Annie and David did the photo and videography for our wedding and we couldn't have been happier with how everything turned out! They took their time listening to our vision and used their experience to give suggestions when we were unsure about things. Thanks to them, we never felt lost at any point before, during, or after as we always knew what to expect thanks to how responsive and communicative they are. We loved the genuine excitement they brought the day of, and they were wonderful to work with (and they worked very well together!). As for the photos and videos, they went above and beyond and delivered what they promised and more. And of course, everything looked amazing. Thank you again Annie and David for the amazing experience! read more

Simply put, David was amazing and perhaps the MVP of my proposal to my now fiancee. He was more than a photographer, going above and beyond and being a true partner throughout, and then delivered incredible pictures that have absolutely wowed the two of us and everyone we've shown. I had decided to propose at the summit of Mission Peak in Fremont, which is a 3-hour roundtrip hike up to 2,000+ ft. that has to be done entirely on foot. David the first photographer who agreed to such an over-the-top assignment, and he did so almost immediately after I reached out. The whole process of scoping out what I wanted and getting a contract setup was super quick and easy. We only had a couple of weeks before the proposal, and leading up to it, David was a true thought partner. He shared incredibly helpful ideas based on his experiences with other couples, including on details that I probably would've never thought of otherwise. As someone who was planning something so high-stakes, scary, and new, I found having a thought partner by my side to be more valuable than I could've imagined going in. David then truly went above and beyond the day before the proposal by doing the 3-hour, 2,000 ft. hike himself to scope out the location, and then send me pictures and ideas of different vantage points. I still can't believe he did that (which I told him he didn't need to!), but it was so helpful and deeply appreciated. Then the important day came, and of course, carefully laid plans immediately started to go awry. My fiancee and I fell way behind schedule for a number of reasons, and we ended up not getting to the summit until over an hour after the time David and I had coordinated. The entire time, David was understanding and accommodating - even as he was spending an extra hour under the hot California sun waiting for us - and when we did arrive, he helped me execute our plan to perfection (and most importantly, she said, "Yes"). And now let's get to the pictures themselves! Hopefully my writing so much about the process of working with David doesn't distract from how amazing the pictures themselves were! David took some of the most incredible pictures I've ever seen and which have awed everyone in our lives whom we've shown. I've uploaded a couple with this review, and you can view a few more in my Google review (since Yelp's upload isn't working with some of them): https://maps.app.goo.gl/5V6AECzWraGC1RE49 Wrapping up, David truly exceeded any and all expectations I could've ever had. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a photographer (and I already have to a few people in my life)! read more

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After seeing her work, we were really excited to have Annie as our wedding photographer at San Francisco City Hall. From the start, Annie was super quick to respond to all of our e-mails and had a keen sense of familiarity with the wedding location. Annie knew city hall like the back of her hand. She captured breathtaking photos from the best angles that made the place look absolutely amazing. Additionally, she was extremely helpful during the entire bustling ceremony. She even assisted in gathering our family members when it was our turn for the ceremony. Annie's efficiency was evident throughout the whole process and she made us feel at ease during the photo session. She promptly sent us the pictures, and we were genuinely amazed by how fantastic they looked. She truly captured the atmosphere and emotions of the day, and we're absolutely thrilled with the overall outcome. Without a doubt, we'd wholeheartedly recommend Annie to anyone in search of a wedding photographer. She added an extra layer of specialness to our already special day, and we're truly grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her! read more

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Annie and David were SUCH incredible photographers for our wedding. From our initial meeting, we knew we wanted to work with them because of their kind and warm personalities. From our engagement pictures to being by our side throughout the whole wedding day, we couldn't have asked for a better duo. We have been over the moon with how our pictures turned out! Thank you Annie & David for making the photography process such an amazing experience. read more

Really had a great experience working with David and Annie! Thoroughly enjoyed the whole process from planning the precise proposal spot to the actual proposal. First contacted David a month + before the proposal (and got a response within 10 mins!), requesting to capture, photo and video, a surprise sunset proposal I was planning for my fiance at a beach. David gave an early heads up that the weather in Aug can be quite iffy, high possibility of being foggy. On the actual day, they went above and beyond, very quickly adapting to changes in weather and timing, were there onsite very early to scout out the area and prepare for our arrival. Closer to the proposal time, a huge thick fog rolled in, and I was slightly bummed out that there won't be any sunset. But David and Annie managed to make the photos/video look excellent - we ended up loving the soft "foggy style"! 100% would recommend to anyone seeking for surprise proposals! read more

