dec 7: a month of charitable giving -- the breast cancer site | sf bay area photographer

this is a really cool and super easy way to give this year, it is FREE!!! yes, all it takes is a few seconds and a click of the mouse and you can give a woman in need a free mammogram.  visit the breast cancer site here and click your way to giving.

today's family photo was taken at the hotel del coronado, a fantastic hotel in san diego that provides a great backdrop for photos or is fabulous for a little r&r.  love how the colors pop here, and love the leather sassiness, fierce!

happy holidays,

dani + james

dec 6: a month of charitable giving -- drivetoendhunger.org | sf bay area photographer

every year glamour magazine does the 31 days of giving, and this year, we are stealing some of their ideas.  like today's donation, to the drive to end hunger. this is an aarp organization that helps seniors to make sure they don't go hungry.  according to their website, "Nearly 9 million Americans 50+ are at risk for hunger every day – a staggering 79 percent increase in just 10 years." with only a few dollars donation, you can help end hunger for struggling seniors in this country.

and today's family shoot is from balboa park, one of our favorite places ever.  it only took a little coaxing to get the little one smiling and posing, and then we couldn't get her to stop :) love how everyone has their own personality in these photos...just adorable!

happy holidays,

dani + james

dec 5: a month of charitable giving -- ASPCA | sf bay area photographer

 

so many of you who know us also know our little dog, foxy.  yes, we have become those people who take our dog everywhere, and it is because of the ASPCA that we even have our cute little sidekick.  about 2 years ago, we went to the peninsula humane society instead of going to the puppy store, even though there was the cutest and fluffiest puppy in the store.  after reading more about the cruelty that many of these puppies endure, we went back to the humane society and found foxy. 

 

every month we donate to the humane society, to help dogs get their vaccinations, microchipped and just generally ready for adoption.  you can donate by clicking here and there are plenty of opportunities for you to adopt a cute little foxy of your own at your local shelter. 

here is a little collage of foxy after a long day at play, she is absolutely soaked...

happy holidays!

dani + james + foxy

dec 4: a month of charitable giving -- toys for tots | sf bay area photographer

 

in honor of james, whose birthday is today, we are featuring toys for tots, a fantastic organization that you surely have come across in years past.  the toys for tots program was started by the marines and is another organization that is super responsibly run.  we love that most of the money donated goes directly to the children to buy toys and gifts.  

you can donate by clicking here, and make a child's christmas super happy this year. 

and today's photo is another one of our san diego family, at another one of our favorite places, old poway park.  love, love, love, especially the cute little puppy...

happy holidays,

dani + james

dec 3: a month of charitable giving -- USO | sf bay area photographer

as many of you know, james is a former marine, so military-focused charities have a special place in our hearts.  for years, we have been donating to the USO, which provides care packages, entertainment and support to our troops overseas. 

it is amazing how little you can donate and still make a tremendous difference in the lives of the soliders who are away from their families for months at a time.  from phone cards to magazines to basic toiletries to snack foods, the USO provides it all.  and if you want to get more involved, you can volunteer with the USO and provide much needed help welcoming our soldiers back home or assisting in putting together care packages.  you can also check out their facebook page here.

for today's holiday photo, we are sharing a session from balboa park in san diego, one of our favorite locations EVER.  this little guy is so personable, and loves to rock it out with the camera.  thanks holden for being such a little rockstar!

happy holidays,

dani & james

dec 2: a month of charitable giving -- Second Harvest | sf bay area photographer

 

when we look for charities to support, we love finding ones that have a big role in the local community.  so when we moved to the bay area, we found second harvest food bank, which provides food and meals to people who are down on their luck.  we also like that they have a high score for fiscal responsibility, meaning that the majority of our donation goes right to buying food and goods. this month, you can donate a turkey to help a needy family or you can volunteer at a local food bank. 

and for today's holiday photo, one of our favorite families in san diego, taken at crystal pier in pacific beach. 

happy holidays,

dani & james

dec 1: a month of charitable giving -- GLIDE SF | sf bay area photographer

every year james and i skip the christmas presents for everyone except the kids and instead donate to our favorite charities.  this year, we are stepping it up and donating to a different charity every day in december.  and we are excited to donate part of our holiday photo proceeds, so thank you to all our fabulous clients for helping us make someone's christmas a little brighter.

 

to start off december, we are donating to GLIDE, a fantastic organization in SF that helps break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.  one of the things we liked most about GLIDE is how involved they are in the local community, you can really see the effects of your donations firsthand, and you can volunteer in so many different ways.

this first post is part of our bay area family and are so much fun.  we did photos at the pulgas water temple, which is super amazing but really hard to get into on the weekends.  make sure you check park times for all the details.

happy holidays!

dani and james