Imperfect is Perfect
$4,300 starting price
Boston, New England, Anywhere
Service area
Channing Johnson
OWNER
Channing Johnson Photography is a wedding photographer based in Melrose, MA. Couples who choose Channing to photograph their wedding pick him for his ability to capture real moments without interfering in those moments. He works unobtrusively, naturally capturing the emotions and interactions of all the people closest to you. He believes the messy and ordinary moments in life are what we become most nostalgic for in the years to come. He strives to make wedding photography authentic and human in the most beautifully understated way possible.
What You'll Love About Channing Johnson Photography
Couples love how beautifully this photographer captured their special day. They agree that Channing is a joy to work with and uses creativity and professionalism to create a stunning collection of authentic imagery. Have a look through the photo gallery to see a sample of this photographer's beautiful work.
+1 year in business
Prices & packages
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Details
Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
Engagement
Photo & Video
Digital Files
Online Proofing
Photo
Printed Enlargements
Second Shooter Available
Social Media Sharing
Wedding Albums
Photo & Video Styles
Documentary
Wedding Activities
Getting Engaged
Rehearsals & Parties
After Party
Wedding
After Party
Any questions?
Meet the team
Channing Johnson
Owner
I grew up in North Carolina. So, if you're a stranger on the street, forgive me if I say 'hello'.
The photojournalism degree from the University of Missouri prepared me to shoot for TIME Magazine and U.S. News & World Report, but the education has proven most significant in the chronicling of my life and the people in it.
I have a heightened sense of nostalgia. I make little records with my camera and feel better about time moving on because of it. I have little interest in the contrived or pre-conceived. It's the fleeting that is fascinating.
All work is personal work.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.025 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Channing Johnson Photography consistently receives high praise from multiple reviewers for his exceptional talent in capturing authentic and emotional moments at weddings. Reviewers commend Channing for his ability to seamlessly blend in while capturing significant moments without disrupting the natural flow of the day. His keen eye for detail, commitment to authenticity, and quick turnaround time in delivering the final photo gallery within a month are highlighted. Clients appreciate his unique style that focuses on candid emotions and raw beauty, creating stunning heirloom-quality photos that preserve precious memories for years to come.Review photos
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Nicholas W
5.0
10/20/2024
Channing is incredible to work with, and did a beautiful job capturing all of the most important moments at our wedding. Our photos felt authentic and candid, and we have Channing to thank for his incredible eye and attention to detail. He was thoughtful and communicative throughout the entire process. He made sure we had all of the photos that we wanted for our family, and took so many beautiful shots of the day's preparation, ceremony, reception, and dancing.
His photos speak for themselves - they are natural and capture the spirit of the occasion. Neither of us are very comfortable posing for photos, but Channing made the process of taking our portraits fun and easy. Definitely our favorite photos from the day are the ones that we didn't pose for, both the small and the big moments, the laughter and the tears, that Channing did such a beautiful job anticipating and preserving forever. We are so grateful for the pictures, and we definitely recommend hiring Channing for your wedding or event!
Allie F
5.0
6/27/2024
Channing was a true pleasure to work with, and came highly recommended from our wedding planner. We knew we didn’t want a lot of the poses and staged pictures, we were in search of someone that would focus on the day exactly as it was, without having to “stop and smile” for a picture. Channing was able to capture the big and small moments and the emotion that came along with them. At the same time he also seamlessly coordinated some traditional portraits that only took a few minutes. All of our guests and family members commented how calm and quiet he was. He even captured moments we didn’t even realize had happened! Many times we said to ourselves “we didn’t know Channing was there!” or “how did he get that one?!” when looking through our photos. He did all of this while blending in easily to our day. We had a small, intimate wedding and looking through our gallery was like rewatching our wedding day through the eyes of our guests, simply amazing.
We are beyond thrilled with his work and our beautiful wedding photos that we will cherish forever. Not to mention, he got our entire gallery back to us within a month of the wedding! I cannot recommend Channing enough, I am so glad we were able to work with him! Thank you, Channing!
