An Inside Look at Your Island Love Story
$3,000 starting price
Provides full services to all the Neighbor Islands
Service area
Videography services available
Joseph Esser
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (7X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Joseph Esser Photo and Video is a wedding photography company, based in Honolulu, HI, that favors a fine art approach. Founder Joseph’s work is influenced by the idea of timelessness. He creates pieces that will always evoke a certain emotion, no matter when they are viewed. He wants to capture the true spirit of your love on camera, so you can relive how you felt on that day over and over again.
Joseph wants to document exactly what it is that makes every wedding so unique. His soothing personality puts you and your loved ones at ease in front of his camera. This gentle encouragement helps your true personality to shine through his images. Pictures from Joseph Esser Photo and Video are made for sharing with the people closest to you, so you can all cherish the memories together.
This photographer likes to get involved with the wedding. He wants to be in the thick of it, documenting all of the action from the inside. With his pictures, you can feel like you are back on the dance floor, or laughing with your nearest and dearest over a cocktail. His experience has also taught him when to opt for a more unobtrusive approach for natural, candid images. A skilled filmmaker, Joseph is also able to create cinematic wedding videos, complete with jaw-dropping drone footage. Your guests can have a more interactive experience with Joseph Esser Photo and Video’s open-air photo booth. They can pose and have fun in front of classic backdrops to create lighthearted images.
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Details
Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
Bridal Portraits
Day After Session
Engagement
Trash The Dress
Photo & Video
Digital Files
Drone
Film Photography
Online Proofing
Photo
Printed Enlargements
Printed Proofs
Same-Day Edits
Second Shooter Available
Social Media Sharing
Wedding Albums
Photo & Video Styles
Artistic
Classic
Documentary
Dramatic
Lifestyle
Modern
Vintage
Wedding Activities
Getting Engaged
Rehearsals & Parties
After Party
Wedding
After Party
Awards and Affiliations
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Meet the team
Joseph Esser
Owner
Hi and thanks for finding me on the Knot. I would love to chat with you to discuss your special day and to find out how we can be part of it! Wedding are our passion and we hope to be part of yours! Aloha - Joseph
Availability
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.082 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Joseph and his team are highly praised by multiple reviewers for their exceptional photography and videography services at various wedding venues, such as Kualoa Ranch Paliku Gardens and Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The team is described as professional, fun, and talented, capturing candid moments and providing stunning results that exceed expectations. Reviewers appreciate Joseph's attention to detail, positivity, and ability to make couples feel comfortable in front of the camera. The quick delivery of high-quality photos and videos is also highlighted, reflecting the team's dedication and skill in their craft. Overall, Joseph comes highly recommended for capturing memorable moments on couples' special days.Review photos
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K J
5.0
8/26/2024
We had Joseph do our wedding (with photobooth), as well as engagement shots.
Overall, he was amazing, the engagement shots were great and the photobooth was an awesome addition to our wedding.
The wedding photo/videography was also very professional and got us a ton of beautiful, and sometimes epic, pictures. Joseph even provided us with a "preview" of a handful of images the **day after** our wedding!
The only thing I would note, is that you should pay attention to and clarify what's included in the package you pick. We opted for one of the simpler photo/video packages, which was great for photos, but only included a short highlight video despite the videographer filming the entire wedding. Luckily, Joseph was gracious enough to provide the raw video footage to us so we could have full recordings of the ceremony, speeches, etc.
Murphy M
5.0
7/16/2024
Genuine. Talented. Thoughtful. Joyful. FUN. Thorough. Patient. Resourceful.
Joseph is INCREDIBLE! My husband and I hired him early into our wedding planning process and he was the best! Joseph and his team are incredibly kind, thoughtful, professional, funny, and truly masters of their craft.
We got married at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and were assigned many of our vendors but luckily we got to choose our photographer (among others). Our wedding planner, Tessa Gomes of Fred + Kate Events, hosts the Unveiling Paradise podcast with Joseph so after listening to an episode and checking out his work (and Tessa's recommendation!), we reached out to Joseph. Off the bat, he was approachable and friendly which put us at ease and his great sense of humor made us feel very heard. 10 months later on our wedding day, we felt the same way and so much more!
