Tara Johansen Photography

As of 12/3/2019, I have been asked to revise my review. In certain places there are now asterisks * * around text that i have added, to clarify myself. We got an engagement shoot, a wedding day shoot with a second shooter, and a photo album. For the money we paid, Tara’s services are not worth it. I’ll choose to be honest. I am a college professor of psychology and neuroscience at a university in New York City. We had our wedding in the Kansas City area as my large family lives in the area. We were led to believe that we were hiring a local photographer. I think there was a lack of genuine care taken to get to know us as a couple and that comes through in the quality of the photos, which will be clarified below as inflexible approach and lack of professionalism. *I did delete some text here for clarity, but I want to add that I did feel discriminated, as if she decided we were only worthy of a mediocre photo session.* An example of inflexible approach, she asked me to twirl. I’m not graceful, but I did my best to do what she asked. It was clear that approach didn’t work with me. *In my opinion,* she didn’t have any other ideas or she gave up trying. The role of a professional photographer is partially to help people relax, not make them do things that they are uncomfortable with. An example of lack of professionalism or poor quality: I have a large family. We are talking 7 of us siblings, most with families of their own. She knew this going in. Despite having a second shooter, plenty of coverage, some of my immediate family are not in the reception pics or only one pic of them was given to us. If your job is to take good photos of people, having a good eye for different angles where people look decent, having a repertoire of approaches for spotting and handling nervousness, and understanding your role as the photographer are vital skills to have. I don’t think Tara possesses these skills, yet. I’m not saying any of the above was done intentionally to ruin the pics, but I felt compelled to be honest because these photos were important to us and to my family and I assume your wedding photos will be important for you and your family. She did try to charge us for travel expenses that were not specified in the contract, but was communicative and understanding throughout the process of figuring that out. The fact that she should have checked this before tacking on charges is really another example of lack of professionalism. As well as addressing us by a different couple’s name in email. *I was asked to provide documentation showing that she addressed us by a different couple's name. I provided the evidence, but I'll clarify here. She addressed us as "Mark and Julie", and in this email, she provided a link to our photo album with a password. Surprisingly, the link and password worked for OUR photos. She then sent a followup email, where she addresses me correctly, and clarifies a mistake has been made. in this email, she sent a link, but no password. So now, I have no idea if our photos are secure. I understand that these things happen sometimes, but given everything else that happened, I am worried about this.* Also, after the above experience, plus removing a post with photos of us she made on Instagram, she asked for this review, then she asks me to delete it. in my opinion, this shows a lack of self-awareness. This has been an exasperating experience.*

What an incredible decision to book Cork Creative to capture our wedding. Throughout the entire process, we felt like Caleb cared about us and wanted to make sure he captured our wedding just the way we wanted. We trusted him 100% and boy, were we blown away by the finished product. They are strong communicators and want to make sure they know you as a couple. We are OBSESSED with our video! I can't say how much it means to have all of this footage. Not only was Caleb and Cork Creative so amazing to work with leading up to the wedding, but he was SO much fun the day of! We wish we could hang out with him all the time! If you watch any of Cork Creative's work you can see the love and passion and talent that is streaming through each video. We're so lucky to have a piece of this passion in form of our wedding video! Thank you thank you thank you Caleb!!!

Cork Creative was absolutely AMAZING to work with. We had no idea where to look for a someone to film our wedding, and our photographer recommended them to us. From the beginning they were adamant about getting to know us and making sure we were going to get everything we hoped for. They blew all of my expectations out of the water, I truly couldn't recommend them more highly. Micah filmed and edited everything beautifully, and having a second person there to assist him really paid off. We have clips of everything from the rehearsal to the reception captured in our highlight real, and then full length videos of our first dance, mother/son & father/daugher dances, and every toast from the rehearsal/welcome dinner and reception. They are amazing people who deliver an amazing product. They traveled all the way to Crested Butte, Colorado from Kansas City to capture our entire weekend and I cannot imagine it without them. Thank you Cork Creative!! Now excuse me while I go and re-watch all of our footage again.

