Wedding photos were one of our top priorities when we started planning. When we asked around for…read morethe things to look for in a good photographer, someone mentioned something that stuck with us: "Look for the things that are missing in someone's portfolio." We sent out a few portfolios to numerous friends and family, and Elena came back as the top independent choice every time. Her portfolio speaks for itself, but our cousin put it best: "if people saw these photos of themselves, they would be very happy with them". That is what drew us to Elena. A lot of photographers focus their energy on pictures that would look great in magazines and on Instagram, but Elena has those as well as a lot of smaller moments of joy between guests, capturing the emotions behind the photos. The bride and groom and their families looked happy in all of the photos, not like they were just posing for the camera. Our planners mentioned that she captures the day as it truly was, and that aspect was what made her portfolio stand out to us and everyone we showed it to. As soon as we used her for our engagement shoot, we knew our instincts had been right. She flew out to New York for a full day of pictures, and despite a ton of nerves at our ends, we felt so comfortable with her throughout. Even though these were the first professional photos we would take, and there were large crowds everywhere in New York, we were able to relax. When Elena sent over the photo gallery, the pictures reflected that. Her calming presence and her ability to capture the joy between us made our engagement photos look stunning. The multi-day Indian wedding was no different. Her and her second shooter Ryan were working across five days, morning to evening, and four large events and numerous smaller rituals. They probably took thousands of photos across the entire weekend. However, it never felt like a chore. We trusted her fully, even when we trucked through a mosquito-infested lawn because we knew the end results would be worth it (and they were). My dad was so impressed with how she took family portraits, positioning everyone effortlessly and quickly. Throughout, both her and Ryan focused on the emotions of the moments in addition to the flashy pictures. One of our favorite sneak preview photos showcases a young guest screaming for joy during the wedding ceremony. Elena has been a joy to be around, and we have loved getting to know her across these events. We have used photographers before, but we have never felt more at ease than when working with her. We believe that speaks to her personal qualities as well as her talent. One moment that stood out to us was when one of the people helping us out fell on the street. Elena was the first one there to pick her up, and Elena was the one that made sure she received help. We've also found it fascinating to see photos from guests where Elena pops up, smile plastered on her face or a tongue sticking out as she's taking her photos. She genuinely had a great time as well. We are going to use Elena for all future photos, no hesitation. When discussing wedding photography initially, we discussed a lot of our priorities internally. We concluded that the thing we wanted most of all was a set of photos that we would be happy to show our future kids. Elena delivered that for us.

Elena shot my wedding in Feb 2020. Photography was a top 3 priority for my partner and I…read more Loved working with Elena! She was a dream vendor leading up to it, answering emails prompting and clearly, and really understanding what we liked and wanted to get out of photography for the big day. She was fun to hang out with day of, she kept us on task, and made sure we got all the posed photos we wanted done. But most importantly - I am OBSESSED with our photos!! I could not have dreamt of them coming out better!!! I look at them every single day. I'm not typically this sentimental, but I really can relive every single moment of the day through these shots. I knew Elena was talented when I first looked at her portfolio, but holy moly some of the shots take my breath away, every time I look at them, no matter how much I look at them. And I think that reflects not only Elena's dedication to her craft but also her skill as a photographer that sets her apart from others in the field. She is really really excellent at this and it shows. I will cherish these pictures forever. I cannot thank Elena enough for capturing our day perfectly.

We had the absolute best experience working with Katie for our newborn photos. From the very…read morebeginning, she made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera and guided us into poses that felt completely natural--not stiff or forced at all. We did the session with our baby, and Katie was incredible at calming her when needed and patiently capturing the perfect shots. The final photos were exactly what we wanted--beautiful, timeless, and full of genuine emotion. We are completely in love with them and will treasure them forever. We can't wait to work with Katie again soon and would recommend her a thousand times over to anyone looking for a photographer.

Katie did an amazing job taking our family pictures. She chose beautiful city backgrounds, advised…read moreus on timing, even provided guidance on clothing choices that I wasn't sure of. We had our teenage son and a high energy family dog, and Katie did an amazing job capturing both of them with great patience and talent. The results are amazing- couldn't be happier!

We can't say enough about Tricia and her pictures! She captured so many moments with our little…read moreone, from birth to his first birthday. The photo album is a beautiful compilation of our sessions and will be treasured forever. Even during covid, she found a way to keep us safe and take the best pictures. I look forward to capturing more special occasions through her lens. Thank you!

We discovered Tricia's work when we became the winning bidder of a senior portraits package at a…read morecharity event, and when I saw her portfolios online, I was so excited to get my stepson's senior pictures taken there. Tricia captured his smile and personality so well. We were so pleased with not only the outcome, but her customer service and attention to detail too. So, of course, when we decided to get married, I called Tricia again. We had a small wedding in the city, and Tricia traveled with us in the limousine and took amazing photos of the ceremony and from the planetarium with the cityscape in the background, as well as urban shots on the Franklin Street bridge. The pictures from the 95th floor of the Hancock Tower where we had dinner were spectacular. My favorites, however, were the candid shots of our guests having a great time. Tricia has an art of capturing people's emotion through photography. Call her if you have an important life event that you want to have photographed!

