More experienced photographers may disagree, but as a beginner, I found WSP's "Focus on…read moreComposition" course super helpful. The class tried to instill a habit of thinking through a checklist before taking a picture (or evaluating it afterwards). The checklist included, among other things: * What's the subject? * Do the direction and quality of light work for your subject? * Does the background distract from the subject? * Check the frame's edges: Is the cropping awkward? * Is there comfortable spacing between the elements of your photograph? Our class was small, so in addition to the lectures and the pithy, informative handouts, we could spend more time going over our homework, getting concrete suggestions for how to improve. For example, the instructor (Joe Yablonsky) would sometimes suggest moving the camera up, down, right, left, closer, or further, to get a cleaner background, a more flattering portrait angle, or more interesting "directionality" in the photo's lines. Other times, the instructor would notice patterns-- that my ISOs tended to be too high, or that there's dust on someone's sensor, or that the focusing was sometimes off. He'd then ask how we took the shot, and suggest new settings or focusing methods (or suggest cleaning the sensor!). Sometimes he'd ask the class to weigh in on the critique, so we could also benefit from our talented (and opinionated!) classmates. One session was a fun field trip to the National Mall. At the National Gallery of Art sculpture garden,we chased photogenic squirrels and captured tourists' hilarious reactions to Joan Miro's Personnage Gothique, Oiseau-Eclair. (Google it if you don't know it). I watched as one classmate got several amazing portraits of strangers, just by walking up and asking. The instructor also gave me a demonstration of how to get my camera to focus with a neutral density filter. (I had been having trouble with that). The course just ended last week, and I still need a lot of practice. But it's made my photos noticeably better. (One of my homework assignments even got published last week, as the page 2 photo in the Washington Post Express!) The downsides: Classes can be expensive! (Luckily I had a gift certificate). Sometimes you can find coupons or Living Social deals, e.g. here's one that's on right now (as of late March 2014): http://conta.cc/1jNpdud Washington School of Photography can be a pain to get to without a car. It's somewhat walkable from Twinbrook Metro, but the commute from DC (especially with weekend red line schedules) took me more than an hour.

Love these guys...they've taught me so much about the technical and functional aspects of…read morephotography, from how my DSLR works to how to better frame and compose my shots. I'll be taking my third class, on composition and design, next month. The 2 teachers I've had, Joe Yablonsky & Cortney Jackson, are instructors that I would recommend to anyone who wants to pursue photography as a hobby or as a profession.

Pamela was so amazing!! She was able to accommodate us scheduling an appointment on short notice…read moreand she came to our location to take pictures! This was especially important to us so we didn't have to go anywhere with our newborn. We were able to have beautiful pictures done in the comfort of our own home. She made recommendations and she made sure we took the pictures we wanted to take as well. She also had the final products to us very quickly and all of the pictures were beautiful! I highly recommend her!!

From the owner: Pamela Renee Photography is a portrait and event photography business that specializes in families…read moreand weddings. Pamela loves to capture memories of all stages of family milestones from maternity to senior year of high school, from engagements to the wedding day and starting a family! She is very flexible in working with children (who we all know rule the session!) Pamela has many tricks up her sleeve to get the kiddos to cooperate and also has the ability to capture their true personalities during the session! If you choose Pamela Renee Photography for your wedding day, she helps you along the way with timelines, getting comfortable in front of the camera with an engagement session, and is helpful throughout the day by giving directions when needed and let moments happen by stepping back as well. Flexibility, being natural and your true self, and capturing emotions are key moments Pamela will capture throughout the day!

Working with Preet on an image I had was really easy. He answered my questions, walked me through…read morethe process of editing and completed the job same-day within minutes.

When I pull aside my QB during time out, I always say the same thing: a good quarterback isn't just…read moregood at calling plays; a quarterback is good at listening. Preet listens to what you want. What you need. He calls the instructions and guides you through the shoot. And let me tell you... every picture is a touchdown. Another thing: the turnaround time is quick. He won't make you wait in in the last stretch of the fourth quarter. You probably have a busy schedule, and Preet knows that. You can trust this man with you and your loved ones' important life moments. Whether it's a team photo, Julie's graduation, or Gracie's baptism, I'm calling Alio Graphics.

Yes, yes, and yes! Jason is a true professional. My family and I initially booked another…read morephotographer who then completely stopped responding to our emails as soon as she received her hefty deposit. That experience was so disappointing and unsettling that my father actually considered buying his own professional camera and taking a photography course... lol! We approached Jason with some trepidation, but he assuaged our fears with his kind and professional mannerism, glowing weddingwire reviews and willingness to accept the bulk of payment for his services after the wedding. We met for the first time a few days before the wedding to discuss expectations and ideas; Jason also provided a timeline for the day. On the day of the wedding, he did a lovely job taking pictures without being intrusive and handled everything with a great sense of humor. He posted over 1,000 pictures on his website as soon as my father's transfer went through, and now I'm excitedly awaiting the USB of our beautiful wedding shots!

Jason is very responsive, professional, has great passion for what he does, asks clients for their…read morevision, and delivers on the wishes. He brings great energy to the shoot to help everyone be at ease to then capture their essence in the photographs

We couldn't have asked for a better wedding photographer! Serge made us feel so comfortable in…read morefront of the camera, and what really stood out was how comfortable he made all of our guests feel too. He was so friendly, upbeat, and brought such great energy throughout the day. One of my favorite moments was watching him give our friends and family little photography tips while they were taking pictures of us on their phones. It was such a funny and thoughtful touch. He was professional, dedicated, and captured every important moment beautifully. The final photos exceeded our expectations, and everything was delivered on time. We're so happy with the results and would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking for a talented photographer who is also a joy to work with.

