Mike was the first vendor we spoke with when we went to the Bridal Expo in Tacoma. He was streaming the Seahawks game, which instantly drew me in. My bridesmaids and mother were instantly enamored by him, just like I was. I knew right then and there that he was our photographer. He was funny, engaging, and personable and took the time to answer all of our questions. We booked him two days later and it was the easiest decision I made throughout the entire wedding process. Mike took the time to meet with us a few weeks later so that he could get to know my husband. They instantly bonded over Seahawks, MLB Baseball and beer and had such a great rapport. My husband is shy and quiet so when I saw the two of them laughing and talking I knew we had made the right decision because I knew that Mike would help pull him out of his shell for our wedding pictures. You can tell that Mike is passionate about his craft because he gets so excited talking about every little detail. When I was unsure of what I wanted Mike was quick to pull up some of his previous work to give me ideas, or to showcase something he thought I might like. I love how much he loves what he does, and it shows in every picture he takes. Our wedding day was everything I wanted, and more, and Mike somehow managed to capture every moment. He was EVERYWHERE! He got pictures of things I had no idea happened, candid photos that are priceless and highlighted every little special detail that I put into our wedding. Mike was so much fun and I felt like I was hanging out with a friend...he joined in singing with us at the reception, danced right along with the crowd and joked with family and friends all night. One of the most special moments for me was when we played a family song in tribute to my beloved grandfather who passed away a few years ago. As my family came together in a circle on the dance floor to sing, cry and be together during this song, Mike captured it in a video rather than a picture...something he doesn't normally do. He just instinctively knew that this was something important and captured it....and I am forever grateful to him. We just got our pictures back and are blown away by the quality, amount of pictures, and the sweet moments he captured. They are perfect and more than what we could have ever hoped for. Mike, we adore you! read more

My husband knows Mike as a former coworker when Mike was still in LA, and the minute we got engaged we knew we had to find a way to have Mike shoot our wedding, despite Mike now living in Seattle and our wedding being in Southern California. We weren't sure if it could be done, but the second my husband asked, Mike was on board and made the trek all the way down to Ojai, and worked within our super limited budget. I still cannot believe he flew hundreds of miles for us, and my husband and I will be forever grateful! If you've seen anything he's done, you know Mike is an incredible photographer--he always finds beautiful details to highlight and captures the sweetest moments. At our wedding this past March, he made everyone so comfortable and had such a great sense of humor. Unlike a lot of wedding photographers, he learned everyone's name (so no "hey you" when staging group shots), and arrived early to scout the location and find the perfect backdrops. He was so flexible (I wanted to rush through the family shots to get to the reception and he got through them so efficiently), incredibly sweet, and made sure my husband and I were comfortable and taken care of all night. The best part, obviously, was seeing the photos--he had everything ready right after we got back from the honeymoon, and it was such a joy to see his meticulously edited photos and re-live the wedding in such stunning detail. Every picture (out of hundreds) was one I would want to frame or put in an album (and already have made great Mother's Day albums for the moms). My next move is to blow up some of the prettiest shots and hang on our walls--Mike's pictures are beautiful, romantic, and will last a lifetime. Mike, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for everything and for making Lance and I's day absolutely perfect. read more

My husband and I are SO grateful that we chose Mike Tabolsky to shoot our wedding. From our first meeting with Mike, we knew that not only was he friendly and fun but also that he had a passion for photography and making beautiful images that capture, details, emotion and unforgettable "moments." Our engagement shoot was fantastic. Neither of us had taken professional photos before so we weren't sure what to do, whether to pose or be natural, or how to pose. Mike coached us along and put us at ease with some humor. When we got our photos back, nearly one week later, we were overjoyed at how BEAUTIFUL and pristine they were! On our wedding day, we were even further convinced that we made a fantastic choice in photographers. During the ceremony and reception, we hardly even noticed Mike and his assistant were there... and we have absolutely beautiful images of all sorts (poses, shots of the details of the wedding, candids) that captured every bit of the day beautifully! Our reception ran 45 minutes longer than expected and Mike didn't hesitate to stick around to make sure he captured every important moment. Mike, thank you for doing such a tremendous job at our wedding. We could not be happier with what you did for us and recommend you with our highest regard. read more

Mike is a fantastic photographer. He is always professional, punctual and he has a great attitude. We have used Mike for many of our holiday card photo shoots and we get so many compliments every year! He has been instrumental in helping us realize our vision each time with his creativity and photographic timing (which can be difficult when working with young kids like ours). Mike has also been hired several times from our friends just based on the work he has done for us and our recommendations. We have also used Mike several times for our children's birthday parties. He is so fantastic at capturing just the right expressions and moments. Many of our most favorite pictures (and most often displayed around the house) of our kids have been shots Mike has taken at their birthday parties. It is hard to find someone that you can trust with capturing your families' special moments and Mike is definitely someone you can. We were so sad to lose him when he moved away this summer. We actually flew him in to Los Angeles this January to shoot our daughter's first birthday! You will never go wrong hiring Mike for any of your special occasions!!! read more