I'm so excited to review Clare Britt she's an amazing photographer! I've had the pleasure of…read moreworking with Clare 3 different times once for a wedding and 2other times for profile pictures and each time she's been a pleasure and delight, pictures were absolutely amazing. She's a great eye who knows how to get the best of me and made me look amazing. If you're looking for a great photographer who's fun, professional, creative and passionate, hire Clare.

Clare is everything you would want in a photographer! She is attentive during the consultation…read moreprocess, on time on shoot day, a joy to work with, and has an amazing eye. She makes you comfortable immediately and is super creative. She even knew how to make my baby smile for his 3 month old pics! I would recommend Clare to anyone for any occasion, big or small. The final photos we received will be cherished for all time Thanks Clare!

Michelle Dokes Photography photographed my wedding on March 23rd of this year. I must say I've…read morecontracted other photographers in the past but none like this one. Michelle has a natural talent and keen eye to make you look your best. If you have an event and you want pictures that capture the essence of your special day do yourself a favor and use Michelle Dokes Photography. You will not be disappointed. Thank you Michelle for making my wedding a day I will never forget!

Michelle took some photos of a friend of mine and I was so pleased with her photos that I scheduled…read morean appointment with Michelle to have some professional headshots done. As a certified personal and executive coach, it's important for me to have professional photos and Michelle did not disappoint. She was very welcoming upon my arrival, she made the photo shoot fun with music to help me relax. To prepare for my session, she asked me to do a Pinterest board to give her an idea of what I wanted. The photos turned out great! Michelle made it hard for me to choose. Thanks Michelle! I am very pleased with the photos.

I was fortunate enough to be photographed by Amy Boyle while she was visiting the west coast…read moreearlier this month. We did a photo shoot to give me new head shots for my blog in the morning at a beach condo and the results are beautiful. Then I attended a luncheon with her while she seamlessly switched back and forth between participant and photographer. She did a great job at capturing the magic and the festive feel of our winery luncheon without being distracting from the mood. I didn't even notice the many shots she was taking to make sure we had many beautiful memories. After our luncheon, she did a few additional photo shoots for the other participants there capturing the beauty of a commonly passed garden wall. I was so impressed by her professional demeanor switching back and forth between subjects, backgrounds, scenery and even her role in the event. I would call her unflappable because she's up for anything and takes it all in stride with a big smile on her face - despite being behind the camera. She is easy to work with and so warm. She took my ideas from research she suggested, and made easy on-the-spot tweaks which yielded magic! I highly recommend Amy for your photography needs!

Amy is not only a true professional, she is a wonderful human. She is on top it from planning to…read morethe event. I have worked with Amy for years and will continue to work with her whenever I can.

Photography was one of our top three priorities when planning our wedding and Erin was the first…read morevendor we booked after our venue. From our first meeting with Erin, she put us at complete ease, which was amazing since we'd be spending 10 hours with her on our wedding day!! We were looking for someone who could capture the natural emotions of the day, including our personalities. Our package included an engagement session, which was SUCH a great experience. Being in front of a camera doesn't always come easy and having this session was perfect to get to know Erin and to loosen up before the big day. Plus we got a little preview of how INCREDIBLE she makes us look :) The day of our wedding, Erin and her assistant arrived and got to work!! It was perfect. She is excellent at directing positioning for the best light. She made sure to get all the photos on our list and she even made sure everyone in our family looked their best in the photos. We've only gotten our sneak peek and they. are. stunning. I cannot WAIT to see all the photos and the album!!

We were very fortunate to have our wedding shot by Erin Hoyt. She's an absolutely fantastic…read morephotographer who is gifted with the camera and with people. Erin knew some off-the-beat places around Chicago so we were able to get the unique and personalized look we wanted. She was also super easy to work with throughout the planning and execution of our day-- especially with the ever-crazy family photos after our ceremony. My wife and I couldn't have been happier with how our photos turned out and we would absolutely use Erin again if we needed a photographer for other special times in our life!

We have had the pleasure of working with Maggie over the years to capture our family's special…read moremoments. She was our engagement photographer, wedding photographer, and our go to for yearly family photos. She has an amazing eye for composition and has turned out incredible photos despite the chaos of photographing three rambunctious kids. We are so lucky to have found her!

Maggie has been taking our family photos for seven years and we will continue to ask her to…read morephotograph our family at every occasion. She has captured the most important times in our lives including welcoming new babies and saying goodbye to our beloved first dog. She is an exceptional talent and is wonderful with kids. Thank you Maggie--your brilliant work adorns our hallways and we will have these memories forever because of you.