Joanna Tano Photography

New Website and Blog

2009-06-29T18:00:00.001-07:00

And I'm so excited to have launched my NEW WEBSITE with my same URL as before: HTTP://WWW.JOANNATANO.COM

Kirsten & Keith - Five Palms

2009-06-08T03:33:00.001-07:00

Kirsten and Keith were married on May 30th at the Five Palms in Wailea. They were so wonderful to work with! This wedding was beautiful. Kirsten has wonderful taste and all of her details were really pretty! We were in detail photo heaven. I LOVED all seashell theme. Della from Dellabes created the bouquets which were amazing! They had a lovely ceremony right on the lawn at the Five Palms, followed by sunset portraits on the beach and then their reception. We got lucky and had a gorgeous sunset! Kirsten and Keith planned their timeline well and gave me plenty of time with them on the beach. I love it when the bride and groom give ample time for portraits, especially during sunset! The day was filled with love and emotion! Kirsten and Keith, thank you for sharing your special day with us! Congratulations! Thank you to Kim for all your help - you always take a ton of great photos :)

Check out the slideshow at the end of the post .

SLIDESHOW:

Kaimana - 14 months

2009-06-08T03:16:00.000-07:00

I love taking photos of my little sweetheart! He's just growing way too fast. Here's a series of him dancing :)

Taylor and Clayton are on Pacific WEDDINGS website!

2009-06-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

You all probably remember Taylor and Clayton's wedding just last month. You can view the blog post HERE or you can view the slideshow HERE.

I was so excited when Pacific WEDDINGS magazine contacted me and wanted to publish their wedding story on the front page of their website! You can view the article HERE I said it before and I'll say it again - Taylor and Clayton are such an incredibly sweet couple and I feel so blessed to have documented their day. Their wedding was amazing and I'm extremely happy that Pacific WEDDINGS chose it because it is a very beautiful and inspirational story for all brides and grooms to be! Congratulations Taylor and Clayton!

Kelly & Will - Kualoa Ranch

2009-06-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

Where do I even begin? Everything about Kelly and Will's wedding was breathtaking! They rented this great vacation home right near Kualoa Ranch to get ready and have their "first look". This property was BEAUTIFUL! It was raining pretty hard when we got there but it cleared up and didn't rain for the rest of the day :) I met Kelly at her Erin and George's wedding up at Kualoa which you can see HERE. George is Kelly's cousin. Anyhow, from the first time I met her I knew that she was such a sweet girl and the way she described her wedding, I knew it would be nothing less than spectacular. They decided to see each other before the ceremony for portraits which I think is a really smart idea! It allowed for plenty of time for photos and after the ceremony, they were able to relax with family and friends. Their first look at each other was so sweet. We then went up the Kualoa Ranch and took some detail shots and everything from the gourmet sushi chef to the band to the favors, leis and cake, along with the pristine scereny was simply stunning. I just love Kualoa so much since Kawika and I were married their too :) We have some great memories up there so I have such a personal connection to the place. The reception was a fun celebration and everyone partied until the end. Oahu weddings are soooo much fun! Laura from Parasol Events coordinated the wedding and did a fabulous job. Kelly and Will are such a beautiful and super sweet couple and I am so happy that I got to work with them and document their very special day! Kelly and Will, Congratulations! Let me know when you are ready for some family photos :)

Kim came to Oahu with me for the weekend and helped with both Joy and Gil's wedding and Kelly and Will's. Kim - thank you so much for all your help. You are amazing and took so many beautiful shots! I can't thank you enough. I'm so happy that we are able to help each other all the time :)

We had fun using the 85 1.2 lens again (that I rented) for this wedding and the images that the lens produces are just yummy! Love the lens - again, any photographer's reading this, please comment on your experiences with this lens or the 50 1.2 - trying to decide which one I will get this year :)

Check out the slideshow at the bottom of the post.

Lauren is a really close friend of my Sister in Law's (Nohea Laboy). I was so excited to see her and her adorable baby boy at the wedding:

Joy & Gil - Lanikuhonua

2009-06-04T22:35:00.001-07:00

What an AMAZING wedding Joy and Gil had. You may remember their beautiful faces from our engagement shoot back in January. If you didn't see it, check them out HERE. I just love to do engagement sessions before the big day because I really get a feel for the couple and get to know them. I connected with them right away during our e-shoot and just like our first photo session, on their wedding day, I could see how completely happy and in love they were with each other. They are both just the sweetest, most down to earth people. Joy put a lot of thought and energy into all of the incredibly beautiful details and it really showed. Their friends and family were all such a fun bunch of people and had a great time celebrating the couple's happiness. Joy and Gil, I cannot thank you enough for choosing me as your photographer. It was such a pleasure to photograph your happiness! We are so happy for you guys! A big thanks to Kim for coming to Oahu for the weekend and helping me on a couple of fabulous weddings.

