Jolly Snapper Photo Studio deserves more than 5 stars. I wanted to have some maternity photos, the type with dramatic lighting that I would see in magazines, and a friend recommended Joe. I am glad I went with him because the results were simply amazing! His photos are definitely among the very best images that I have! We initially set up the shoot in his Astoria studio. He explained to me that this allowed him to have full control over the lighting and backgrounds- which created the dramactic effect on the photos. We also took some pictures outdoors in a nearby park per Joe's suggestions. The photos he took allowed him to use varied and interesting backgrounds. I like having my pictures taken and from experience, it takes some real skill to make me feel relaxed, especially during a photo shoot inside a studio. Given that Joe is a very humorous person, it was fairly easy and quick for me to start feeling relaxed in front of the camera. read more

I have known The Jolly Snapper for several years now, and his work in the community has been one of the best I've ever seen. He has an eye for capturing those moments we can cherish forever, and those that we oftentimes miss. Tasteful, professional, crisp and clear, his photographs are full of life and color. I have been fortunate enough to have him take pictures of my son's baptism as well as the book launch of Miguel Syjuco, the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize winner. Here are some pictures from the event: http://www.jollysnapper.com/Events/Ilustrado-An-Evening-with/18475402_Rc5ZqN#1425461836_W63sbmx Extremely dependable, experienced, easy to work with, and humorous, the Jolly Snapper is highly recommended for those looking for a professional photographer for their events. read more

Nothing but praises for Jolly Snapper. I first saw his work after he covered a charity concert I went to. We also saw he covered a friend's wedding and decided to hire Joe for our engagement photoshoot. He captured the essence and emotions of the events he covered so much that I can almost say the pictures came to life, so he was the only logical choice. I can say a lot of things about the quality of his work but I'll let his portfolio do the talking. As for professionalism he arrived at our meeting place earlier than agreed time so he could set up and do some test shots (Central Park). He listened to the look and theme that we wanted and he came up wiht a plan listing the poses and specific locations that definitely captured what we wanted. Though my husband and I were nervous as it was our first photo shoot, Joe made us feel at ease by guiding us and inserting levity through his jokes and banter (hence the moniker Jolly Snapper perhaps)? I think it's really important to be comfortable with your photographer because the photos will look natural instead of staged and awkward. Too bad we didn't get him as our wedding photographer. He was already booked! read more

As an event planner, I have coordinated numerous weddings and have worked with various photographers. The Jolly Snapper is one of the few photographers who I really enjoy working with and when he covers my events, I am confident that my clients would be happy with their photos. His approach to capturing those important moments that need to be photographed shows that he's considerate to the guests while doing his work. Unlike many photographers who would intrude on the views of the guests by standing in the front to take photos of precious moments such as the exchange of wedding rings, the first kiss of newlyweds, the best man's nervous speech, or that beautiful first dance, the Jolly Snapper understands that the guests have the right to see those special moments and not the back of his head. To capture those once in a lifetime shots, he prepares himself in the proper position without being noticed and that is just one of the skills that makes him more professional than others. He certainly knows how to cover an event thoroughly while shooting awesome perspectives and intricate details that most eyes fail to see. Low lighting is one of the biggest challenges for photographers but it is clear that the Jolly Snapper understands how to take photographs in low light situations without flashing away the beauty and ambiance of the event. In addition to his excellent technical skills, he has a great personality to work with. It is a delight to work with someone who can make you laugh and still be professional. That is what you would expect from the Jolly Snapper. ted read more

So... The Snapper has talent. The Snapper has a studio. The Snapper can travel to surrounding areas of NYC. The Snapper can make the ordinary extra ordinary in pictures. The Snapper can say jokes and make you smile while capturing the moment(s). The Snapper can do weddings, parties, all sorts of events (although we got him for a wedding). And... The Snapper can make people like me who dont to write reviews make one. I hope you see this Mr. Jolly Snapper. I will definitely recommend you to friends, family and coworkers. Keep it up!! read more