David and Annie did an absolutely amazing job photographing our surprise proposal in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park! David was very responsive and helpful as I was going through the planning process of deciding where and when the special moment would be. The day of the proposal, I had peace of mind knowing that David and Annie were set up at the agreed upon location well ahead of time and that everything was ready. They captured the moment beautifully and took a lot of photos of us immediately after the proposal in the SF Botanical Gardens. The photos all came out great and my fiancee and I highly recommend David and Annie's services to anyone looking for proposal or wedding photography. read more

I found Annie while looking through Instagram geotags from our wedding location. I reached out, and Annie was immediately responsive, helpful, clear, and warm. The communication was seamless leading up to the event. Meeting Annie was even better- she is so positive and talented! We loved having her capture our day and are floored by how well the images came out and the moments she captured. If I ever want photos again- I will not hesitate to book with her. I highly, highly, highly, recommend A Tale Ahead Photography. Thank you, Annie!!! read more

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After hiring Annie and David for our proposal, I knew there was no one else I trusted to capture our special day. Annie and David bring a special blend of professionalism and care that makes you feel comfortable behind the camera. Annie and David perfectly captured our wedding night, and have a way of making the photos seem so light and natural. We are beyond happy with how our wedding photos and video came out and would recommend Annie and David to anyone. read more

I had an amazing experience with David and Annie. I was in a bit of a time crunch, but they accommodated me into their schedule in an effective and efficient manner. They were at the meeting spot on time and chose a really good spot to take the pictures. During the seasion they helped us with poses and made everything easy for us. Thank you David and Annie! read more

I don't think words will be able to explain how much we appreciate Annie and David for being our photographers. They were so personable and collaborative, and it really felt like we were designing a vision together. Not only did they shoot the big magically moments, they also captured the small intimate scenes. It was a perfect mixture of poise and spontaneity. They definitely took care of us during our wedding, directing the bride, groom, wedding party, and family. And they did it with so much care, humor, and assertiveness. And trust me, you need photographers who are unafraid to corral your guests. And the final album book they craft for you is just awesome! It's bounded with Italian leather and held in a framed shadow box. Perfect for the mantle. They let you tell your story through their photos, and it's magical every time. Thanks Annie and David, you two are the best! read more

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David and Annie are the best. They photographed my 60th birthday party, my wedding, my wedding reception, and my retirement party. They did a fantastic job. And they are super nice people, too. Highest recommendation. read more

Annie and David helped capture my dream proposal and I couldn't recommend them more! I decided to opt for a deluxe package with highlight film to maximize the number of angles and capture the moment on video so my future in-laws could relive the moment since they live out of country. I first reached out a month prior and worked closely with them to plan out my surprise proposal at the Ritz Carlton in half moon bay. About 2 weeks before the intended proposal, I realized my partner's brother was going to be in town a week early and they were extremely flexible with shifting plans to the new date. They were also extremely responsive and gave really detailed responses to questions that I had regarding logistics. We covered everything including how to surprise her, where to park, predicting cloud coverage for photographs, optimizing angles for anticipated wind, and how to situate friends and family so they can surprise her as well after the moment. On the day of, they were situated early at the spot and captured every moment perfectly from a variety of angles! Sound quality on our video also turned out well thanks to a well-positioned microphone which David had snuck to me the day before. Would definitely recommend them if you want to capture your special moment. read more

David and Annie were spectacular to work with! I booked them to capture my surprise proposal to my partner at Rodeo Beach in Marin and they were amazing throughout the process. From the initial planning to getting ready for the big day, to capturing our once-in-a-lifetime moment in amazing photographs, they demonstrated the highest level of quality, communication, and dedication. The whole process took about ~1 months to plan and David was very responsive and detailed on emails. During the photo shoot, Annie was very helpful in getting the perfect poses. My partner and I were super thrilled with how the photos turned out (only took ~1.5 weeks) and would give them the highest recommendation for anyone looking for proposal, engagement, or wedding photography. read more

