Erich's work is beautiful. We booked him for our small wedding with approximately 25 guests originally planned for Spring 2020. Due to the pandemic, we had to postpone our wedding 3 different times, and then we finally decided to get married in August 2020 with just our children and their significant others. Erich remained flexible and accommodating with all of our date changes, and always replied with "no worries." Erich's prices were very affordable, and his work exceeded my expectations. He provided the full digital file in both color and black and white. I would recommend Erich to anyone, and I will definitely be hiring him again. read more

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Erich was the best!! Super affordable and so nice and professional. Erich was easy to plan with and he had great ideas for pictures day of. He got our online gallery ready only a couple weeks after which was so nice! We loved all of our pictures and he got so many candid shots that we will treasure forever. I highly recommend Erich for any photography needs. He's the best! read more

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Great experience. We booked last minute and he was wonderful. We never followed up to have him edit a few photos, but they were very good anyways. read more

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Erich Morton shot two weddings in my life: my brothers 150pp wedding in San Francisco's 350 Rhode Island and my own "secret" wedding at SF's City Hall and the Ferry Plaza Market. Erich and his crew were total charmers in each instance. What I liked about Erich was his attitude and his artistry. He knows how to act at a wedding and is friendly enough to get the job done even if your mom is freaking out or you're a nervous bride. He composes shots and makes suggestions and wrangles people without being crazy! The pictures were good. I especially like the outdoor shots on the embarcadero--city backdrop. It was even raining, but Erich styled some cute shots--my hubs and I felt like models! In both instances, all my brother (also a photographer) and I (a hardcore tv producer) wanted where the digital files which Erich will put on a hard drive or on a DVD. He will also do some color correcting and photo shopping at your request. He uses a Canon 5D which is an excellent digital camera for the cost. And, he has his own lights which is great (don't know how extensive his kit is). I like that Erich will shoot a mix of journalistic photography and classic wedding photos. Always willing to work with what you want and also suggest nice shots that only he can see in the lens. I was pretty happy with what he captured. What I really liked is that he took a few shots without us to establish City Hall and set the tone for the day. I used several of his shots from my "secret" wedding for the program I made for my big "public" destination wedding. He also has great rates which is why my cost conscious brother and sister in law (and I!) chose him--on top of the fact that he's young, hip and so easy to work with. If you're looking for a wedding photographer with range and one who makes you feel beautiful and special on an important day, call Erich and take a look at his work. You just might book him! read more

Erich is that rare combination of a great photographer, with a gift for capturing the moment and being a consummate professional. He knows how to walk the delicate line between getting the perfect shot with out ruining the perfect moment. Hire this man! read more

In my then fiance's extensive search for wedding photographers, he discovered Erich Morton and his exceptional skill at portraiture. We asked him to photograph our guests so that we'd have a "photo guest book". He set up two stations during the course of our event. For the first couple hours he was at the entryway to greet guests and capture their smiling faces on film. He maintained a calm and genial demeanor which put us all at ease. As often is the case with big events, we were a bit behind schedule and the beginning didn't go according to plan. Erich held firmly to his task and was a big help in insuring that every guest who entered was captured on film. The second station was in a park area just a short walk from our event. I requested this area particularly because we were so impressed with Erich's Carnival series and the trees had lights strung among the branches which I thought he'd use to his advantage. Erich had visited the site previously and spoken with the woman in charge of rentals so he was prepared with extension cords and a plan of where to set his scene. The portraits were indeed outstanding, but the electricity was not running. Luckily, Erich had brought battery power as a back up so his work was not hampered by the power outage. Upon departure, Erich gave us a disc of the photos from the evening. This was assurance for us all that the fruits of his labor would not be lost. Within a very reasonable amount of time, we received an email from Erich with a link to a flickr gallery. Shortly thereafter, he delivered a disc with the edited shots. From our first meeting to his speedy delivery of the finished product, Erich was a pleasure to work with. He holds himself to a high standard of performance and integrity and we feel very fortunate to have made his acquaintance and to have had our special event graced by his talents. read more

