In 2008, after exploring a variety of careers, Jennifer Mannion took the plunge and opened her own photography studio. In our regular feature, "Moms Who Are
Making It,' we asked Mannion about her inspiration for the name of her business, Pixie Posie, and when she first became interested in photography.
She has been infatuated with photography since childhood. When Mannion was 9, her mother received a new camera as a gift. “It was beautiful. The camera spoke to me,” Mannion gushed. When her mother couldn’t figure out to load the film, Mannion took matters into her own hands. She read the manual, loaded the film and proceeded to snap away.
When her parents realized the photos they were looking at came from their young daughter, they didn’t scold her. Instead they encouraged her gift by buying her more film and photography books. Withe Pixie Posie, Mannion specializes in lifestyle photography shot in natural light. While she shoots all kinds of subjects − people and pets, pregnancy portraits, fashion and product shots − her main focus is on children.
“My personality seems to be most fitting with that level of energy,” Mannion explained.
To find out how Mannion's daughter inspired the Pixie Posie name and read our full story, click here.
Take your family to watch birds of prey fly right over your head, meet the wonderful bird ambassadors of the World Bird Sanctuary up close and much more.
The St. Louis African Arts Festival, held in Forest Park, celebrates the rich and diverse cultures of Africa and African people. Children's activities include storytelling, arts and crafts, mask-making and educational workshops. In conjunction with the festival, the Saint Louis Zoo will have special activities focused on a different African animal each day.
There are more than strawberries (but plenty of those too) at this festival! Kids can enjoy carnival rides, a petting farm, pony rides, the children's play area and lots more.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
Come face-to-face with mermaids at the St. Louis Aquarium during Mermaids on the Mississippi. Mermaids will swim the aquarium, and dive in shark canyon with the sharks, rays, sea turtles and other underwater creatures.