Michael Stephens Photography

Mike blew us away! Every time we worked with him was engaging, fun, and professional. He intuitively understood how to work with us and get us to laugh and smile and come closer together. His work took our breath away and we are so happy to have had this opportunity to work with him.

Michael is incredibly professional and a superbly talented photographer. He's very personable and is great at making you feel at ease in front of the camera. He was also crazy skilled at capturing amazing candids. I knew before we hired him the photos would be good, but little did I know he's worth his weight in gold. Michael if you're reading this, thank you for capturing the magic.

The quality of Mike’s photos and the time we spent with him deserves over five stars! We felt so confident while working with him every step of the way, from first meeting to wedding day! Mike has the collective experience and insight of his years photographing and it is very evident! Not only were our photos great, but so will our memories be of taking them!! Mike did a great job of communicating, his website and gallery are user-friendly, and his character overall is excellent!

Extremely happy with the outcome of photos and Michael! During the wedding he was super attentive and charismatic, we would highly recommend Michael for perfect photos.

Mike was very professional. Delivered everything he promised on time. Very pleasant to work with. The quality of work was excellent.

Mike is based in Atascadero but traveled to Oahu for destination wedding in march. He communicates well, showed up early and got our bridal party/ family photos done in a timely manner. He also bought his photobooth to Hawaii which was a hit during our reception. We also had Mike’s wife Laura as a second shooter, I highly recommend adding her on especially if you are planning to do newlywed portraits during your cocktail hour

Michael is amazing!! He came highly recommended by two other friends who hired him for their weddings, and it's easy to see why. We hired him for our wedding in May 2023, and at every step of the process he was proactive in his communications. On the big day, he guided us from one step to the next in the busy schedule and we felt so taken care of. His presence is very warm and low-pressure, so it's easy to be comfortable taking photos with him. The whole experience was just perfectly seamless and positive, and we'll treasure the photos and memories for years to come!

Michael was everything we were hoping to have in our wedding photographer -- thoughtful, attentive, professional, organized, and easygoing. We felt so comfortable around him and he captured so many beautiful candid moments. I could not have asked for a better experience and would highly recommend Michael!

Mike was the BEST! We loved our photos and working with him was a breeze from the very first call to the follow-up getting our prints. Can't recommend enough!

We hired Michael Stephens for our daughter and son-in-law's wedding photography, and WOW...his photography was Amazing!! We loved the way he took care of our special couple, as well as the bridal party and our enormous family. He was so patient, fun, and he even knew the best places to catch sunset photos of our daughter and son in law. We are so thankful we found Michael. He added such a special touch to their wedding day and memories!!

Michael Stephens did a fantastic job as our wedding photographer! He was responsive, flexible with our schedule constraints, and perfectly captured all of the best moments of our wedding. We love our photos and would highly recommend him to other couples.

We had a wonderful experience working with Mike as our wedding photographer! He is professional, funny and he takes amazing photographs. He was even able to acquire a second photographer, per our request, and they captured some unforgettable moments for us. We are so grateful! Thank you, Mike (and Lindsay)!

Amazing! We loved Mike photographing our wedding, so easy to work with and makes your day feel so special

Mike is the absolute best. He's won every award for a reason - so if all you care about is photo quality, book him without a second thought. You're going to get the absolute best pictures of yourself and your family that you've ever seen; even if you're not a person that likes being in front of the camera. But wait, there's more! On top of being an amazing photographer, he's super personable and easy to work with. Dealt with the pandemic rescheduling and changes, no problem. Also, our guests loved him - when you have a photographer that people like, you get genuine smiles! Not something that you should overlook. He also knows a ton about local places to take pictures - over here and around the corner for greenery without wind, over there for sunset photos with a spectacular background - he is a true professional. I have zero reservations about giving Michael my full endorsement.

