dani phaneuf photography

girls in the city - neha and lu in new york

2012-01-14T20:51:00.000-08:00

as many of you know, my day job consists of traveling around to all sorts of fun places, like hartford, ct in the winter. one of the perks of this job is getting to stay over weekends and have fun, like i did last weekend in nyc. i met up with a couple of my colleagues / friends for some fun pictures in the city. i know, they are too gorgeous to be consultants :) here are my favorites from the shoot, first up--neha...

and next up lu....

thanks guys for being such awesome models, can't wait to do it again soon and spend another weekend in the city.

engaged! lisa and tim | san diego wedding photographer

2012-01-08T18:44:00.000-08:00

after a wonderful weekend spent in new york, enjoying the almost spring-like weather, i thought it would be great to share a fantastic engagement session we did last year. we can't wait for the wedding this summer back in san diego!

oh balboa park, i do love thee. especially when we have such an amazingly adorable couple as lisa and tim. what could make me love this couple even more? well the fact that lisa is a fabulous make-up artist for bobbi brown cosmetics, one of my favorite make-up lines! love, love, love that she wore the perfect makeup for her engagement session, and i can't wait to see the wedding look.

one of my favorite buildings in the park

so sexy and romantic, love the arches...

after balboa park we headed over to tidelands park, where there is a fabulous view of the coronado bridge and some very cool little boats...

we ended at ferry landing park, with a gorgeous sunset and view of downtown...

we can't wait for july!

happy new year

2012-01-01T17:31:00.001-08:00

just wanted to say a quick happy new year to all our clients and friends. thank you for making 2011 absolutely amazing, and we look forward to an even better 2012. for those of you who didn't know, we have moved to the bay area, and are now in san carlos, ca. we make frequent trips back to the san diego area, and will keep you posted when we are in town so you can catch us for your next photo shoot.

sassy sydney

2011-12-24T12:24:00.000-08:00

by now it is probably clear that i am pretty much obsessed with my favorite little 4 year old, sydney. and she has grown to love the camera, which is awesome for me. here are a few of my favorite photos from the last several months....

first, a sassy shoot downtown by petco park...

then it was off to see some wildflowers down in pt loma, so cute and romantic...

a few months later, sydney wanted to model her halloween costume, plus show me all her disney princess dress-up outfits...

lastly, christmas photos, so sweet, and so sydney...

viviana -- then and now

2011-12-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

look at this little diva! we met viviana as a tiny little newborn, 6 months ago, and then saw her again for some sassy holiday photos.

wedding: robyn and jesse part II | san diego wedding photographer

2011-12-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

i can't believe it is already december and i am just now getting around to blogging the second part of this wedding. i think this is literally the first day i have had in weeks where i had 15 minutes of free time, and of course, i can't just sit still, so here goes robyn and jesse part 2.

we left off at the ceremony, which was held at the paradise point resort in mission bay, san diego.

caught in the act... :)

love how happy robyn looks here

a few fun wedding party pics...

and then it was time for the grand entrance and reception fun...

some heartfelt toasts...

and a gorgeous cake...

all the fabulous lighting and music was provided by dennis, of the creative music dj. you can find him on facebook here

congrats robyn and jesse on a lifetime of happiness, we look forward to hanging out when we are back in sd!

wedding: robyn and jesse part I | san diego wedding photographer

2011-10-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

after we saw the pictures from robyn and jesse's engagement shoot a few months ago, we knew the wedding pictures were going to be amazing. not only are they both super photogenic, but they are tons of fun and some of the coolest people to be around, hands-down. they got married at paradise point on a beautiful saturday afternoon, and we couldn't get enough of the gorgeous couple, as you'll see.

gorgeous details...

and robyn getting all glammed up...

after the prep work was done, it was time for the first look, which of course we love, love, love...

and tons of gorgeous pics of the bride and groom...

just keeps getting better and better

we still have the ceremony and all the reception fun to share, so check back soon for the rest of this gorgeous wedding!

marzena: san diego portrait photographer

2011-10-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

when you think about web design and e-business marketing, i'm not sure you think about someone this gorgeous being an expert in the area. i mean i could see marzena modeling and doing something fashion-y, but technology? marzena is the ceo of an awesome company called pixelfanatix, and they do everything from website design to optimizing your site for search engines to business strategy.

i met marzena downtown at this very cool collaborative workspace called co-merge to do some new photos -- both personal and professional. here are some of my favorites from the shoot...

