, but Bolton Landing's passed away unexpectedly just a few short months ago, after the Christmas holiday. If you've ever been in the town of Bolton Landing, than you were no doubt greated by Jonny-Lu's smiling face! Jon loved the lake and loved Bolton Landing, as I know most of you do, and to help keep this a place people love as much as he did, donations were made in his memory to the Lake George Land Conservancy....Rob and I made our personal donation, but I will also be donating a portion of my 2008 proceeds to the cause...not only in memory of Jon, but because so many of you choose to marry here because you love this place as much as he did! Here's a picture of Jon from Scott and Cynthia's wedding on the lake this past summer...

Giving Back | Part One!

As some of you know...a few years ago hubby and I were devestated when a flood severely damaged our home...I'll save the long story, but the outpouring of support from the community and our loved one's touched our lives in a very special way...and ever since, we try to 'give back' whenever we can...so I've got two very special things going on this year....today's part one...tomorrow's part two!

Those of you who follow my blog know all about my godchild Connor.... Baby Buckley was born 2 months early weighing less than 3 lb's...and although we were excited for his arrival...it was scarry all the same...He was the smallest little miracle I had ever seen....and the day I first layed eyes on him I couldn't believe it was possible....here's my first picture of him...

Connor spent the next few weeks/months in the NICU, being visited by his parents every day. Although we knew he needed to stay and was receiving the best care possible....leaving the hospital without him was not an easy thing for my sister and her husband! The nurses in the NICU didn't just take good care of Connor, they took good care of my sister and Steve as well...

Even after Connor came home, the care provided by the wonderful community of others who have had premature babies didn't stop...Loving people check in to see how he's doing and the support is endless....Now, we have the opportunity to give back!

This year Connor and his family (including me) are taking part in the March For Babies event on April 29th. It is a walk through Boston to raise money for the March of Dimes, which supports the research of both the cause and the care of premature babies. My goal is to raise $500 for the event, and I need your help to do it! So, here's the deal...visit my fundraising webpage and make a donation....then, send me an email and let me know how much you donated....what ever amount you decide to give, I will match with a gift certificate to Ann Marie Somma photography! This offer is only valid until I reach my goal of $500 so for all of you out there who were planning on having portraits done this year, or adding additional credits onto your wedding package...this is the PERFECT opportunity to do so!

OK guys, I need your support....please, please, please...donate away!!!! Here's some additional pictures of who I'm walking for...

Macksi's Bridal Portraits

OK...so I never post this many pictures...but Macksi was one of my favorite brides...and I've kind of been slacking on the posting lately...so for all of you who have been checking in every day looking for something new, only to be disappointed...here's a bunch of shots from Macksi's bridal portrait session!

I'm so excited!!!

There's so much new and exciting going on at Ann Marie Somma Photography this year...I just can't keep it all to myself any longer!!! I'm working on launching two new sites...it's time portraits got their own space...my current site is getting a little bit crowded (next year I'll also be adding sites for ADK fine art prints and Seniors...I'd like to do it this year...but there's just too much going on...I'm overwhelmed)...

Also new for this year, I'll be using a new album proofing system that will allow me to share your album design with you in an awesome slideshow and will allow for you to give me instant feedback on individual pages!!! I'm also switching hosting partners...I'm done with Pictage (so any Pictage credits included in packages already issued will be replaced with studio credits)...the billing system sucks and the products are outrageously priced...I'm not 100% sure where I'm going yet...But the prints and gallery wraps at Collages.net were just awarded Hot One Awards for 2008 (I'm sure none of you know what that means....but it's kind of like the Academy Awards for all things wedding photography related)....

My new site most likely isn't going to feature slideshows within the site...I'm undecided on this as of yet.....My options are to have slideshows within the site that can be burned to DVD here at the studio if you so desire, uploaded to iPods, blackberry's etc (but not the option to purchase from the site or email to friends) or have slideshows that will be featured in the blog and will allow for you to purchase a copy for yourself and email the slideshow to friends all from within the slideshow itself!!! I'm undecided...which one would you guys prefer??? Leave a comment!

Real Moments - Friend and Family Captured!

As a recent potential client pointed out (and I totally agree), my online portfolio doesn't contain enough real moments captured of friends and families at weddings....I guess when I was putting the portfolio together (which I update all the time) I was thinking to myself that no one would want to see these because they wouldn't know the story behind each one...so they'd be wondering who those people were..but potential clients do want to see them...and I still want to tell the story behind each one...after all, that feeling that you get...when all of your loved one's reunite to celebrate with you...that fealing makes your wedding day so incredibly special....and creating honest images of those moments is a big part of what I do....so here's a few of my favorites....

This is one of my all time favorites of the parents of the bride sharing a dance.....

















and the mother of the groom seeing the bride for the first time in the dressing room before the ceremony...
























this bride really wanted a shot of her with all of her girlfriends...I just love how happy she is to have them all around her and when I see this image, it reminds me of that same feeling I felt at my own wedding!

















at weddings, love is infectuous....

















































I have no idea why....but I can't resist capturing your friends and family capturing their own favorite images of the day....


















and sometimes I get caught ;-)
























Throughout the coctail hour and reception, I float around capturing guest having fun together, sometimes when they see me they get together and pose...some photographers hate this...but I don't mind at all...I can't tell you how many times I've had people tell me...that's the nicest shot we've had of us in a long time....

















































































































I just adored this old couple...they had such young hearts!
























I love this image because you can just feel how excited everyone is to get their own picture of the 'first kiss'....

















This bride told me this was one of her favorite images....It was taken while she stook next to her new husband and she and her bridesmaids wrapped thier arms around eachother while they watched a slideshow the bridesmaids had prepared of the bride and groom growing up...

















And here is one of that same bride walking from the ceremony to the reception as all the guests followed her lead....When I see her face in this image...I'm reminded of how happy she was...and this one is special to me because this bride is my sister in law, and I couldn't have asked for anything more for her on her wedding day (on a side note...I made her bouquet...didn't I do a fabulous job???) ;-)


















And then of course, there is the party....

This little girl danced, danced, danced all night...and I couldn't resist taking pictures of her...


















I keep coming back to this one...and for the longes time I couldn't figure out why...and then it hit me...this mother just looks so proud to be dancing with her son!

















more party fun....

This is one of my favorites....it's a shot of all the bridesmaids dancing with the father of the bride...I spent a lot of time with this family...and it was so clear to me how much all of the brides friends adored her father...this image reminds me of that....

And this may be my favorite father/daughter image of all time....

I'm working on a several new websites to debut in the summer....mine is starting to feel very crowded...I need a wedding site, portraits, seniors and adironack fine art prints...anyway....when the new site is up, I'll be sure to include a gallery of real moments!