5 out of 5 stars and 145 reviews
5
(145)Best of Weddings (8x).Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Truckee, Incline Village, Reno
About this vendor
Charleton Churchill is the photographer behind the viral Mt. Everest base camp wedding that went international, the Today show, Kelly and Ryan Show, and many others; he not only delivers extraordinary photographs with the highest ratings and reviews from his couples, but he's also personable, a good listener, paying attention to detail and your needs. His passion is documenting the one day of your life you'll want to remember with style, creativity, fun, and adventure. He also photographs adventure weddings in Norway, Iceland, Europe, the Alps, Patagonia, and locally in Tahoe, Yosemite National Park . He was named in the TOP 100 wedding photographers in the USA/Canada and received the prestigious Sony Impact Award for his effort and fundraising in Nepal. He recently gave a TED Talk 2017.
Details
Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
- Bridal Portraits
- Day After Session
- Engagement
- Trash The Dress
Photo & Video
- Digital Files
- Online Proofing
- Photo
- Printed Enlargements
- Second Shooter Available
- Social Media Sharing
Photo & Video Styles
- Artistic
- Classic
- Documentary
- Dramatic
- Lifestyle
- Modern
Wedding Activities
- Getting Engaged
- Rehearsals & Parties
- Wedding
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
5
out of 5.0145 reviews
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We had the pleasure of working with Charleton for our engagement shoot, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish. He has an incredible eye for detail and a natural talent for capturing the essence of the moment. He is extremely professional and competent but he is also engaging, attentive, and fun. The photos are not just pictures—they are pieces of art that tell a story. I can’t wait for the images that he will deliver on our wedding day. I absolutely recommend him to anyone.
Charleton was extremely professional and competent. We are absolutely overjoyed with the pictures we got from both our engagement photoshoot and the wedding itself. He really bought in to our whole aesthetic and vision for the wedding and had all sorts of ideas for cool pictures which really took advantage of our decorations and wedding location. Would absolutely recommend him to anyone/everyone.
100/10. Charleton was an amazing photographer for our wedding! Working with him was a joy; he's such a nice guy who went the extra mile to capture incredible shots throughout the day. We're so excited to see the photos and know we'll cherish them for a lifetime. I highly recommend working with Charleton!
We got the best pictures at our adventure elopement in Yosemite. He’s a great guy with an eye for capturing the best shots. It was truly a joy meeting him and his officiant Donnie. It was the prettiest sunset we ever saw and a memory that will last a lifetime. I was nervous about traveling across the country to get married but afterwards I knew I had made the right decision. If you want an unforgettable experience go on an adventure with Charleton. You won’t regret it.
Charleton is amazing! We had a very small, sunrise elopement in Lake Tahoe that he photographed beautifully. It was FREEZING but he was so kind to make us feel comfortable and excited for the photoshoot. He really listened to us and went the extra mile to get some incredible shots of us and the gorgeous scenery. The pictures are INCREDIBLE. So epic. They were exactly what we wanted, and we've been sharing them far and wide. I can't recommend him enough. Thank you Charleton!
Working with Charleton was a pleasure. From the moment we contacted him until the time he delivered our photos he was professional and kind. He contacted the venue about getting shots in another areas around the ranch, and he really delivered. Our photos turned out amazing and we want to get them blown up and put on our wall. He also found us a videographer that we ended up loving. He prayed over our wedding so that it wouldn’t rain, despite large rain clouds looming, and he made friends with many of our guests. Loved the quality of his work, and working with him as a person. We highly recommend!
We couldn't have asked for a more incredible experience with our Alaskan elopement, and Charleton truly captured the magic of the moment. His attention to detail and ability to seize the breathtaking landscapes resulted in stunning photos that exceeded our expectations. From the intimate shots to the candid moments, every picture tells a beautiful story of our special day. His professionalism, creativity, and passion for their craft made our elopement unforgettable. We're forever grateful for these timeless memories captured so perfectly
We were fortunate to have Charleton photograph our Sept wedding in the Tahoe mountains. He was super familiar with our venue, set up great shots, and put us at ease. We're naturally a bit shy, but he found flattering poses without making us feeling awkward at all. We loved the end results and it was so easy to work together. I highly recommend Charleton for any wedding photography, especially if your wedding has an outdoor element!
Charleton is a magician at what he does! Before this day, my husband and I had never had professional photos taken. We felt like we would look unnatural and awkward, but Charleton made us feel comfortable and we had such a fun day with him!
If you are on the fence about spending your money with Charleton — GO FOR IT. His prices are extremely fair for the finished photos that you will receive. Your photos last forever, so you want them to be quality photos. As a detail-oriented girl, I hoped charleton would be detail-oriented, too. I quickly noticed he is veryyy detail-oriented. Ladies: he knows how to position your dress, he’ll tell you if you have a hair in your face, etc.
And he edits colors flawlessly. So many photographers these days edit photos to look “trendy” but in reality, they are just washed-out and boring. Charleton’s photos are vivid and timeless. Not only does he get your “good side,” he gets nature’s good side. Most photographers are either great at capturing nature or great at capturing people, but Charleton nails both. We are especially excited about the shots that are mostly of nature and we are tiny — they will be art in our home!
Now that I’ve written a novel… let me tell ya that I don’t ever write reviews (a 2024 resolution haha). But I was excited to write this one. Opening our photos felt like Christmas, and I want other couples to feel that same feeling when they see their photos. So I hope this review helped persuade you to send it with Charleton! You won’t regret it.
Thank you, Charleton. May God bless you and your business in the years to come.
We had the best experience with Charleton. From the moment we met him for sunrise photos to saying goodbye at the end of the day, he made the whole experience very comfortable and fun. He was very professional and great at communicating before and during our big day and helped us feel our best while also getting to see different spots around Yosemite. I highly recommend Charleton as a photographer and we are so glad we used him as our photographer for our elopement and now we get to look at our stunning photos forever.
Charleton's ability to capture those perfect shots is second to none. He has no problem hiking, traveling, or venturing out for a one of a kind vantage point. Nicolette and I are grateful for him making our special day one to remember. Thank you Mr. Churchill!
