About this vendor
I absolutely love creating images that tell a story. I want you to look at my images and feel the emotion of what they are feeling. I’m constantly trying new ideas and pushing myself to become a better photographer. Shooting weddings and portraits, I get to meet so many amazing people who let me share in some of the best days of their lives. My goal is not just to wow you as your photographer but make you a friend for life! Every story is unique and I can’t wait to hear yours!
Details
Business Attributes
- LGBTQ+-owned Business
Photo Shoot Types
- Bridal Portraits
- Day After Session
- Engagement
- Trash The Dress
Photo & Video
- Photo
Photo & Video Styles
- Artistic
- Documentary
- Lifestyle
- Modern
Wedding Activities
- Getting Engaged
- Wedding
Reviews
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5
out of 5.024 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 8
Look no further - you have found your wedding photographer in Russ. It's hard to know even where to start with him. He's a superstar, a magic-maker, a coordinator, an instant frien...
d, and perhaps a generational talent.
Yes, the photos he took of us were perfect. Yes, he captured the joy we felt in a way that felt raw and real. Yes, he took engagement photos of us in 95-degree weather and did it with a smile on his face. But I'm not recommending Russ for any of those reasons. I'm recommending Russ because he is the person that you want running the show on the most important day of your life. Russ brings joy to the process. He was never too serious, never moody, never negative.
And there were plenty of reasons to be. Just as we started portraits the day of the wedding, it began downpouring. I'm not talking like a little bit of rain. I'm talking total, torrential, 100-year flood level rain and loud cracks of thunder. Russ ran through the rain with us, and changed our entire portrait plan at the last minute. He captured us and our group at City Hall and you literally cannot tell that it's raining. He laid down in puddles to shoot us. He used the wind to make a perfect portrait with my cathedral veil flowing. His assistant dove into our trolley to catch my veil from falling in a puddle. And Russ never let any sort of stress show. It was amazing.
And importantly, Russ made us and our family feel so supported. He used just the right amount of push to get everyone to listen on the day of. And he worked with some complicated family dynamics that he never once made us feel were anything less than normal.
If you are looking for pictures that are joyful and bright, you have found your person. If you're looking for photos that feel just like you remember the moment, you have found your person. If you're looking for fair prices and an incredible value, you have found your person. And if you're looking to spend a day with the kindest, most genuine vendor in Philadelphia, you have found your person. Stop looking.
Russ is absolutely the best! We did both an engagement session and the wedding with Russ, and our pictures from both could not have turned out more beautifully. Right from the star...
t, we felt like Russ captured us as a couple. The photos are beautiful, but they are also quirky, loving, fun, and silly. Our photos with Russ are full of life and capture the spirit of our wedding day. In addition to taking fantastic photos, Russ was fun, relaxed, and upbeat, and having him at our wedding only added to our enjoyment of the day. I would recommend Russ to anyone looking for a photographer and would give more than 5 stars if I could!
Russ was such a fun, laid back, and awesome photographer! He made us feel so comfortable and made the whole process fun and smooth. With covid, my husband and I had to change plans...
and Russ was more than accommodating. Highly recommend Russ to anyone looking for a photographer!!
Russ did an amazing at our wedding. Russ is a friend and the moment I got engaged, I knew I wanted him to shoot our wedding. My husband and I wanted to make sure we captured our ...
day and I knew Russ would be the right person for us. His availability helped me select my wedding date. Russ is creative, approachable, down to earth and so funny. He created an open and friendly environment for our engagement session and wedding day. I was speechless when he shared the photos from the engagement session. My husband and I looked amazing. We have beautiful and artistic engagement photos from the Art Museum area that we will cherish forever. Russ has an eye for creative backdrops and use of light that really made us shine. For the wedding, he and his staff made us feel so comfortable. They got along well with our families. He handled our family photos with such ease and captured some special moments before the ceremony. Throughout the evening, Russ and his staff captured some amazing moments. I felt like a queen the entire day. The teaser photos he shared brought tears to me eyes. My husband and I looked so amazing and happy. At the end of the evening, he spent time with us to capture some night shots. I was so moved by the photos that I selected them for our thank you notes. I highly recommend Russ to be your photographer for your wedding. He's experienced, talented, creative, smart and really great at his job. He is timely. He captures tender, funny and emotional moments. If you select Russ, you will be happy with your decision and you will have amazing photos capturing your special day.
There are hundreds of photographers in the Philadelphia area and many of them are very talented. However, there is no one who can compare to Russ Hickman and his overall amazingn...
ess.
