I HAVE A NEW BLOG!!

Here's the link: joannebartoneblog.com

I'm so excited about the new look of my new blog that I'm sure to be INSPIRED to blog in this beautiful new space more frequently - I promise to do my best! You can hold me to that, Heather!

You will always be able to get to this (my old) blog via the link back to it in the new blog's "links" section. And you can find posts easily on the new blog via the "categories" and "archives" links in the blue navigation bar. I may even transfer this (old) blog to my new blog - I'm thinking about it... The Galleries will be completed by next week so everything will be looking fabulously seamless in the end. Did I mention how excited I am about it?

How do you like the look? I created the background image and the header images to coordinate with my website. I think it looks beautiful and I really am pleased with it and with myself [pat on back] especially since I'm not a web wizard, but I do like a challenge! The new blog is "powered" by PhotoIdentities, a company who makes custom blogs and websites for photographers. I couldn't be happier with their service - they've been great in helping me get things set up and have not flinched at the numerous questions or requests for assistance I've asked for. Just a couple more things to work out and viola, it'll be perfect!

Please feel free to leave comments on how you like it, or any suggestions you may have for it, and by all means, enjoy my first wedding post: Katie and Tripp's Wedding - a lovely way to christen the new blog!

Thanks for stopping by - don't forget to subscribe to the NEW blog as that is where I'll be posting from this point forward - ENJOY!

BIG love, Joanne Bartone, Photographer

something NEW is coming...!!!!

Keep posted...it'll be coming real soon! BIG love, Joanne Bartone, Photographer

I'll tell you a little secret...

...about me... I want you to know that before every wedding I say this little "prayer" that I've created specifically regarding my photographing... I pray that the talent I've been given will shine through for the couple whose wedding I am photographing each time and that I am able to create memorable and beautiful images for them to cherish throughout their lives together. And I'll tell you, every week I am given the gift of having my prayers answered! Life, love, the work we do; it's all such a beautiful gift! I have gratitude in ABUNDANCE! And I thank the powers that be, the heavens above, the couples I serve and I look forward to making every one of you happy through the talents I've been given. BIG LOVE, Joanne Bartone, Photographer

Katie & Tripp's Wedding: Epiphany & The Pennsylvanian!

WOW! ...another amazingly beautiful couple AND wedding! How lucky can one person get?!!! I probably should title this post "Everyone's Mad About Katie!" And who wouldn't be - what a doll she is! And Tripp? An absolute sweetheart! I know Tripp will probably take some heat by my saying that he is a "sweetheart," but he is! What can I say?!! Sensitive is "in;" Macho is NOT! The couple was beautiful, the day was beautiful - even though it rained all day (lol!) - the ceremony and reception were beautiful...EVERYTHING, everyone and every minute was simply spectacular! It was a fun day! And that first dance set at the reception really set the mood for the night. I even had the joy of unexpectedly running into colleagues and good friends of mine, Robin and Brenda of Belissima photographing the previous ceremony at the church, and another one of my couples that I photographed five years ago, Sherri & Bob who were guests at Katie and Tripp's reception; it was a really, really great day! Epiphany Church is one of my favorite churches to shoot at - John (the church-guy) is so helpful and nice to work with and the church is so beautiful inside and out with such great lighting that it is always just a joy to shoot there! And The Pennsylvanian; it was glorious and "dressed to the nines," per usual! Simply two excellent choices for a wedding. I believe the name of the band playing at the reception was the Grand Concourse Band, featuring the extraordinarily talented Pittsburgh Jazz vocalist, Maureen Budway - man that woman can sing! Google her; her accolades are numerous! I have so many fabulous images from the day that I don't know where to begin to choose which images to post in a slide show or individually, but I'll do my best. I believe at least two images from the day are going to be award-winning photos too!! I do hope you'll enjoy my art! BIG LOVE, Joanne Bartone, Photographer

Sherri & Dave's Wedding: Butler PA!