If you are considering booking Charleton for your wedding or elopement…. DO IT!
My husband and I were married on October 3rd of this year in the Sierra Nevadas. We had a very large wedding party (22 people) which is no easy task to capture. He did an outstanding job and perfectly captured the love and energy of the day. I loved his photos from the first moment I saw them, but I was worried about how I would look in photos and the actual act of taking them. He made the entire process so fun and exciting. He made me feel like a model and it was honestly the best day of my life. I have never felt so beautiful and much of that is due to the way charleton guided me and my wedding party in the entire process. I don’t think I stopped laughing or smiling the entire time we took photos.
We recently got the photos back from him and they are hands down my most prized possession. I looked and felt like a queen on my wedding day and now I have these beautiful photos that perfectly capture that day. I have received so many compliments on my wedding photos. There is simply no word to describe them besides stunning.
My husband and I couldn’t be happier with our photographer decision. I find myself reliving that day through the photos nearly every day.
If you want jaw dropping photos, then the answer is simple. Hire charleton as your photographer.
You will not regret it.
Charleton is the absolute best! He's so professional and experienced with where to scout out the best spots. Around the Yosemite area we took great photos, but the phone reception can be bad. He had Walkie-Talkies for us to use as we drove around the area to take breath-taking adventure shots. He knew exactly what to say to make us comfortable and pose non-awkward ways--because we're really awk. He was respectful and enthusiastic for all our requested shots for the ceremony and reception. He worked well with our huge family and was the perfect vendor for this role. I'd hire him again in an instant. Oh and he became an immediate friend too.
The photos are incredible, capturing the scenery and our special day. We were very impressed and happy with how everyone's emotions were captured in the photos.
Neither of us like posing and taking photos but Charlton made it very easy for us as well as capturing natural moments as they happened.
Charleton was extremely professional, helpful and delivered everything we wanted and more. By far our greatest vendor. I had specific directions and a shot list and he captured everything so perfectly and over-delivered. He also assisted our videographer tremendously as he was new to the industry. I have already recommended him to 3 friends and will continue to do so!
Amazing photographer, just look at his instagram and the pictures speak for themselves! Even in the worst weather he was still able to capture beautiful pictures! Highly highly recommend
We are a Japanese couple. We asked him for a 4-hour package at Yosemite National Park.
Great photos, location flexibility, and positive communication. We are very happy with his hospitality and great photography skills. It was a memory that will last a lifetime.
We had been looking forward to working with Charleton for years, and we immediately connected with him from the first virtual meeting. After chatting with him a few times and then spending two days with him during our photo shoot, we walked away with a lifelong friendship. He is kind, genuine, funny, supportive, outgoing, and an incredible photographer! We were blown away by the images we received, and better yet, we arrived home with countless unforgettable memories from the events behind the scenes. Thank you, Charleton, and best of luck on your future adventures!
I fell in love with Charleton's work when I found him on Instagram. Not only did we receive AMAZING photos from him, but our experience with him felt like we gained a life long friend. He beyond exceeded any expectations we had of him and his work! Charleton helped us feel comfortable throughout the day as professional photos aren't something we ever do and we are so glad we had him shoot our adventure elopement. If you're considering him, stop looking for other ones, his work and time with him is worth every penny!
Just do it and hire Charleton. Having been to and in plenty of weddings, I knew Charleton needed to be the photographer to capture our big day. I came across him about 10 years ago, when he captured a friend's wedding and then recommended him to my bestie when she got married. So, I knew when we were locking in our wedding date with our venue, I reached out to Charleton to see his availability for the date. He is phenomenal to work with, very responsive to emails, down to earth and engaging personality, and hands down captures amazing images. And, yes, he does traditional weddings as ours was at a golf course and resort (as we are not the outdoor adventurous type). He captured some exquisite shots at the wedding as he did during the engagement session. FWIW - we felt extremely comfortable with Charleton during our engagement session and consider it one of our top date nights. You are going to have these pictures forever so go with the best! You won't regret it!
Charleton was excellent and we would absolutely recommend him to all our family and friends! We were a bit pensive reaching out to such an adventurer for our traditional-style wedding in the Bay Area, but we loved his portfolio and he put us at ease on our first phone call with his an easy smile and casual professionalism. We had a wonderful experience start to finish.
Communication before and after was great, the photos are fantastic and above all, he added to the experience of our wedding. He was professional, cordial and funny with kids and adults alike staging photos and was part of the scenery when he needed to be, capturing heaps of candid moments.
The photos are gorgeous and we scheduled our 'engagement shoot' after the wedding so we are looking forward to seeing him again in a couple months!
For my wedding, the photos were what was most important to me. This is one of the only things that last after the big day, and I wanted something to look back on that will take me back to the whole experience. Charleton did not diassapoint! Every image he captured is amazing, so hard to choose the one to display. Such beautiful statement piece material. He is amazing to work with, and has great vision for all of the photos. He works hard, scouts the location beforehand, and has an amazing personality. My husband and I had a great time working with him. He really makes you comfortable, and works with you to get great shots. I actually am super uncomfortable getting my pictures taken, super self concious, and I love how all the photos turned out. He is just amazing at is job, and I am very happy to have found Charleton for our wedding event.
Best decision of my Yosemite wedding/elopement was hiring Charleton :) made our day stress-free and fun !
Charleton was amazing to work with! I’m a very awkward picture taker but he made the whole process effortless and made everyone feel comfortable and the pictures were all stunning despite it being one of the windiest days of the year. Couldn’t be happier with the communication before and after the wedding, the total ease day off, and the rapid return of the edited photos. If I could give 11 stars I would!
Charleton was very helpful with our photoshoot! We had lots of fun and the pictures were amazing! Thank you!
We could not be happier with the pictures Charlton captured. Charlton was a real professional, but also an amazing person. Humble despite being a absolute rock star in his craft. He knew some really special places in Yosemite that had zero tourists but the same epic views. If you are looking for the best in the business, look no further.
