My partner and I got engaged at the end of February. I had a simple proposal plan of taking her out to San Francisco's iconic Pier 7, where I would drop down on one knee and try to fool her into thinking that a lifetime with me really wouldn't be that bad. Fortunately, the delightful Duende duo of Ken and Brady were on hand to beautifully capture every single moment (not to mention from every single angle) for eternity. This alone would've been worth five stars. But what really puts Ken and Brady over the top is their professionalism and desire to go above and beyond! I had first contacted Brady back in December to discuss this surprise proposal idea. We soon met in person, signed off on a contract, and then planned out every single detail of how they would hide, where I would drop to one knee, which direction I should face, what exact time the sun would be setting, what to do in the event of an emergency (like an idiot tourist suddenly blocking line of sight), etc. Leading up to the big proposal, I was understandably a trainwreck of nerves, but absolutely none of this was due to worrying about the photographers possibly dropping the ball. But then mother nature decided to make things interesting. Even during the driest winter that we've had over the last godzillion years, it decides to dump rain on my parade. Thankfully, Ken and Brady had me prepared ahead of time with an oversized translucent umbrella, and were both willing to brave the wrath of our one-day typhoon season in order to get the perfect shot. By sheer serendipity, the rain decided to stop just before we made our way onto the pier. By even sheerer serendipity, a schmuck like me got the most amazing person to say yes. As we were walking back towards Embarcadero as an engaged couple, Ken had a brilliant idea of posing us in front of some active F-Market trolleys. The results truly speak for themselves. Finally, one little insider secret for you Yelping lovebirds. I had originally contacted a few different wedding photographers in hopes of shooting my proposal. Ken and Brady weren't just the photographers whose portfolio I most admired, but they were also the cheapest! So go and book them for your event before they come to their senses and jack up their prices. Keep in mind however that I am calling first dibs on DuendePhoto once we finalize our wedding date. read more

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A belated but very big "THANK YOU!" to Brady and Ken of Duende Photo for their extraordinary expertise and professionalism in capturing our Napa Valley wedding July 2017. If I could reach through the yelp screen and grab you by the collar I would say "you're in the best hands with Duende. Period." We searched far and wide for innovative, evocative risk takers who would snap the expressions, energy and emotions of the day more than the usual details. We wanted rebelliousness and artistry not cookie cutter standards. Duende far exceeded our expectations, were incredible collaborators and I only wish the day could have lasted longer so we could have worked with them even more. We can't recommend them highly enough. Fans for life. read more

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Ok so I read all these reviews before reaching out to Ken and was skeptical how a photographer could have 5s across the board. But now I get it - Ken is the most talented photographer I've worked with and that too with such a pleasant attitude. My fiancé and I wanted engagement photos in city hall and palace of fine arts and throughout the whole shoot we did little to no work! Ken had every pose, location and idea in mind and was also experienced with couples wearing Indian outfits. He made the process so easy and fun for us. His passion shines through in his work and the photos turned out absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much Ken - can we give you 6 stars? read more

I cannot say enough good things about Ken! I initially was planning a SF City Hall wedding in April 2020. I chose Ken because his pictures are absolutely stunning. Then, of course, covid hit. My wedding plans kept getting altered and Ken was so flexible through all of it. My husband and I ultimately ended up eloping in 2021, and in 2022 when we finally had a reception, Ken was there to still do our photos. We originally were going to shoot at Sutro Baths on a Saturday, but when we all got there the weather was NOT cooperating. Ken was quick on his feet to suggest a beautiful spot in the city that had redwoods. We then ventured to Palace of Fine arts, where we unexpectedly found an event going on that day! There were people everywhere and I must admit I was overwhelmed, but it didn't stop Ken from getting amazing shots. Ken was fun to work with and very personable. Such a relief for a couple that hates taking pictures! When our photos were done we were so pleased with the attention to detail. Definitely recommend! read more

DuendePhoto - Event Photography Near Me

My husband and I recently tied the knot on January 30 at San Francisco city hall. It was a small intimate wedding and I knew that photos were very important to us. After some researching I emailed Ken and he got back to me that very same day. Very impressive!!! Ken and I spoke before my wedding date and he made it all about us. He asked about my husband, kids, guests which made me feel that he really wanted to make sure that the day would be special for the two of us. The day of the wedding he made us feel very comfortable which I truly loved. He was very professional and knew exactly were to take us for the best pictures. My husband and I love all the pictures and we are now having such a problem deciding which ones we want to put up in our house. Thank you Ken for being there on such a special day. read more

