Taking family pictures can be a fun, memorable experience that captures the heart and spirit of…read moreyour family. It can also be stressful to get your family to cooperate and get great pictures if you don't have the right professional orchestrating your photo shoot. I've used Christina Straw Photography multiple times for many reasons and couldn't be happier. I am particularly impressed with Christina's great style, technical skill, professionalism, ability to control the photo shoot, and the quality of her finished product. I love Christina's style. She gets great formal and candid shots that capture the love and personality of my family. She does a nice job in both color and black and white. Christina's technical skills with regards to color, sharpness, clarity and lighting are impressive. Many of the photos she took for me are great. My kids' skin and hair were brilliant from the golden lighting she captured. Christina is very professional and gets wonderful photos that last a lifetime. The first photo she took for me was for my daughter's birth announcement a few years ago. That picture is timeless - a beautiful black and white of my then two year old son holding his new born sister. Christina said to me, "isn't it wonderful when the stars align for that perfect photograph." I have never forgotten what she said and I am grateful to her for capturing that perfect photo (that brings up such happy memories for me) when those stars aligned. Christina knows how to put my family at ease and gets the great shots I'm looking for. As a mother of a young child she knows how to engage my children. She keeps them focused but relaxed and gets their natural smiles and personalities to shine through. She captures fantastic individual and family photographs, and she gets them before the kids lose interest. As a parent of young children that is invaluable. She is easy to work with and helps bring my creative ideas to light as well. Each photo shoot she has done for me has been unique and personal. One year I worked with Christina for my family photo shoot I wanted to take pictures in the new city in which we had recently moved. I wasn't familiar with the park but learned it was quite busy on the weekend. Even though there were many background distractions at the park Christina was still able to get some great shots. They turned out much better than I expected. I like that she helps you pick out your venue and coordinating family outfits if you need help. The next year I worked with Christina we worked together and chose a great venue. The pictures were amazing! There were so many wonderful shots with beautiful backgrounds and perfect lighting. I had a difficult time choosing only a few for our holiday card. Last year the quality of the photos she did for me were excellent. They were even better than the year before. I was so pleased with them I submitted them into a contest (with permission of course). Christina got so many wonderful compliments on her shots. Family and friends thought they were for a professional advertisement campaign from a magazine. The pictures Christina has taken of my family over the years are priceless. We easily spend money on clothes, shoes, and handbags and tend to cut corners on artistic outlets. But a great family photo shoot is totally worth it. The photos for your family memories, scrapbooks, albums and family tree are worth it. Having Christina take good quality photographs of your family is an investment you will not regret. The only difficulty is getting an appointment because she books up fast especially during the holidays. I highly recommend you call and get on her calendar as soon as you can.

This was an absolutely terrible experience for our family. Christina didn't listen to what I wanted…read moreat all, and when I told her I was uncomfortable in a certain pose (Sitting on a jagged rock on a steep hill, in a dress and heels, while holding my newborn), she threatened to quit and wouldn't continue shooting until I did the pose she wanted. She was terrible at giving directions (just turn, turn the other way, no the other way, move your hand, etc - entirely unclear) and would get mad at us when we didn't guess correctly what she meant. When we didn't pose the way she wanted, she would make sarcastic and snippy comments that made us all SO uncomfortable and made the whole shoot so awkward. And then she'd bark at you to smile! We did not get one single photo that we will ever use. I am so very sad and mad, not only that we wasted $500 but that we can't go back and get photos that we can actually use of my baby at this age again. We can never get that back. I would highly encourage you to think twice before hiring Christina if you have a baby - she absolutely does NOT know how to shoot babies. Or family groups. If you have any thoughts or opinions of your own whatsoever about what you want, she will not listen to you. When I told her what shots I wanted (which we had discussed over the phone and in email prior to the shoot) she yelled at me that she's the professional and basically I needed to shut up and do it her way because I don't know anything. I left the shoot in tears. It was truly awful. And surprise surprise, I've never seen less flattering photos of myself or my family in my entire life. There is literally not one single photo where you can see everyone's face and everyone has their eyes open! I truly believe she started taking bad photos intentionally after I didn't want to do one of her poses because even a non-professional photographer could capture at least one or two that were ok. Think twice before hiring her.

