Joseph Esser - Photo and Video

ptured were beyond our highest expectations. Lots of artistic touches as well, including super cool drone aerial footage. Joseph has such a nice manner to deal with, as well. Highly, highly recommend. Jimmy + Liora

w exactly what kind of posed photos I wanted without me being able to articulate that well to them. I received the pictures very quickly as well. I love, love, love my wedding pics! Thank you!

live our day through a different perspective and view beautiful little moments we didn't even notice ourselves during the wedding. Hiring Joseph and his team made our day stress free, as we could focus on having fun while they filmed the day. Joseph gave great direction with posing and knew how to get to all the best spots at our venue! I can't recommend them enough!

modating and even worked with us to get some shots in our wedding attire on our original date. We have worked with Joseph on several occasions now and have been thrilled with the results every time. Joseph and his team at our wedding were professional, friendly, attentive, timely, and easy to work with, and the photos, videos and photo album turned out better than we could have expected. I highly recommend Joseph, we have been so happy with him every time.

set time and location - only to have our amazing sunset completely white washed out of the whole shoot! It looks like we were married in a fog bank not a stunning Hawaiian sunset. And we were taken away from our reception to do these photos as that was “the best light”. I have been so broken and devastated about this as this was ONE expense we as a couple agreed was top priority. And we have nothing to show for it. NOTHING. Not to mention the “edits” they did was simply turning a couple to black and white. No real edits complete. It was the single biggest regret of our wedding choosing this company as our photographers. This was an international wedding and we only have the photos from our guests to show for it. I still haven’t recovered from this situation and STILL have sleepless nights wishing I had photos to show of our amazing day. But I have nothing.

d at ease. Joseph came up with cute and unique poses and places at the venue to shoot. He sent some teasers out quickly and then the full set of photos out much more quickly than we even anticipated! They all look gorgeous and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. Highly recommend!

d in turning over out photos, it was all seamless and easy including communication. I highly recommend him and his team.

be phenomenal!!! He and his team provided us with excellent direction all day long so we knew exactly what to do, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Thank you Joseph!

th for our reception. Guests had the best time taking pictures with the cutest props. To top everything off our photos and highlight video turned out absolutely STUNNING! Highly recommend without a doubt!

s always so patient and kind to us. He responded to all of our questions promptly and never made us feel like we were asking stupid questions (even though we probably were, ha). On the day of our wedding, he showed up on time and was so nice to all of our family, friends, and other vendors. Even though I was running 30-45 minutes behind schedule (my florist completely messed up my bouquet and my mom literally had to make me a new bouquet), Joseph was super understanding and kept reassuring me not to worry. Despite the delay, he made sure to get all the photos that I had on my shot list without making us feel rushed. It was also a hot day and he made every effort to keep us in the shade for the photos so we wouldn't be squinting or sweating. Everyone in our wedding party told us that our photographer was awesome and made them feel comfortable, even those who tend to be camera-shy. Less than a month after our wedding, Joseph emailed us to say that our photos were ready! I had heard from other married friends that their photographers took 2-3 months, so this quick turnaround was such a pleasant surprise! Our photos are all SO beautiful. We did not have a fancy wedding, but Joseph made our wedding look like it belonged in a magazine. I am tremendously grateful to have beautiful photos to keep for the rest of our lives. Joseph is just a super talented, genuinely nice guy who wants to make sure your day is stress-free and that you have gorgeous photos to remember it. Hire him for your wedding - you won't regret it. Thank you so much for everything, Joseph!!!

estions and give us great recommendations in locations as to what we wanted as a backdrop. We went with his underwater photo session in addition to the land shoot. We were very anxious as to what to expect the day of the shoot. He was great in dictating us how to pose and what kind of shot he was trying to achieve When we arrived he was ready to shoot and with all the previous emails we had with him he knew what we wanted. He was extremely patient, professional and re-did a lot of shots to get that perfect moment. The water session was great. He had his assistant paddle us out to calm waters, worked on getting the perfect shot. After the photo shoot, he gave us a sample of what we would be getting and the stand alone sample was worth the money IMO by itself. We asked other vendors on pricing and the value we got out of Joseph was so much better off the bat with our initial phone calls and emails.