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Thanks to Annie and David of A Tale Ahead photography for capturing my fiancé and I's special moment (proposal). The proposal was a big success, thanks to them. They helped my fiancé with the planning which was really nice of them especially because we're not from Bay area. They worked with his schedule and helped him get/prepare my favorite flower for the proposal. Aside from their helpfulness, the photos came out really amazing. The slight drizzling didn't stop them from capturing our special moment and making it looked picture perfect. I would highly recommend them and their company. read more

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My fiance and I had our surprise engagement photo shoot done with David and Annie. As a couple who has never done a shoot together, David and Annie were very good at making the process easy for us while also being very professional. The photos turned out amazing with short turnaround time so we could post on social media the day of. Looking forward to working with them again in the future! read more

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David and Annie went above and beyond for photographing my proposal to my fianceé. The plan was to propose near the top of Mt. Tam overlooking trees and the Pacific Ocean. During my nervous drive to the proposal spot (we were running late), I get a text from David that there is freezing rain, but all the plans were in place, so I decided to go through with it. The rain stopped by the time we arrived, but it felt like 30F with the windchill, and David and Annie were patiently waiting in the miserable weather. I gave my speech, got down on one knee, and proposed. Since the weather was terrible, David and Annie offered to take more photos at a second location by the beach. David and Annie were on time to the proposal, waited in the freezing rain for 30+ minutes, and went to a second location so we could get all the photos we needed. They made the best out of bad weather, and I am so grateful for their help throughout the proposal process and I don't think it would've gone so smoothly without them! They amazing photographers and even better people! The photos came out beautifully and are being used all over our wedding invites and website! We couldn't be happier with the A Tale Ahead experience. Thanks, David and Annie! read more

David was the absolute BEST photographer we could have hoped for to capture our engagement! He was so kind and excited for us during the proposal and the photos afterwards. He even stayed longer to capture additional shots after we thought he had left!! It was really special to share our moment with David. Afterwards I had learned that he was so helpful to my fiancé in terms of planning the time to get there for the perfect sunset shots and where to meet up on the beach. He was also so amazing with the editing process and really incorporated our feedback for the best photos we could have asked for. David shared additional photos with us from the package we purchased because he was so happy to be able to capture our moment and couldn't narrow down the highlights. He was so sweet and we couldn't be happier with how our proposal images turned out. Thank you, David!!!!!!! read more

Annie and David were the kindest photographers and captured our special day absolutely perfect! They were so pleasant to work with and the photos they captured are my favorite photos of my fiancé & me to date They also sent us some of the edited photos not even a couple of hours after our proposal that we could cherish until the rest of the photos were edited! We can't recommend Annie and David enough! They are so talented, kind, and amazing to work with!! read more

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My (now) fiancée booked with A Tale Ahead for our engagement and I am so happy with how the pictures turned out! It's so special to have this memory captured for us. Thank you David and Annie for coordinating at our special spot, and surprising me! read more

