Coonradt Wedding Album Completed!

Whoooooooooo Hoooooooooooo! (I do that everytime I finish a 5 hour wedding album :)

We always have a lot of fun hanging out with the bride and groom on their wedding day, and it's always amazing to relive the excitement of what it feels like to get married. I know I say this in every blog entry, but we had a blast shooting the wedding of Sherman and Nicole this past Fall, and thought they were awesome to work with (I guess I say this so much because I really enjoy working with our clients!)

Anyway, it was a beautiful wedding, and we have completed the album that will forever hold their memories from the day. Thanks for being so easy to work with guys, and we hope you enjoy your album! You can check out a sample of Sherm & Nicole's wedding album by clicking the link below!

P.S. I got tired of the same ol' wedding music we always use, so decided to go with something a little different for this one - make sure you turn those speakers up!!!

Click here to see the album!

Like what you see? Leave a comment below!

More Homes for Sale!

Today was a good day, and had the opportunity to hang out with Jason Ordon from Remax Realty, and shoot a few properties up in the Broadalbin and Sacandaga Lake area. Jason's a great realtor and salesman, and we've had a lot of fun photographing some of his many properties to help them sell quicker..... not many realtors offer their clients free photography of their home inside & out, and think it's really creative what he's doing.

Anyway, I'm still warming up from being out on the lake today - Brrrrrrr! I'm off to get something hot for dinner, but make sure you check back tomorrow as we may have another wedding album presentation to share! (hint, hint)

P.S. You can check out Jason's website by visiting http://www.jasonordon.com

Building a Team of Photographers!

As business has rapidly grown over these past few years, we are finding quickly that we turn away more clients due to being overbooked than ever before! In efforts to offset for this as well as meet the demands of all client budgets, we are looking for a select few photographers to join our growing business & team.

For obvious reasons, we are looking for experienced/educated photographers that are equally as passionate about photography as we are, and have interest in taking their photography to the next level as an associate photographer. If anyone is interested in learning more about the program, feel free to email us directly at either of the email addresses below, and we can set up an interview!

matt@mattramosphotography.com
tonya@mattramosphotography.com

Hands on training will be provided, and we will gladly go over further details with those we meet with - thanks!!!

New Photo of the Week!

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, as we are meeting with 3 new potential clients to discuss their upcoming weddings. In a strange way, I almost enjoy the opportunity to have these meetings where I can get to know the bride & groom, more than shooting the actual wedding itself. Weddings are a huge event to plan when you think about it, and I always find it interesting to see how different couples handle their stress levels and checklist of all that needs to get done. I've learned through experience, that those couples that learn to sorta "go with the flow" and keep more relaxed through the whole process, ususally tend to have a smoother, more fun wedding than those that try to perfect every litting detail. I'm certainly not knocking those that like to plan to perfection - this is just a general observation that I find interesting. Food for thought for those that may be planning an upcoming wedding :)

Anyway, due to the busy day tomorrow, I decided to get the photo of the week done a bit early so I don't forget! This photo is without a doubt another one of my favorite images that I actually took when I was in High School .... I suppose I was a photographer in the making at that point? Anyway, it was shot at a place called Sylvan Lake, which lies a couple miles behind Mt. Rushmore of the Black Hills of South Dakota. As a world traveler, I can honestly say that the states of South Dakota and Wyoming are probably two of the most underestimated states we have. When I first moved to New York, I got made fun of for growing up in such a place, but for those that ever had doubt..... here's proof of how amazing it is there!

Anyway, I'm now rambling, and off to bed! Hope you enjoy this week's photo of the week!

Think You're Stressed?

Weddings are supposed to be a ton of fun when planned right, and one of the best days of the bride & grooms life. While things can sometimes become stressful with all the anticipation of the big day, this video will give you a good laugh of what not to let happen! Make sure you watch til the very end..... You won't believe your eyes!

By the way.... I found this clip on YouTube - this was not something we shot or anything. YIKES!!!

P.S. I don't know who would have had it worse in this situation.... the photographer or the groom :)

February Portrait & Headshot Discounts!

Just a quick note to let all interested customers (new & past), that we will be offering 25% off all sitting fees for the entire month of February! If you've been thinking about getting some portraits or headshots done but haven't, this will be a great time to take advantage of yet another special offer!

Studio sitting fees are normally priced at $85+tax, whereas local on location shoots are normally priced at $150+tax ..... you can take an additional 25% off of these prices, and we are also happy to offer free online viewing/ordering for all sessions. To sweetin' the pot, we will honor a 50% discount to anyone that refers a friend or family member for a shoot as well. Can we make this any easier!!!???

We recently had a lot of success with our 50% off print sale, and were glad to see so many take advantage of such a limited time fantastic deal..... we hope there will be just as many that take advantage of this as well!