a web designer with sexy red shoes, i'll take one!

kate and rich +1 | san francisco maternity photographer

2011-10-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

we have gotten to know kate and rich over the years. from their engagement to their wedding, and now to having a new baby, we have been lucky to document their love and life. and we now live so close, we get to see them on a regular basis. we went out to the oakland hills to shoot a few maternity shots of kate before she had her beautiful daughter elise. here are our faves...

holiday photos in san diego | san diego family photographer

2011-10-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

if you haven't already booked your session, contact us because we are filling up fast. we'll be in the san diego area the following weekends

Oct 21-23
Nov 4-6
Nov 26-27
Dec 2-4

sessions are the same as last year -- 50 minutes for $150, 25 minutes for $100.

welcome baby curran! | san diego newborn photographer

2011-10-11T09:13:00.000-07:00

well we are a little late in posting, but wanted to share this cute little guy. we absolutely love this family, and can't wait to see them for holiday photos this year. here are some of our faves...

we all love a farmer's market... | chicago photography

2011-10-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

last weekend we were in chicago to do some holiday photo shoots, and not only did we get a chance to see our friend ann's fantastic toy store, play in logan square, but we also sampled some of fall's finest at the farmer's market. we are rolling into holiday season now, but we have a few more weddings this year, and some that we still haven't shared from the summer. so to start off the week, enjoy the just-picked, sun-ripened fall fruit

dahlia season | san francisco photographer

2011-09-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

we have been trying to learn more about our new home, so a few weeks ago, we bought bikes and decided to try biking around the bay area. it seems like the thing to do here, so why not. last weekend, we headed out to golden gate park, which is like the central park of san francisco. so many trails and cool things to see and flower gardens all over the place. we stopped for a quick breather at the dahlia garden and i got these cool shots. the black and white one just might be my favorite...

we also road down to the beach and when we got there, we saw this sign -- needless to say we did not swim or wade in the water. and we thought we had it bad in sd with the pollution!

holiday photos in chicago | chicago family photographer

2011-09-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

we are on the road again, heading to chicago for holiday photos at the end of the month. we'll be doing the photo sessions in logan square, right near *play toy store. so it is the perfect opportunity to get your holiday photos done and pick up a few gifts while you are at it. contact us or the store to book your session.

wedding: brittani and jon part II | san diego wedding photographer

2011-09-06T08:21:00.000-07:00

welcome back to the wonderful wedding of brittani and jon. they held their ceremony overlooking the del mar beach, at seagrove park...

a few quick portraits of the california coastline...

after the ceremony, they got to ride in a very cool vintage car...

and then it was on to rancho santa fe country club for the reception...

after the obligatory poses by the vintage car, we headed out to the greens for some amazing sunset pictures, absolutely gorgeous

the reception was full of intimate and funny toasts, a live barbershop quartet serenading the guests and lots of dancing excitement...

and then for the fun dancing...

all of brittani's sorority sisters sang a very naughty song at the end of the night, they look so sweet here...

brittani and jon, congratulations on a wonderful wedding and we wish you a lifetime of happiness. and we hope you'll come visit us up in the bay area soon!

wedding: brittani and jon part I | san diego wedding photographer

2011-08-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

just when you think it can't get any better, it does. after brittani and jon's engagement photos earlier this year, we thought we had seen the best of the best, but oh were we mistaken. when i saw brittani put on her wedding dress, it was like something straight out of a wedding magazine--old school glamour and pure gorgeousness. and then i saw jon, looking like he was straight out of a j. crew catalog, absolutely perfect. before heading to the beach for the ceremony, we met them at the inn at rancho santa fe for some getting ready and first look pictures.

first, a few details...

some of the getting ready fun...

and the dapper groom...

just. a. little. obsessed. i am pretty sure these are going to be in a wedding magazine...

divas

brittani and jon got ready at the inn at rancho santa fe, and we were so excited they chose to do the first look.

they had their family and wedding party on hand to witness the moment...

some amazing portraits after the first look

love that they each have accessories...

we couldn't believe how many beautiful people were in this wedding party, and we couldn't stop taking pictures of them all...

love these photos james got of jon and the girls...

check back later this week to see the ceremony and all the reception fun.

engaged! robyn and jesse

2011-08-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

happy monday to everyone. today we are sharing the super-fabulous engagement session of robyn and jesse. after a couple drinks at the prado, we walked around balboa park for some nice romantic images. then it was over to coronado for a gorgeous view of the city and finally over to hotel del for a chance sunset. here are our faves from the shoot...