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Review from my fiance who planned the perfect proposal captured by A Tale Ahead :) My (now) fiancée and I began our relationship in the Bay Area and lived in San Francisco for 4-5 years. 3+ years ago, we moved to Chicago but knew San Francisco would always hold a special place in our hearts. So when I thought of proposing to her, I knew that San Francisco and in front of the Golden Gate Bridge (her favorite spot in the world) was exactly where I wanted to do it. The problem was I didn't know of any photographers to capture the moment. I asked around friends and coworkers who still lived in the City, and I eventually was recommended to another photographer who recently photographed their friends wedding. After reaching out to them, they mentioned that they unfortunately would not be in town and did not specialize in surprise proposals anyway, but recommended I reach out to David and Annie (which speaks volumes itself). They continued to note that they did not know / had worked with them personally but had heard and seen great things about their work on proposals. As I dug into David and Annie's work myself, it was clear to me that not only did they have a specialization for proposals but also did incredible job capturing such amazing moments. I reached out to David and Annie and within a couple of hours David responded to me and was available for a phone call that same day. He had me walk through our story to learn more about us, and asked me if I had any particular ideas on how / where I would do it. It was incredible that even though I had a general idea of where to do it, David actually sent me specific coordinates of where he thought might be a good spot which were absolutely perfect. He even helped me lock down which time of day we should do it based on the sun setting, which once again, was perfect. I then worked with him over email for the next month to plan out the logistics. It additionally became a bit more tricky because my fiancée and I were flying in, we actually only had one day to capture it and unfortunately on that day it was predicted to rain. David was more than willing to help me set up a plan B and also monitor the weather to see what we needed to do - his continuing help here and willingness to be flexible on location even to the day before was invaluable. Needless to say, even though I was half way across the country, his responsiveness and communication made it an absolute breeze. Then on the day of the proposal, David had me share his location with him so that he could monitor us as we walked up to ensure he and Annie perfectly captured the moment. They did such an incredible job and could not have done a better job capturing the before, the actual proposal, and moments after. He also included a wonderful blog post with a few pictures and gave us so many wonderful photos (beautifully edited too) that we will cherish the rest of our lives. Ultimately, I could not recommend David and Annie more, as they did such a great job getting to know our story, helping me plan the logistics, taking photos of the moment, and then giving us photos that were absolutely stunning. I would suggest anyone looking for photographers to work with them! read more

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A Tale Ahead Photography were phenomenal photographers for our wedding at Villa Montalvo this past May - Annie and David make an amazing team and helped us capture all the incredible memories of the day. We initially chose them because of the wonderful photos on their blog. They communicated with us well, from responding quickly to any emails we sent their way to accommodating some last minute shot requests from family members. A month and a half later, we received our photos and our album and loved having the chance to relive the day when looking through them. Sending many thanks their way! read more

We had an incredible experience working with David. I contacted him as I planned a surprise proposal for my partner that involved having hidden family (including our dogs) while still taking advantage of a beautiful, open coastal backdrop. From start to finish, he made the process so easy and enjoyable. I needed help choosing an ideal location, and thanks to David's detailed knowledge of the coast around Pacifica we ended up with a great spot that had almost no others around, during the perfect time of day with the sun shining bright, and our families hidden but still with a view of the proposal happening. He even had a perfect suggestion for how to orient myself and my partner during the proposal so that he could capture the best views possible. After our families came down to surprise us post-proposal, we had an amazing photoshoot. David worked so well with everyone, always making sure we all felt comfortable and looked our best. He was so easy to work with and gave good direction for the photos. He captured so many candid, heartfelt moments that we'll cherish forever. Even with the unpredictability of working with dogs he got some great shots! The final photos were beautiful and we couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. If you're looking for a talented, easy-to-work-with photographer who genuinely cares about making your experience special (and has great suggestions if you're still ironing out some proposal location details), David/A Tale Ahead is the way to go! We're so grateful to have worked with him to capture this milestone. read more

We absolutely loved working with Annie and David who took photos for both our engagement and wedding day! They were extremely responsive, attentive, and most importantly, made us feel comfortable during our shoot. Annie went above and beyond for our City Hall wedding shoot by putting in extra hours to remove a few people in the background on a photo we really loved. I shared with Annie and David that we wanted our wedding photos to capture more of our candid smiles and facial expressions and I can't be happier with the outcome! read more

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If you are in search of photography and videography services that will capture the essence and details of your special day, I cannot recommend Annie and David enough. Whenever my husband and I look back on our beautiful photos and videos from our Korean/Taiwanese DIY night market themed wedding, we realize we could not have picked a better team to capture all of our special moments and details from our memorable event. Photography was one of the most important elements that my husband and I focused on when planning our Fall 2023 wedding. Annie and David were so wonderful to work with and such a talented duo. From the start of the planning process all the way up to the event day, they were meticulous in their work and very responsive, making sure they met our expectations. They not only made sure we got all the specific shots we requested but also captured all of the other special moments during our event. Our photos from the garden, our Western wedding, the Paebaek (폐백 - Korean Tea Ceremony), and all of the details of our night market themed reception came out beautifully. They even had a few sneak peak edited photos ready within the week, which let us relive our memories as soon as possible. They also did a great job capturing our Western ceremony and the Korean Tea Ceremony on video in addition to providing us with a heartwarming highlight video. We can't thank Annie and David enough for providing us with these photos and videos so that we can revisit our special day over and over for years to come. read more

