Michael Freas Photography

Looking for a reliable, one of a kind photographer? Look no further than Michael! Looking for a wedding photographer and planning a wedding was stressful, but I knew looking at Michael’s photos, he was the one I wanted to capture our special day! From day one he was so good at communicating with us and making sure we would get what we wanted. One thing that is important to us is communication, one thing other vendors weren’t doing, but Michael did. He was on top of our timeline, and made sure we met and felt comfortable with him well before our wedding day. Michael kept us up to date with how everything would go, and communicated well with our wedding planner and other vendors. He was fun to work with and has a very energetic personality. He allowed us to actually enjoy our wedding, while still capturing all of the special moments, but without pulling us away from our family and friends all night. He captures the traditional “wedding” photos but focuses on all of the raw beautiful moments throughout the day that tells a story that for us, we look back on regularly. The memories of one of the best days of our lives will forever get to be re-lived thanks to Michael.

Seeing Michael's work is impressive, but experiencing it is truly special. His creative vision is a genuine gift, as he has a unique perspective on the world around him. During our sessions, he would occasionally share previews of what he was capturing, and I was consistently amazed by his ability to first conceptualize his vision and then execute it. Additionally, as someone who personally dislikes being photographed, Michael made the sessions feel natural, creating a comfortable and casual atmosphere. I believe this played a significant role in capturing the genuine emotions of our wedding day, which are beautifully showcased in the final product.

We used Michael for our engagement photos in the Blue Ridge Mountains and they turned out to be stunning photos! Michael has an incredible eye and talent for getting the perfect shot. He is great to work with all around, personable and easy to talk to! After such an amazing photoshoot in North Carolina we just had to have him for our New Orleans wedding. Michael absolutely delivered! From the Rehearsal Party to the Wedding, the photos were incredible! Everyone thought we were crazy to fly him out instead of choosing a local photographer but I knew he would get the best photos! I knew other people who got married at the same venue as us and their photos don't even compare to what Michael was able to get. He is worth every penny! He understands photography and lighting and delivers every time.

Michael delivered an excellent engagement album to us and we are very happy with the pictures. Our shoot happened at the Biltmore estate, Asheville and results were stunning!

Michael Freas is the best photographer we could've possibly chosen. He is easy going and yet also professional at the same time. If you are looking for some quality photos where the color pops and stands out, along with some fun candid photos, you found the right person! As soon as he pulled up to our venue he saw some flowers which were off to the side and knew immediately he would bring us over to the field where the flowers were. None of our guests even saw the field of flowers, he just has an eye for this stuff and knows how to control a camera phenomenally! We loved working with him!

Once I found the Instagram of Michael Freas Photography in my early stages of wedding planning, I knew I had to inquire quickly....because I knew due to his quality of work, his schedule would book fast! He was my first vendor I booked early in my planning process, but with no regret! Michael brought the upbeat, creativity to our wedding weekend in Key Largo. He looked for all of the right angles for the shots and made the shots happen! I felt confident in Michael (and his quiet but hilarious assistant, Julio) during every part of our day. He took control when needed and blended into the day seamlessly. He even sent me sneak peak photos the very next day! I will cherish these moments he captured forever. If you're looking for a fun, versatile, and adventurous photographer, Michael is your guy!

Michael was an absolute rockstar to work with. Not only is he INCREDIBLY talented, but just an amazing person. He does pretty much anything to get that perfect shot, and is a magician with lighting. He is the best of the best! Super flexible, but also is sure to do what he knows is best to get the most beautiful picture. WE LOVE MICHAEL!

Michael was such an amazing photographer to work with. We were originally attracted to some of the photos we saw on his Instagram page- they were unique and stunningly beautiful especially the way he captured scenic backgrounds. He did not disappoint when it came to our photos. We not only got those amazing scenic photos- but he also captured all of the love, fun and the amazing celebration we had that day. Michael felt like he was another fun guest at out wedding. Everyone enjoyed his presence and energy that he brought to the wedding day! We could not recommend him more!