Joseph has an incredible attention to detail (he detangled two pieces of my jewelry in record time!), a contagious and joyful energy, and his style captures the beauty of the moment and location. I put together a pretty aggressive photo shot list and Joseph handled it like a true professional while keeping everyone laughing AND we stayed on time! He captured every last detail (and there were *so* many) with such a positive attitude and made us feel so comfortable.
My husband and I have been in and to many weddings and Joseph truly stands out as one of our favorite photographers. We highly recommend hiring Joseph for whatever your photography needs are!
Any questions?
Melanie C
5.0
4/12/2024
Extremely in love with my wedding pics!! To hit the main points: very professional but fun; quick communication; amazing quality; worth more than every last penny I spent.
I initially found Joe Esser on my vendor list from Turtle Bay. I had gone through every single vendor and even compared photos online because I know every photographer is different in their editing and overall style. I really loved the soft pastel film vibe and the relatively untouched look of people in photos. Of course I wanted to look nice, but I hate when I see photos of myself and know I don’t actually look like that because it’s so over edited. I’m so happy with my photos and I honestly cry happy tears when I see them. Joe and his team were great, easy to work/communicate with, and were able to do everything on my requested shot list. I received my photos relatively quickly (got married in February and I think I got them in March?) and am excited to see the video!
Another thing that stood out, was the underwater photo addition. Again, what I loved about his particular underwater photos was that soft dreamy look to them whereas some other photographers had a more noir, dark deep sea(I’m afraid of the dark, unknown parts of the ocean so for sure didn’t want that vibe in my pics lol) or saturated looked to them. Which still look great but just not what I wanted. He was very patient as I swallowed gallons of water during this shoot lol. He constantly checked if we were ok, gave us breaks, and worked with what he thought we could handle. If you can’t necessarily tread water, he chooses shallower areas to shoot I believe. If you’re willing to put in the work underwater and brave the cold (we shot this in February, it was partly cloudy day into a light rain lol), the photos will come out amazing. Wish I lived on Oahu because I’d book Joe and his team for every life event.
Nieka G
5.0
11/04/2023
We hired Joseph and his team for our wedding day at Kualoa Ranch Paliku Gardens. We chose the video and photo package. Joseph and his team were so fun to work with! We wanted candid photos and they captured a lot of amazing candid shots that we will cherish forever. They made us feel super comfortable in front of the cameras and they captured every detail. Our wedding photos turned out stunning and we are waiting for our video which we are sure is not going to disappoint! Thank you so much Joseph and team!!!
Jimmy R
5.0
4/19/2023
Joseph & team were responsible for the photos and video at our Kualoa Ranch wedding at the beginning of 2023. Simply put, they did a phenomenal job! The beauty and colors they captured 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
Leesa J
5.0
5/12/2022
I had such a great experience with Joseph and his team! They arrived early for bridal photos, took tons of candid shots throughout the day (which I specifically asked for), and knew 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!
Kelsey D
5.0
5/05/2022
Joseph and his team are just wonderful. They filmed every special moment of our day -- big and small. Because of their incredible attention to detail and talent, we were able to relive 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!
Lindsay Z
5.0
1/15/2022
Truly the best there is. I first booked Joseph back in 2019, when our wedding was scheduled for June 2020. When Covid happened and we had to postpone to 2021, Joseph was very accommodating 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.
Shelby T
1.0
6/26/2021
It’s been nearly three years and I still can’t stomach my wedding photos. Not a single one has been shared, framed, hung or put into a wedding book. We got married at a premium sunset 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.
response 06/26/2021
I appreciate this review. My understanding of how you came to select me is that you were r...
ecommended to me by your wedding coordinator, that you hadn’t bothered to review our website, look at our social media posts, or gain a simple understanding of our style and aesthetic. I believe that if you had looked more closely at my images online and my social media pages, you would see that all of those weddings in terms of the color, lighting and aesthetics are identical to the images that I captured for you. We do not use studio strobes in our sunset photos, but strive for real, authentic images captured through available light. While I do believe that the photos were not photographed in the style you had wished for, it ultimately is your responsibility to make those decisions when you are researching photographers. Every photographer has a speciality, a style, and an aesthetic. The way they capture images dictates the look and the range of editing possibilities. My photography style is natural light photography. I advertise this photography speciality on my social media, my website reflects this and the images displayed online reflect that style. With the exception of your experience, I have never encountered any negative feedback for my style. We specialize in capturing authentic photos and not over-produced images. If you give 10 photographers the same equipment, they will all shoot differently. That is why photography is such a beautiful art form.