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David and Annie were perfect in accommodating and scheduling in the time to take hidden proposal photos of us in Half Moon Bay. They were perfect and timely in response leading up to the proposal date and was there earlier than anticipated. Would highly recommend! read more

David and Annie were absolutely wonderful to deal with and perfectly captured our engagement. Both of them were extremely responsive and had great ideas and suggestions to capture the big moment. As someone who is not from San Francisco, I was struggling to find a location that would be special to the both of us. David and Annie provided great suggestions and the location we ultimately decided on could not have been any better. Following the shoot, they took a different poses before allowing us to continue celebrating. They kindly provide some photos shortly after the shoot before sending over the whole catalogue. All of the photos turned out beautifully as well! I'm incredibly glad I decided to go with them and would wholeheartedly recommend them to any of my friends and family. read more

We had a truly flawless experience working with Annie and David for our wedding photos. Our initial meeting had the casual nature of a conversation so that we could get to know each other while also being thorough in terms of the overview, expectations, and options they shared with us. They went above and beyond to get to know us, including asking for our engagement photos as well as photos we loved so they could gain an accurate sense of what we wanted our wedding photos to look like. As we approached our wedding date, they asked us about lots of day-of details that we hadn't even thought about so we left well-prepared heading into our big day. And on the wedding day itself, Annie and David were magical: they were invisible at the times when we wanted to be immersed in our special day and yet they were impeccably ushering people about, giving us timely reminders, and, of course, capturing every memorable moment. And if all of this hadn't already justified the cost to work with them, once we received more than 500 edited photos, we knew without a doubt that we had made the best choice in picking A Tale Ahead. Our pictures are perfect! Thanks to Annie & David, we can relive our perfect day over and over again every time we see our pictures on the wall, on our phones, or in our albums. We couldn't be more thankful for all their hard work. read more

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My fiancé found A Tale Ahead while searching for photographers to capture our special moment when he proposed, and he was immediately impressed. From their first conversation, David was incredibly thorough and inspired a ton of confidence that the whole process would be smooth and we'd end up with photos we loved. And David and Annie definitely delivered! They worked super closely with him to plan out the proposal, build a shot list, and give him a clear run down of what to expect and what he needed to do. They made the planning and the actual day stress-free even though it rained last-minute and they almost had to change the proposal location. I didn't even notice David and Annie at first when we got to the spot where my fiancé proposed, but as soon as he got down on one knee they jumped into action. They captured every genuine reaction on our faces, smoothly and efficiently led us through a gorgeous shot list, helped us feel comfortable in front of the camera, and genuinely celebrated with us and shared in our excitement. We even got a couple sneak peek photos that night to share with our loved ones, and a whole album barely a week later. They were a pleasure to work with from start to finish, and we are so happy that we have these beautiful photos to remember everything about that moment. The rain could have really ruined the whole shoot, but we both agree that David and Annie rose to the occasion and made sure we got something truly special. Cannot recommend A Tale Ahead enough! Especially if you've never hired photographers before, go with David and Annie and you can be sure you're in good hands. read more

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David and Annie are SUPERSTARS! My husband and I have had the pleasure of working with them from Day 0 (meaning from our proposal!). They captured our civil ceremony and our wedding day. They were incredibly patient and professional throughout the process. David and Annie were also able to wrangle our trilingual family (in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese) which was a total bonus! Annie was also spectacular at helping us (two awkward people) pose in a way that was natural, photogenic, and romantic. We just got our sneak peak photos for our wedding and I literally can't stop staring at them and reliving all of our special wedding moments. They truly captured the magic and we cannot wait to see all of the photos. read more

David did an excellent job at capturing our surprise proposal at Filoli gardens. He was very easy to work with and very easy to coordinate with. He was very responsive via email and text. David had experience shooting in Filoli and he was able to provide helpful insight of which locations would be best to have our moment captured based on lighting. Working with David was entirely seamless and I felt very confident in his abilities and talent. The photos came out better than what we could have imagined and we received so many compliments on our proposal photos. Moments before I led my fiancé to the proposal spot, David blended in naturally with the surroundings and my fiancé didn't notice he was there. I can't highly recommend David as a photographer enough! read more