Michael did a fantastic job for our elopement! He went above and beyond to make everything perfect. We came from out of state to elope and get some beautiful pictures out in the Appalachian mountains. Before the elopement he hiked the trails to recon the best spots and send us video and did video chats with us to make sure everything was perfect. When we arrived he had a pop up tent and bags to help carry the suit and dress and change out on the trail. He also drove us there and back. We really didn’t have to worry about anything, Michael made sure everything was perfect. We go beautiful digital copies and he sells wonderful print books. We will definitely do a follow up photo shoot with him in the future. We will always remember him and his hard work in capturing our special day.

From start to finish, Michael was wonderful to work with. I appreciate that he not only wanted to take excellent pictures, but also get to know us as a couple. He was professional, fun, and above all, an AMAZING photographer. Guests who saw previews of our pictures all said that they were the best wedding pictures they had ever seen. He captured our day perfectly. Would highly recommend Michael to anyone!!

There’s really not anything I can say that hasn’t been said by other reviewers. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Michael to bring the vision of our wedding into reality after a nearly three year Covid delay! If you choose anyone else to shoot your wedding, I can guarantee that you won’t be as happy as if you had booked Michael. Always helps when he’s an all around great guy that has tremendous talent!

I can't say enough great things about the photographs Michael took for my micro-wedding! He took the time to virtually meet with us beforehand. He even helped me find my videographer, hair and makeup artist and let us use his car for our farewell car. We had a VERY active wedding traveling to the Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson and he had lots of energy and kept us on schedule. He even ran across the national park to get something we left behind. I'm so thankful for the beautiful, artsy photos I have that I will cherish forever. He perfectly captured our love + the beautiful scenery. Thank you, Michael!

My wife and I would definitely recommend hiring Michael Freas as your wedding photographer! While we could have gone with a cheaper photographer, we knew that we wanted great quality photos of our wedding. Before booking, we asked for him to show us some previous photos and they were significantly better than ALL of the other photographers we contacted. Michael Freas took outstanding photos at our wedding and was 100% worth every penny. He did an amazing job at capturing all of our special moments and perfectly coordinated all of our guests and family for the best shots. Michael Freas is down to earth and easy going. He’s dedicated and passionate about what he does, which is clearly reflected in his photos. A great photographer that really wants to get to know you on a personal level, so that he understands what type of photos you want. Michael really went above and beyond to make sure our photos came out absolutely spectacular, even to the point of yelling to a boat captain to turn his sail boat for an amazing photo (see photo below). If we need a photographer for any future events, we will definitely call him.

We had a great experience with Michael! Not only are the photos amazing, he is knowledgeable and passionate about what he does. My partner and I are more than a little awkward, but he made us feel comfortable and worked great with our 11 month old and dog. He led us to some awesome spots and was extremely patient and flexible with us. We had a mix up with our dates and Michael barely batted an eye to accommodate us and get us the wedding shots of our dreams.

Once I saw some of the stunning images online, I knew I had to hire Michael for my Key West wedding...we booked him before we even booked the venue. Mike is someone you kinda wanna hang out all day with...he just has this easy going way about him that makes you relax- key for my husband who HATES pictures. I wanted him to be able to relax and have fun during the process and the results def show that. We got so many amazing pictures that really captured the day. Don't hesitate, just hire him if you truly care about having gorgeous pictures!

