Jana Contreras Photography

d shot film for us in Grand Teton, and we will treasure those memories always. The sweetest, most intentional, TALENTED, and almost scary-fast turnaround. So happy to have found this photographer turned friend whose talent and heart are out of this world.

ry call, I knew she was the one. Call it love at first call! Considering that planning a wedding during a pandemic was challenging ever step of the way but Jana took the time to ask me questions about me and my husband to truly understand our dynamic and vision for the event. I left the call feeling heard and understood. I felt like she was aiming to get to know me rather than just give me a sales pitch about why she would be the best person without any context as to what I was looking for (a common theme in many of my other calls). In addition, I really appreciated that she approach pricing flexibly instead of serving me a menu. In understanding my goals, she developed a range of packages customized just for me. All which included a post-wedding shoot during our honeymoon in Mendocino! Above and beyond! From the moment she arrived at the wedding, I knew I made the right decision. She gave me the sweetest cookbook by our shared favorite chef and jumped right into the chaos without needing me to give much direction. This was a huge help since I was wrapped up in getting my hair and make up done. Jana was more than just a photographer that day, she helped rally people in the right direction, kept me updated on happenings and timing, helped create my timeline, and checked in with me regularly to make sure I was happy and had everything I needed. All of my family adored her as well! Telling me multiple times that they had a great time getting to know her and felt super comfortable in front of the camera. I seriously could not have imagined the day without her positive energy, and helpful attitude. She turned around the full set of our wedding photos within FIVE DAYS and we had our honeymoon shots back in less than 24 HOURS!!!! The pictures blew us away. Jana's work is exceptional and working with her was seriously a dream come true and I look forward to working with her again soon. If you are considering working with her, do it. I would be happy to answer any questions about working with Jana if you want to talk to a happy client. Jana's work and the experience of working with her is worth every penny.

appened and we held out hope for a long while and during that time Jana continuously checked in just to let us know she was thinking of us and there if we needed her. Fast forward to June when we made the tough decision to downsize our wedding to 60 guests. I called Jana and I asked if she was available for a new date and would she travel to Auburn, Ca. Her answer, “YES and how can I help?” We’ll... fast forward yet again when we realized that even a 60 person wedding wasn’t going to happen. Once again, I called Jana and let her know we were canceling plan #2 and would she be available and this time would she be open to traveling to Joshua Tree in Southern California. Her answer, “YES, of course, how can I help?” She is an amazing photographer but she’s also so much more than JUST a photographer. She listened to me, comforted me, championed me, helped me choose locations AND talked details. She was there every step of the way in so many varies capacities. On the day of our elopement she was so easy to work with. She brought us the sweetest little gift and she never once complained about the heat. She was enthusiastic and just the sweetest, kindest, gem of a human you could hope to have with you on your special day. Within a week I received the photos and a cute little slideshow! The pictures turned out magical!! I think we have looked through them 100 times and shared them with everyone. My friends and family have all commented on how beautifully they turned out and what great shots she captured. We agree! Jana, thank you for going above and beyond and being there every step of the way. We are so happy with our photos and so appreciative of all the wonderful memories your captured! 100% would recommend Jana! LOVE, Rachel and Chris

She prompted to have a Facetime call and get to know one another. Soon enough she had found us the perfect location that met our specifications (beaches, cliffs). We took photos at 3 gorgeous locations and Jana made us feel so comfortable in the process and it translated to our favorite photos with each other. We are so happy we found Jana and were sad that she was already booked for our wedding day. Would 100% work with Jana again. :)

as a couple!! She’s funny and caring and really goes over the top for her clients. She’s understanding and patient. And on top of all of that, she’s pouring with creativity!! I’ve truly never felt comfortable in front of a camera but she made us feel so beautiful and happy. I cannot wait for her to shoot our wedding and continue to capture the rest of our love story!

e’s amazing with people and helped us relax a lot so we didn’t look stiff in our photos. Couldn’t be more grateful for her and her amazing work! Turn around time for photos were so so fast as well!

nd fresh fruit!! She is so easy to connect with, and made it easy to feel like Jordan and I could just be ourselves behind the camera. Her work is beautiful and captures joy so well.