ly. You have the most incredible eyes and skill to create magical memories in your work. Your beauty comes through your work. We hope we will be able to have you photograph many more milestones of our lives as husband and wife.

oseph. He captured our vision and more! He is such a cool, creative person which was really important to us. Our style is more low key and wanted the energy to be focused on the moment and Joseph didn't only understand that but somehow captured our vibe and delivered the most beautiful photos of our special day. Family and friends loved him so much, they are already working with him on some other projects and everyone has the same response - the best photographer on the island.

iate connection with Joseph! He understood what we were looking for in a photographer! Throughout the time leading up to our wedding day communication was easy with Joseph and Kelli. Selecting photo booth picture layout, background, props, and prints was simple and easy to do online. The day of was a very early morning for us and they were so professional and although you might think that having strangers in your hotel room taking pictures if you as you get ready is a bit invasive, they were awesome!!!! We felt like they were friends. They spent the entire day with us and truly captured every aspect of our wedding day from start to finish. Joseph, Keoni, and the rest of the team captured everything that we had asked for and more! We asked for specific moments to be captured. They went above and beyond our expectations. By the end of our wedding we gained new family members. Keala and I cannot thank you enough for everything that you did to make our day memorable! Thank you for your time, vision, and professionalism!

roduced of us underwater were absolutely amazing! In addition, the photos on land were also breathtaking! He totally captured the moment and I couldn't have asked for anything more!!

the session. Thanks so much Joe!

nted taken and thought of other pictures/video we had not. The turnaround time on the pictures and video were quick also. I will definitely be using Joseph and his team when we renew our vows!

wedding he sat down with us to talk about what we wanted to accomplish with our photos, they were open to our ideas and they had their own great ideas. We chose Joseph because he takes wonderful scenic photos which was important to us at our Kualoa venue. The services were expensive but we knew what we wanted for our big day. The photos came out great, I only wish it wasn't so rainy on our big day and that we could have gotten some beautiful Hawaii sunset photos.

and friendly.

ery professional, they kindly guided us to record the most beautiful footage. Thank you for the most magical video!!! :)

d joseph esser!!!

seph as our photographer!

an/Feb 2016. He is easy to work with and dedicated to his clients. When I initially wanted to book him, he had another potential job. At that point, I thought I had lost him. However, because I had been in contact with him for such a long period of time (since Dec. 2014), Joseph worked it out and I was able to book him. Joseph is easy to contact, and always responded in a timely manner. On the day of our wedding, Joseph and his assistant, Elizabeth, made our wedding party, the groom and myself feel at ease. This led to many beautiful candid and portrait shots. We received our pictures about 6 weeks after our wedding. The pictures are beautiful and his work speaks for itself. During the ceremony and reception, I didn't notice where they were, but through the pictures they were able to capture many candid moments of us and our guests. I never thought much of Waikiki's setting, but after we received our pictures, his work made me change my mind. During our sunset photos, I forgot to bring my touch up kit. However, Joseph came to the rescue and helped me touch up a hair that was out of place. I am so happy that Joseph captured our special day and I would highly recommend him to any bride out there.

ew of the sunset. So, it becomes essential to capture all this beauty on the most important day of your life. It took me a while to find a photographer that fulfilled what I was looking for. I finally came across Joseph Esser's portfolio on The Knot. When it comes to choosing your vendors, you pick and choose which ones you want to invest more in. And your photographer is someone you want to make you research and invest in. After looking through a few of his photos, I knew that he was exactly what we were looking for. He has a way to play with the beautiful background of Hawaii, yet make the couple stand out in the picture. Bottom-line, his artistic eye is amazing and on point. Working with him and his team on our wedding day was super easy. He is very easy-going and funny (which is super helpful if you're uncomfortable in front of the camera). There were many times that you don't even realize he's there snapping photos, and those made the best candid pictures. Joseph and his team did not disappoint at all. I cannot emphasize how beautiful our pictures came out. They literally looked like they came straight out of a magazine. If you're looking for a photographer that cares about your day, fun to work with and breathtaking photos, then I highly recommend Joseph. He will capture every beautiful moment of your big day!