Mike Freas is absolutely phenomenal! He was the photographer at our wedding on 11/6/2021 and we are so happy he was the one to document our day! Mike is very professional, easy to get in touch with, and timely. He gets to know you very well throughout the planning process so he can help document / portray your wedding story. We got so comfortable with him, we were able to truly relax and just enjoy the moment during our wedding day without being nervous about our pictures being taken. His pictures are outstanding! So many of our guests are telling us these are the best wedding photos they’ve seen. He has such an eye for catching those special moments. We relive our wedding day whenever we look at the pictures he took for us! From it being just me and my husband standing outside at our venue with the most gorgeous sunset in the background, to catching everyone busting a move on the dance floor, he captures the story of the night so well. He was able to document those moments beautifully so we can look at them for forever. That day goes so fast, it’s a whirlwind, Mike being there to document so we can relive those moments is so special. So so so happy Mike was our photographer! Hands down, I would recommend Mike Freas. Mike, thank you so much for everything!! We appreciate you! -Kristin and Sandito Santiago

Michael was very responsive from day one. He was able to book and then upgrade our session all within a short amount of time, which we really appreciated. Michael even scouted the area we were going to shoot our photos in the days prior to our session, so was very prepared. There was a high chance of rain and when we were supposed to shoot, but Michael reassured us it would all work out, and it did! The rain stopped just before our session time, just like he forecasted. Our photos also came out gorgeous, and he made the experience really fun.

My husband and I live over a thousand miles from Key West and decided to do a planned elopement there. Of course the one day it rained was our wedding day, but Michael knew the island and the people on it so well, took the stress off of us, helped us make a new plan, and took the best photos we could have ever asked for!

His photographs speak for themselves. If you want a storyteller/artist telling the story of your important day Michael is the visionary for the job. His photographs are elegant, poignant and a cherished narrative heirloom for years to come.

We picked Michael for our engagement shoot in Key West. It was a surprise engagement for my fiancé and Michael helped me plan through every step. He's incredibly detail oriented and really has a passion for his work. I couldn't have asked for a better photographer.

If you want a typical wedding photographer, he's NOT your guy. If you want someone who takes in every aspect of your day, carefully taking time to think about where the best shot is going to be, helping you with every step in planning, and who is seriously dedicated to his craft (and his clients) then he is DEFINITELY your guy. His work is ART. He fits in to the crowd, chatting with each guest to make them all feel comfortable and just like he's part of the day. We spent a year and a half planning and almost a full year of multiple postponements and he was with us every step of the way. When we finally saw each other on the big day, he was just as excited as I was. It's been 2 weeks and we just got our gallery and whew, it's amazing! If you're still considering who to use, stop and book the dude ASAP.

We randomly found about Michael online and noticed that he creates very unisual and unique wedding photos. The photos he created for our elopement ceremony completely exceeded our expectations. He made us feel very special on our wedding day and made the photo shoot very memorable. Neither me, nor my husband enjoy in general posing for photos but Michael made the whole experience super enjoyable and fun. It was actually one of our favourite parts of our wedding day - hanging out around Palm Beach with Michael taking photos. He was also absolutely amazing at finding spots and locations for our wedding photo shoot and did all the research for that. After we shared our wedding photos, we got tons of compliments and many of our friends said these were the best made wedding photos they have seen so far. Michael didn’t just take our pictures but he created a relationship with us and became a friend that was part of the wedding. We would 100% recommend working with Michael!

If you want to elevated your wedding day photos to the next level - Michael is your photographer! My micro-wedding was wonderful and I loved every minute of it, but by the photos you would have thought we had the most elaborate, private oasis, with every detail planned (it was not that, we got rained on-there was some chaos-it didn't go 'exactly' as planned). His pictures truly got US, taking in the moment we became one- THANKS MICHAEL!

If you are looking for a wedding photographer look no further- Michael is your guy! We could not have better things to say about Michael, from the planning process to the wee hours of wedding night. He was professional while still making us and my guests feel totally comfortable with him. He worked his butt off in this Florida heat and his pictures did not disappoint! Our guests absolutely loved and raved about how great and excited he was the whole night. We truly feel like we’ve gained a friend. We will 100% be using Michael in the near future for family photos!