We can’t say enough good things about Michael! He is an amazing photographer and we’re so pleased with the work he did for both our engagement and wedding photos. He was very flexible and understanding of the constant changes caused by the pandemic. We highly recommend using Michael for any of your photography needs! -Nick and Sarah

We loved working with Mike for our intimate January 2021 elopement. He was the photographer for a wedding I'd attended in the past and I knew his photographs were beautiful. But working with him was a 10/10 experience. He was super responsive, very flexible and made my now husband & I feel comfortable during our wedding pics. We had a ton of fun and the pics reflect it. Can't recommend him enough!

I think mike was the best part of our wedding. His photos speak for themselves, check out his gallery. We’re not big into photos and don’t have social media so was not expecting to like our pictures so much. We did an engagement session with mike at Monte de Oro and he went over time, taking pictures with so many backdrops. We felt like we had gotten six photos sessions in one. As I mentioned, we are not very good at taking pictures but mike made us feel very comfortable with candid laughs and tips on how to “pose” in a way that was flattering yet natural. He turned the photos quickly and WOW they were freaking fantastic. His photos aren’t just pictures with a fancy camera, mike has a special eye to capture unique beautiful photos that span close ups to landscape views (again, check out his gallery!) In prep for wedding day, Mike had us fill out a questionnaire to ensure we got all the photo variations we wanted and followed the timeline to a tee. Again, super natural and made everyone crack up for candid photos. Every time we had a call with mike, we jived and ended up shooting the sht. Just a genuine guy. Mike was a bit pricier than others but well worth it and to be honest, worth much more than what we paid. We feel lucky he was available for our wedding date and that we decided to splurge to book him vs another basic photographer. Mike has converted us and we will be coming back for more! BOOK MIKE!

Michael is an absolutely amazing photographer. We were so blessed to have come across his page when we were searching for a wedding photographer. He made the entire experience of our wedding even better and we are so grateful he was part of our big day. He has an incredible sense of humor and an amazing eye for beautiful shots. He is the only photographer I would recommend to any of my friends. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for app your help Michael. May God bless you always.

Michael was amazing to work with, and he took gorgeous photos of our little ceremony! He was super communicative and made planning extremely easy. His upbeat and cheery personality really helped break the ice if anyone felt awkward having their photo taken. He also helped guide us in how we should pose to maiximize the perfect shots! I can't express how much we love the photos, they truly captured how special that day was for everyone. Would absolutely recommend him!

Michael is the best photographer EVER! We converted our large wedding to a micro pandemic wedding held outside in Pismo at the end of the big fires. The circumstances were tough for sure but he was outstanding. Michael was professional and helpful in so many detailed ways - bringing calm, charm, and laughter to us all. All of our guests asked me where I found him and expressed how much they appreciated him. With Michael as your photographer, you cannot go wrong. Michael - thank you for making our day so magnificent and memorable. You are very talented.

Mike has made 2020 bearable for us, in a year that was so very difficult! He has not yet shot our wedding as we were forced to postpone due to Covid. I did however, feel inclined to share our experience, as he's been better than I could have hoped for. We've communicated so many times and have rescheduled and been forced to post-pone... twice! Without skipping a beat, Mike confirmed his entire schedule for 2021, and was so understanding and compassionate. His personality and love for his job shines through each conversation and I'm so thankful that we chose him from the start. He has been on quite a ride with us and I look forward to him shooting our wedding in 2021. If we get even 1/2 of the level of professionalism he's shown us thus far, i'll be blown out of the water. I can't wait for our wedding, and for him to shoot it!! THANK YOU Mike, for being wonderful! You're a breath of fresh air :)

I cannot express how AMAZING Mike is. From the very moment we spoke with him, I knew that he was the photographer for us. His work is impeccable and can speak for itself.. But even better- His personality and the experience you have working with Mike, makes it that much more special. He makes you feel comfortable and confident, also while having fun. He allows you to be you and does not make you feel too posed or awkward at all during your time together. Also, Mike was able to wrangle our rowdy group and make it easy to get the pictures done efficiently. Something I found truly special was that he made sure to pull me and my husband aside and reminded us and allowed us a moment to enjoy those first few moments as a newly married couple away from the chaos. This was very special and could have been easily missed for a busy day. My husband is one who does not enjoy getting his photos taken and Mike made this an easy task for Jeremy. We have enjoyed working with Mike and will be referring him to everyone we know for professional photography! THANK YOU MIKE!!