Erich was our wedding photographer at our backyard wedding 3 weeks ago and he was outstanding. Here are a few things he did that I think warrant a five-star rating. - First and foremost, our photos are beautiful. They capture the day, and are a good mix of details, portraits, candids, groups, and environments. We are very pleased with our final photos. - It rained on our wedding day, and by rain, I mean it freaking POURED. Luckily the weather cleared up right before the ceremony, but our plans to shoot a 'first look' were thrown off by the rain because we originally wanted to do it outside. We weren't sure what to do, but Erich politely took control of the situation and moved our 'first look' location to somewhere perfect for the conditions. This really started the day out on the right foot, and helped set the trajectory of the wedding in the right direction: rain or shine, this was going to be a great day! - Erich drove up to Vacaville to the wedding location a few weeks before to scout out the lighting and venue location. This put our minds at ease, as we knew our photographer was dedicated to doing a great job. - Erich was calm and understanding, he did a great job juggling the requests of guests while getting the shots we wanted. He also helped guide us through the different "events" that took place at the wedding like the cake cutting and the toasts. - We left for our honeymoon the morning after and on the way to the airport, I got an email stating he had already skimmed through the pictures and posted a mini album on facebook with some of the best shots. What a great surprise! We had a ton of fun reminiscing about our wedding night, and having those pictures made it that much more fun. He's a great photographer, and I will hire him again for other events in a heartbeat. read more

I've hired Erich twice, for a headshot for my current job and to photograph the interiors high-end salon I used to manage. Both times he was impeccably professional, prompt, thorough, creative, and very friendly. He was also very flexible with timing, and delivered the goods quickly. He uses great equipment and always knows how to get the shot he (and you) are looking for. Of course, all of this would mean nothing if the photos weren't good, but I can honestly say they've been amazing and have increased my business at both jobs. I'm glad to have him as an asset! Bravo! read more

Erich is absolutely amazing photographer!! We were nervous a bit at the beginning in our engagement photo session, he always made us relax and laugh. From the begging to the end, he tried his best. We truly impressed his professional work. I contacted several photographers, but he responded really quickly and kindly. When we cannot decide where is the best place to take photo (because we are visitors), he kindly suggested several place which were so beautiful. We sincerely appreciate him. read more

We had the pleasure of working with Erich as our wedding photographer. From start to finish, Erich was professional, on time, and extremely personable. Also, his photos of our wedding were stunning! When looking for a photographer, my wife and I met with about 6 other people, but Erich's services fit our budget and needs. To kick things off, we had him shoot our engagement photos at UC Berkeley, and every single photo and location he chose was wonderful. Our wedding was at the Stanford Memorial Church, and to say this wedding has strict rules is an understatement. Erich was willing to work within their rules, and even came scouting with us on a weekend to make sure he had the right equipment for the job. We also had a very limited time budget to take photos on campus, so Erich took our scouting opportunity to find ideal spots so we could quickly and easily take photos on the day of. On the day of the wedding, Erich made himself noticeable when we took portraits. He made kids in our family smile for family photos (not an easy task), and was extremely organized in getting everyone together. Throughout the reception, he blended in with the crowd. His candid shots turned out great, and every time I look at them it's like I'm brought back into the day again. Overall it was a complete joy to work with Erich. I'd highly recommend him for any event. read more

I am so pleased that I and my husband chose Erich to take our maternity photos. We wanted something a little different than most of the shots we'd seen from other photographers, and Erich totally delivered. He suggested a shoot in water, so we arranged to use a friend's pool on a sunny day. The photo session was well-organized and lots of fun. Erich gave clear and helpful directions throughout, and also accommodated all of our requests. We both loved the resultant photos with their bright blues and greens that reflect our excitement at the coming change in our lives. Having seen lots of Erich's other work, I know that Erich's photographs always glow with the vibrant quality of the events he documents. He's willing to experiment with innovative techniques, but is also comfortable with tried-and-true traditional approaches. I recommend him highly! read more