Sherri & Dave's wedding was a melding of cultures and families; a sweet compilation of, as their wedding program stated, "true love!" It was a hot day, but perfect, nonetheless... Never mind that the church was blazing hot and that the words "wilting" and "dewy" described everyone in attendance - and it was a packed church! Never mind that the antique trolley wasn't air conditioned and that everyone's hair was tossed into near knots! Who cared?! Well, no one, frankly! Everyone smiled and laughed and basked in Sherri and Dave's love! I love the way Dave smiled broadly when he first saw Sherri come down the aisle at the start of the ceremony. And it was magic when Sherri's eyes met Dave's as she approached him! Every weekend; every wedding; every couple...how fortunate am I that I get to witness, capture AND create from these beautiful love stories? I'll tell you - VERY fortunate! What a gift; what a huge blessing it is to be a part of so much love all the time! It is incredible! So, on to the slide show...it's what you really came here for any way! ;-)

I have two of the same slide shows created with two versions of my favorite song: one created with the English version and the other the Spanish Version. The song is "You Are My Home" / "Refugio De Amor" performed by Vanessa Williams & Chayanne. Although the Spanish version is a quicker tempo, I just had to include it because it is beautiful and significant to Dave and his family. English Version Spanish Version Gracia por todo! It was an absolute pleasure to share your day with you! I'll add a few more images that are my favorites in a couple of days, but for now enjoy the slide shows!

All my best, as always, Joanne Bartone, Photographer

Chelsea & Jeremy's Wedding: Charleston WV!

Chelsea and Jeremy were married in Charleston WV in a beautiful out-door ceremony at Berry Hills Country Club! It was a picturesque event from start to finish... The day was perfectly beautiful with great weather and plenty of sunshine. And Chelsea was simply lovely in her gown. I really don't think either Chelsea or Jeremy stopped smiling all day long! Thanks guys for having me with you for the day - it was a delight! I've chosen a few of my favorite images for Chelsea and Jeremy's slide show - Enjoy!

Best, as always, Joanne Bartone, Photographer

Movie: Sex and the City

So, have you seen it yet?! Oh, my goodness...I've just come from seeing the movie Sex and the City - what a wonderful movie! Those shoes (oh, my goodness; those shoes)! The fashions! But more than anything, the enduringly beautiful friendship between Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte!

Unless you've been living under a rock, the series and now the movie have followed four friends who met in their twenties and are now in their forties (and dare I say even 50 [Samantha]!) through all the trials and tribulations of life and love while living in New York City.

The series was never really about sex, although it did have a lot of sexual innuendo in it. Okay, okay, it was about sex too... And it certainly made a statement about The City, but it was ALWAYS about love; my favorite subject! The love between the four women as friends and the love between the four women and the men in their lives.

The whole series was a delight to watch as was the movie - I won't give anything away, just be sure to go see it. I will say though, that Carrie's analysis in the end was about labels and how we can be so busy labeling everyone that we forget to look beyond the label to the true person beneath. That spoke volumes and is a profound statement I think might behoove all of us to consider...just a suggestion...

Love those women! I'll miss them...

xo, Joanne Bartone, Photographer

It is high-time for inclusion...

Although I try to keep my personal opinions separate from my business, with this one issue I simply cannot. One reason is because it's an important issue regarding discrimination, which is wrong, and another reason is because it overlaps with my business... In celebration with Gay Pride month, it is with tremendous love in my heart that I will take the risk and take a stand to fully voice my support for the G+L community as a whole, and many friends and "family" with regards to their desire to have their love recognized and supported with civil unions, commitment ceremonies or same sex marriages. What ever you want to call it, it's all about LOVE! I never have, nor will I ever discriminate against any people or their love for one another. In fact, I believe that if we had more tolerant and loving attitudes towards one another and would support one another under the "umbrella" of understanding, compassion, love and everyone being a citizen of the UNITED States of America, perhaps more G+L relationships might endure and the world would probably be a better place. It is 2008, after all and really, isn't it time people? Isn't it long past time to call for an end to discrimination? I think so. So I "raise my glass" to the G+L community and all their supporters who have made great progress here in the US in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, and abroad in Spain, Netherlands and Belgium. May the strides for inclusion and acceptance continue world-wide and may your lives be joined in love and your love live on forever! In love and support, Joanne Bartone, Photographer