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Russ Levi Photography

5 out of 5 stars and 114 reviews
5.0
(114)
best-of-weddings

Wine Country | San Francisco Bay Area | San Diego | Tahoe

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About This Vendor

Bold Joy

Husband and wife team who practice photography with an emphasis on authenticity. We're obsessed with image quality - fun, beautiful, and unique photos - but what's even more important is that you enjoy your interaction with us and that you actually get to be present and in the moment at your wedding. We live in Sonoma County Wine Country and are especially excited about weddings in Sonoma, Napa, and Marin

Details

Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
Bridal Portraits, Day After Session, Engagement, Trash The Dress
Photo & Video
Digital Files, Online Proofing, Photo, Printed Enlargements, Printed Proofs, Same-Day Edits, Second Shooter Available, Social Media Sharing, Wedding Albums
Photo & Video Styles
Artistic, Classic, Documentary, Dramatic, Lifestyle, Modern, Vintage
Wedding Activities
Getting Engaged, Rehearsals & Parties, After Party, Wedding
Awards and Affiliations
Hall of Fame2023 Best of Weddings Winner2022 Best of Weddings Winner2021 Best of Weddings Winner2020 Best of Weddings Winner2019 Best of Weddings Winner2018 Best of Weddings Winner2017 Best of Weddings Winner2016 Best of Weddings Winner

Pricing for Russ Levi Photography

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Russ Levi Photography Reviews

5 out of 5.0
114 reviews
5 Star
100%
4 Star
0%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
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Reviewed On 4/09/2023 by Adam K
Russ was our photographer for our March wedding at The Mountain Terrace in Woodside. He took the time to get to know us via videocall months before the event, and was very warm and responsive to all of our questions and concerns regarding logis...
tics, timing, and specific shots leading up to the wedding. The weather on wedding day was windy, cold, rainy, and generally unpleasant, but Russ was encouraging of us taking pictures outside with the beautiful backdrop of redwoods regardless. He even had an umbrella hat on to protect his cameras from the elements! All the pictures from the event candidly captured the joy, love, and excitement of the day. Russ was absolutely professional, organized, flexible, and directive while also being warm and personable throughout the experience. We would recommend Russ in a heartbeat to anyone looking for an outstanding photographer for their wedding or other upcoming event. Thank you Russ!
Reviewed On 3/16/2023 by Maia A
The photos are so full of life and love! Beautiful and fun!
Reviewed On 12/13/2022 by Angela K
Booking Russ for our August 2022 wedding was probably the best choice we made in the planning process. Our photos are an absolute treasure. So many wedding guests commented on "how hard your photographer was working." He didn't miss a moment. M...
y grandma, who was unable to travel for the wedding, looked at the entire photo cache and remarked, "I was there, I saw the whole wedding." His energy is infectious, the candids he captured during the reception were amazing. He was so easy and accommodating to work with through the entire process (including 3 different engagement session postponements due to weather/COVID) and gently guided us in the direction that would get us the best photos. He got us photos back so unbelievably quickly after our event.
Any questions?
Reviewed On 10/13/2022 by Jessica C
We chose Russ as our photographer because his photos were not only beautiful, but the colors were so dramatic, compared to the washed out/pastel style of photos that a lot of wedding photographers use. He did not disappoint - the photos turned ...
out better than I could have imagined! He captured all the special moments and most of the time, we didn't even know he was there. My friend called him a photo ninja. During our couple and family photos, he made us comfortable with his humor and positivity. We also used him for our engagement photos and those were spectacular as well. Overall, we are so happy with our experience - not only is he extremely talented, but he is also a joy to be around. Thanks, Russ!
Reviewed On 10/08/2022 by Emily K
Russ was seriously a dream a come true. Incredibly easy to communicate with and also- maybe more importantly- easy to be ourselves around. This made for some fantastic photos and incredibly intimate moments captured. He did our engagement shoot...
and our wedding (10-02-2022) and we are amazed and delighted with the photos. He really knows his lighting and has a way with angles that makes everyone look like the best version of themselves. He's also dependable and shows up on time and ready to go with a genuine kindness and sense of humor that is easy to be around. We recommend him 1000%!
Reviewed On 7/17/2022 by Omeed M
Our favorite! My wife and I fell in love with Russ' work and professionalism. They say that the vendor you see most during your wedding is your photographer, and we couldn't have been more thrilled to spend our day with Russ! Starting with our...
early conversations, we could immediately tell that Russ was an intelligent and talented photographer. He broke down Nestldown's timeline and explained everything that we could expect leading up to our wedding. He also understood that we weren't used to taking professional photos which is why we decided to use him as our photographer for our engagement photos. The engagement photoshoot was an incredible experience. It was fun, adventurous, and a learning experience for my wife and I. We became very comfortable with Russ and his style. Best of all, the photos turned out amazing! The wedding itself was tightly planned and we were able to take all the photos we wanted. We captured moments with our wedding party, family, friends, and us as a couple. Even the photos of the event came out perfect. My wife and I can't stop going through our wedding photos and reliving the day! I highly recommend hiring Russ as your photographer for any event!
Reviewed On 4/21/2022 by Miles C
The rave reviews are true: Russ Levi’s talents are off the charts. We had high expectations for the quality of the photos, and he greatly exceeded them. And it is not just the photos: he is excellent with people–herding them into groups while t...
hey're none the wiser. He allowed everyone to enjoy the event while still capturing the essential group shots. He also has a knack for capturing the spontaneous. He has a rare talent for finding just the right setup at just the right moment, and working with people to frame his shots elegantly, making them appear natural. We were not experienced at having our pictures taken, but his demeanor and instructions helped us feel comfortable, and resulted in photos that made us look like pros. His candid shots captured moments ranging from delightfully silly to deeply poignant. He is responsive via email and phone, and is simply a blast to work with. Book him early; he is in-demand, and deservedly so. Miles & Monica Married in March 2022 in SF
Reviewed On 4/14/2022 by Alice K
Russ Levi is a gem photographer. He is the perfect blend of capturing candid shots and yet getting quintessential dynamite photographs that make you feel and look like you're a celebrity bride / groom. He's witty and hilarious, yet, when it'...
s time to do the work, no nonsense. We hired him and a second photographer that he works with. Both were fast, captured amazing shots that had guests swooning and made it VERY easy and fun! His engagement photo sessions too are terrific. Best photos I've ever had of myself and my husband! Thank you Russ for your superb work! If you're questioning who to go with, go with Russ + whoever he picks as your second photographer!
Reviewed On 12/30/2021 by Madeline S
Russ was fantastic to work with from start to finish. He was easy to get in contact with, spent extensive time figuring out the logistics of what we were looking for, gave great recommendations for locations, and even took us to a second spot. ...
He captured the love and excitement from our engagement so well, and we will cherish these pictures forever. He truly seemed to share in the excitement that we experienced. He also made the shoot so much fun, and knew so much about the locations where we shot (Sonoma State Park and Armstrong Redwood Forest). He also did a nice job hiding before I knew he was there for us (my now-fiancé surprised me for the proposal). He got us the picture drafts back the next day, and then the top 100 edited one within just a few days, and they were incredible. All around a fantastic experience, and I highly recommend Russ!
Reviewed On 12/26/2021 by Sangitha P
Russ was absolutely AMAZING!! Working with him before the wedding to prepare for the types of photos I wanted and family groups was seamless and he always made himself available for my many questions. On the wedding day, I could not believe how...
easy Russ made it to be "natural". With a smile on his face the entire time, he made my husband and I feel comfortable, excited and look fantastic in our photos. He is detail oriented to make sure there aren't stray items in your pictures or people with sunglasses or clothing mishaps. Lastly, the actual pictures were PERFECTION! Russ provided us our highlights so quickly after our wedding and our full album on time. The photos were beautiful, and I couldn't have asked for more. He captured every moment in the best way. I highly recommend Russ for your wedding photos!
