Kivus & Camera

John and Elyssa did an amazing job at our New Year's Eve wedding! From recommending an art installation that was a couple blocks away to catching those epic pics right at midnight! The pictures were amazing and I loved the unique, non posed ideas they both captured!

From the very first meeting, Elyssa Kivus was awesome to work with! We absolutly love our engagement and wedding photos! Elyssa has such an amazing sense of light and color and she perfectly captured every moment. I highly recommend Kivus & Camera !

It doesn't get any better than Kivus and Camera! They shot both our engagement and our wedding, perfectly. Before the engagement session, we got to know each other a bit through Skype (since we live in the DC area), which made us feel very comfortable when it came time for the shoot itself. During the engagement shoot, they were both so kind, easygoing, and professional. Elyssa is a true artist, and yet also amazing at getting people to relax and be photogenic (even people who think they can't be). After the engagement shoot, they had the photos ready quickly, all of which were exactly in keeping with the style we asked for and envisioned. Really, they are the best! Then, they were equally awesome, if not more awesome for all of the wedding photography. Leading up to it, they helped us square away all the little details so that things were as smooth as possible on the day of. On the day of, John and Elyssa were rockstars. They split up to capture both of us getting ready and then blended in during the ceremony, handled the following portrait session very efficiently (and yet in a pleasant relaxed manner), and then even came back later to capture some of the afterparty. Then, again, the previews and pictures were ready quickly (but not too quickly) and captured everything that'd we'd asked to be captured. We cannot recommend them highly enough! Look no further than Kivus and Camera!

We could not be happier with our photos. Kivus and Camera went above and beyond our expectations and we have received numerous compliments from family and friends about the quality of our photographs. Kivus was able to capture the fun party atmosphere of our reception and that was precisely what we were looking for in our photographer. The turnaround period was amazing, we received preview pictures within 48 hours of our event and the entire gallery in about 3 weeks. Besides being great photographers they were also lovely people and made themselves available to us throughout the wedding planning process.

Elyssa and the Kivus & Camera Team were fantastic. Very creative, responsive and cost effective. Highly recommend.

We had an AWESOME time with Kivus & Camera! They made the entire process easy from start to finish, not to mention all the help Elyssa provided along the way! They listened to our needs and made suggestions. They were prompt in all of their communication. We were shocked at the level of professionalism in the pictures that we received! Elyssa has such talent and provided lighting and all of the additions to make for the most beautiful photos in full light, little light, and no light! Not to mention how fun they were at the event! We are OBSESSED and cannot recommend Kivus & Camera enough!

They were absolutely perfect and I’ve had numerous compliments from guests and family about the photos and the outstanding quality!

So much attention and great color photographs!! Wonderful experience!!

We absolutely would recommend Kivus and Camera! Elyssa and John were fantastic to work with. Elyssa is so organized and really kept everything on track. They got fantastic moments that we will treasure forever. My husband was struck with how unobtrusive their picture-taking was (neither of us loves getting photographed and it didn't feel like they were ever there). Also, we got the photographs so quickly! It was just a great experience all around.

I cannot say enough good things about Kivus & Camera! Elyssa and John are wonderful! From the very beginning of the process, Elyssa was prompt with communication and answered any and all questions I had regarding the process. Additionally, she shared her advice on other areas of the wedding when asked. Incredibly detail oriented and an ace on time management, Elyssa and John never made any aspect of the process feel rushed. Both Elyssa and John had such a calming presence and made everyone, and I mean everyone, feel incredibly comfortable and at ease. At multiple points throughout our wedding night, we had guests coming up to us and telling us how much they loved the photographers. Needless to say, they also delivered AMAZING photographs! I honestly can't imagine our wedding day with any other photographers. I HIGHLY recommend Kivus & Camera for any and all photography desires. Not only will you get an amazing photographer, but you'll make a couple new friends in the process.