Mike was great to work with for our wedding day and I would HIGHLY recommend him. He is great at getting you to look natural and smile without having to force anything. He helped a lot with the flow of the day and took BEAUTIFUL pictures. Of all of our vendors, Mike was our favorite to work with.

We met Mike at one of the wedding expos we attended and felt an instant connection. He is very friendly and down-to-earth! Not only is his work amazing, but he made us very comfortable during our sessions. He was also extremely helpful on our wedding day! He went above and beyond in making the process as easy as possible. Our photos turned out so beautiful and wonderful thanks to him!

Talented, professional and fun! Mike's so awesome we hired him twice, once for our courthouse wedding in Aug 2018 and again for our larger celebration in Sept 2019. He did outstanding work at both, from preparation to end results. The first wedding was thrown together 11 days in advance due to an illness in the family. My mom found him, and I couldn't be more grateful for that find and his availability. Mike was there for an intimate ceremony and he was sensitive to the situation yet relaxed and comfortable. He made us laugh and despite the harsh August morning lighting, managed to get incredible photographs in front of City Hall in Atascadero. We hired him again for his attitude, professionalism and quality of work. He didn't push a second sale on us, because he didn't need to - his work spoke for itself. At our Sept 2019 celebration, he was again outstanding. Leading up to the day of, he called when he said he would, was responsive and easy to review contracts with. He also gave us smart advice without sounding like an I-know-better-than-you relative. The day of, he just was a pro in terms of demeanor and responsibility. He even stepped in and helped guide a few other vendors when the need arose. Mike's also creative, and had shoot ideas that were original and easy to execute. He seems like he enjoys his job, as did his assistant photographer. Last but certainly not least, the quality of Mike's work is unreal. Without being an intrusive photographer day-of, he captured the emotions of us and our guests and the natural beautiful of the venue. The range of his talent is incredible, and we will enjoy looking at his work for decades to come. Mike is more than an outstanding photographer, he's a pleasure to work with and an all around great guy. If we could hire Mike a third time, we would, but we also don't want to plan a third wedding ;-)

Working with Michael was a dream. He is a really cool guy and immediately sets everyone at ease so that the best pictures can be captured. He was creative with all of the photo options and ensured we got the best pictures possible. Michael photographed our wedding in October, however, we are so happy that we also did our engagement photos with Michael as it was in essence the warm up to the big day! All of our photos turned out beautiful and he captured so many of the special moments during our big day. Not only did he take amazing pictures the day of the wedding but he was also instrumental in helping the day run smoothly. He helped make sure we stayed on time and he even bustled my wedding dress (he is amazing!). Michale is a great photographer and a true professional.

Michael was so professional and had such great humor which made everyone feel so comfortable while he was taking pictures, we felt as if we’ve known him for awhile. Oh and did I mention the photos he took are incredible! If we ever need photos in the future we will definitely be using him!

Awesome photographer. Michael is a great guy to work with. He really enjoys his job and it makes things so very smooth. I recommend him to anyone.

He was super nice and professional. He helped ease any nerves I had, he was super considerate and he always tried to put a smile on our face so he could capture a perfect shot. He even tried to help with bustling the train on my dress when we couldn't find one of the buttons. His photos are incredible, I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them. He always captured the perfect moment and every picture brought a huge smile to my face.

I would absolutely recommend Michael. He is attentive, personable and everyone at the wedding loved him. His photos are beyond amazing and vibrant.

We had the best experience working with Mike. He made taking pictures easy, relaxing, and so much fun. He knew what he was doing and what to say to capture our natural smile . Mike granted all of our wishes on any special pictures we wanted taken and even went further in capturing other special moments throughout the day. We received our pictures back and OMG!!!!! I cried at how stunning they were and can't stop looking at them. He has made it hard to pick a main one to go on our wall. Its no joke when they say the day will go by fast because it does. And Mike did such an amazing job catching pictures for us of our guests and venue. Thank you Mike. You were the best part of our wedding day and we love our pictures.