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Maeve K
5.0
1/17/2024
Channing Johnson Photography exceeded all expectations and truly brought our wedding day to life through his lens. Channing possesses an exceptional talent for capturing the most beautiful and authentic moments with his approach. His editorial eye ensures that each photo tells a story, transporting you back to the very moment.
One of the remarkable aspects of Channing's work is his ability to work his seamlessly, almost unnoticed during the event. Yet, he manages to capture every significant moment without intruding on the natural flow of the day. The end result is a collection of photos that not only showcase the visual beauty of the occasion but also encapsulate the genuine emotions and connections shared.
Channing's photographs have a unique power to evoke emotions, allowing you to relive each moment as if it were happening all over again. His keen eye for detail and commitment to authenticity make him a standout choice for anyone seeking wedding photography that goes beyond the ordinary.
If you're looking for a photographer who not only documents your wedding but also creates a visual narrative that resonates with the heart and soul of the day, Channing Johnson Photography is your guy. We are incredibly grateful for the stunning memories he has provided us, and we wholeheartedly recommend his services to anyone in search of a true artist.
Lindsay W
5.0
10/28/2023
Channing is the best!! I seriously have never seen wedding pictures I like better than ours. He’s great at getting the “classic” shots and making them look especially great (first look, wedding party photos, etc.) but he also has a great eye for capturing sentimental moments that are easy to miss. We received all of our photos less than a month after our wedding, and everyone has commented on how incredible they are!
Kendra F
5.0
7/18/2023
I cannot recommend Channing Johnson Photography more highly. Channing is a rare talent. His work is extraordinary. His photography somehow captures the intangible. We hired Channing for our wedding day, and couldn't be more pleased with our album. His images evoke the emotions, smells, feelings and tastes of that day. He has a way of discretely being everywhere at once. We certainly didn't need a second shooter. Nothing was missed. There were many comments of "I can't believe he caught that!" and "I don't even realize he was there!" while browsing our album for the first time. In addition to be a noteworthy artist Channing is a great person. He made us feel genuinely cared for, heard, and respected throughout our wedding process. He was a pleasure to working with and have present at our wedding. Thank you, Channing!!
Kendra B
5.0
1/18/2023
I worked with Channing on my September 2022 wedding and was thrilled with his process and the final photographs! Channing's portfolio stood out to me, as he seemed to capture candid emotional moments with an editorial eye. We had initial emails and then a wonderful in depth phone conversation about what elements and emotions were important to us to be captured in our wedding photos. Even though our guest count was small, he gave the entire process his utmost attention. On the day of the wedding, Channing himself was an absolute pleasure to work with and just an awesome personality to have around on a stressful day. He was constantly snapping away and paying attention to every detail around him. If he caught us in a particularly flattering light, he would have us pause for a brief moment, but always careful not to interrupt anything we were experiencing. We received the photos so quickly and were absolutely thrilled with the gallery. Channing captured unique photos which are undeniably emotional, and at the same time was able to do traditional portraits. He saw lighting, reflections, and honest moments that other photographers would have missed. I love that my wedding photos have a raw, emotional, and artistic quality to them while still being beautiful. Through his work, Channing has helped preserve our memories of the day and created some of the most stunning photos of me and my husband and our families. I will forever be grateful that we were able to work with him on our wedding.
Ted G
5.0
10/11/2022
Channing is a true artist when it comes to documentation of your special day. He hung in there with us through 2 Covid cancelled dates and documented our wedding with amazing grace and ease. We never knew where he was throughout the day but he clearly placed himself at the right spot at the right time because when we look at his pictures from the day he captured the most intimate moments, the funniest moments and the sweetest, most touching moments.
His eye is that of a photo journalist, his documentation of our wedding was more than we could have asked for. Thank you Channing!
Julia B
5.0
6/15/2022
I knew I wanted to hire Channing for my wedding well before I even got engaged, after seeing the photos from a colleague's wedding he'd photographed. Channing was one of the first vendors we booked, and he did NOT disappoint! Channing's style is so unique; he doesn't try to manufacture the typical wedding poses you see everywhere - instead, he captures things as they actually happened - the emotions, the messiness, the beauty in the mundane. I'm so happy with how our photos turned out - the candid photos and the more formal portraits are all equally stunning. We'll cherish these photos forever!