wedding: heidi and tyler part II | san diego wedding photographer

2011-08-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

welcome back to the fabulous wedding of heidi and tyler, held at point loma nazarene university. before the ceremony, we spent a little time with the wedding party, looking oh-so-sassy

after the wedding party fun it was time for the ceremony. what a coincidence that tyler is a football coach and there was a football game going on right below the ceremony location--gave everyone a good laugh.

from the ceremony, we headed down to sunset cliffs, and i have never seen a bride hike through brush like heidi. she was up for anything...

announcing the new mr and mrs arciaga!!!

dance, dance, dance

heidi and tyler, we wish you a lifetime of happiness and love, thank you for including us in your special day!

wedding: heidi and tyler | san diego wedding photographer

2011-08-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

since we met heidi and tyler for their engagement photos, we had been looking forward to the wedding. gorgeous couple, beautiful location overlooking the beach and so much love it would be impossible to not have absolutely amazing photos. heidi and tyler got married on a perfect saturday afternoon in june, at point loma nazarene university, overlooking the pacific ocean.

first, some details...

gorgeous dress...

and the beautiful bride...

the dapper groom...

wow, what a fantastic first look!

super romantic, on the campus of pt loma nazarene university...

right before the ceremony, it was go time...

come back soon for the next installment of heidi and tyler's wonderful wedding...

wedding: erin and mike part II | san diego wedding photographer

2011-07-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

welcome back to erin and mike's fantastic wedding. following the ceremony at the imaculata, we walked around the campus a bit before heading down to la jolla for some fun beach pictures with erin and mike and the wedding party

party bus!!!

just a nice portrait

then it was onto downtown for some quick pictures in the gaslamp before the reception

after the downtown pictures, it was onto the san diego marriott for the reception. before the bride and groom could make their entrance, the wedding party had some tricks planned

the delicious cupcakes were provided by heavenly cupcakes, in downtown sd

who will be the lucky one???

and the party goes on and on...

congratulations erin and mike, we had such a great time at your wedding, wish you many years of happiness and look forward to seeing you downtown when we are back in sd!

wedding: erin and mike part I | san diego wedding photographer

2011-07-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

we were excited about this wedding from the start. usd imaculata ceremony, downtown sd reception and an awesome bride and groom. when i met erin at her condo downtown, i almost shrieked in glee at the sight of the gorgeous colors she chose for her wedding party. a buttery yellow and kelly green, super bright and fun and the perfect accent for this fantastic couple.

flowers were from allen's flowers in downtown sd...

loved these getting ready pics, super gorgeous...

wow!

not to be outdone by the girls, the guys rocked some super cool argyle socks and struck a pose...

the imaculata chapel, at usd, simply stunning...

come back soon for the rest of erin and mike's wedding, including the non-stop party at the san diego marriott.

wedding in new york: ahmad and rebeccah

2011-06-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

we had a very cool opportunity last fall to go to new york to photograph a wedding for our friends ahmad and rebeccah, and we were so excited, like kids in a candy store. the wedding was going to be in a small church near central park, so we were going to get to do wedding photos in central park, could it get any better? oh, and it was autumn...in new york!!!

the night before the wedding, we had the honor of photographing the rehearsal dinner at del posto, this incredibly delicious (and 4-star rated) italian restaurant in the meatpacking district.

to top it off, the bride wore this fabulous, very chic, very new york wedding dress that just looked perfect. here are our favorites from the day...

i think this belongs in a magazine...

maybe i can send to stuart weitzman, this would be a fabulous ad for them...

engaged! heidi and tyler | san diego wedding photographer

2011-06-22T14:06:00.000-07:00

can i just say wow?! heidi and tyler are not only a gorgeous couple, but they are fun and were up for anything for their engagement session. since tyler is a football coach at a local school, we wanted to throw in some football fun into the session. we started out at ferry landing in coronado before we headed down to their hometown of imperial beach. IB is so under-rated, it has a cool funkiness that is perfect for heidi and tyler. here are our faves from the session...

football time...

i love how gq tyler looks here...

some of IB's funkiness...

and now for some beautiful so cal golden sunshine, i was just a little obsessed with these...

just a nice portrait...

yummy, taking a break before sunset...

and wow!

we couldn't be more excited for your wedding this weekend!!!