Make sure to check out the slideshow at the end of the post highlighting the day and all the details :)

Oh, a little side note, most of the closeup portraits were taken with the canon 85 1.2 lens pretty much wide open. I rented it for the weekend and was sad to have to return it. What an awesome lens - really love it, would love to own it in the near future. If you're a photographer who owns this or the 50 1.2 - will you leave a comment with your thoughts on either of the lenses. Thanks :)

I love this next shot Kim took:

And another of Kim's below:

And here's a slideshow of their day:

Family Portraits - Kula

2009-06-04T15:43:00.000-07:00

Jeff and Donna had us come up to their home in Kula and take some family portraits since their children were in town from the Mainland. Their place is so beautiful with lots of great areas for photos. We got some fun shots with their dogs as well. I love it up in Kula and wouldn't mind living there one day. Jeff and Donna, thank you for having us up to photograph your wonderful family! Thank you Kim for helping me :)

Erin & Eric - Napili Point

2009-06-04T15:25:00.000-07:00

Erin and Eric were married at Napili Point. They traveled from California with a small group of family and friends. They had a lovely, intimate ceremony and reception at the Napili Point Resort. We had a great time taking photos at various locations on the property. Thank you to Kim for coming out and second shooting with me! Erin and Eric, congratulations on your marriage! We wish you all the best as husband and wife.

Our Family Portraits :)

2009-05-19T00:46:00.001-07:00

I met Carla Jalbert at Mike Colon's workshop back in December. The other day, she took some wondeful portraits of our family. She is an amazing photographer and such a sweet and wonderful person! She made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera and she caught us in the moment, being ourselves. This is what I strive to do at every photo shoot. It was different to be in front of the camera - I'm not used to it. I was so happy to get some photographs of our little Kaimana who is not so little anymore. He is growing way too fast. All though I am a professional photographer, I have to admit that I haven't been taking nearly as many photos of my little sweetheart as I'd like to. I think it's because whenever we're at the beach I want to be in the moment with him and make sure he's not running into the water (which he does). So... it's hard to take photos of your own child when they are in such an exploring stage of life. I am SO THANKFUL to have these images to look back on. Thank you Carla! We love them!

Maui Bridal Fair - July 18th, 2009

2009-05-18T19:06:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to have a booth at the bridal fair on Maui this summer. Please come and say hello. I'll be at booth #119 - I look forward to seeing you all there!

Check out there site for details: http://www.mauibridalfair.com/

The Maui Wedding Association, in partnership with the Wailea Marriott Resort, Is proud to present the Maui Wedding Association 2009 Bridal Fair & Expo on July 18, 2009!

Taylor & Clayton` Seawatch, Wailea

2009-05-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

Taylor and Clayton are such an amazing couple! Taylor emailed me a while back about her wedding (she found me through a referral on the knot) and I knew she was such a sweetheart from her emails. Taylor was such a lovely bride and Jessica Waite did an excellent job on the girls makeup. The ceremony was performed by Pia Aluli who did a beautiful job! Their reception was at the Seawatch.

Taylor and Clayton were both were so fun to work with all day. You could tell they really allowed themselves to relax enjoy their wedding day. They were so naturally beautiful both inside and out. I feel extremely lucky to be a wedding photographer and to meet people who are so in love. I get to share their most beautiful day with them. It's the best job in the world :) Shaina came and assisted me and did a great job. Thanks Shaina for all your help. Taylor and Clayton, congratulations! If and when you move to Maui, let's do some fun portraits :)

There's a slideshow at the end - make sure to check it out.

I have been just so into sunflare lately: (see below)

Shaina captured this lovely image below:

The next image was taken on my canon 5D MII which at 6400 iso and my video light. Without the new technology that canon has to offer this image would not have been the same - I'm loving the high iso capability!

Brandi and Sean - Seawatch, Maui

2009-04-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Brandi and Sean were married at the Seawatch in Wailea. It is such an amazing place for weddings! We met for some portraits down at the beach before the wedding. There was rain in the forecast, but the day turned out to be beautiful. Brandi and Sean were such an adorable couple! We wish you a lifetime of happiness together. Thank you to Kim for all your help!

