Peek Aren’t You Curious’ Fall Line

Our friends at Peek, Aren’t You Curious have a fabulous fall line coming out. I’m in love with their designs. Here is part one:

Don’t you just love the kid on the left?

Thanks, Lisa for bringing the apples. They were perfect!

And what about the little guy in the blue tee? LOVE him!

I asked them some questions and they wrote their answers on a chalkboard.

I know what you’re thinking, this looks suspicious…but I didn’t coach anyone on what to write. I swear.

We got some gorgeous light at the very end.

Seriously diggin’ the orange nail polish…

I think I need this shirt…

da boyz hanging out…

Thanks Tina, Lisa, and Amy for all of your help. And thanks especially to all of the wonderful children and parents for hanging in there a little later for the good evening light. You guys were amazing!

To check out Peek…Aren’t You Curious’ website, click HERE. They also have a great blog. Part 2 coming soon. xo, jo

 

Amy

I got to photograph one of my favorite people yesterday, my dear friend and one of the founders of Peek…Aren’t You Curious, Amy Williams. She needed some images of herself for a few different reasons (can’t spill the beans just yet) and I was honored to be asked to capture a few relaxed portraits of her at home. Who knew that Scott and Amy’s living room would make such an amazing natural light studio?

She’ll probably kill me for posting these, but I just had to. Amy, you are stunning! I’m not sure that a mom of 2 month old twins is supposed to look this amazingly beautiful…oh well, I guess I’ll let it slide. It’s hard to be bitter when she is as sweet as pie.

Which ones do you like best, Amy?

To learn more about my lovely and talented friend, click here, or here, or even here.

xxoo

 

Lilacs

We had lilac bushes in our yard where I grew up in Ohio. They arrived in May, an enormous sea of purple and white. The first true sign of summer. They smelled like heaven. My mother would cut some off and wrap the stems in wet paper towels, then aluminum foil and send me on my way to school. My teachers always loved them. Especially Ms. Evans, my Kindergarten teacher. She loved them so much that mom kept sending me to school with more for her. She would put them in an old dusty vase, smile, and pat me on the head. Ms. Evans wasn’t a particularly kind teacher. She put poor Michael H. in a cardboard box and called it his “office”. Apparently, he wasn’t being attentive enough. He was supposed to sit in his “office” all day long where he couldn’t see a thing. Sounds like a great way to encourage attentiveness, amongst other things…

I shudder at the thought of my baby having a Ms. Evans. Pat says that things are different these days, that Ms. Evans wouldn’t last a day in school (let alone Kindergarten) today. All I know is that I have two memories of Kindergarten…lilacs and Michael H’s cardboard box.

The lilac memories are lovely ones, though. I can still picture my mom in the warm foggy morning air, cutting them for my teachers. It meant that school would soon be over and that she would be all mine for three whole months. I would proudly step onto the school bus with the fragrance of heaven encircling me.

A few months ago I stopped into Susi’s Flowers to grab some fresh cut flowers for a dear friend who was in the hospital. I couldn’t believe my nose…lilacs. You don’t normally see them in California, not like the ones in the Midwest anyway. They’re smaller, less intense, less amazing here. Susi said that in order to grow good lilacs, a cold snap is needed. That would explain the Ohio part. She said that hers are from a very old bush, that the newer bushes just aren’t the same. I believe her, I hadn’t seen or smelled a decent lilac since I moved to California almost 15 years ago…until that day.

I drove to the hospital with the bouquet on the passengers seat and a flood of memories in my head. I traveled back to Kindergarten and thought about the full circle that I’ve come. Our baby starts Kindergarten this fall. I’m not quite sure where the years have gone.

I went back to Susi’s the other day for some gorgeous cut flowers of my own. No lilacs, though (the season is over here in Santa Cruz). It’s a gorgeous shop, located in Rancho Del Mar in Aptos, a few doors down from Safeway. Do stop by and check it out the next time you’re looking for unbelievably beautiful flowers. She does weddings and events as well and by the looks of what was being created in the shop when I stopped in, her arrangements are some of the most stunning I’ve ever seen. Not to mention that Susi and the other woman working there were amazingly sweet and helpful. I know that I’ll be stopping by again soon…and telling my brides about her as well.