e at (that weren’t closed due to the pandemic) and even visited the final location a day before to make sure it was perfect for the proposal. She went above and beyond in capturing that special moment and all the emotions of getting engaged. She was helpful in the proposal process for my fiancé and has also been supportive in our wedding planning. Not only is she a phenomenal photographer, she is also that rare kind of friend you feel you’ve known a lifetime after just spending 5 minutes with her. We highly recommend Jana as a photographer! We have already decided she will be our one and only photographer for life.

r how/or what to do. She also got us our photos very quickly. I highly recommend her.

shine through and it shows in her pictures. We had so many pictures we love, we can’t decide which are our favorites!! Thank you, Jana!

ourselves so we sang and danced throughout our shoot. Her editing was excellent and we got our photos back really fast. We love the finished product and are very excited to share Jana's work with our friends and family.

rous. She will be there for you every step of the way in planning your big day and will tell you the best places to eat, the coolest places to visit, where to shop for a wedding dress and anything else you can think of! We were nervous for our shoot at first because we are both a little camera shy, but Jana worked her magic and we didn’t feel weird at all - we actually had so much fun! We got our photos so quickly and each and every one of them is absolutely beautiful. Jana will capture your sweet, your silly, and your joyful moments to truly bring your photos to life. Thank you Jana! We love you!

the people she photographs! If I could, I rate her 100/10. Jana was one of the first vendors we booked and has been AMAZING since day one. She’s super easy to work with, is every prompt, and on her game!! We got married this past Saturday and got our photographs back in 3 days (like WHAT?!). We’ve never had professional pictures taken before and were nervous because we didn’t know what to expect. She made the whole entire process super fun, easy going, seemless, and not awkward in the least bit. She is the person you want to photograph the most special moments in your life. We could not be happier with the way our pictures turned out! We had a small ceremony this past Saturday with our immediate family and are having a big ‘ceremony’/reception next July. Can’t wait for her to photograph part 2 next summer!!

out a photographer. Jana came highly recommended, and absolutely blew us away. She made us feel SO comfortable, supported, and celebrated. We got our gallery back SO fast and both of beamed with joy seeing her work and the way she captured us and our day so beautifully. 10/10 human, 10/10 photographer! THANK YOU JANA!!! THE BEST EVER!

and I decided that we wanted to elope, and pretty last minute too. I felt totally in over my head and I didn’t even know where to start! We only had about a month to pull things together. Jana reached out to me (after I inquired about her being our photographer awhile ago) and almost immediately started helping plan our wedding! Before I even hired her as our photographer! I was really surprised by that, but it made me feel like she genuinely cared. Probably because she does! Haha. I didn’t want to follow up on hiring her because it was the end of the year and I knew she was booked, but she actually ended up following up with me and told me she was able to shoot! She made sure that I didn’t feel pressured to choose her but it was an obvious choice for us! So not only did she help plan like our ENTIRE wedding, listened to all my worries and concerns, gave me hope, but she made time for us last second and that meant the world to my husband and I. She worked with our budget, listened to everything we wanted and came through for us with everything! Jana is a really beautiful soul and blesses anyone she comes into contact with. I know she blessed us beyond what we could have imagined for sure! We are forever grateful for her. I think it’s also very important and worth mentioning that her photos are breathtaking! I love her style and how she worked with us. She made us feel totally comfortable and directed us so we weren’t awkward. She gave us our dream wedding photos and our dream wedding. We love you Jana!

out a photographer. Jana came highly recommended, and absolutely blew us away. She made us feel SO comfortable, supported, and celebrated. We got our gallery back SO fast and both of beamed with joy seeing her work and the way she captured us and our day so beautifully. 10/10 human, 10/10 photographer! THANK YOU JANA!!! THE BEST EVER!

y, know that all your worries about what an engagement shoot entails, and how awkward it’ll be to kiss in front of someone, and what do you even really do, will fly out the window. In fact, you will have so much fun that you will probably forget she is even taking photos, and instead be surprised when she shows you all the amazing shots she captured! They say a great photographer is someone who can get a beautiful shot of a person, who only moments before was complaining about how embarrassed he was (my fiancé) to be riding the carrousel because it’s “solo para niños”. Jana is that person. Book her.