Erich was absolutely wonderful! My husband and I decided to get married at Alameda Country Clerk-Recorder's Office, accompanied by our family (so about 16 people total). Erich's experience in working with couples at this very venue really helped us get it done! I had no idea what to expect, so his experience was much appreciated. There was a small hitch -- the groom forgot his ID (haha!) -- so Erich took us down to Lake Merritt to take some portraits while my dad and my sister went back to the house to get his ID. It worked out perfectly! After the ceremony, we met back to the house and took some group shots. I am so grateful for the beautiful photos Erich captured -- we will cherish these photos for the rest of our lives. My overall experience with Erich was amazing and I definitely recommend his services! He directed us very well. When you are working with him, you know he is doing everything he can to get the best shot! And that is so invaluable, especially for a wedding! I also greatly appreciated his flexibility. The Clerk-Recorder's Office doesn't take appointments, so I knew there were some elements of the day that simply could not be planned. He was totally open and just did his thing! His ability to make the most of our down time waiting for my sister to retrieve my husband's ID definitely helped make the day even better! Thanks again, Erich, for all your hard work! Everyone has absolutely loved the photos! (Which were conveniently uploaded to his website with password protection!) read more

I've had the pleasure of using Russel Morton Photography in the past for special events and celebrations, and I've been very pleased. Erich and his assistant arrived on time (which is a major thing for me), and once they were there it was all business. The photos were processed and delivered promptly, and I was extremely impressed with the shots. If I move back to California I will definitely use them again. Russel Morton offers unparalleled service and professional talent for affordable prices. It's as simple as that. read more

When we started shopping around for wedding vendors I was hoping to not get caught up in the Wedding Reality-Distortion Field. Never heard of the Wedding Reality-Distortion Field? Well it's a huge pet peeve of mine and the source of most of my wedding planning anxiety. An example: "We'd like a two tiered frosted birthday cake to serve 150 guests please" "Okay that'll be $200" vs. "We'd like a two tiered frosted wedding cake to serve 150 guest please" "Okay that'll be $500" Where the Wedding Reality-Distortion Field seems to show up for photographers is when it comes to copyright, reprints and albums. Want an 8x10 print of your vacation photos? That's $3 from Walmart. Want to get an 8x10 print of your wife in her wedding dress? Well Walmart's out of the question because so many photographers require that you buy prints or wedding albums directly from them and keep you from getting your own prints or wedding album made independently by only delivering you small digital files or photos with huge watermarks on them proudly proclaiming "John Doe Wedding Photography" This businesses model makes sense in the old days when wedding photographers had to hold on to the negatives to make sure they didn't get damaged from low cost printers but these days it's not like you can't easily copy all the files. Walmart labs can't scratch a digital negative but also that's a mute point because I'm not gonna send my wedding photos to Walmart. This isn't all about price too. It's also about quality. I work in graphic design so I know how I want to layout my wedding album, what quality I want the photos printed out at and who I want to bring them to have them bound into a book. Unless I have access to the files and permission to use them in this way I'm stuck with whatever quality product the photographer is willing and capable of providing. Huff! / END RANT! So Erich was our guy. He was okay with giving us permission to use our photos how we wanted, Wedding Reality-Distortion Field need not apply, AND the photos he took at the wedding were pretty sweet. There was an online gallery he set up for us which offered prints for sale. I didn't want to order from it on principle but I begrudgingly admit that when my in-laws wanted "one of the wedding party, one of Uncle Peter with his friend and a 8x10 of the nice one of you and Dana" it was easier to have them order it from the gallery. Thanks Erich for helping to make our wedding fun and easy read more