engaged! mike and erin | san diego wedding photographer

2011-05-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

we were psyched when we met erin and mike last year for many reasons, but the first one that stood out was they like to have fun. instead of our normal meetings at starbucks, we headed down to the field, a cool irish pub downtown. over loud irish music we talked about their fantastic wedding and about all the fun we would have come june.

for their engagement session, we met down in la jolla village, and then headed down to the water for some classically beautiful beachy / sunset pictures. here are our faves from the session, we are so looking forward to the wedding!

next it was down to the beach, and when does the guy ever get to be in the spotlight?

sun flare, nice, soft and romantic...

we waited and waited and then bam!!! splash, woo-hoo!!!

we are so excited for the wedding, see you in a couple weeks!!!

welcome baby dylan | san diego newborn photographer

2011-05-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

wow, so talk about a lengthy delay between posts...we have been super busy with lots of fun things, so apologies for slacking on the blog. but not to keep you waiting any longer, here is another adorable little newborn, who we met late last year and who is now almost 6 months old. time sure flies, and here are my faves...

welcome baby savannah! | san diego newborn photographer

2011-04-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

a few years back, i shot one of the most gorgeous engagement sessions ever, on the rocky cliffs overlooking point loma, for kristen and greg. so i was thrilled when kristen called to get newborn portraits done of her adorable baby girl. here are some faves from the shoot...

congratulations on your beautiful new addition, we look forward to watching her grow!

engaged! joslin and jason | san diego wedding photographer

2011-04-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day to meet joslin and jason in la jolla for a fabulous engagement shoot. the weather was gorgeous, joslin was rockin it and jason was just happy to get to spend some time with his fiance before heading out to korea. we walked around la jolla village before we headed down to the beach and got some absolutely phenomenal photos. love, love, love!!! after our stroll around the village, it was down to the cove for some beach pics, sexy! congratulations joslin and jason on your engagement, we hope the days are flying by and we look forward to seeing you both again soon!

clark family | san diego family photographer

2011-02-27T19:11:00.000-08:00

i am back to being way behind on photos, but i guess that is ok since i had such a cute family up there for so long. here is another one of my favorites, back from the holiday madness. erin and michael just had a new addition to their family, as if little landon wasn't cute enough, now he has an adorable baby sister. congrats!

maurer family, absolutely adorable | san diego family photography

2011-01-29T14:49:00.000-08:00

i can always count on some people to look absolutely amazing for photos, and my friend kim and her family are no exception. she picked the perfect outfits for the kids, just coordinated enough, and just holiday enough for the perfect photos. we played around at balboa park early one morning and here are some of our faves from the shoot...

i love, love, love these kids, they are super cute

a very cool family photo

2011-01-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

when we heard from joy that she wanted to do her family photos with us, we were of course excited. when she told us she wanted to bring her 1920s truck, red leather chair, big english mastiff dog and get all dressed up in a field, we were practically jumping up and down, how cool would this be??? we met joy and her family at the mountain valley ranch in ramona, and it was the perfect setting for this family photo shoot. here are some of our faves from the shoot...

the bright sun made it tough to get pictures out in the field, but we loved this bridge over the cornfield and the super-blue sky...

mia | san diego children's photographer

2011-01-14T08:58:00.000-08:00

happy friday! i wanted to share this little cutie, who we photographed this year at the hotel del. she has grown so much since we first met her last year, but she has that same adorable smile. it was a super-bright sunny day, somewhat uncharacteristic for a san diego morning, so we tried to find some hiding places for mia. here are some of our faves from the shoot...

engaged! brittani and jon | san diego wedding photographer

2011-01-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

we are starting off this week with one of our amazingly hot and super fabulous couples, brittani and jon, whose wedding we have the pleasure of photographing this july. and after you see these engagement images, you'll see why we're so excited. great smiles, great chemistry and super-photogenic, we can't wait!! we did the engagement session in balboa park, and then headed over to coronado, two of our fave places in san diego.

we started off at the organ pavilion, and i just loved how brittani's dress played off against the white of the background...

next it was onto one of favorite little hidden spots in balboa park, this cool jungle bridge, which just brought out even more of the hot-ness of brittani and jon...

after balboa, we headed over to the coronado ferry landing park, which has a great view of the san diego skyline.

then we finished off our day at the hotel del, with a fantastic sunset...