You are being extremely misleading in your review however. Firstly, the sunset on your wedding day was not the epic sunset that we often get here in Hawaii. It was raining the day of your wedding and when we were able to shoot your sunset photos, the sky was not that dynamic. While I wish I could control the weather and work miracles, this is beyond my control. Secondly, and this is the most tragic part of the review you are leaving out. I offered to shoot you and your husband a couple of days after your wedding (for free!!!) because your sunset wasn’t spectacular, you knew that it wasn’t spectacular, and you decided not to: “We are thinking of not going forward with the Monday shoot. As you can imagine we are flat out exhausted with all the friends and family still in town, and you can read it on our faces.” Your makeup artist even offered to do your hair and makeup for free for the shoot. That’s on you, not us.
Finally, you are being so dishonest about not editing and that I “simply turned a couple to black and white. No real edits complete.” Shelly, I have spent more time editing your photos than any of my other clients, reshaping arms, trimming waistlines, fixing hair, and removing sweat.
Choosing your wedding photographer is one of the most important choices you can make for your wedding. For all brides looking at this review. I hope this is helpful info. 1.) get to know your photographer’s style and aesthetic, review everything. This is an artform and it’s your responsibility to find the photographer that fits your aesthetic and style and not vice versa. 2.) If you get rained out on your wedding day and your photographer offers to shoot your wedding portraits a day later, do it. 3.) Love yourself!
Suzu G
5.0
1/26/2021
STOP looking for any other photographer. Joseph is the one you want. I love being photographed (LOL) but my partner does not and Joseph managed to make him feel so comfortable and 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!
Garrett W
5.0
3/12/2020
Joseph was so easy to work with allowing us to relax and enjoy both our engagement session and wedding day photos. From facetiming with us when we first showed interest till the end in turning over out photos, it was all seamless and easy including communication. I highly recommend him and his team.
response 03/12/2020
Mahalo Garrett for sharing this. I had such a fun time with you and Priscilla trekking thr...
ough the forest and of course on your wedding day. Best wishes on a long and love-filled marriage!
Alyssa S
5.0
2/25/2020
My husband and I chose Hawaii for our destination wedding and planned everything virtually. Joseph was an absolute pleasure to work with on our wedding day- our photos came out to 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!
response 02/26/2020
Thanks Alyssa for all the kind words. I had an incredible time photographing the two of y...
ou. Thanks again for sharing your special day with me!
Kalei L
5.0
1/30/2020
Joseph and his team were awesome and really easy to work with! They seemed genuinely excited to be there and input ideas for the best photos possible. We also hired their photo booth 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!
response 02/01/2020
Awe, thanks for this awesome review Kalei! We had so much fun at your wedding:)
Ashley M
5.0
7/18/2019
Joseph and team was amazing to work with! They got all the requested shots, and the photos came out beautifully! I can’t wait to see the video!!
Christine N
5.0
5/18/2019
Choosing Joseph Esser to be our wedding photographer was definitely one of the best planning decisions we made! From the day we first contacted him to the day of our wedding, he was 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!!!
Steve N
5.0
10/20/2018
We booked Joseph a couple months before our engagement photo shoot. We looked at his work through Instagram and we both were amazed by his work. He was able to answer all of our questions 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.
Ann I
5.0
10/19/2018
When we saw our wedding photos and videos our hearts were bursting with happiness and love. We were amazed! Deepest mahalo for doing the best job and capturing every moment perfectly. 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.
Maile M
5.0
10/19/2018
Don't even look for another wedding photographer if you are getting married in Hawaii. Joseph and his team is it! One of the best decisions my husband and I made was to work with Joseph. 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.
