DECEMBER 25, 2006: FREE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY!

theKnot Special Emails accepted from December 25, 2006 through January 15, 2007 ONLY , so please hurry and get your information in to me as soon as possible! Happy Holidays! Yes, it is true; I'm going to photograph one lucky couple's wedding in either 2007, or 2008 FOR FREE! I LOVE photographing love! In my opinion, there is nothing more important or powerful in this whole world than love. And, I sincerely enjoy paying love forward by making my clients happy through my photography. The catch...and there is always a catch...is a little thing called "Artistic License" or "Creative Freedom"…and what it really boils down to is TRUST. This is MY dream; allow me to share it with you... I don't want to be limited in the time I have to creatively produce your photographs by venues that know nothing about the creative process of photography. Ever the trend-setter who boldly likes to take the road less traveled, I'd like to begin the process of moving my couple's attitudes, the wedding world (vendors) and wedding photography into the 21st Century by making the most important aspect of your wedding, the photography, THE actual most important element of your wedding! It is not good to try to dictate or control the creative process. It is a creative process after all! I So, long to work with a couple who is adventurous and bold enough to allow their photographer's needs to take precidence so she can be as creative as possible; no restraints or limits. I want you to trust in my ability as an experienced professional photographer and allow me ample time to photograph in the manner in which I feel will yield the most creative and beautiful images possible! I want to do more than just document your day. I want to plan your day together with you then CREATE some really interesting and artistic images as a result of that planning. My being able to do this for you will mean that you will really need to trust me. I'd like this couple to be strong enough to be willing to dictate their wedding day schedule to their venues based upon our plans for the day and that means that you will be willing to see each other prior to the ceremony for a few hours. You'll also need to be more on the "relaxed" side and be willing to be adventurous with me during the shoot as I request you to pose in some interesting locations! I'd like to approach photographing your wedding as a commercial editorial photo shoot. You see, 99.9% of all those great shots you are looking at in bridal magazines are created days and sometimes weeks prior to the actual wedding day (if there really is a wedding at all!) by commercial photographers who typically spend eight hours with models! Hmmmm...I feel another idea coming on here... So, I'm offering you adventurous, contemporary, un-traditional engaged types the opportunity to have some really fabulous photography FOR FREE by working with me in the creative planning of your wedding day photography! Does it sound like fun to you? It does to me! WHAT I WON'T DO: We’ll plan the day so I won’t keep you from your guests, obligations or from your fun. I won't be a dictator or one of those crazy, self-absorbed, inconsiderate photographers we've all heard stories about. I won’t place you in locations where you will get filthy but you may end up with a little something on you that you'll have to brush off. If you are not adventurous this won't be for you. WHAT I / WE WILL DO: I will ask you to be adventurous in our locations/poses, see each other before the ceremony and be creative with me! So, if you are worried about keeping spotless, this will not be for you! I will keep in mind that your ceremony is sacred (no, I will not be lying on the floor between you and the officiant during the ceremony...I have heard the craziest stories!). We WILL have FUN! And as a result of all this fun, you are going to end up with hundreds of BEAUTIFULLY ARTISTIC images from your day...and won't THAT be fabulous?!

If you would like to be considered for this crazy-fun special offer, here is what I will need from you: 1. I'll need your names; that would be you, the bride and groom. 2. Your contact information, including a day-time telephone number and email addresses. 3. The date of your wedding in either 2007 or 2008 - this must be an actual date. 4. The city, state and venue name/location for your church or ceremony and wedding. 5. A RECENT photograph of both of you together - PLEASE make these photos fun, sexy and as creative as you can! 6. Tell me your story: where/when/how you met, how long you've been together, where/when/how you became engaged, what are the things you love about each other (this means our gentlemen must actively participate too!), what have been your successes and challenges since finding each other, etc. Essentially, I want to know your love story! Share only what you feel comfortable sharing and remember that I LOVE love stories! Make it good but try to keep your story limited to one or two (at the very most) 8.5x11 pages. You can send your story in a Microsoft Word document attached to the email you will be submitting to me. This is what you'll receive if chosen: - 100% of my time, attention, enthusiasm and creativity, before, during and after your wedding! - A Photographic Service valued over $4,500 FOR FREE, based on my availability for your date. - This service includes wedding day coverage beginning with bridal preparations and lasting into your reception. - All of your wedding images will be available to you, your family and your friends in a secure on-line gallery with my professional lab, Pictage. - An Archived DVD of your wedding images suitable for you to print photos up to 8x10 in size. - An 8x8 Contemporary Fine Art Wedding Story Book. - A big fat hug and a sincere 'thank you' when we are done with the day and lifetime access to me as your family photographer! This is not a contest. I will make my choice based on your submissions and contact the lucky bride and groom on January 22, 2007! Okay, if you are enthusiastically interested and want to be considered, send your emails with your Word document attachments to me at: joanne@joannebartone.com SUBJECT LINE: the Knot Special, December 2006.

Emails accepted from December 25, 2006 through January 15, 2007 ONLY, so please hurry and get your information in to me as soon as possible! Have fun!