kend and it was utterly amazing. I am smiling ear to ear right now thinking about it. Not only are the photos stunning but the photoshoot itself was SO much fun. My partner and I have been giggling about it for days. We both have never done a photo shoot together so we both didn't really know what to expect. Personally, I have been a deer in headlights when there's a camera in front of me so, I was a little anxious about it too. From the moment Jana and I connected I started to feel at ease, even though via an electronic conversation, a wave of calm washed over me and I started to feel excited instead of nervous. When she arrived at the property where the shoot was (and even after getting a little lost because we live in a really remote area)  there was nothing but joy and love we received. The entire shoot was hands down the most fun photoshoot I've ever been a part of. We were laughing and laughing, we had so much fun my abs hurt the next day. Jana created this environment of safety and beauty. The shoot didn't feel posed or fake or manicured, it was raw and real. Not only that, but she has an incredible eye. She was able to capture the love and genuine admiration my partner and I have for one another in a way I've never seen in a photograph. As someone who is probably too self-critical of herself, I still couldn't find a picture I didn't like, she is, outta this world talented. My partner and I have been joking that we just want her to shoot our lives every day because that was one of the most fun days we've had in a while. Thanks for bringing so much joy, light, and inspiration to our souls and property Jana, I can't want to work with you again.

I was adventuring around the woods and Occidental. My boyfriend who typically hates getting his photo taken, said he had so much fun and that Jana was officially "our photographer". She will make you feel beautiful, natural, and relaxed, while she gets the perfect shots. Jana is very personable and I will definitely be going to her for all of my photography needs from now on, I am so happy I met her and booked with her. A true gem of a human!

vely to ensure all shots are captured while sticking to a strict timeline. She’s patient - which is great if you’re awkward like me in front of the camera ;), and also not afraid to try something new whether it’s a fun pose or new location. I absolutely highly recommend Jana for your photography needs!

r responsive leading up to our photo shoot. Would highly recommend working Jana!

the details and she was extremely professional. Her photography is stunning but it is even more important to have someone that you and everyone around you feels comfortable with. Some photographers blend in but she definitely stood out and contributed to the whole mood of the wedding. I love the style of her photos. Jana has a great system to make sure she got everything photographed and she had a list ready of all of the family photos that the bride wanted. It was really smooth and we got through the family photos quickly which was really important because it was freezing outside. I know that my sister is already in love with her photos. Jana also took time to photography my husband and my daughter and I and I am in love with the photos as well. I can’t recommend her enough and I will be reaching out to her for any events I have in the future.

ere, but she also made the whole experience a breeze. She was on time, made sure to capture every important moment, even stayed a little longer to make sure she could get everything my sister and her husband wanted. We are so happy with how everything turned out and the photos are truly stunning. Not to mention just what an amazingly warm and friendly person she is.

Jana on the phone, I felt much better. It was great that she was able to provide suggestions and help us with our dream wedding, but most importantly, she listened to our vision and was so excited to help it become a reality. We did an engagement shoot with Jana, in which she just made us feel so comfortable and at ease that of course all of our photos turned out perfect. Her professionalism, great eye, and good communication made our big day just as special. What made Jana even more special was the connection we built even when the camera was off. She really took her time to get to know us and really introduce herself to us on a personal level. Overall, I would recommend Jana to anyone looking for a professional photographer who at times feels like a long-time friend taking your photos.

experience and not just a "photoshoot". We truly had such an amazing time, left feeling more connected & in love, and were sad when it was over! The results were our favorite photos we've ever had taken & felt like "us". They will be heirlooms for us and our families forever!

s we made regarding our wedding. We saved in numerous other avenues, but decided that photography wasn’t an area we were willing to scrimp on. Let me tell you, Jana is worth every penny! Our photos are absolutely beautiful. Jana’s photography is artistic, unique and candid, capturing every detail of the day that I had asked her to, and even details I hadn’t thought of. She even offered to help with wedding coordination, writing up a day of itinerary because I am just the bride who has no clue. Jana will go the extra mile for you- with a smile on her face and a smoothie for you in her hand.

my fiancée and I feel so comfortable. I felt like we were hanging out with a friend. She was professional, fast, and super attentive to detail. My pictures were beautifully edited and I got them back in a timely manner. We took engagement pictures in San Francisco and even found a cool rooftop for us to shoot on top of. :)she also gave us salt water taffy! I cannot wait for her to shoot our wedding as well as future photo shoots.

her availability; even before I was engaged I was planning to have her be my photographer !! She made my photography dreams come true! I couldn’t have asked for anything more than the great service she provided!

ning she was invested like a friend in helping in any aspect of our wedding. Meeting her the day of felt like I had known her for years. The day of she showed up and was so chill and easy going, always wanting to put our needs and wants first. She made us laugh and helped us to feel comfortable getting our pictures taken together. The photos were absolutely stunning and we have received SO much positive feedback from our friends and families. If you want a friend for life and the best photographer ever, you can stop your looking because Jana is 10/10 all around!