Kim captured this next one which I just love:

And Kim caught the next one, wasn't the sunset sensational?

Jake & Jamie ` Iao Congregational Church

2009-04-25T02:03:00.000-07:00

Jake and Jamie were married earlier this month at Iao Congregational Church. We went up to Iao Valley and the Poolenalena Beach for portraits. These two were really sweet together. It was so much fun to photograph them. You can really see the love in their eyes. This is why I love my job so much ` it is such an honor to be able to document these precious moments in time! Jake and Jamie, CONGRATULATIONS!!! Thanks to Maria for all your help :)

Anne & Tom ` Sprekelsville, Maui

2009-04-12T19:11:00.000-07:00

Another long overdue blog post. To my blog followers - all I can say is I'm sorry I don't blog more quickly but I do eventually blog just about every photoshoot :) My only excuse is that I am busy being a mom and making sure I do a very good job on editing my weddings and keeping up with good customer service to my clients. I do have 2 more events to blog soon, so please stay tuned.

On to Anne and Tom - what a wonderful couple! I shot Anne's sister's wedding back in December and got to meet these two then and new they were going to be great to work with. They were married on the beach in Sprekelsville and then we went to Paia town for some really fun photos and then on to the reception at the Surfing Goat Farm up in Kula. I really like to take photos in Paia town because of all the fun colors and the small beach town feel it has. We even went into my favorite coffee store - Anthony's and got some photos in there. The reception was really cool. I've never seen a reception at a goat farm before so it was really unique and the goats made for great entertainment for the kids. What a neat spot. The day was perfect. Anne and Tom, thank you for letting us be a part of your day! Thanks to Maria for all your help!

I love the next one Maria caught!

Anne made this cake herself! What a talented girl!

Kaimana's 1st Birthday

2009-04-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

It is unbelievable that Kaimana is 1 year old already! Time flies so fast and I am in shock. It feels like just yesterday that he was born. Now I know why people tell you to enjoy every moment because they grow so fast. He's no longer a little baby anymore but a sweet toddler that is now walking and communicating and eating and just growing up! We had a lovely celebrationg up at Keokea Park in Kula. Thank you so much to Maria for taking all these lovely shots of us. I am forver greatful for these memories!

He really didn't want to pose for the camera haha - typical baby:

table decorations that Aunty Pam created! Thank you so much Pam! The flowers were beautiful!

We got a horse to take the kids for rides and it was a hit with the little ones:

Kaimana was a little unsure about the horse after a while:

I grabbed the camera for a bit and shot the next several shots:

Maria and her man, Nick - aren't they so cute?!:

My sweet, cute adorable nephew Logan:

This shot is just classic to me because after a long day, we slept over at Aunty Pam's and Kaimana was sleeping on this sofa chair and out of nowhere he propped himself up and was sleeping sitting up. I grabbed my camera and snapped this one. It was taking at iso 12,800 (the new 5D mark II is insane that way!)

Christine & Jon ` Wailea Maui

2009-04-04T22:32:00.000-07:00

Christine and Jon had such a lovely wedding reception at the Wailea Beach Villas, owner's lounge. It was so nice to be a part of it and capture photos from their special evening. They were such a sweet couple to work with! Thanks to Maria for all your help :) Maria and I have been working together a lot lately and it's been amazing! Christine and Jon, we wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Maria captured this sweet shot below :)

Liv & Josh ` Wailea, Maui

2009-03-12T23:06:00.000-07:00

This wedding was such a joyous occasion! Everything fell into place perfectly. Liv and Josh are two of the sweetest people. They are perfect together and so completely in love. It was such a pleasure to witness their love for each other and for their friends and family. They were married at Keawala'i Church in Wailea which is a beautiful historic Hawaiian Church. We then took a walk down to the beach for some portraits and then up to the Seawatch for the reception. Kim and Maria helped me on this weddding and took lots of amazing photos so I have like a million to share with you. There's a slidshow at the end so make sure to check it out. Liv and Josh, thank you so much being wonderul to work with. Congrats to the newly weds!