Charleton is simply amazing. My husband and I were looking for someone who could help us to coordinate a small adventure wedding and Charleton more than delivered. Not only is he incredibly knowledgeable, but he is easy to work with and you can tell that he is so passionate about his work. Our photos literally look like something out of a wedding magazine! If you are wanting incredible photos and someone who will hike up a mountain with you to get them, Charleton is the photographer for you. Highly highly recommend, with every penny!!
Charleton accompanied my wife and myself to Alaska for a wedding in the mountains. It was not exactly "picture perfect" conditions as the weather turned rainy and windy for most of the day. Charleton went above and beyond to make sure we captured the moment and bring home memories we would never forget. Our photos speak for themselves. All our friends and family are in awe of the quality and the scenery from the shots. We could have went from that day severely disappointed due to the weather, but luckily we had Charleton along for the ride to help us bring home the same spark we shared that day through his work.
What can I say about Charleton… He is an amazing photographer, but you already know this if you are reading this review. What distinguishes him from the rest is his eye, his energy, and his perceptiveness . He has a way of looking at the environment and finding the best features. He has the energy of an energizer bunny—in the best way possible—that makes you excited about taking pictures at 7 am by a chilly coastline, even if a wave catches you unaware, crashes near you and soaks your feet. Most of all, he is somehow able to read you and your partner, and capture your emotions in their truest expression.
Thanks for giving me the coolest pictures I could ever hope for (and for not showing my bald spot in a single one).
Charleton was AMAZING! We had an absolute blast taking photos with him for a sunrise session prior to our ceremony. The pictures came out more incredible then we could have imagined. Highly highly recommend him!
Fantastic! Charleton was so fun and easy to work with, and beyond that his photos are amazing. I would recommend him to any and everyone.
My husband and I had such a wonderful experience working with Charleton Churchill! We knew we wanted to have an adventure elopement in November 2020 because of COVID. My mom found him through a Google search, and we loved the photography portfolio on his website.
After we first spoke with Charleton, we reviewed several locations for the elopement, and we decided on Yosemite National Park. He created a couple of schedules so that we had options to review to ensure we were getting the shots that we really wanted and, of course, a backup plan just in case the weather decided not to cooperate.
On the day of our wedding, he arrived on time and made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera. It had snowed the day or so before our wedding and was cold in the valley when we were in the shade. In between shots, Charleton had me put my puffy jacket on so that I didn’t freeze.
He was familiar with Yosemite and knew the perfect spots to go to for the best shots. He even had walkie talkies so that we could communicate while driving to the next spot.
Charleton knew that we wanted to use some of the shots for our first Christmas card together and he got our photos back to us in less than 3 weeks! The images were absolutely breathtaking, and we were so happy that we chose Charleton for our adventure elopement photographer!
Bonus: He recommended an officiant named Donny Alexander and our ceremony was perfect because of both of them!
I knew as soon as my now-husband said he wanted to elope I wanted to book Charleton in Yosemite, and it did not disappoint. We booked the full day, sunrise to sunset, with a star shot after our consultation and it was so worth it. The day was amazing and fun and the photos are just outrageous, we joked the whole day that they just didn't look real and I still cannot believe this us in these photos. We got over 700 photos from the day. The entire day was organized and he provided walkie talkies to keep in contact in the park. Fun, professional and will push you for that perfect photo, even after an earthquake!!
Here is some backstory:
We got engaged on my birthday in 2018 and again on my birthday in 2019. We wanted to pick a meaningful date and were looking at our anniversary date in 2020, but his sister took that weekend for her wedding. We started officially making plans early in 2020, and then, COVID HIT! Originally, my husband and I were planning to get married in Norway in October 2020. It was terrible. We had no idea what we were going to do because everything was closed. Fast forward to the early 2021 months when we decided we would just elope by ourselves with a photographer and have a party with friends and family at a later time. It wasn’t hard figuring out we wanted to elope in Yosemite because of all the special times we had there. Yosemite was where we shared our first trip together as a couple. We went there many other times in our almost 7 years of dating, and we even were able to experience Firefall in February 2021.
We chose Charlie’s, our fur baby’s, would-have-been 13th birthday, 2 years after his last living birthday, so our date was set. I quickly did some google searches of Yosemite elopement photographers. I reached out to a few photographers. Nothing really caught my eye. I went on Instagram and did a search there. I reached out to a few photographers from Instagram as well to see if they were available and to see what pricing was like. There was only truly 1 photographer that Josh and I both thought would capture our day effortlessly. Charleton was it, so hopefully he had our date free, and we’re so thankful that he did!
Everything else lined up perfectly for us after that. We opened our elopement into a micro wedding with less than 25 friends and family. The weather was perfect. The rains came the weekend before and missed our time in Yosemite completely, and we had flowing waterfalls!
I’m one of those people that believe everything happens for a reason. Our plans may not have gone how we wanted them to initially, but everything turned out perfectly and beyond what we envisioned. Charleton was more than just a photographer for us. He helped capture our love for each other and did it in the most epic way. The pictures were absolutely stunning. The lighting was perfect even though they were doing controlled fires during our wedding. He took well over the average number of wedding photos, and each and every photo was AMAZING! He really captured our chemistry and the raw emotions and feelings in those moments. Both Josh and I could never get over how perfect Charleton’s artistic eye portrays his couples, and we were so blessed and excited to be one of his couples. We can’t wait to plan to go to Norway this time around and having Charleton capture a day for us there. Maybe our 5th anniversary.
TLDR: Charleton is amazing. He’s personable, easy to talk to, perfect at engaging with younger guests, but above all else, he is THE BEST PHOTOGRAPHER! We could not have asked for a better experience. He will not disappoint. I promise you that. Just let him lead you anywhere, and you will have gorgeous photos.
Charleton was an absolutely fantastic addition to our wedding day, and my husband and I are so happy we went with him. Not only was he a supportive guide through our photography adventure in Yosemite, but the photos he took were nothing short of breathtaking. He made my husband and I, who are usually awkward at posing for photos, and helped us look incredible with ease. 10/10 recommend him to anyone.