Maggie W
5.0
11/16/2021
We count ourselves extremely fortunate that a friend recommended Channing for our wedding day photographer. It's hard to describe the paradox of his ability to immerse himself fully into your day while going ultimately unnoticed, but the result is photos that tell the complete, unscripted story of your special day. His unobtrusive style made everyone feel at ease, allowing him to capture our loved ones' personalities and authentic emotions in every shot. Looking at our pictures, which we got back in less than four weeks (!!), it's incredible to see how he anticipated the unexpected and paid extreme attention to every detail.
Simply put: Channing did not take photos; he made heirlooms that will have a place in our families' homes and hearts for years to come. We cannot wait to share these photos with our grandchildren one day.
P.S. While we treasure all the special candid moments he captured, Channing also perfectly photographed our families, large groups, and portraits, as well as the venue, ceremony, and all details (invites, rings, etc.) from the day. He covers all the bases while remaining incredibly calm and patient. We recommend Channing with our whole hearts. Photos from our wedding are here: https://www.channingjohnson.com/blog/2021/11/4/harvard-club-boston-wedding
Daniel V
5.0
2/29/2020
Channing was the first person we hired for our wedding and we wouldn’t change a thing. The time and effort we put into planning our wedding will create moments that we could rely on Channing to capture for us to look back on, and that alone made us feel at ease throughout our planning process. On the wedding day, we were highly impressed by Channing’s calm and friendly demeanor. He interacted with our loved ones, documented with ease, and went with the flow, which helped us do the same. If you get a chance to work with Channing, please take it! We highly recommend his work and expertise.
response 03/06/2020
Thanks, Daniel! So happy for you both. Such an honor to be there with you guys.
Narissa G
5.0
2/01/2020
Channing is so talented and captured our big day perfectly. We loved his style and our photos turned out to be exactly what we hoped for and more. He is so wonderful and easy to work with- guests commented on how he blended in and managed to capture the best moments. As someone who's awkward in photos, his expertise and calming vibe made me feel better and it shows in our photos. We would absolutely recommend working with Channing any day!
response 02/03/2020
Thank you, Narissa!! Loved working with you guys!
Carolyn B
5.0
9/17/2019
Where to even begin - Channing is simply the best. He captured every moment of our day but never was disruptive or "in the way." We equally love our portraits, candids, and other pictures of our guests dancing the night away. Channing was so great to spend time with during our engagement and wedding photoshoot, which can't be underestimated. We would hire Channing again in a heartbeat!
response 02/03/2020
Thanks for being so great to work with, Carolyn!
Emily H
5.0
8/02/2019
Channing was amazing to work with - professional, prompt with replies, and made us feel very confident in his abilities before the wedding. We just received our photos from the big day and they are gorgeous. He truly captured how special everything felt and we could not be happier with the end result.
response 02/03/2020
Such a great wedding. Thanks for having me there, Emily!
Morgan E
5.0
7/17/2019
Channing is that perfect combination of talent and calm professionalism that is incredibly valuable in a good wedding photographer. He arrived early to scout out the location and get a feel for the flow of the event, he was super attentive to the entire wedding party without having an overpowering presence, and he worked super efficiently so everyone had time to enjoy cocktail hour. His work is gorgeous, and he does a beautiful job of capturing unscripted moments. Highly recommend him!!
response 07/18/2019
Thank you, Morgan! It was such a pleasure to work with you!
Christina G
5.0
1/22/2019
Channing came highly recommended to us from a friend, and it was easy to see why. He managed to blend in with our wedding, all the while taking beautiful and authentic pictures of every important moment of our wedding; both big and small. From the moment he arrived, he was hard at work capturing every moment of our special day. With such a busy day, and with so much going on, it's easy to miss the little moments that happen. Channing somehow managed to be everywhere at once, capturing every one of these little moments we and our guests shared throughout the day. He was incredibly professional, and incredibly easy to work with. Channing was our dream photographer, and we highly recommend him to everyone!
response 01/29/2019
I loved working with you all, Christina! I'm so glad you felt the same. Thanks for the kin...
d words!