Annie and David are amazing photographers! They were really helpful with choosing a perfect spot for the proposal and coordinating everything. On the day of, there was a big group of tourists at the location of our proposal site, but Annie and David did an amazing job at coordinating with them so we could get a clear shot and we did! Highly recommend! read more

David and Annie were so great at capturing my fiancee and I's proposal photos. Because I didn't live in SF, David was able to help me with picking an ideal spot and let me know which times would be the best for the photos. ALL of the photos turned out great and they even sent back double the photos that we had agreed upon. Please consider them as your photographers for your special moments! read more

David & Annie captured our proposal perfectly! They were so friendly and welcoming from the get-go compared to other photographers I reached out to; I could just tell they were the right fit. They traveled over an hour to our special beach in Santa Cruz, found us right at the end of the beach, and snapped some incredible pictures of the big moments just as we had planned! Plus, they were willing to hop on a video call beforehand so I could show them the location and plan it all out... whereas other photographers said "no I don't do that" or "there's no need." David & Annie both love dogs and were more than happy to include our German Shepherd & Huskies in the shoot. We couldn't recommend these two photographers enough - book them ASAP if they have still have any room in their calendar! Cheers, K+R read more

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Hello Yelp Friends! I was looking through Yelp to find a photographer to take my engagement photos. I came across A Tale Ahead Photography and I was mesmerized by the photos! What captured me the most were the far away photos where you can see how beautiful nature is. I sent a message on their website and Annie responded quite fast! I told her I really liked how she captured the couples in her photos as well as capturing all the glory of nature! When My fiancé and I met Annie, she was so friendly and professional. She guided us on what time was the best time to take the photos and how to pose. I chose Sutro Baths, by the way! I was in love with the photos that showcased the ocean and the sky. The time spent with Annie was like spending time with a friend. She is so easy to talk to and it just felt right with her. We got our photos from her extremely fast! If you ever want your photos taken, Annie is the go to gal for you!! I would definitely ask Annie to take photos for me again. Thank you again, Annie! The photos look amazing and exactly what I wanted. You're the best!! read more

David was amazing through and through. His personal touch and attention made the experience feel truly tailored. He not only answered my million questions, but even helped me plan the proposal logistics out - e.g., he provided precise coordinates for the location, suggested the optimal time for lighting, and even accounted for possible weather changes. And the photos came out stunning!! I would highly recommend David for a professional, yet personalized experience read more

Thank you so much to Annie and David who made sure my fiancé's proposal plans could come to life. My fiancé wanted to propose on our dating anniversary, and despite needing to catch a flight soon after, they were able to accommodate for us and make sure that the proposal happened on our special day. I am so thankful to them for this and it made the proposal even more meaningful. I am amazed at the creative ideas that they had for the photos as well! We were worried about the rain, but Annie and David used the rain to their advantage and shot beautiful, kdrama-like photos! Thank you again Annie and David! I highly recommend them! read more

Me and Cecily loved working with Annie for our engagement photos! We honestly had no idea what to do for poses but Annie was so helpful in telling us how to pose and walk. The weather in SF was also really rainy but Annie was so accommodating with rescheduling our photo shoot for a better day. I would definitely recommend! read more

Had an amazing experience with Annie and David! The truly captured everything amazing moment of the proposal and then some! Looking to work with them again. They helped me every step of the way and made the process very easy for me. Highly recommend these professionals!! read more

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We were looking for a photographer for our wedding at SF city hall and we came across Annie on Yelp. She was able to accommodate us. On our wedding day she met us at city hall on time, and she really made the whole experience so fun and enjoyable, she's definitely skilled and knows what she's doing! We received our photos a few days ago and they're truly AMAZING!! Me and my wife are grateful that we got to work with Annie and we would recommend her in a heartbeat. read more

David was amazing capturing the perfect moments of my surprise proposal. He was patient and helpful with our large family being part of our proposal. We will definitely book again for our engagement photos. read more

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