el relaxed and took the time to become friends. Jana is an incredible choice to capture your special moments. I cannot recommend her enough!!!

eline for my big day. I told her I have no clue where to even start on a timeline, and she helped me gain an understanding of how much time each part of the day would take. She was flexible on timing as the day unfolded, and did not miss a beat even though I had no clue what was happening. She took detail shots while I was getting ready, and I didn't even know she had even done them. Jana captured all the small details, and made them all look better then I could have imagined. A lot of brides only receive posed photos, but not all the candid moments. Jana captured moments of my ceremony that were breathtaking. This was so important to me, because this day was all about the feeling of our love and happiness. Every photo Jana took say just that. They are stunning, and full of emotion. Jana is so laid back and supportive the day of. Any time I was stressed, or confused she would reassure me, and helped solve the problem. While Jana was taking our photos she stepped on a red ANT hill. She had bites all over her legs and told me, "Don't worry, let's keep going! Not the first time this has happened." She did not complain once! I am in such awe of her and her talent. She is so creative and she planned poses for us that felt so natural. Even with the bridal party she had poses that had us moving and laughing. They were so effortless. I could go on and on about Jana. The best advice I could give you is to give her a call! You will not regret it. She is now our forever life photographer, and more importantly our friend! THANK YOU JANA

photographer. Prior to the wedding she was easy to work with, on top of all the details, responsive and super helpful. The day off she was a joy to be around (she is incredibly sweet), got all the necessary (family, first look, etc...) shots quickly and was a pleasure to work with. My husband doesn't like taking photos and he raved about how easy the process was with Jana. The photos themselves are incredible (seriously obsessed with them)! Hiring Jana was the best decision and I hope I get to work with her again in the future.

ding a bit, a sweet mutual friend of ours reached out to us because Jana was going to be in Colorado for an upcoming wedding and wanted to share her beautiful talents shooting an engaged couple in Boulder. Truth be told, I personally am camera shy and uber critical in general so the idea of not only being the center of attention but having a complete stranger be witness to any vulnerabilities made the "say yes" attitude crumble. It wasn't until I took the time to explore her portfolio that I was awestruck by her talent and seemingly kind nature (yes, I stalked her blog as well so that helped inform my premature opinion!). Jana captured genuine love in such a gentle, almost etherial, way that I was drawn in and knew I wanted to meet this unicorn. After likely a million questions flooding her inbox - all answered promptly and never once did it feel like a bother - and many pictures of the entire contents of my closet, we met at the base of a beautiful trail. With a giant smile, husband Eli in tow, the most delicious salt water taffy, and a gorgeous camera with the most stylish leather strap, we gave each other the most wonderful hug and all of my pre-shoot jitters immediately went away. Long story short, the time we spent with Jana was filled with the most laughter, love and fun than I could possibly have ever imagined and I give all the credit to how down to earth Jana is. Best of all it wasn't a gimmick - just a completely genuine person who cared about the people she shot and making it a great experience. I can't say I was expecting much when we got the pictures back but I was blown away. All of the emotions of the day being perfect and beyond expectations came back and I have never felt more excited about the possibility of having Jana shoot our destination wedding next year (ps. I'd be doing ya'll a disservice if I didn't humble brag that not only did she edit the photos and have them in my inbox literally a week later but she did this ON TOP OF becoming a new mom to her sweet baby boy less than 72 hours later!). If you've made it this far in my review, do yourself a favor, don't second guess, don't shop around...just go ahead and book with Jana. It'll be the best investment for your memories and your soul. Thank you beautiful mama for showing me the fun side of not judging the process and just letting go. Can't wait until we meet again!

p actually having a blast and forgetting all about my insecurities! She is great at making you feel relax and natural, while also shooting quickly and efficiently, working around weather/lighting and outfit changes! We ended up with the most beautiful photos that really captured the way we make one another feel. I am so grateful to Jana for helping us to memorialize this moment in our lives! She also shot my sister’s wedding in the snow and managed to make us all look stunning, despite how cold we were! I couldn’t recommend her highly enough!

