I'm usually the one behind the camera, but one day I picked up my photo album and realized that I have pictures of everyone but me. Not even a good one to be found in case I were to go missing and someone needed one for the back of a milk carton! Ha! So I worked with Ava to put together some portraits. We met out at a location in the Woodside area and she had a really great eye for creating a background. I'll admit that I'm totally awkward in front of the camera. I have no idea of what to do with myself but Ava gave me great direction and made me feel at ease. I arranged for delivery via a DVD and it came not too long after the shoot. The packaging and her communication that came with the DVD were so professional and I was very pleased with her work. She has got a natural talent and now I've got some great photos Thanks Ava!! read more

We are probably Family #1,457 that has taken pictures at Belmont's Twin Pines Park this month alone, but Ava did such a wonderful job making our photos look unique and intimate that you would think we were in some remote forest toting around our seven-month-old. She has a great laid-back personality that made us feel at ease....to the point where at the end of the shoot, we asked if she'd be okay with taking a picture of us leaving our kid at the Safe Surrender door at the fire station. Most photographers (especially those with children) would at the very least give us a cocked eyebrow at the request, but Ava didn't even bat an eye and said, "Let's do it!" The result were some great shots that we'll use to remind our son when he's older and bratty that we had the chance to leave him, but decided to keep him anyway. :-) Ava came highly recommended by moms on local message boards and mother's clubs, and I can see why. She offers very reasonable pricing (where you get to keep a CD of images vs only getting a few prints), quick turnaround time (our CD was done within the week!), and great images. Thanks Ava! read more

Yesterday was our family photography session and I loved the location. We had the mini-session which was great because my sons are both under 3 years of age. Anything longer than 30 minutes might have been too much for them. Ava was great at reading the moods of everyone and taking photos without too much prompting. It was fun, fast, and very natural. I found my photographer and will recommend her to everyone. Everything was perfect from the kids moods, to the photographer's style, to the weather. read more

Ava is a friend and a talented photographer. When I asked her to take our family photos, she squeezed us in her busy schedule without hassle, and we couldn't be happier with the results! She was fantastic from the moment we booked to the day she delivered images, and they speak for themselves. I cannot imagine being in better hands, she took care of us and made our picture day feel like a walk on the beach. Truly grateful to have had a chance to work with her and to now have portraits hanging on my wall as a beautiful reminder of our session. You would be lucky to get a chance to work with such amazing person! Her talent is highly sought after. Book before her schedule fills up. You won't regret it. read more

We booked Ava for a casual family shoot when my daughter turned 3. Ava was a wonderfully patient photographer with my daughter who was in a fiesty mood. I think Ava captured our presonalities beautfiully and I was thrilled that we got our disk the same week that we actually took the pictures. I cannot recommend Zemya Photography enough! read more

We recently did a maternity shoot through Zemya Photography. This was our first time working with Ava, but she came highly recommended so we had high expectations. What we received exceeded our expectations! Ava was professional, organized, and creative. She provided clear instructions, chose great layouts, and was fantastic with our daughter. Her focus is on families - a skill she has really honed over the years - and it definitely shows. She was able to capture our daughter's traits even though it was the first time meeting her. These were the best professional pictures we've ever received and it was fun at the same time. We highly recommend Ava to anyone looking for a family shoot. read more

We've used Zemya photography a few times now, and just recently for maternity pictures. Ava is an amazing photographer and was super patient dealing with our 2 1/2 year old son, who we had to bribe to take the pictures. I also appreciated the direction she gave as a most of the time I feel pretty clueless as to what I'm suppose to do when I take pictures. Ava was also great helping us find perfect locations for our shoot. She also offers some great package deals on her website, including ones for maternity, newborn, and first year. I really liked all of the energy and passion she puts behind everything she does photography wise and highly recommend her. read more

This is the second year I've met with Ava, and it's the second year our family photos have been awesome. No more mall photos for us! I've booked her for both a full session, and most recently, a mini-session, and both experiences were great. Especially considering we have a 3 year old who has a mind of his own. Ava was able to capture his personality in her photos perfectly, along with his older brother, who is a much easier subject to shoot. It was low-key, she gave great direction, and she was quick - a big bonus for us. Her prices are very reasonable for everything she offers - a CD with full-res copies and the rights to the photos, and this year, she even uploaded our photos to Tiny Prints and Creative Memories, so we can purchase our holiday cards more easily. What more could a busy mom want? Thank you for helping us capture memories, Zemya Photography! read more