I am so excited to review this badass amazing team! First of all, Elyssa and John were easy to talk to and get along with. My husband and I aren’t the most comfortable in front of the camera and they were able to make us laugh and look great! Second, they were so flexible. We are from Durham (where the wedding was) but live and planned everything from Colorado, which can be difficult. They were able to easily schedule with us during our time at home and be patient with us when we had a million things going on. On the weekend of the wedding, it was incredibly helpful having them around. In addition to getting all the behind the scenes shots, it was almost like having a second wedding planner! They knew where we needed to be when at all times way better than I did! My favorite Kivus story from the weekend was at the rehearsal, when we had a logistics issue getting the shot of the groom, while the bride walked down the aisle. After some discussion, they were able to figure out where to be to get the perfect shot! It was great to have Elyssa there to express the importance of the those moments! Having two photographers was another great perk. We were able to get pictures of the groomsmen getting ready, as well as the bridesmaids. The photos turned out amazing but I can’t express enough about how awesome the experience was along the way! Thank you!

If you are looking for a fun, amazing, and unique photographer then Elyssa is your girl! She took both our engagement and wedding pictures which all turned out amazing. She has an eye for catching the candid moments and personality of the couple. I have gotten endless compliments on her photos. I also love that she posts a preview blog just a few days after the wedding. It is a nice way to tide you over till the whole album. Elyssa and John thank you so much for being a part of our big day! I would choose you over and over again!

I cannot say enough about Kivus & Camera. Elyssa and John are so kind and fun to be around, and everything with them has been a wonderful experience. From our first meeting to our engagement session to our actual wedding day and even after, they have been kind, given advice, and gone above and beyond the call of duty for a photographer! Elyssa advocated for what she knew I wanted with my pictures and helped plan it so it would happen. She answered my random scheduling questions and helped keep me sane day of. And they gave us a preview of our pictures SO quickly. I would use them again in a heartbeat!

If their website doesn't draw you in, your initial meeting with them will! You can tell from their website just the type of people they are (awesome - that's the type of people they are), and their images are beyond gorgeous. When I was searching for wedding photographers, you usually find two camps -- dark and moody or romantic. Elyssa and John fell into a perfect balance of that for us. We first did a Skype meeting where we hit it off! They are a perfect balance of quirky, nerdy, and extremely knowledgeable/helpful! Elyssa is very quick to offer any help she can give you, and they truly work with you to make your day absolutely amazing. They are super responsive throughout the entire planning process, and send you so many helpful tips that really help you plan so thoroughly. When the day finally arrived, I don't know what I would have done without Elyssa's super helpful, laid back, and calming presence. She's also spot on comic relief! My now husband and his groomsmen can say the same for John as well. They work as a perfect team! They work so efficiently to capture your day and really go above and beyond! They keep everything running smoothly, and are so accommodating. They are also super down with all of your quirky nerdy wedding fun too! We also got our wedding preview back faster than any vendor I've ever worked with, for any event, and we were BLOWN away by how gorgeous the photos were. They so beautifully captured our day, no detail was missed, and we could not be more grateful to them. I highly recommend Kivus & Camera! They are so much fun to work with, and produce some truly breathtaking work.

We could not be more satisfied with hiring Elyssa & John for our wedding! They absolutely were beyond amazing with their professionalism, creativity, and fantastic pictures! They did our engagement pictures, rehearsal & dinner, & wedding. We feel like hiring Kivus & Camera was one of the best decisions we made in the wedding planning process. We have received SO many compliments from everyone about our amazing pictures and we can not recommend them enough to anyone and everyone!