You definately need to consider the work of Mike Tabolsky..he comes from a family of Hollywood,California talents and is full of creative ideas,experience and ability.Not only is he technically savey with the best gear and knowledge of trends and a artistic approach.. His years of being around Hollywood California entertainment industry shows in his work as he has been around many creative industry people all his life.His brother is a big editor with Disney and others His dad was a respected major Hollywood talent manager and a great guy that Taught Mike the best of how to do good business and treat people Right.. MIke is rare as he has all the things you would seek to cover your special event..He is sensitive and a family man Mike understands how important your event isand has the creative passion to express it and capture just the right ambiance of your historic memory..You will be more then pleased with this artists work..mett with Mike see his portfolio of work and reserve your time soon As he can cover all the bases extremely well. Actually the work speaks volumes so just take a good look and book him soon as space is limited. read more

My husband and I cannot say enough good things about Mike! We met him at a wedding show and really liked him right away. Mike is easy going, fun, and a phenomenal photographer! We had planned to interview a few people before we decided who we wanted to work with but after sitting down with Mike and talking what we were looking for, we both knew Mike was the one. He captured our engagement photos along with our wedding and they both turned out perfect! We brought our two dogs with us and did our engagement photos at Rattlesnake Lake. He knew how to get the dogs involved and keep their attention and we had a lot of fun! Fast forward to our wedding day.. Mike had recommended we think about a second shooter and I'm really glad we decided to go forward with two. They worked so well as a team and captured our day flawlessly!!! When we looked through the pictures it took us right back to the day and we laughed and cried at the way the emotions, reactions, and fun were presented! We cannot recommend Mike enough!! You will be so happy with everything! We promise!!! read more

The best thing about Mike is that he gets the best, most intimate shots, without being intrusive or obnoxious. He captured moments that were so beautiful--and I had no idea he was there! My favorite shots are of true emotion and not staged happiness. Mike is an expert at that. There's a close-up shot of my husband and I dancing close and laughing that I adore. It looks so personal, and as I said before, I had no idea he was there at that moment capturing it. He also did a fabulous job capturing the essence of our venue, and the token shots with the family. He can get great shots out of difficult people without being that annoying wedding photographer. As I said before, my favorite pics from him are the ones from our party, where you know exactly what kind of party it was. Bride, groom, and guests having a blast. But thinking about it, I also adore the pics of my husband and I right after we had our ceremony. Maybe those are my favorite. And the pics from the ceremony too! It's too hard to decide. I'll just say, if you hire Mike, you'll be so glad you did. read more

Mike was our photographer for our September 2nd wedding and we couldn't have been happier with him, his second shooter (Saskia), or his photos. He is friendly, funny, and we instantly clicked with him during our first meeting. He worked within our budget and we still can't believe the amount and quality of photos we received for our budget. He made us and our guests feel comfortable and was able to get stunning photos without us feeling staged. He captured moments that I never would have known even happened and made a point to make sure that we had great photos of everyone. He was patient and worked well with my family that hate getting their photos taken and was even able to get smiles out of folks that I've never seen smile in a photo! He was extremely communicative throughout the whole process and I feel so lucky that we found him to be a part of our day. I can't recommend him enough and can't wait to have another reason to work with Mike in the future. He was amazing and made our day even more perfect. read more

My wife and I recently married each other and used Mike's services to capture our wedding and our engagement shoot. From the time that we had our first meeting with Mike up until the time that he delivered our wedding photos, Mike has been nothing short of a true professional. During our engagement shoot Mike had tons of great ideas for pictures and was patient with us as we moved form location to location. Mike was also willing to field ideas from my wife and I about potential pictures without fuss. On the day of our wedding Mike showed up on time coffee in hand ready to rock! We had a strict deadline for time and Mike did everything he could to make sure that stuck within our timeline. After receiving out wedding photos back from Mike, I can honestly say I will hire him again without question. After working with Mike over the last year I know that I not only have a great resource for amazing photos but a friend as well. 15/10 would hire again. If you don't hire Mike then Lord help you! read more

I'm the father/financier of my daughter's recent wedding on Capital Hill, Seattle. Mike was an absolutely fabulous wedding photographer. He had a delightful smile and very approachable demeanor throughout the entire experience and seemed virtually unflappable. My daughter was really adamant about having outdoor photos (Volunteer Park) and, of course, Seattle's liquid sunshine was falling in true form at the time of the shooting. Mike was just great--incredibly resourceful and even claiming that he PREFERS the rain to shoot in! His energy was amazing: always festooned with about 4 cameras he was always moving taking photos--really impressive to watch. He seemed to be enjoying himself as much as we were (and we were having a blast!). His photos are just amazing: thoughtfully, creatively executed, all of great quality. We felt very fortunate to find Mike--I can't recommend him higher. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed in having him photograph your event. read more