Courtney V
5.0
10/14/2018
It is rare that you find your wedding photographer 9 years before your wedding, but I did. I found Channing online when I was in college and super into wedding photography. At that time, I had commented on his blog about how I wanted to pre-book him for my “one-day” wedding. And boy was I lucky that he was available for our September 2018 wedding. Channing is a true professional, the best of what I have seen out there for documenting such an important life event.
Our experience with him was unparalleled. From meeting with him months out and chatting through our hopes and requests, Channing made us feel like every idea we had was fun and he attacked it with enthusiasm! He was quick to respond and made the experience feel so personal, down to his handwritten thank-you note to our mailbox thanking us for booking with him.
On the day of our wedding, Channing was a ninja. He was everywhere and nowhere at the same time; if that’s possible. He integrated so well with our groups that it felt like another friend was hanging out with us and just happened to have a camera catching all of the moments you never even think about.
Channing’s photo-journalistic style lends itself to creative and raw photos. He got every secret shot that you don’t plan for, but end up loving all the more. At the same time, he was down to take all the family portrait shots and planned pictures we asked for.
One of my favorite moments working with Channing on our wedding day was when he took a step away from photographing for .2 seconds and helped me figure out how to put the corsage on my grandfather’s lapel. It was a sweet gesture that I won’t forget. It made me truly feel like he cared about our day and our experience as much as he cared about photographing and that stood out like crazy.
Thank you Channing, for everything. You are incredible!
5.0
9/01/2018
Channing is absolutely wonderful! He captures photos and details that you would never thing of. For example, he took a photo of us dancing and in the background he even captured my parents smiling from ear to ear, an amazing photo!!! He remains calm despite all the chaos of all our family members and requests for posed photos. Channing really spends time to get to know you before the wedding; even though we lived far away, he took time to FaceTime us several times to ensure we were comfortable and all set to go. We never felt that he was ever in the way and yet still captured everything. He is so caring that when my grandma passed away I texted and asked if he could send us some photos with all of us...literally the next day he had them all edited and emailed them, this meant the world to us!!! We received our pictures so quickly and SO PLEASED with all of them!!! Highly recommend Channing, you won't be let down!!!
response 09/02/2018
Thanks so much, Jess! It was a such a pleasure working with you guys!
Amanda P
5.0
2/20/2017
Channing was amazing. It's as simple as that. I knew from the beginning that the one area I absolutely did not want to skimp on budget-wise was photography. Channing is professional and has an incredibly artistic eye. He also happens to be very amicable, not pushy or intrusive. He delivered images to us three weeks after the wedding, which is an incredibly fast turnaround in the wedding-photography world, and all of the pictures tell such a story. When my husband and I looked through all of the photos, it was as if we were reliving the night all over again. Do yourself a favor and hire Channing. We are just in awe over our wedding photos.
Joanna G
5.0
12/05/2014
We had nothing but a wonderful experience working with Channing. He was a pleasure to work with and really took the time to understand what kind of photographs we wanted for the wedding. His photographs come across as unscripted and really capture wonderful moments from the wedding night. While he is more than happy to do the typical portraits with family members, what really struck us was how well he could capture an emotion or small detail from of our wedding in such a powerful way. He also managed to make himself invisible. We have all been to weddings where it feels like the photographer is in the way of everything. Not the case with Channing.
We could not be happier with our photographs and the service that Channing provided. We would highly, highly recommend using him to capture your wedding.
Juliana R
5.0
10/19/2014
Channing is truly a talented artist and just all around nice guy. Like most newly engaged, finding a wedding photographer can be really scary. You not only want to find someone who takes photos you like, but you want to like the person and feel comfortable around them as well. We felt like we hit the jackpot with Channing. My husband and I first found him by recommendation from a friend. We loved his photos online and saw right away that his photos weren't too staged and told the story of the day. We booked him for our engagement shoot and had the best time walking around Boston with him. Channing was so relaxed and had so many great ideas for photos with great lighting. The engagement shoot was a great way to get comfortable with someone taking our picture!