Maria took the next three of the ceremony:

And Kim took the next two:

Another of Kims below:

And 1 of Maria's below:

Maria took the next reception detail shot:

And Kim caught a lovely image of the first dance and a shot of the cake, and another reception detail (next 3 below):

And for the slideshow:

Zach & Rachael

2009-03-10T23:44:00.000-07:00

Zachary and Rachel were married last week at Ironwoods Beach. They came all the way from NY to get married in Maui. It was a very sweet ceremony and we were so honored to be a part of it and capture their love through photographs. We started out doing portraits on the beach and then drove up the road a bit for some more in the trees and grass. I love to capture a couple in different locations. The view in Kapalua is beautiful from where we were. Thank you Kim for helping me. Rachel and Zachary, we wish you a wonderful marriage together!

Deidra & Chad ` Ironwoods

2009-03-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

Deidra & Chad were married at Ironwoods Beach on the west side of the island. They were accompanied by their close family and it was a lovely, intimate ceremony. We had a great time photographing their wedding day and I was so excited when they mentioned they wanted to do a trash the dress session. After the ceremony we took portraits on the beach and they even got in the water. I think it makes for stunning photographs! The waves were a little bigger than we all expected but Chad and Deidra were such troopers and were completely living in the moment. They didn't mind getting wet and they had tons of fun doing it. It was great to see their spontanity. Thanks you two for being wonderful to work with! We wish you all the best. Thanks to Kim for helping me out :)

Kim captured the next 3 images:

Dawn & Nathan ` Marriot, Wailea

2009-03-05T13:21:00.000-08:00

Dawn & Nate were married on the Kaho'olawe Lawn at the Marriot, Wailea. What an amazing location and an amazing couple! I could tell from when they first saw each other that day that they just adored and loved each other so much. I loved the scenery at this wedding, especially all of the trees. I'm a little obsessed with trees as you can see in the photos - haha. Kim helped me out at this wedding and got tons of awesome shots as always :) We have such a great time working together. Thanks Kim! Dawn and Nate, thank you so much for having us to photograph your wedding. I wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Isn't Dawn beautiful?! She was glowing with happiness.

A few shots of the girls:

Kim captured this next shot from the ceremony:

And Kim took the next two as well:

Susan & Sam - Kahana

2009-03-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

Susan & Sam were married at their home on the west side of Maui. They were such a fun couple to work with. We started out by taking portraits before the ceremony which I always love to do. They gave us lots of time which allowed us to get a variety of elements that were amazing! Susan and Sam were relaxed, natural and let their love show so beautifully in front of the camera. Thanks Susan and Sam for being so great to work with! I wish you a all the best. Thank you to Shaina for helping me again and for taking so many great shots :)

Shaina captured these next 3 images:

I love the next two taking right before the ceremony of Susan and her Father. I don't think they had any idea I was taking photos :) True candid are always great!

And another sweet moment Shaina captured below:

Ana & Chris

2009-02-26T00:47:00.001-08:00

Ana and Chris were married on Valentine's Day at a sweet beach rental house right off of Front Street in Lahaina. Ana found me through her sister Denelle, who is a really good, long time friend of mine. Their ceremony was beautiful and they had a great group of friends and family who all helped celebrate their love. These two were such a sweet couple and a pleasure to work with! Ana & Chris, thank you for sharing your special day with us. It was an honor. Thank you to Shaina for helping me out on this wedding!

Shaina snapped the next one which is sooooo cute!

Baby Kellan

2009-02-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

Melinda & Ikaika had their baby boy Kellan a few weeks ago and he is just the most precious little angel! It is such a good idea to get photographs of your baby when they are this small because it's crazy how fast they grow! I got to hold him and it brought back memories of when my little Kaimana was that small. Everything about babies are just so cute, their little hands and feet and the way they love to be held and loved. I feel so lucky to have captured these photographs for this wonderful family. You can see how much love there is for this new little guy in the photos below. Melinda and Ikaika, congratulations on your new addition to your family. Give him a kiss for me.

If any clients are interested, please inquire about maternity and or newborn portraits. I love to capture these precious moments!

last couple weeks...

2009-02-20T23:07:00.000-08:00

So, I wanted to share some personal photos on my blog which I haven't done for a bit. I've been so flattered because I've heard from several people recently that they are following my blog. It got me thinking that I really want to post more personal stuff so that people can see who I am and what inspires me in life. I like to take photos of all kinds of different things to keep me inspired and to remind me of all the beauty in the world. Here's some recent photos from the last few weeks.

We went to breakfast at the Kula Lodge with my Grandmother last week. I LOVE that place. I ordered an omelet and my Grandma ordered this waffle (after seeing it, I wish I ordered it haha)

Everything from this day was taken with my 100 macro which I rarely use at weddings because things are moving so fast. I am always amazed how beautiful flowers are this close up...

my little boy posing for the camera again...