I am so grateful that my wedding planner suggested booking Michael as my wedding photographer. First he came to meet me as I was getting ready and I was immediately taken back by his calm and cool demeanor. His responsiveness, attentiveness, positivity, and calm attitude alone are worth his price. My wedding day was stress free largely in part to Mike being such a chill guy! Now the quality of the photos are incredible, he captured the exact vibe my husband and I were going for. Mike made me look like a beautiful fairytale bohemian princess because he knew exactly how to capture it! He never made us feel rushed, and even did a great job getting everyone to smile and cooperate in our big family photos. I’m so so so grateful for Mike, and I highly recommend him!

We met Michael at a wedding expo and immediately his work and personality stood out in the crowd of other photographers. Both he and Ashley made my husband and I feel comfortable in front of the camera (which is no easy task). We could not be happier with the preview of the photos he has sent us. Definitely would recommend him to others!

Absolutely phenomenal experience. The pictures turned out beautifully. Mike was also very quick to respond to any questions we had leading up to the event, gave expert advice on how he'd recommend we do things but was also very accommodating if we wanted to do something differently. He's the best!

Michael delivered absolutely stunning photos to us that we can't stop looking at. In addition to being a very talented photographer, he is also a great person to have at your wedding! We didn't have a day-of coordinator, and Michael happily guided us through the parts of the reception we hadn't thought about (i.e. "Wait. What are we supposed to do when we cut the cake??"). We really felt like he had our backs, and it helped us relax and enjoy the wedding that much more. He got along great with our families, and he put everyone at ease during photos with his dad jokes and his calm, personable demeanor. Communication leading up to the wedding was flawless--he replies to emails and texts quickly, and there was never a time when I wanted to reach him but couldn't. Honestly, we left our wedding knowing we'd made a lifelong friend. We could not have asked for a better wedding photographer--we still talk about what a good choice it was to book him!

We are thankful to have had Michale as our photographer. He was easily our best vendor to work with for our wedding. He was professional and funny, and kept us very comfortable the whole time. Our pictures turned out great and we will forever treasure them.

We LOVED Michael! His work is amazing. His humor was amazing and made everyone feel comfortable. He went above and beyond to make sure we got the photos we wanted at our wedding. Michael is the best!

We were so grateful to have Michael Stephens document our special day! His 5 star ratings on the Knot, Wedding Wire and Yelp prove that many others feel the same way. Our first thought is that Michael is SO KIND, calm, patient, and professional. He was instantly like a friend that we wanted around! He has a great sense of humor that makes you feel at ease from the second he walks in, yet he still manages the shoot. This results in beautiful and creative pictues that perfectly document those special moments. Michael was very respectful of our wedding day timeline and knew that we wanted to hang with our guests. He accomplished all the specific shots that we wanted and captured many more that we hadn't even thought about. He captured shots while blending into the background and we even forgot he was around since he wasn't too much in our face which made for very natural yet incredible shots. To our surprise, we received a preview within two days that just stole our hearts. The pictures were so crisp and creative and completely captured the emotions of the day. Whenever we share our pictures, others can't help but say how beautiful our photos are! We look forward to using Michael for future opportunities. In the meantime, so many others have asked for his info for their own events. The photographer is THE key documenter of the day. We couldn't be any happier with how he has forever captured our special moments.

Mike is the best, he is so talented and was awesome to work with!!! I fell in love with his work while looking for wedding photographers, it really has the WOW factor! His breathtaking photos capture couples in such a natural way, while paying great attention to the lighting and scenery. For our engagement shoot we took a little hike near Morro Bay to a beautiful beach for sunset photos. While doing the engagement shoot, we also got to know mike and feel really comfortable with him. On the wedding day, it was all very natural and fun. He also brought a second photographer, so there was extra coverage through the day. Mike was great about the timing, and very efficient in taking the photos we wanted and getting us back to enjoy the party. There was a quick turn around too, just a couple days after the wedding, he gave us a file of photos from the day so we could get a sneak peak, they turned out beautifully!! Thank you Mike for capturing our day, it was a pleasure working with you!!

