Aibek was so wonderful for our photo session last weekend - I took a chance on what seemed like…read moretoo-good-to-be-true pricing, but he delivered! Professional, quality equipment, and fantastic service. My daughter turned one today and we got our photos back in 5 days flat, just in time for me to incorporate some of his beautiful work into our baby's slideshow for her party tomorrow. Highly recommended to anyone for family photography. He was happy to let us call "the shots" (so to speak) as to particular locations we wanted to shoot at, or ideas that we had to begin with (poses, backgrounds, etc.). However, he also suggested some ideas without being at all pushy. A true professional.

After an exhaustive search on the internet for a wedding photographer, and tiring quickly of the…read morecookie-cutter posed and staged images I found, somehow I landed at the website for Aibek Akmat Photography. I LIKE TO THINK MY GOOD FORTUNE WAS NO ACCIDENT! I was easily drawn into the artistry of the portfolio I found there. With a background in art and design, I admit I am harder to impress than some. But I instantly recognized something special about his images...rich jewel tones, dynamic images that seemed three dimensional as though you could step into the photograph in real time; with interesting textures and beautiful quality of light. I also recognized a casual spontaneity in his portrait images; subjects captured in a natural and relaxed spirit by an unobtrusive observer. While there were no actual images of weddings on the website, the work I discovered by Aibek was appealing in its depth and sensitivity and it prompted me to contact him. It was a wise decision. With less than a month to schedule a photographer before our wedding, Aibek agreed to do the job, and with a leap of faith I felt confident that the decision was the right one. We engaged Aibek for 4 hours on the day of our wedding and for photographs at two locations; the church where the ceremony took place and then following at the restaurant across the city in Georgetown. Despite pouring rain, and the consequent lighting challenges that the weather presented, he was not only patient, but accommodating and generous. Aibek DELIVERED! Our photographs came to us in zip files and on CD less than one week after the wedding ceremony.The images he captured are "brilliant, magnificent" (to quote the minister of the spectacular National City Christian Church who has seen the interior architecture images); the photographs are rich in detail, artful in composition, delightful in capturing precious moments and shared memories of the happiest day of my life. Thank you for caring so much about our wedding photographs, Aibek...for your professionalism, your artistry, and your unerring eye for capturing a moment in time. As a footnote which will make a difference for many, I would like to add that I disclosed upfront to Aibek that my partner of 30 years and I (both male) were being married in our home church; a Christian marriage with full recognition, legally and spiritually. I gave him the opportunity to decline and he not only accepted us unconditionally, but embraced us in a caring and gentle manner. But,THAT is a consequence of choosing not just a great photographer, but a kind, caring and enlightened human being. I should also add that his photography service was the best value of all the expenses we incurred for our wedding!

He is a Great person, he took amazing pictures, he's friendly, he's was on time and he does his job…read moreprofessionally and perfectly.

I can't stop looking at my photos!…read more I had such a great experience working with John Bartenhagen! He shot my wedding and my photos are fantastic! I loved that John was so responsive each time I reached out! Not only would he respond right back but many times if my questions were complicated he would ask to schedule a FaceTime so we could work out the details! Once you connect with John, he sets up a virtual meeting to make sure that you understand all he provides and his style of photos will meet your needs. He listens and plans all the details so you know exactly what to expect. He has an automated contract and payment service that makes both processes one-click simple. John also includes a engagement sitting with his service so you will have great "Save the Dates." John will prompt you for all the details at just the right time which takes the worry off you. He will discuss all the shots you want to capture and who you want more or less ;) pictures of. We did a walk through the week before at our wedding site and John's creative eye identified so many great photo opportunities, I knew I was going to have some really great shots and it got me so excited. At the "first look" I was pretty impressed when I saw John had a photo checklist tool on his phone to make sure every shot was captured. During the wedding/reception John was there to capture every shot and he did it in such a way that you never noticed him or the lighting stands. One of the best reasons to select John as your photographer is that within a couple of weeks (quicker than most) he delivers your print ready photos to his site and you can download them all in minutes. There are no additional charges to to download and share them with your guests or you can print them yourself! Although I can't say enough about John being the best choice for your wedding photographer and that he will be so easy to work with and deliver incredible photos. I will highlight that John is one of the nicest and "good hearted"people I have worked with. He is such a kind and caring person... it was a true delight to meet John. I'm so pleased that I will have such great memories of working with him each time I look at our photos!

Best photographer out there! He puts time and care into every shot! John went above and beyond to…read moreaccommodated us.

Red is one of the best photographers in the biz!!! Takes incredible photos and pieces them together…read moreclean and smooth !!! Go to photographer n the city !

Michael is a fantastic wedding photographer. He is a freelance photographer for some of the most…read morerespected newspaper publications in the country, including the NY Times and the Washington Post. We found Michael through Jay Premack, another great photographer and friend of my brother's. We were looking for a photojournalistic touch that would capture the feel and mood of our wedding day. He was unobtrusive and professional. Michael produces exceptional work and is not outrageously expensive. The only downside with Michael is that, even though he photographs lots of weddings, and does so very well, he is completely non-directive. For the few portrait and posed shots we wanted, he was unable to tell us where to stand or what looked good, for example. His strength is definitely in capturing special and profound moments as they unfold. So, when deciding to use him, have in mind what you want in terms of posed shots. Also, he did not obtain a license to photograph professionally on the Mall (which is required), and failed tell us that he had not been able to do so until the day of our wedding, so we ended up having to go elsewhere on very short notice. Thanks to our videographer, Tom Bowen, who we also highly recommend, we were able to find a perfect alternative that captured the city and did not require a license. That said, when we received our CDs with over 1000 photos in November (just 2 months later), we were taken aback by how beautifully he had captured the day. Our wedding photographs looked like they belonged in a magazine spread! They were natural and untouched. Those few things that had bothered us became completely insignificant. We got more than we had expected and would absolutely hire him again.