Even though we were full, we went to the Lavender farm for tea and scones - yummy :) This was my first time there and it is just breathtaking. I loved the fog. I'd love to go back again soon...

My Grandma spotted a lizzard and Kaimana was very entertained by it - he loves animals

Me and my Grandma and Kaimana sleeping in the ergo.

Oh and that weekend I had a wedding on Valentine's Day. I was so happy to come home to flowers and chocolates and snacks and a yummy seafood dinner that Kawika cooked - he's the best husband EVER!

The next day we went to my Dad's for brunch and Kaimana was having so much fun with my Grandma...

Later that day I had to take some of Kaimana in his highchair - you just never know what kind of expression you will get from him...

Here are a few from Iao Valley (one of my all time favorite places to be).

Do you think Kaimana looks anything like me? It's ok - you can say no, everyone says he's Daddy's twin... He does have my nose though don't you think??

Emma & Harrison ` Seawatch, Wailea

2009-02-04T16:13:00.001-08:00

Emma and Harrison were married at the Molokini Lookout and had their reception at the Seawatch. You may remember their faces from our engagement shoot which can be seen here. Emma found me awhile back through theknot Hawaii wedding forum. It is a great place for brides to get ideas for their wedding and recommendations for vendors. I have had a number of clients find me through theknot wedding forum and I want to say thank you to Mary for sharing her wedding photos on there last May. Word of mouth is powerful. People who are planning their Hawaii wedding from the Mainland might not have a chance to meet all of their vendors so it's good to hear from others who have had experience with a particular vendor.

Emma was a gorgeous bride! She had her makeup done by Jessica Waite and her hair done by Karine Cummings. She had the most amazing Kristian Louboutin shoes and a beautiful Moniquelhuillier dress. She also had a breathtaking, traditional Chinese dress that she changed into for the reception. Kim and I were in fashion detail heaven as you can see from the photos. Lori Lawrence coordinated their event and Jamie Lawrence was their musician. They did a great job.

Both the bride and grooms' families traveled to Hawaii for their wedding along with their friends. It was great to see how much their family and friends meant to them and that they were able to share their special day with everyone.

Thank you to Kim for helping me out and taking so many great shots! Thank you Emma and Harrison for sharing your special day with us. Congratulations! Your wedding was amazing and we were so honored to be a part of it! I'm so happy for the two of you! There is a slideshow at the end so make sure to check it out. Be patient, it will probably take awhile to load.

Kim captured the next couple images of the ceremony. It's always great to help each other because we get different angles and perspectives of the same ceremony.

here's the slideshow. Please be patient - it may take a while to load

Melinda & Ikaika ` Maternity

2009-01-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

Melinda & Ikaika are expecting their first child any day now! And they just got married a couple of weeks ago too! They are having a little boy. When Melinda contacted me to do maternity portraits I was so excited because it was just a year ago that I was ready to give birth. It really holds a special place in my heart because I think a baby is such a miracle and a blessing and I feel so lucky to have my son, Kaimana. These two were beaming with excitement! They are going to be such wonderful parents. Melinda and Ikaika, thank you so much for choosing me to capture these incredible memories for you! Congratulations on your baby coming soon and on your wedding. I can't wait to meet him!

Joy & Gil ` engagement session

2009-01-28T01:22:00.001-08:00

I met up with Joy and Gil last week to take engagement photos. We started out at Makapu'u which was beautiful but very windy. We then went around the bend toward Sandy Beach and found the perfect spot. Joy and Gil are just the coolest people. They are down to earth, kind and so much fun to be around! It was such a pleasure to get to know them and take their photos before the big day. Their love for each other is so powerful and I sensed it from the beginning of our photo session. It is quite visible which can you see in the photographs. They were relaxed and natural and extremely affectionate which always makes for GREAT photos. Joy and Gil, thank you so much for allowing me to capture these images of the two of you! I am so excited for your wedding in May!