We quickly fell in love with many of Charleton's photos online and knew we would be happy if our wedding elopement photos came back anywhere as good as those we saw in his portfolio. We took a chance and were happily rewarded with a very large selection of great shots capturing our memorable day. The weather was on the edge of not ideal, but he rolled with the punches, and actually made the photos turn out even better than we could have imagined. Not only did he manage to make us look epic in whatever backdrops we were provided, but he was engaging, fun, and made the day very memorable for us. He took off all the pressure and made us feel at ease. Charleton guided us and made us feel comfortable and safe. We are so glad we chose him for our special day. We would trust him again in a heartbeat. He might be a little more than others, but it seems you get what you pay for- we feel we certainly did.
We hired Charleton for our adventure elopement in Yosemite. After seeing our photos, the compliments
and inquiries from friends and family were overwhelming. Charleton is as advertised – the best wedding
and adventure elopement photographer you will find anywhere.
We initially contacted Charleton through his website and scheduled a brief conference call to ask
questions about the adventure elopement process and discuss locations we liked in Yosemite. Although
we had never been to Yosemite, we were able to identify beautiful locations from his “Galleries” (on his
website) and social media that interested us. We purchased the full-day package and Charleton planned
the entire day for us, with our desired locations in mind. Charleton took it from there and all we needed
to do at that point was show up on time. While Charleton is a 5 star photographer, he is so much more
than a photographer. He is a good man and outdoorsman who is uniquely gifted in creative
photography. He knows every trail and “secret spot” in Yosemite and Tahoe to capture your perfect
elopement photos – images that perfectly capture your special day in locations that few if any have
captured. In my opinion, purchasing the full day package from Charleton is the equivalent of two –
three days with other photographers. He knows where to go, how to get there efficiently, what time to
be at each location for perfect lighting, the perfect angles and has state of the art photography
equipment. You are guaranteed a wide variety of quality and unprecedented elopement images and an
incredible and productive day of seeing the sites.
Charleton is a must have for an adventure elopement. Just make sure you show up on time – be early if
you can. We learned that lighting in these natural environments are critical to capturing the perfect
shot. If you are late it’s your own fault for missing it, although Charleton has the talent and skill to
mitigate lighting quality issues for the tardy.
-LB and KP
We could not be happier with Charleton!!! From the moment we hired him there was lots of communication and he was very knowledgeable with everything! He essentially became our elopement coordinator for the day! He knew where we should be at exactly the right time in order to maximize the day and lighting! Charleton is also amazing at giving direction which we loved! We have had some photographers not give direction on what to do with our hands or our posture and whatnot but Charleton made sure to look at every detail! We will definitely be using him in the future!
Where do I start with Charleton… I first hired him for a surprise engagement in Tahoe, he played the part perfectly, knew where to go, took us off the beaten path, and took absolutely epic pics. Plus, he was extremely comfortable and fun to be around, I’d hang and shoot with him any day of the week. The second time we hired him was for an elopement in Yosemite. He made the process swift and easy, picked the perfect location, arrived earlier than us, extremely professional around family (all the family actually loved him to be frank), and once again he delivered the most epic wedding landscape photos you could think of. Between the two shoots, we had endless people reach out asking for his details, the shots were not run of the mill boring wedding shots you see all over your feed. We hiked miles on end in our wedding attire and virtually spent the entire day with him, we wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone else. If your contemplating hiring Charleton, just hire him, he won’t disappoint. The only disappoint is if you ended up hiring another photographer and didn’t get the beautiful Charleton shots you should of gone with in the first place. His work is top tier, better than most likely every photographer your comparing to, yes you will probably pay for it a bit, but it will be 100% worth it. If we had a third event, he would be my go to guy hands down!
You're getting the best memories with the best photographer. Churchill's experience was easily proven to be at a higher level than other wedding photographers we ran into along our Yosemite event. A master of his craft; He knew all the spots, camera angles, how to handle crowds, and most importantly how to have a great time. If you have the opportunity, I 10/10 recommend booking Charleton Churchill.
Worth every penny!! When I came across Charleton’s photos the year before we got married I was set on getting married in Yosemite. Our original plans were changed several times due to covid and I could not be more happy with how things turned out because we ended up with an elopement session at Taft Point with the best photographer ever.
Charleton is absolutely phenomenal at his job. From his prompt communication and professionalism to his easy-going and friendly personality to his incredible creativity and end result, every part of our experience with him was great.
If you’re considering Charleton you already know his photos are the best of the best but what I wasn’t expecting was how much time and effort he put into making our experience unique and epic. I was so impressed with how quickly we got our photos back! I don’t know how he does it!
I strongly recommend reaching out to him for any event. You won’t regret it!!!
I contacted Charleton 4 months before our proposal in Yosemite. He always answered very quickly and he gave me all the tips, hacks, instructions, permits needed and general information for us to get the perfect pictures for such an important moment!
On the proposal day, Charleton arrived on time at the place we agreed, and perfectly played the role of a tourist guide (as we previously agreed), so my girlfriend didn't suspected. I even doubted at some point if he was actually a photographer because of the good role he did as a guide. At the end, we got the most beautiful pictures of the proposal because he knows perfectly where, how and at what time the pictures had to be taken.
We truly believe he is one of the best adventure elopements photographer, and also an incredible human being!!
Like many couples, our original wedding plans were impacted by COVID-19. We decided we wanted to do something EPIC instead, so we hatched a plan to do an adventure micro-wedding in Alaska, complete with helicopters to shuttle our guests to a remote mountaintop. We knew we needed the perfect photographer to capture the day, and when we came across Charleton's photos via IG, we knew we had to have him. He was totally game to fly to Alaska and go above and beyond to get the shot. It was so awesome to have an experienced outdoorsman with us - he knew how to capture both us and the beauty of our natural surroundings, something that is a *must* (in my opinion) for adventure weddings. If you're looking for an incredibly talented photographer who can give you photos you'll look back on for years saying "wow, those are epic," look no further than Charleton.
Charleton is overall such a great guy. He made us feel comfortable in our engagement photo shoot so that our wedding day was that much easier and no pressure! We trusted and appreciated all of his tips and staging and most importantly, LOVED the way the photos turned out. He has a real talent in seeing the most beautiful shot that can be made and succeeding in taking that shot!
