5.0
Verified reviews from real couples
#1 Rated North Carolina Wedding Photographer
North Carolina and Beyond!
Travel area: No travel restrictions See details
Videography services available
5 stars for sure! Darry was great! He was incredibly patient and immediately knew how to capture our best angles and choose the perfect backgrounds. The final photos were stunning. He was also very communicative and reasonably priced, which made the entire experience smooth and enjoyable. I highly recommend Optikool Illusions!!!
Celeste K.
5.0
Darryl and his team were great to work with. They were extremely professional and worked seamlessly with all of the other vendors. They were able to get every shot and the final product came out amazing. Would highly recommend them!
Brian P.
5.0
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Darryl Lewis
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (4X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Authentic photos for couples who value love and legacy! 5x Knot Best of Weddings Award Winner and the Knot Hall of Fame. We specialize in capturing real, unscripted moments with a timeless, cinematic feel.
Led by founder Darryl Lewis, our team blends over 15 years of experience with a modern, storytelling approach to create images and films that feel as genuine as your love story. We focus on the in-between moments, the laughter, the tears, the energy, so you can relive your wedding day exactly as it felt.
What sets us apart? We don’t just show up with cameras, we guide, support, and elevate your entire experience. Our calm, professional presence helps you feel comfortable in front of the lens, while our creative direction ensures you look your absolute best without feeling staged or forced.
We offer customizable collections to fit your vision, including:
* Full wedding day photography & videography
* Engagement sessions
* Cinematic highlight films
* Destination wedding coverage
If you’re looking for a team that values connection, energy, and storytelling just as much as beautiful visuals, Optikool Illusions is here to bring your vision to life. You can explore the team's body of work on their website and reach out directly for a custom quotation.
Details
Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
Boudoir
Bridal Portraits
Engagement
Photo & Video
Digital Files
Drone
Photo
Second Shooter Available
Social Media Sharing
Wedding Albums
Photo & Video Styles
Classic
Lifestyle
Modern
Wedding Activities
Getting Engaged
Wedding
Awards and Affiliations
4-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2026.2025.2024.2023.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding
Meet the team
Darryl Lewis
Owner
I am honored to be the founder of Optikool illusions! Sometimes I have to remind myself that this is the life I get to live. I had the opportunity to film my first wedding at the age of 16 with my grandfather. Over 15 years later, I am excited to be leading a company of passionate individuals that are focused on capture your best moments in the perfect.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.058 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Optikool Illusions delivers exceptional wedding photography and videography—professional, punctual, and personable. The team captures stunning, natural photos and candid moments, directing posed shots smoothly while staying unobtrusive. Clients praise fast communication, next-day sneak peeks, drone/video options, efficient timing, and seamless vendor coordination. Highly recommended.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
Celeste K
5.0
6/16/2026
5 stars for sure! Darry was great! He was incredibly patient and immediately knew how to capture our best angles and choose the perfect backgrounds. The final photos were stunning....
He was also very communicative and reasonably priced, which made the entire experience smooth and enjoyable. I highly recommend Optikool Illusions!!!
Brian P
5.0
1/29/2026
Darryl and his team were great to work with. They were extremely professional and worked seamlessly with all of the other vendors. They were able to get every shot and the final pr...
oduct came out amazing. Would highly recommend them!
Any questions?
Ymari R
5.0
1/19/2026
From our very first interaction with Darryl, we knew we were in great hands — and he exceeded every expectation. He was professional, punctual, and incredibly easy to work with thr...
oughout the entire process. On our wedding day, he made us feel so comfortable and confident in front of the camera, which truly shows in every single photo.
Darryl has an amazing eye for detail and captured not only the big moments, but also the small, meaningful ones we didn’t even realize were happening at the time. Our gallery tells the full story of our day so beautifully — from the emotions and candid moments to the elegance and joy of our ceremony and reception.
We are beyond grateful for his talent, patience, and dedication to making sure our memories were preserved perfectly. If you’re looking for a photographer who is reliable, talented, and genuinely cares about his clients, Darryl is your guy. We could not recommend him more highly!
Tara R
5.0
10/28/2025
Darryl did an incredible job on our photos and he was really easy and fun to work with. We only hired one photographer and he was able to get all of the shots we wanted and then so...
me! He gave great advice for how to run all of our family photos and he directed our individual couple shots so well! He was so nice to work with and we were really comfortable being led by him. I am so obsessed with how our photos turned out and I would absolutely hire him again!