If you were to ask me about the best vendor choice that I had made for my wedding in August. I would answer Kivus & Camera every time. In fact, photography was one of the things I really wanted to get right, and I’m so happy that I went with Elyssa and John. For starters, Elyssa and John were super understanding about my trying to plan a wedding in NC from CA. I got to sit down and have coffee with both of them in 24 hours’ notice, during a brief trip back to NC. It was also easy to hop on the phone and chat with Elyssa as we were narrowing down our photography choices, and even after just to talk through wedding timelines and details. From a photography perspective, vivid imagery and bright popping colors are what I love. When I first saw Elyssa’s portfolio, I was immediately drawn to her photos. Having just gotten our own photos back let me tell you, I was not disappointed and I can't not smile when looking at them. Not only does she deliver on her photos, Elyssa is extremely organized and has her process well defined. She provides specific instructions on what she needs from you ahead of your wedding day, and has you fill out very simple and easy forms to help provide her with your details and thoughts. When I felt like I was drowning in wedding prep, this process and efficiency really made all the difference. As someone who feels extremely awkward posing for pictures, I was really impressed by the techniques Elyssa used to get me, my husband and bridal party to feel at ease. She also has some really neat tricks to help draw out real emotions, rather than just fake posed smiles. Did I mention that Elyssa agreed to shoot my wedding which was ON HER BIRTHDAY? I truly don’t think very many vendors out there have the amount of dedication and love for their craft as do Elyssa and John Kivus. I really can’t imagine choosing anyone else to photograph, you will not be disappointed by choosing them.

Growing up, my walls were filled with art instead of family portraits, so our wedding photos needed to be a 10/10 in order for me to love them. That's where Kivus & Camera comes in. First off, the image quality is amazing. They embrace light and color in my favorite ways. Elyssa and John were so easy-going and they encouraged me with my wildest ideas. It was a daunting day for them with SIX different locations to shoot at. (I like a change of scenery, I guess. 🤷‍♀️) Elyssa was so present and attentive during our celebration. It shows in her blog posts, because she documented all the small things I would have overlooked. They are worth their weight in gold. You should definitely hire them.

We loved working with Elyssa and John for our Marbles Kids Museum wedding! Their portfolio initially caught my eye because they can capture colors so well and have such a creative eye. Having our wedding ceremony and reception at Marbles where there is color everywhere, we wanted someone who wouldn't mute the colors but would rather work with the colors and embrace them, which they did! Elyssa and John got so many creative and unique shots and used some really fun effects to capture the energy as the night got going! It's also important to get along with your photographer, considering they are spending the day following you around, and we loved talking to them and getting to know them. They are so personable and there was such ease working with them. They are very professional - around but not in your face, giving clear directions for formal portraits, and so organized with the planning! Elyssa sent out several online forms throughout the process, which was so helpful, especially since we were planning out of state. We loved meeting up with her, and she was incredibly helpful at our rehearsal, which she attends if she isn't working another wedding. I also got many comments from guests afterwards that they were so impressed our photographers were on the dance floor capturing all the action. Needless to say, we are thrilled with the photos and are so happy we worked with them. They are fantastic! I can't say that enough!

We loved working with Elyssa and John! They were wonderful and professional, and able to adapt to our cold, rainy wedding day perfectly. Our pictures turned out amazing - my husband and I kept crying every time we looked at them. We can't recommend Kivus enough, both for the amazing photography and for how easy they were to work with.

Elyssa and John were AMAZING! They understood that we wanted fun and beautiful pictures, and we got them! They worked hard to constantly snap and arrange for the most beautiful lighting and smiles. Elyssa ran back and forth during our hike and even laid in the grass to get some great shots of wedding guests. We had a morning event that ended at noon, they had previews to us by 3pm, and they were back on our doorstep by 4 for more. They had a great sense of how to light us to get pictures that were unique and lovely. I cannot recommend them more for colorful, fun pictures. We can't wait to download the rest!

There are really are no words to describe how awesome Elyssa & John are! From the very beginning they felt like friends, which made the whole process much more comfortable and enjoyable. They were very flexible with our needs, always responsive to e-mails, and loaded with good suggestions--for photography and anything else! On top of that, our pictures came out BEAUTIFULLY! They captured all of our important moments and even ones we didn't even think of! I've received so many compliments about our pictures and am always sure to recommend Elyssa & John for any of their photography needs. I can't wait for an opportunity to arise to work with these guys again!!! They're worth every penny!