As a bride to be planning a wedding from Boston, Massachusetts, I was anxious to find not just someone who was talented, but someone who had that extra something. Russ Hickman has it all!
After our first phone conversation, I knew that I had found the perfect fit for my soon to be husband and myself. Russ was charismatic, kind hearted, and most importantly, an avid listener. I kind of knew what I wanted, but needed guidance and Russ had many great ideas. Throughout the entire process, he made me feel comfortable and special.
On the day of our wedding, Russ got to our venue early to scope it out and had a plan of action. It was 10,000 degrees out, everyone was sweating, but Russ was cool and pleasant the entire time.
Russ was incredibly intuitive and emotionally intelligent. He made taking pictures a fun and enjoyable experience without making it feel like a choir, especially in the sweltering heat. He's got a great sense of humor and made the entire process fantastic. Looking back, the day went by in a blink of an eye, but some of my best moments and fondest memories were taking pictures.
At the end of the night, Russ and his assistant humored us and followed us to Wawa to take pictures (My husband and I love our junk food!)
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Russ. The entire experience was easy and our wedding day was that much more special because he was a part of it. I would highly recommend Russ to any bride or person looking for professional pictures.
When the time comes, I will be using Russ' services for family pictures and other special events my family may have.
Thank you Russ for making our wedding day magical!
My wife and I initially had a tough time picking a wedding photographer. Choosing the best photographer for our big day was one of the most important decisions of the wedding plann...
ing process. We met with a number of different photographers and became frustrated trying to find the best choice for us. That all changed when we met Russ.
At our initial meeting, we hit it off. We immediately knew that he was the one. His upbeat and relaxed personality perfectly matched his confidence and skill. His long time experience in the field along with his samples proved to us that he is a true professional with an excellent knowledge of his craft. After our meeting, my wife and I, got in the car and looked at each other, both nodded and said “we found our photographer”!
With the package we choose, we were privileged to have Russ take our engagement photos. We spent pretty much an entire day at Valley Forge National Park. He took the lead the entire way yet was open to ideas--it really paid off. The photos looked fantastic! Russ turned around our photos quickly so we had them for our save the date cards. With more than 300 photos to choose from, it was a daunting, but fun, experience. Russ’ rigorous post production skill was obvious and the payoff was unbelievable. Every one of our guests complemented our photo!
Next up was the big day. Russ, another photographer, and a lighting assistant all were there for the whole day. From makeup, to the church, to the reception--all the photos captured our special day. We had an amazing set of photos. We had family portraits, action shots, architectural shots, the whole lot. The best part of the day included a special gift to me from my wife. Unbeknownst to me, Russ had taken a boudoir photo shoot of my wife. I was speechless when I opened the book. Absolutely beautiful and breathtaking.
My wife and I are planning on starting our family soon. Guess who will be there to take the maternity shots and the baby shots? With no hesitation - Russ. Without a doubt, Russ is best photographer in the business. My only regret is that we didn’t meet sooner in the wedding planning process.
When we started the search for our wedding photographer, my now husband and I agreed that our photos would be one of the most important pieces of our wedding. After all, you spend ...
tons of time and energy planning this one day that is over in a flash. Of course we wanted beautiful pictures capturing it all! We also realized that we would basically be spending our day with our photographer so it was important that we "clicked". Russ was the perfect fit! He was professional, creative, and so much fun to be around. He made us feel so comfortable and was super effective in managing time on our wedding day. The moments he captured on camera were simply incredible. Russ, thank you for your amazing work!
So my fiance and I are Chicago natives that currently live in Houston. For our engagement pictures, we wanted to capture the love we have for each other, but also the love we have...
for Chicago. With various locations in mind and no previous experience getting pictures taken of us, we were a bit nervous about the whole experience.
Russ went above and beyond to not only conduct an amazing photo session but he did it with a great balance of professionalism and levity. His demeanor and masterful execution caused us to get the most out of of each location. His keen perception allowed him to craft and achieve genuine pictures of my fiance and I. His artistry was palpable and collaborative as he always checked in with us to make sure we were comfortable and happy. Also, as someone who is not a Chicago Native, he made sure that he had researched areas and familiarized himself with the city beforehand. This level of preparation really amazed us.
And probably most important was that my fiance and I had fun! A lot of fun! We have amazing pictures but we also have fantastic memories of that day. Not only does Russ provide excellent service, he also brings his authentic self. He is kind, patient and hilarious. Spending time with him was a treat in itself. I couldn't imagine having anybody else making these memories with us.