A M A Z I N G!!! This is our first time to you Zemya photography and will not be the last. Ava is a wonderful!!!! She made us very comfortable, it just felt like taking photos with a family friend ... it shows in all the photos (not one forced smile)! Ava captured who we are as a family. read more

I have used Zemya Photography multiple times now and will never use another family photographer! Ava is so easy to work with, she really knows how to walk the line of being friendly yet still being professional. We also like that she really knows the area and can suggest some really good places to take pictures, or will come to your home if you prefer that. I take great pride in showing anyone and everyone the photos that Ava takes of our family and everyone is always very impressed. We have another photo session booked for a couple weeks from now and will be booking another session for a few more months down the road. We love that we have gorgeous pictures to look back on when our son is grown. read more

We had family photos done by Ava, outdoors at a nearby park, and we highly recommend her. I had scoured the Yelp reviews to locate possible photographers, then reviewed all their portfolios, and Ava is one of the best. She also was very engaged and helpful during the process, answering all our questions about possible photo shoot locations, and she even went there the day before to make sure the lighting would be right on the day of the photo shoot. She also worked very well with our son and was able to capture some really good moments. All in all, we couldn't have been more pleased with the photos and the experience. read more

Ava is truly talented as a photographer, but her greatest quality is how easy she is to work with. She specializes in family and children's photography and understands children and how to get the best out of them. She also understands the unpredictability of family life and is flexible with rescheduling due to unexpected illness and weather for outdoor shoots. We have worked with her twice now and plan to continue to use her as our family photographer. read more

We've had two very efficient sessions with Ava this year - one at home and one at a local park. Much appreciated with a wandering toddler. I like her pre-session prep reading packet - very helpful laying out expectations and tips for a smooth photo session. The resulting photos have been bright and beautiful with interesting angles and perspectives. We'll be back. read more

Our family has been lucky to work with Ava on many occasions from family photos to my son's first birthday party. She is both professional and friendly putting my whole family including my husband, who hates getting photos done, at ease. She gets down on my son's level to capture his true self as well as those beautiful family portraits I crave. Ava always delivers an amazing product and does so quickly. I love having my own CD of images to print as well as the ones I can purchase from her. I am so glad to have a photographer I trust so much with capturing all the milestones of my son's life. They are a treasure our family will enjoy for years to come. Thank you Zemya Photography. read more

Ava captured some breathtakingly beautiful engagement photos of us. We chose a location in Redwood City for one of her mini-sessions (Dog-friendly location), and were really unsure of what to expect. The location was beautiful with gold grass, tree's, and sunlight. Ava was direct, professional, and (quite simply) awesome. We are so excited to use these photos for our save the dates, wedding, and home decor. We couldn't be more appreciative of this experience, and the outcome far exceeded our expectations. read more

Ava is very professional and easy to work with. We booked her for a one hour session for me, my husband, and our 6 month-old daughter. Ava made us feel very comfortable from the moment we met. She captured our family dynamic beautifully and naturally. She had the photos ready for us less than a week later, and we couldn't be happier with her work. She managed to take stunning photos in rather tough conditions of cloudy sky and muddy grounds. She really has an eye for capturing the right moment/light/angle, as well as a warm and professional personality which makes her perfect for her job. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a family/baby/child photographer. read more

Ava took photos of our family recently and we absolutely loved them. She was awesome from the innitial request to book her, to the delivery of our images. I cannot imagine a more relaxed person to be behind the camera, it made all the difference for us. She made us comfortable, directed us when needed, and kept our kiddos entertained throughout -- how she managed all that baffles me. I would wholeheartedly recommend Ava above all others! She is a rockstar! read more

Ava takes amazing photos and is so easy to work with. My three year old son is cautious around new people and took to her right away - calling her our paparazzi and asking when she'd come back. We have used Zemya Photography three times (maternity photos for pregnancy #2, newborn photos for our 2nd son, and family photos) and have been thrilled with the photos each time. I'm so happy to have photos of our entire family (usually I'm the one behind the camera so most family photos are without me) and we have received many compliments on them. I also love that Ava includes hi-res images on CD as part of the package. We will be booking her again soon for updated family photos and I can't wait! read more