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Erich was absolutely wonderful photographing my daughter's wedding. He made sure the families were quickly able to get their photos taken with the bride and groom. He perfectly captured the spirit of my daughter and son-in-law throughout their big day. We received the photos quickly after the wedding too! Thank you Erich for your professionalism and eye for catching candid shots of our guests enjoying the day. read more

For years, my (now) wife told me about how wedding photos are as important as the wedding itself. I knew this meant we needed to carefully select a photographer for our big day. We met with Magnolia Weddings' Erich Valo and knew almost instantly that he was the one (to photograph our wedding). Erich knows what he's doing and will do everything he can to make sure you get the pictures you want. We started by meeting Erich at a park in San Francisco for our engagement photos. My wife and I decided to wear outfits that weren't exactly agreeing with the windy San Francisco weather. After an hour or two of taking pictures, we felt we weren't getting the photos we wanted. Erich had the idea to get closer to the water and take a photo with a lush, blue background. We agreed, but first we had to get to our car, so Erich gave us a ride with his lovely family. When we reached our car, Erich and his wife noticed the picturesque background by our parking, so they had us pose for some pictures there. Those pictures were the ones we chose to send out with our save-the-dates. We received a myriad of compliments from friends and family. This proved that sometimes a particular vision doesn't always work, but a good photographer like Erich can help you from a new one. Our wedding was an equally surprising day, but my wife and I were at ease knowing we didn't have to worry about the photos. Erich did an amazing job looking like he was part of the family, and not just a man with a camera attached to his face. His transition from acting as a guest at the reception to dancing in the hall while snapping photos was amazing. He knows how to capture the mood of an event which really shows in his photographs. He is extremely personable and professional. He even sent his assistant to get my wife's favorite caffeinated-beverage during the wedding, a mocha Frappuccino from Starbucks! Erich went above and beyond for our wedding and I know we will definitely see him again for our future photography needs. I highly recommend Magnolia Weddings for any event that requires a skilled photographer that takes exceptional, high-quality photos. read more

Top 5 reasons I was happy with our wedding photographer - We shot engagement portraits and wedding fashion style portraits before the wedding day. Doing these gave us a chance to get to know our photographer. When the wedding day came we had a comfortable relationship built and he knew what we were comfortable with. - Not only does this photographer have a wedding portfolio online but he also showed us a full wedding, that had not just the wedding ceremony but a tea ceremony like we had planned. - Our agreed time frame of when we would get the photos was two weeks following the wedding. We got photos online one week after the wedding, out takes from the wedding on a dvd later in the month. Our prints were delivered quickly after we ordered them. Our wedding album took a while longer to get to us but we told the photographer we weren't in a rush. - I could tell he enjoyed being at the wedding and had fun while taking photos. - Most important result from a wedding photographer -the actual wedding photos were great. read more

When I was setting up a new business, I wanted photos of my location to use for promotional materials and on my website. Erich came loaded with tons of excellent equipment and began by taking all the light measurements he needed. His precision and professionalism were both notable as he set up his laptop, light stands, umbrellas, cameras, and diffusers. By carefully adjusting all his equipment (faster than I could keep up) he managed to deliver interior shots that had beautiful, even lighting, despite the fact that the interior only had windows on one wall so the light was naturally uneven. When he was finished taking the photos, he sat down with me to choose the best ones and went into Photoshop to make final color adjustments to them. Then from his laptop he burned all the photos onto a DVD so I could start using them in my advertising that same day. The results were fantastic and having Erich's photos on my website brought not only compliments and praise, but plenty of customers drawn by the beauty of my location which Erich was able to capture. Erich is very familiar with every aspect of his equipment and the photography process and has a demeanor which puts one instantly at ease. Definitely top notch. read more

We love how our wedding photos have come out!! We are absolutely impressed by how friendly, humble, flexible and professional Erich is. He definitely has an eye for catching candid shots and also goes above and beyond for getting amazing shots. We highly recommend him for your special day!! read more