We chose Mike to take our family photos for an upcoming adoption. Looking at his website, I was really impressed with his candid shots that captured the personalities of each person. In the end, what sold me on him was seeing a selfie of him with a huge grin and his obvious easy-going personality. Meeting him in person solidified my first impression of his selfie. He was super friendly and set us at ease immediately! He is so clearly passionate about photography and meeting people. During the session, he made sure to get certain poses we wanted and showed some photos to us on the spot, to make sure he was capturing what we wanted. The photos turned out stunningly beautiful and he was quick to send us the finished product. We will DEFINITELY be using him again the next time we want family photos, and we would recommend him to anyone who needs a photographer. read more

I wish there was an option to give Mike more than five stars. Mike was absolutely amazing in all aspects. From the moment my husband and I reached out to him to shoot our wedding he was prompt, professional, and an absolute delight. Mike met with us for our initial consultation and spent a good amount of time listening to our thoughts and wants in regards to our wedding photography. He was willing and eager to make all our dream photos come to life and he did just that. Mike is incredibly personable and was amazing to have at our wedding. He visited with our family, showed our guests the amazing photos he took at the waterfalls, and seemed to capture every moment between our loved ones while not standing out or being in the way of any of our events. We will never use another photographer for any event in our lives. read more

Mike is our hero! I contacted Mike at the 11th hour to take photos at our mother's birthday celebration. He showed up early to scout out the venue. He took a variety of images -- family photos before the event, details during the event and some great photos that captured the emotions and memorable moments of the evening. I discussed the event rundown with Mike when he arrived and continued to communicate throughout the event so he knew what to anticipate. He moved quickly and quietly to secure the critical images that we wanted. He was easy to work with and flexible when the timing changed as the event unfolded. In the end, we have a great combination of formal posed shots and beautiful candid moments -- thanks to Mike! Bravo! We will treasure the photos from this special celebration for many years to come! read more

We used Mike for our courthouse wedding and the follow up photo shoot around downtown Seattle/ Pike Place Market. Mike was amazing!! It was about 50000 degrees that day and Mike was upbeat, creative, and enthusiastic. He did a good job of telling us awkward humans where to put our arms (why do photo shoots make you forget how to function as a human?). He went above and beyond, taking a few extra shots than expected and even taking the time to sit and have a cold beer with us afterwards. The images he took truly capture the adventurous spirit we went into the day with. I would also say that his pricing was VERY reasonable for Seattle photographers and Mike is one of the nicest guys around. I would highly recommend you use him for a photo shoot of any kind. Thanks again Mike! read more

I've done a fair bit of photography over the years and was looking for a photographer with the right balance between budget and quality for my daughter's (remote) wedding. After a lot of online research I ran across Mike's site and his Yelp reviews. We hired Mike and were not disappointed! Mike did an outstanding job with the wedding and reception and was a joy to work with. Many family members and guests commented that they enjoyed having Mike around and that it was obvious he was into his work and enjoying it. Mike delivered both sneak peeks and the final photos more quickly than promised and we're very happy with the results! Should I ever need a photographer in the NW again I wouldn't hesitate to hire him again. read more

Mike is a great photographer and very professional! He met us before our wedding to help us figure out which shots were important to us. It shows how much he cares about his photography and his profession. He went so far as to drive us to two different locations to make sure our shots were beautiful and personal. After the wedding, he provided a digital album for us to share with our friends and family immediately. He contacted us maybe a week later to confirm our address to send a usb drive. It arrived in a box stuffed with rosemary in a wooden keepsake box with a wooden usb drive. Completely unexpected and absolutely adorable. We will treasure these pictures forever! Thank you, Mike! read more

Mike was our photographer for our wedding and he was so much better then we could have ever hoped! Mike was so easy going and we got the pictures back so quickly we were amazed. In seeing the amount of pictures he took it was amazing we did not realize how many he took which shows how amazing he was as being there and not interrupting moments to take pictures. He was taking pictures and checking to make sure he got the shot. We would recommend Mike to anyone, we don't like our pictures being taken and Mike was able to make is fun and capture moments on the day that were special to both us without us noticing him. The pictures we got back were amazing!!! read more

Where do I begin with Mike? For a start, he is an amazing photographer. My husband is in the military, and I was a full time graduate student at the time of our wedding planning, so our budget was tight when it came to photographers and catering. Mike was kind enough to offer meeting at a wedding expo to initially meet and hear what our wedding theme, photo ideas and budget were, to ultimately work with our allotted budget. Our wedding photos were amazing and genuine exceeded out expectations. Honest and trustworthy people are hard to find. Book with Mike for your wedding! He will make whatever the occasion photo memories extremely special! read more

I hired Mike to take my son's senior high school pictures. I am so glad I did! Mike was easy to work with and creative with how to combat my son's 'blinkyness' (as I call it - my son is always that one who has his eyes closed in pictures.) We selected outdoor photos in a nature setting at Lake Wilderness. My son did have a great time laughing and working with Mike - they told each other corny joke after corny joke. I look forward to rehiring him in two years for my daughter's senior pictures as well as hiring him for a family photo session and hopefully professional headshots for my career too! Highly recommended Mike! read more