Hire Michael. Easy. You are faced with many decisions when planning an event (wedding or…read moreotherwise). Hiring Michael is a decision you will look back as one of the better choices you made. Quality of work: Superb. Michael's background as a news photographer provides him with an eye many event photographers do not seem to have. His photos look like those taken during an actual event, not a staged photo-spread and captures moments you did not even realize happened. Cost: We reviewed service packages of many photographers for our wedding and Michael's was the best. For the quality of work, number of photographs, and material (proofs, cds) he provides it is money well spent. Michael: He is a really nice guy, and someone you will have trouble having around on such an important day.

Where do I even start. Justin was AMAZING. Photography was one of the most important parts to me…read morewhen it came to our wedding and Justin more than delivered. He was so communicative prior to our day and each communication we had with him was so easy going, kind, and fun. On the actual day, he came early and stayed late. He captured around 2,500 images if I'm not mistaken. We got a preview within a couple days, and all of our pictures with 2.5 weeks. Looking through our pictures they are absolutely beautiful. He has a real talent for integrating the backdrop (nature and/or architecture) into the image in stunning ways. For me and my dad we tend to feel nervous in front of the camera, but Justin has a way of making you feel at ease and the photos I got with my dad are the best ones I have ever gotten. He's non-judgemental, if there are specific photos you want or something you don't want he will listen and make you feel understood. Multiple guests have told us since our wedding that they absolutely loved him. If you can be sure of one thing it's to hire Justin!

I looked through so many photographers' websites. Justin's artistic, and creative style is what…read morecaught my attention. After sending out an inquiry, Justin responded in a very timely manner and soon after we set up a time to meet up. At the meeting, Justin brought some of his previous work, and we had a chance to ask him a ton of questions. He was laid back, yet professional. Justin explained his pricing set up. My husband and I felt so comfortable with him, and loved all that he showed us. We asked him on the spot if he could do our wedding. A few months later we set up an engagement session. Justin's engagement sessions are not included in the wedding packages but we felt that it would be a good opportunity to get comfortable with him. And, it was worth it. Justin was very good at giving us instructions when we needed it. The way he poses you look so natural. Every time we looked through the engagement photos we fell more in love with them. We ended up using it for everything up to the wedding: save the date, registry, rehearsal dinner invitation... One of the great perks with Justin, is that he gives you full digital rights. He posts everything to a secured online gallery, and sends you a very cool usb drive with the photos. Leading up to the wedding, I coordinated with Justin the day of schedule, and he provided his input on when was the best time for certain photos and how much time to allot. On the day of the wedding, we had Justin jumping around to so many locations, and he was at each location on time. Throughout the day, Justin helped us with whatever we needed. We had the family members who think they are photographers and were constantly in the way but Justin was such a good sport in working with them. He even managed to capture photos without them in frame. Even though I did not notice him throughout the ceremony and wedding, he captured all the important moments. He processed the photos so quickly after the wedding. The photos are beautiful, and timeless.

Videography is something that needs to be viewed as important as (if not more than) photography; if…read morepictures say a thousand words, then videos say that in a multiple of 100. My wife and I searched high and low for a vendor to complement our photographer and capture our May 2007 wedding. We found expensive ones with a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles and then we found John Rose. Our first meeting was in a MD chain restaurant. He reminded me of a car salesman who was learning the ropes. He was nervous and he was just starting his own business. However he brought a mini dvd player and showed us a sample dvd of his past weddings. He offered more affordable packages and a greater sense of photojournalism. My wife and I shopped around and thought that the other vendors did not fit our budget or style. We took a gamble on our man. I enjoyed working with him before, during and after the ceremony and reception. I don't remember saying more than 4 words to him and his team the entire night; he and the equipment were incognito. He also worked well with our photographer (sometimes vendors can "fight" for better shots). Our final product, received within 2.5 months, is a work of art, from the DVD case design to the chapter menus and footage. It's like watching a movie (not just Uncle Bob's raw footage). Although he is located in MD and serves primarily MD, DC and VA, he is willing to travel for a nominal fee. I would be willing to answer questions (PM me) and vouch for him. John Rose will also provide other references of past customers. I definitely recommend him. Thank God we found him. IFHTP 1

Looking for a videographer? He's the best! Visit his website or other social media sites and take a…read morelook at his work. He did my wedding and my twin sisters. Can't wait to see it soon. Johnny is creative, quick, and super easy to work with! He's a 10!!!!

Richard is an awesome photographer and really visualizes the photo before taking it. He makes photo…read moreshoots feel very natural and comfortable which shows he's good at what he does. There was no issue receiving the photos an appropriate length after the shoot and I was far more than pleased with the outcome. My portraits were great quality and lined up with his bright style that you see on his website/facebook. At the end of the day, it was a great experience and I would recommend.