Below is my favorite of the day (I love the way the light is coming through them, it is magical to me):

Joy is going to be a STUNNING bride, isn't she?

preview of upcoming posts

2009-01-24T11:45:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to post on my blog for the last week but life has been busy, coming home from Oahu, unpacking, cleaning, taking care of baby etc... In 2009 I really do want to try and post on my blog soon after each event and if I don't have the time to do a full post I at least want to put a preview. So here's just a couple of my recent photos. I am also shooting Emma and Harrison's wedding today so stay tuned because next week I'll have more photos up from these these two photo sessions and from the wedding :)

Here' s a photo of Melinda and Ikaika and baby boy in her belly. She is due any day, and aren't they all just completely glowing??? There is something so special about a pregnant woman! It's beautiful. I can't wait to share some more images.
Here's a shot of Joy and Gil at a little secret spot near Sandy Beach on Oahu. They are such a sweet couple and it was so much fun to meet up with them and take their engagement photos. I am so excited for their wedding in May at Lanikuhonua! More photos to come soon...

And they came to visit me at my booth at the Honolulu Bridal Expo. It was great to see them there, they actually found me at the expo last year. Oh and another fun little fact about the expo... I was on KITV news last Saturday and they featured my booth :) It was cool because they zoomed up on the photos and the albums and it was neat to see it on TV. I was pretty nervous for the interview because I've never been on the news before so if anyone saw me, don't mind my nervousness hahaha

Mike Colon's Blog

2009-01-23T17:40:00.001-08:00

I was so excited to go onto Mike Colon's blog today and find a photo of mine on there :) Check it out here I know I already said this but Mike's workshop was amazing and I am so excited to utilize all of the skills I have learned from him for my 2009 weddings :) I think that workshops and professional development are so refreshing for people in any profession and this one really taught me so much and made me realize how much I love what I do.

Chris & Elizabeth ` Kanaha Beach

2009-01-03T13:12:00.000-08:00

Chris & Elizabeth were married on December 20th at Kanaha Beach. They had a small ceremony with the company of their close friends and family. Their wedding was followed by a lovely, intimate reception at the sugar house up in Hali'imaile. Thank you, Chris and Liz for sharing your very special day with us and thanks to Kim for taking great candids of everyone and for all of your help!

Congratulations!!!

Christmas

2008-12-26T13:32:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday yesterday. Ours was so special because it was Kaimana's first Christmas. We had a great time. It was fun helping Kaimana open all of his gifts and seeing how excited he was with all of his fun new toys. I can't wait until next year when he understands a little more about the holidays and knows how to open his gifts. It's the first of many wonderful holiday seasons to come. We had Christmas Eve dinner here at our house with my family. Kawika's parents came on Christmas morning and we had a nice breakfast, opened presents, and then went up to Kawika's brother Kimo's up in Kula for an early dinner. The thing I love most about the holidays for us, is that it's all about connecting with family. Much love, Joanna, Kawika and Kaimana

Happy Holidays ` and photos of Kaimana

2008-12-24T17:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to everyone and their families! It is such a fun time of year. I realized that I haven't blogged for a while and I really want to start posting more. It's hard to keep up with, but it's a fun way to communicate with everyone online :) Here are some photos of Kaimana at the beach the other day. I really felt like the black and white suited the situation for some reason. Even though it was a gorgeous day with blue skies and water, I just love the way that black and white puts more emphasis on the subject, which in this case is my darling little son. I love him soooooo so much! Enjoy...

he got tired...

Mike Colon Workshop part 2

2008-12-13T22:37:00.001-08:00

Mike Colon did a workshop here on Maui and I felt so blessed to be a part of it! For those of you who don't know, Mike Colon is an amazing and extremely successful and famous wedding photographer who is based out of Southern California. Check out his website here. To top it off he is a super cool guy who is willing to teach other photographers what he has learned in the last 10 years of his wedding photography career. The 4 day intensive workshop has taught me so much and inspired me tremendously! It was also great to meet several other wedding photographers from around the country and network with them. I highly recommend taking this workshop to any wedding photographer who has the chance. I can't say enough good things about it :) Here's a few of my favorites...

Mike Colon workshop

2008-12-13T22:27:00.000-08:00

2008/2009 prices

2008-11-19T18:16:00.000-08:00

Dear Clients, please pass this on to any friends and family who are getting married in the next couple of years:

Prices for wedding packages will be increasing for 2009, however I am offering my 2008 prices for any bookings made before the end of 2008 (This requires a signed contract and deposit). Please contact me for details. 808.280.5230 email: jotano@gmail.com

Jonathon & Leslie`Diamond Resort, Wailea

2008-11-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

Jon and Leslie were married at the Diamond Resort in Wailea. It was so beautiful there! Leslie was such a stunning bride! They were so easy going and fun to work with. The wedding party joined us for pictures on the beach as well and they were so spontaneous and willing to do some really fun portraits. Thanks Jon and Leslie for letting us be a part of your day. I wish you a wonderful marriage!