Erich is the man! I did a quick search on Yelp! and other blogs and stumbled on Magnolia Weddings. It's tough to argue against a track-record like Erich's on Yelp!, so I dropped him an email to inquire about our wedding reception. His pricing model is reasonable, his communication is excellent, he is patient, and he has a great eye to capture amazing moments behind the camera. We 'tested' him with an engagement shoot, which was a success. Our reception was equally successful. Erich brought another photographer with him to assist, and both were at all the right places without being in the way. We are extremely pleased at the quick turn-around time on his pictures. The final pictures are album worthy, and we look forward to Erich helping with this last step in the process as well. We received a lot of compliments from our family as well. I highly recommend Magnolia Weddings for your photography needs. read more

Erich did a phenomenal job on our wedding photos. Not only was he an incredibly talented photographer, he was a wonderful guest to have at our wedding. When I saw the photos for the first time, I was flabbergasted. I just could not believe how much he was moving around, how many photos he was taking while we were dancing, saying our vows, greeting guests. He got all kinds of angles and exposure lengths. He came completely prepared, was patient, unobtrusive, funny and helpful. He took some incredible photographs of us. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law were beside themselves when I showed them the shots. My sister even asked for his contact information for other events she wants professionally photographed. He's a gem of a photographer and was one of my favorite vendors. Pricing was among the most reasonable of any I could find--and on top of that, he gives you all the photos. No BS "sure, I'll take the photos, but then you have to BUY them from me." He handed us a drive at the end of the night with ninety percent of our photos so we could copy them to our computer and then mail the drive back to him. How awesome is that? read more

Erich is the best and I would recommend him for any and all your photography needs for an event. He shot our wedding in August at the Mountain Terrace in Woodside, CA. Not only were the photos stunning, but he also helped guide the wedding along, making us feel very special on our day. Above and beyond and the quality was unmatched. Thank you Erich! read more

When I was planning our wedding, I knew that picking a wedding photographer would be one of the most important and difficult decisions of the process for me. As someone in a creative field, I am pretty picky about photography! I am so glad that we went with erich at magnolia weddings as our photographer. After spending months on wedding blogs and wedding websites, I really wanted someone who could not only capture the wedding day with real, un-staged photos, but also take beautiful portraits of my husband and I. I browsed through dozens of san francisco and bay area wedding photographers' sites before I selected a few to interview. I appreciated that erich's website showed a variety of types of weddings and locations. It gave me more confidence that he could take beautiful photographs in any situation. At our first meeting, erich was friendly, professional, and totally got what I wanted. On the wedding day, the photographers were unobtrusive during the ceremony and reception, but gave good direction during our more formal family and couple portraits. And erich made everyone feel totally comfortable. He was so easy to work with throughout. I felt confident that he was getting great photos of us. He also set up a great photobooth, that we and our wedding guests loved, with the backdrop exactly how I wanted it. When he sent the photos over, I was amazed at how well he captured the feel of our loud, happy wedding celebration as well as the quiet, serene portraits with just the two of us. I feel lucky to have such beautiful images of our wedding day. read more

Recent news about legalized same sex weddings only two states away got me excited. I might not have the partner to take to my imaginary wedding right now but I do know who I'd like to have in charge of the wedding photography and that's Erich Vallo of Magnolia Weddings Photography. Erich is a funny and nice guy I've had worked with on several different photography gigs where I have gotten the pleasure of seeing him work. Our photo shoots have required a lot of last minute changes and he reacts quickly and proffesionally. Behind the camera Erich has a great blend of interacting and letting the photo shoot happen naturally. Hopefully by the time I'm ready to plan my own wedding Proposition 8 will have been overturned in California and we can do the wedding closer to home. Until then I will continue to fantasize about an elaborate wedding road trip, with awesome stops at diners and beaches along the way. Any dudes interested in joining me on this wedding road trip are welcome to let me know. read more

