Brian photographed my wedding and I couldn't be happier with the results. It was an investment,…read moreyes, but it was easily one of the most important parts of my wedding plan, and I know I chose wisely. He brought two assistants along and captured the posed photos and spontaneous moments over the course of the day. His reception photography was particularly impressive--he photographed us in low lighting, so he used external flash to avoid blurry photos, but the end results looked as crisp and clear and not overblown as those from earlier in the day. The man clearly knows his stuff and handled capturing our special moments in all sorts of lighting. Plus, I got high-res copies of my images so I could share and print accordingly.

Bless Brian for the time and patience he showed my family and me when selecting our photographer!…read moreObviously photography is something you want spend time selecting, because those are the memories that will last forever. Brian answered our questions thoroughly and patiently, smiling every second. He was so approachable and easy to talk to. He was also incredibly funny, which took the awkwardness away when it came time for taking the engagement photos. He has an open door policy, and always made himself available to respond to emails, phone calls, and in person visits. We didn't have to lay out a detailed list of the shots we wanted - he just understands what you need and does it. He anticipates what you want. Our photos weren't those cheesy staged pictures that you often see. They were candid shots of us having the time of our lives. They were amazing! The lighting was incredible as well. Most of our reception was in really dark light, but the photos turned out so crisp and clear. Even with the glow sticks that we pulled out later in the evening. He is truly talented! We received our photos just four short weeks after the wedding. In the meantime, he sent us "sneak peaks" to get us excited about what was to come. I'd highly recommend Brian. You won't be disappointed!

I just took a beginning digital camera course from Dave, and he is extremely knowledgeable. He…read moreexplains things clearly, and is very patient with newbies like myself, and genuinely cares about if we understand the topics covered. I appreciate his class and it has helped me to have an understanding of some things I had no clue about before. I especially liked learning about shutter speeds, but he also covered ISO and Aperture, as well as different types of lighting and how to operate some settings on our cameras. I am looking forward to learning more from him in the future!

Dave was amazing to work with! I met him when he took my professional headshots. He is extremely…read morepersonable as well as professional, and has several subtle strategies to make you feel at east with the camera. He is very experienced, and knows how to adjust lighting, posture, and props to achieve relaxed and natural photos. He also takes a LARGE number for you to choose from and is extremely patient. I feel like I cannot recommend him enough!! I will definitely be returning to him when I need updated photos!

Cassie was absolutely so much fun to work with! She knows a ton of really neat locations that do…read morewonderful for taking pictures. This is my first time working with her, but she does have a lot of creativity and I'm excited to work with her in the future. Loved the photos she took and she had a fast turn around for sending the edited version back. She is located in Durham but is willing to travel within the area especially for good locations for photos.

From the owner: Cassie Thomas-Trujillo is a professional photographer in North Carolina, specializing in fun and…read morelaidback portrait sessions at an affordable price. Instagram: @cassienotjessie Facebook: Cassie T. Photos

Christer is excellent at what he does! I'd recommend Portraits with Purpose to anyone in the…read moreRaleigh area looking for high quality professional head shots. Christer really works with you to take as many photos as needed to find one you like and has many different back drops for you to choose from. He is kind, patient, and professional. We love the photos he took!

Christer is the man! I messaged him through Yelp last minute, I needed an onsite photographer at…read moreDuke, and he came to me, took amazing photos and had them ready to go by the weekend. This guy knows what he's doing! Thanks for everything!

Elizabeth did a phenomenal job photographing our wedding day. She is very professional and…read moreorganized and easy to approach and talk to. She is very talented and makes you feel like a rockstar. I highly recommend Elizabeth! She is wonderful!

From the owner: Wedding and Engagement Photography Lifestyle Photography for…read moreExpectant Parents, Babies, Children and Families Professional Headshot Photography Event Photography Custom Books and Albums

Melissa is amazing! She is an awesome combination of deep knowledge, responsiveness and positivity…read more She is a true joy to work with and has been a wonderful asset to us (including postpartum!). Melissa has been our virtual Doula and it feels like she's been right with us through every stage of the labor and postpartum process. Whether it be real-time laboring positions, breastfeeding/lactation tips, labor recovery, or immunization intel, Melissa is so full of knowledge (and is surrounded by a team of experts to add an additional layer of intel') and swiftly shares it right when you need it the most! Highly recommend; thank you, Melissa!!

***BEWARE--Melissa stole almost $3,000 from my family***…read more Melissa was our doula for the birth of our son. She was excellent. When I found out I was pregnant with twins, we hired her again without hesitation. She was absent during my pregnancy except for 1 short phone call (which she rescheduled twice) and when she asked me via text to borrow $1200 for medical bills when I was 6 months pregnant. This was in addition to the full amount we had already paid her for her doula services. I told her I wasn't comfortable lending her money but I could pay her in advance for postpartum doula services. She agreed and I sent her the money. 1 week later she posted on Facebook that she had adopted a large dog--I thought that was odd seeing as she had just asked to borrow money from us. It was 3 weeks into COVID at the time I went into labor and doulas were not allowed in the hospital, so she could not attend our birth. She encapsulated my placenta and made a print of my placenta, as we had agreed upon. When I found out her partner at the time was an ER nurse with obvious close contact to COVID patients, I didn't feel comfortable with her providing postpartum doula services to my twins who were born 6 weeks premature. She said she understood and would give us a full refund but wasn't in a financial position to refund our money all at once. We said we understood and in June of 2020 we set up a payment plan for her to pay us $100 a month. We really cared about her and didn't want her to feel a financial strain during what we knew was a stressful time for everyone. From the time we set up the payment plan in July of 2020 to the time I wrote this review on July 10th, 2022 Melissa has paid us $200. My husband and I texted her several gentle reminders about our payment plan and she never responded to either of us. I reached out to a friend in the birth community to see if Melissa was ok. She told me Melissa was on a cross country vacation with her partner. I was shocked seeing as she owed us so much money. It wasn't until I threatened to contact the Better Business Bureau that she responded immediately with a slew of excuses and finally dropped off my placenta print on July 2, 2022 (2 years and 3 months after my twins were born). I hesitated to write this review because I saw a thread on a local birth Facebook page where her partner had threatened to kill someone who posted a negative review claiming a very similar experience to my own. Losing the money was unfortunate but feeling swindled by someone who we allowed to be so close to our family has been devastating. She has communicated no remorse. I would hate for anyone else to be taken advantage of during such a vulnerable time.

Tunnel Creek Winery is such a beautiful and unique place to visit! The grounds are gorgeous, with…read moreroaming animals like cows and donkeys that add so much charm to the experience. The winery itself is beautiful, with comfortable and inviting surroundings that make it easy to relax and stay awhile. They also have delicious food made on site, including pizza, and live music that creates a fun and welcoming atmosphere. Another special part of the experience is the historic tunnel nearby, which can be reached by walking or driving and adds an interesting piece of history to the visit. The personnel are incredibly friendly and welcoming, which makes the whole experience even better. Between the beautiful grounds, animals, wine, food, music, and history, Tunnel Creek Winery is definitely worth a visit!

The public is welcome to participate in the grape harvest! It was so much fun! I have never…read moreharvested a crop in such a pristine environment. Manicured vines- abundant grapes in easy reach-no wasps, fire ants, thorny vines. Everyone was friendly and helpful. We'll go back tomorrow to see the grapes crushed.