my fave things: tend terrariums at pigment, north park

2011-01-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

happy friday! i recently found the coolest home accessory ever, when we were visiting chiropractique, a hip, urban chiropractic center in north park. i know it may seem odd to many of you to be "shopping" in a chiropractic clinic, but since this place is so cool, i think it is ok. these are the eco-orbs, made by tend living, a fusion of modern design and gardening. you can read more about them on their blog.

check out this amazing orb, which is sold at pigment in north park.

they come in all different sizes, and are offered in kits or a-la-carte. i think they look best hung in multiples of odd numbers, maybe with different sizes and at different heights for some visual interest.

as soon as our house is kid-free, we are going to buy a few of these, in different configurations, and find a place to hang them. we have been pretty successful caring for our one bamboo plant for the past few years, so i think james and i are ready for this next step in our relationship.

weaver family, sd firehouse museum | san diego portrait photographer

2011-01-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

we love checking out new spots for family pictures, and so we were thrilled when heidi asked to do her family photos at the san diego firehouse museum in little italy. we had always loved the red door which made a perfect backdrop for engagement photos, but we had never done a family session there.

one thing that makes these photos really stand out is the color coordination of the family. heidi did a great job picking outfits that complemented each other and went well with the background. the red, cream and brown palette works nicely for an urban backdrop, or as you'll see in a future post, for a park setting to give your pictures a bit of pop. here are our faves from the session...

hall family, balboa park | san diego portrait photographer

2011-01-05T09:50:00.000-08:00

a few months ago, we met the hall family in balboa park for an early start on holiday photos. we found out soon after that the family is moving to north carolina with the marines, and we are very sad to see them go. here are some great memories of beautiful san diego, and we hope to see you all again soon.

and here are a few of our last session at balboa, a little good-bye gift from us to the hall family...

good luck in north carolina, we hope to see you guys soon!!!

happy new year + miriam and johnny, baby on the way

2011-01-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

i thought i would start off this year by first saying thank you to all of you, our loyal clients and blog readers. it is absolutely unbelievable to think how far we have come in such a short time, and how many friends we have made through our cameras -- we look forward to continuing our friendships for many more years.

last year was a great year, a busy year, but a great year. and we fell behind, waaaayyyyy behind, in posting our shoots. so while things are a bit slower, i am going to try and catch you up on all the fabulous shoots we did over the past few months, and share some more personal news.

on the personal front, james and i just bought a new house (photos to be coming soon) and we couldn't be more excited about this next stage in our lives. we'll tell you all about it in a future post, but we are thrilled to be able to experience all the joys of owning an old home.

i am going to start our new year posting with a very special maternity session, james' sister-in-law. we visited them last month when we went to san francisco for james' birthday and stopped in napa for some wine-tasting and maternity pics in the vineyard (thank you to the fabulous honig winery for the jambalaya and for letting us shoot in the field). the pictures turned out absolutely amazing. and if taking pictures in napa, drinking wine and visiting with family wasn't enough, we learned after dinner that we are going to be godparents, woo-hooo!!! here are some of my favorites from the shoot, we did mostly a vintage look since the leaves had turned and it was grey skies out...

and now for some fabulous color...

miriam and johnny, we are so excited to be part of your lives and share in the joy of your little baby boy. we look forward to meeting little john james joseph ready IV.

welcome baby hailey! | san diego newborn photographer

2010-12-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

when we first met hailey, she was not a big fan of tummy time, and preferred instead to stare up at us with her gorgeous brown eyes. we were able to coax a few smiles out of her, and threw a few adorable serious stares in too...

i couldn't get enough of her chubby, chubby cheeks, super cute...

and we can't forget big brother aidan, who just loved to ham it up for us...

check back soon to see hailey and aidan all dressed up for christmas.

wedding: nikki and josh part II | san diego wedding photographer

2010-12-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

ok, so it has been forever since nikki and josh's wedding at marina village and since the first post, but maybe the suspense is a good thing. we loved, loved, loved this wedding party because they were down for some fun, and they brought props. not just some cute props, but props for a fight scene, a la anchorman...

first all sassy and sweet...

and then...not so sweet...

and now for our faves of nikki and josh, how hot are they???

and some rings, just because they look cool...

time for the grand entrance and the reception fun...

yummy churros at the reception...

and cake too!

need a great xmas gift and live in chicago?