After doing a thorough search for a wedding photographer who was within our budget (2012-2013 was a tough time for our career), my fiance and I decided to go with the Jolly Snapper Photo Studio. Before we made a full commitment, we had him shoot our engagement photos to see if we were comfortable with his style. Not only were we impressed with the results of our engagement photos, we absolutely loved his personal approach to his craft. He knew exactly how to keep us relaxed and giggling while shooting us with his huge cameras and equipment. With the rate he was offering for our wedding, it was an easy decision for us to make. Our wedding photos turned out to be spectacular and my husband and I are so happy with them. Some of my family members have even requested for a copy of their personal photos from the wedding. My two sisters who spent so much more on their wedding photographers showed some regrets on what they spent on their own wedding photos after I told them about the deal I paid. They both actually said that my pictures looked so much more beautiful than theirs and I knew it was tough for them to give a compliment like that to me. Going with the Jolly Snapper was the best decision we made in our wedding planning. One of the many advice he shared with us to save on our expenses was to skip on the wedding album for now and buy the album when we are more financially stable. That would allow our bank accounts to regrow while giving us plenty of time to think about and choose from the tons of photos he provided to us from the wedding. If you're searching for wedding or event photographer and you have other expenses to worry about, the Jolly Snapper is a wise option to go with. He is pretty good at keeping you happy. read more

The Jolly Snapper and his crew photographed my wedding five years ago and I was so impressed with his work, I recently hired him again for my parents' 30 year wedding anniversary. And once again, he exceeded my expectations. The quality of his photos is utterly amazing and he managed to capture some real emotional moments that I did not notice during the party. My mom simply loved the family group photos from that special day. It was not even part of my plan to have formal family photos before the event, but the Jolly Snapper recommended that our closest family members meet at a park with lots of open space to shoot some truly memorable family photos. It took about 20 minutes to get some photos with different groupings of our family and he did it all without charging us extra. Not sure if he does that with all clients but it was a great idea because those photos included four generations of our clan and are the best pictures of my family that we have. His rates are also going to bring a smile to your face. Probably the best photography deals you can find in Queens, NY. He used to maintain a small studio in Astoria for portraits but now he does all his portrait shoots outdoors or with his portable photo studio. Regardless, it was a delight to have him as our photographer again and I am certain I will hire him again for future events in my life. read more

I'd say that Joe did a fantastic job with our engagement photos... but that would be a huge understatement! I travel for work, so that added a degree of difficultly to planning the engagement shoot. Joe was quick to follow up with me via email. He even scouted out the location a day ahead of the surprise shoot - going above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable and confident before I asked the love of my life the big question. But, hey, the proof is in the photos. I'm not the best looking guy (my fiancee is gorgeous. I'm still not quite sure how I got so lucky). Friends, family, and coworkers have all told us that our engagement photos are the best they've seen. I couldn't be more happy with the results. We've been engaged for three months now, and I still catch my fiancee looking at the amazing photos Joe captured. read more

The Jollysnapper provided us with the best photography deal for our wedding. We searched around and found photographers who showed us great photos but were beyond our budget and we found photographers who were within our budget but we just were not confident with their skills. When we first met with the Jollysnapper team, Joe and Cynthia, we knew they were perfect for us. Their photojournalistic style was exactly what we were searching for, their friendly personalities made them awesome to work with and their photos are sharp, lively, and artistic. Our wedding photos blew us away and we received so many compliments. We put in a lot of effort to have a glamorous celebration for our special day and my husband and I are so happy that we had photographers who captured astonishing photos. The hundreds of pictures they delivered to us had a good balance of candid, artsy, and formal photos. Based on the photos we received, it appears that our guests had an amazing time. Besides the lovely pictures of my husband and I, just about every guest had some great photos. They also spent extra time capturing the emotions of our parents who we did not expect to be as emotional as they were. Those teary eyed photos in particular have been framed and are in my parents living room. The Jollysnapper is certainly worth considering for your wedding if you want to be confident that you will get awesome wedding photos. read more