This review is loooong overdue! What is there to say about Michael except that he is… ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! THE BEST, MOST STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHER, EVER! The moment my new husband and I became engaged, I knew that in planning any wedding, the photographer was going to be one of the most important decisions we would make for our wedding. Planning a dream wedding without the fairytale photos is absolutely pointless. Moreover, I knew that I didn’t want the regurgitated typical staged poses that have been the norm for the last century. I wanted someone to capture the moments, the emotions, the art. Michael is not only an amazing photographer, but his work tells the story in the most unobtrusive and artistic way. I stalked Michael’s work having found him on Instagram while looking for a photographer that knew my venue and took the best photos, by the advice of one of my best friends, and bridesmaid, who is also an amazing photographer. She said I needed someone that knew the ins and outs of the venue, the lighting, etc… She was right, but even knowing how important this all was, I was intimidated by the cost. Michael instantly scoffed at my resistance and worked with me to make it happen within my budget. This was only the start. Who would have known, at that time, that COVID-19, was going to be the act of god, that I could never have planned for? Needless to say, three weeks before our wedding we were postponed. Michael not only worked with me to change the date without penalizing me, but also called a couple vendors, along with my amazing planner, to get everyone on board. Michael and I continued to communicate through the entire postponement, becoming friends impassioned by the many politics surrounding the whole pandemic. On the day of, Michael showed up true to form, full of energy. He is like that friend you haven’t seen in years, but you pick right up where you left off like you never missed a day. My husband, normally awkward in photos, instantly felt comfortable with Michael… He was a true guys guy, and my husband actually had fun throughout the entire process! If you are debating at all… stop now, you have found your photographer! Michael, I cannot thank you enough for all you did for us! We may catch up w you for an anniversary shoot in North Carolina!

MICHEAL IS THE BEST. I was amazed at how great our photos were when we received. His work speaks for itself. He went above and beyond for my husband and I. He is not just your wedding photographer. He becomes your friend and advice giver. He is upfront and honest. Very outgoing and so much fun to be around. He is also a real trooper to stay outside with us for hours is 100 degree heat. We will be forever grateful to him.

My husband and I are blown away by Michael's talent. He made our wedding day the most special day of our lives! From the moment we met Michael we knew he was the one. His work speaks for itself and he has a way of brining the day to life with his eye for magic and his warm and refreshing personality. I personally hate taking pictures but our wedding day was my one exception. I feel Michael has a supernatural gift for capturing once in a lifetime moments and he keeps it fun, professional and spectacular all the way. He is a genius at what he does and I’m so happy to see someone who is so talented and gifted, using their gifts to bless the world. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts 💕

My husband and I recently eloped in Key West. Being from out of town, we were nervous about what vendors and people to work with and who to trust. Michael immediately quieted the concern over which photographer to use. He was so helpful from the get go and took time to get to know us starting day 1. On the day of our event, he made the experience fun, lighthearted, and seamless by going above and beyond to make us feel like the time we had to take pictures was all about having fun, enjoying the day, and sharing some laughter. We've received AMAZING sneak peak pictures already and can not wait to see the rest of his work. If you are looking for an amazing photographer, go with Michael Freas!

When we first began looking for a photographer for our elopement we didn't quite know what we wanted, but after looking at Michael's website we knew he was the person we wanted to work with. I hate super posed photos and wanted our portraits to really be "us," not cookie-cutter or look like stock photos. After speaking with him we definitely knew we made the right choice. Since we were coming in from out of town Michael offered to meet up with us the day before our wedding and scout the perfect locations for our ceremony and photos in the Key West Garden Club. He was funny and very down to earth, making us feel very comfortable. The day of our wedding he timed our final photos perfect and caught the incredible Key West sunset I had hoped and dreamed would be the backdrop of our portraits. To say we are happy with our photos is an understatement. We absolutely love them!

Mike was definitely my first choice when picking our wedding photographer! He has such a unique style and (personality to match!). He was easy to work with and quick to respond in the months leading up to the wedding. Mike takes the time to get to know his clients in advance so that he can best capture their day. The photos turned out beautifully and everyone that sees them says he captured our personalities spot on! Hands down he was the best choice we made among all the wedding decisions.