Cork is amazing! We can't stop watching our wedding video and looking at our pictures! Tara and Caleb are so fun, and they do a fantastic job of getting to know the couple, so that they can create art the displays that couple's unique story. We will always cherish the photos and videos they created for us! They were also such a fun part of our wedding day! They felt like part of the celebration! We couldn't be more happy with the work they did for our wedding! Also, they are always down to travel! They met us in Santa Barbara for engagement photos and it was one of our favorite days EVER!

Cork Creative did a great job at our wedding! We almost didn't go with a videographer and I'm so glad that we changed our minds. The video they produced is a wonderful memory that we've already watched many many times. It perfectly captures our big day!

We used Cork Creative for videography only, but check them out as a duo team. They both are so talented! We love our video so much, it is hard to put into words. Caleb nailed our personalities with the song choice because he took the time to get to know us with several meetings. The video totally surprised us with how awesome it is. They used a drone for some really cool shots. I can't seem to think of much else to say besides their videos are SO FREAKING COOL. Our video (and full cuts of ceremony, speeches, first look, etc.) was worth every penny and the fact that we have it is truly priceless. We can't wait to share it with our kids one day. The day goes by so fast and you will want to relive it. This is as close as you can get to reliving the best day ever. Get a videographer that does more than just film you while taking photos. You will not regret investing in making your memories physical. Easy to work with and responsive. Worked great with our DJ and photographer, too. It was so nice to be able to relax and trust that they know what they were doing and are truly professionals.

Cork Creative is an incredible group of people to work with. I was a bridesmaid in one of their weddings and immediately noted that I would work with them in a heartbeat if I were to get married. Fast forward a year later and Caleb was the first person we booked for the wedding. He and his team are personable, fun, and truly care about the vision of the couple. We were out-of-state, but Caleb made sure to facetime us several times to get to know my fiance and I and understand our vision for the wedding itself as well as our video. He and his team were incredible and complimented by friends and family throughout the day for how professional yet fun and easy going they made the day. My husband and I could not love our video more and feel like Cork Creative truly showed who we are in their work. You would not regret choosing to work with Cork for your wedding day!

Cork Creative was the first vendor we booked for our wedding. We placed a high importance on our wedding photography & videography; it's one of the few things you choose as a bride & groom that will last much longer than just the wedding day. It would be these images that captured our day & allow us to remember & relive our wedding for years to come. We had admired Cork Creative's work and were lucky to have been given a rave review by one of their brides. We trusted Cork Creative to be both our engagement & wedding photographer and videographer. Tara and Caleb were great to work with over the past year; from our first meeting to after the wedding they are accessible. We cannot stress enough how much they truly care about their couples. It's easy to see they take great pride in their work! We recieved many compliments on our wedding day about how professional, nice, and unobtrusive the whole Cork Creative team were in their interactions with both wedding party and guests. Tara and Caleb captured the emotion of the day and we couldn't have been happier with our photos and video.

From the very beginning, Caleb was such a pleasure to work with! He asked a lot of questions and really listened to what we wanted in our wedding film. The day of our wedding, Caleb and his team were so much fun to have around! They were professional and got the job done but also had fun with all of us while doing so. We could not be more happy with the results. Myself, my husband, and all of our family and friends have been in tears as we re-live our special day through all of the amazing moments that Caleb captured in our wedding film. Everything was beautifully done. He interpreted our vision perfectly! Caleb and his team have the experience that you are looking for to really deliver a one of a kind film. I highly recommend the Cork Creative team for your wedding - you will not be disappointed!

Cork Creative did the most amazing wedding video for our special day! I wasn't positive I wanted a wedding video, but I'm so incredibly grateful that I decided to. They captured everything and created a short video set to music. I truly couldn't have asked for anything more!! They are so talented, professional and helped capture memories I'll cherish forever!

If there is one thing that you should do for your wedding, it is to book Cork Creative! The video and photos are the only thing outside of your memories that you have to hold onto after the big day is all said and done. And honestly, watching a video of your Big Day will bring it all back to you in the most emotionally overwhelming, jubilant way. Caleb and Tara are truly such a breath of fresh air and a beam of light within the wedding industry. They are cool, calm, collected and they communicate so very well. Once you get into planning, it is amazing how hard it is to get a response from vendors... not the case with this crew! They traveled to Santa Fe to shoot our wedding and I was impressed that on the actual day of the wedding, they had already scouted several locations that they wanted to use. It was awesome to have such a proactive vendor to work with and not have to make a million decisions on the day of the wedding. I also told them my expectations and the important moments to me before the wedding day and felt like they executed it flawlessly on the day of. The videos and photos they create are true works of art... definitely not your uncle standing in the back with a tripod video recorder and a badly looped soundtrack. Cork brings the day to the next level. I also have to give them a shout out for being so willing to help in other areas of our day like how to actually plan out a wedding day timeline, etc. They really will help you in any way they can.