DuendePhoto - One of many favorites. - Event Photography Near Me

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Every now and then you meet extraordinary person with a heart of gold (works with urban youth) and a true passion for their craft. Ken at Duende Photo truly loves his clients and cares deeply about every single frame that he shoots. Rarely have I met a wedding photographer that cares that much about every pixel in the frame. As a California native, Ken knows the light of the Bay Area and even scouts out the shoot location a week before at the exact time of the shoot so he knows the magic spot at the most magnificent hour! He truly is in love with his craft and his exuberance is contagious. Just look at his wedding photography. Whether it is at a winery in Livermore or a city wedding in San Francisco, Ken can capture a day in a single moment that will last forever. read more

Where to even begin??? Ken is hands down such a wonderful person in general and a phenomenal photographer! Hands down made our city hall experience wonderful! If I could do it all over again I would choose Ken again. He was just so down to earth and extremely patient with all my family that joined us on our special city hall day! Truly, cannot go wrong with Ken! read more

DuendePhoto - 12.03.14 - Event Photography Near Me

My wedding was held at Stanford University on June 21 of this year and Duende photo was the easiest decision of all my vendors to make. Besides great photography skills, I wanted my photographers to be awesome people since I was going to be spending my entire wedding day with them. It was so easy to genuinely laugh, smile, and kiss in front of the camera when I felt comfortable with them as people and the same went for my husband who is generally more shy than me (you wouldn't know it from the pictures). I could see from the very first meeting how passionate Ken and Brady are about photography. Their work starts months before the wedding to ensure that the photos aren't just generic wedding day photos but reflect the personality of the couple and the wedding party. When I told them that my husband and I met through the game of basketball and that many of the wedding party were players or coaches, they turned giddy and immediately started to plan unique photo shots incorporating basketball. I just received the photos a couple days ago and could not be happier with them. It will be a tall task to narrow them down to fit into my album. I 100% recommend Ken and Brady at Duende photo for any type of photo service and if I am ever in the Bay Area again and in need of some photography I won't hesitate to hire them again. read more

I recently hired Ken for professional photos. Not only is he a consummate photographer but he is a true artist. He made me feel really at ease and that is saying a lot for someone like me who dreads having her photo taken. The result are photos that I am proud posting on my website and all my social media platforms. Thank you Ken, it was a pleasure working with you! read more

Having a wedding in Yosemite National Park is a truly wonderful and memorable experience. But it also presents a plethora of challenges, one of which is finding a photographer who not only has a wealth of experience, creative eye, palatable personality and superior technical skills, but of equal importance knows Yosemite intimately. We feel very fortunate that we were able to find someone who met all of those criteria...the husband and wife team of Ken Mendoza and Brady Thomas of DuendePhoto (aka Yosemite Wedding Photographers). Ken and Brady have been an absolute pleasure to work with, from our first meeting with them through the post-wedding photo review/ordering stage which is where we're currently at. They produced a gorgeous collection of color and black and white images of our wedding which we absolutely love and which our family and friends cannot stop raving about. And the great thing about having two photographers is that every precious moment was captured and often from different angles, a feat the solo photographer simply can't accomplish. On the service side of things, Ken and Brady are very responsive to emails and phone messages and they always go the extra mile to make you happy (I'll always have the mental image stuck in my head of Brady lying on her side in her nice clothes on that dusty, squirrel poop covered Ahwahnee Hotel patio on that brutally hot and humid June day taking a unique photo of our decorations). We were also very grateful to Brady for providing us with her excellent "Prep List For Brides", a document she created from her own lessons learned when she was married in Yosemite and which included such useful tips as "for summer brides, apply insect repellant liberally before you get dressed". Ken and Brady's pricing is on the higher end compared to the other photographers on the Yosemite wedding vendor list, but one thing we learned after viewing the online portfolios of several wedding photographers is that you definitely get what you pay for. If you insist on allocating a meager portion of your wedding budget on a photographer you're going to get crappy photos and you'll regret your decision for the rest of your life. We'd give 'em six stars if we could. read more