Jas B
5.0
10/09/2025
Darryl and his team were absolutely amazing on our wedding day! They were professional, proficient, and patient throughout the entire process. They knew all the best angles and pos...
es, which made us and our wedding party look incredible — we received so many compliments on them! We were blown away when we got our sneak peeks the very next day. Darryl also did our engagement photos, and those turned out just as beautiful. No regrets at all with this team — they truly captured our special moments perfectly. I highly recommend Darryl and his team to anyone looking for photographers who deliver excellence every step of the way! 📸❤️
Kierra C
5.0
9/30/2025
I cannot express how perfect of a choice he was for our wedding photographer. From the very beginning, he was communicative and reassuring, which made the whole process so easy. On...
the day, he was on time, professional, and managed to make everyone feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera. The very next morning, he sent me a sneak peek, and I was absolutely speechless at how beautiful the photos were. Truly beyond my expectations, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Kenzie B
5.0
9/19/2025
Literally from start to finish such an amazing person and time. Darryl was on time, extremely professional, helpful, and efficient. We were ahead of schedule most of the day!
Toni W
5.0
9/09/2025
We absolutely loved working with Optikool Illusions for our special day. They were both professional and personable and made my entire family feel comfortable. I can't wait to see ...
the rest of the photos but from the sneak peak, I can tell they brought out all of the beauty and love that filled the day!
Bryan S
5.0
8/18/2025
We met Darryl for our engagement shoot and he was kind, prompt, professional, and gave amazing direction! His work speaks for itself but I am happy to say that we cannot wait to ha...
ve him at our wedding too.
Meghan G
5.0
7/13/2025
Darryl and his team are consummate professionals getting there early on our day. he met whenever we needed prior to the event and was always so welcoming and a joy to work with. He...
shared first look photos less than a day after the event and they are breathtaking and vibrant. Extremely pleasant person to work with and so happy we went him and his team. If had another event that needed professional photographer, would hire him immediately.
Ashley P
5.0
4/20/2025
Darryl was phenomenal to work with! He has great ideas and was constantly seeing visions for pictures as he worked! Loved working with him!
Kelly C
5.0
4/15/2025
From California to Myrtle Beach, finding the right team for our destination wedding photos and video felt like a huge leap of faith. Thankfully, we found Darryl and his incredible ...
team! They went so far beyond just capturing our day; they felt like family! Making us feel like they were part of the celebration. Their dedication and joy in their work are evident in the stunning results. They even made the most camera-shy feel at ease and beautiful. If we could have them for every milestone in California, we absolutely would! Their customer service is AMAZING, and their talent is undeniable.
April J
5.0
2/16/2025
I cannot rave about Darryl and Optikool Illusions enough. They captured so perfectly what was one of the best days of our lives. From portraits of us the happy couple that are not ...
normally picture people, to fabulous energy captured from the reception, I'm so happy with how these photos turned out. They look super natural but vivid, not over edited at all. Looking through pictures truly helps us relive such a phenomenal experience. Additionally, Darryl will help you build out the perfect package for picking the elements to get what you want out of their photography experience. No complaints whatsoever, I cannot recommend them enough.
Jocelyn S
5.0
12/09/2024
We could not be happier with the experience and results provided by Darryl and his team. From start to finish, they exceeded all of our expectations in every possible way.
From ou...
r very first meeting, they made us feel confident in their abilities. They arrived on time, fully prepared, and ready to capture our big day with precision and creativity. Throughout the wedding, they blended seamlessly into the event, capturing candid moments without being intrusive while still directing us with ease for posed shots when needed. The communication with Darryl was effortless and thorough. They took the time to understand our vision and walked us through their process in detail, ensuring we knew exactly what to expect. The photos they delivered were absolutely breathtaking. Every image was beautifully composed, perfectly lit, and full of emotion. They captured not just the big moments but also the subtle, intimate ones that mean so much. The attention to detail and the care they put into editing was evident, and it was clear they truly love what they do. The level of service and the stunning final product we received far exceeded the cost. We genuinely felt we got an incredible deal for the quality of work they provided. Every penny spent was more than worth it for memories we’ll cherish forever.
Overall, Optikool Illusions helped make our wedding day stress-free and unforgettable. They are incredibly talented, kind, and passionate about their craft. If you’re searching for photographers who will go above and beyond to capture the magic of your special day, look no further. We cannot recommend them highly enough!
Macy J
5.0
8/29/2024
Darryl made us feel so special the night of our wedding! He was very professional and timely. Thankfully, Darryl was ready for any curve balls we had to throw at him regarding our ...
timeline. We got off track, but Darryl never missed a beat. I couldn’t recommend this photographer more. He has such a likable personality and he was very funny he had us laughing all night. We even have been getting good feed back from our guests! He is very talented and has years of experience to back him up. Please, if you are looking for a photographer for your special day look no further.