We've used Summer Anderson for 2 maternity photo shoots, 2 newborn shoots, and our family pics…read moreevery year. She has an amazing eye for light and capturing special moments. I also appreciate that she recommends ideas (and has examples on her phone) for particular poses or ways we should stand/move/lay/etc. We have been so happy with all her work and will continue to use her every year!

From the owner: I'm Summer and I take pictures. I know looking for a photographer can be taxing, but if you're…read morelocated in the Denver-metro, Houston or Orange County area, I feel confident your search is over! I am super passionate about capturing your family in the NOW and making sure you have gorgeous photography to look back on this quick moment in your family's history. Please reach out to me with any questions or to get your session booked! Can't wait to meet ya!

April is a very talented photographer whom I hired to capture my wedding day. April listened to…read morewhat I wanted out of a photographer and brought to life incredible photos of not only myself and my husband but also my family and guests making it more memorable in the future. Her editing skills are phenomenal and really captured the emotions in the day. I strongly recommend April and will be using her in the future to capture more life changing events.

April is hands down the best photographer. You will not be disappointed. Her communication is…read moresecond to none and she makes the entire experience feel smooth comfortable and genuinely enjoyable. She treats you incredibly well and goes above and beyond to make sure everything turns out amazing. She takes the time to answer every question and has a real talent for capturing the highlights of your special moments in a way that feels natural and memorable. I would absolutely love to work with her again. Even my fiancé agrees. If your reading this review stop scrolling and book her.

Got the final copies of the ten pictures I ordered and could not be happier with the outcome. I…read morecan't express my satisfaction and gratitude at their professionalism enough. Five stars - worth every dollar.

40/40 photo shoot! Working with Sandy and her team was an unforgettable experience. From the moment…read moreI stepped in front of the camera, she created a space that felt safe, encouraging, and empowering. I've never felt so comfortable being photographed-- Sandy has a true gift for helping you relax, be yourself, and still bring out your most confident, radiant side. The direction was thoughtful, natural, fun and intuitive--never forced. I left the shoot feeling not just seen but celebrated. The final images captured not only how I look, but how I felt--strong, grounded, and beautiful. If you're looking for a photographer who knows how to bring out your best, both technically and emotionally, look no further. Sandy is an artist, a professional, and someone who truly cares about the people being photographed. I can't recommend her and her team enough.

I love Loretta! Aside from the fact she is one of the best people I have ever met, she has that…read morespecial eye required to be a professional photographer. We had family photos taken by her and she shot some Halloween pics from the school party. I am not photogenic and two of our members were very unhappy about participating in the photo session. Regardless, we got some fabulous shots thanks to her charm and experience. Photography is a true passion for her and that does not go unnoticed or unappreciated by those who are touched by this beautiful spirit!!

In the fall of 2016, we booked a December trip to Breckenridge, CO and I wanted to mark my…read morechildren's' first time to the mountains with a family session. In a roundabout way through another photographer based out of Colorado Springs, we got connected with dozens of photographers in the area. As I clicked through the websites and galleries that were sent from all those photographers, I just wasn't in love with the work...Until I got Dani's email! It took all of 30 seconds to know I had found our photographer. We booked a mini session which was perfect for our 2 and 5 year old. Dani does an amazing job capturing genuine family interactions and not super stiff, formal poses. She helped us with clothing ideas, location, and let us swap days when the weather ended up being miserable for the kids. We were so thrilled with our first session that we booked a full session for our extended family trip this year. Dani handled our group of 15 (7 of those being young kids) so well. We were blown away by the beautiful gallery we just received. Those images will be treasured for years!

Loved our snowy photoshoot we did in Breckenridge. My boyfriend and I both hate having our picture…read moretaken, but felt completely at ease and had so much fun doing this shoot. Our photographer was also super flexible with us when an emergency popped up the day of our shoot and was able to reschedule us without any issue. Now we have some really great photos to commemorate our time spent living in the mountains.