Oh, and guess what was in full bloom on our recent trip to the Sierras ?

they smelled like heaven…

 

Mary Beth & Shane: Part 2 {Lake Tahoe Wedding Photography}

I’ve been having trouble deciding which images to post since there are so many good ones (these two are unbelievably photogenic). Here are a couple more images from after the ceremony. I love candid shots so much that I just had to share.

Next we headed back to their hotel, The Lake Tahoe Hyatt Regency for some more casual shots. I love capturing relaxed shots of couples, and the location couldn’t have been more perfect.

Mary Beth , you are gorgeous.

Shane, you’re not so bad yourself!

The beach at the Hyatt was so beautiful.

Some weather started to roll in, but these two didn’t care a bit…they were all smiles.

I like the next two a lot.

They boarded this boat at 5 AM the next morning for a fishing expedition…I was seriously impressed. And I received word that Shane caught quite a few.

Photogenic much?

I love how content they both look.

And lastly, two of my favorites from the day:

Mary Beth and Shane, you guys are amazing! May your life together be as sweet as your wedding day.

Love,

Jo

PS- Thanks for the fabulous bottle of wine…we enjoyed every drop and toasted you two! xxoo

 

Mary Beth & Shane:Part 1 {Lake Tahoe Wedding Photography}

Here I am at Syd’s internet cafe in Tahoe City because wireless at Grandma and Grandpa’s hasn’t been cooperating. Not that I’m complaining though, the Mochas are great here!

Mary Beth and Shane tied the knot in Tahoe last week and I was so honored to be asked to document it. This wedding was really unique for a few different reasons…

1) Mary Beth is a childhood friend whom I’ve known for the better part of 25 years. She is quite gorgeous as you can see, but even more importantly, she is a truly amazing person and radiates joy…honestly, she is smiling in every single image-the real kind of smile,not the fake kind. Of course, I adore this.

2) I was asked to photograph this wedding largely due to Facebook, which is where Mary Beth and I have reconnected within the last year. I used to think that things like Facebook were strange. Well, OK, maybe they are strange, but in a really, really good way! I’m grateful for this and have reconnected with so many friends from childhood as well as relatives near and far…even as far as Greece…LOVE that! I also want to mention that this is the second childhood friend’s wedding that I’ve had the honor of documenting. So, who’s next? I won’t lie, I’ve got my eye on a few of you!

3) Mary Beth and Shane got hitched in beautiful Lake Tahoe, one of my favorite places on earth. I’ve never photographed a wedding here and was over-the-moon about the opportunity to do so.

4) I had never met Shane the handsome Groom…he is wonderful and a perfect partner for Mary Beth. It is so nice to see two people so content and comfortable together, I actually felt comforted just being around them.

Here are a few shots of the ceremony and the moments after they said “I do”. Part 2 of this stunning wedding is coming soon!

The Gorgeous Bride.

The infamous pine cone! I love the simple and elegant details of Mary Beth’s dress.

The weather was overcast for most of the day, but the sun peeked out over the mountains just in time for the ceremony. It was awesome.

I love me a little veil action. I also love the look on Shane’s face.

And then a few small clouds blew by and the light got all buttery, yum.

They did it!!!

How amazing is this place?

Off to the rest of our lives…

Mary Beth and Shane…what can I say? I am beyond honored to be able to share these images. You are both so fabulous. Thanks again for including me in this unbelievable day.

Love,

Jo

 

Yep, eating again…

Please excuse me as I’ve been slow to blog lately, life has been moving so fast  and I’m running to keep up. I’m in lovely Lake Tahoe this weekend  for some family time and a gorgeous intimate wedding (images coming soon). Until then, I wanted to share a few shots that I captured last week after a strawberry picking trip at Swanton Berry Farm. Now, it has been called to my attention more than once that this blog is heavy on the eating photos…and yes, I am aware of this. What can I say? I’m Greek and I love to eat and I’m afraid that my son has inherited this gene. Enjoy!

Here’s what we scored from the farm:

And here’s what became of most of it:

And of course, counting how many we ate is a favorite activity for a four-going-on-five year old!

Happy Summer, it is here!

**I also have a few spots left for the Family Portrait Special Fundraiser (see previous post) but they’re going fast, so shoot me an e-mail if you’re interested!

 

Huge Family Portrait Special!

Big, Huge News! It’s that time of year again.