Veronica G
5.0
10/18/2018
If we could provide more stars to this review, we would! My husband and I found Joseph Esser at one of the Wedding Expo events. From the minute we started talking, we felt an immediate 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!
K H
5.0
10/18/2018
I hired Joseph for my wedding because I saw that he did underwater photography. The shoot was so much fun, even for my husband who doesn't like taking pictures. LOL The photos he produced 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!!
David L
5.0
9/14/2018
Joe took engagement photos for my fiancé and I and they turned out fantastic! We are both terrible posers but his friendly and engaging personality helped us relax and really enjoy the session. Thanks so much Joe!
Jennifer H
5.0
9/07/2018
Very great planning team! They are so organized and worked well with my other vendors. Joseph captured so many great pictures! He was so personable and directive!
Neil W
5.0
7/23/2018
Joseph and his team were professional, energetic and creative. They did our photos and video which turned out amazing!They were supportive and attentive to all pictures/video we wanted 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!
Gennifer A
5.0
7/10/2018
We originally contacted Joseph online but then sealed the deal at the bridal expo in person. Joseph and his assistant were both friendly, personable and helpful. On the day of the 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.
Liz H
5.0
6/22/2018
He is so much fun to work with! We had a great time shooting with him, we did some unique things during the session. I would highly reccomend him to anyone. He was really flexible and friendly.
Erika A
5.0
11/23/2017
Joseph and his team captured in a spectacular video our vow renewal ceremony. My husband and I are sooo happy and grateful that we hired Joseph to film our special day. They were very professional, they kindly guided us to record the most beautiful footage. Thank you for the most magical video!!! :)
Melanie M
5.0
5/21/2017
He is the best!! I fell in love with his pictures... but he is the nicest most laid back people... which really helps a stressed bride!! Kept everyone on time!!! I totally recommend joseph esser!!!
Lesley R
5.0
11/11/2016
Joseph did a great job with our wedding photos. He was kind, professional and unobtrusive during the course of our wedding. We highly recommend him.
5.0
11/02/2016
Joseph was fantastic to work! He was professional, friendly and truly captured our special day! Our wedding images turned out beautiful and we couldn't be happier with choosing Joseph as our photographer!
Krystle M
5.0
10/29/2016
Joseph is awesome. Our wedding was in Aug. 2016 and I had first contacted him Dec. 2014, met with him in Feb 2015 (and did not have a set wedding date) and did not book him until Jan/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.
Michelle P
5.0
10/29/2016
Ok so let's be honest. You pick Hawaii as your wedding destination because of all the beauty it has to offer. The tropical landscapes, the blue Hawaiian ocean and the breathless view 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!
rena l
5.0
10/28/2016
joseph was so great to work with! he was very flexible, accommodating, and had great ideas for photos (especially given the last minute parade they had near our venue). i'm sure 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.
Aman K
5.0
10/28/2016
Joseph helped us capture our 10th Wedding Anniversary celebration beautifully! We had a tight event schedule with multiple shot locations even before the event started! He is truly 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!
Lauren M
5.0
10/28/2016
I had the unique experience of being a wedding planner professionally for several years and THEN being a bride. I knew I needed to find someone that was professional, responsive, easy 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!!
Joanne P
5.0
10/28/2016
Joseph and his team went above and beyond our expectations!. On the day of our wedding, they were so comfortable to be around and they blended very well with all our guests. We were blown away by their professionalism and the quality of each and every one of our photos.
Christine S
5.0
10/28/2016
Hiring Joseph was one of the best decisions we made! He made the best out of a very windy day at Turtle Bay Resort where we had our wedding. The photographs really captured the love, 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
Dongie R
5.0
10/27/2016
Joseph is obsolutely amazing!! Wedding pictures to me is by far one of the most important part of the wedding. He was able to capture these moments for us and each time we look at 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.
Jennifer C
5.0
10/27/2016
Joseph and his crew did an amazing job at capturing the best day of our lives! The pictures all turned out stunning and really told the story of our wedding with beautiful detail. We would highly recommend Joseph Esser photography for their quality of work and how nice Joseph and his crew were to work with.