My husband and I were so impressed with Brady and Ken. They are wonderful to work with, and their work is beautiful. They did both our engagement shoot, and our wedding. They were organized, and had great and beautiful ideas. They were able to capture our candid moments, and beautiful posed photos as well. They are also really enjoyable to hang out with, and cared about our desires and our life together. It was also great to have wedding photographers who were based out of the San Francisco Bay Area, where we had our wedding. I would recommend them again in a heartbeat, and will book them, if there are more shoots in our future! Thank you again Brady and Ken for making our day so special, and capturing it for forever! read more

KEN & BRADY MAKE AN AMAZING WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM! OF ALL MY WEDDING VENDORS I FELT THE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH THEM! THEY ARE DOWN TO EARTH, HONEST, AND EVER SO PATIENT! I WENT TO 3 BRIDAL SHOWS AND MET MANY PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ONCE I LAID EYES ON KEN'S WORK I WAS CONVINCED I WANTED HIM TO PHOTOGRAPH MY WEDDING! Now looking at all of our beautiful photographs I can not pick just one favorite! I love how Ken captured the natural light. He truly captured our moments in the candid yet composed style I was looking for. Our couple pictures are absolutely beautiful and love so many of them! The kids shots are adorable, my 4 yr old niece had a blast being photographed by Ken. The group shots were fun & creative- not the typical group shots one is used to seeing. Again after attending 3 bridal shows, Ken's work is truly unique! We had a large wedding party, with many kids, and summer heat, but Ken & Brady worked around it and made it fun for everyone! Most importantly, I appreciate how Ken captured all of our special moments yet really blended in and let those moments happen naturally with no interruptions from him. Thank you Ken & Brady! read more

Ken and Brady are an UNBELIEVABLE photography team. How good are they? I am writing this review and it wasn't even my wedding! I was a bridesmaid for a recent wedding in Yosemite, and I was blown away by the quality of their work. They were so professional but so fun and took such creative pics. They were there from 8:30 in the morning until 9:30 at night, working the entire time and never losing their good cheer. I highly recommend Duende Photography for any event! read more

Ken and Brady did a wonderful job for our wedding at a Livermore winery. These great wedding photographers were on time, professional, patient, and were genuinely excited to take photographs during the event. They are especially talented at taking candid shots. I love to look at the reception photos and remember that moment, how much fun we had. Their style is truly unique, and different from other photographers. read more

It is really hard to add anything to the accolades already written by others on this thread, which are all true. Perhaps I'll add that I was really nervous about having a complete stranger at our most intimate moment, mortified looking at current photography trends, and websites of photographers that friends recommended (sorry, friends). Then my friend Katie said she found Duende Photo online - one call later, I just knew Ken and Brady were IT. I really appreciated that Ken and Brady did not rush to sell themselves to us, but rather offered an honest dialogue about what wedding photography entails, and wanted to be sure that they were the right match. And boy, were they. Flexible, professional, charming people...Not only were we not nervous, but Ken even involved our nephews in playing photographers, which made it so lovely. The best part: stunning, stunning photographs. Pretty much the best photographs of me that anyone has ever taken. Super pro, timely delivery, too - and just to demonstrate what kind of people we are dealing with: a year later I ran into Ken and Brady and mentioned that I was struggling with posting some photos online - they offered to help! The tagline for this couple & company: "Photography and Beyond" read more