Hiring Charleton to take our engagement photos in Yosemite was one of the most amazing experiences of our lives. From the moment we chatted on the phone, I knew we were in for an adventure. Imagine hiking through the woods in a dress and suit with a guide who knows the area like the back of his hand, standing on the edge of cliffs, with the most gorgeous sunset views you've ever seen. The memories of that day were worth every penny and the photos are priceless. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Charleton and the experience and photos he provided us.
Charleton was a joy to work with and we absolutely love our wedding pictures. My husband and I reached out to him early 2020 and eloped with him in September 2020 in Yellowstone and Grand Teton. We drove around in seperate cars communicating via walkie talkies and if there was a location he spotted we would pull over and take pictures. We had some ideas of where we wanted pictures but we loved when he saw something we wouldn't have thought twice about and got some amazing shots. Neither me nor my husband like taking pictures but with Charleton he talks you through poses and gets you laughing to relax which result in some really nice candid shots. I highly recommend hiring with him for adventure elopement or a regular wedding. Looking forward to booking him in the future for regular ol adventure session or vow renewal.
Charleton was so good that we received compliments on our choice of photographer from our wedding guests before we even shared the pictures with them. They noticed how hard he was working to capture all of the details. I was already impressed myself. He was excited that we had a lot of time to work with him, because he had a vision and he knew how good the additional pictures could be. He was also friendly and patient with us from the first day we contacted him, so the entire experience was easy and fun. Now that I have seen the finished product, I'm ecstatic. I'm proud to share these images with our friends and family and I think they will want to keep some of them for themselves.
Charleton's pictures of our wedding were beyond anything I dreamed of getting. We had an intimate, 10-person celebration at Lake Tahoe and the photographs were absolutely breathtaking: not only were the shots of the ceremony perfect and thoughtfully composed, but Charleton later took us up into the mountains for a dramatic, adventurous shoot with the most stunning pictures that really reflected our intrepid and adventurous spirit as a couple and captured the vivid beauty of our surroundings. I had seen his work and absolutely loved it, and the photos themselves exceeded even my already high expectations. I've had friends tell me that they would get married just to have their photos taken by Charleton -- he really is an extraordinary talent.
Charleton captured (and orchestrated!) our day like no one else could. His photos are truly works of art -- unlike anyone else's style. After looking at countless photographers, I kept coming back to Charleton. His images stick with you. As soon as we hoped on a call with him, the rest of our elopement fell into place. He reccomended locations for the ceremony, photos, timing, vendors, the officiant, and poof! I finally felt like I knrw all the tricks to making a Yosemite elopement work. Just like that, one decision made and everything else fell into place. Before the big day, he was readily available for questions and answered quickly. When we met the day of, he instantly made us feel at ease. We were joking, having fun, and he helped us feel natural in front the camera. Plus, he actually chased black bears away on our hike home. And I feel like it goes without saying, the images are flawless, breathtaking timeless images that elicited literal gasps when we show people. They truly take my breath away everything I see them. No other photographer can capture you and nature in the way that he does. Book Charleton! It was a splurge for us, but 100% worth it in every way.
There are not enough stars to give or words to describe how much we enjoyed working with Charleton! From our engagement shoot to our big day, and any questions in-between, Charleton was AMAZING! Charleton was the one vendor we knew we didn't need to worry about. His photos and work speak for itself but more importantly, Charleton is honest, hard-working, and that feel good guy you want behind the lens on your big day. Trust me when I say he is worth every penny! We can't wait for more adventure sessions with him in the future!
We cannot put into words just how incredible Charleton Churchill is. He is so much more than a photographer. He is an artist, adventurer, visionary, guide, and expert in his field.
When you plan your wedding, you can only hope that it will meet your expectations. Thanks to Charleton, our wedding day exceeded our expectations.
From the moment we met him, he gave us his full attention and made us feel special. On the fly, he found an intimate place for us to share our first look and he made us feel like we were the only two people in the Park.
We booked seven hours with Charleton, and we can honestly say that he made the most of every minute. He knows Yosemite better than anyone and he made sure we experienced a wide variety of locations. From Yosemite Falls to El Capitan Meadow, Tunnel View, a secluded Wooded Area, Glacier Point, and Taft Point, we experienced it all.
We are both huge adventurers, and we really wanted to experience the epic views that Yosemite has to offer. Charleton showed us the breathtaking mountaintops and cliff sides, but he never made us feel unsafe. Rather, he made us feel very safe with his knowledgeable and careful (yet fun) approach!
Charleton is a people person, and it shows. He got to know our families before our ceremony and he made them all feel special and included in the photos. He took the time to talk to our young nieces and show my sisters some of the cool photo locations at Taft Point. You can tell by his interactions that he values family and he portrays that in every aspect of what he does.
Charleton is flexible and gracious. We had to reschedule our wedding TWICE because of covid and both times he was accommodating and understanding. He also helped us plan our wedding. He provided us with vendor referrals and even helped us navigate the wedding permit and marriage license process. We don’t know how he manages to do it all, and do it well... But, he does!
Charleton is the name to know for adventure wedding photography. Every single one of our vendors knew who he was. From my hair and makeup artist to the permit application park ranger and the chef we hired for our dinner, everyone knows the name, Charleton Churchill. Even strangers in Yosemite knew who he was and asked for advice while we were hiking. That alone should tell you that he is the photographer to hire for your adventure wedding or elopement.
To sum it up, here are five reasons you should hire Charleton Churchill for your special day:
(1) He is the definition of “professional” from your first conversation through your wedding day and beyond; (2) He is gregarious and will make you and your families feel like the only people around and comfortable in front of the camera; (3) When he says you’ll have an adventure, he means it in every sense of the word; (4) His photos are unmatched and they capture the story, emotion, and adventure of your wedding day; and (5) He believes in marriage and truly wants to help couples start theirs in the most “epic” way possible.
Charleton, we can’t thank you enough. You made our wedding day the most epic and memorable day of our lives. Not just because of the photos, but because of who you are and the experience you create.
