A Busy Time of Year!!!

We've seen lots of magical moments in the last month in and around the studio. We appreciate you stopping by so we can share some of them with you.

Mark and Lissette Farina, along with their sons Stefano and Sergio, had a portrait session with us last month. We got lots of great pictures and had even more fun. Mark is an orthodontist with offices in both South and New Tampa. The Farina's live in New Tampa and were the high bidder of an Pepito Masterpiece Portraits Gift Certificate during an auction held at a Jesuit High School to raise money for the North Tampa institution.

The Farina family will display the portraits in their formal living room and dining room.

Around that same time, Jawahar Vadivelu came in for an executive portrait. The results were superior. I always try to keep my clients comfortable with refreshments, music and relaxed surroundings.


A Big "Thank You" to Channel Eight!!!

We were featured on NewsChannel Eight in December as part of a series on local businesses and citizens who do special things for the community during the holidays. I was interviewed during a portrait session break about my work with taking holiday portraits of families staying at Tampa's Metropolitan Ministries on Christmas Day. We do that every year and we wanted to encourage other businesses in our area to contribute their services in a special way to those less fortunate during the holidays.

Each of the families photographed on Christmas Day receives an 8 X 10, 2 - 5 X 7's and a set of wallet-sized photos as a gift from Pepito Masterpiece Portraits and Reedy PhotoProcess, 12125 28th Street N., St. Petersburg. The fine people at Reedy donate the photofinishing each year. They do an excellent job with all types of processing and you can learn more about them here: http://www.reedyphoto.com/index.php

I want to thank members of my staff for taking six hours out of their Christmas morning and early afternoon to help with this special work.

Gayle Guyardo came very early and did the interview, which was broadcast on the early morning news just before Christmas.


Fashion Funds the Cure

A group of beautiful young ladies who have been diagnosed with various forms of cancer came in to the studio earlier this month to be photographed for the upcoming Pediatric Cancer Foundation's "Fashion Funds the Cure" event to be held March 10 at the Neiman Marcus store, International Mall. We are actively involved in this yearly event and know that a cure is close at hand for these young people.

Those photographed were: Adriana Mininno, 7; Sara McCaslin, 6; Mia Johnson, 9; Erma Lewis, 7; Kaitlyn Chase, 10; Klarissa Cortez, 13 and Makayla Muir, 13. All of the young people and their families will receive copies of the portraits, which will be on display at the event. If you'd like to know more about the event or would like to attend, please go to: http://www.fastercure.org/special_events.htm.


Past and Upcoming Auctions

The Hospice Foundation of the Florida Suncoast held it's "Decade of Dreams" February 5. We were also part of Tampa Educational Station WEDU's Sojourn event last week. Upcoming auctions include ones conducted by: Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) on Food and Wine, to be held at the museum February 26; The Queen's Court, Inc. on February 26; and Carrollwood Day School's "Disco Ball" also on February 26. Please call us for more information on any of these. (There'll be lots of Gift Certificates out there on February 26!!!)


Portrait Session Becomes Holiday Party!

Just before Christmas, the full staff of the Danahy & Murray law group of Tampa came into the studio for individual portraits. They were here for executive and group portraits. The event turned into a really nice holiday party as those awaiting their turn before the camera partook of some excellent creations by our own Chef Steffano. Chef Steffano often cooks his culinary delicacies for our clients as a break from longer than usual sessions.

Everybody in the group had a great time and nobody was "served" except for delicious food!