Cork Creative is just the tops. I could definitely tell they were passionate about what they do from the first email I got back from Caleb. Caleb and Tara are the kind of people you want to go on adventures with. I never got the chance to talk to Tara, as all our interactions were online (my husband and I live in LA but our wedding was in KS), but Caleb was extremely responsive, flexible, and delightful to talk to. Unfortunately, they were unavailable the weekend of our wedding because they had already been booked for another one in Colorado - but we worked with Micah, who was also very talented and fun to work with. When we met via Skype the first time, we worked out all the details within the first 10 or 15 minutes and spent the rest of the time cracking jokes and talking about our lives. I feel like the purpose of that meeting wasn't just to discuss the contract/work, but to get a sense of who my husband and I are...what we love about each other and how Cork Creative was going to capture that. The day of the wedding, Micah and his crew showed up on time and ready to go. We opted to add a same-day video to be shown at the end of our reception and I am so so glad we did. It was expensive, yes, but everyone at our wedding was blown away by the quality and continue to talk about it. It made me burst into tears of joy! Definitely one of the most memorable moments of an already very memorable day. I can't comment on the other video (of ceremony/first dance/etc.) because we haven't received them quite yet. You can't rush these things, because it really is an art. But I will come back to update the review as soon as I get to see them. I can't wait! Caleb has become one of those "good people to know" guys who we keep up with on social media. Him and his wife Tara are always on the move, filming the most gorgeous weddings all around the world. In essence, I strongly recommend Cork Creative! They are higher on the price range, but so worth every penny. These and the photos are what we have for the rest of our lives. Everything else (flowers, cake, etc.) is gone in a day. My advice is to prioritize when picking out vendors. What matters the most to you? If you said the video(s) or photographs, then this is the vendor for you!

Caleb and Tara are amazing!! We had the pleasure of meeting them for coffee before the wedding day and by the time we left they felt like friends. They are amazing as individuals and as a couple. Throughout the busy day they were detailed and helpful now a year later when you start to forget the details looking back at the photos and amazing video I'm so happy how they captured the day, natural and elegant. Thank you so much to the Cork Creative team, you guys are great! Love, Krista and Tyler

From our very first meeting to the unveiling of our wedding film the good folks at Cork were absolutely wonderful to work with. The level of attention, care and thought that goes into their work is amazing. In every way possible, our film captured the full scope of the days emotions and beautifully scored a moment we will never forget. Caleb, Tara and Micah are truly incredible storytellers, but even better people.

I can't say enough wonderful things about Cork Creative. Our wedding video was incredible and something that we will always cherish. Our friends and family constantly rave about our video and it exceeded all of our expectations. Caleb was incredibly professional and made us feel at ease all day. These guys are THE BEST!

I truly believe Cork is the best videography in Kansas City. When shopping around, we realized Cork stands out in so many ways. Their videos are personalized, beautiful, and meaningful. I love how the videos are artistic, without being too over the top. They are great at allowing the beauty of the day to shine through and be the focus of the film. So glad we went with them. I also have to commend how accommodating Caleb was to us throughout the planning process. When we were researching videographers, Cork was booked on our date, which crushed us. After reading out to Cork for some recommendations, they offered to film our wedding even though they were already booked! We actually had Drew and Micah film for us, rather than Caleb and Tara, but we still feel like we got a superior product. Everyone working for the Cork team is extremely talented, professional, and kind. We are so glad they got to be a part of our day.

We used Cork Creative to capture our wedding day on video. Words cannot describe what we got back. In just over 5-7 minutes of film they captured the spirit of the entire day. Then when we got our full length footage it was further proof that they really knew who we were and what was important about our day. Caleb and Tara were great at communicating to us and our wedding party through out the day, non-invasive and really listened to what we were looking for when capturing our wedding. I only wished I had hired them to capture both nights! I would highly recommend them to any Bride and Groom.