Liza & Ben ` Hyatt, Maui

2008-11-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

I photographed Liza and Ben's wedding last weekend which was a wonderful ceremony and reception. They are such a cute couple. You can see their engagement photos from August here. They were married at the Church of Christ in Waiehu and then had a lovely reception outdoors on on the lawn at the hyatt. Everything was decorated so beautifully. They were joined by a lot of their friends and family and everyone had a great time. Liza and Ben, thank you for allowing me and Kim to capture the moments of your special day. We wish you a wonderful marriage!

Jeff & Laurie ` Maui Lani

2008-11-12T18:29:00.000-08:00

Jeff and Laurie were married in the beginning of this month at the Maui Lani Golf Course. Some of you may remember there faces from their engagement last month which you can see here. They are such wonderful people and I was so happy to get to know them and capture both the anticipation of their engagement and also their wedding day. Their wedding was an amazing day filled with love between them and their friends and family. Jeff and Laurie, I wish you many years of happiness and joy!

Emma & Harrison ` New York City

2008-10-25T20:24:00.001-07:00

I have been meaning to post these images earlier but I just got back from New York where my internet connection wasn't consistent. I was so extremely excited to shoot Emma and Harrison's engagement portraits for a few reasons; I really wanted to meet them and get to know them before I shoot their wedding in January (in Hawaii), and capture images portraying their lifestyle, and I have never done portraits in a city before. They were so much fun to work with and they showed me around SoHo and we went to breakfast at one of their favorite restaurants called "Penolope" (it was delicious!). It was special to them because SoHo is their favorite part of New York City. I thought it was great because there were fun colors and no high rises like most of the other parts of the city. SoHo has lots of character. Here are a few of my favorites. Emma and Harrison - thank you so much for meeting up with me, I can't wait for your wedding!

My Birthday

2008-10-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

My Birthday was back on October 8th, that's how long I haven't blogged for. I'm in New York right now and my internet has been finicky so it's been hard. I had a wonderful birthday. I went to the spa at the Grand Wailea and then my Grandparents took us to a lovely dinner in Lahaina. I feel extremely lucky to have a wonderful husband and baby! I can't believe I'm 28! Where does the time go? But, I'm so happy to be exactly where I'm at in my life :) good times!

Beth and Mark ~ Po'olenaleana Beach

2008-10-18T19:58:00.000-07:00

Beth and Mark were honeymooning in Hawaii . They were visiting from Chicago and found me through the Perillo family whom I have done family portraits for in 2006 and 2008. I love word of mouth! This couple was so much fun to work with! Beth and Mark - I wish you a wonderful, long lifetime of happiness together!

Jeff & Laurie ` Paia, Maui

2008-10-06T13:37:00.001-07:00

I met up with Laurie and Jeff yesterday for some engagement portraits. It was so much fun and I can't wait for their wedding next month! I was really excited when I suggested that we go to Paia for some fun portraits after the beach. I love Paia, it's such a fun little surf town with lots of cool elements. Amanda joined me and took some great images too. Laurie and Jeff, thanks for being so much fun to work with !

Amanda captured the one below:

The next three are Amanda's images also...

This was a classic sign that we couldn't pass up!

Lauren & Mason, North Shore, Kauai

2008-09-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

Lauren is a great friend of mine from College. I was so honored to photograph her and Mason's wedding on Kauai. I was the photographer/guest so I also had a great time sharing their special day with them and catching up with lots of friends. We also made such a fun weekend on Kauai out of it! Lauren and Mason, you two are such wonderful people and I'm so happy you found each other. I am looking forward to many more fun memories with you! XOXO

In between portraits and the reception, Kawena snapped this portrait of Kawika, me and Kaimana :)

and you can see a slideshow HERE

Jon & Kelly, Kihei Maui

2008-09-28T10:58:00.001-07:00

Jon and Kelly were married at Saint Theresa Church in Kihei followed by a reception at the SeaWatch. There wedding day was beautiful and we had an amazing sunset down at Po'olenalena. They were so much fun to work with! Kim joined me as well as another photographer - Chris, so we got triple the shots. Jon and Kelly, I wish you a lifetime of happiness! Thank you for allowing us to capture these images of your day.

Chris captured the one below:

Either Kim or I captured this one... it is sometimes impossible to remember since we are constantly changing cameras - either way she always takes awesome photos and I'm so grateful for that!

