Action:Reaction

The photo agency I work with, Aurora Photos, kicked off a celebration of their 15th anniversary with a photo relay. The first photographer, started on June 10th, and had to create three photos, one of which was uploaded to a special website, Aurora: Action: Reaction. The next randomly selected photographer from Aurora’s contributors has to deliver three images that relates to the first image. This creates a visual action-reaction chain that will be updated every 48 hours. I was on the clock Wednesday and Thursday last week. The image chosen was of Mark Drake and Scott Mossman out for a training ride on an adaptive bike on Rabbit Mountain near Lyons, Colorado. Mark Drake is the owner of Hand Bike America. Mark specializes in adaptive sports technology and takes existing adaptive sports equipment and custom fits it for individuals among many other things. I also went bouldering with renowned climber Malcolm Daly on Flagstaff in Boulder, Colorado. In 1999 Malcolm fell 200 feet while climbing Thunder Mountain in Alaska suffering numerous fractures and frostbite. Malcolm is the Executive Director of Paradox Sports which provides opportunities and inspiration to the disabled community. Malcolm, Mark and Scott are all awesome people and athletes and it was a privilege to met them and share their energy for life. These are the two additional images I contributed. Thank you Mark, Scott and Malcolm!

The Hugs, the Smiles that Last Forever

With family and friends in Virginia recently we went through our wedding album. There are about fifty pages bound in the leather book. As we turned the pages, my friends marveled in the timeless moments of our wedding. Although eight years ago, the album brought it back to life!

The glorious aspect of wedding photography and albums is that when grandchildren or family look back on the photos, they will feel as if they are there. They can experience the hugs, the looks, the smiles documented through photography forever. Capturing the emotions and story of weddings epitomizes my style and keeps me inspired! As a wedding photographer, I feel like a magician who captures the moments and preserves the stories forever in a gorgeous family heirloom…

Last Day at Copper Mountain

Copper Mountain Ski Resort celebrated their closing day with an end-of-season bash featuring live music and record crowds. As regular Copper skiers it was our first spring skiing conditions with corn snow. Just last Tuesday we were skiing fresh winter style powder. Last Sunday it was all sun and blue skies. We choose to stay up high where it was a bit colder and the snow stayed firm. I skied my best ever on Gold Digger Run, an easier black run at the top of the Sierra Lift. Next year I’ll work on dipping my skis into the back bowl area!


My husband, Walt, and I


Looking out from Sierra Lift to Union Bowl

Cover Photo of "America At Home" Book!

Arriving on bicycles, red wagons and foot neighbors began to gather at the home of freelance writer and scientist Petra Spiess in Bradburn Village in Westminster, Colorado. Bradburn is one of a number of “new urbanist” communities boasting an old time neighborhood feel with shops and restaurants you can walk to. Everyone quickly settled in on the spacious front porch with appetizers and drinks while the kids played on the front lawn. I was there to photograph the “porch party” for the book, America at Home, an extraordinary book of photographs that captures the rituals, intimate moments and the ways we work, play, learn, and interact with friends and family (and pets!) at home. Fortunately, my photograph of girls blowing bubbles was selected for the cover.

Jen & Patrick's Aspen Wedding

Another album in production is the celebration of Jen and Patrick's Aspen, Colorado wedding. Click here to view: Jen & Patrick's album. They were married on 7/7/7 in Aspen, Colorado. About 100 guests attended the cozy ceremony, followed by a feast by Leroy Dampin. Casablanca Bridal provided Jen's dress and Jeffie Butler was the florist. 

Danica & Neal's Boulder Wedding

We've been working lately on a classic custom album for Neal and Danica's Buddhist wedding. This wedding was coordinated by Calluna Events and took place at Danica and Neal's home in Boulder, Colorado. The ceremony blended Buddhist and Asian elements, including a fan bearer. An eight course meal followed by Catering By Design of Denver. The menu was titled "A Night of Extra-Ordinary!" Chef Nagy announced each course and wine was paired with each course by Bobby Stuckey, the head sommelier of Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder. The Perfect Petal of Denver colored the event with gorgeous flower and fragrances. The Heritage String Trio and A Music Plus provided graced the guests with music. The evening concluded with a bang as all of the well fed guests enjoyed a brilliant fireworks display under a starry night.

"Jenny Marries Jesse" Featured in Brides Colorado Magazine

Last summer Jenny and Jesse hosted their garden party/wedding at the Blue Lake Ranch outside Durango. This month Brides Colorado Magazine is featuring my photos from this unique wedding with a cake and scrumptious buffet provided by the Kennebec Cafe. It was the best halibut and beef I have ever tasted! Bride Jenny DiFiore owns Scarpe, a designer clothing shop on East Pacific in Telluride, CO. Jenny gave all her guests jars of honey from Honeyville.

Everyone danced New Orleans style to Big Sam's Funky Nation and Jeff Solon's Jazz Trio played during dinner. 
After the reception, the bride and groom made their exodus in a 1979 Super Beetle!

On the Road for U.S. News and World Report

Two weeks ago, I ventured to Denver, Colorado to photograph for US News and World Report. I followed a few high school kids around and documented their jobs outside of class. The article, “Are Students Working Too Hard for a High School Diploma?” , written by Eddy Ramirez, is online and in the current issue of the magazine.


Arrupe Jesuit senior Estefany Hernandez eyes Dieter the dog's oxygen level for her school job. (Joanna Pinneo/Aurora for USN&WR)

No Snow in Minnesota?

Ranger Rick Magazine is featuring a story I photographed in their current issue. “Big Foot Fun,” written by Kate Hoffman, chronicles a snowshoe trip by Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center of Finland, Minnesota near Lake Superior. Just before the story, I was shocked to hear there was no snow in northern Minnesota! Unsure of what would happen with my trip, a massive blizzard blanketed Northern Minnesota prior to my flight and insured a go for the assignment!

Joanna B. Pinneo Photography Featured in "Destination I Do Magazine"

"Destination I Do Magazine," the online guide to planning a dream wedding or honeymoon, featured the Aspen wedding of Carrie Van Heyst and Peter Johnson that I photographed over a snowy Thanksgiving weekend.

The setting for the Aspen wedding of Carrie Van Heyst and Peter Johnson had a soft, romantic quality to it -- gently falling snow outside and a cozy warmth inside the Aspen Chapel. It was the exact feeling that Carrie and Peter hoped to create for their Rocky Mountain wedding. To see the complete article, CLICK HERE.

Working for National Geographic Magazine

Some photographers seemed quite taken with the idea of shooting a thousand rolls of film on assignment, coming back with 40,000 pictures and narrowing that down to just 22 for use in a magazine article. CLICK HERE to view my feature story about working as a photographer for National Geographic Magazine...

Victoria and Brian

Last September, Victoria and Brian celebrated their wedding in Aspen, Colorado. Denise Latousek with DL Event Planning choreographed the event to perfection. The ceremony was celebrated at the Aspen Chapel then guests boarded gondolas for a scenic ascent to the Little Nell, for the reception. Beautiful flowers by Harrington Smith added aroma to the gala event. Moments Notice Entertainment rocked the night away and snowflakes flurried Victoria and Brian's exodus. What a perfect day!