Ken and Brady shot our wedding in June 2012. This review is far overdue as their work was first-rate. As anyone knows, when you are organizing a wedding, you are dealing with an unbelievable amount of details and you work with numerous vendors. Ken and Brady were far and away our best vendors. Their attention to detail, professionalism, and product value were all top notch. We could not have hoped for anything better on our wedding day as far as the quality of shots we received....and we received thousands. Yes, thousands. The photos were very high in quality, artistic and unique. They actually listened to us and handled any request we had. Beyond that they used their experience to capture several unique photos that ultimately ended up being the highlight of our wedding album. From the moment we made contact with Ken and Brady (we found them through yelp), they were straight forward and professional. They aren't focused on pricing, like others seem to be, rather, they are more focused on what our needs were. They tailored a package we both felt was fair and they absolutely delivered. Phone calls and emails were always promptly returned which, unfortunately, is a step up from so many other companies these days. And, even after we signed on the dotted line, they never took our business for granted by treating us any different. Ken and Brady were true professionals from day one and still are to this day. When we were deciding on which photographers to choose for our wedding day, we realized we had a lot of needs. One issue we had was we didn't believe we had enough time to take the photos were really wanted without making our wedding guests wait around several hours for us. Utilizing their "day after" shoot was genius. It allowed us to relax (as much as we could during our wedding) on our wedding day and just enjoy ourselves. The following Monday when we did our day after shoot, we had a blast. We probably ended up going on several hours longer than they had anticipated but you would never had known it from them. They were game to go wherever we were. I'd argue we have gotten more compliments from those pictures than the ones from our wedding! Truly amazing. Ken and Brady are the best and I would recommend them to anyone. read more

Ken and Brady were the wedding photographers for my friend's wedding in San Francisco. Wedding day started at 630am for the bride and 730am for the wedding party after a late night of rehearsing and preparing. The hair and make-up people were late and just about everyone else, except Ken and Brady. By the time they arrived, the atmosphere was tense. Everyone was tired and the bride was stressed out. She was giving instructions to people, keeping tabs on everyone and everything, and getting her hair and make-up done. Ken and Brady calmly walked in, warmly greeted everyone like they were part of the family celebrating this very special occasion together, found space to put their stuff down, and started working without fuss or extra instruction. True professionals! Prior to the ceremony, we went on a city tour taking pictures at major San Francisco landmarks. Ken and Brady knew and understood the scenery and light that would make memorable, beautiful pictures. It was a lot of fun. My friend felt like a celebrity with an entourage and everyone on streets were congratulating her. When the pictures are ready, they send a link to all the pictures with a password to the bride and groom so that they can send it out to their family and friends to access. An easy and convenient way to share the day with everyone. These two are a delight to work with! read more

Ken & Brady are a unique photography couple because they are committed to making the entire wedding experience fun and the special day it should be. They have a wonderful sense of what works and bring a calming presence to all the hectic activities which can be a part any wedding. Technically, they are superb protographers. Just a quick glance thru their portfolio shows that they are real pros. A place like Yosemite begs for a lot of beautiful color photography and they don't disappoint but, for me anyway, some of their finest work is in black & white. While they are always on the lookout for new technology to improve their images, Ken and Brady never lose sight of the fact that making the day special for the wedding couple is the greatest service they can provide. Their images are like getting an eye massage, with unusual combinations of light, angle, and composition. A nice example of their unconventional approach is an image that Ken took for the Tuolumne River Trust non-profit. He really wanted to convey a sense of the beauty of the stream, so he jumped right in and took an image of a gorgeous waterfall from the perspective of a trout! ... about six inches above the waterline. The Tuolumne River Trust selected this image as the cover for their 2011 outreach campaign. read more

Had family portraits taken by Duende Photo. I cannot wait to have another session with Brady and Ken. They are friendly, funny, fun and professionals. Made my kids feel very comfortable while the session was going on and we all had a blast! They are #1 at what they do and I HIGHLY recommend their services to any one who is looking for PERFECT portraits for any type of event. Once you use them you will want to use them over and over and over... read more

Brady and Ken are amazing wedding photographers! When we began looking for photographers for our wedding in Yosemite last September, we had several criteria - on the top of the list was to have fabulous photos that would be a true reflection of our experience and the beauty of Yosemite. I've always felt a strong connection to Yosemite, as my grandfather's family founded Camp Curry (Curry Village), and I spent a lot of time in the park as a youngster. We wanted to makes sure we chose photographers who really knew Yosemite and would portray it best. The photos Ken and Brady took of us around Yosemite Valley and during our ceremony and reception are really spectacular, so we definitely made the right choice! After my first conversations with Brady and Ken, I could tell that they really cared about their craft. They are consumate professionals, yet very approachable and flexible. We knew we were in good hands when they picked us up from the Ahwahnee and drove us all over the valley for our protraits. They have scouted out all the best spots to capture the raw beauty of the place. Ken and Brady are a great team, and none of the other photographers we looked at came close to offering the value that we got from Brady and Ken. It's a huge benefit to have two photographers because they each catch different angles and you get almost double the number of shots. Also, Brady would sometimes provide logistical support, such as positioning light reflectors to make the most of the natural light. That wouldn't be easy with just one photographer. The two of them were there with us for several hours, starting in theh early afternoon to do our couple's shots and staying through to the end of the reception, and yet they charged a very fair price. Nor did they charge extra for their travel and accommodations, as some photographers quoted us. The are committed professionals with a very honorable work ethic and reasonable pricing. They also provided great service as far as the editing, posting and printing. They showed us some samples of unsual finishes for large-format enlargements for when we are ready to do something more artistic with our favorite shots. It has truly been an enjoyable experience working with Brady and Ken, as they are lovely people who really put their heart and soul into their work. We are thrilled with the beautiful images that will help us to preserve our memories of that special day. read more

