I worked with Chris for my surprise proposal at Carmel/Soberanes Trail, and I truly can't say…read moreenough good things about him. From the very beginning, he was an absolute pleasure to work with. He provided clear, detailed instructions on how to reach the location and shared helpful tips--like sending him our live location and a selfie in our proposal outfits so he could easily identify us. That level of preparation made the entire experience feel seamless and stress-free. What really stood out was how thoughtfully he planned everything. He made sure the spot was free of crowds and blended in perfectly as a "nature photographer," which kept the surprise completely intact. On the day of the proposal, Chris was punctual, professional, and incredibly patient. He spent about an hour with us, capturing such beautiful, genuine moments--all with a warm and friendly attitude that made us feel comfortable throughout. He also delivered the photos promptly, and the quality exceeded our expectations. One thing I especially appreciated was his integrity. Even though his pricing had increased between the time I booked and the actual shoot, he honored the original rate without hesitation. That says a lot about his character. Overall, I would highly recommend Chris to anyone looking to capture a special moment. He played a big role in making our day unforgettable.

Chris was extremely professional and easy to work with. He help me plan an engagement photo shoot,…read moreand gave suggestions on what usually works well. He was upfront about all pricing and logistics. On the day of the shoot he was well prepared, and the shoot went off without any issue. He sent a few photos the next day, and the full set after 5 days. I am very pleased with how the photos turned out. I will cherish these photos for the rest of my life.

Diego is fantastic! We had a family wedding at our home and after a search I chose Diego for his…read morecreative photography. Leading up to the wedding Diego was easy to communicate with and made sure he understood how we wanted the photos for the special day. The wedding day was very rainy, Diego worked expertly to manage the light for great photos indoors and out. He then asked if he could come back on a sunny day to get more outdoor shots and WOW they are great photos. He is a pleasure to work with. I recommend him highly and without reservation. Thank you, Diego!

Diego was going to do the photography for our engagement and wedding. Unfortunately our wedding was…read morecanceled, but Diego was a pleasure. He was very warm, friendly, passionate and professional. His body of work is spectacular and we were so looking forward to him photographing our wedding. He took his time chatting with us. He wanted to learn about us as a couple, our story, our style, and our interests. He was very responsive, flexible and accommodating. I hope we get to work with him in the future.

Mando Marlos is passionate about his work. He provides great quality photos and is enthused on…read morebringing high quality photos to all his clients!! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a photographer to take care of their photography desires!!!!

We spoke to Mando at the Santa Cruz bridle fair at the Cocoanut Grove, where he and Ester (his…read morewife) had a nice booth set up. Both very personable and fun to talk with. We set up a time to meet with them to go over details and expectations. We decided to use them for our wedding. Everything went smooth on the big day, and we got our photos faster than we expected. We recommend choosing Mando Morlos Photography for your event.

I would whole-heartedly recommend Julie Cahill! She did an amazing job with our wedding, truly…read morecapturing the feel of the day. She was very organized and straightforward. She was comfortable getting people where they needed to be for our group shots/portraits, and was also comfortable shooing away some of the lingering family, in a sweet/funny way, of course! Julie was great with the kids and with all the little details I thought were special. She has a a great eye for the posed stuff and for the more candid life pictures I love. I am so grateful for her talent and dedication to her art! I sort of wish we could do it all over again! Thank you Julie!

Cannot say enough great things about Julie! She took our wedding photos at Folktale Winery in Nov…read more23. She helped us work through weather challenges, with pouring rain complicating our plans. She did a great job of identifying alternative options to capture photos with our guests, and then finding an opportune moment later on during the event when my husband and I could slip outside and take some photos when it was dry. I also appreciated her incorporation of candid photos along with the staged photos. We got great pictures with all of our guests, as well as pictures of all the décor and the location. She was also lovely to work with, and kept checking in to ensure we were capturing everything we wanted. Highly recommend!

I am so glad I hired Adam for my surprise proposal to my girlfriend. Living in SoCal and having…read morenever been to Monterey/Big Sur, I planned my whole proposal based on google searches, reddit threads, and word of mouth. Being a Big Sur/Monterey local, Adam provided extremely helpful insight and feedback for my proposal. He definitely helped relieve a lot of the stress during the planning phase of my proposal. On the day of the actual shoot, the day-of jitters was overwhelming at times, but Adam's energy and demeanor was very centering. He was patient and gave my new fiancee and I space to calm ourselves, and also knew when to take charge and guide us with our poses. He also had amazing and creative ideas for how to pose and brought us to local, reclusive spots to take intimate photos. Best of all, Adam always had a smile on his face and he made us really think like we were supermodels walking the runway haha. If you're going to do any photoshoot, especially a proposal or engagement shoot, in the Big Sur/Monterey area, I would highly recommend getting Adam!!

I was referred to Adam through another photographer who unfortunately could no longer capture my…read moreengagement due to a last minute date change caused by rainy weather. From the get go, Adam was incredibly personable, communicative, and had great recommendations on proposal spots and tips on how to propose. We came up with a plan to propose at a secluded cliff and a surprise picnic at the beach afterwards. Adam was more than happy to coordinate with Dreamy Events by Ev and even suggested to push the proposal a bit earlier to accommodate for driving time in order to give us one full hour for photos! Adam delivered our sneak peaks and full album photos in a timely manner. Let me tell you, the photos came out AMAZING and we are so glad to have found him!!! Adam was incredible to work with and we would 100% recommend him to anybody looking for a photographer in the Carmel/Monterrey area.