In the process of planning our wedding, my husband and I were unsure of whether or not we wanted a videographer but after meeting Caleb and Tara at a wedding event called Bella Sposa in KC, I went home and immediately knew they were THE ONE. Every past video that I watched of theirs made me feel as if I was there. I tell all my friends that I knew they were the one because I found myself tearing up while watching videos of complete strangers :) Not only do Caleb and Tara do great work but they make it a point to make you feel comfortable. They both take the time to get to know you and I would have to say to say without a doubt I whole heartedly trust in the work they do and who they are. Caleb would go out of his way to show me a recording of something I had missed and you don't find people like that these days. Communication with these two is effortless. They were able to work around my schedule as a med school student and my husband's which is hectic to say the least. The anticipation in waiting to see our wedding film is growing every day but I know and trust that when we receive it, it will be everything and more that we wanted. I can't say enough great things about these two. I would book them again in a heart beat and love that they are so passionate about telling every story they're apart of. They are true storytellers.

Caleb and Tara blew all of our wildest expectations out of the water. Being a wedding photographer myself I have seen A LOT of wedding videography but nothing as good as what this fantastic couple put together for us. Caleb and Tara pay so much attention to detail and they are both wildly creative. Neither of them missed a single step on our wedding day, every little moment was captured perfectly. Not only did our film bring everyone to tears but I can't even count the number of people who shared it on their personal Facebook pages just because they thought it was so beautiful. I honestly cannot recommend these two enough, you will not regret hiring Cork Creative. Great people, great work.

If we could give them 1,000 stars we would. We knew right when we started wedding planning that we wanted a photographer/videographer that we felt comfortable being around but also just showed a strong passion for what they do. When we first met Caleb and Tara we hit it right off. I felt as if we had hung out numerous times before and we were all just catching up! These two will make you feel so welcome and comfortable that you will not even notice they are there! We did our engagement photos in the spring and that day is one that my now husband and I still talk about. We laugh about how it was like the most odd, perfect, romantic date night ever, but yet we were being photographed the whole time. We definitely fell even more in love that night and being able to capture the love, kisses, laughter, and silliness makes it so much better. And to think that was only for our engagement pictures. Our wedding was INSANE! They were there for it all! From the rehearsal the morning of to the last song being played by the dj. These two and their crew were absolutely amazing. They were so stealthy too! You wouldn't even know they were there filming you. One of the biggest things I appreciated on our wedding day though is not that just we appreciated them, but our wedding party made numerous comments about them to us which meant a lot. If you want someone that is going to be quiet, awkward, and unorganized for your wedding don't pick these guys because they are far above and beyond that! We haven't even seen our pictures and video from our big day yet but we already know that we are going to be blown away and probably shed a few more happy tears. Cork is one of a kind and if your looking for someone that is professional, fun, and passionate you better book them immediately because while you were reading this review someone else just booked them :) We look forward to using them again in the future for baby and family pics!

The search for our videographer was an easy one. We felt that films from other videographers were a bit awkward and stale. Once you view Cork's films, you'll see they are on an entirely different caliber than the rest. They are so incredibly original and innovative. Their films aren't generic (instead, they have a little edge and quirkiness to them), they highlight the personalities of each couple, and they don't stick to a formula. In our highlight video, they were able to add in so many fleeting, but special moments, and most of all, they gave us a story of love, something that we'll be reminded of each time we watch it. Our video is our most cherished gift from our wedding day. Don't miss out on Caleb and Tara's unmatched talent. They are amazingly gifted, genuinely kind souls. They will surprise you and blow you away!

