Happy Birthday to my Seester!

My awesome sister turns 30 today!  Leave her some comment love. Happy Birthday – love you, Shan!

Don’t you love old photos? 

Giving is Awesome.

 

My amazing sister {who has a heart for underprivileged kids everywhere!} decided for Christmas last year that instead of receiving gifts for herself, she wanted us to help provide the kids she taught with a Christmas of their own.  The joy that comes from something like this is unexplainable and if you’ve never tried it before, I highly suggest you do! 

 

So I’m giving you the opportunity.

 

You know someone.  You know someone who’s experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances.  You know someone who can’t afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season.  You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family’s spirit, love, and beauty.

 

You know someone.  I guarantee it.

 

Chris and I want to know who they are, and we want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography.  We’re offering the winner a free portrait session and $200 in print credit.  Whether it’s canvas or albums, prints for Grandma, or a slideshow to watch over and over, it’s in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season!

Oh, and the best part?  The person who nominates the winner receives a $100 print credit.  What better reason to show some love could there possibly be, people?

 

The rules:

* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing our services.

* The nominee must reside in Georgia.  Tell us who you know, what they’re experiencing, and why they deserve our artwork.  Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.

* You must email me the full story : info@alliemariephoto.com

 

We’re taking nominations until December 23rd, 2008 at 11:59pm!  That’s a little less than two weeks!  The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve — what an amazing Christmas gift, don’t you think?  So get nominating!  We can’t wait to read all your entries!

 

Open your heart to someone this holiday season — and thanks for giving us the opportunity to open ours.

 

Much love,

Chris + Allie Bartelski

 

And check out the other amazing photographers who are doing the same worldwide : Giving is Awesome!

Road Trip : Andrea & Lucas.

 

Andrea and Lucas were absolutely amazing for putting up with our next prop for their Trash the Dress session!  And don’t forget to check out the other photographers that were there shooting as well – Amanda, Annie & Toby, Cailyn, Sarah, & Sheila!  But before I show you exactly how we trashed the dress, here’s some “before” photos to show you how beautiful Andrea is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gorgeous!

 

 

Then her fiance, Lucas, stepped in for a little smooching…

 

 

 

 

LOVED her shoes!

 

 

 

 

Now for the trashing – are you ready for this?  How about a ketchup and mustard fight??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can’t imagine what this smelled like!

 

 

 

Andrea & Lucas – thanks for putting up with the smell and being so amazing!

 

Check out the rest of our trip :

Erin’s Trash the Dress Session

Erin’s Boudoir Session

 

allie

Spread the Christmas Cheer.

 

If you don’t mind, I’d like to take a few seconds and let my friend, Sara, take over my blog.  She works for Healthy Start, a non-profit program for teenage moms.  This year they are trying to raise money to buy Christmas and birthday gifts for the children.  Below is a great opportunity for you to join in and help these kids have an awesome Christmas!  If you browse the internet or buy Christmas gifts online, please consider using the site below during your holiday shopping!  Thanks!

 

FROM SARA :

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy’s and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you’ll be supporting your favorite cause.

Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter HEALTHY START as the charity you want to support. And, be sure to spread the word!

 

allie

Just curious.

 

Thanks!

The Processional.

 

Chris posted the very awesome processional from our wedding on YouTube for some [b] schoolers that were asking about it.  I thought I would post a link to it in case you haven’t seen it.  Chris had very talented groomsmen who picked up instruments after they dropped the bridesmaids off and played Canon in D for me as I walked down the aisle. 

 

Click here to see it.

 

The Perry Family.

 

Last weekend we shot some family photos at Centennial Park downtown.  We also got to test out our new D700 and it’s amazing!

 

They had just gotten through visiting the Georgia Aquarium and Grayson didn’t really want us crazy photographers following him around everywhere… I don’t blame him!

 

 

 

But after a while he opened up and played with us!

 

 

Here’s Sarah Beth – she’s so adorable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brother and sister…

 

 

 

These are my favorite!  How awesome is this?

 

 

After Centennial, we joined the Perry Family and some friends at Johnny Rockets!  Here’s some cute shots of Grayson and his friend that Chris got with the new camera.

 

 

 

 

Josh and Mandy – thanks so much for letting us share the day with you – we had a great time.  You have such a cute family!  {And thanks for the awesome post about us!}

 allie

 

 

Ode to my iPhone.

 

Last week my photos, calendar, email, alarm clock, notebook, address book, navigation system, weather updater, camera, calculator, and of course, iPod, were all stolen from me at the same time. 

 

The exact same time that my iPhone was stolen from me. 

 

I must admit, though, I gave the thief a pretty good opportunity to steal it when I walked away from it at the ATM machine unaware it had fallen out of my purse.  How can one be so careless?

 

After he refused to return it even for a reward {via text messages with my husband}, I tried to tell myself it was just a phone.  I’ll just turn off the service and he won’t be able to use it.  And I can always save up and get another one just like it.