Reviewed On 12/10/2021 by Samantha P
Russ is incredible! He was so professional and took the most amazing pictures of our wedding! We also received some pictures back just 24 hours after our wedding which was such a nice surprise! Everyone keeps commenting on how beautiful the pic...
tures are and we could not be more happy with his work! Highly recommend him for your photography needs!
Reviewed On 11/26/2021 by M R
Russ did our engagement shoot for us and it was a great experience. He helped us to pick out locations that fit our preferences and they were pretty much perfect. On the day of the shoot we were somewhat nervous because we'd never done anything...
like this, but Russ really did make it easy. He kept us laughing and was always in search of the best lighting. And all of that shows in the amazing photos from the shoot.
Reviewed On 11/04/2021 by Erika P
Russ was absolutely incredible and we highly recommend him. We worked with him for both our engagement and backyard wedding. Both were incredibly intimate affairs, and we are so happy that Russ was there to not only capture but be a wonderful a...
ddition to the moment. Here are some of the highlights of working with Russ: ||||| He was very personable and informative when we first contacted him to learn more about his working style to see if it was a good fit for us. My then-fiancée really loved his work, describing it as joyful, dynamic, and romantic. ||||| After we booked him for the wedding, I secretly reached out to book him for the engagement as well. He was very supportive through that process, offering suggestions for good vistas in the area depending on the weather. He went up to the spot ahead of time to help clear away any folks that would interfere with the shot (it ended up being foggy and cold so no one was there, but he still waited for us nevertheless). He also drove us from one location to another for the various shoots. A+ for punctuality and helpfulness! ||||| Russ is a wonderful photographer. He balances being direct with how he wants you to get just the perfect shot with giving you general positions to be in, letting you add your personal flair. He's very witty and cracks a lot of jokes, lightening the mood and making you naturally laugh and smile. We had a fantastic time during our engagement shoot! ||||| For our wedding, we went with one of his recommendations for a videographer, Spencer Sarson, who was also incredible. They both arrived early to setup and take photos of the venue (earlier than any of our guests). ||||| Given that this was during Covid, Russ was very professional with everything safety-wise (mask, vaccination status, etc.). ||||| The photos he took are brilliant. We are extremely pleased with how everything came out and with the number of high quality images that we'll have for years to come. ||||| The process for working with Russ post-shoot has been smooth. He is very professional and responds in a timely manner. ||||| Overall we give Russ Levi our highest recommendation for any couple looking for the best wedding photographer that the Bay Area has to offer!
Reviewed On 11/04/2021 by Xander P
Russ was absolutely incredible and we highly recommend him. We worked with him for both our engagement and backyard wedding. Both were incredibly intimate affairs, and we are so happy that Russ was there to not only capture but be a wonderful a...
ddition to the moment. Here are some of the highlights of working with Russ: ||||| He was very personable and informative when we first contacted him to learn more about his working style to see if it was a good fit for us. My then-fiancée really loved his work, describing it as joyful, dynamic, and romantic. ||||| After we booked him for the wedding, I secretly reached out to book him for the engagement as well. He was very supportive through that process, offering suggestions for good vistas in the area depending on the weather. He went up to the spot ahead of time to help clear away any folks that would interfere with the shot (it ended up being foggy and cold so no one was there, but he still waited for us nevertheless). He also drove us from one location to another for the various shoots. A+ for punctuality and helpfulness! ||||| Russ is a wonderful photographer. He balances being direct with how he wants you to get just the perfect shot with giving you general positions to be in, letting you add your personal flair. He's very witty and cracks a lot of jokes, lightening the mood and making you naturally laugh and smile. We had a fantastic time during our engagement shoot! ||||| For our wedding, we went with one of his recommendations for a videographer, Spencer Sarson, who was also incredible. They both arrived early to setup and take photos of the venue (earlier than any of our guests). ||||| Given that this was during Covid, Russ was very professional with everything safety-wise (mask, vaccination status, etc.). ||||| The photos he took are brilliant. We are extremely pleased with how everything came out and with the number of high quality images that we'll have for years to come. ||||| The process for working with Russ post-shoot has been smooth. He is very professional and responds in a timely manner. ||||| Overall we give Russ Levi our highest recommendation for any couple looking for the best wedding photographer that the Bay Area has to offer!
Reviewed On 9/11/2021 by Anna M
Probably the best compliment I can give Russ is that we didn't even notice him...I know that sounds bad, but seriously I think it is a great trait for a wedding photographer to have..... discrecion! He wasn't in our faces, he didn't intrude or...
make us feel bothered and the pictures ARE AMAZING!!! He has such an amazing talent for capturing candid moments with light and depth that not many photographers can do. I cannot say enough good things about Russ. He is responsive, professional, kind, and has a GREAT sense of humor! He was so accommodating and helpful throughout the entire process, making my husband and I feel comfortable. He went out of his way to address all our needs and requests. BOOK HIM...HE IS AMAZING!!
Reviewed On 9/10/2021 by Lisa S
Russell is very talented and pleasant to work with. You can tell how much he enjoys weddings and his enthusiasm is contagious. If you are looking for a great photographer that is also fun, he’s you’re guy. Highly recommend!!
Reviewed On 9/04/2021 by Jarusha R
From the first zoom meeting with Russ, we felt like we were in great hands! He was the perfect combination of professional, friendly, fun, and confident which made it super easy to choose him as our wedding photographer. Communication was clear...
throughout the entire process, expectations were clearly set, and he made sure to ask us questions and really listened to what our wants & needs were. He was flexible and responsive as we had a venue change at the last minute due to rain. At our wedding he made everyone feel very comfortable, our guests loved him, and he was present enough to assure me that he was capturing every moment of the day, but also very ninja-like so it never felt like he was disrupting the moment. The photos were gorgeous and he really captured beautiful candid & intimate moments from the entire day. We are so thankful to have had his artistic eye and attention to detail to preserve our most precious memories. It is clear Russ brings a great amount of experience, joy, and passion to his work and I would definitely choose him again if I had the chance!
Reviewed On 8/28/2021 by Dan M
I originally found Russ from Reddit and was really impressed when I checked out his online portfolio. We had our engagement shoot with him which consisted of two locations with an outfit change. Russ was super accommodating as the first outfit ...
was a bit more complicated so took more time to change out of. The experience of the actual shoot was great! We were a bit stiff at the beginning but Russ really helped us get comfortable with some great direction and guidance for different poses, locations and setups. Within just a few minutes into the first location we were already having lots of fun. It's hard to fully know what the shot will be or how it will turn out but Russ clearly knew what he was doing. He was able to capture the beauty of the location and make us look good in it. Russ has been really fast with communication and delivered of our proofs just a few days after the shoot. The process of selecting and editing has been really straightforward. I can't stress how impressed and excited we are with the final pictures we received. We've been showing them to all our family and friends and everyone has been blown away with the quality and composition, continuing to comment on how good the photographs are and how good we look in them! We hired Russ hoping to capture a few good pictures and left with over 100 treasured memories. I would easily recommend Russ to any of my friends and family.
Reviewed On 8/20/2021 by Julia T
Russ was absolutely AMAZING. Where do I start? Our wedding was suppose to be in 2020 but like many others, we postponed twice due to the pandemic. Russ was very accommodating and allowed us to reschedule without any fees or increase in pricing...