Kimberly P
5.0
7/11/2024
Kudos Darryl and team! Your professionalism, attention to detail, punctuality & creative eye are UNMATCHED! As the wedding coordinator, it was a pleasure to work with you and your ...
team. It would be an honor with serve with you again!
Olivia O
5.0
6/09/2024
We hired Optikool Illusions to film our Nigerian Traditional Ceremony and our American Wedding Ceremony in March and both videos have been on repeat ever since. We absolutely LOVE ...
them both. We can’t thank Darryl and his team enough for capturing all the love and infectious joy we felt on both days. Each film is so unique, and we’re so grateful to their incredible team for all their hard work in putting our wedding films together so beautifully. We will cherish these films forever and we hope to have the opportunity to work with them again sometime very soon!
Elisia B
5.0
5/10/2024
I cannot speak highly enough of the incredible experience we had with Darryl Lewis of Optikool illusions and his amazing team on our wedding day! From start to finish, they exceed...
ed all expectations and truly made our special day unforgettable.
Darryl is not only exceptionally talented but also one of the friendliest and most easy-going individuals we've had the pleasure of working with. From our initial consultation and out engagement photos to the final delivery of our wedding day photos, he was a joy to collaborate with, always attentive to our vision and preferences.
On the day of the wedding, Darryl and his team were an absolute dream to work with. They seamlessly blended into the background, capturing every moment with precision and creativity. Their ninja-like ability to move around discreetly ensured that they never missed a beat, allowing us to relax and enjoy the celebration without feeling overwhelmed by cameras.
What truly sets Darryl apart is his creative eye and innovative approach to photography. He effortlessly captured the essence of our love story through his unique and artistic shots, resulting in a stunning collection of images that we will cherish for a lifetime. From intimate moments between my partner and me to candid shots of our guests, every picture is a masterpiece.
In addition to his exceptional talent, Darryl has an incredible team of professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that every detail is perfect. From coordinating group shots to assisting with lighting, they were instrumental in making the day run smoothly.
I cannot thank Darryl and his team enough for their dedication, professionalism, and genuine passion for their craft. They not only captured the magic of our wedding day but also became an integral part of the experience. If you're searching for a wedding photographer who will exceed your wildest expectations and leave you with breathtaking memories to treasure forever, look no further than Darryl Lewis and Optikool Illusions!
Jordan N
5.0
4/29/2024
Darryl was amazing - professional, fun and great work! Cannot recommend him more!
You will not be disappointed in his work!
Bethany B
5.0
4/01/2024
Hands down an amazing and talented photographer. As a wedding planner, its so important to stay on schedule, and that's exactly what he did! He was so friendly and was extremely ea...
sy to work with. I would definitely recommend this company to any bride/groom- especially with receiving sneak peeks the following morning of the wedding!
Adrianna W
5.0
4/01/2024
Fast and professional. We are very happy with the service at the event and the end results. The team was extremely efficient time wise and this really helped move the event along s...
moothly.
Steph P
5.0
3/18/2024
Optikool Illusions was the best photography experience for me as a bride, for my groom, and our family and friends at the wedding. From our first consultation all the way through t...
o our engagement photos and the wedding day, Darryl and his team were dedicated, creative and took amazing photos that will be timeless and memorable for us for a lifetime! Very highly recommended!
Stefani G
5.0
3/03/2024
Darryl was amazing!! He was so attentive and made sure to ask questions and make us all feel so comfortable. The teaser video he already suppled (less than 24 hours later) has alre...
ady brought me to tears by getting to see my wedding day through the lens! We couldn’t recommend him more!
Pearlice D
5.0
1/05/2024
Great experience working alongside the Optikool Illusions Team. Magic happens when the Planner and Photographer give of their time and talents to produce a wedding filled with Love...
, Laughter, and Happiness.
Looking forward to future collaborations.
Continued Success!
Pearlice Diggs, Accredited Wedding Planner,
P3 Weddings & Events
Sascha E
5.0
12/12/2023
This team is absolutely incredible and professional, and they produce great quality work! Their photos and videos truly speak for them. I am SO grateful my husband found them! They...
captured our wedding so beautifully! They all have a gift and are really walking in their purpose. Thank you so much for masterfully capturing such a special day!
Renise P
5.0
11/19/2023
Amazing, Outstanding, Patient!
Amazing during my entire wedding yesterday! I couldn’t have picked a better photographer for my special day! He is your person! He did not miss a bea...
t! I appreciate all his hard work and effort!