I can't say enough about Michael's work. From start to finish, he was professional and timely but also a blast to work with. He makes you feel comfortable every step of the way and personalizes his sessions. He picked out great locations for our photos and made us laugh throughout the entire session. We truly had a great time and it shows in the photos. His pictures turned out incredible and we are blown away by the results. My Husband and I are pretty awkward in front of the camera but Michael figured out a way to help us loosen up and be ourselves. I would recommend Michael a million times over!

We cannot say enough good things about our experience with Mike as our photographer. We were married December 2019 at the Hemingway House in Key West, FL. Mike was an obvious choice as his work spoke for itself. His portfolio displayed the exact vibe we were going for — effortless, fun, artistic, unique. We told Mike from the get-go that we wanted to limit posed pictures. We wanted all candids with the hopes of capturing real, unstaged moments. Mike most definitely delivered our vision. He was a true ninja, getting on the dance floor and capturing all of our guests having a great time. Mike was so familiar with the Hemingway property, he knew from experience exactly what was going to work. He knew EVERY SINGLE ONE of our vendors personally and spoke with them directly to work out all the details - which made it soooo easy for us! During the months leading up to our wedding, people around town would ask “who is your photographer” and when we mentioned Mike Freas they said he was the best. Our favorite part of our wedding day was driving around before our ceremony took place — snapping pics all over Key West. He is so chill and laid back, he made our wedding day relaxed and fun. If you are reading this, do yourself a favor and call him right now! We were over 18 months out and he was already filling up his schedule.

We absolutely LOVE Michael Freas! He was referred to us by a friend and it was honestly one of the best matches in this entire wedding process. He is so organized, and his authentic self which makes the process of getting to know each other fun and easy. He truly cares about his work, his attention to detail, and knowing you as a couple - so be prepared to have real conversations. Go into the experience with ideas around what you want and Michael will make sure it all happens. We met several times leading up to the wedding via skype which was a great way to stay connected. On the day of, he was everywhere! He captured the MOST AMAZING first look pictures and puts such quality in his work. We haven't seen everything yet, but what we have seen we are obsessed with. At the wedding, everywhere I turned around he was there capturing the moment, so we were able to just be us and enjoy that night and he captured everything we were experiencing. He works hard and it shows!!

We came across Mike's Instagram page when researching local photographers and were immediately drawn to his ability to capture moments that seemed candid and genuine, and unlike every other standard photograph featured on other pages. We hired him after our wedding planner confirmed he was great and easy to work with, as we were trying to assemble a team that would work well together and make things less stressful for us. All in all, Mike was an absolute pleasure to work with. The pre-wedding phone call was such a nice touch to be able to express what our expectations were for the big day and get to know each other since we were unable to meet in person before the wedding weekend. Mike gave us some great advice and ensured everything would be great as long as we remembered what this day was all about. If we were happy, the guests were going to be happy and that is what the photographs would reflect. Mike and his 2nd photographer Filip shot both our welcome party and the wedding day and were fantastic the entire time. We had a large guest list (300 people) so getting to know the guests a bit the night before made it easy for them to jump right in on the day of the wedding. They made us and our guests feel comfortable, which was really important to us. We were lucky to have incredible weather with a ridiculous sunset, and watching Mike geek out over the pictures they were capturing was really fun to see- and the photos did not disappoint! They managed to capture every important moment of the weekend and yet there were times I never even knew they were there. If you are looking for a great, approachable photographer who understands the Keys and how to work with a large, at times rowdy group, Mike is your guy!

Michael is a pleasure to work with, very relaxed and laid back. All of my questions were answered almost immediately. We chose Michael since he mostly does candid shots and the posed photographs took less than 5 minutes to maximize our party time. Our photographs turned out just fabulous. Beyond impressed with Michael Freas all around.