JollySnapper did an excellent job at our wedding in Central Park last Fall. I am a photographer myself and he exceeded my expectations. His technical skills together with his artistic touch are impressive! Kudos to JollySnapper! read more

Jolly Snapper has covered 4 very big events that I was involved in: Michael's 30th birthday party, wedding day, and a family reunion out in California. He also covered the wedding produced by Ivie (floral arrangement and event design). JS's work brings out the best in everyone and this really is a reflection of how seriously he takes his craft - you can see the progression in his work - that he continues to explore different compositions, styles, etc. to remain cutting-edge and constantly new and fresh. A good photographer draws "oohs" and "ahhs" when someone sees his/her pictures, but a GREAT photographer evokes a more permanent emotion, a lasting imprint. JS is in the latter category, a GREAT photographer, and he will always hold a special place in our lives - as he captured two memorable moments for us. The first is a completely candid shot of us seeing each other at M's bday party. The candid shot was displayed at his first exhibition, alongside other couples' engagement photos - the thing is, at that time we weren't even a couple yet - but less than 3 months later, we were engaged! The second is a an identically composed shot of our first dance as a married couple. We'll always remember that first picture as one of the first steps in the journey of our life together. We hope to blow up several of JS's best photos onto canvas and display them when we buy our first home. Four thumbs way up!!!! M & I read more

As a photographer myself, I honor The JS for his composition and technical skiils and being sensitive to the need of his clients so he gets it right. He took the best photo of me. (Biking and birthday) You should really check out his work online and/or facebook. CHEERS Jo! read more

From a person who really isn't comfortable with having his picture taken it was a great experience with Jolly Snapper. It was during a Halloween Party fund raiser I had come up with an evil clown costume idea and his shoots made it even look better than in person. All I can say is that even knowing that was me with that makeup on I looked very scary. I never had a photo shoot in my life so he was very patient and gave directions on how to pose which made the shoot fun. The pictures all came out great. If you never had a photo shoot done before this is the guy to go to. read more

Updated Review I wanted to give you an update with our dealing with Joe at Jolly Snapper. Joe called us and explained the many personal and technical issues that led to our disappointment. In fact, it was another photographer who saw my reviews and called Joe who was unaware of it. Hours later, he called us and apologized for our experience. He explained the events that affected him personally and that of his company. As I originally wrote (despite being very disappointed)," we were pleased how they handled themselves at the wedding and reception and the pictures were what we wanted and the quality was very good". I also said that they sent two photographers instead of one and they stayed two extra hours (without requesting any further compensation). The following day, Joe showed up at our home with all the deliverables that we were promised and even a special gift. He called it an anniversary gift and to be honest it was spectacular. He worked all night in his lab to have everything ready to hand deliver it in the morning (on a Sunday no less). Even before the special gift, I had agreed with my wife to write an update to my original review. If we had know what had occurred (it was the perfect storm), I would have been much more patient and would not have written the first review. Joe and Cynthia are fine photographers and photojournalists. The work that they did for our wedding was first rate and we would be glad to share an example if you would like, so you can see their creativity for yourselves. Please contact me if you would like to see some. The follow-up by Joe did not take away the fact that until this week, we did not get everything that we had been promised, but understanding the reasons, made us feel much better. I feel comfortable that the other five star reviews that Jolly Snapper received are reflective of how they had operated in the past and will do so in the future. read more

Joe is a great photographer and an all around great guy. He's very funny so he is very good at capturing the Happiness of Life. But not only that. He also has a keen eye and can see the world in many different angles that you wouldn't normally expect. He is also very skilled in Photoshop. So all these attributes together are what makes him excel in his job. I can attest to this. I've seen a lot of the end product of his photography. And believe me when I say this -- they're pretty darn awesome!!! read more