My wife and I had an amazing experience with Charleton! Starting with the logistics, communicating and planning was always easy, even though we had to reschedule twice over the course of 8 months - first due to COVID in May and the wildfires in September.
We did an elopement wedding in Yosemite and the whole time, Charleton did great in guiding us and finding unique spots which gave us some incredible pictures. Besides that his eye and skill for photography is amazing, especially the way he captures the emotions in the moment. I pretty much had to listen to my wife saying “oh my god” and being in awe for 2 hours straight while browsing through all the pictures he sent us.
In conclusion, if you if you ever need a photographer, there’s no doubt that Charleton would be our first recommendation!
We hired Charleton for engagement and wedding photography for our June 21, 2020 wedding. As you can imagine, our covid wedding was full of uncertainty. In the months and weeks leading up to our wedding, we still didn’t know how the day would play out. Charleton was great at communicating during this time and being flexible as our plans continued to evolve. He spoke to us about what our options were for postponing and was really kind throughout the whole process. In the end, we were able to get married at our original venue and date, and Charleton created photos that were truly magical!
It was great having taken our engagement photos with him a few months before, so when we saw him on the wedding day, it was like seeing a friend. Everyone loved working with him. It’s true what they say: you spend most of your wedding day with your photographer. Charleton is funny, professional, and creative. He respected all our wishes and got all photos we wanted and more! I hope that someday we can work with Charleton again and go on an adventure shoot! You wont be disappointed working with Charleton for your wedding. 10/10!
Charleton was incredible to work with! We couldn't be happier with how our photos from our wedding and the full adventure day we did with him two days before turned out. He made the process easy and truly captured the emotion. Can't recommend him enough!
I found Charleton's Instagram about a year before we got engaged and was immediately blown away by his work - his photos are the kind that truly take your breath away. When it was time to plan our wedding, we wanted something that we felt represented what's important to us, and we kept circling back to Charleton's work - the idea of being somewhere magnificent with only the people we loved most at our sides. We decided to contact him and from our first conversation, we knew we were making the right decision. Charleton made us feel at ease immediately, and made us confident that we were doing exactly what we wanted to do and we were going to have a lot of fun doing it. He worked closely with us leading up to the wedding and was always there to answer any questions we had. We ended up having a sunrise ceremony at Glacier Point in Yosemite with about 20 guests, and it could not have been more perfect. We did 2 days of shooting with Charleton, starting the day before because as fellow photographers, we wanted both sunset and sunrise photos. The day before the ceremony, there was a wildfire in the area and we were a little concerned about visibility in the park. Since Charleton knows the park so well, he was able to make the most of what could have been a challenging situation if he weren't quite so talented. The photos from both days are truly out of this world. We look through them and can't believe it's us, that we were there, and that he was able to capture the most magical day in such an incredible way. We are SO grateful that we got to work with Charleton and could not recommend him any more highly. He's not only an incredible photographer, but he's also a great person who loves the outdoors and loves his family and we had so much fun spending time with him. Thank you, Charleton, for helping to make our wedding absolutely perfect!
Charleton was just wonderful to work with for both our engagement adventure session as well as for our wedding day in Yosemite National Park. He was super knowledgeable and will work with you to get some epic shots. He not only knew where the best spots were, but also when to be at each spot and how to take photos in areas that are popular viewpoints with lots of people. Most importantly, he was super professional and friendly and made it really easy to just relax and have fun. Absolutely a pleasure to work with. So happy we booked him!
Charleton did a fantastic job on our photos. We spent 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening with him for our Yosemite elopement. He knew all the best spots in Yosemite for pictures, and made us very comfortable during the entire process. Highly recommend him, especially if you're interested in doing an outdoor or adventure-type wedding.
We found Charleton on a whim while looking for someone in the Monterey area to photograph our elopement. He was willing to come out to Big Sur from where he was near Yosemite, meeting us in the afternoon and shooting all into the evening. He was very responsive and a breeze to work with, and knew just how to get the loveliest photos -- and when and where -- as he is an expert in adventure and nature wedding photography. His ability to keep our 10-year-old son engaged for close to eight hours was also impressive. He is a true professional, and we have zero regrets working with him. I'd recommend him in a heartbeat to anyone looking for amazing memories!
When my husband and I were considering ditching our “big wedding” plans for an intimate elopement, we knew the perfect photographer would be the deciding factor. Enter Charleton, who I found through a google search of Yosemite elopement photographers. We obsessed over the (literally) breathtaking photographs of complete strangers, and became giddy at the idea of experiencing it ourselves. Because we decided to opt for an elopement at the eleventh hour (in wedding terms, that is), I immediately emailed Charleton and was bracing myself for a reply email of “fully booked.” We knew he was the photographer for us, so we were flexible with our date. Charleton was quick to reply and eager to work with us on all the fine details. Over the next couple of months, he continued to be present through email and answered all my questions with his expert opinion. We opted for a sunrise ceremony with only our parents and officiant. As promised, Charleton delivered with a ceremony location that I still can’t believe we were able to experience in real life. After the ceremony, we split off from our parents and explored the park with Charleton. I can’t emphasize enough how perfect our day was, and so much of that is due to Charleton’s passion for and expertise in his field. He’s an unbelievable photographer, anyone can see that, but he brought so much more to the experience than that... He is VERY safety-oriented (something our mothers certainly appreciated), and always explored new locations himself before bringing us “on the scene”; he’s an amazing tour guide (when we decided on Yosemite, we didn’t just want a great photographer, we wanted someone who knew the park like the back of their hand); he’s extremely personable (hilarious, easy to talk to, makes you feel like you’ve known him your whole life); and I truly feel that he went above and beyond to make sure our experience was everything we had hoped for (he was adamant that I get the waterfall shots I wanted, even though it was getting late in the day, traffic was bad, and we were fatiguing — and of course, now those shots are some of my favorites that I will cherish forever). To sum it up, we are forever grateful to Charleton for so beautifully capturing our best day ever, and we hope to work with him again some day.