Iesha P
5.0
10/23/2023
Optikool Illusions is an amazing photography and videography company to work with. They are professional, punctual, and flexible. Their quality of work is superb! As a wedding coor...
dinator, I would recommend them to any client.
Tamara D
5.0
10/21/2023
Short and Sweet: Just hire Optikool Illusions. You will not be disappointed!
Optikool Illusions was by far one of the best vendor decisions we could have made for our wedding day!...
Professionalism was TOP-TIER, Knowledge of the craft was impeccable and the determination to ensure they captured the BEST moments for us was a God-Send.
We really appreciated how much they cared to capture our moments and how they worked around and re-routed as necessary to make magic happen. Additionally, the main photographer shared so much knowledge with the other vendors based on his experiences and it made for a beautiful day where everything flowed so well. The communication skills were amazing and we appreciate everything that they had to offer. The whole team was such a fun group to have around. They helped to enhance the wedding day not just for their photography skills, but also for their great vibes and laughs. Lastly, we were sent some sneak peak photos less than 24 hours after the wedding and that was amazing! We cannot forget that we also had their services for our informal rehearsal dinner, this was a great way for the main photographer to get a layout of the full wedding party (11 ppl total) and our venue. They took the time to walk the layout of the venue during this time as well, which was great to see the dedication to finding the best areas to photograph (we had a hotel as our venue).
We cannot wait to see our final photos, but we are so glad that we chose Darryl and his team as our photographers! We would definitely chose them again!
Brooke M
5.0
10/19/2023
Darryl is easy going and creates a relaxing atmosphere. If you’re looking for a chill and natural photo shoot, he is your guy! He photographed our wedding and we were very happy
Cassie S
5.0
9/18/2023
To notch photographer!
I am a wedding planner who has been in the industry for 11 years
Darryl and his team have amazing communication, time management, and an excellent eye!
We...
love working with OI.
Patrice H
5.0
9/10/2023
Darryl and his team were great!!! They were very flexible & made sure to stay professional through out this whole process. They made sure we had the BEST shots. And, they sent us ...
sneak peak shots the morning after the wedding! If you want amazing shots and a professional team hire Optikool Illusions. Highly recommend!
Response from Optikool Illusions on 09/19/2023
It was such a pleasure to be a part of you all's day. Thinks for bringing us out to Virgin...
ia for an amazing wedding day!
Bianca H
5.0
9/09/2023
Darryl and his team are extremely professional and hiring them was one of the most important investments we made for our wedding. Not only did we have 4 people covering our weddin...
g with camera and video, but we also had drone coverage which was super important to us. I consider myself awkward in photos but these guys knew how to get me to pose properly and they captured all my good angles, resulting in beautiful photos. Darryl and his team went above and beyond at our wedding and we cannot be more grateful.
Demetria C
5.0
8/23/2023
We had an absolutely incredible experience with optikool illusions. He was prompt, thoughtful, and extremely creative, which made our wedding photos turn out more beautiful than we...
could’ve imagined . He was also quick with our turn around being less than eight weeks. We are so thankful that we got a chance to work with him and recommend him strongly to any other couples out there looking for a fantastic wedding experience. Plus is extremely affordable considering his quality of work!
Briona M
5.0
8/17/2023
Go ahead and book them for any and every big event you have! Just do it. Professional, on time, a good time. Their expertise is unmatched and they got sneak peaks to us the morning...
after our wedding. We cannot wait to see the rest!
Alaska H
5.0
8/08/2023
Optikool Illusions was absolutely the best!! They truly made my experience one to remember with their professionalism, speedy responses and personable service delivery. Optikool Il...
lusions was always a phone call or text away for assistance and provided endless suggestions and photography ideas. This vendor allowed me and my husband to share very important details to be captured on our special day. The best part was how attentive the photographer was, I never had to look for Darryl to take a memorable photo because he was always right there when I turned around. I look forward to hiring this agency again for more milestones and celebrations in the future.
Lashaya W
5.0
4/30/2023
We can not recommend Daryl at Optikool Illusions enough. Not only is he an amazing photographer with great work, but he is also extremely professional and very nice to work with. H...
is accuracy, timeliness and professionalism is unmatched for any photographer we’ve ever done business with. After having a having to cancel our first photographer, we can confidently say Daryl saved our wedding day.
Liza M
5.0
4/02/2023
So amazing! I definitely recommend Optikool Illusions because Darryl and his assistant made sure they captured all the important moments and went the extra mile to ensure our wants...
were met! My wedding shots are going to be phenomenal! Thank you so much!