. I should mention he also shot our engagement shoot and we loved our pictures. We didn't have the best weather for part of it due to SF weather and he gladly offered to do another location shoot on another day to make up for it. Something he didn't have to offer at all. Back to the wedding day, he was punctual, gave us great tips/cues when we needed it. My husband and I are very stiff photo takers and don't love taking them, so he made us and our wedding party feel very comfortable. With his little cues, the pictures turned out outstanding! We had so many family and friends comment at how great our pictures turned out. He was very professional the whole time, even helped us iron out some timeline issues and gave us great suggestions. We had viewed a ton of photographers prior to choosing Russ and what really caught our eye was his camera angles and natural feel of the photos. He really captures the moment and surroundings in the best way. He even gave us 118 highlight photos 2 days after our wedding! We did not expect that at all but it really kept our wedding high going. He also delivered our full album in 5 weeks. Would highly recommend Russ for your wedding!
Reviewed On 8/09/2021 by Nina F
Russ is fantastic and we hope to work with him again! Russ' images are rich and full of life and we are so thrilled we got the opportunity to work with him. You get so much value and he is fast! He sent us an initial preview of dozens of images...
within a day of our wedding. A day! Russ made all of our family and friends so comfortable and had us laughing. He was particularly great with our niece and nephew (1.5 and 3.5). So many of our guests outside of our wedding party and family even mentioned how fantastic Russ was. We cannot wait to see all of the pictures!
Reviewed On 7/28/2021 by Rachelle P
Russ was hired very quickly when my husband and I decided to elope due to Covid. I knew from researching wedding photogs and looking through his Instagram he was the one. Funny enough, he was actually one of the recommended vendors at our venue...
(Nestldown) and we did not realize that until we did our first zoom meeting, haha! From the start he was so polite and always had a smile on his face, it felt really warm and genuine. Russ was very sweet and generous with his time the morning of, arriving early to the hotel we were at. At Nestldown, he is very familiar and will guide you to the most beautiful shots. My husband and I are very uncomfortable showing affection in front of the camera but goodness he made it so easy. His humor was very cheeky and my small crowd of guests absolutely loved it, he fit right in. After the wedding he sent us the gallery quickly and we started the selection process, would you believe his pictures are so perfect and did not require any editing (okay, a few pictures because my husband had a sunglasses tan). All in all we just loved working with him, his price was great considering he is a bay area photographer. There are no hidden fees and is very up front so please do not hesitate on asking any questions. Thank you so much Russ, you were such a pleasure to work with.
Reviewed On 7/21/2021 by Melissa J
Russ was absolutely INCREDIBLE during our wedding. Not only did he get amazing pictures, but he made everyone so comfortable and joyful throughout our day. I’ve got some challenging family members and Russ was incredibly skillful in maneuvering...
around them and prioritizing what we requested. He took nothing personally when people got in front of him. He was so patient and just made everyone laugh and feel good about everything happening. I can’t even believe how good our photos looked. I’m not photogenic at all (I have kind of a lazy-eye) and he was able to make every shot beautiful. How he did it, I have no idea. With candid photos I felt his photography was magical. I was so surprised and pleased with so many things he was able to capture. I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing while looking at what he caught with his camera. He is incredibly skilled and I loved everything that he did so I am incredibly grateful that Lisa Stone for suggested him to us. Ive had friends pay 5k for a wedding photographer and their pictures were blah. Russ’ services were very affordable and worth every dollar. We had a beautiful venue and he did not skimp at all, but got to the venue early, knew where all of the most beautiful spots were, and where the best light was. He was good with communication throughout our planning and during our special day. Anything we requested, he happily obliged. I wasn’t sure I would like posed photos but they were INCREDIBLE. We couldn’t be happier.
Reviewed On 3/30/2021 by Julia R
To make a long story short I had to postpone my wedding once due to Covid and then cancel all together due to Covid. During all of this Russ was incredibly understanding, responsive, and truly did what he could to help us. He was able to resche...
dule our original wedding date to our postponement date with ease. Fast forward to us needing to cancel all together - Russ honored what was in our contract and refunded us because we had to cancel due to Covid. Unfortunately, Russ did not photograph us, but if you are looking for a trustworthy, reasonable, and all around helpful photographer this is your guy. We hope to have him photograph us as soon as we can have our wedding. Would absolutely recommend him to anyone.
Reviewed On 2/22/2021 by Kamini B
Russ was an absolute pleasure to work with. He was flexible when our original engagement photoshoot date had bad weather, and quickly rescheduled for another date. We chose to do a 1 hour, 1 location, 1 outfit package on a beautiful day up on...
Mt. Tam. It was sunny but cold and windy, but Russ powered through, and worked with us when were starting to get cold and needed a break to warm up. And you would have no idea looking at the pictures that we were frozen at the end. He managed to get great shots of my hair, even with the crazy wind. I was so afraid that we would be awkward in the photos, but Russ put us at ease and got us to pose in ways that really brought out the love in the photos. He helped reduce any anxiety or worries that we had and made it a fun experience. The photos were simply amazing - his photographic style really captures the mood and gives me goosebumps. He was also super quick to turn around the print photos and answered our questions in a timely manner. I would highly recommend Russ to anyone - he has an eye that not a lot of people have and can bring something very special to your big day.
Reviewed On 2/19/2021 by Kristin S
We are so happy we found Russ for our engagement photos! (Which we actually did...after our wedding because of COVID-19...) He was incredibly flexible when it came to scheduling and helped choose 2 perfect locations when we weren't really sure ...
what we were looking for. I loved the style of his portfolio online and honestly could not be more pleased with how our own photos ended up. They are AMAZING and now I just need to figure out what to do with all of them! Would 100% recommend Russ for any and all photography needs.
Reviewed On 2/03/2021 by Lauren T
Russ is a true artist and we are so happy that he captured our day! Our images are all stunning, from epic couple portraits to the moments and emotions captured during the ceremony and festivities. In the lead up to the wedding he was kind, fl...
exible and professional. On the day he was a joy to be around. With how talented he is, I felt like I could completely trust him and relax. We are very grateful for him. If you are wondering if you should hire Russ, DO IT!
Reviewed On 10/30/2020 by Shane M
We couldn't imagine having a better photographer for our wedding than Russ. He's such a professional, took absolutely stunning photos for us, and got the photos back to us lightning fast. If he's available for your date, book him fast before ...
he's taken! We had previously used Russ for our engagement photoshoot at SF MOMA and loved the way the photos came out. With the pandemic making a full wedding tricky, we chose to switch to a micro-wedding down in southern California (Malibu) and Russ agreed to drive down from the Bay Area to shoot it for us. He arrived early and covid safe in an N95 mask. He's great at putting you at ease all day. We also love that he mostly uses a photojournalistic/candid style that documents everything but doesn't get in the way of your wedding with lots of distractions and staged photos. He takes colorful and sharp photos that really capture the moment and make you look great and feel like a moviestar.
Reviewed On 10/19/2020 by Magdalena L
Russ is by far the most spectacular vendor we worked with for our September 2019 wedding! I found Russ' portfolio online and his photos were stunning- deep colors, contrast, lively and full of expression- and not overly exposed and washed out l...
ike is the trend with most engagement and wedding photos I see. We hired Russ to do our engagement photos, and from the moment we arrived, he was so friendly and made us feel immediately comfortable. He expertly provided direction as he took our photos but also captured gorgeous candid shots throughout. When he shared the photo gallery with us, we were blown away! It was a no brainer to hire Russ to do our wedding photos as well. On our wedding day, Russ and his co-photographer were prompt and brought such a positive and fun energy. The photos he captured are INCREDIBLE! So much raw emotion and an eye for capturing gorgeous light and scenery. We wholeheartedly recommend Russ! He is SO talented!