Elyssa and John shot our wedding and reception, and they were an extremely professional and talented team! Elyssa was also very understanding of some unusual circumstances about our situation-- we had an international wedding with two ceremonies-- she provided a very extended sneak peek two days after the wedding so we could show the pictures from one ceremony to family and friends at the the other. Above all, the pictures were stunning-- memories that we will treasure for years to come. I hope to have another chance to work with Kivus & Camera again in the future!

Elyssa and John did an amazing job shooting our wedding in September! We are so happy with our photos- the lighting, editing, and balance of candid shots with more formal portraits. It was a huge benefit to have two photographers for our big day as they were to take photos from different perspectives. We have gotten so many compliments from family and friends about our pictures and how beautiful they are. More importantly, Elyssa and John are very easy to work with, easy to relate to, and very knowledgeable about weddings. Elyssa was the first vendor to really help me nail down a timeline and make the wedding day start to take shape. If needed I think she could have been our planner too! I would highly recommend Kivus and Camera to anyone looking for highly qualified wedding photographers.

I cannot recommend Kivus & Camera enough. Elyssa and John were my favorite vendors to work with because they went above and beyond the normal role of photographers. During our first meeting, Elyssa promised me she was happy to help with any planning difficulties I faced. And she really did! She helped craft the perfect timeline (both before, during, and after the ceremony) and made me feel much better about throwing the biggest party of my life. (A scary feat for an introvert!!) The pictures were truly outstanding. Our venue was unique and posed a lot of lighting challenges. Our ceremony was in a planetarium and in the dark save for one spotlight and projected stars overhead. Yet somehow, we ended up with an amazing variety of photos. Some pictures showed the whole wedding party (even though they were completely in the dark), while others showed just us and the stars. Photographer sorcery! Likewise, our reception was in an aquarium with lots of reflective surfaces. Again, every photo was beautiful and captured the joy and fun we were having. I never expected to be so happy with my photos, and months later, I still can’t stop looking at them. The best part about working with Elyssa and John, however, is their amazing personalities. They’re the kinds of people that I’d love to grab a beer and play board games with while debating Star Wars canon. I was so nervous during my bridal portraits, but Elyssa and John had me laughing and relaxed. We worked with a different photographer for our engagement pictures, and I can tell such a huge difference. Whereas those pictures look stiff and uncomfortable, everything Elyssa and John took is natural and captured the real me. It’s all because of their laid-back but organized, professional demeanor. My only regret is that, living in NYC, I can’t recommend them to more people! I’ll be looking for other chances to work with Kivus & Camera in the future.

Elyssa and John were an absolute pleasure to work with and delivered a fantastic product at a great price. They were so open to our ideas and vision for our wedding and worked very hard to make it happen, even though we did our wedding very non-traditionally. They were generous with their time and were willing to go the extra mile in order to get the shot, like laying on the ground while we played on swings on a playground! The quality of their work was extremely high and we were very satisfied with the end product. They also had a great turnaround time, were professional, and helped us to feel relaxed on the big day. I would definitely recommend Kivus & Camera, especially to somebody that wants great photography but can't necessarily afford a lot!

Had so many great pictures to choose from. They captured all the images we wanted plus way more. The things she can do with lighting is amazing!

Elyssa and John were fantastic, by far our favorite vendors that we worked with for our wedding. We hired them for an Indian wedding, and they did a wonderful job adapting to our specific requests and the style of our event. We were very lucky to have come across them. Kivus and Camera’s photography is beautiful, vibrant, not over-edited, and exactly what we had wanted in terms of covering guests and interactions. Elyssa and John were also a pleasure to work with, both professional and easy-going (important if you’re going to spend the whole day with them!). But the thing that we appreciated the most was their willingness to learn about our wedding and our vision for the day - for example, we had a lot of regional customs, and Elyssa and John took the time to learn every detail beforehand so that they could best capture our wedding. We are so happy with the pictures, and to have worked with Kivus and Camera. We can’t recommend them highly enough!