We did the engagement photo / wedding package. Erich is a great great guy. We met him for lunch a few days before our engagement pictures. We'd met with a few other wedding photographers we'd met at the Wedding Expo but had a blast talking with him and it just felt right. He was very quick to reply to emails and concerned with getting what we wanted. He worked with my our chaotic schedule to land the perfect day for our engagement photos, which were stunning. He even worked with one of our photos from a vacation to match it to the photos we took for our engagement photos. We had a great time shooting with him and paid for extra hours. Totally worth it. We ended up sharing almost all our engagement photos on Facebook. The day of our wedding, he and his assistant were everywhere, without getting in the way. He had shown us photos of weddings that he had taken where we were getting married so we'd high expectations and the pictures that we've seen on his wedding blog are even better. We look forward to spreading our full wedding photos, I am very glad that Erich was part of our wedding. read more

Yes, I am your classic Type A Personality. So if I was going to pay for this wedding, I'm going to be the wedding planner and the wedding coordinator. We decide to have the wedding in Napa. First because there's so much of our family here. Second because we're going to host the wedding at our house. So I'm on the hunt for a Napa wedding photographer. This is important. The wedding photographer is the keystone of wedding vendors. When your thoughts are carried back to the wedding the photographs are going to be your road map. Our search was methodical. We looked through wedding magazines, wedding blogs, we set up a Pinterest board (this was perhaps the second most important planning tool, second to the Google Drive Wedding Template) and of course Google and Yelp searches. Can you tell I'm a planner? I did the first round of phone interviews by myself and then set up meetings for us with the best candidates. We had one meeting with another wedding photographer that wasn't a meeting. It was a consultation. We even paid a nominal consultation fee. This photographer was at the high-class end of the spectrum and she is probably very good. We were leaning towards booking her but we followed through on the last of our wedding photographer to meet, Erich. What got into my head after our meeting with Erich was how relaxed he was. He met us at a bar, he brought a laptop, my daughter and her fiance looked through photos. We had a beer. The relaxed nature might put others at unease, considering the pressures surrounding a wedding, but his portfolio, if you know what to look for, showed there was nothing to worry about. Consistency my friends, that's the key. So he can do his job, he can have a beer with me, he's relaxed around the couple and they're relaxed around him. Perfecto. My plan for the wedding is flow. We go from getting ready to the ceremony, from the ceremony to portraits, from the portraits to the reception, from the party to the after-party. I need the photographer to be quick and efficient because this wedding is going to zip right by. So we book the big wedding package with everything that we need - engagement photos, second photographer, photo booth, and wedding albums. Now Erich is on board. He comes to a meeting at our house months ahead of time. We show him the layout, introduce him to the neighbors who are helping by letting us share their backyard that abuts ours. I point out where the dance floor will be built. He plans where the photo booth should be set up. Engagement Portraits I was not a part of the Engagement Portraits shoot. What the couple wanted to do was some iconic San Francisco scenes. I was ready to get them permits for their spots but Erich suggested that they would be able to get by without them. Evidently he can bring a lighting assistant who'll hoist the lighting and carry it around. No sticks on the ground and you're in the clear but it's still a bit close to guerrilla engagement portraits so a softer step is needed. My high-octane personality wasn't going help. High-octane personality comes in handy on the wedding day though but not to steal the show, just run the show. My daughter is the star on her wedding day and I'm just making sure everyone remembers what to do. Erich and his crew show up before any of the wedding party does. His crew sets up the photo booth. They set up a framed print from the engagement portrait shoot. They even help out the DJ set up some lighting for the dancing later. When the couple shows up, separately, Erich takes photos of my daughter and her friends getting ready while Damien, the second photographer, photographs the guys. And just like we planned the wedding has flow- prep time to the wedding, wedding to the family portraits. Dinner - dancing - after-party - Good Night! Monday afterwards. There's three perfect photos on Facebook for us. A week later we have a private gallery. Erich and his crew have done a perfect job. Dignified photos of the older generation, fun beautiful photos of the kids. He's no snap-shooter. He's an artist. If you can book him for your event. I can't review him highly enough. read more