2010-12-07T17:06:00.000-08:00

then you should head over to play, the coolest toy store around. i know i have mentioned play several times before, when i was showing off all the cool kids photos that are up in the store. but seriously, the store is so awesome it just got featured in where magazine. for those of you who don't have the pleasure of spending 75% of your time in hotels, where is a guide to the coolest things in the city, so it is quite impressive to see my good friend ann featured there.

check out the featured story here

engaged! julie ann and jason | san diego wedding photographer

2010-12-04T12:44:00.000-08:00

we are always so thrilled and honored when our friends ask us to be part of their wedding as their photographers, and this was especially the case with my good friend julie ann. julie ann and i worked together as consultants for a few years, and that is where she met her now husband, jason. after years of dating and commuting from san diego to oc and back, jason popped the question and of course julie ann said yes.

when we met them for their engagement session, the weather was less-than-cooperative, as we have been seeing in so cal this year. nonetheless, we had a great time playing at the beach, checking out the car jason rebuilt himself and hiking around the local trails. we'll be sharing their wedding posts soon, but in the meantime, check out our faves from the engagement session...

we tried to head to crystal cove, where they have all these cool little cottages and a beautiful beach, but apparently you need a state permit to photograph there, and you can get fined if you don't have one. so instead we stayed around inspiration point in corona del mar, where they got engaged...

welcome baby chase | san diego newborn photographer

2010-12-03T11:51:00.000-08:00

when we first met chase, he was all about being awake, and was a bit too old for the typical newborn shots, so we instead focused on his gorgeous, big blue-grey eyes. he also wasn't into tummy time yet, so we captured a few of his very serious gaze...

a few weeks later, we met stephanie, dan and chase at balboa park to try some family photos, and see if chase liked being on his tummy any better. from the looks of this first picture, i don't think so :)

this cute little hat is from cotton blossoms, enter code "dani" to save on your order.

chase definitely liked being on his back better...look at how adorable his smile is...

tune in later this month for more of chase, all dressed up for holiday photos and almost sitting up!

play! karly | san diego portrait photographer

2010-12-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

this is another one of our just for fun shoots that we did for our friend's wonderful toy store called play in chicago. we invited one of our favorite little models karly out to play with us in the park. she was quite enamored with the poufy skirt and enjoyed sitting in the little bucket. my faves from the shoot are below...

there's more of karly coming soon, playing in the bath and all dressed up for the holidays.

bathtime for stella | san diego portrait photographer

2010-11-24T15:03:00.001-08:00

a while back, we featured some fun photos that were going to be part of the wall displays in a fabulous new toy store in chicago called play logan square. when i was talking to my friend ann, who owns this amazing store, she mentioned she wanted to feature some bath products, so i thought, how fun to have a little kid in a bathtub. and what better place to put a bathtub than in an alley :) anyways, we had a couple models for this shoot, stella was our first and absolutely loved playing and splashing in the water. here are my faves from the shoot...

after the bath, we went for a little walk outside, stella was just about walking, but needed a little assistance...

welcome baby brooke | san diego newborn photographer

2010-11-08T21:56:00.000-08:00

ok, so i know it has been a while since our last post, but at least you had some amazingly gorgeous people to look at in nikki and josh. we have been absolutely swamped with newborns, holiday photos, weddings and doing our day jobs, not to mention buying a new house, woo-hoooo!!!

now to the good stuff, baby brooke. we were super excited to meet little brooke, because we knew if she looked anything like her older brother, we were going to be the luckiest photographers around. we weren't disappointed. she is absolutely adorable, and was happy to sleep through all our posing and manipulating. here are my faves from the shoot...

congratulations denise and scott, we look forward to watching brooke grow!!!

wedding: nikki and josh part I | san diego wedding photographer

2010-10-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

gorgeous bride, handsome groom, a rockin wedding party, weapons for a "fight scene", homemade churros--these are just some of the things that made nikki and josh's wedding fabulous. for the last couple months, i have been anxiously awaiting this wedding, maybe because of the churro cart, or maybe because i just knew it was going to be a ton of fun and provide lots of opportunities for great pictures.

nikki and the girls got their glam on back at the house while the guys played it cool down at the dana in mission beach.

their son cash was so happy to see mommy looking so beautiful...

a few details...

we of course LOVE when couples do a first look because it gives us time to capture so much more goodness. they gave each other personal cards before they saw each other...

josh's response when we asked him if he was going to cry when he saw nikki for the first time...

pure happiness ...

after the first look we had some fun with nikki, josh and the wedding party, but we'll save those pictures for the next post. for now, we'll leave you with some beautiful images of the ceremony, which took place on the north lawn at marina village...