My wife and I got married in September in Emeryville and Ken and Brady were our wedding photographers. They made our wedding so special and wonderful, no words can describe their professionalism, and their ability to make the day more magical than it already was. Let me start from the beginning to be able to accurately describe their level of service. During the initial consultation we sat down with both Ken and Brady. They asked us all about the details of the wedding. Brady even seemed like a wedding planner. She answered our questions about the day, helped refer us to florists, and other necessary vendors. We then saw sample photographs, and albums. All of their photos were beautiful. They then explained their packages. The thing that surprised me the most was that they said they would visit the spot before the wedding so that they could pick out good places for photos, and get a good idea of the location. I really felt like they cared about the quality of their photos and making sure the day ran smoothly. Between the consultation and wedding both were very available if I had any questions or concerns. The wedding day was wonderful. They were with my wife in the morning and shot photos of her getting ready. I really enjoyed these photos because I didn't get to see or experience that part of the day. They took wonderful candid photos of my wife getting ready as well as her family and friends. Ken and Brady then drove over to take pictures of me and my wedding party. During the ceremony they arrived early to get photos of the wedding party, as well as the ambiance. They took many photos during the ceremony and caught every aspect of that part of the wedding. After the ceremony the group photos were next. They had already picked out a spot that had the perfect lighting and was able to maneuver my big family around in order to take great group photos. After the group shots were the couple shots. This was one of my most memorable parts of the day. This is when I actually felt I got to spend time with my wife, have a little alone time with her, and also have some fun. Ken and Brady made this part feel like we were celebrities. They told us what to do to have natural fun looking photos. They had previously scoped out spots that would be nice for couple photos instead of just improvising and saying "oh lets walk over here and see if its nice". The reception photos were fantastic as well. They captured a lot of emotion, and different people in our wedding party. We got to see people's expressions during the night. The photos of the first dance were great, the cake, the decorations, everything. Ken and Brady didn't leave until the wedding was over which was around 10-10:30pm. They truly made the experience for my wife and I a wonderful one. They also made the day go more smoothly, and made us have a good time amongst all the stress of the day. I would highly recommend Ken and Brady to anyone looking for any type of photography. The photos are amazing and the natural lighting really enhances everything. But above all, their passion, dedication to client service, and treating the wedding day and photos as if it were their own wedding. This takes a certain couple with a lot of talent. Thanks Ken and Brady!! read more

My fiance and I were on the fence about hiring a photographer for our city hall civil ceremony since we were eloping in Bali but we decided to several weeks before the date. We ended up chosing Ken because he is reasonable priced and we loved his portfolio. Ken made us feel really comfortable during the photo shoot and he captured great moments. He really enjoys what he does and it reflects in his work! He has done a few shoots at city hall so he knew where the most picturesque backdrops were. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE the way my wedding photographs came out and I am so delighted that I can look back at it years from now! Our expectations were far exceeded and made our special day even more memorable! read more