Reviewed On 10/09/2020 by Tayler D
Russ Levi Photography was the perfect choice for us on our wedding and we highly, highly recommend hiring Russ! We are one of the many couples who had to change wedding plans due to COVID-19. We decided to elope and had to re-plan our wedding i...
n a new location and we found Russ Levi Photography and fell in love with his photography and style. We had an intimate wedding and had family call in via video as well. Russ helped us iron out all the details in short notice for our photography needs - and he always had the best attitude. Russ took AMAZING photos of our day - as a COVID bride, I can't even explain how grateful I am to have photos of our day that make me feel "normal" amidst all this chaos. Russ is professional, easy to work with, made sure everything ran smoothly for us and exceeded all of our expectations! We have so many stunning photos to look back on, hang in our home, share with family and remember our special day! A million thank yous to Russ Levi Photography!
Reviewed On 10/06/2020 by Sarah L
Russ was a dream to work with! We hired him for our mini-wedding (12 people, very low key), and at first, we wondered, do we even need a photographer? Will it seem weird to have a random guy snapping photos at such a small event? Let me tell yo...
u: Russ made it totally worth it, and he was such a pleasure to have there on the day. He was super unobtrusive when it mattered (during the ceremony, at cocktail hour), friendly and fun during the portraits and group shots. And most importantly, the photos were stunning (we've honestly never looked so good) – he's got an amazing eye and real talent. Can;t thank you enough Russ.
Reviewed On 9/23/2020 by Elena C
Russ is an absolute dream to work with! We discovered Russ by sheer luck and we were immediately blown away by his artistic talent as evidenced by his stunning photos! We as a couple aren't regulars in front of the camera, yet Russ made us feel...
so relaxed and comfortable throughout our entire engagement shoot. We're pretty silly by nature, and Russ capitalized on our playful personalities which completely shine through in our photos. Russ' ability to set up a shot and provide clear direction made the shoot easy, effortless, and most importantly fun! We still can't thank Russ enough for his flexibility and professionalism in scheduling our shoot. Our initial session was booked during a bout of unhealthy air quality in the Bay Area and Russ granted us the opportunity to make a judgment call on the day of the shoot to determine if we should move forward or postpone. We ultimately postponed and rescheduled for two weeks later, but on a whim we asked Russ if he could accommodate us a week earlier, and he cheerfully squeezed us in! Russ connected with us by phone on a few occasions leading up to our shoot, and he was always very accommodating to adhere to our overall vision. We had two locations that are close in proximity to one another in mind for our shoot, and we're so impressed that Russ managed to capture what appear to be five separate locations that offer such a well-rounded framework. We know we'll cherish these special photographs for a lifetime, and we highly recommend Russ for any and all photography needs!
Reviewed On 9/20/2020 by Zoe J
From start to finish, it was *GREAT* to work with Russ. We booked Russ months before Coronavirus, and during the months when we were reshaping our wedding plans, Russ was adaptable, reliable, and supportive. He was always prompt to get on the p...
hone and to hear what we were thinking and what we wanted. We ended up having a minimony - a smaller version of our original wedding plan - and Russ was right there to make our day feel extra special and to highlight the best moments. He understood our vision even better than we did - the pictures attest to that, since he was able to capture the best moments with exactly the focus we'd want to see! All the while, he stayed out of our way, and yet somehow didn't miss a thing. Finally, I just want to say that Russ is a happy person to be around -- and his general uplifting mood is well matched to the spirit of a wedding day. I didn't know how much it would matter to have a happy person be our wedding photographer, but Russ' whole demeanor was a definite definite definite boon!
Reviewed On 9/11/2020 by Courtney C
There are not enough accolades that I can give to Russ and the amazing job he did in photographing our minimony this past weekend. He was so easy to work with and captured every emotion, moment and vibe perfectly. We originally hired Russ to...
photograph our large 175 person wedding. Once COVID hit, we knew that we wanted him to capture our replanned small wedding of 16 people. It was one of the best planning decisions we made. For the past 5 days, I have been going back and "Oohhhing and Ahhhing" over the photos he took. Apart from his professionalism before and during our microwedding, the turnaround in getting us our teasers and then our first set of proofs must have been record setting. We had our teasers before we fell asleep on our wedding night and the proofs only a few days later. If you are looking for a photographer who will fully capture the intimacy and uniqueness of your small wedding, go with Russ. I promise you won't regret it.
Reviewed On 9/08/2020 by Haley M
We did a lot of shopping around for our engagement photos, and we decided to go with Russ. When we got the photos back, we knew we would never use another photographer in the bay area again. The photoshoot felt so casual, but the resulting phot...
os looked carefully crafted to perfection. When the circumstances led to us doing a zoom elopement, we jumped at the opportunity to book Russ again. A consistent experience, with some of the most beautiful photos we've ever seen. It's hard to believe they were taken right outside our door. He has a talent for turning just about any location into an incredible work of art. During these crazy times, it's also worth noting that he wore 2 masks and was very respectful of our space to make sure everyone felt safe. 10/10 will book again.
Reviewed On 8/15/2020 by Emi K
THERE IS NO ONE BETTER, seriously. We did a very unique Zoom elopement at Calistoga Ranch, and Russ captured the ceremony beautifully. Due to covid, he was only in-person wedding guest for the actual elopement ceremony. Afterwards we did a pho...
to session for couples portraits. All photos are jaw-droppingly stunning. He's great at angles, lighting, everything. He has a fantastic eye, and easy-going demeanor. He gives the perfect amount of direction (remove hair from your forehead, etc), without ever intruding. As the only real investment we put into our elopement, I cannot tell you how thankful we were to have used Russ. Hands down the best in the area (and maybe ever tbh?).
Reviewed On 7/30/2020 by Anya W
Russ Levi is a fantastically gifted artist, a true professional, a joy to work with, and an all-around great guy.   Russ first photographed our engagement session in which we were stunned to find that he took photo after photo of the best pict...
ures of ourselves we had ever seen. He made us feel natural and comfortable, and frankly, he made us two goofballs look like absolute rock stars.  Then, Covid happened and we were forced to reschedule our large wedding ceremony.  Russ was one of the most gracious and empathetic vendors in helping us reschedule. He was flexible and made an otherwise difficult process as painless as possible. In the wake of Covid, we chose to elope in a very small (~14 people), stripped down micro-wedding on the beach. Russ was the ONLY vendor we trusted to capture our elopement and was the only non-family/close friend present. Our entire minimony lasted less than 90 minutes, yet Russ efficiently captured all of our most important moments. Russ's confidence and kindness put us at ease as we all worked together to navigate the uncharted world of Covid-era micro-weddings. He was committed to promoting the health and safety of all guests- he wore a mask the entire time, was extremely conscientious regarding personal space and took extra steps to ensure everyones' comfort.   Russ's photography captured the most cherished moments of our life so far, from the sweet and emotional, to the funny and festive. His photos capture a refreshing realness and are romantic, evocative, and cool. We are forever grateful that Russ captured the most beautifully authentic version of ourselves and our guests.   After two opportunities to work together, we are more excited than ever for Russ to photograph our rescheduled big wedding next year! In sum, Russ Levi is simply the best there is and we wholeheartedly recommend his services.
Reviewed On 5/18/2020 by Kelly R
I cannot say enough good things about Russ as a human, and of course, as a photographer. He shot our engagement photos, and *almost* shot our wedding... but then COVID-19 happened. First, his humanness: We're one of the unlucky couples who pla...
nned a spring 2020 wedding that was cancelled. We had booked Russ almost 2 years ago, and fully paid for his services for the wedding. Then-- bam. COVID-19. We had to go through the excruciating tasks of cancelling all our vendors, informing guests, and figuring out how the F to get married in the middle of a pandemic. Russ, no questions asked, offered to refund us in full. (We decided to cancel the wedding vs. postpone, thus didn't re-book any vendors). We know vendors are suffering, and refunding is not easy. We so appreciate that Russ did what we feel is fair. Second, his photography-ness: I mean, just look at his portfolio and you can see that he's got skill. He shot our engagement photos and we were beyond thrilled with how they turned out: he made two awkward, goofy people who were doing weird silly things with their bodies & faces the whole time somehow look like models. He has such a creative eye, especially when it comes to capturing light & shadow in stunning ways that complement the subjects. He expertly helped us pose in ways he knew would look good on camera, without making us feel like we were "posing." He made us feel comfortable the entire time. Plus, Russ is hilarious, warm, and so easy get along with (I was fortunate to be friends with him before our shoot). The shoot was so much fun, and he delivered the photos super fast. We're devastated about our wedding cancellation for many reasons, and honestly not having Russ as our photographer is a big one.