engaged! nikki and josh + cash | san diego wedding photographer

2010-10-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

i am so behind in my posting that nikki and josh have already been married, had their honeymoon and are now back in san diego enjoying life. nevertheless, i had to share these pictures before the wedding pictures because they are so adorable, and i absolutely LOVE little cash's smile. we went to balboa park and had a great time walking around the park, here are my favorites...

the wedding pics are next, so check back soon!

welcome baby lyliah | san diego newborn photographer

2010-10-04T21:55:00.000-07:00

we met this little cutie one summer morning and she was intent on making us really work for our photos. luckily we snapped off just enough before she lost her patience and mom had to whisk her away. here are some of our favorites from the shoot...

congrats jessica and paul, we look forward to seeing her grow!

wedding: suzy and felix part 2 | san diego wedding photographer

2010-09-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

welcome back to the wonderful wedding of suzy and felix at pickwick gardens. after the ceremony we had some fun with the wedding party...

and then it was time for a little bride and groom love...

then it was time for the grand entrance and emotional dances...

the toasts were hilarious...

mmm...cake...

the bouquet and garter fun...

after the honeymoon dance felix found himself with a little tail...

this little cutie was raisin' the roof...

congratulations suzy and felix, and best wishes on a lifetime of happiness!

wedding: suzy and felix | san diego wedding photographer

2010-09-30T12:52:00.001-07:00

suzy and felix got married on a warm summer day at the pickwick gardens in burbank, a beautiful garden setting that was perfect for their wedding celebration. first a few details...

love the sparkly pink ballet flats...

the beautiful bride, work it girl!

the guys enjoyed some time in the shade...

this is one of my favorite guy pictures ever, ala james...

not to be outdone, the girls sassed it up...

suzy and felix didn't see each other before the ceremony, so felix was a bit emotional when he saw her walk down the aisle...

check back soon for the rest of suzy and felix's fabulous wedding celebration. to be notified when all of the images are online, please click here

holiday photos

2010-09-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

We are scheduling holiday photo sessions over the next few weeks, throughout October and November, and into the beginning of December. You can check our availability and where we will be by clicking on our calendar here.

And just because, we are keeping our prices the same as last year, a little holiday spirit coming early. Cost is $100 for a 30 minute session or $150 for a 60 minute session at a location of your choice (beach, park, etc) and a DVD of the photos for you to use in your holiday cards or print where you like. And as a special thank you to our military clients, we are offering the hour session at $125. Sessions outside of San Diego will incur a travel fee, contact me for exact pricing.

Also, we are offering some special promotions for the holidays--

1. Buy one session at regular price and get the second 1/2 off -- you can purchase up to 3 sessions at regular price (for a total of 6 sessions). These sessions can be transferred or given as gifts--they make great gifts for a housewarming, new baby, promotion, engagement, or just about any other occasion

2. Canvas enlargements are on sale, with prices starting at $90 for an 11x14 when ordered with your session. If you are wondering what to get your parents for the holidays, think about a canvas print of one of your favorite photos. Individual prices vary, contact me for more information.

3. Prints on bamboo wood -- So if you are stuck with what to get someone who has everything, how about a photo of you / the kids / the dog / their favorite golf club on a bamboo panel? These prints are incredibly cool and come in a variety of sizes and finishes. They start at $40 for a 5x5 print when ordered with your session.

These offers are good through the holidays, contact us for more details and to schedule your session.

And as a reminder, when you refer others to Dani Phaneuf Photography, we give you referral credits, which can be used toward sessions, enlargements, albums, etc. For each portrait referral, we give you $25, and for each wedding referral, we give you $75--so pass this along to as many friends as you can think of and tell them to let us know you referred them, and watch your free credits add up. You'll have a free portrait session in no time.