We were so happy with Kivus & Camera! We had them shoot our wedding, engagement photos and my bridal portraits. We were so pleased with the photos. Elyssa and John were great to work with - they let us bring our dog along for the engagement session and also got some pics with him on the wedding day and it meant a lot that they worked with us on this. My husband and I both have a pretty traditional style and I would say our wedding was very much a southern, traditional wedding. Elyssa did such a great job of capturing our day in our style and in a way that fit us well, even though I'd looked at a lot of prior weddings Elyssa shot that had a more modern (and in some pictures, even edgy) feel to them. I really appreciated that she can make your photos reflect your personal style and what you want out of your wedding photography. Elyssa was also great with logistics - I was slammed at work in the weeks leading up to the wedding and she was great about checking in and reminding me about things. She helped me find a bridal portrait location (and adapted to some weather issues on the day of) and just brought a lot of experience and advice to the whole wedding planning side of things. We were also really impressed with the quick turnaround in receiving all of our photos. Again, our photos were great and we definitely recommend Kivus & Camera!

Elyssa and John are amazing! Of course their work is stunning - the photos are always so beautiful. But more than the photos, they worked with us the entire wedding weekend (we had them shoot our rehearsal dinner), and they were with us literally every step of the way. Due to some miscommunication at the venue, there wasn't a mirror where the ladies were getting ready. John ran around the venue trying to find us a mirror! He and Elyssa also coordinated vans with the venue to help get the ladies to and from another location where my room and I wanted shots. Elyssa and John more than exceeded our expectations, in professionalism and quality. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for photography services!

I cannot say enough good things about Kivus and Camera. The most obvious consideration in choosing a photographer is the pictures, and Elyssa and John do not disappoint. Elyssa's education in photojournalism educates her style, meaning my wedding pictures look exactly like my wedding day felt. Small details were captured with care and love. There were NO unflattering photos of anyone, from the wedding party to family to guests. I LOVE that everyone who sees my pictures comments on how gorgeous they are, whether I'm in the pictures or not. But beyond the pictures themselves, everything about my experience with Kivus and Camera was amazing. I've seen too many weddings where the photographer interrupts the bride and groom to stage photographs. With Kivus and Camera, I hardly noticed they were there. You get to experience your wedding day, rather than spending all your time posing for pictures. They were incredibly accommodating for all of my ideas, while bringing their professional expertise. Our pictures came back in a timely manner (who wants to wait 6 months for pictures?), and Elyssa and John also offered to make recommendations for different physical formats (printing on metal, wood, etc). I honestly couldn't have asked for a better experience. If you want amazing, low-maintenance photographers, you can't do better than Kivus and Camera.

Elyssa and John did an amazing job taking photos for our wedding. We had a kind of unusual schedule (private family ceremony and larger reception) but they didn't mind and even accommodated a last minute request for video footage! And, of course, their photos were absolutely beautiful! Thank you John & Elyssa!!

Elyssa and John are amazing ! They take so much care to assure you about everything ! They are a professional , talented duo and my wedding would have never been captured perfectly if this couple had not been in charge ! Thank you Elyssa and John .. Y'all are amazing !!!!

John & Elyssa Kivus went above and beyond to make my wedding wonderful. They did engagement photos, bridal portraits, and day-of wedding photography. They are easy to work with and go with the flow. Elyssa is extremely organized and that helped take some of the stress of of me. Elyssa & John make a great team, their teamwork is seamless and they're always after the best shot! I am in love with all of the photos that I've seen. I cannot wait to see the rest. I would recommend Kivus & Camera to any bride & groom looking for a wedding photographer!!

Elyssa and John were amazing. We had a less-than-traditional wedding, and Elyssa and John didn't miss a beat. We started the day at 11am getting ready, enjoyed pre-wedding lawn games, got hitched, then dinner, dancing and a bonfire, with the party ending at 11:30pm. And Elyssa and John were there for every moment. What's more, from the time we first talked about them shooting our wedding to the last photo album order, Elyssa was an amazing support to me. She knew way more about weddings than I did! :) And the final product... the shots that Elyssa framed for us were more artistic and gorgeous than we could have ever imagined on our own. The were amazing, and all our friends raved about how gorgeous they were. We recommend them a million times over!