When Channing arrived on our wedding day it was like seeing an old friend. Not only was he very professional, doing his job capturing the day, but also he offered to help out, including carrying my dance shoes around until it was time to put them on! Channing picked out a beautiful area for my husband and I to have our "first look." We are beyond happy with our wedding photos and love how he captured our day. Channing's photos are so thoughtful and fun, and we are so grateful that we found him.
Alexis M
5.0
1/21/2014
Channing covered all the bases and listened to exactly what we wanted. He was fun to have a round and blended right in when appropriate. Even the groomsmen commented on how cool he was! And icing on the cake - his work is truly stunning.
Tiniesha C
5.0
7/12/2013
Channing was so great. He went above and beyond. He offered to get my maid of honor for me. He offered to get me water/food. He got all the pictures we wanted, stayed behind the scenes and was so easy to work with. I would highly recommend using him for your wedding.
Joanna H
5.0
11/05/2012
My parents told me a horror story about their friends' wedding photographer, who insisted on always getting the shot he wanted. The end of their friends' ceremony: couple has their first kiss, crowd cheers, photographer calls a halt to their walk back up the aisle so he can get a better angle.
That wasn't acceptable, and we weren't keen on having a lens constantly in our faces either. So, one of our priorities was to find someone who could capture the day while still being unobtrusive. Channing was perfect. He documented all the moments we remember, as well as many that we wouldn't have seen without him. Yet, other than when we were taking portraits, he flew under the radar, never interrupting the flow of the evening or getting in the way of our guests.
And the photos! Our gallery has over 700 images -- every one looks crisp and professional, and many are downright stunning. He has an amazing eye for expressions: emotions and reactions come through so vividly that we feel like we're reliving parts of the celebration. He's also willing to go the extra mile to get different perspectives. During the first five minutes of our ceremony, he somehow managed to get across the building, up to a balcony, and back; he took beautiful photos of the unveiling and gorgeous panoramas showing all of our guests, and he returned before our officiant's welcome was over. We got a glimpse of how he did it from a video of our recessional, in which he silently sprints along the side of the building to get both our first kiss and our walk up the aisle. It couldn't have been more different from my parents' horror story, and we couldn't imagine better photographs.
Seeing his site (http://www.channingjohnsonblog.com) is probably more convincing than reading this review. We were swayed both by the impressive portfolio and by our first meeting with him, and we liked him so much that we decided to do an engagement session as well. During that session, he set two nervous subjects at ease, and we ended up with a spectacular set of photos. We gave them to our parents and grandparents at the wedding, and they were thrilled.
Finally, working with Channing is a joy. He is incredibly responsive and endlessly thoughtful, and he clearly cares about what he does. He listened closely to all of our requests and concerns, and he dealt tactfully with a couple of our friends and family who insisted that he ought to take a particular picture in a particular way. Our engagement and wedding photos came promptly, with the files mailed on disc and loaded on an online gallery.
So yes, Channing is a ninja. He is everywhere and seems to be nowhere; he has consummate skill in his art; he is awesome.
Gloria L
5.0
9/08/2012
We looked at the work of many photographers in the Boston area, and the decision was very hard, as we had decided that photography would be one of our greatest investments. For me, everyone seemed very talented, and for my husband, he couldn't find that style he was looking for. Channing had photographed our friends' wedding, and when we looked through his website, my husband liked him immediately; he felt that their philosophies of photography were similar and he liked his photojournalistic eye. When we met him for the first time, he was very professional, but friendly. We didn't take our engagement photos with him, but Channing was really great on the wedding day. He was not intrusive, took many beautiful, natural shots (the husband and I are not the best at smiling on demand), and was just fun to be with. We are very pleased with how the photos came out!
Danielle D
5.0
8/31/2011
Channing has a great eye for the most precious moments of your day. He was great to work with, and very laid back and confident. He was so kinda and unobtrusive, that many of our family members commented on how great he was. He captured true candids so well. Everything from engagement photos to final proofs were great. Quality is unbeatable! Highly reccomend him to anyone interested in quality images.
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Channing Johnson
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