If interested, you can schedule or inquire about a shoot by visiting the link below!
http://www.mattramosphotography.com/contact.html

New Photo of the Week!

This week must have flown by - I almost forgot to post the new photo of the week! I rushed a bit on this week's photo, but thought this one would be a fun one to share. It's amazing sometimes, how opportunities sorta present themselves when you are least expecting them. This photo was taken a couple years ago at a wedding we were shooting. I remember trying to take family portraits with the bride, yet couldn't stop looking at these two kids playing around in an old vintage 1950's Packard behind me (for those that know what they are). Anyway, I decided to quickly take my attention away from the bride for two seconds to snap one quick photo, and this was the final outcome.

What makes it interesting, is that the kid holding the bottle almost had the Pepsi logo perfectly facing me, in so a way that you'd think the photo was staged. I actually sent it to Pepsi for fun, and got great feedback as they loved the photo, but were not allowed to use it as they have to use certain photographers for their products that are under contract... oh well!

Anyway, this is one of my favorites, that without a doubt reminds me of how fun it was to be a kid, and not have a care in the world (would be nice to go back sometimes!) Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do. Be sure to check back soon for more updates - we are hoping to have another album preview completed this week for those that are interested. Enjoy the weekend, everyone!

P.S. Unlike the other "photos of the week," this one's not for sale.... I just wanted to share this one :)

Brian & Jennifer Album Complete!

We had a lot of fun last September with Brian & Jen, and being able to capture their big day. Brian and Jen are from Chicago, so it was a little tricky trying to make sure all the details were in line over the phone, rather than in person..... of course things went just fine, and they had a beautiful ceremony and reception!

Anyway, we are pleased to have completed Brian and Jen's album, and look forward to getting it to them as soon as possible.... (after they approve and/or make edits of course :) This is going to look awesome in the 10X10 plush leather album they selected to go with!

Check out a sample of their album below!
http://www.mattramosphotography.com/kristin

New Features/Items Added to Online Events!

We are always doing as much as possible with our business to "think outside the box," (or make it bigger as they say). I'm really excited, as we've recently added some cool new features/products to all online viewing/ordering events from those that have had recent shoots or weddings. We will continue to offer these options on all upcoming events, and are even adding more in the very near future! Here are some of the options that you will now see in an online event such as a wedding:

• Print selections of various sizes (already there :)
• Gift Certificates in various amounts to be used on any item in the online store
• An option to purchase a 4X6 print bundle of an entire event (for bride & groom)
• Pre-Loaded 17" or 19" digital picture frames with 100 of your favorite images (everything you need to mount on the wall)
• Master DVD options in various sizes to purchase originals
• DVD Slideshows with music
• Custom deck of playing cards with photo of choice

What makes it nice (and different from before), is that you can purchase any of these options, conveniently along with your prints with your credit/debit card if you like. We will also be adding more items such as parent/family album options, as well as more pre-loaded, digital picture frames in the near future. You can check out these new options simply by logging into your event and clicking on the "Products" option at the bottom of the event. As always, check back soon for more updates!

Congratulations Jeanette & Peter!

We officially kicked off the first wedding of the new year last night by celebrating & capturing the wedding of Jeanette & Peter! While we didn't have the winter wonderland with snow we were hoping for, it was still a beautiful ceremony & reception with tons of fun and surprises. Jeanette & Peter are both awesome people to hang out with and definitely know how to have a good time. During their first dance, they surprised everyone by breaking out into several different sychronized dances such as Mr. Roboto and a few others, which was really cool from the norm we usually see!

We have tons of photos from the day/night, and look forward to sharing them with everyone shortly. Until images go live, friends and family from this event can click the link below to pre-register their name to receive an invitation to this event.

http://mattramosphotography.instaproofs.com/enterEvent.php?id=13817

Congratulations, Jeanette & Peter, and hope you guys have a blast on your honeymoon!

Image of the Week #2!

Those that read the blog regularly, know that I have started posting a "photo of the week." This is officially the 2nd photo of the week, which as I'm sure you can all figure out by now is the mighty, Niagara Falls! What almost amazes me more than the incredible force of this waterfall, is the amount of people each year that risk their lives to try and go down it in a barrel or some other sort of device.... I suppose those make for some amazing bragging rights, however :)

This particular photo was taken during Tonya and my first trip ever to Niagara Falls.... as I'm sure you can imagine, all I wanted to do was photograph the thing (hey, I'm a photographer - that's all I ever want to do these days!) I was able to capture this shot just as it was starting to get dark with a long exposure to give a soft water effect, and see some of the evening lights in the background. By the way, they have these lights that they shine on the falls when it gets dark, to make them change colors, which is why you see light on the water. For anyone who has never been here, it's worth the trip and something you will never forget...... of all the places I've visited on earth, it's truly incredible to see!