he realized how awkward in front of the camera we were so he made us do a bunch of interactive things to put us at ease, which translated to genuine emotions in the photos. they looked great and captured so many great moments throughout the day! we would definitely recommend him to future clients.

ly a pro who is able to capture great shots in diverse settings (we had beach shots, sunset, fireworks, daytime garden shots and indoor event coverage). He was prompt while we were behind schedule and started helping us set the venue - talk about going above and beyond! Joseph made us feel relaxed, comfortable and made the shoot super fun. I would highly recommend Joseph. He is definitely my go-to person for any photo shoot from now on!

asy to work with and reasonably priced. From the first time I worked alongside Joseph Esser I knew he would be a perfect fit for our wedding. He has an incredibly radiant personality, he is always smiling and connecting with his couples. He makes you feel comfortable behind the camera, guiding you and reassuring you on how to look your best. When it comes time for group photos (usually the most stressful part of the day) Joseph commands the attention of all the guests in a very positive way and creates a guided and relaxed atmosphere that allows everyone to connect naturally with his camera. Each time we work with him, the wedding day moves along smoothly without any sense of feeling rushed. Hiring Joseph Esser Photography was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding day. The photos turned out even better than we could have imagined! He books up quickly so if you are looking for an extremely professional and talented photographer that will contribute to keeping your wedding day running smoothly, you've found it in Joseph Esser Photography. Thank you Joseph Esser and team for being so amazing at what you do!!

re blown away by their professionalism and the quality of each and every one of our photos.

ve, laughter and togetherness of our small, intimate wedding. I was so impressed by the entire experience and the photos we received. We will always have our wonderful photographs to remember our beautiful day. Mahalo Joseph...xoxo

our pictures it sets us back to that very day. We love love love our pictures and we couldn't be happier! Joseph is fun, creative, easy to work with but professional all at the same time. He managed to stay within hour timeline. On yeah the sunset pictures, perfectly captured! If you're looking for professional work and affordability, Joseph is your best choice.

We would highly recommend Joseph Esser photography for their quality of work and how nice Joseph and his crew were to work with.

as super fun and patient. The photos turned out unbelievably awesome. Stunning! Friends and family couldn't say enough great things about them. We are so happy with how everything turned out!

uge dorks who are not at all comfortable in front of the camera, but from the moment I met Joseph, I felt at ease. He has such a warm and genuinely friendly personality that makes it easy to smile for the camera. We first found Joseph from his blog (esserphotographyblog.com) and really enjoyed the creativity and dedication that is apparent in every one of his photos. From the moment we saw just one of his weddings, we knew he was the guy for us. My husband contacted Joseph regarding availability as well as cost and he responded in such a timely manner with extreme professionalism. He was always happy to answer any questions and even worked with image creations to create a package that worked for our budget. Having him was so important to us that we actually ended up booking Joseph before any other vendor, even before I found a wedding dress! Fast forward to our wedding day. He arrived early with his second shooter Ryan and they were both so enthusiastic that you'd swear they were watching a friend get married. It's clear that Joseph is a seasoned photographer in how efficiently and fluently he can set up shots and transition between them, but at the same time he had the giddiness of someone shooting their very first gig. It's obvious that every job is special and unique to him. The entire day him and Ryan were everywhere, but nowhere all at once; we could always find them if we looked, but they were so unobtrusive. We thoroughly enjoyed having them at our wedding and were even able to convince Ryan to play some Jumbo Jenga with our groomsman (Ryan won!)! Eight short weeks later we received our pictures! All 1500+ of them :) Now the pictures: They are absolutely stunning! We can't stop looking at them! Joseph and Ryan were somehow able to capture everything that we could have ever possibly wanted without us even asking! Joseph combines both traditional portrait shots with documentary/candid photos resulting in images that are just so unique and artistic! It's crazy how well the photos make me, my husband, and our guests look, and trust me, I am in no way a photogenic person. I usually hate the way I look in pictures, but Joseph made me and my husband look so good! I don't think I've ever looked as good in my life as I do in my wedding pictures! They are just absolutely mind blowing! Joseph you are incredible!! So, in short, the message that I'm trying to convey is that Joseph and his team are ridiculously amazing at what they do. Joseph has such an obvious passion and dedication for photography that it becomes more then just pictures. He has a way of capturing memories and raw emotions, so that every time you look at the photos he takes, you can't help but relive that special day and smile a little. I know, from personal experience, that if you choose him to be your photographer, he will surpass your unbelievably high expectations in every single way and you will be overjoyed and dumbfounded at the moments he was able to capture! In 50 years from now when I can no longer remember my wedding day, I will have these beautiful, artistic photos to look back on. Words cannot express how thrilled and appreciative I am that we were able to have Joseph and Ryan shoot our wedding!!