ting compliments on our photos. For a solid month as I printed wedding photos for various family members the person behind the counter handing me my prints would always ask who my photographer was, because the shots are THAT GREAT! You can’t lose with Jana. I had her fly out for my Colorado wedding and would all over again because of how much she added to my day. 100/10 would recommend her to every couple I meet

so well taken care of by someone who became a dear friend! As a photographer, Jana has such a great eye and passion for her art- she immediately made us feel so comfortable during our engagement session and by our wedding day we felt like trained pros because of how talented and loving and fun she is! She's the most attentive communicator and is full of resources and experiences. She always looking for the next way to improve in her craft, is so quick to respond, and is so professional and prompt as a photographer! Our dream was to have a photographer who would make us comfortable enough to able to capture our casual laid back adventurous vibe as a couple, and be able to pay attention to details we wouldn't have thought of- and Jana exceeded all of that! It's really such a privilege to be one of Jana's bride- our engagement and wedding photos have gotten so many awestruck responses. Was by far the best vendor decision we made, and would book her again and again!

er and she captures the most authentic and beautiful moments without ever making you feel like you’re posing or faking it. As soon as I hired Jana to shoot my wedding, she became my part time wedding planner and support system. She sent me links to florists, planners, etc. She checked in regularly to see how my plans were going and to see if I needed any help. She truly was excited for me and my fiancé and she made me feel like I was her only client-even though I know she was busy with other brides as well. My wedding was a destination wedding and Jana offered to pick up my bouquet and to run any last minute errands before heading to Tahoe since I left a couple of days before her-seriously what kind of photographer does that?!!! She is amazing! My “rehearsal” dinner was more of a relaxed family gathering and Jana fit right in, simultaneously snapping photos and making friends with everyone there. My entire online gallery was edited and sent to me within one week of my wedding day. I cannot explain how exciting and difficult it is to be patient to receive your wedding photos and I have friends who have waited for a couple of months so getting them so soon was the best gift ever!! Jana, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there with me on the most special day of my life. You made being in front of the camera fun (something that normally makes me so uncomfortable). I love you!!!

pictures came out gorgeous! So grateful she was able to capture beautiful timeless photos of us.

h her. We were in love with all the photos she captured! We are big Jana Contreras Photography fans and would definitely book her again for photos! We'd also highly recommend her to anyone looking to have some beautiful photos captured!

icated with Jana, I was so impressed by how she was able to be so professional, yet I also felt like I had known her forever. She has a way of making you feel at ease, which was especially great for my husband who hates being in front of the camera. I have interacted with quite a few photographers and I feel like there is a fine line between being overly familiar or overly professional, and Jana has that balance fine tuned. Our photos from both shoots came out incredible. She carried out my vision and more. The photos were delivered in an extremely timely manner and I couldn’t be more thrilled with my experience with her. I had wanted to do an in home shoot, but was apprehensive about doing one until I met Jana. Both my husband and I felt so comfortable with her and it was like we were taking pictures with a good friend. I very highly recommend her to capture any special moments in your life!

top on our trip, as well as bringing me a back up jacket and hats in case I needed them for the shoot. My husband and I LOVED working with her and her husband and would again in a heartbeat. She makes you feel so comfortable in front of the camera. I also feel like I’ve made a great friend through the process. Highly recommend!

th us and even though we froze our behinds off- she had a wonderful attitude the whole time and got some amazing shots. Additional notes: She’s got great taste in music and food-so stopping to grab a bite, after a shoot, at the places she’d recommend is always a good idea! You will not be disappointed!

na on a lifestyle shoot when we first got engaged last May and just ADORED her and her work. I contacted Jana letting her know that I loved her work and shooting style + wanted her to be our photographer for our sweet little intimate home session. She was quick with her response and acknowledged my concerns of getting the right photos (natural lighting with organic lifestyle photos of my husband and I just being ourselves). Jana was extremely attentive to all of our needs and truly captured the happiness, joy, and love in our honeymoon phase of life. Friends and family CAN NOT stop raving about the shoot we did with Jana. She got multiple AMAZING shots in a 45 min. mini session time frame and made us smile and laugh throughout the whole process. The sneak peeks she sent out were amazing and the entire album she gave us was completed even quicker than she had anticipated. My husband and I were beyond impressed!!! I highly recommend Jana if you're looking for a professional photographer who gives you direction, but also takes your opinions and concerns into play AND provides great comedic relief as well -- look no further 'cause Jana is you gal!

ment is amazing! Her photos are beautiful! She is seriously one of a kind!