DuendePhoto was one of the best experiences of our wedding day. With so much going on, I don't think I'll ever forget the care and love that Brady, Ken, and Anne provided for us on our big day. Something really important to note is that they spend a lot of time in aspects outside of snapping the shot with their camera. So much planning and care goes into every little placement of our hands, angles of our feet, tilt of our face, how much of a smile, how our are shoulders postured, etc. This care and level of attention to detail should be pointed out because it sets this team apart from other photographers. Before each shot, Ken, Brady, and Anne were very specific and knowledgeable of how to set us up. I don't recall any shot being taken without one of them personally coming up to us and adjusting our clothes, hair, veil, feet, hand, face, etc. I appreciated this because I'm not a model and being guided made me feel more at ease that these shots will be solid. Editing, lighting, and posing was so specific that when we got our photos back, I truly believe this resulted in a higher percentage of flawless shots. Photography is such an important part of capturing the finest moments on such a special day that we knew we wanted to have absolutely no regrets in this area. While we can't compare against other photographers, I can only compare my reaction to my friends and family. My husband and I constantly receive comments and compliments on our photos from people who did not even attend our wedding but saw the photos through social media. Our wedding coordinator approached us afterward and commended us on how hard working and professional our photographers were. The vendor for our photobooth told us beforehand that he had been at an event with our photographers before and advised that we had done a great job on photographer selection. So much validation was given to us not just from our own point of view. Their portfolio and award winning reputation speaks for itself in how artistic and breath taking the photos will be, but combine that with their genuine and sincere personalities and you are in the best hands. read more

It was a challenge for me as the mother of bride to find out how to post a review on Yelp. Here I am! I did just because I would like to share the great experience I had with this talented couple before and during my daughter's wedding.    If you are looking for a great destination wedding photographers, in or even outside of the California, they are the one.  I cannot tell enough how professional, organized and patience they were pre and during the wedding, yet very fun, friendly and joyful to work with. The respectful relation between Ken and Brady was a plus. What made their work so invaluable and unique was not only the amount of time they spent working on their project, but also the ability of catching the moments.                                                                            They invited bride and groom prior to the wedding to get to know them better; they visited the wedding location to find out the beautiful and secretive corners and managing the time frame for different sets of pictures.   I have not seen the final pictures yet (will come back for further feedback), but am sure, my daughter and son in law, Ritz Carlton,, and myself will be very grateful of this couples' hard work. Thank you  M.Tayarani read more

If you want the BEST San Francisco Bay Area Wedding Photographers and the most creative photos, you must work with Ken Mendoza and his wife Brady Thomas at Duende Photo! Their work is amazing and filled with passion and LOVE. Brady is very detailed about putting together just the right look and was so kind and thoughtful when setting up the group shots. My husband and I are extremely happy with our San Francisco City Hall wedding photos. We found Duende Photos by searching Yelp and loved their reviews and online photos. They will work so hard to capture the most important moments. We are very happy with our photos and it is difficult to select which ones for our album with so many wonderful choices. All in all, we have nothing but great things to say about Ken and Brady and would highly recommend them to all of our friends and family! Thank you so much for making our special day even more special! Suzanne and Greg read more

Attracting clients from across the globe, these award-winning wedding photographers not only offer photography, but the husband and wife team also provide HD video with their wedding packages. It's nice to find such talent with people who are so friendly and relaxed. I could tell while watching them photograph a wedding in Yosemite that they were completely in their element. I would without a doubt recommend Ken and Brady. read more

Ken & Brady are a unique husband and wife photography team specializing in outdoor weddings held in the San Francisco Bay Area as including Napa and Yosemite. They both have exceptional eyes and calm/friendly personalities. Ken & Brady do not use associate photographers so you will always work with one or both of them personally. Hire them and you will love the results. PS: Ken is not only a wedding photographer but also shoots business and family portraiture. A friend of mine hired him to shoot a portrait for a dating site and the results were stunning: photographically and socially! read more

The SF Bay Area not only has a dazzling wedding photographer in Ken Mendoza and Duende Photography, but an outstanding videographer. This was my first promotional video and I was very nervous. From finding the right venue to having his partner Brady finding the right clothes, every step of the way was easy. No matter how many times we had to shoot the material, Ken was always patient, always letting the creative process take the lead, always finding new ways to come at the shoot. Finally, the perfect take, and a great video. This guy is not only very talented, but one of the most generous men I have ever met. read more