Erich was a pleasure to work with. He is very collaborative, easy going, yet was aggressive to capture all the right moments at our wedding. We specifically asked to that he captures as much of the party as the "ahhhh" moments, and he delivered. We love the pictures that he took, and really provided an over the top service. He has a great eye, and diverse portfolio shows he will provide the perfect pictures for YOU. read more

Erich did a wonderful pregnancy portrait of my husband and me. He was great about working with our schedule and trying different locations until we got it just right. read more

Erich just photographed my wedding, as well as did engagement photos. He did a great job and I fully recommend him. We interviewed several photographers and decided on Erich for several reasons (besides the obvious that he takes great photos). One, I like that when we met with him, he showed us photos of the wedding guests, as well as the bride and groom. It was important for me to capture not only the main players in the day, but all the visitors and guests that made the effort to attend the wedding. Many of the examples I saw from other photographers showed very little of the life that was going on around the bride and groom. Erich was able to capture the characters of so many of the attendees - my favorite being a series of photos of the groom, father of the groom, and uncle obviously telling a "big fish" story and laughing throughout. Two, Erich is really sweet and laidback in an unobtrusive manner. I've been to weddings where the photographer is in everyone's face and detracting from what's going on. Erich managed to capture the day without getting in the way (as did his assistant). He would have us pose at appropriate times, but many of the photos were captured with him standing an appropriate distance away to allow the event to occur naturally and not be staged. He also was able to mix in well with all my women friends that were at my place before for the prep photos - gotta give it to a guy that can act naturally in an all female setting about make-up and dresses without anyone feeling uncomfortable. Three, cost, not a romantic reason to choose a vendor, but Erich came out the least expensive (or equal to) of the vendors we interviewed. For less money than most (and in some cases much less money), we were also able to add a photo booth (big success and a source of some of my favorite photos), all day coverage, and a second photographer. Erich's pricing also is more of a pick what you want, vs. package deal, so you only have to pay for what you want. At the end of the night, Erich sent us home with a hard drive of all the photos for the day - this allowed us to look at them immediately to see what actually happened (turns out you do miss most of the day when you are the bride and groom), as well as provide a backup in case anything happened to his gear (you don't want to be the one that loses all your wedding photos). Just today (5 days after the wedding) I have already received a link from Erich with the Prettied Up photos (my term not his). Unlike some of my friends that are still fighting to get their photos more than a year after their wedding I am able to send out a link to our photos less than a week after the event. Finally, Erich was willing to play along with us. We asked for our engagement photos to be taken at Fairyland and we had a balloon man at the wedding. Erich just went along with it and didn't question our state of minds when making those decisions. He even seemed to have fun doing it. As a warning, when we met with Erich it was at his apartment and he is less polished than other photographers in selling his services (ie, no big stack of glossy photo albums, big sales push, fancy office, etc) - we knew that we were taking a chance on a small-shop person that we found off Yelp, but we made the right choice and I have no regrets. read more

I contacted almost 10 photographers to photograph my proposal recently at San Francisco and I found Erich to be the only person to fit my budget. He was very helpful and responsive with the initial inquiry! On the day of the proposal we arrived quite sometime before on the spot and gave a lot of good suggestions on where to do the proposal so there will be enough lighting to capture the moment (this was at 10.30PM :)). He was very patient with us and made sure that we got a lot of good pictures. The photos were stunning and all my friends loved it!! I would highly recommend Erich to anyone looking for a great photographer for any event :) read more

I hired Erich a couple of years ago to do a photo shoot for a holiday card for me, my (former) boyfriend and my dog. Erich and his assistant showed up at our house with umbrellas, lights, and great suggestions for how to make an elegant, festive and fun photograph. He was also great working with my often overly enthusiastic dog. We ended up with many great photos to choose from and were very pleased with the whole experience. read more