Russ was an absolute delight to work with! We couldn't be happier with our choice to hire him for our engagement and wedding photos. He did not miss a single detail or photo opport...
unity, and his experience in the industry really shines through in real time and in his finished work.
His kind heart, genuine honesty, sense of humor and flexibility, I think, set him apart from other vendors that you will work with. You spend your entire wedding day with your photographer, and we truly feel that we gained a friend in Russ. He was very patient and receptive to our ideas, and always open to chat about them to help us achieve our vision. He has mastered the delicate balance of being direct and getting the job done, without reducing the sentiment of the most important day of your life.
We were so thrilled with our engagement photos and are even happier with our wedding photos! If you are looking for a photographer with a creative impulse and an artistic eye, you will love what Russ does with your day. There are a lot of great photographers out there, but Russ's work offers a level of creativity that you won't find anywhere else. We've gotten so many compliments on the uniqueness of both our wedding and engagement photos, and we couldn't agree more!
Bottom line: if you work with Russ you will have FUN and beautiful and thorough documentation of your special day, and if you're lucky, even a new friend.
Russ Hickman is great. I've never been one to get to excited about pictures, but he made what could be kind of an awkward situation (walking around town having pictures taken by so...
meone you just met) relaxed and fun. He listens to what you want out of your engagement pictures and makes very good suggestions without being pushy at all. His ability to frame shots using unique angles, reflections, and natural light gives you an incredible set of photographs. Some of my favorite pictures are ones that, when he was taking them, I honestly wasn't sure would be all that great but I was mistaken. I really can't recommend him enough.
My fiance and I had the pleasure of working with Russ for our engagement photos. Sadly, our wedding is going to be out of town and we had already found a photographer for the wedd...
ing... otherwise, we would definitely go with Russ!
The experience: Neither of us had professional pictures taken before, so to say we were nervous was an understatement. Not only did Russ make us feel comfortable, but his easygoing and complimentary nature was exactly what we needed to relax in front of the camera.
He was more than willing to go to our favorite spots in the Philly neighborhood we live in. He made sure to fit in all of the locations and outfits we wanted to wear for our pictures. He even let our dog come along for a few of them. We could not stop talking about how much fun the entire process was! Since we are planning our wedding (in Chicago) from a distance, this allowed us to do something of a "wedding nature" as a couple. It was a very special day for us.
The photos: Russ put up a "teaser" photo immediately the next day, which barely pacified us until we got our hands on the rest of the photos. It was such a great picture that really captured who we are and how much we care about each other. Luckily, we did not have to wait more than the expected 3 weeks for all of the photos. One by one, we looked through the photos which were artistically and professionally done. We looked so in love and he could not have captured our personalities better. There are so many "frameable" pictures, we can't decide which ones to hang up!
Value: This was a great deal for the price. The freedom to do what we want with the pictures is also an added bonus.
I highly recommend Russ for any photography needs and, should we need additional photos taken in the future, I would use him again without hesitation.
Thanks again, Russ, for the timeless photos and enjoyable experience!
Russ is amazing! He feels like your best friend and brother at the wedding. My husband hates photos and he had so much fun with Russ and even made a comment at the honeymoon that h...
e wished Russ was with us to take photos! He has such a great eye and is able to work so quickly you can have photos in multiple locations without feeling rushed. He talked the hotel into allowing us on the roof! Our photos are amazing and I know Russ will do our family photos for years to come and remain our friend! I would pay double for him and never regret it!
One specific photo is to thank for me hiring Russ for my wedding. I met him at a wedding expo after only being engaged for a couple months. I wasn't 'on the hunt' for any specific...
vendor that day but one of his photos caught my attention and I KNEW that I had to have him for my wedding. In this photo I could tell that this was a person with a seriously creative eye and someone who would produce shots that were as unique and the men and women on the other side of the lens....and I was right. My feelings were only confirmed the first time I saw the photos from our engagement session; bright vibrant colors and unorthodox camera angles/techniques. Exactly what I was hoping for.
The morning of the wedding Russ arrived extra early to walk around the venue. When it was time for us to start shooting he was teeming with ideas and suggestions. So many guests throughout the night mentioned how impressed they were with his ability to "be everywhere". They could tell that Russ was not going to miss a photo.
And he doesn't. Russ always goes above and beyond to get the shot. Even if it means being on the roof of a 20 story building (at night) to get the most beautiful pictures of my husband and I in front of our venue's neon sign (yes this happened!) or wrangling 50+ rowdy wedding guests at the end of the evening just because I requested photos of a "sparkler send off".