Ken and Brady are an amazing photography team. From the moment we had our first meeting we knew that they were perfect to shoot our wedding in Yosemite. They came to our house for their first meeting and we were blown away by the details that they new of the valley, the lights the timefo day, and the intricacy of shooting the wedding day that we had never even thought of. They truly compliment each other in both style and eye with photographs. They listened intently to what we wanted and helped us to figure out what would be possible. Towards our big day we had a bit of shift in schedule and they rolled with the changes beautifully. They were with us the entire day and handled the lengthy day with grace and endless energy. On our big day, They took us to some amazing spots and obtained the most unforgettable shots. The two hour valley floor tour before the wedding gaveRrandy and I the time to get comfortable with the cameras and spend some truly romantic time together ego the wedding, in a place we love all while getting incredible shots of our day. We also loved that Ken and Brady we married there too and that helped us feel even more connected to them on our day and able to relax a bit more knowing that we're were in experienced hands from every level of the wedding day events. I couldn't recommend that more for your wedding or special event, you will have more amazing photos to choose from the you could every imagine. read more

The photography of Duende Photo is quite beautiful. I have seen many examples of Ken Mendoza's { owner} portfolio; weddings, family gatherings, and nature still lifes. His style is romantic, relaxed and full of brillant colors. His photos evoke and capture very sweet and endearing emotions. One of Duende Photo's focus and specialities is wedding photography in Yosemite National Park and winery weddings [ Napa and Livermore] in a gorgeous, romantic and natural settings. Weddings in a gorgeous , romantic and natural setting. Who would not want that! I highly recommend Ken Mendoza as a professional photographer. Pat O'Neill read more

Brady and Ken were everything we could have hoped for in wedding photographers! On our wedding day, we were able to structure a full day with them that let us get some great shots all over Yosemite. Brady and Ken were also a pleasure to spend our special day with. They were easy to get along with, easy to talk to and willing to give and take suggestions. They really took the time to put help put together a personal and absolutely stunning set of photographs from our wedding. Finally, they even suggested a guide for us in Costa Rica, who helped make our honeymoon great. We couldn't recommend Brady and Ken more highly!! read more

My fiance and I were married last week in SF city hall and used Ken as our photographer. He was amazing. Not only was he professional but very helpful with the entire process. We couldn't have chosen a better photographer. It was truly a great experience and if you are looking for truly great artistic photos then I highly recommend Ken and Duende photo. We are so happy with the finished product. Awesome work!!! read more

This review is criminally late, but I have to write about our wonderful experience with Ken & Brady. We hired them as our wedding photographers back in September 2012 and we've had nothing but pleasant, informative interactions with them from start to finish. Ken & Brady had scheduled our first meeting near our area in Fremont and we were very impressed with their photography style, price point, and with them as individuals. We truly felt that they were a great match for us and for what we wanted in wedding photographers. I mainly dealt with Brady during the time leading up to our wedding and she always answered my emails right away and came up with great ideas whenever I had questions for her. On the day of our wedding, Ken and Brady were just perfect. They meant business, but they were still great about trying to keep us relaxed and capturing the moments and details that we had requested them to shoot without making themselves obvious. Brady is a such a master at posing and Ken really worked hard to capture the best shots with the right lighting. They were there the whole day from even before I started my hair and make-up until we left the wedding venue. We had such a great experience with them because they knew what they were doing and they're just great people. One really cute instance that touched my heart was when I saw my nieces fighting during the open dance at the reception and one of them lost her shoe. She was crying and looked for someone to help her put it back on and Ken stopped taking pictures and ran to help her. That was just too cute and really showed me how great they are as people, because if it were me, I would've kept on shooting to capture the moment! :P Their prices are very reasonable, especially when you see the high quality of their photographs and when you experience their knowledge and expertise. They also accept installment payments which were a great help to us, especially with all of the other wedding expenses. When we received our wedding album, I literally cried because it was so beautiful. Again, Ken and Brady captured every moment of our wedding. The album told the story of our wedding perfectly and they captured such great candid moments of our friends and family. We were very impressed with the final outcome and will treasure our album forever! I would highly recommend Ken and Brady if you are looking for a wedding photographer or if you need someone to capture any significant event. They have a beautiful photography style and their prices are very reasonable for the quality of pictures that you end up getting. And overall, they are just great people to work with. I can't say enough good things about them and if you're looking for a professional photographer, you can't go wrong with Duende Photo!!! read more