There isn't a review that can truly do Cork Creative justice. I found Cork Creative when a best friend hired them to make her wedding video. I was enamored with the talent and creativity brought into their craft. When we decided to go with Cork Creative, Caleb met me for over an hour just to find out what we liked, who we were, and what we were hoping to get out of our video. After, we just chatted like old friends. He truly took time out of the day, not just to get the job done, but to get to know us as a couple. When the big day finally came, he was ready to capture all the moments I hoped he would. Although I was busy, like all brides are, I took the time to notice all of the small shots I know anyone else but him would miss. It makes me giddy to think about what the video will turn out like because I know they were behind all of it. You can tell as he shows you an awesome video shot with a huge smile on his face how EXCITED he is about being a part of something so special time and time again. The most stand up thing Cork Creative did was something I just wanted to tell anyone who is hoping to hire a videographer. Two hours before the reception ended (it was a 6 hour reception, so it was a long one), he approached me saying that he got a LOT of footage and it should be more than enough to get the video I was hoping for. He also mentioned he had a wedding at 9am, but would stay if I wanted him to. I told him to go home that I am so happy with what he had and it was no big deal at ALL! Over an hour passed and as I made my rounds, I saw him shooting more footage on the dance floor, smiling. He doesn't do this as a means to an end. Cork Creative truly respects their clients and wants to capture all of life's beautiful moments. We are so honored to have them capture our special day. If you haven't seen the calibur of their film, go check them out. It was one of the best decisions we made in our wedding planning. LOVE Cork Creative and their beautiful art they create on a regular basis.

After watching the amazing wedding videos on their website, we knew we had to book Cork Creative. They were the first vendor we hired, and it was the best decision we made. Caleb and Tara are true artists. Not only do they care about their work, they care about your story -- what makes you different and unique and wonderful. Then they work their creative magic to illustrate exactly who you are as couple (or in our case, family). Throughout the process they made sure that their work aligned with our vision while still stamping their signature style on each project. We used Cork for just about everything -- our engagement pictures, our wedding photos and our videography. Everything turned out perfect -- above and beyond our expectations. They captured beautiful moments that will last us a lifetime, and for that we will always be grateful. Cork Creative is an amazing company, and it starts from the inside out. Caleb and Tara are awesome people and have become true friends of ours. Plain and simple: Hire Cork Creative, and you'll get the best film of your lives.

We were so thrilled with Cork- from meeting them, to working with them leading up to wedding, to the day of- we knew we loved them and their work from the beginning, and we couldn't have been happier with the video they created for us. Cork understands the perfect balance of unique and creative videos, while knowing how to reflect the couple's personalities. They really made our story come to life. WE LOVE IT!! We would recommend Cork to anyone and everyone looking for a special video of their day. We can't wait to look back at it for so many years to come.

Caleb and Tara from Cork Creative are absolutely incredible to work with! We are anxiously awaiting our wedding video, but are 100% confident that Caleb and Tara will retell the story of our wedding beautifully. We met a few months prior to our wedding to shoot a film for our rehearsal dinner. We told our love story and Cork Creative used old home movies and photographs pieced together with our interview to tell our story. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when we played it! We were so grateful to have Cork Creative be part of our wedding weekend and we HIGHLY recommend this magnificent couple to future brides and grooms!

Caleb and Tara of Cork Creative were perfect. Throughout the day of the wedding they were extremely professional and helpful. Their experience was invaluable, they went above and beyond. For example, there was a point in the morning when nerves and emotions were running high. Tara's impromptu recommendation, though not on the agenda, was spot on and is one of our favorite memories of the day. For us, the wedding video was priority over photos. We wanted the best and we got the best. You can tell they put their whole heart into the editing. The final product could not have been any better, and is far better than we could have ever imagined. They are great people, easy to work with, and fun to be around. We couldn't recommend Cork Creative highly enough.

I started my review a few days ago but realized I had not looked at our photos in a few months. As I began to look through our photo albums, I relived a specific moment from that day in each photo. As stated on the homepage, Cork Creative are storytellers. My wife and I chose to have our story told through photos and we greatly cherish the detail provided in every photo of story. Whether you desire your story told through photos or video (definitely check out the wedding videos on Cork Creative's homepage, because they create great things)Cork Creative will help you tell your story for a lifetime. Thank you Caleb and Tara.

You will never regret booking with Cork Creative. They are incredibly passionate ARTISTS who are extremely PROFESSIONAL in the way they handle your event. They not only make you feel comfortable and gorgeous, they have fun doing it. I would recommend them to anyone. They really cater to the modern bride in giving a fresh exploratory look at your wedding, witnessing and recording things that other photographers miss and feel differently about documenting. Cork Creative's work is just stunning and bold.