If breathtaking photos are a priority for your wedding, look no further. Charleton was the perfect fit for our wedding at The Hideout near Tahoe. He knows the area well and scouted out the site in advance, so we were able to leave the photography ideas to him while we relaxed and enjoyed the moments. He was also super flexible and happy to accommodate some specific (and very challenging) requests: a group photo of all our guests, which is one of our most treasured photos; a sparkler session; and an epic starry night shot. Our adventure engagement session in Tahoe was also a blast. Charleton is a local to the area and led us to some perfect spots off the beaten path. The only downside is we have so many amazing photos that it's hard to choose which ones to frame.
I found Charleton on a hashtag on Instagram at work. His work was BREATHTAKING. I sent an inquiry message not expecting to receive an email back, thinking “why would this guy who has amazing work at extreme places want to go to Mammoth?!” Turns out, he did! His response was so quick and I was so giddy. We were already going to the Mammoth Wedding Expo in November and he offered going around there for an adventure shoot. Originally I said no, it was no more than 2 months away, I wouldn’t be ready (physically, you know how critical us brides are haha), it’s too fast, etc. I was SUPER bummed, how did I let this go?! Now I’m going up there and all I’ll think about are these amazing pictures I just turned down! The next week he emailed me again and I knew it was meant to be. Me and my man were engaged for almost a year already, been together for 11 and had no plan whatsoever so why not?!
He was so easy to talk to and always responsive. We planned to get married there at Convict Lake. He was very informative of steps and how to go about it since I knew nothing. While there, he never stopped working, even when we were on breaks (I felt like shit the first day and needed it) he was constantly on the go, looking at maps, making calls to helicopters to ask for the best view spots (unfortunately they didn’t fly to the top of the mountain at that time) driving to all places just to check it out, constantly researching. He was on his shit!
We felt so comfortable with him, just like he was a friend. I’m super awkward and my man DOES NOT take pictures, in our 11 years I have few and most every one I have is him not smiling and flipping off a camera, but somehow Charleton got the light out of him! Before going Jarred (hubby) said he was just doing this for me, he was going to suck it up but not enjoy it...so he thought! By the end he told me how much fun he had and how much of a great time he had hanging out with Charleton. They bonded over camping, fishing, hunting and their Toyota’s. We went on an off-road trail and it was the highlight of his trip. He got a “GQ” photoshoot with it and now loves to show it off.
Pictures came back (what felt like forever) pretty fast. He sent some sneak peaks that had my dying for more, and let me tell you: THEY DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I only wish it snowed, but I can’t change the weather. It was an amazing experience and now I’m trying to convince hubby to take him with us wherever we honeymoon.
YOU WILL NOT REGRET HIRING HIM!
Wow, where do I even begin? Charleton is such a talented, creative, and detail-oriented photographer, but above all, a magnificent human being. A great guy and an absolute professional. He takes his job of making epic wedding photos very seriously. We are from Miami, FL, and wanted to elope in Yosemite with our two kids, 9 and 10. We began searching for the perfect photographer for our vision, and as soon as we came across his work, we immediately knew he was the one. His work is stunning! Such an awesome experience from start to finish. He felt like part of the family within the first five minutes of meeting. He has such an amazing eye. Along with capturing all the details of your special day, he will deliver some breathtaking photos in the most incredible locations. On our special day, Charleton was completely reliable, so much fun to be around, and capable of making us look natural and relaxed. He had the day planned, and knew all the perfect locations. We are in love with our photos. He’s the best decision we’ve ever made. Charleton exceeded our wildest dreams, and we will be forever thankful to him for capturing such an important day for us in such an epic way. Seriously, look no further, he’s your man.
Charleton is an incredible talent and we are so grateful to have his amazing eye to capture our wedding day. His attention to detail is perfection. If you want photographs that will show your authentic connection and give you kick ass, mesmerising pictures then he’s your man.
I remember searching through what felt like 100’s of photographers and when we found him on Instagram we knew he was the one.
He was easy going through the whole process and even helped us find our officiant. A true professional and such a gent.
Not only was Charleton our photographer but a friendly, fun loving, bearded family man who loves an adventure and we are so glad that he was there for the most special day of our lives.
Venue was awesome, Charleton is great to work with and I do not have a single regret on his work or using him to photograph our engagement pictures and wedding day! I highly recommend him. Pictures are worth a 1000 words!
Just hire him, you won’t be disappointed! When planning our wedding, photography was the most important thing to me. It was right up there with the dress! I’ve always dreamed about having epic, beautiful wedding photos that I could look back on for years to come. And Charleton delivered! He was very quick to respond to emails, like sometimes within the hour! (which I appreciated because that isn’t always the case with some wedding vendors) on the day of the wedding he was 15 minutes early to my hotel room and gave me some helpful tips to look more comfortable in front of the camera. We got married in Yosemite, and after our 12:00 ceremony we went into the park and took pictures ALL DAY. Charleton was like our own personal Yosemite guide. He is so passionate about photography and makes sure you get the pictures you want. It was such a magical/intimate day, I never wanted it to end!!
Photography was very high on our priority list when we starting planning our wedding. When I saw the breathtaking landscapes featured in Charleton's reviews, I knew this was the creative style we were looking for. Thankfully, he still had availability on our wedding day!
Working with Charleton has been a wonderful experience! He is very professional and always responded to our e-mails very promptly (despite his crazy travel schedule). We were a little nervous leading up to the engagement shoot and he really knew how to put us at ease while we were in front of the camera. He assisted in giving us cues for how to pose and really lightened the session with his sense of humor to get our genuine smiles. We were so happy with our engagement shots that we created our guest book using the digital images. Our guests said we looked like super models, which is all thanks to Charleton's skill with the camera!
On the day of our wedding, he arrived right on schedule to start with our getting ready photos, first look, and formal portraits before the ceremony. The photos came out gorgeous and, despite being a single shooter, he was able to capture all the crucial moments throughout the day. (I'm honestly still not sure how he was able to catch everything at the perfect angle, such as both my coming down the aisle and my husband's reaction.) The photos captured everything perfectly and our sunset photos were so beautiful with Lake Tahoe as the backdrop.