I wasn't all that excited to get our engagement photos done because I'm not the biggest fan of being in front of the camera. But Erich made it very easy and comfortable. We discussed some ideas and within 15 mins, he was shooting pictures of us at the beach. He even suggested some other ideas/locations. All the photos came out great of course. Erich is skilled and professional, so I had no doubts about the quality of the photos before we even started. But almost as important as his talents, is Erich's ability to make you feel comfortable and enjoy the whole process. Everyone loved our engagement photos, especially us. Can't recommend him enough. read more

I couldn't recommend Erich enough for wedding photography or portraits. He's a cool guy, really listens to what you want the photos to look like (instead of forcing you to do it his way like some other photographers ... ahem). He had great suggestions for us but was also willing to try out some new and different things. You don't feel like he's just rushing through things at all--he really takes his time and gets the best shots. Highly recommend him. read more

Erich did the photography for our wedding and I couldn't be happier with our choice. I can't say enough about how great Erich is. He is a consummate professional. Our wedding was in Monterey. Several weeks before the wedding Erich (who is based in Oakland) met me in Monterey to discuss the venue and for Erich to plan shots. I was pretty impressed by just this. On the day of the wedding Erich showed up early, was attired very appropriately, lent a hand several times in circumstances having nothing to do with photography, took great photos, stayed late when the reception ran late, and before he left handed me a portable hard drive with all the photos on it as a backup. If you're thinking of hiring Erich for your wedding you will not be disappointed. read more

Erich from Magnolia Weddings had great vision for my maternity shoot! I'm so glad that we had these done because I can look back on how very big I was. Random selfies and pictures with friends are not the same. Loved that he chose multiple locations and played with the editing. read more

Erich is the best photographer I've ever worked with. Such a nice guy and so very talented in getting the best shots. I've worked with other photographers that complain about the light and just accept that they can't get a better shot. Not Erich! He's a very talented problem solver. I'm very grateful for having found Erich and I will hire him for all of my photo needs going forward. I can't say enough good things about his service. read more

I became acquainted Erich Vallo and the work of Magnolia Weddings Photography at a recent wedding at Cordevalle in San Martin where I was also a vendor. The property hosted a number of celebrations activities that required indoor shots in varying levels of light, to a outdoor ceremony shoot facing the sun as it was going down. Not easy to capture the colors and subtle changes in facial expressions, etc., but somehow Erich captured it all. I have a similar camera and secondary flash and my photos are nowhere are colorful, beautiful or as clear. In speaking with the couple, Erich provided a CD of his work almost immediately...unheard of. I saw the bride and groom the day after the wedding and they already had their preliminary shots and were thrilled with them. Kudos to Erich and Magnolia Weddings Photography! read more

I've seen Erich photograph two weddings with adroitness. First my friend's wedding and then my own wedding my friend's wedding and then my own wedding. Our friend's wedding was smart and stylish and I wanted our wedding to be magic and ethereal. The photographs that Erich took from each wedding shows his knack for intuiting the perfect perspective and captured us in an enchanting light. read more

I've had the pleasure of working with Erich and seeing Erich work with others, and every time he's been incredibly professional not to mention exceptionally creative. A pleasure to work with and the final product is always breathtaking. Russel Morton Photography is at the top of my list when I need any sort of photography services - weddings to portraits, he can do it all. read more

My experience with Erich hasn't been with his photography, but with his Photoshop-ography. His skills are truly impressive. Before the 2008 election he set up a photo booth at a fundraiser where people could pose as if they were fist-bumping with Obama, and then he altered the photo while you wait and printed it out. Great idea, and it was a huge hit. I have the photo on my fridge, and almost everybody who sees it thinks it's real. Which is saying something, since why would I actually have a fist-bump photo-op with Obama (awesome as that would be)? Erich has also done more run-of-the-mill touch-ups and brush-ups for me, and he is always prompt and generous with his time, and does a great job, making the photos look better than I thought they could. If only I could have had him take them in the first place! read more