 

Until the following events happened :

1.  I forgot to do several things that day because my iPhone didn’t remind me to do them.

2.  I couldn’t call my sister because I didn’t know her phone number since it was stored in my iPhone’s address book.

3.  I woke up late the next day because my iPhone’s alarm clock didn’t go off.

4.  I got lost because I didn’t have my iPhone’s GPS.

5.  I dressed for the cool weather in the morning, not knowing it would get up to 90 degrees because I couldn’t check the weather on my iPhone.

6.  I heard a song on the radio that I really liked and didn’t know the name of, but I couldn’t find out what it was because I didn’t have my Shazam iPhone app.

7.  I was walking to lunch, but couldn’t listen to my iPod on the way.

8.  I needed to check my business email before I got home, but the only way to do that was through my iPhone… which I didn’t have.

9.  To top it all off, I had to use my old phone and it decided to not let me use the buttons.  Fortunately, it’s a flip phone and I can answer and end calls… nothing else.

 

 

Ok… so some of these are really stupid and I probably could have found another way to do it, but this is how reliable I had become on my iPhone.  Everything was always right there at my fingertips, literally.  What’s wrong with waiting until I got home to check my email, or putting your obligations down in writing on a paper calendar, or stopping and asking for directions?  It irks me that this phone held so much of my information that I was even scared that someone I didn’t know held it in their hands.

 

I know some of you who don’t have an iPhone might not understand.  But… what’s something that you’ve become reliable on that if you lost it or it got stolen you just wouldn’t know what to do?  Shouldn’t we be reliable on something… SOMEONE… bigger?  Absolutely.  That’s the lesson I’m hoping to learn from this.

 

And if you DO have an iPhone, let my mistake be a lesson to you.  Go get iRedHanded right now!  :)

 

Freebie Day Fun!

 

Our first ever Freebie Day was amazing!  We had kids, families, couples, and even pets show up.  Chris and I had such a blast with everyone.  Below are a few of the FREE photos that these people will be getting.  You can check out what Chris saw from his camera over at his blog when he posts them.

 

We decided – since it’s such a beautiful place – to do our first Freebie Day at Berry College in Rome, Georgia.  We got there a little early and Chris took some HDR photos of the amazing architecture around the campus.

 

Our first Freebie Day-ers were Braden and Brysen!

 

Chris even let Braden shoot a couple photos!

 

Courtney & Danny are friends of ours – it was great to hang out and get some great shots of them!

 

Their friends brought their cute little girl, Anna Scott.  I couldn’t get enough photos of her.  She is absolutely adorable!

 

The Swansons were great, and Jarrett was a natural in front of the camera!

 

I shot Russ & Dixi’s wedding last year.  They brought their “child” to get some photos.  Storm, although all over the place, was VERY photogenic…and cute!

 

And here’s Storm’s happy parents…

 

Next, we happened to see a cute family taking photos a couple feet away.  We asked them if they wanted some free photos, and…well, of course they did!  :)  How cute is this little girl??  Her name is Railee.

 

And a couple fun nighttime shots with the Joslin family!

 

 

Thanks again to everybody who came out last Saturday!  If you want to be updated when we do this again, send and email to info@alliemariephoto.com!  Have an awesome weekend!

{allie}

 

*Thanks to MCP Actions & Jodi at the [b] school for the awesome blog templates I used above!

 

Freebie Days are here!!

 

For all our Rome friends :

Chris and I are headed up that way for the weekend and thought it would be a great chance to test out a Freebie Day!  We’ll be at two different locations Saturday evening, so come out and get some free photos!  For future Freebie Days there will be a certain “theme” if you will, but this time anything goes!  Bring your pets, your children, your whole family; dress up in your favorite team’s jersey or pose for a Facebook photo.  Seriously…anything goes.  And the more creative you get the more fun everyone has!  Below are the times and places in Rome we’ll be on Saturday.  Tell all your friends!

 

LOCATION #1

Where : Berry College {the first big field you come to when you go around the turn-about as you first drive in}

When : Saturday, September 20, 2008 from 5:00p til 6:00p

 

 

LOCATION #2

Where : Downtown Rome {the old lighted bridge close to the levee}
 

When : Saturday, September 20, 2008 from 8p til 9p {fun with lighting and nightime shots!}
 
 
 
 

Here’s a little more info…
 
What : Freebie Days!
 
When & Where : We will have different locations and times set up throughout the year.  Become a fan of AMPhoto on Facebook or email info@alliemariephoto.com for updates.
 
Why : Freebie Days allow Allie and Chris {photographers} to have some fun with their cameras while allowing you {and everyone else interested} to have an opportunity to get some free photos!
 
Who : Anyone and everyone can come – tell all your friends!
 
More : You’ll receive an email with your photos attached after the Freebie Day.  You can do whatever you wish with them.  They might even get posted on the blog!