Dirah M
5.0
3/05/2023
Amazing experience!!! Darryl and his team were extremely professional and made our day super special with even the smallest details. Being in front of a camera can bring about a lo...
t of nerves. However, Darryl ensured that we were comfortable both on and off of the camera as we maneuvered through our special day. His work speaks for itself but it’s nice to know that on top of getting a phenomenal service, that you will also get a great quality experience behind the scenes. Highly recommend!! 10/10.
Anthonia B
5.0
12/09/2022
Great team to work with! They captured our wedding so beautifully! Thank you for capturing every epic moment!
Rashawnda O
5.0
11/14/2022
Very very easy to work with! They were on time and very helpful and professional throughout the entire evening. Highly suggested!
Celines D
5.0
9/18/2022
Love love love their work, he is so sweet and very punctual. My husband and I are extremely pleased and loved his photos he will make sure he goes over and beyond to get that right...
angle and we love it. We will definitely be recommending him to anyone who needs a photographer
Alexis S
5.0
9/11/2022
Darryl and his team were great! We had a few meetings before the wedding to go over the ideas we had and he provided options and additional ideas that we could incorporate. We hire...
d them for photography and videography and they arrived at our location with enough time to get situated and get started by the time we discussed. They did an excellent job handling some of our toughest picture requests and produced amazing pictures even before editing. They were very professional and we would definitely hire them again if we had to do it all over.
India H
5.0
8/09/2022
Service for my wedding was professional, punctual, and I was very pleased with my wedding pictures and video overall. It made our day so much more special! I highly recommend!
Jasmine F
5.0
8/07/2022
Optikool Illusions was the perfect choice for us because they were professional, relatable and welcoming. They did an wonderful job getting to know us personally and making us feel...
comfortable sharing our love story as a same-sex couple. Our gorgeous engagement photos and love-story video make the perfect marriage memory as we eloped at the local courthouse. Optikool Illusions is the level of quality you need on your special day, we can’t wait to utilize them again!
Ashley A
5.0
8/06/2022
10/10 would recommend! Darryl and his team took our engagement photos and the entire experience was seamless from start to finish. I didn’t even have a location in mind, and after ...
telling Darryl my vision he recommended the Duke Gardens which proved to be absolutely perfect.
I also wasn’t the best at thinking which “engagement-like” poses would look good, and Darryl again had spot on recommendations. He also stopped to show me pics real time so I knew what to adjust, which I know my fellow detail-oriented ladies could appreciate.
While Darryl and Trey also kept us laughing and having a good time throughout the shoot, they were timely and professional throughout it all.
And our pictures were turned around to us very quickly and were just a beautiful as our love.
BOOK THEM, you won’t regret it!
Timothy G
5.0
8/01/2022
Best photographer we could of asked for! Very kind, very respectful and just an all around great person to work with!
Tionna H
5.0
7/31/2022
We absolutely loved working with Optikool Illusions for our wedding day. The process was very seamless from start to finish and their attention to detail showed in our video. We wo...
uld recommend Optikool Illusions to any couple searching for a videographer.
Tiana S
5.0
7/30/2022
We booked Optikool Illusions for our 2018 wedding and they were a dream to work with. They showed up early to get an idea of the layout of the venue and to plan for specific shots....
They worked well with other vendors and coordinated with our planner to be sure they had an understanding of the flow of the day. This made for a seamless process and to be honest I didn’t even notice that they were there most of the time. They captured one of our most treasured memories in such a beautiful way that we can look back on forever. I’d book them again and would highly recommend them to anyone for their special day..not only for their stunningly beautiful work but also for their overall professionalism and friendliness as well. Easily the best for photo/video in NC!!
Morgan S
5.0
7/30/2022
Optikool Illusions captured my surprise engagement. The video and pictures came out beautiful. Very skilled and professional. The team thoroughly captured all of the emotions felt ...
in the moment and did a wonderful job incorporating drone footage to enhance the final product. I would definitely use them again in the future for other videography needs.
Lauren L
5.0
7/30/2022
We were on the fence about getting a videographer for our big day, but after watching a few of their videos from earlier weddings and speaking 1-on-1 with Darryl, I knew Optikool I...
llusions was the perfect fit! Darryl and his team were in constant communication with us before the big day, coordinating travel to our venue and helping me plan a special “fake” first look for my groom. He was so easy to work with and the team captured some beautiful footage and audio from our ceremony and reception. And our final video 😍 I still can’t stop watching it to this day!! Just absolutely beautiful!! Hiring Optikool Illusions was the best decision and I am so happy we did!!
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North Carolina and Beyond!
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Optikool Illusions
Darryl Lewis
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Owner
Typically responds within 24h
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