Looking for a photographer to capture your big moments, who makes you feel comfortable and beyond…read moreeasy to work with ? You have to work with Toanven Photography because you will not regret it at all and get everything you want and more!! Toan and team are the absolute very best - worked directly with Toan, Martin, Trieu, and Michael and all very professional and super easy to get along with! We used Toanven photography for our engagement photoshoot / pre wedding , church wedding ceremony at St.Jarlath Catholic Church and civil wedding at Nella terra cellars. Also used their videography services which was also really great. When looking for a photographer , we wanted to make sure that our photographer is easy going, can help guide us and has experience with our venue. I discovered Toanven photography because my best friend used their services for her wedding and after finding out Toan had lots of experience at Nella Terra we knew we had to meet him. On our first zoom call Toan was beyond welcoming and excited which made us excited. He made us laugh, made us comfortable and answered all of our questions and broke down the whole process. Before the wedding Toan helped us better plan our timeline for photos and took his time to understand what were the "must have photos". He gave us alternatives on how we can still get pictures with others and saving time. His advice on a family shot list was super helpful as well. On wedding day Toan was just the person I needed around me with all the craziness of wedding day. His personality bring calmness and he is quick to think if a photo location doesn't work well for the lighting - he found better positioning and areas for the photos the look flawless. Beyond helpful when it came to posing, how to stand , where to look and capture all the right angles. Lastly, Depending on the package you go for, you will get a set number of edits photos and our photos were so amazing it was hard to reach the number of edits we can use. That says a lot about how the quality of the photos are and how they already shine! So reach out to Toanven photography, I promise you will love every moment!

If you're looking for a photographer who really knows his craft, Toan at Toanvenphotography Studio…read moreis that guy. Came through his studio by Branham & Almaden and instantly felt like I was in good hands. Super chill, calm, and professional -- no ego, just pure passion for what he does. He's insanely dialed in with angles, lighting, and composition. The way he sets up shots and makes small adjustments shows how much detail he pays attention to. Nothing feels rushed, everything feels intentional. What really stands out is how comfortable he makes you feel in front of the camera. He gives clear direction without overdoing it, and somehow brings out your best look naturally. His eye for detail is next level -- from posture to shadows to background, he doesn't miss. You can tell he's someone who takes pride in his work and actually cares about delivering high-quality results, not just "getting the shot." The final photos came out clean, sharp, and professional -- honestly exceeded expectations. If you want someone who's skilled, patient, creative, and genuinely invested in making you look good, Toanvenphotography is it. Bay Area hidden gem for sure. Highly recommend.

We worked with Camille. She was so sweet and patient with our big family shoot. Veronica was…read moreamazing with coordination and check ins. Super fast communication and just a wonderful experience all the way around

Veronica did an amazing job with my maternity photoshoot!! I scheduled my shoot with Veronica kind…read moreof last minute and closer to my due date than I had planned. Veronica was super flexible and accommodating. She let me change the date for my shoot so we could get the perfect sunny day in Santa Cruz. The photos came out amazing and captured the sunset golden hour and beachy vibes I hoped for. Super pleased with how everything came out. Thanks so much, Veronica!!

We used Rebecca Stark for our micro ceremony and wedding reception (two seperate days). We loved…read moreour photos from both days and loved how easy it was to get along with Rebecca. She did a great job dealing with the harsh sun of our micro ceremony and helping us feel comfortable taking photos. Our sunset photos from our reception are beautiful. She was a great choice!

Rebecca photographed our recent wedding on West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz. she took stunning…read morephotographs, before, during, and after the ceremony. She made sure to get many different poses, candid and staged, and included the ocean view and cliffs that we had requested. We ended up with around 150 high quality photos, and she provided them in a gallery we could share with people, and also downloadable in hi-res for printing and sharing online. Highly recommended!

Shannon is truly incredible--just book her! From the moment I saw her breathtaking dog photography,…read morealong with her stunning landscapes and masterful use of light, I knew she was the one we wanted for our big day. She exceeded every expectation. As a one-woman powerhouse, Shannon captured every moment beautifully--and then some. Her photos are absolutely breathtaking, some of the most stunning I've ever seen. Beyond her talent, it was Shannon's energy and spirit that made the day even more special. She was kind, calm, and such a joy to be around. Everyone who met her couldn't stop raving about how fabulous she was. If you want to take the stress out of your big day, do yourself a favor and book Shannon--you won't regret it.

I was fortunate enough to have Shannon shoot for our engagement photos in Big Sur, California…read more Shannon exceeded our expectations in making our vision come to life. She was so comfortable and fun to work with. One of the best things also was how quick she was on getting the photos back to us! We were so happy with how the photos turned out and would love the opportunity to work with her again!

My husband and I got married back in October and Maria at Pink Light did such a beautiful job…read morecapturing so many amazing memories. Prior to our wedding day she was so sweet and helpful and on the day of she was very prepared, with locations and poses in mind so we didn't have to think of a single thing. It was AMAZING! You can tell Maria absolutely loves what she does, she has great energy and very talented! We are going to treasure these photos forever!!

Maria from Pink Light was so fun and easy to work with. I'm awkward in front of the camera, but…read moreMaria made it fun! She captured so many great shots. Shortly after my wedding, she sent me a little sneak peak to share with family and friends. I would absolutely work with her again. Her prices seemed on par with other photographers I looked at and friends have worked with.