Chris captured this one below also:

Tano Family Portraits - Wailea

2008-09-05T23:34:00.000-07:00

We went down to the Grand Wailea last weekend and took photos of Kawika's Uncle Steven and Family. It was great to visit and Kaimana got to meet everyone and he had fun with his cousin Kara. He had a blast and was a trooper while mommy took pictures. Then we went to a very yummy dinner at Isana's Sushi in Kihei. Here's a few from the day:

Our little Kaimana

2008-08-24T23:32:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted images of Kaimana on my blog in so long because I've been so busy this summer editing weddings etc... but I have taken lots every month and I am making up for my lack of blog posts of our little angel with a slideshow of the last five months which have truly been the best months of my life! Here are just a couple of recent images and the slide show is beneath. If you want to see a bigger version, the link is here.

slidshow:

Levy Family

2008-08-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

I photographed one of my best friend (Kisha's) family up at their beautiful home in Kula. It was raining just minutes before the portraits but stopped just in time for us. I loved their yard and all of the flowers. Anuhea (Kisha's daughter) is so cute! She is 0ur son, Kaimana's playmate :) I find it hard to get babies to pose in any way so I like to take a bunch of fun candids of them, which are always great because those are the real memories to cherish! Thanks guys for letting me capture these images of you!

Moira & Daniel

2008-08-24T19:41:00.001-07:00

Moira & Daniel were married on 8-8-08 - the luckiest day of the year! It was a beautiful, bright day with nice vibrant blue skies. They were married at Kaka'ako Beach Park in Honolulu with a reception at Sam Sneads. It was a beautiful ceremony surrounded by their great friends and family! Moira and Daniel, I wish you a wonderful marriage!

Liza & Ben ` Makena

2008-08-10T02:22:00.001-07:00

Liza and Ben found me at the Maui Bridal Expo this past March. I am so excited to do their wedding photos this November. I took their engagement portraits at a little cove close to the famous "Makena Cove". It's kind of a funny story actually... I recommended Makena Cove because it's a very beautiful place. Well, I figured it wouldn't be too crowded on a Monday evening but there were 4 or 5 weddings going on all at the same time, so we walked to this other beach right near there. I didn't remember it being so treacherous last time, but this time the waves were big and the tide was high so it was a little challenging getting there but it was well worth it. Liza and Ben, thanks so much for being so easygoing and fun to work with. I can't wait to work with you in November!

Zandra & Dennis ` Maui Prince Hotel

2008-08-10T01:59:00.000-07:00

Zandra and Dennis were married at the beautiful Maui Prince Hotel. The decor of this wedding were absolutely incredible! I loved the colors that they chose and all of the details were beautiful. Events by Evonne coordinated it and she did a great job with the entire wedding. Zandra and Dennis gave me plenty of time for portraits which was WONDERFUL! I love it when I have a good amount of time with the bride and groom, it always makes for a nice variety of photos. Zandra and Dennis, thank you for allowing Kim and I to capture your amazing day!

Kim captured the one below with her fish eye: she caught everyone in the air :)

Li'ula & Ned

2008-08-10T01:13:00.000-07:00

Li'ula and Ned were married at the Kamehameha school chapel and had their reception at AlaMoana Hotel. They were great together and their calm, easygoing personalities made them such a fun couple to work with. I am grateful to have been a part of their joyous occasion! Li'ula and Ned, I wish you all the best!

Cheryl and Justin ` Po'olenalena

2008-07-24T01:29:00.000-07:00

Cheryl and Justin were here in Hawaii for their honeymoon and wanted some images to remember the trip by. I recommended Po'olenalena because it is an amazing beach and it isn't usually too crowded. We had nice weather and an amazing sunset. These two were adorable together and they were so spontaneous and fun to work with!

I love the movement of the water in the image below. It was shot at 1/8 of a second.

The sun had already set but we weren't quite done taking pictures...

Maile & Jon ` Sugarman Estate

2008-07-24T00:47:00.000-07:00

Maile and Jon were married at the Sugarman Estate out past Makena. It was such a beautiful ceremony and reception. What a fun group of people to work with! Everyone was having such a nice time. I was blown away by everything at this wedding! The dinner was catered by Longis and The Hula Honeys band played (Aunty Robyn - one of the singers) happens to be one of my best friend's mom). I would highly all of these vendors to anyone planning a wedding. It's a great idea to rent a private estate (especially this one) for your wedding so that you have total privacy and a breathtaking location. Maile and Jon, thank you for sharing your very special day with us! I wish you a lifetime of happiness.