Every year since I’ve started my business, I’ve offered a Family Portrait Special (sessions at a HUGELY discounted rate) for one month during the spring or summer and donated 100% of the session fees to a non-profit. I choose a different recipient each year, and this is always so difficult as there are so many amazing non-profits doing wonderful work. This year, I’ve chosen Santa Cruz Waldorf School as my non-profit and am so incredibly excited! I love the philosophy behind this school, their dedication to educate the whole child and to instill in her/him a true, lifelong love of learning. I’m inspired by the way that respect for the earth is nurtured at this school. This is evident by their unbelievable organic vegetable and flower garden and compost area (cared for largely by the students). I love that art, music, movement, and foreign languages are not only taught but emphasized here from the early years. I’m proud that this school is a part of our community and I know that this fund raiser will be an enormous success.

Here are the Details:

You get…

One hour of my time at the location of your choice (within Santa Cruz County).

Complete editing and retouching on all final images.

One 8×10 print of your favorite image from the session.

Two months of access to a private and secure online image gallery which you can share with family and friends. You can also purchase additional images from this gallery if you’d like.

Basically, you get a killer deal and the satisfaction of doing something wonderful at the same time!

Investment is $130 (less than HALF of the regular investment). Your check made out to Santa Cruz Waldorf School is due at the time of your portrait session.

This offer is good during the month of June 2009 only and is on a first-come, first-served basis…so call today to schedule your session. I almost always sell out of these.

A Few More Details:

Normally, a Family Portrait Session is for up to 5 people and there is a $25 charge per additional person, but the charge does not apply for this fundraiser…so go ahead and round up the entire family and get that precious portrait that you’ve been wanting!

It is called a Family Portrait, but a family can be anyone. It can be just you and your fiance, spouce, signifant other, child, pet, friend, mother… you get the idea.

This offer is for EVERYONE and ANYONE. You need not have a child enrolled in SCWS to participate…so pass on the good word. This is also a great gift idea for a friend or family member, an anniversary gift, wedding gift, new baby gift…again, you get the idea.

Call or E-mail me for more info:

Phone: (831)359-7948

E-mail: joann@joannmanolisphotography.com

“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.”-Aesop

 

Seriously, why do we bother?

I had another one of those “why do we bother buying toys?” moments today.

1 laundry hamper + a pile of blankets = over an hour of bliss. The best part is that he actually requested photos, which doesn’t happen very often these days!

A wonderful weekend to you! xxoo

 

A Greek Ladybug

I was editing images today and eating a salad when she caught my eye. Perched on a piece of Feta cheese and looking incredibly happy…

Don’t worry, I moved her to the garden where she can eat all the insects that her heart desires.

I wish you all a delicious second half of this week…

 

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

I’ve put off blogging about this for awhile now because I haven’t been sure how to put it all into words, but here it goes…

In February 2005, a baby boy named Maddux was born in Colorado. He died 6 days later. Before he passed away, his parents decided that they wanted some portraits taken of him. They had three other children and their walls were filled with family portraits. They wanted images of Maddux on their walls as well. They asked the nurse about the photographer responsible for the beautiful images hanging on the walls of the maternity ward and called the number on the business card. That evening (the evening of Maddux’s death), Littleton, CO photographer Sandy Puc came and photographed Maddux with his parents. She told mom and dad to call her whenever they were ready to see the images. Mom called the next day. Sandy delivered the images a few days later and mom mentioned that as grateful as she was for the images, she knew that there had been several other mothers who had recently left the hospital without their babies…and without beautiful photographs.

Together, Sandy Puc and Cheryl Haggard (mom of Maddux) started Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, a non-profit organization of professional photographers who visit hospitals or hospices to photograph babies who will not survive. There is no religious affiliation and no exchange of money, just a CD or DVD of high-resolution, professionally processed images for the family. What started off with Maddux and his parents is now a 7,000+ member organization in the U.S.and 25 other countries.

I’m honored to announce that I’m officially one of those 7,000+ members. Last Friday, I attended the first official N.I.L.M.D.T.S. regional meeting for the Monterey Bay area, headed up by the talented Andy Rea. We’re working to affiliate ourselves with nearby hospitals so that if this sad situation arises locally, we are only a phone call away should the parents be interested in our services.

For more information and details, to locate a photographer in your area, or to apply to be a N.I.L.M.D.T.S. affiliate photographer, check out the N.I.L.M.D.T.S. website.