Reviewed On 3/27/2020 by Amanda N
Through divine intervention, we met up with Russ in Oahu, Hawaii (our first time there) after having worked with him in the past. Collectively, we decided we shouldn't let this opportunity pass and he and his partner offered an impromptu photos...
hoot for us in a beautiful botanical garden (that we accepted of course). Right off the bat, he made sure we were comfortable, even after a random rain storm at the very beginning of the shoot. He was able to turn that mishap into a beautiful moment and all of the pictures turned out amazing! The style was light and airy, and HELLA romantic, all qualities that you would expect out of a Russ Levi photoshoot in Hawaii!
Reviewed On 2/15/2020 by Sahana C
My fiance found Russel through instagram, and both of found his work very impressive. We approached him for our pre-wedding photo shoot. From the get go, Russell has been responsive to our questions, and working with him was like a breeze. This...
was my very first professional photo shoot, and Russell made us feel comfortable in front of the camera. What's really commendable about him, is he has captured "us" in the frame. Extremely professional, he was on time, helped us through the session, and captured the most beautiful pictures of us. He was so easy to work with, and the turn around time on the pictures were unbelievable :) . Russell, both of us are so glad that we got photographed by you. We love the pictures. Thank you!!!
Reviewed On 2/15/2020 by Dora C
We are so happy that we chose Russ to capture our wedding - we couldn't have imagined anyone better! Our wedding photography was extremely important to us. We did a ton of research and reviewed the portfolios of ~100 photographers, and ultimate...
ly chose Russ because we loved his style and vibe, including both his photography and him as a person. We are so grateful for his patience, guidance, and sense of humor throughout the entire process and our big day. Not only was he a consummate professional with superior photography skills, but he was also able to put us at ease while keeping us and the entire wedding on track. We received a surprisingly large batch of photos the day after our wedding, and also received the full package of multiple albums several days ahead of schedule. We love you Russ!
Reviewed On 2/06/2020 by Alicia B
Russ was an excellent addition to our wedding! He is incredibly talented as a photographer and we are very pleased with the gallery in which he presented to us after the wedding. Most photographers make their clients wait weeks for their photos...
- Russ delivered 100 of his favorite photos as a sneak peak the WEEK AFTER THE WEDDING. Amazing turn-around, especially when you're an antsy bride like myself! Then just a few short weeks later, he delivered the entire gallery after he was done enhancing. Russ's high-contrast photographic style evokes dramatic emotions that put you right back into that moment of wedding bliss. I would highly recommend Russ!
Reviewed On 2/01/2020 by Stephanie K
Russ is such an amazing dude. From the moment I first spoke with him on the phone and up until he tripled checked on us before he left, Russ made our entire wedding experience fun, stress-free, and magical. He has a magnificent eye for getting...
the perfect shots and capturing great angles. Russ provided us with enough direction to make us feel comfortable in front of the camera without being too aggressive or snotty. We got our photos so quickly!! I love his style and his attitude towards life! Besides, he has a cool hipster leather camera harness strap.
Reviewed On 1/08/2020 by Lauren G
My fiancé and I had our engagement photos done in November 2019 by Russ and I can't rave enough about him! I first found him off the Knot website and fell in love with his portfolio. My fiancé and I knew throughout this process we would be the ...
most picky about our photography for our engagement/wedding photos, but Russ was the one we both agreed on and felt his style was the one that embodied our style and vibe the most. We first scheduled our photos to be taken in October, but due to the fires sprouting up around the Bay Area and the wind, the smoke was likely to ruin our stunning back drops in SF. He was very flexible in waiting till the day of to call off the shoot and he was easy to reschedule for another date in November. Russ was punctual, easy to communicate with and answered my millions of questions. During the shoot, he was such a breeze to work with and was able to joke around and talk us through to positioning ourselves in a way that was natural and flattering. He is a master at utilizing natural light in order to make the photos look stunning. We are so in love with our engagement photos and we cannot wait till we are able to work with him again for our wedding! Highly recommended, don't hesitate to book with him!
Reviewed On 1/04/2020 by Edmund L
My wife and I did an engagement photoshoot with Russ. We had a great experience working with Russ and also loved the resulting photos of us. We did another engagement shoot prior to our shoot with Russ and had a lot of trouble posing, placing o...
ur hands, acting natural, and just getting through the shoot in general. Russ gave us direction and set a mood that made it much easier to feel natural and pose better for photos. We had a great time being in front of the camera with Russ despite how stiff and awkward we are usually. After the shoot, we were mind-blown by the results and how well we looked in the photos. Post-shoot, we still had a great time working with Russ to get the photos processed, some retouched, and into our hands. Again, we had a great experience working with Russ and also loved the resulting photos of us.
Reviewed On 12/01/2019 by Judy C
My now-husband and I had the opportunity of working with Russ, not once but twice! First of our engagement photo session, and then again for our wedding day. For our engagement photos, we had planned on taking them outdoors in various neighbor...
hoods in San Francisco. Just our luck - there was a heavy downpour the entire day. Luckily, Russ had alternative ideas that we were open to. We ended up taking them at SFMOMA and even took various 'artsy' photos in the rain. We loved them! While the weather was beautiful on our wedding day, the power went out at the hotel we were getting ready at. Russ and his second photographer arrived to pure chaos. Despite the high levels of stress, they helped calm us down and reminded us that natural light was better for indoor shots anyway. The rest of the day went smoothly and our photos turned out perfectly! If you want a straight-forward, honest, no-fluff photographer, Russ is the guy for you! He will wrangle and pose you and your loved ones with no time wasted and make sure the best moments are captured. Thank you for everything, Russ!
Reviewed On 10/29/2019 by David C
Russell was a charm to work with. He was extremely pleasant to work with and made us look like stars. We can’t thank him enough for the memories he captured for us. I would highly recommend him.
Reviewed On 10/20/2019 by Denise F
WOW! Where to start? Russ is an incredibly talented photographer with great artistic vision. From the first moment I viewed his website, I fell in love with his style. Most wedding photography seemed very much the same to me. However, Russ's p...
hotos were so vibrant and full of color, excitement, and personality. They are interesting. He is able to capture the essence of the moment in his photographs. I am thrilled that he was able to capture the same elements from my wedding. From our very first interaction, Russ was incredibly helpful and responsive (probably the most responsive out of ALL my wedding vendors). He is funny and incredibly professional. Prior to the wedding we had several phone conversations where we discussed my vision and how to make everything work (on time). On the day of, he was a positive and helpful presence. I am thankful that he had the ability to rally my group for pictures...especially since they were getting rowdy and hard to handle haha. We got our pictures in a timely manner and are completely in love with them. My family, friends, and colleagues have commented on the beauty of the photos and stated that they look "straight out of a magazine." We would like to thank Russ for being part of our special day and for making beautiful photos for us that we can keep forever. - Denise and Scott
Reviewed On 10/18/2019 by Seungha L
Russ is phenomenal. We hired Russ as our wedding photographer and it was one of the best decisions we made. Russ is a true professional. From start to finish, we had a wonderful experience working with him. He is very responsive and extremely ...
knowledgable about lighting and technical equipment. He also has an artistic eye and knows how to take the best shots. What I appreciate the most about Russ is his personality. He's really fun to be around! Being in front of a camera can be awkward and uncomfortable, but Russ makes it fun. He makes you feel comfortable and really knows how to capture people well -- not in a fake, posed way but he brings out the real person. You can see it in all of his pictures; they are alive and tell a story. My husband and I were SO HAPPY with how our wedding gallery turned out. We already knew they would be great but he exceeded our expectations. We got so many compliments from our friends and family, and some even told us the photos gave them the chills. Russ is amazing and I can't recommend him enough!!