Erick Z
5.0
10/27/2016
We absolutely loved working with Joseph. His communication before the wedding was great and was open to all our ideas. The day of was a blast and he knew so many great spots. He was 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!
Alicia B
5.0
10/27/2016
Joseph Esser is absolutely, undeniably wonderful in every aspect of the word.
Our wedding was this past July at Turtle Bay and Joseph did a phenomenal job! My husband and I are huge 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!!
Jess D
5.0
10/27/2016
We were extremely selective with who we wanted to photograph our wedding. We attended the Wedding Cafe's photography workshop, met multiple talented photographers, scoured photography 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!
Metta S
5.0
10/27/2016
They were so wonderful!
Hanna T
5.0
10/27/2016
Joseph was amazing. He showed up early, had a great attitude and the photos were gorgeous!! He got lots of great pictures before during and after, we also got them back really fast. Highly highly recommend him.
Sai S
5.0
10/27/2016
We were recommended Joseph by two friends. One was a professional wedding photographer who said that she would hire Joseph for her own wedding!!! Joseph and crew photographed our wedding 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!
Katie S
5.0
7/29/2016
My mother-in-law actually found Joseph via Instagram and decided then and there that he was to be our wedding photographer! I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of getting my picture taken, 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
Jiyoung M
5.0
1/14/2016
It was a pleasure to work with Mr. Esser. It is very obvious that he is passionate and takes pride in the work that he does. He captured our big day beautifully and made us feel very 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!
5.0
10/10/2014
We had our destination wedding in Hawaii in July and after looking at many other photographers websites, we found Joseph. We loved what we saw on his website and blog so we decided 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!
5.0
9/12/2014
We really enjoyed working with Mr. Esser & his staff! We were lucky enough to work with him and his staff at both our weddings in Cali & Hawaii.
Originally, my husband didnt understand 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!
Tennile M
5.0
9/12/2014
From the day my husband proposed, I gave myself 365 days to learn how to get married. Embarking on this journey, I wasn't sure of anything except one thing... I was ONLY going to hire 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!
Jeremiah A
5.0
9/11/2014
I would recommend Joseph Esser Photography to anyone looking for a photographer, and especially a wedding photographer. Joseph shot my wedding in a documentary style as well as capturing formal portraits too. He was artistic with angles, used lighting in a creative way, encompassed the gorgeous landscape within shots, and overall was able to capture the beautiful memories from this special day with a sublime quality. My husband and I also did a "trash the dress" session in which we jumped into the ocean and did underwater pictures in our wedding attire. Joseph captured some amazing photos from this unique session and my husband and I had a blast swimming in the ocean and taking pictures. Joseph is extremely professional, has a creative eye for photography, and great personality. He is definitely the Magnificent Joseph Esser! Everyone should use him as a photographer.
5.0
9/07/2014
I wanted photos that look natural and beautiful and Joseph did exactly that! He's very professional and great at directing our pose while capturing the interactions between me and my fiance. And we even went a little over time just to get the perfect light. The results look amazing and are flattering, esp. for the bride :)
In addition, Joseph is great to work with. We had to reschedule the shooting time and he was very accommodating. He also helped with our bouquet as I had trouble finding a florist that would take the order (I didn't have my wedding at Hawaii and a bouquet is too small an order for the vendors I like). The only thing is that the wait for the processed photos was a little longer than I hoped for (it was still within the timeline that we agreed upon before the photo shoot, but I was just really looking forward to seeing the results). Anyways, the wait was worth it and we are really happy that we chose Joseph.
Karen G
5.0
9/07/2014
We fell in love with the images on his website while planning for our destination wedding on the North Shore of Oahu. We loved his journalistic style of capturing the moments with perfect lighting, clarity and genuine emotions. We contacted him with our plan for an epic skydiving entry into our ceremony location, and he responded immediately and enthusiastically. He loves to capture unique and original weddings, and between skydiving into the wedding location, having a photo shoot with a horse, and a cake made out of sushi, we were definitely planning something outside of the norm. He was just as excited about our plans as we were, and with his great sense of humor and friendly personality, we knew he was the right fit for us.
