Selecting Michael to be our photographer for our wedding at SF City Hall was the best wedding decision we made! More than the amazing pictures, Michael was able to capture the beautiful detail and nuances that people (including US!) overlook during the hectic day. My wife and I really appreciated these details especially since we barely got a chance to appreciate them during the wedding. I'm so glad Michael was able to capture those little moments! From the structure of the day to the types of photos he was going take, Michael's warmness and clear guidance made my wife and I feel at ease. Since we had mostly family as guests, it was important for us to capture all family members. Michael was able to get this seamlessly done with time to spare! Even though we had a small wedding, we were blown away by Michael's professionalism. We had our share of unruly family members, terribly shy, or tired and cranky kids, and aloof family members. Michael took charge and charmed the kids, assembled the family members, and left my wife and me to enjoy the event. His seasoned years as a photographer equipped him to handle ANY unexpected hiccup, and for just this reason alone, we HIGHLY recommend him. He was engaging with our guests, and everyone had great things to say about him! We are so honored that he was able to be such a huge part of our wedding. We highly recommend him! read more

I had a class with Michael a few weeks ago. I can say for sure that it was an amazing experience. I learned a lot from him and I feel that now I have a whole new camera in my hands because he taught me so much about photography and in a really easy way to learn. You rock Michael!! read more

Loved my class with Michael! I learned stuff I had no idea my camera could do, and also learned that flash sucks. Lol Feeling like a have a brand new camera on my hands now. Thank you so so much! read more

I could not wait to post review of Michael for our October 15th wedding! He was absolutely incredible and easy to work with and extremely talented as a photographer. My sister, the maid of honor, even said that his photos looked so good it was like the camera was photoshopping them automatically. Patient, clear, and ready to roll with any bumps along the way, multiple times he went above and beyond for us to capture every moment. Michael is extremely intuitive and perceptive, with a great eye. Even my husband, who usually hates getting his picture taken, enjoyed every minute we were working alone with Michael. He totally blended into the background, but was also immediately available whenever we wanted to speak with him. If you have the opportunity to hire Michael for a wedding or any event--especially if you want stunning photos captured as painlessly as possible--you should jump at the chance! read more

What can I say, Michael was absolutely fabulous. Ron and I were looking for a photographer for our wedding at City Hall and we chose Michael because I liked his website and the price was right. Even before meeting Michael I liked him right off the bat because he was punctual in returning phone calls and emails. We had an initial meeting to review the contract and look at his portfolio and were impressed by his enthusiasm for his craft (he's been a professional photographer for 10 years) and his relaxed laid back charm. On the wedding day, Ron and I were of course frazzled and late showing up to meet Michael at City Hall. He had already been there for 30 minutes scoping out the competition for prime wedding shots and calmly explained to us what we should expect with the ceremony in terms of queing up in the rotunda, etc., and where he wanted to take us afterwards for prime shots. Michael's calm demeanor and knowledge of City Hall ceremonies was very helpful as we would have been lost without him. Michael got some great shots of us before during and after the ceremony and led us around the gorgeous building to spots I had never visited that he was fond of: the base of the sweeping stair case, the third floor where the crowds were smaller and there were many beautiful sky lights, lots of beautiful Beax Art detail, ballustaded overlooks, etc. I think Michael's best quality as a photographer not only is his obvious passion for the art form but his ability to easily connect with his subjects so that they are relaxed and appear natural --which is an amazing feat to pull off on your wedding day. As a result the pictures of us were amazing, we couldn't be happier with the result. read more

I recently hired Michael to take some photos of me around San Francisco, my new city. This is a completely new chapter in my life and I wanted to capture that-- the iconic places, the sights, and just the general atmosphere of the place. Of course I had no idea where or how to do this, but I left it in Michael's hands and was very impressed with the results. He somehow managed to choose the iconic places in the city, and in the photos, made them unique; anything but cliched. He also chose lesser-known places in the city, and in the photos, they were just as grand as the famous Golden Gate Bridge. When I set out on this project I thought I might be aiming for the impossible-- a sort of visual freeze frame of this time in my life-- this adventure, this new city-- without coming across as cheesy or narcissistic. Well, somehow Michael pulled it off with flying colors. Not to mention he was a delight to work with. He's very professional, he clearly knows what he's doing, and yet he put me completely at ease; after just a few minutes I no longer felt uncomfortable in front of the camera (this is unusual for me!) and after about an hour, it felt like I was just spending time with a friend. I highly recommend Michael for your photo needs-- whether you're getting married, celebrating a milestone, or just exploring a new city. read more

Michael Thomas is a one of a kind photographer--a pleasure to work with who delivers top-notch results. Because he is a photography teacher, he is an expert on the proper techniques and an artists eye to his work. He doesn't just make you look good, but captures the spirit of your event, from the details to the formal portraits. He's also incredibly easy going and professional--zero drama when you have enough to worry about. I highly recommend him as a photographer for your wedding, engagement photos and family photos. read more

My partner of 33 years and I decided to marry after a long wait for our marriage to be legal. We choose San Francisco's historic City Hall as the venue then searched Yelp for a photographer who was willing to capture a few photographs. That search lead us to Michael. After looking at his website, we decided his style was what we were looking for. Our decision was reinforced after meeting him in person and hearing from him how he would approach capturing the important memories from the ceremony. He offered specific suggestions and was willing to adjust his usual approach to meet our special requests. After leaving our meeting we knew we were in the right hands. Michael met us and our 17 guests at City Hall. He did a fantastic job capturing all the important interactions between us before the actual ceremony began. He stayed in the background yet shot some amazing images which reflected the our joy and happiness. After the ceremony, which Michael captured beautifully, he took some more posed images of us and our guests. Many included the beautiful architectural features in City Hall which added to the story. The lighting and focus in his images were spot on. He's got talent. His work arrived promptly and the photographs were outstanding. We feel like we still owe Michael something since we don't think he charged us enough for the quality of his work. Hence this review and our pledge to give him great referrals. He's new to San Francisco so we have to help an artist like him be able to stay here. read more