My husband and I truly cannot say enough how happy we are that we chose Michael Freas Photography for our wedding. From the day we hired him it was easy, efficient, and smooth sailing. Michael really cares about each of his clients and is extremely talented. On the day of the wedding Michael ran the show which is exactly what we needed. He took control of the day and made everything run smoothly and made sure we got all the photos we wanted but still stayed on time and it was honestly the most helpful quality. The day of can get really chaotic but Michael and his team made everything run smoothly which eased our nerves. Then we got our photos back (in less than a month) and we were blown away. The quality of his work is channeled though every photo and we relive our wedding day every time we look through them. He captured every candid special moment and we are so beyond grateful. If you are looking for a wedding photographer, look no further than Michael Freas Photography. He is AMAZING in every way❤️

If you're looking for true, meaningful, elegant tiny moments captured during your wedding Freas Photography is the photographer for you! Mike has an incredible eye beyond lighting and backdrops. He gets to know the couples he works with so he truly captures the moments that are perfectly "you." There's no posing, no awkward moments, you won't even notice he's there snapping away making each photo truly genuine. Mike is so friendly and personable he knows how to truly make you laugh and avoid those fake smiles. Even when our timeline got messed up he stayed far later than he was hired for to be sure he didn't miss a late night cake cutting or sparkler send off on the dance floor. I highly recommend Freas Photography and hope you choose Mike as your photographer!

The BEST wedding photographer in Key West, hands down. We have been a fan of Mikes work for years now! Mike has an artistic eye, and incredible talent for capturing each and every moment at just the right time. The pictures tell the story. You can literally feel the raw emotion jumping out of his photos. It’s incredible! Mike is calm, kind and flexible. By the end of the night, we looked at him as not just our photographer, or our friend, but as a member of our family. Thank you for capturing our story Mike!

Michael is so talented and accommodating! We thoroughly enjoyed working with him and the results are amazing! He blew us away with some of his more advanced skills. There’s a double exposure photo that I am obsessed with.

Loved our wedding photos! Michael had great communication made everything so easy!! Would work with him again!

My husband and I hired Mike for a wedding photo shoot in Key West! It was an excellent experience working with him. He is fun and cheerful and has very unique, creative and amazing perspectives. He made us feel very comfortable during the entire photo shooting process and captured all the special and important moments for us. We got the edited images much faster than we expected and we love them! One of our photos even won a WPJA Artistic Award! We would definitely recommend Mike to anyone.

We highly recommend Mike for your wedding photographer. Mike has a great eye for creating beautiful pictures and helping capture the personality of the couple. He went above and beyond to help us secure our other vendors and make sure we were making the perfect decisions along the way.

Mike was one of the first vendors we hired after getting multiple recommendations to do so. Between our engagement shoot and our wedding, we can't imagine having a better, more genuine and dedicated person to capture some of the biggest moments in our new life together. We now consider Mike an invaluable part of this new adventure and a dear friend. If you're on the fence about hiring him, jump the fence and just do it! You will not regret it.

We hired Mike for our wedding in Ohio, and we could not be happier with our decision! We gave Mike a bit of a challenge, due to having separate venues and roughly 160 guests, but he captured our entire day with complete chillness and ease!! The photos tell our story and bring back every amazing feeling from our wedding weekend. Mike is extremely talented and captured everything perfectly. If you hire Mike for your event, you will not be disappointed!!!

Michael was incredible to work with. We came across his photos online and fell in love with his perspectives and colors. From the first phone call, to receiving our photos, we were extremely pleased. Michael spent time with me on the phone sharing helpful advice on so many aspects of our wedding day, beyond photography, and helped us in making many choices for our big day. Every one of his suggestions was a hit. My husband and I were a little nervous about feeling “natural” in our photos, as photo shoots are out of our wheelhouse, but Michael made us feel incredibly comfortable and had us laughing and smiling all the way through. Our photos were sent to us faster than we could’ve hoped for, and we couldn’t be happier. We have received so many compliments on the beauty and vibrancy of our photos. We would definitely recommend Freas Photography to anyone.