Cork Creative shot my wedding in August of 2013. I was so happy with both versions of the wedding. I felt as though our special day was captured with perfection! A year and a half later I went to play my DVD and it was damaged - very scary! I contacted Cork Creative and asked for them to send me another copy. Caleb went right to work to get to the bottom of the error. He was so prompt in replying to my emails and sent me both versions to download on my computer, which is exactly what I wanted. I really appreciated his professionalism a year and a half after my wedding. Thanks Caleb!

I found Cork Creative at the recommendation of a co-worker. I loved these guys' style, without breaking the bank. My fiance and I met with them prior to the wedding to talk about style and packages. Prior to the wedding, they sent me a playlist with some different songs to try to figure out our taste. They were great about listening to my suggestions. On the day of the wedding, before I even got to the venue, Caleb was texting me and told me he was already at the venue (at 9 am!). When we arrived, he was already shooting. When we left at 10 pm, him and Drew were still there! They were great about capturing all the little moments while keeping a low profile. Caleb and Drew were great to work with, and I would recommend them to everyone!

These two are fantastic to work with! They showed up on the wedding day, said hello, and went to work. They know what they are doing and how to capture the best moments of such a special day. Just received our shareable video and it is beyond what we ever imagined. It's simply amazing how Tara and Caleb can condense a long, wonderful day into a stunning 5 minute video containing the most important moments. From the time we met them, we knew our video was in good hands and they did not disappoint. I highly recommend them for any couple! Choosing to put more of our budget towards videographers rather than photographers was one of the best decisions we made during planning and to top it off we were lucky enough to get these guys. Our wedding day was the best day of our lives and now we can look back on it forever thanks to Cork Creative.

Words can't express how happy we are with our wedding video from Cork Creative. These guys are AMAZING! Their videos capture all of the emotions and little moments from the day, and transform them into a beautiful, fun film that we will cherish forever. Not to mention, they have really great taste in music, and are able to suggest some really cool songs! Caleb and Tara are such nice people and so easy to work with. From the moment we met with Caleb to talk about our wedding, we felt like he just "got" us. Throughout the actual wedding day, they were very professional and fun to be around. The end result was everything we wanted and more. The style and quality of their videos is unmatched - hands down they are the best in the business! Our family and friends LOVED our wedding video and we do too. If you're on the fence about budgeting for a videographer, I think it's totally worth it and I'm so glad we did. You will have something that can bring back the feelings from that day forever. And, I HIGHLY recommend you book Cork Creative - I promise you will not be disappointed. Thank you, Caleb and Tara - you guys are awesome!

We had Caleb take our wedding photos. They were absolutely stunning, capturing so much more than how things looked. The photos captured how things felt. Every time we look at them, we experience the way the day felt all over again from the funny to the sweet moments. I wouldn't trade the pictures for anything. Additionally, Caleb was a great communicator and is a kind and pleasant person to be around. It was a joy to work with him. I'm sure Tara is equally wonderful. I've seen several of their video pieces and they are simply beautiful. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a photographer or videographer.

The weather on my wedding day was crappy to put it nicely. Cold, rainy/drizzly, and just down right gloomy. I always wanted some awesome outdoor pictures of me and my hubby, so naturally my one concern was whether I would get any good pictures. I don't know how Caleb and Tara did it but my pictures turned out AMAZING. Looking at them you wouldn't even know it was nasty out. They didn't let the weather or our not so cooperative model (my puppy) impact their job at all. They were quick and efficient and got as many different pictures as we could in the short time we had and knocked out all of our family pictures with lightening speed! Everything turned out better than I hoped- I'm having trouble deciding which ones to display in our home! Thanks Caleb and Tara!

Simply awesome! We haven't received our full video yet but we've been so impressed with all the hard work done so far. Drew is friendly and extremely easy to work with. He is very talented and has kept us involved in the process of making the video. My husband and I would highly recommend Cork Creative for your big day!

I hired Cork Creative because their wedding videos are works of art. They aren't your typical wedding video. They do a great job of capturing the personality of the wedding. Drew and Caleb are great communicators and very professional. I almost didn't know they were there most of the day. They are awesome, definitely a great hire!