Reader's photo contest for OC Family Magazine!

If you have a photo that you just love, and it really shows off you little ones personality, we'd love to see it!!

OC Family Magazine is collecting readers images for their 'Picture Perfect' monthly photo contest. Whether you took it on a quiet day at home or if it's a professional portrait, all entries are welcome; just keep in mind, we are looking for something that stands out as a great moment captured or snapshot of your little ones. Just send them as well as a little bit about your image, and who knows, the winner could be you!

To submit your entry, please send them to Monica at mgarrett@churmmedia.com or myself at jackandlolaphoto@gmail.com. 

Here are some images along the lines of what we are looking for...just to get you inspired ;)

The giveaway winner!

When I was younger, my sister and I made a holiday tradition out of waiting for Bill Murray's  holiday movie, Scrooged,  to come on TV. Still to this day is is hands down one of my favorite holiday movies (if you have not yet had the pleasure, do yourself a favor and do so!). After laughing through the meat of the movie, I can't help but cry at the end as the stately clad Solid Gold Dancers flank Frank Cross as he launches into his heartfelt monologue about the joy of giving. This bit of nostalgia hits me every year and as I grow older and have more to be thankful for, inspires in me a need to spread the love during the holidays.

Reading the entries for the years giveaway has been like a little lovin dessert I get every night after I put Henry to sleep and sit down for the nights work. It's amazing to see so many people care so much for others. I'm thankful for each of you taking the time to write and share with me about these special people in your lives. It was hard to choose a winner - so at the end of the day I took the wimpy way out and drew the name from a hat (or a tupperware bowl as the case were). The winner is:

Renee Williams Carlino, nominated by Heather Floyd!! 

So happy to meet you and your adorable boys! Thank you Heather for your heartfelt letter and I can't wait to meet your family as well for your mini session!!!

Contact me this week for session details at:

jackandlolaphoto@gmail.com

Can't wait to meet you two ladies and thank you to everyone that participated!!

The season for thanks...Jack & Lola session giveaway!

The fall gives us many reasons to feel thankful. We see more of our families, we spend more time indoors with those we love, and the season of giving seems to start earlier and earlier every year. Holidays can take on a totally different air for photographers. We are shooting, editing, and designing like crazy, deep into the night and we spend even less time with our families that we are no doubt so thankful for. Last year was different. Henry, being all new and fresh, took me away from the holiday photo scene and I was able to really embrace the family time I usually miss out on...and what a thankful scene it was. Glowing with the new (exhausted but so so happy) mommy role, the blessings were boundless.

This year I feel only a murmur of those days as I hunch over my computer, alone in the dark drinking cold coffee, and pining over my newborn/holiday memories. When the sun rises and I stretch myself to be the best I can be, I sometimes forget to give thanks. This is unexeptable. So when my dear friend's sick son was feeling crummy and I was reminded of what a blessing life is, I felt like a grinch. Ashamed, I gave myself a kick in the butt and started the next day new and thankful; how it ought to be EVERY day of the year.

{ photo by Sargeant Photography }

To pay it forward, I have decided this year I want to give away a FREE family holiday session. However run down I can get with so much to do these fall months, I am busy and THAT is a blessing.  This Fall, I want to take some time to give it back.

How this FREE session giveaway will work, is as follows:

1) Login to Facebook and 'Like' my fan page:

Jack & Lola Photography

2) Post 'Free session giveaway' on your page and share the link to this post. (click the 'share' button at the bottom of the post, next to 'comment'  so the post will link to your wall as your status)

The season for thanks...Jack & Lola session giveaway!

3) Send me your entry to:

jackandlolaphoto@gmail.com

4) Entry Guidelines:

   This giveaway is meant for a deserving family, defined however you see it fit, but generally someone who could use a big THANK YOU! Write to me, sharing about this special person or family, and why you are excited to nominate them. Cut off date is December 1st, at which time I will choose a winner and announce them both here and on my Facebook Fan page. If you don't have a Facebook page, or are already a fan, please let me know in the beginning of your email ;) The winner should be in LA/Orange County and available for the photoshoot January 7th-14th (if need be, I can be a little flexible on that time frame)...

...and that's not all. For the often unrecognized act of thanking/nominating/praising/acknowledging/and overall gratitude toward someone else, I will offer YOU a free mini session to be used by February of 2013.

Giving feels good don't it? 
Can't wait to read the entrys and to meet the winning family!

New baby makes 3...

Sometimes I have the pleasure of meeting people who are present in their past and have strong ties to their family. This session was just that, and it made photographing baby Emma (isn't she beautiful!!?) all the more enjoyable.  Those of you who follow me may know my love for still life; and the story I was able to capture and share with this lovely family was no doubt one of my favorite shoots to date.