I would HIGHLY recommend Russ to anyone looking for a photographer for their special day. His pricing is more than fair and his end results are unlike any other. I am so happy I chose him for our wedding, I really do not believe anyone else would have been able to do as good of a job as he did!
Russ Hickman is a top-notch photographer who knows how to create a great setting for unbelievable photos. A lot of effort went into the final product and the results show. A terrif...
ic job on our photos by Russ Hickman Photography!
Dude! You are awesome. Thanks so much for taking the photos. We know the photos will be as awesome as the engagement photos. We loved those, and I am sure we will love the wedding ...
photos. Thanks for coming out with me to the shaving place. You and Dan looked awesome in your plaid shirts, bow ties, and camera harnesses.
Probably the biggest compliment, many of my friends/family members thought we have been friends for years. You were so integrated with us, and had so much fun with us that people thought you our friends. Thanks a lot and continue to do awesome work for your future customers!!!!
Good photographs were something that my husband and I agreed would be worth having. We could not have picked a better photographer to be a part of our special day. Russ Hickman i...
s truly an artist. His style and eye for beauty is one of a kind. It was such a joy to have him capture so many special moments and work so hard to keep the memory of our day alive for many years to come. I can't tell you how many guests as well as our entire wedding party complimented Russ and his capabilities. He has so much talent and he is also so personable and becomes your friend. There is not one downside to having Russ Hickman be a part of your big day, we recommend him for any and all special occasions you may have! Thank you Russ!!! --Avi and Brian :)
Russ is not your average photographer. His ability to connect with people automatically makes him one of your closest friends. He immediately shares one of your most intimate momen...
ts and brings it to life with beauty, color and art. I was introduced to Russ through a friend of a friend's sister, but by the end of our first meeting I felt completely comfortable with my decision. I had seen his work before and loved it, and heard first hand that he was trustworthy and produced great work. I've only heard horror stories from 5 people I knew that were recently married so it was refreshing to hear a great review. Russ lived up to the expectation and exceeded it. My family and friends all talked about how great he was at the wedding. Everyone talked about how friendly and happy he was to be there, and they even commented how fun and friendly his assistant was. You can truly tell he loves what he is doing and it shows in his pictures too. I wouldn't want any other photographer photographing my lifetime memories. Many of my friends yet to be married have already said they want to use Russ. My pictures were done in less than 3 weeks after my wedding and he has kept in contact with me through the whole process. I know someone who got married last July and this March and they still haven't received their photos!!! I'm glad I met Russ and enjoy seeing his photos on his blog of other people's happy occasions and his own life time experiences. I think I might have to have a baby sooner than later just so he can take more pictures for me. wink* Thank you Russ for everything!
Let me preface …. My delayed review on Russ is in no way reflective of his work. It simply stemmed from me not wanting to do anything wedding related once that thing was over!
...
I booked Russ Hickman Photography for my wedding in June of 2011. I had met with about three to four photographers before meeting with Russ. In truth, I liked almost all of the people I met with before Russ. They were all nice, accommodating, somewhat reasonably priced (I think the term “reasonably priced” takes on a new meaning during wedding planning), and anxious for me to book with them. Despite them all being lovely photographers who had great work product, I didn’t feel like I really clicked with any of them. Then, I met Russ.
Russ immediately made me feel comfortable. We met at Starbucks. He made me laugh. He told me he thought I would be photogenic and that he couldn’t wait to take my picture (what bride-to-be doesn’t want to hear that???). All of this was within the first 5 minutes. When I finally got myself to calm down, I took a look at some of the pictures Russ brought with him. They were beautiful and I could tell he had an “eye” for making the subjects really stand out and look their best.
I can’t remember if I booked on the spot, but if I didn’t, I knew I was going to. Let me tell you, booking Russ was one of the easiest and best decisions I made while wedding planning.
Russ and I chatted and emailed a few times before the wedding about the day’s logistics. Each time we spoke, I felt better and better about this guy!
Jumping to the big day…
Russ showed up at my house – ON TIME – the morning of my wedding. He brought an assistant with him, Heather (Heather was amazing!). Russ and Heather came in, introduced themselves around, made a few jokes, got a few laughs, and then got right to work. While I was busy getting pampered by my hair and makeup team, Russ and Heather captured so many incredible shots of me, the bridal party, my mom, my dress, my shoes, my jewelry, little things around my house, etc. When I was finally in my full garb, we did some great shots outside. NOTE – my neighbors have this old garage door. To me, or to anyone not artistic, I think it looks like a crappy garage door. Not for Russ. We took some solo shots in front of it, and they came out AMAZINGLY!