Reviewed On 10/18/2019 by Luo L
It is difficult to choose a wedding photographer. SO difficult. It is so, so saturated and after looking at galleries for hours, they all start to look the same. But not for Russ. If you look at his gallery, there's something more lively about...
it. It's dramatic. And it doesn't make sense that Russ can create these breathtaking photos when a lot of other galleries are more "still"... but then you meet him and it starts to make a little more sense. He's an artist, through and through. The way his mind works is so intelligent...I was really blown away when he was making decisions about predicting light situations, what will work and what won't work.. you can tell he's so all over it. More than just that, he is SO funny, charismatic, and pleasurable to be around. We miss him already and intend to do more shoots with him in the future to hang out with him again. Lastly, our* gallery. It was natural for us to be doubtful that our photos would look half as good as the ones on his website. There was just no way.. but it was, indeed, way. Jaw-dropping. Better than we could have hoped. Friends and family going crazy about it. Book him early, the value is so* there. When finished, get a digital photo album and display at home forever.
Reviewed On 10/15/2019 by Mackenzie G
Everything about our experience with Russ was perfect from beginning to end. My fiance and I are newbies in front of a camera and were very worried that the pictures were going to turn out posed and awkward. Somehow, Russ knew exactly how to gu...
ide us without making us feel or look awkward. The pictures turned out beyond amazing and the entire experience far exceeded our expectations.
Reviewed On 10/15/2019 by Monica N
Russ was incredible to work with and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! My then fiancée now husband HATES taking photos and the idea of posing for engagement and wedding photography definitely took him out of his comfort zone. When we had our first “consultat...
ion meeting” with Russ, I relayed my husband’s concerns about our photos looking too “staged” and how we wanted our wedding day to be as organic and natural as possible (with the caveat that we also wanted amazing photos). Russ definitely worked his magic because after our engagement photo shoot my husband couldn’t stop complementing how he loved working with Russ and how excited he was to see our engagement and upcoming wedding photos (definitely a first for my husband). The quality of Russ’ work speaks for itself! He has the amazing talent of capturing the raw emotion of the moment without being intrusive. The best way to describe him is a very stealthy photo ninja! Every time I look at our photos (which is pretty much all the time) it is like reliving the most perfect day. Throughout all our interactions with Russ he was incredibly professional, responsive, and so so so understanding and respectful of our vision. Russ offered just the right amount of guidance for our golden hour and wedding party photos while capturing the moments that matter without us feeling like we were “doing it for the gram” (if you know what I mean). Russ is truly a phenomenal photographer and I cannot tell you how many compliments we have received from family and friends about how much they LOVED our wedding photos. Working with Russ as our engagement and wedding photographer was definitely one of the best wedding decisions we made!
Reviewed On 8/25/2019 by Jenny M
Russ is a fantastic photographer! He gave us the most magical, beautiful photos on our wedding day. They were beyond what we imagined. He brought out the best in my husband and me by listening to our (sometimes weird) ideas and infusing them wi...
th his artistic eye. For posed photos, Russ directed us to bring out our best angles, and had great ideas for photo ops. He encouraged us to be ourselves. He was a delight to talk to and work with. The shots of our guests mingling are really fun, too. You can tell they felt at ease around him. I don’t know how he was in so many places at once, but it was a treat to look through our photos and see just how much fun everyone had. Russ is a gem, and I highly recommend him for your special event!
Reviewed On 7/20/2019 by Delaney N
We would 1,000% recommend Russ Levi Photography! Without question, he was the best vendor decision we made for our wedding. Not only is Russ a great person but one AMAZING photographer. We couldn't be happier with our engagement and wedding pho...
tos. He is so easy to work with and got us our photos so fast! My husband and I are not good at taking pictures but Russ made us feel so comfortable through out all of our photo sessions. He gave us such a variety of photos too - beautiful, dramatic, silly, candid, artistic, loving, etc. You cannot go wrong with choosing Russ Levi Photography.
Reviewed On 6/03/2019 by Carolyn T
Russ is absolutely amazing. He (and his second shooter Paul) were so easy to work with, it was like hanging out with friends. They just happen to have very, very fancy cameras. They were a part of the entire day (9+hours) and I can just about r...
e-live the entire day in their photos. Each one gorgeous and full of love and life. He captured both groups getting ready, the first look, the western ceremony, tea ceremony, reception, family photos, toasts, dancing, the decorations, personal details... every little thing that was a part of that day. Russ captured every smile and tear, the beautiful venue and every little detail in between. I can't express how much we love the photos; We can't stop looking at them. You cannot go wrong with Russ as your photographer.
Reviewed On 5/14/2019 by Emma C
I don't even know where to begin with how happy we are with Russ. We haven't even seen our wedding photos, but know they are going to be absolutely fabulous! (Got married only 2 days ago). I seriously couldn't wait to write a 5-star review for ...
him and his second shooter. We didn't actually meet until the day of our wedding. Sure we had wonderful talks over the phone about logistics and how we should have our family photos taken. However, we both met Russ for the first time right before our wedding. What I loved about Russ the most is that despite the fact never meeting F2F, he seemed so comfortable and friendly. There were no awkward pauses or moments. I felt immediately connected to his personality. He was very professional and was not shy to let us know how to pose or stand. We want our pictures to be perfect, we truly appreciated all the direction he gave us! Russ was also extremely organized. He kept people in line during our family photos after the ceremony and finished in time for us to catch the tail end of our cocktail hour! He felt like family without being in our faces the whole night. On the dance floor, we couldn't even tell him and his second shooter was there. Russ definitely knew what he was doing. Couldn't have made a better choice. Thank you, Russ, for everything you've done for us!
Reviewed On 5/01/2019 by Brianna B
Russ is absolutely amazing!! My fiancé and I have super crazy schedules and we only had a few dates this year to take engagement photos. We saw his photos online and I knew immediately we had to take our engagement pictures with him! I emailed ...
him and he responded super quickly saying he would love to take our photos--on short notice and all! During the shoot he did everything possible to make us comfortable and helped us find ways to make each picture unique and memorable. The weather was unfortunately bizarre the day of but Russ still found a spot to take pictures that was absolutely perfect. I was blown away when he sent me the pictures from our engagement shoot! He captured the most perfect moments and I will always cherish these photos. They were truly more perfect than I could have ever imagined! He captured our love so beautifully and I cannot thank him enough!! I highly recommend hiring Russ for any event you have coming up!