Michael was so great from our first meeting all the way until our final shot and goodbye! He listened to what my vision was for our wedding and captured it perfectly! He has such an eye for details, and lighting and everything that makes a great photo! He made the whole picture taking process very easy and comfortable, and it was all so organized! I love all of the candid moments that he captured between everyone! I can’t thank him enough for our amazing photos, and for all of the extra help through the day with tips, helping one of my bridesmaids and I put the “just married” decal on my car, and he’s really good at helping bustle! It was such a pleasure working with Michael, he’s so nice, funny, caring, and professional! He got us some sneak peaks of our photos so quickly, and the rest of the photos weren’t far behind, I was shocked how fast we got our photos back! It has been almost seven months since my wedding and I am still always finding myself looking at our amazing photos and showing them off to everyone! We would work with him again any time! Look no further, your search for the perfect wedding photographer is over!

You won’t get any better with Michael Stephen’s photography. He knows exactly what to look for in a photo to make you look your best. He is relaxed, easy to work with and takes the most amazing photographs. Thank you Michael for capturing our moments in time, we will forever be grateful.

He went above and beyond for me. He was a gentleman and a visionary - he made my day better than I could’ve ever imagined it. He is worth his weight in gold. 10/10 would recommend!!

We met Michael at a friend's wedding about a year before our own. I usually have a really hard time in front of cameras, but with Michael's humor and his professionalism, I actually ended up having a lot of fun while being photographed. So of course we reached out to Michael for our own wedding. Michael did a phenomenal job for our own wedding. My husband and I are pretty goofy and Michael was able to capture that create really meaningful memories for us!

I was so happy to catch Mike on a day where he wasn’t already booked! My wedding was thrown together pretty quickly, so I was worried I wouldn’t get very many of my top vendor choices. We actually ended up booking the date based on his availability! Once I booked Mike, then I knew I could work from there to book the other vendors. The preview was great, I am so excited to see the rest of my images!

Michael captured all the moments but was never in the way. He was unexpectedly great with our family and friends, something we hadn’t considered. His great sense of humor made our guests feel very comfortable and a smile was never forced. Michael felt like a guest and not someone we hired to be there. The pictures were gorgeous. He has a great eye! He knew exactly where in the venue would make a great background and how to position us in the most flattering ways. Michael caught some great candid pictures, which was exactly what we were looking for. Nothing too cheesy. And always looking for a good shot. Thanks again, Michael!

As we wrapped up our wedding and discussed the highlights, our photographer (Michael) was definitely one of the highlights. He did an excellent job at making the picture part of the wedding fun and professional. If you are searching for a photographer, search no more because you will be more than happy with Michael. He sent over our photos today and he managed to capture so many beautiful moments from our special day.

Admit it – you’ve spend hours – no, weeks, browsing Pinterest for wedding décor and photo inspiration. You’ve definitely second guessed DIY-ing 80 potted plant escort cards. And you’ve wondered whether it’s possible for your wedding photos to really look THAT GOOD. Well, he can’t help you with all of your impossible wedding DIY’s, but Mike will most definitely deliver wedding photos that are THAT GOOD – no, BETTER! In all seriousness, Mike was a pleasure to work with and the photos he delivered after our engagement shoot (at Disneyland!) and after our wedding were phenomenal. I am on cloud 9. He edited every photo to perfection and I love that he gave us a few black and white photos too. He definitely knows the right way to present an image. I also have to give props to his assistant that day. I think her name was Hannah. Very friendly and professional and I felt comfortable with her right away. Mike was very helpful in developing a day-of timeline. When I gave him my timeline he wasn’t shy about saying he needed more time before the wedding for bridal party photos. We were able to move up hair and make-up and fit in an extra hour or so for photos. This is the kind of thing you don’t know as a bride and your vendors should tell you, and I’m so glad he did. I will mention that it did take a little longer than “usual” for us to get our photos, which I don’t think is the norm for Mike. We had all the major holidays come up right after our October wedding, which may have been a factor. I know Mike also had some technical difficulties. Fortunately he is a true professional that has backups!! As soon as he did deliver the images I could barely breath I was so excited. I knew 100% that I had hired the right guy! If it’s a priority for you to have the most beautiful wedding photos you will cherish for a lifetime, definitely invest in Mike. He won’t disappoint you.