Charleton provided our digital photos within the time outlined in the contract and worked with us on creating the layout for our wedding album. We had so many great photos to choose from that it was very difficult to narrow it down! He always responded promptly throughout the entire process and was truly a pleasure to work with. We couldn't recommend him enough! And we cannot wait for our album to arrive - it will serve as the perfect memory of our wedding day!
If you're looking for epic photos of your day to remember for the rest of your life, look no further and hire Charleton Churchill NOW. His talent for capturing those magical moments and finding the perfect lighting, backdrop, etc. etc., is unprecedented. And his style completely suited my husband's and my love for the outdoors. He was an absolute delight to work with and made us feel comfortable, especially since neither of us like being center of attention. His excitement of seeing what would be awesome photos was so infectious that we were also caught up in the excitement! And now that we've seen the finished product (which he delivered as an early Christmas present!), all we can say is WOW.
All in all, we were thrilled to have Charleton share our special day and would recommend him to anyone in a heartbeat.
Charleton is world class. Our pictures are phenomenal and he made both my husband and I feel comfortable in front of the camera. He also took us to beautiful places for our adventure shoot. I cannot brag on him enough. SO FUN and all I ever hear about is how amazing our wedding photos are... which I’m not upset about 😂
Charelton is great! He was the best investment we made for the wedding. We love our engagement and wedding photos and are looking forward to doing an adventure shoot with him! He is professional and fun to work with. We had very challenging lighting for our ceremony as it was in partial sun/shade and he was still able to get great photos. I would highly recommend Charelton!!
Charleton is unbelievably talented and you can tell that he has a true passion for his art. He was amazing to work with and made both me and my husband feel completely comfortable during our engagement photo shoot and on our wedding day. Our wedding photos are perfect and more than we could have ever dreamed of. Charleton is a true artist. He captured all of the special moments that we will now be able to look back on for years to come. He really went above and beyond. I can not recommend Charleton enough!
Charleton absolutely blew us away with his incredible eye and ability to capture our moments! He did an absolutely incredible job not only on the wedding day but in making our engagement shoot special and a ton of fun. He was a pleasure to work with in the fun up, always understanding of the pressure we had from all the various vendors and by far among the easiest to work with. He's an awesome guy to boot! Highly recommend, you can trust him with such an important job.
Charleton is easy going and very professional. We absolutely loved having him shoot our wedding. He did a great job making us look good and organizing our large families for photos. He was better than we could have hoped for we absolutely recommend him for your wedding! Don’t pass up a chance to work with him!!
Charleton is absolutely amazing! He has a great eye for bringing out the surrounding natural beauty in every single setting. His shots are unique and overwhelmingly beautiful. Charleton shot for my husband's sister's wedding and immediately after seeing her pictures we decided to book him for both our engagement shoot and wedding. He was actually the first vendor we booked for our wedding, having him be a part of our big day was that much of a priority for us. His work speaks for itself, but what the pictures don't show is the amount of great energy and love Charleton also brings to the shoot/big day. He makes you feel like a rockstar and pushes the envelope for location and approach of each picture. Couldn't recommend him enough, every minute you receive from Charleton is professional, genuine and of the utmost quality.
When I started planning my wedding, photography was of the upmost importance to me. I have always loved photography and am have incredibly discerning tastes when it comes to it. I wanted someone who would be able to adapt to the surroundings and challenges of a wedding in the wilderness, and who's artistic eye was up to my standards. I did not want the overexposed, blown out photography that seems so popular these days, but instead wanted art to commemorate the day that I wouldn't get sick of looking at.
Charleton met and exceeded all my expectations. Not only is his work absolutely breathtaking, but his enthusiastic nature and passion for his craft really helped with the day. I have a background in modeling and have worked with many photographers before. Charleton is by far, the most efficient and composed photographer I have worked with to date. He came to us fully prepared with reference photos for his vision. He listened to everything we wanted and made sure to accomplish each one. He helped scout out the most magical spot for our venue. Within a short period of time, I felt as though I was working with an old friend. On the front of talent, professionalism, and communication, Charleton surpassed every expectation. If you have any hesitation on who to hire, don't. My only hope is that someday our paths will cross again!
We hired Charleton for our adventure wedding hike through Glacier National Park in Montana. I found him on Instagram and was immediately mesmerized by his work . He is famous for his Everest wedding, but it was his session in Norway that snapped my attention. He exceeded all of my very high expectations. Most importantly, he is a dear, kind man, who we all consider a friend following our time with him. We have 4 adult children who hiked with us that day - 16 miles, 10 hours - so we got to know one another well. If you have any question on his photography, look at his instagram. You will not find colors captured the same by others. We interviewed other "adventure photographers" before hiring Charleton, but in the end it was the color and the raw moments he captured that put him ahead of anyone else. If you are doing an actual adventure session - meaning one that requires some grit and work - he IS the expert in this area. You can view our photos on his blog, or on my instagram @emsruther.
Charleton is definitely one of the best in the business. He has great vision, attention to detail, and he is very passionate about his craft. My wife and I booked Charleton for an e-session and a wedding. Both sessions produces quality stunning photos. Charleton is very good at posing his subjects in such a way that the photos produced are very natural and not awkward - even for folks who hate being in front of cameras such as my wife and I. After my wedding as I reflected on special moments, I couldn't help but wonder if Charleton caught any of them. Well, he did catch them and much more. He's an easy going humble guy and we highly recommend him.
If I could sum up in one word, WOW. I've been following Charleton's photography since he began, so when it came time to decide on a wedding photographer he was already pretty high on my list. Throughout the whole process, he was quick to respond in all communication and always understanding when I wasn't as quick. He was perceptive of all of my ideas and gave honest insight on what would work best, from an adventure engagement shoot in Tahoe, a night hike after the wedding, to the sunset photos after our reception. He was also very flexible in that our date for the engagement shoot had changed a couple times. When the big day came he and his assistant showed up and knocked it out of the park, his enthusiasm for those perfect shots spread throughout the entire day. Even though it felt awkward at times to smile on command he definitely knew how to diffuse our jitters and was able to ease our cumbersomeness. His ability to capture our day's authenticity and genuine moments is showcased on our walls and shared with friends & family. Each time I see those moments I can't help but smile and think WOW.