We booked Michael to cover our City Hall wedding, with additional coverage around SF afterwards, and can heartily recommend his services. It was ideal to meet Michael before the wedding, taking advantage of his City Hall experience, which relaxed us from the off. He even took a lot of good shots before the ceremony, and talked us through the procedure. The photographs were received promptly, and highlight his skill and enthusiasm as a photographer, with a good range of formal and informal shots. We couldn't be happier with them, especially with the Golden Gate bridge as backdrop. During the day, Michael was excited and full of ideas for shots, even reintroducing the 'Rom-Com' shot from his repertoire. Niamh and I both felt relaxed during the entire shoot, never feeling rushed, and Michael went above the call of duty by driving us around the city and selecting excellent locations, even dropping us back at the hotel for a celebratory champers. Michael was always responsive to emails, even phoning us at the hotel to confirm the booking. The contract was comprehensive and payment made easily and securely. Brass tacks: Michael is unbeatable on price for City Hall and SF coverage, without skimping on quality. A true gent and professional, his enthusiasm for the camera is infectious, though his knowledge of Tom Cruise's ex-wives is less than exhaustive. But don't let this put you off. Book this lad immediately. Thanks for the 'Top of the Mark' tip. Favourite direction of the day: "That was perfect...let's do it again." read more

Michael is amazing and was a pleasure to work with. He has done many city hall weddings, and so it was nice to go through the process with a pro. He was professional, yet laid back and he brought a great vibe to the day. He discretely took pictures of every moment, had tons of great ideas, and was also open to my ideas too! The pictures turned out amazing and we couldn't be happier. He made our quiet intimate ceremony come to life with photos that we were delighted to share with family and friends. You won't be disappointed with Michael as he is a talented photographer. read more

My fiance hired Michael for our engagement photos in June. We met in North Beach and wandered into Crissy Fields, with Michael taking pictures along the way. He is a breeze to work with, and helped us relax and smile. We love our photos, and had a hard time choosing which one would make the announcement card, so we went with a collage! It was lots of fun, and the final shots got us excited about our wedding. I'm happy to know Michael will be there, taking photos that will surely be beautiful! read more

I can't recommend Michael enough. Not only was he able to take professional photos, he was also able to unobtrusively capture those precious, tender candid moments throughout our big day. While my husband-to-be and I were getting ready, Michael was somehow able to capture both of our preparations *and* the little scenes happening outside. Thanks to his quick eye, after our wedding we were able to relive the day and see what we missed in full color through his amazing photo journalistic style. When it came to group shots, he was able to make everyone comfortable. Michael inspired and captured so many genuine smiles with his warmth, realness, humor and professionalism. Throughout the process he did more than just capture the day -- he put everyone at ease with confidence that they were in good hands. read more

I can't believe it has taken me so long to write this review, given how great our experience was with Michael. The minute I met him I knew he was going to be great to work with and deliver amazing photos for our wedding. He is so nice and easy to work with, on time and very professional. I'm not comfortable in front of a camera at all and was quite nervous to have a camera following us around for several hours. Michael assured me that after awhile we wouldn't even notice him. He was totally right! I would never have thought. He was like having another friend or family there. I even invited him to Thanksgiving (which I never followed through with - sorry Michael) Now about our photos....AMAZING. WONDERFUL.FABULOUS....Just like Michael. I would recommend him to anyone for any occasion. He is a master at capturing the moment, and every moment after that. read more

My wife and I asked Michael to photograph our wedding ceremony at City Hall. He did a beautiful job of capturing the event and then guided us around City Hall from top to bottom, taking many wonderful photos along the way, ranging from formal and composed to relaxed and playful to creative and surprising. Moreover, Michael was responsive, considerate and professional throughout the process, so we never had any concerns or stress. We look forward to working with him again in the future! read more

Michael did an outstanding job photographing our wedding. My wife and I didn't want to spend a lot of time posing for the camera while our guests had all the fun, and he was extrememly efficient in producing some beautiful photos. He managed to be both professional and relaxed about the whole operation, which is a difficult balance to strike. He corralled everyone without being overbearing, cracked a few jokes to keep the young kids' attention, and didn't fuss too much over everyone's stances or wardrobes. I had the distinct impression that he could be very exacting if someone wanted a formal shoot, but he generously accommodated our desire for something quick and naturalistic. It started raining an hour before the ceremony began, and we had to move everything inside. Michael adapted with aplomb--doing the best that could possibly be done with a dimly lit indoor space and finding a covered bandstand outside where we could stage the family photos. When it came time for the couple's portraits, my wife picked up a bright pink umbrella as a guard against the drizzle on our march out to the quasi-cover of a nearby pergola, but Michael had the inspired idea to use it as a prop. Though it's difficult to maintain objectivity given that my wife and I are the subjects, the shot of us holding the umbrella in the rain is just a gorgeous photograph--amazingly well-lit and well-framed and has a splash of color to pique interest. Although we only asked for a few portraits and a few pictures of the ceremony, he generously shot some of the set-up and the reception and thus captured some candid moments that are among of our favorites. He was very communicative when we were making arrangements and very prompt in getting the photos to us after it was all over. I know from my sister's experience that this isn't always the case with wedding photographers. To sum up: He has a great eye and a great demeanor and is a pleasure to work with. Highly recommended. read more