Reviewed On 2/12/2019 by Natalie L
I am speechless by Russ's work because it was truly everything we ever wanted our wedding photos to be! Russ took our engagement photos and also captured our wedding day. Russ's style is beautiful, elegant, romantic and artsy. He is so easy to ...
work with and has an amazing personality! The moment I saw Russ's work, I knew he was the one for us and I didn't interview any other photographer at all. Everything turned out to be more than perfect, we had a fairy tale wedding and Russ captured each moment exceptionally and now we have these beautiful pictures with us forever to remember! We usually feel awkward around the camera, but he made us feel so comfortable and we had such a great experience! ALL of our photos turned out amazing to the point it brought tears to my eyes cause they were so beautiful and perfect. He also gives great direction/guidance and is super knowledgable in photography. He is a true professional and is SO talented. If you are looking for a one of a kind photographer, hire Russ, you won't be disappointed, only amazed. I can guarantee you! If I could rewind to my whole wedding experience, I would pick Russ all over again :)
Reviewed On 1/05/2019 by Jeff L
My wife and I hired Russ for our anniversary photoshoot because a friend of ours had her engagement pictures taken by Russ and we absolutely love his style! I highly recommend him. Super, friendly guy and someone I could see myself just hanging...
out with! He constantly has ideas for poses, so we were constantly changing poses to get the most out of our 2 hour photoshoot. We was a trooper as it started raining pretty damn hard for about 15 minutes, but still toughed it out. We were going for a more dark forest type shoot and he had a great recommendation for the location. Highly recommend and will definitely be hiring him again in the future for other photoshoots!
Reviewed On 1/02/2019 by Audry C
Russell is worth every penny!!! He is incredibly talented, detailed, and professional. He has a specific style that matched exactly what we were envisioning of our wedding photos—vibrant, elegant, vivid and unique. My husband and I had a large ...
entourage/family, and Russell was very patient with all the combinations of photos we wanted to take after our ceremony (bridal party, Godparents, grooms family, bride’s family, etc.) He made our group feel super comfortable and directed everyone so well! During our conversations with Russell a few weeks prior to the wedding, he found out how large our group would be and suggested a second photographer. I really appreciated his honesty and advice on this aspect because we were able to get a wide variety photos. Another thing we especially appreciated from Russell was his prompt and detailed replies. A big wedding planning stressor is dealing with vendors who take forever to reply or are unclear when giving information. Russell NEVER made us feel that way! After the wedding, he sent us teaser images the very next day and told us to expect the rest of our photos in 8 weeks, but he ended up finishing them 3 weeks early :) Everyone who has seen our wedding photos have nothing but positive things to say, and we couldn’t be more happy that we chose Russell to capture our special day.
Reviewed On 11/17/2018 by Megan G
It was very hard to narrow down our search for a photographer when planning our wedding because the Bay Area is so saturated with professionals. We are so glad we chose Russ! Not only is he a super friendly person but he's a great talent. Our p...
hotos turned out beautiful and beyond expectation. We couldn't recommend him more.
Reviewed On 10/10/2018 by Crissy L
RUSS IS THE BEST, HANDS DOWN. He captured our engagement and wedding day photos better than we could have ever imagined. The amount of excitement, love and happiness from what he was able to capture is so evident, it's almost tangible. If there...
's one vendor you can rely on without a doubt, it's him. He was our favorite wedding vendor and worth every. single. penny. Throughout the entire planning process, he was extremely professional - he was always the first to communicate and respond to our inquiries/emails (even when he was out of the country shooting for other weddings), he was honest, gave great suggestions, he was always punctual when meeting with us, and he was especially flexible when the wedding timeline did not go as planned. Most of all, his talent is unparalleled. Being able to view our wedding day through his perception is such a special experience because of the different angles he chooses, his ability to find the best lighting, and his quick adaptability to any situation. We never had to worry about him getting the right shot because we placed our full trust in him. From the moment he stepped in to meet my husband for wedding prep to our sparkler exit at the end, he was constantly taking shots so all of the unforgettable details and candid moments we will cherish forever and can now relive anytime we want. A suggestion for future brides: Consider hiring a second shooter. We absolutely do not regret opting for a 2nd. Russ chose a photographer with a very similar visual aesthetic compared to his own and the combination of both of their photos were perfection. Overall, HIRE RUSS. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
Reviewed On 10/07/2018 by Crissy L
RUSS IS THE BEST, HANDS DOWN. He captured our engagement and wedding day photos better than we could have ever imagined. The amount of excitement, love and happiness from what he was able to capture is so evident, it’s almost tangible. If there...
’s one vendor you can rely on without a doubt, it’s him. He was our favorite wedding vendor and worth every. single. penny. Throughout the entire planning process, he was extremely professional - he was always the first to communicate and respond to our inquiries/emails (even when he was out of the country shooting for other weddings), he was honest, gave great suggestions, he was always punctual when meeting with us, and he was especially flexible when the wedding timeline did not go as planned. Most of all, his talent is unparalleled. Being able to view our wedding through his perception is such a special experience because of the different angles he chooses, his ability to find the best lighting, and his quick adaptability to any situation. We never had to worry about him getting the right shot because we placed our full trust in him. From the moment he stepped in to meet my husband for wedding prep to our sparkler exit at the end, he was constantly taking shots so all of the unforgettable details and candid moments we will cherish forever and can now relive whenever we want. A suggestion for future brides: Consider hiring a second shooter. We absolutely do not regret opting for a 2nd. Russ chose a photographer with a very similar visual aesthetic compared to his own and the combination of both of their photos were perfection. Overall, he is Godsent. HIRE RUSS. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
Reviewed On 8/30/2018 by Corinne B
Russ is the absolute best. Not only was he super professional and easy going throughout the wedding planning process he was absolutely INCREDIBLE on the day of the wedding. He found a way to get AMAZING shots only using a very short amount of...
my time (I was one of those bratty brides that didn't want to deal with pictures and just wanted to party :) ) and he was so kind and so supportive of me on the day. I felt bad because I really gave him a short window to succeed and he went ABOVE AND BEYOND. The end result is gorgeous- feel free to check them out on his website :). I had so many guests saying how he and his assistant were everywhere, capturing every moment while simply blending in and making everything seem so effortless. And even better- HE'S FUNNY! He makes the group photos seem like a piece of cake and his humor makes the anti-pose people such as myself and my husband feel at ease during our couple shoots. He really is the best and such a support to any bride on their special day. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
Reviewed On 8/28/2018 by Michelle S
We were so lucky to have found Russ! He is not only an outstanding photographer but also a very fun person to work with. To be honest, neither my husband nor I am great models because we don't think we are photogenic and we get awkward easily i...
n front of a camera. But Russ was really good at making us feel comfortable and helping us get into the mood. The engagement pictures and wedding pictures are all stunning. I love how he likes to play with lighting and reflections...etc. All the pictures are so lively and fun. Family and friends gave us so many compliments on the pictures. I would definitely recommend him to couples looking for more artistic and natural style photos. He will not give you dull wedding portraits but amazing art work!
Reviewed On 8/13/2018 by Sara M
Russ was outstanding - from the word go. His photos were beautiful; he was extremely professional and responsive, and so easy and fun to work with! We are delighted we chose Russ to record our special day!
Reviewed On 8/03/2018 by Jessica S
Okay let me be up front by saying that I am not one of Russ's past clients, but am a wedding professional (wedding planner) and I can honestly not say enough good things about him. Russ and I have worked together a good handful of times now, ...
and every single time he blows me away. To start, his work is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. He is such a pleasure to be around and work with, makes the clients feel so comfortable and at ease in front of the camera, and overall makes the whole process just feel fun... He is funny, patient, so so incredibly hard working, talented, enthusiastic and professional. I could go on and on. I work with photographers every single weekend, but am always THRILLED to hear when my clients have booked Russ, and not only because of all of the reasons I mentioned above, but because I instantly know that the day is going to run smoothly and on time with his photography schedule (wedding planners dream come true wink wink) that the day is going to be documented beautifully, and that my clients are going to be so incredibly happy with their wedding photos. I honestly can't recommend him enough!
Reviewed On 7/05/2018 by Daniel D
With camera technology being what it is and with the resources of the internet, it isn't that difficult to grab a camera, learn how to use it, and produce images that are reasonably good. It just takes a little patience and a little practice. ...