Update: We asked Ava to come back to our home for our baby's 6-month photos. We had another great experience with her. Once again, she was professional and efficient while being personable and fun to work with. She's fantastic with babies- not only getting their attention, but understanding that babies need breaks to eat and won't last long in a photo shoot! We love Ava and would recommend her to any of our friends. read more

Ava is a great photographer and a great person. During the hour long outside photo session that we had she did her best to capture some live moments as well as making several set up family photos. Neither myself nor my wife/kids felt absolutely no pressure working with Ava during that session and the overall communication was really great. I also have to mention that Ava keeps you up to date and informed on every step of the process -- from the 'welcome packet' resources containing useful pre-session info up to the follow up recommendations on where is the best place to print the pictures. And of course the pictures we got are really awesome! Altogether it creates great experience so I would definitely recommend Ava to anyone who is looking to have a photo session. read more

We had a fantastic experience with Ava, who did a family photo shoot of myself, husband and then almost-1-year-old. She has a great eye and I was very impressed with her ability to capture beautiful photos of us just doing our thing and having fun. She was very easy to work with and clearly very talented with toddlers, especially the kind that don't always want to cooperate ;). I am looking forward to the next occasion we have to work with her again! read more

We just had our third session with Ava and she continues to be fantastic. The pictures are beautiful. She connects with my girls and enables them to be themselves during the sessions. One aspect that I appreciate as a busy family is Ava's system. Everything can be done online, from the appointments to the picture selection to payments. My emails and questions are answered quickly, sometimes within minutes. I highly recommend Zemya Photography!! read more

Thanks for a wonderful photo shoot! It was hard to narrow down my favorites! Liked the natural setting and relaxed approach to the photo shoot! read more

After recommendations from many friends, we decided to give Ava a try for a mini-sesion. It was a little bit of a drive and the morning of the mini-session was quite chilly. Unfortunately, my 2 year old did not enjoy the weather and was quite grumpy. She still managed to get some beautiful shots. Very professional, affordable and very easy to work with. Quick turnaround too! I think in the future a full session would be better for us because my son takes awhile to warm up. read more

Ava was so wonderful with my family! She was patient, flexible and creative when it came to photographing my family including my mom and my 2-year-old. Her passion for photography and talent in creating special moments that will forever be cherished are special and so appreciated! Ava is also very detailed prior to the photo shoot and that was also helpful. If you want amazing photos, I highly recommend Ava @ Zemya Photography. read more

I am so glad we decided to have professional pictures taken of our family. Ava was so patient with a less-than-cooperative newborn, and the pictures are beautiful. She had great ideas for where in our house to shoot, and she really brought out the best photogenic moments in us. We are all looking forward to our upcoming sessions! read more

Ava is the best! We come all the way from the East Bay to have our baby pictures taken by her and we couldn't be happier. She is great with babies, produces high quality photos, and chargers totally reasonable prices. Just the consummate professional. read more

We used Zemya photography for the first time for newborn pictures. This is our first baby and Ava captured exactly what we wanted. She captured the unconditional love we have for our new angel and our family. She made us feel so very comfortable and was so patient when our angel needed to eat. She came highly recommended from various mother's groups and does not disappoint. In addition, I love that you get all the images on a CD and not just a select few...very rare with other photographers. We will definitely be using Ava in the future for all our picture needs! read more

After a lot of research, I contacted Ava to take pics of our 6 month old. From the time I made the first contact to her delivering the final product, she was very professional and a pleasure to work with. She not only incorporated our requirements, but also captured many more moods and emotions. And what I loved even better is that she sent us the CD with high resolution images in a week! We continue to get great compliments on the pictures; thank you Ava! read more

I really can't say enough wonderful things about Ava- she has been photographing our family annually since my oldest was 1 year old, and always does such a wonderful job with our photos- we love working with her, and she's also just a really awesome all around person to know- so so kind and helpful. My boys were so excited to see her at our last family session. One of her best qualities is she is very flexible and easygoing to work with-she does a fantastic job in any surrounding- we have been photographed in our home, outside in perfect weather, and even rain storms and cold cloudy conditions :) The pictures always turn out fantastic. She has also also done an amazing job with newborn photography for both my second son and our newborn daughter, as well as a maternity session in the rain! Photographing kids can be quite stressful from getting them ready to keeping them happy and she makes that process very smooth and easy. Both of my boys are really high energy and we find them very difficult to photograph, but she manages to capture the true essence of who they are every time. Thank you Ava for helping us make such incredible memories for us to look back on! read more