Happy Holidays!!

wedding: walter and angelina part 2 | san diego wedding photographer

2010-09-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

welcome back to the second posting of walter and angelina's fabulous wedding at admiral baker. after the ceremony, we were able to coax the wedding party into a jumping picture, despite the fact that all the girls were wearing heels...

then it was time for a little bride and groom love,

after the pictures it was time for the grand entrance, military style...

the emotional first dance...

some sweet family dances...

looks like we'll be contacting these little guys in a few years for engagement pictures :)

and then the toasts...

loved that the cake topper was meant to look like them...

angelina's mom was not too thrilled about her other daughter catching the bouquet :)

i love that the little guy on the left seems so ready...

walter and ang, congratulations and best wishes on a lifetime of happiness, we were so happy to be part of your special day!!!

wedding: walter and angelina | san diego wedding photographer

2010-09-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

we couldn't have asked for a nicer summer day for walter and angelina's wedding, which was held at admiral baker golf course. and we had been looking forward to this wedding since james and walter, long lost marine corp buddies, found each other on facebook last year.

we had some fun with the girls getting ready and then it was time for the first look, which was absolutely perfect. first, a few details...

i love these ring shots that james got...

the beautiful bride, just radiant...

look at this service, even the flowergirl was in on the action...

we found a shaded spot on the first tee box for their first look, and i love how happy they were to see each other...

absolutely adorable...and marines say they're tough...

the wedding party and swordsmen...

after some quick photos it was time for the ceremony, and who doesn't love to see a full sword detail at a wedding?

brides (and grooms), if you are debating whether or not to do a first look because you are worried that it might ruin the moment when you come down the aisle, all you have to do is look at angelina's face to know the answer...

friends and family, the rest of the images are online, just click here to view all of them. and check back soon for another blog post with more bride and groom pics as well as the reception fun!

ferguson family | san diego portrait photographer

2010-09-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

while i was busy shooting the ironside family, james did this fun session with the fergusons, who have the most adorable little girls. they had so much fun running through the water, i love these expressions. here are some of my faves from the shoot...

i love this action shot...

we had a great time playing on the beach, look forward to seeing you all again soon!

ironside family | san diego portrait photographer

2010-09-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

my favorite cousin dana was visiting some friends in san diego and wanted to get a jumpstart on holiday photos, so we headed down to windansea beach for some san diego summer gray photos. thankfully the kids are adorable so it didn't matter that the sun wasn't out. here are my faves from the shoot...

sorry we couldn't make the sun come out for your trip out here, but glad we could see you all again!!! looking forward to seeing you in vegas :)

heidi and brian + 1 | san diego maternity photographer

2010-09-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

there are some sessions you just know are going to be perfect, and that was the case with heidi and brian. we were so excited when heidi contacted us to do maternity photos, and when she said she wanted something in a field, we were even more psyched. we headed out to mission trails park for some of the most beautiful scenery in san diego.

gorgeous...

and this is our favorite pose, when we saw this at the engagement session, we were hooked...

congratulations heidi and brian, we are so excited to meet your little one!!!

hudson | san diego portrait photographer

2010-09-06T14:41:00.000-07:00

this little guy is so cute, and was just learning to walk--the last time i saw him he was just a newborn. chad and kelly were out visiting and joined us for some pictures in la jolla. he looks so pensive here...

love this one, he is having so much fun running from daddy...

little nick | san diego portrait photographer

2010-09-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

we love leti and nick, since the first time we met them we loved them. they were up for anything for engagement photos, oozed passion at their wedding and send us ton of referrals (woo-hoo!!) their little guy was turning 1 so we headed out to balboa park for some fun pictures with little nick, love his curly hair and oh-so-serious faces.

then there were smiles...

nick was having a cat-in-the-hat inspired birthday party, so out came the crazy hat and off came the clothes...

denise: baby on the way | san diego maternity photographer

2010-09-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

i asked to borrow their adorable son for some photos i was doing for the toy store project. what a bonus that denise and scott were also expecting their newest little one in just a couple months, the perfect time for some outdoor maternity photos at la jolla cove. here is what i got for the toy store, absolutely perfect...

congratulations, we can't wait to meet your little girl!!!

joana: baby on the way | san diego maternity photographer

2010-09-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

last month joana and jalani came over for their maternity session, and boy was i glad that we have tall ceilings. jalani was so tall, i was worried i wouldn't be able to fit him in the pictures, which would have been just fine by him i think. but we made it work, and the pictures turned out fabulous. here are some of my favorites from the session...

jalani plays basketball, so it was only right to get some mini chuck taylors into the shoot...

wow, sultry goddess!!!

congratulations on your new little one, we'll look forward to seeing you all soon!

foster family, at the beach | san diego portrait photographer

2010-09-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

soon after our last trip to charlotte, our friends the fosters made a trip out to san diego and we got to do some fun beach portraits. it was a typically grey morning at the beach, but that didn't stop the kids from having fun. they even brought along some friends, so we had double the fun. here are our faves from the session...