Zack was so fun, but I had a feeling he would be based on our initial conversation…read more He suggested a beautiful spot and took a ton of photos. We are very pleased with the amount of pictures we are going to get for the price.

I really lucked out with Zack for our multi-generational family portraits. I had a unique ask--3…read morepods of family members with kids AND a horse and carriage outside. He was very knowledgeable about outdoor shoots; the lighting, timing, positioning, everything. I had full faith that we were in good hands--he knew exactly what he was doing. He captured so many amazing shots that my family members were raving about that we tripled the amount of photos we bought. He was also very reasonably priced and easy to work with. He has integrity and a great attitude. He struck me as an artist who really strives to provide high quality memories and photos. I highly recommend him.

I loved going to Ania's studio for our newborn pictures! We arrived and were warmly greeted by her…read moreand her assistant. Her studio is located in the walk out basement of her house- with a cozy area with a fireplace that me and my husband were able to relax in while the baby pictures were being taken. My husband was able to finish his breakfast while we were hanging out, which was nice. I've quickly learned that it's difficult to make it out of the house with a brand new newborn, let alone ready for professional pictures! Glad that wan't necessary for our shoot. I was able to change and do my hair and make up there- with lots of time to spare. My husband and I were conveniently included in the last 15min of the shoot for some family pictures. So glad we got those! All in all, great experience! My mother and I went back yesterday to see the photos (most of them were a surprise!) and review the packages. She projects them on a screen so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the process. Ania was very helpful with the selections and editing options. I can tell she's very passionate about her work and really cares about the product she's producing. I can't wait to see the finished results!

We had a newborn session with Ania and it was so wonderful! She is very patient and handled…read moreeverything professionally. The studio is located in her home, which is very warm and inviting. I was even more comfortable with the fact that Ania is a nurse and was able to safely pose and comfort our baby girl. When we went to see the images she captured of our beautiful daughter, I was brought to tears! They were beautifully displayed on a large screen in a slideshow set to sweet music. She also designed beautiful birth announcements for us to be able to share the pictures with our friends and family. I highly recommend Ania Mikol Photography to anyone looking for pictures that capture such special times in their family's life, whether it's maternity, newborn, toddler, child, teen, family alike!

I absolutely loved working with Katie! I'm a Pilates teacher in the need for professional, yet fun,…read moreshots in the studio and Katie is such a natural photographer. She provided great tips on clothing and hair - encouraging me to feel as comfortable and natural as possible. During the shoot she was able to capture shots and angles that I would not have expected and the photos turned out beautifully. I was a little nervous as I'm not used to being the subject of a professional photographer but Katie really did set me at ease while giving me great tips for bringing out my personality! She experimented with a variety of lenses and points of view which I really appreciated. I couldn't be happier with the photos!

I had a personal photography session with Katie and it was AMAZING! First of all, I'm a super self…read moreconscious 40 year old on the geeky/shy/tomboy side of the spectrum. Fashion, make-up and any personalized girly attention are about the last things that I would associate with a fun day, so I signed on with a great deal of trepidation, but my day long shoot with Katie was actually FUN! I was a frazzled mess when I arrived but Katie quickly set to work putting me at ease. She helped me make make-up and clothing decisions and made the whole process really easy. She took the time to demonstrate poses and faces, which made the process less intimidating and was much more helpful than just telling me what to do. Jessica was meticulous with my hair and make-up, kept me laughing and happily laid on the floor to make sure the fan was blowing my hair at exactly the right angle. These girls are like beauty treasure hunters - they are set on discovering your beauty and they are really genuinely pleased when they find and capture it. Nothing felt rushed and they worked very hard to make sure I was comfortable and happy. And the pictures themselves? I was nervous that I'd end up looking overdone or lovely but not like myself. It turned out that the photos were stunning - they look gorgeous AND they actually look like ME! They somehow captured Sexy-but-not-sleazy, Strong-but-vulnerable and Artsy-but-down-to-earth beautifully! This was a really meaningful, positive experience that I'll always remember...plus I'll always have these beautiful photos to look back on (and to share with my children and grandchildren). I can't recommend this experience with this team enough! Do it. They will show you just how beautiful you really are!