MICHAEL IS AMAZING!! We are so thankful to have had Michael Stephens and Ashley Furtado Photography as our wedding photographers. Michael made us feel so comfortable, relaxed and calm. He helped keep us on schedule and kept us laughing along the way!! We could not be more thrilled with the way our photos have turned out! Thank you Michael and Ashley!!!

If you are reading reviews searching for a wedding photographer, your search is over! You will not go wrong with choosing Michael to capture your special day. It took me weeks to research photographers, and finally we chose Michael based on multiple friend referrals, his reviews online and his awesome portfolio. He is hands down the best on the central coast. He is not only a kind and patient human, but his photography skills are out of this world, and you will be thrilled with all of your photos - capturing all the details and best moments. Michael made my husband and I feel extremely comfortable throughout the entire process. He was also able to miraculously corral 9 groomsmen and 9 bridesmaids, and our huge family to get all our photos done on time. His second shooter was Ashley, who was also a dream to work with. Super sweet and takes amazing photos herself, so no matter what you are going to get amazing photos! Working with Michael and Ashley was so effortless and they really put your best interests at heart. I could go on writing how much we love Michael and love our photos, but honestly all you need to know is he is worth every penny, because at the end of the day all you want is someone who will blend in and capture your day beautifully. Michael did all of that and more. Thank you, Michael!

Michael was an absolute joy to work with! He was professional, kind, flexible, experienced, and made everyone including me, my husband, my bridesmaids and groomsmen, and everyone attending the wedding feel comfortable and cared for. He brought along Ashley as his second shooter and she was also so kind and made the perfect compliment to Michael's skills and gifting. Our photos turned out beautifully even though they had to work around less than favorable lighting conditions. Michael is definitely worth every penny he charges and then some. 10/10 would recommend!

Michael was amazing, all around. From his work ethic, professionalism, quality of work and final delivery, all were top-notch. Thank you again, you're 1 in a million!

Mike is the best! Our wedding pictures are super beautiful nothing but good things to say about Mike, any concerns or questions we had he was super quick to answer! He made my husband and I very comfortable we normally don't like to be in the spotlight but he made us laugh and just made the whole photo shooting experience super AMAZING!!! I highly recommend him to any couple that's looking to have astonishingly beautiful pictures to have for a lifetime! We truly can't thank Mike enough for all the help and once again for all the stunning pictures!

Michael was perfect. His great sense of humor made us calm and relaxed enough that all of our photos look true and real instead of posed. He was incredibly professional and I have heard nothing but amazing things about him from our guests. There is not a single thing I could say about his work or him that I might have wanted different, he is amazing. Michael spent so much time making sure that everything was perfect for us. I cannot recommend him enough! His photos are truly amazing and it is all pure talent, not photoshop. Professionalism, value, personality, and product, Michael is the best photographer in the central coast area of California if not the entire state. Every bride deserves to know that she is getting the most amazing photos of her special day like I did with Michael!

I have only wonderful things to say about Michael Stephens Photography. He perfectly captured our wedding day memories. In the days leading up to our wedding he listened to what our expectations were and answered all of our questions with a friendly reassuring confidence that was all we needed to know we picked the most awesome photographer. Our photos came out AMAZING and he and his second shooter made photographing our wedding fun and memorable. I honestly cannot thank him enough. He's also just a pretty cool person to get to know. Send him a message and give him a call... you'll see :)