When we decided to do this photo shoot, we wanted that artist to show the world our love story and…read morecapture every moment and detail in each photo from the begining until the end. We are so grateful that we met Serge and had the ability/talent to bring that out of us into reality. Our story begins with me and my wife meeting at the gym in a cycle studio for the first time years ago. The gym is our most sacret place for both of us. So we agreed to discuss our ideas to Serge. His reaction became very possitive, motivating which gave us the confident that we needed. My wife is also a coffee lover and he suggested to take some pictures in a fancy coffee shot. It was hilarious and different but absolutely loved it!! We also both love nature and like to spend time outdoors. He took us to a magical place that is relaxing and unforgettable. We had a specific time of the day to perform our photo shoot, unfortunately, we were running late and my wife was very worried if we would have enough time to fit all our plans. At the same time Serge had other appointments after our photo shoot. He called to check on us to see if everything was as planned. We then explained the situation. Took it so calm and professionally that he understood what we were going through. This helped build back our confidence and encouraged us to continue as we talk about. Planning for a huge photshoot does take alot of time and energy to make it perfect. He explained that everything will be amazing but it wasn't amazing, it was EXTREMELY WONDERFUL AND BEYONG OUR EXPECTATIONS. We shared our ideas with him and later brought everything we mention to reality. It was all detailed to perfection and nothing was left out. He's skills were organized neatly that it was breathtaking. The experience we had was so much fun, exciting, and perfect that we can't stop talking about it and thanking Sokolov Photgraphy for everything they did for us. That's why we want to share this incredible experience with everyone. Once again, thank you Serge for the time and effort you put into our pictures. It means so much to us. And we love every single on of them. Rob & Cindy

Sam was super communicative, accommodating, prompt, polite, and fun…read more And he takes great pics. Great value too. Highly recommend.

I did not enjoy doing business with Sam Garvin. We have used his firm multiple times in the past…read morefor headshots and have been pleased with the results, but recently he refused to refund our money for a shoot that never happened. We had a candidate withdraw their acceptance of their new job, and so we informed Sam a month in advance that we no longer needed his services. He let us know that he "cannot issue refunds" even when work is not rendered. This was written nowhere on the invoice he sent us. Upon review of his website, I see it is buried in his terms and conditions page. Why someone would choose to do business this way, I have no idea. I could not in good conscience take my customers' money and then refuse to refund it even if I performed no work. Sam feels differently.

I was looking for a photographer for maternity photos when I stumbled across the Zori Studios…read morewebsite. At first I was a little skeptical because I didn't see too many maternity photos on their website but decided to give them a try because I fell in love with their style. Right from my first interaction with Naz I could tell she was very professional. She addressed all my concerns regarding pricing, contracts, timing of the shoot, etc in a very timely manner. The day of the actual shoot my husband and I had a fabulous time with Naz and her sister. They made us feel incredibly comfortable and were open to incorporating our ideas into the shoot. I couldn't be more thrilled with how my pictures turned out!! They did such a fantastic job! I've gotten so many compliments from everyone that I've shared the pictures with. I would highly recommend Naz and Zori studios to anyone that looking to capture any of life's special moments! Naz not only takes incredible pictures but she is also very friendly and professional! I plan on using Zori studios for my new born photos as well!

"Where do I even begin? I've had the privilege of being a customer of Zori Studios for the past 3…read moreyears, and I can't express how grateful I am for the wonderful moments she's captured for me and my family. From the first session to the most recent, she has consistently impressed me with her communication, kindness, and utmost professionalism in every aspect. Her talent behind the lens is truly remarkable, and it reflects in every single photograph she takes. I've always been more than satisfied with the final results; they never fail to exceed my expectations. The way she captures emotions and turns them into cherished memories is nothing short of magic. Thank you for being such an exceptional photographer and making each session an unforgettable experience. Your passion for your craft shines through in every shot. Keep up the magic:)

THIS IS THE GUY! It…read morewas my first ever official in-studio shoot, and Jae did an incredible job as a professional photographer and a creative artist. He walked me through everything that was gonna happen, and offered guided caution so that I would get what I want from the photos. I was very relaxed and comfortable the entire time. The session ended up being one of the most fun and pleasant experience in my life. I would definitely work with him again in the future!!!

A little over a decade ago, I was searching for a photographer in the Washington DC area who would…read morebe able to take proposal photos as a surprise to my now wife. Jae was one of the photographers who reached out and ultimately the one I ended up going with. Looking back, it was absolutely the right choice! He was incredibly helpful in planning out the proposal and choosing the best location for our photos. He answered all of my questions and was easy to get in touch with both before and on the night of the proposal, keeping me updated and making sure everything was ready before the big moment. The photos turned out perfect! Even today, they stand out as some of our favorite pictures. Fast forward 10 years later - I had an idea to get a kind of "follow up" set with our daughter for our 10th anniversary. I reached out to see if Jae was still in the area and if he'd have some availability to do these for us. He got back to me fast and we ended up planning everything out, starting right back where the proposal happened. This time was just as great! Jae was fantastic with our daughter and really helped bring out her smile. He was great posing us and knew exactly how to work each location we walked to. The photos (again) turned out fantastic! Being able to look back at both sets side by side, a decade later, is like opening a time capsule - it's just so cool!