Anyway.... if you are interested in purchasing a print of this image, you can do so by clicking the link below:

http://mattramosphotography.instaproofs.com/enterEvent.php?id=13601

Off to shoot a wedding - hopefully, we'll have some samples to post later or early tomorrow!

The Amazing Effects of Airbrushing

Today's models and celebrities seem obsessed with having a flawless complexion in their photos. I don't shoot celebrities (yet!), but have been trying to teach myself how to professionally airbrush skintones for some of my portrait work. I happen to like the freckles on the model above as they are natural looking, but here is a before after shot of what is possible with todays digital portraiture, and my playing around. This will particularly work well with models that are self conscious about their skin or any possible blemishes. I'm still working to perfect the technique, but thought I'd share my work in progress :) Hopefully, I'll have some better samples to share later!

We are shooting our first wedding of the new year tomorrow, so be sure to check back soon for some samples from the day!

Allard Wedding Album Completed!

By far, one of my favorite weddings of the season was that of Tim & Kristin Allard. Both, Tim and Kristin are amazing people, and I have really enjoyed not only capturing their special day, but also building them an absolutely amazing wedding album! After about 5½ hours of work (and using all the photos they asked for :), we have completed their album, and are happy to share it with them and their family and friends. Make sure you turn those speakers up first, and feel free to check out their album. This is going to look absolutely FANTASTIC in the 9½ X 13 Graphi Studi album they have selected to get!

Enjoy!

Click the link below to check it out for yourself!
www.mattramosphotography.com/allard

Image of the Week!

Looking through the thousands of images we shoot over a year's time, there are so many cool photos that don't really get a chance to be showcased or viewed. To keep things fresh on the blog (in addition to other weekly happenings), I've decided to start showcasing 1 image per week. Along with the image, I'll do my best to share with our viewers about the image (ie: where it was taken, etc), and folks will also have the opportunity to order a print of the image if interested!

With that said...... this is the first image of the week! This particular shot was taken on the island of Maui in Hawaii at the very top of Haleakala Crator, an old dormant volcano. This is by far one of the most amazing places on earth, and holds some of the worlds most sophisticated telescopes at it's top. You can ride a bike down from the very top and go through nearly 5 different eco systems and temperature zones. (as you can see, we were above the clouds) Anyway, this is one of my favorite shots from the day that I thought I'd share!

If you are interested in purchasing a print of this image, you can do so from the link below! By the way, each image will only be available for prints for the week it's showcased, before the next one comes up! If you don't care for the photo much, there's always next week :)

On my way out to dinner.... enjoy the weekend, everyone!

http://mattramosphotography.instaproofs.com/enterEvent.php?id=13601

"A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words"

I could never figure out why people trying to sell their house would attempt to take their own low quality "snap-shots," with poor lighting and angles to market their home. With more than 80% of real estate shoppers using the internet and listing images as their guide to finding that perfect house, shouldn't the photos be a top priority to help it sell? You'd be amazed at what a decent set of images can do in the real estate market as compared to those point and shoot type photos you often see.

I recently joined Jason Ordon and his team at Remax to start photographing some of his new property listings. With higher quality images for potential buyers to look at while browsing, we are hoping to see increased profits for sellers, and cut the time in half that it takes to sell an average home. (The seller will also get a nice set of professional images to remember their home by). This is the first home of several I will be shooting in the upcoming months.

This house is located in Saratoga Springs and has some pretty cool features. If you are interested in learning more about this house, you can contact Jason at www.jasonordon.com!

50% Off Special Offer!!!

As we celebrate the new year, and make room for the next generation of weddings, shoots & events, we will be offering a 1 week only discount of 50% off all prints sized 5X7 or larger!!! For those that remember, we did a 15% special offer a couple months back that had great success, so we are hoping to see twice as many take advantage of this amazing, limited time offer.

All events should have received the email, however for those that didn't, feel free to click the link below for access to your event(s). Please note, this also means we are offering the same 50% off dicount on metallic prints, which are absolutely stunning quality ..... Just one more way for us to give thanks to all the greatly appreciated customers of 2006 - Thanks again, and enjoy the sale!

http://mattramosphotography.instaproofs.com/

Happy New Year!!!

I can remember back in the 80's (some of the best years in music by the way) listening to Prince's "Party Like It's 1999" song on the radio, and thinking to myself how crazy it would be to have it actually be the year 1999 or 2000. Amazing how the years go by one by one like hours in the day.... to think that it's now 2007 is difficult to comprehend (Well that and I'm getting old I guess).

As the new year kicks off, I'd like to wish all of the newly married couples of 2006, friends, and anyone else that keeps up to date on the blog a very happy and prosperous New Year! As I've said before, I look forward to the next generation of friends, weddings, and client relationships I know 2007 will bring!

P.S. Good thing they had fireworks at last nights wedding for my blog photo!