My husband and I used Duende Photography for our wedding in November of 2011. WE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN HAPPIER WITH THE SERVICE AND THE PHOTOS!!!! Ken and Brady are AMAZING to work with! They really make you feel extremely comfortable on an already emotional day. Their organization and calm mannerisms helped to keep things running smoothly and maintained a casual feel while still capturing all of the family, friends, and moments that we wanted on film. They added a positive note to the day and became a highlight of our wedding, not just a side note. Their photography is indeed a form of fine art, not just your average photographs. They really strive to make each individual shot as interesting as it could possibly be by using various lenses. angles, lighting, etc. Our photos truly tell the story of our wedding (the entire day) and, at the same time, look as if they could be placed in a gallery show. We absolutely LOVE the photographs that we received from Duende and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone who is looking for a professional photography service. Another reason that Duende surpasses so many of the other photography options that you have is the fact that they DO NOT work on an hourly schedule. When researching photography options so many of them charged you by the hour and if you wanted a second photographer that was also an additional cost. Ken and Brady work as a team, and start the day with you as early as you want and stay until the last guest leaves. This makes a huge difference in the photographs that you receive! By having two photographers you get different angles of the same event, and while one of them focuses on the events themselves, the other can be capturing the reactions of your guests. It is also so important to not have to be confined to an hourly schedule, as weddings do not always run on the timeline that you anticipate. With Ken and Brady you do not have to worry about missing any important highlights of your wedding because your photographer was only scheduled for so many hours. In a nut shell, THEY ROCK!!! You are doing yourself a favor by hiring them :) read more

Brady and Ken were a delight to work with and their photos were beautiful and captured many special moments! My husband and I were married at Fort Mason in September, so the photographers had to juggle the outdoor lighting changes with the moving cloud cover and the various rooms indoors. They were very professional and knew how to handle a large crowd of 130 people including several hyperactive ring bearers, lol. Brady and Ken are very devoted to their photography as a profession and art! read more

Terrific pictures and amazing experience working with Ken. Our wedding in November 2016 was held at the San Francisco City Hall and Ken knows the venue well. He was extremely helpful in guiding us through the process and in addition has a great sense of artistry in posing both ourselves and the wedding party. His spontaneity and creativity made for some brilliant shots and provided a sense of fun as well. Very reasonably priced too! read more

Duende Photo sets itself apart from other photographers and especially wedding photographers. Ken Mendoza is an artist when it comes to natural light, naturals spaces and natural looking people. his photographs of newly-weds in Yosemite or in the Marin headlands are both breathtaking in their beauty as well as awesome in their apparent simplicity. I say 'apparent' because their is nothing simple about ken's approach to natural light and the way he works with people. the subjects in the photographs are smiling naturally, conversing with each other and do not have that stiff, posed, cold look that is so common in other wedding photography. If you are getting married or if you wish simply to have some fantastic shots of your family taken by someone who not only understands the skills needed to take the picture but is also deeply familiar with the techniques necessary to finish the photograph and present it, right through to the myriad of different substrates that Ken can recommend depending on the photos themselves to really bring out the best in each shot, then, give DuendePhoto a shot - you will be thrilled with the outcome. Really! read more

Even if you aren't getting married I recommend Duende for business, bday, portraits, etc. They take pictures outdoors in natural light which captures a subject near nature. Part of photos turning out is being comfortable with the person behind the camera. Ken certainly knows his stuff and took great shots in a short time! read more

Ken Mendoza at Duende Photo is an artist! I recently viewed Ken's sample wedding albums and videos. I was so impressed with the quality of the artistry and the finished products I am thinking about getting married again. ;) I definitely will use Ken for my business website video. He's got clever, attention-getting ideas, and a great finished product. I highly recommend Ken and Duende not only for weddings but for any party event. His prices are reasonable and he's great fun to work with. read more

We haven't even seen the final photographs from our San Francisco wedding in the Presidio and already we have no hesitation in giving Ken a 5-star review. In looking for a wedding photographer, I fell in love with Duende Photo's portfolio and even though I was on a pretty serious budget, we were able to work out a custom deal based off the "city hall" package. This company and Ken were a pleasure to work with, put me and fiancé immediately at ease and really went above and beyond with their time and services. I can't wait to get our finished photos and have no doubt they will be amazing! Super talented. You won't regret hiring DuendePhoto! read more