phy blogs, and read numerous reviews by newlyweds. It came down to quality photographs from a photographer that had the ability to capture real moments and utilize light. We kept coming back to Joseph's blog and were captivated - after meeting him we felt confident that he had the talent to capture our wedding day in a way that we could share with our friends, family and eventually children and the photos would be timeless. When the big day arrived Joseph had a calm demeanor balanced with a playfulness that kept everyone at ease and comfortable. We had discussed the timeline prior and he kept the day flowing naturally and guided us when needed. Our family photos went so smooth thanks to his diligence and organization that my husband and I had extra time for our photo session. We had our dogs at the wedding; as difficult of subjects as they can be, we got some wonderful pictures that we will treasure. Also, Joseph took epic photos of us and the fireworks which we incorporated fairly last minute - his flexibility gave us one of our favorite wedding moments. We simply can't say enough of how grateful we are to have had Joseph photograph our wedding. Looking at the photos we feel transported back to that day and you can feel the love in the photos. Also - we had a videographer (Philip Lemoine - Supreme Wedding Films) that day as well and they worked very well together. Joseph's photos don't have much evidence of the videographers equipment in the photos. Additionally, both Joseph and Philip have a light-hearted humor that was entertaining and made being the subject of numerous photos easier. Book them both - you won't regret it!

. Highly highly recommend him.

edding and a friends wedding in which I was a groomsman. Joseph and his crew are great to work with. They seem to get all the shots without it feeling like there is even a photographer there. Joseph also did family portraits for my sister in law which were stunning. We wanted our wedding pictures to feature the surrounding backdrops of the Ko'olau Mountain range and Kaneohe bay. Joseph did an amazing job! The photos that he returned to us blew our minds. Joseph also provided guidance on how to best organize family portraits at our wedding. Without his advise organizing 30 family members including 7 grandkids would have been difficult. If you want a photographer that is truly a professional , quick on his feet to get the perfect shot, and does not need to be babysat Joseph is for you. I also enjoyed his promptness, alertness, and awareness of everything happening during the wedding. He made sure to see the big picture and plan a few steps ahead so he did not miss any special moments. Mahalo to Joseph and Crew!

en, especially by a professional who is going to make be dance around and do a bunch of poses, but that's what your wedding day entails right!? That being said, Joseph is a true professional and he's got a great sense of humor and an awesome personality. The moment we met him I knew he was our guy. All of us clicked, and I knew we were in good hands (hey, I know it's all about the bride, but I wanted to look good too!). Joseph did a fantastic job scheduling the photos and kept us on track so we had plenty of time to hang with our guests and enjoy our own wedding. I told him from the start, I can't smile for more than a few frames or I start to look like a total goober. Dude had some serious jokes and just his natural demeanor kept everything light and fun. Needless to say, the end result was out of this world. In fact, his photos were so good, our entire house is covered with prints from our wedding day. You've been warned: Joseph is the real deal, and your walls will be filled with his photos. Mahalos Joseph! -Danny

ry comfortable in front of the camera. After the ceremony, we moved off-site to a beach for additional photos. Even with the uncooperative weather (wind and rain), he never lost his beat and energy. The photos, in turn, came out beautifully and captures all the details and emotions of that day!