He wanted to capture the entire story for us, so he came early in the morning and took pictures of the preparations, and stayed with us throughout the entire day, culminating in beautiful sunset pictures on the beach. He picked the location for our sunset couple portraits, and it was absolutely perfect.
We received the beautifully packaged CD of pictures 4 weeks after the wedding, and our friends and family love that they can order prints directly on Pictage.
It was a once in a lifetime celebration, but the memories will stay fresh forever through all of our beautiful pictures thanks to Joseph.
5.0
7/25/2014
I can highly recommend Joseph Esser for wedding photography!!
My wife and I booked Joseph Esser’s 2 hour Wedding Photography package for our wedding in Waikiki in April 2014. We met a few days before the wedding to talk through the schedule and types of pictures we wanted. Joseph was able to share some ideas of what would make good pictures and was familiar with the venue and sunset times etc.
On the day, he and his second photographer were both very professional and non-intrusive to overall proceedings. They took all of the set group pictures and others of people enjoying the day as well as some of just the 2 of us around the hotel and on the beach at sun set.
Joseph provided us with the photos on DVD and via a web page within the promised 4 weeks which were to a very high standard. We are very happy with the quality of the photo from a perfectly framed photographic perspective as well as the picture quality / colour contract perspective. We also request some of the photo’s to be finished as black and white which were also superb.
We have received many comments from family and friends say that our wedding pictures look like they could be in a magazine. We are currently putting together our wedding album and as we look through the photos they bring us much happiness when we look back on our special day.
I would like to thank Joseph for his excellent photography and take this opportunity to highly recommend his services.
Krystal L
5.0
1/23/2014
Joseph was the photographer for my recent wedding and I am so glad we chose him! The big reason why we chose him is because of his personality, I just knew he would mesh so well with the entire wedding party! He is so easy to talk to and work with it makes you feel a little more at ease on such a big day. Joseph was also able to get a photos to us so quick! I highly recommend any couple to high Joseph!
5.0
10/10/2013
Joseph is Ahhhmazing! My husband and I renewed our vows at Wiamanalo Beach in March. We wanted someone that was great, but affordable, and Joseph proved to be both and so much more! He made us feel like we had know him forever, which made us much more relaxed and comfortable taking our photos. He went above and beyond, and we loved all of our photos! I would highly recommend him to anyone!
Krystyn U
5.0
10/08/2013
Thanks so much to Joseph and his team! He did an excellent job of capturing all our precious moments. Joseph was very pleasant and made us feel comfortable in front of the camera, which is so important when all eyes are on you. He caught every single pose we requested, I especially love the groom shots!!! We are very grateful that Joseph was there for us and wouldn’t have it any other way. It was truly PERFECT!
Cherise S
5.0
10/06/2013
Awesome! Photos are beautiful. Joseph is super nice and helpful!
Allie S
5.0
9/27/2013
Joseph was an amazing photographer to work with! Not only were our engagement shots and wedding shots perfect, but he was so dependable and easy to work with. People at our wedding were asking us if we had known him previously since we had such a good relationship and he blended in so well. He really takes the time to edit every shot and even sent us a few shots early so we could have them at a second wedding celebration. I couldn't recommend Joseph more to anyone wanting excellent photos and service!
Danielle N
4.0
9/22/2013
Joseph has a wonderful personality and is very easy to work with on such a stressful day. My husband and I reviewed numerous photographers portfolios and his had many "wow" shots. The only complaint I have is that a few pictures lacked attention to detail (i.e a close up on our rings my husbands ring was turned sideways). Otherwise, the pictures were edited and available quickly which is a definite plus.
NIETZSCHE T
5.0
9/21/2013
We chose Joe after much research and we are so glad that we did! He is amazing to work with, and he made me feel confident that everything was taken care of. Days later I got a sneak peak of the unbelievable pictures to come...
Once we got the finished shots we were all so ecstatic to see our special day, and the people we love captured impeccably, in each shot. Our families, our friends, and our guests have all had rave reviews.
Thank you Joe for all the photos that have captured those special moments we will cherish, and enjoy looking at for years to come!
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Joseph Esser - Photo and Video
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