During our service, I hardly noticed Russ and Heather. They were not in your face. Yet, somehow there are some great close ups. Fantastic.
We had a BLAST driving around Philadelphia taking pictures with the wedding party. We did it all – Art Museum, LOVE Park, South Street, Broad Street, etc. My groom was NOT looking forward to this part of the day. When it was all done, he actually said that he thought it was really fun. Without a doubt, Russ made it fun. The bridal party was relaxed, comfortable, and enjoying themselves. Taking pictures was, by no means, a chore. It was one of the highlights of the day. And, the photos are incredible.
I can’t comment too much on Russ at the reception as it is all a blur. What I do know is that there are AMAZING shots of the reception, particularly on the dance floor. I am so glad that I hired a photographer comfortable enough to get right in there and get the great shots!
I booked Russ for the entire day. He and Heather were with me from the minute they got to my house in the morning until almost the end of the reception. That is a LOT of time. Not once, through the whole process,
"We lived it, love it and continue to laugh about the memories captured by Russ Hickman Photography. I don't think I've ever seen my husband pose for so many awesome couple shots! ...
Russ has the perfect balance of patience and wit to charm anyone for a good shot." - Diana, Philadelphia - 2012
I found Russ through a wedding website. I checked out his website and blog and instantly felt like we would get along well. I didn't feel the pressure that I was feeling with oth...
er photographers. His pictures were beautiful and natural, just what I was looking for! And anyone who is wearing an Kellogg's Eggo shirt has to have a sense of humor!
On the day of the wedding, he and his assistant showed up with tons of energy! They really made me feel special and that it really was my day :-) He was subtle in taking pictures too so that I could still enjoy the time getting ready.
Throughout the ceremony and reception he captured beautiful moments of my husband and I as well as "black-mailingly" hysterical pictures of our guests at the reception. He was never intrusive about getting a shot and managed to get all pictures we wanted and more! At a point in the reception I actually had a couple groomsmen coming up to me saying "how cool" the photographer was! I was shocked to hear that come out of a guy's month, but couldn't agree more :-)
Once we got our pics, after a quick turnaround from Russ, we couldn't believe how many there were! So many great shots to remind us of what a special day and great celebration we had!
Russ is fantastic! I loved loved loved our photos. We did an engagement session in addition to our wedding photos-- every picture is gorgeous! Russ was excited to hear our ideas an...
d made the whole process a lot of fun! He also designed our Save the Dates-- they're gorgeous! Everyone tells us how amazing all of our photos are-- and it's all thanks to Russ (and of course our photogenic nature--kidding!) We loved Russ!!
One of the things that I really enjoyed about working with Russ was that he had fun with it. At no point did he seem like this was a boring job, he seemed to really be loving every minute of taking pictures, and I think that's why his photos are so amazing!
One thing that I didn't know about when looking at photographers initially-- the rights to your photos. They're photos of you, but all too often the photographer or photo company retains the rights. You can buy all the photos (for a STEEP price), but why can't you have the pictures of you? Russ let us own digital copies of all of our photos- even those we didn't order. He's the best!
I'm trying to think of other reasons to have a photo shoot just so I can use him again! I would DEFINITELY recommend him!
Russ was amazing! We loved his portfolio, so we set-up an appointment to talk shop, and immediately loved him too. He was super personable, understood what we were looking for, and...
was the perfect fit for us.
Our wedding photo's turned out beautifully and we had a blast working with him (and his lovely assistant Heather) while he was taking them. Not only was his work outstanding and his presence a welcome addition to our special day (it literally felt like we had an old friend taking our pictures), but his prices were extremely reasonable as well.
I'd recommend Russ to anyone and everyone!!!! I know that he also travels for wedding's too ladies!
Russ is professional, friendly, talented and hardworking. We are sooooooo happy with our pictures! He made it a wonderful day for us. Since we've shared our pictures, our friends...
and family have been emailing us nonstop about how fantastic they are. You will not be disappointed. I recommend him 200%!
Russ made me look flawless and all the pictures were so nautral none looked "staged" He did such a great job with getting in all the best shots. I loved the fact that I could share...
the pictures with family that lived far away when they were ready. I would highly recommend Russ Hickman Photograpy Great quality and great pictures.
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