to contact him. Planning our wedding from California was a little difficult because we couldn't meet with our vendors in person before the wedding. After speaking with Joseph over the phone, we knew he was the perfect fit for our wedding. We loved some many of the shots that he and his team captured for us on our wedding day that we actually had a problem choosing the photos to include in the album. There were so many great shots to choose from. Joseph was also a lot of fun to work with and made taking photos a stress free experience. We couldn't recommend him more highly!

erstand why I wanted to fly someone out from Hawaii, but after it was all said and done, my husband said it was the best decision I made :) Planning your wedding around families from two different states is complicated...it made it difficult to make decisions & stick with those choices. In trying to keep our vendors informed, I'm sure it was bit frustrating for them as well. Joseph was extremely accommodating and professional throughout the whole process. We always felt comfortable (which is realllly important!) with him and enjoyed having him with us :) We had a lot of fun & are so grateful to joseph & his staff for capturing some amazing shots & memories. & to top it all off, our albums and prints were stunnning! Our parents show it off all the time :) I honestly cannot recommend him enough!

ire people who truly love what they do, and possess the creativity to dream up a gorgeous wedding for both my husband and I! I initially sent out a 10 sentence email describing us as a couple - what we like to do, where we travel, how we met, and our sense of quirky weekend fun. It felt oddly similar to online dating all over again! Of 3 Photographers, Joseph Esser was the ONLY vendor who's email reciprocated my excitement and with so many ideas! His email was full artistic suggestions that captured our idea of "beautiful" and would tell our simple love story. I then knew I was going to have perfect photos of our wedding!!! Planning our micro-wedding was a low-stress situation. Hand making 16 invitations, seating for 5 tables of 6, procrastination definitely set in. Just weeks before our wedding, I finally confirmed our ceremony location at Magic Island Beach Park in Honolulu. I was nervous about the crowds of people, trade winds, passing showers, and blazing hot sun! From my initial email, Joe knew it was the site of our first date, and assured me he could shoot Magic Island with perfection! The day of the wedding, I arrived late. Scrambling to the location in heels, I saw Joe and was relieved!!! He was on time, professionally dressed in his Esser Photography uniform, and taking shots of my flowers, family, friends, and scenery! He shot a photo of me walking towards the site with my family and husband at hand... till today, it's one of my favorite pictures! He is lightning quick to recognize a beautiful moment and capture it even when no one is looking at the camera! Joe is also not shy about directing the wedding party to setup his shots perfectly! He did a quick shuffle of us just as we were seconds into our ceremony. My husband was moved to the left so the sunlight wouldn't glare into his eyes, Diamond Head would be just behind us, and of course the gentle Hawaiian trades from the west blowing my hair back out of my face! AMAZING! Joseph understands where your best light is, and despite a crowded park, our photos are unbelievable to most as they look as though we had Magic Island to ourselves! On the business end, Joe makes things easy. He can do custom packages (I received a discount for using his friend as my Flower Designer), has straightforward payment procedures, responds quickly via email, and has great communication on what your expectations can be. Following our wedding, it took about 3 weeks to post our images online. And about 4 weeks to receive my CD of photos, which were impeccably packaged better than my own wedding invitations! Joseph uses Pictage (although pricey) because they are the BEST at printing high quality photos in true clear color on paper that won't discolor or degrade if properly cared for. Communication from Pictage was perfect as the photos arrived earlier than expected, and wrapped beautifully in a black box and tissue. My wedding photos are the most beautiful images I own. I would hire Joseph in a heartbeat and am thinking of making professional family photos an annual thing! Perhaps taking up one his ideas of shooting us with my husband's 1950's motorcycle parked at the shore break walls in Waikiki Beach during sunset!