Russell has much more than patience and practice; it takes real talent to draw out someone's personality and make a two-dimensional image jump off the page, the way Russell does. And to do it consistently, year after year, shoot after shoot, takes extraordinary discipline and dedication to the craft of photography. I've known Russell for eight years now, and I've seen how despite having achieved the kind of success of which many photographers can only dream, he continues to improve, learn, and grow. And on top of that, what really makes Russell stand out as a photographer, is that he loves what he does. To not only make great photographs, but also have a blast while doing so, and make it so that his subjects (even the camera-shy ones) enjoy not only the results, but have a blast right along with him? That takes wizardry. And that's what you get when you hire Russell. Be it for your wedding, engagement, birthday, bat mitzvah, or anything else for that matter.
Reviewed On 5/21/2018 by Kate H
Engagement: Russ is AMAZING. He listened to everything I wanted and really helped my fiancé and I get into fun and relaxed poses. His eye for light and detail is amazing and I LOVE my engagement photos! EDIT: Well, my wedding is over and I am ...
unbelievably joyous over the photos I've received. Every single member of my bridal party (and a ton of my guests) are 100% obsessed with Russ and his amazing personality. He made a lasting positive impression on all of us and it has just reconfirmed how great of a decision it was to work with him. I can't wait for another excuse to get photos done by him!
Reviewed On 5/13/2018 by Danielle L
Russ Levi was fabulous to work with. I absolutely love his style and we hired him to do our engagement photos. He was extremely responsive and excited to work together on a very fun photoshoot. We printed out many of his photos for the house an...
d also used them for our wedding invitations and they capture our personalities so well! Absolutely enjoyed working with him.
Reviewed On 5/07/2018 by Emily L
Friendly and fun, while softly efficient and professional. If you're looking for coverage for a big event, Russ is exactly who you want. If you're looking for a photographer who can work comfortably in a personal setting, Russ is exactly who ...
you want. Unintrusive but present, Russ a very tasteful sense of style. You're not subjected to anything dramatic or overbearing (unless you request that). Hints of both traditional and modern composition demonstrate that Russ is very capable in both arenas. He can capture the candid moments essential to your event, and construct posed framing without feeling forced or unnatural. I can unflinchingly recommend Russ for whatever it is you need. He is a brilliant communicator and even when there is chaos he gets a read on your expectations and exceeds them flawlessly.
Reviewed On 5/01/2018 by SUFEI W
If you like his portfolio, don’t hesitate to talk to him. You will enjoy working with him as much as you enjoy the big day! Don’t let his price range scare you away, in the end, his package value, which I calculate as total price/# SUPREME p...
hoto, is the best ever! PLUS your picture will look like no others’, because he makes everyone’s wedding photo magnificent in a unique way and you most likely won’t stop showing them off.
Reviewed On 4/23/2018 by Christina K
Russell was so great to work with, we had him for both engagement shoot and wedding day. He is on top of everything, ideas, communications, timeline, and energy! There were two parts of our wedding that I labored intensely over, the photographe...
r and videographer, since they would be the ones helping us remember our day. I loved Russell's portfolio and there were tons of candid photos which I liked, but most of all, I loved his signature look in his photos. I don't know what this looks is called, but it's gorgeous, romantic, dramatic, yet intimate. I also liked that Russell was comfortable working with a huge wedding party of 300+ guests and had a second photographer with him too. Russell was amazing to work with and even my husband who is super uncomfortable in front of cameras, got pretty comfortable with Russell behind the lens (his grimace-smile turned into a smile-smile). He hiked through the woods with us for our engagement shoot and kept our shoot super fun and relaxed. One thing that stands out is Russell's professionalism and dedication to getting the perfect photo day for his clients. Our wedding day was extremely long (12+ hrs) and complex with multiple stops, meaning our timeline was very tight. Russell made sure to have a phone meeting with us the week of, to make sure everybody was on the same page. He went over the timeline in detail and helped adjust certain areas to make sure we got all the key photos we wanted on our very tight schedule. Day of, Russell was amazing and despite many of our family getting in the way of his shots with their phones taking pictures, he kept his cool. Post-wedding, he sent some teaser pics to hold us over the week after, but literally, jut a month later, he had all of our wedding photos ready to be viewed! The photos stayed true to his style, were candid, and looked amazing. He really helped capture all parts of our day. Thanks again for everything!!!
Reviewed On 4/12/2018 by Janay M
Hiring Russ to shoot our engagement and wedding photos was the best decision we made during the entire process. Photos are one of the few things you are left with to remember the day, so make sure you have an amazing photographer. We're coming ...
up on our one year anniversary (its embarrassing it has taken me this long to post a review, sorry Russ!) and we still have people telling us how awesome our photographer was! Russ has such a great ability to capture the best of people, we have amazing pictures of almost every person who attended our wedding and we treasure those photos immensely. Russ was incredibly profession, so talented, and such a pleasure to work with. I honestly can't recommend him enough. Stop looking, you've found your photographer!
Reviewed On 3/17/2018 by Tyson C
I’ll preface this by saying I’m a graphic designer/art director based out of New York, and I am extremely particular with photography, so trying to find a photographer to document the most important day of my life was very stressful! With that ...
being said, I could not be happier with how my experience with Russ panned out! Russ is extremely nice, and very easy to work with. He contacted us soon after we reached out to him, and provided clear and accommodating package deals, which we were able to tailor to our unique schedule (my wife and I are Mormon, so we had two ceremonies in two different locations on the same day). On the day of the wedding, Russ was efficient, friendly, and more than patient! He worked the different group shots quickly and effectively, never missing a beat, or losing a detail. He’s also really funny, so it was super easy to feel natural and comfortable when he was taking pictures. We were also fortunate to have Russ’ girlfriend there to assist. I would strongly recommend having Russ bring a second photographer, cause as a team they were dynamite! While Russ was taking the essential wedding shots, she captured awesome candids of our friends and family! After the wedding, when we received our images back, we were over the moon! Russ’ style perfectly captured the heart and soul of our wedding, with beautiful lighting, authentic emotions, and highly conceptual compositions. Absolutely stunning! I could not recommend Russ more. He is extremely talented, and deserves more exposure! (Pun intended...)
Reviewed On 1/05/2018 by Shelby L
Russell was the easiest and best decision we made during the wedding planning! His work is absolute perfection. We couldn't be happier with our photos. Russ is professional, extremely easy to work with, funny and just amazing. We didn't have a...
vision for our engagement shoot so we let Russ pick the location, best decision! He gave us outdoorsy, casual, fun and glamour all in a few hours. Annnnnd the wedding photos! I didn't get off the couch for hours because I had to look through the amazingness over and over and over and over again! So if you aren't catching my drift... stop your photographer search now because no one is better! Russell you are effortlessly talented. The Beyonce of photographers! We adore our photos and you and Alex!
Reviewed On 11/26/2017 by Kailey S
We chose Russell for his absolutely stunning photos, but working with him unexpectedly turned out to be so much fun! We knew we had made the right decision after our engagement session - Russell is so easy to work with and completely focused on...
the couple having a great experience (and finding some great light!). He made us comfortable and put us at ease, and our engagement photos came out so naturally and really showed our personalities as a couple. Fast forward to a few months later, and while Russell hadn't been to our wedding venue before, he managed to find all of the perfect places for photos, and really made use of the expansive space and multiple beautiful vineyard backdrops. To top it all off, Russell was extremely responsive and prompt through the whole process - and even managed to get us our photos a month early during the height of wedding season! We can't say enough good things about working with Russell and just hope we have an excuse to use him as a photographer again in the future!
Reviewed On 11/11/2017 by Elaheh T
We could not be any happier with our pictures and his work. Russ and his team are absolutely amazing, professional and talented. I didn't have him for my engagement and our wedding was our first experience. He made the whole process so fun and ...
easy and comfortable. He is really patient and flexible ( I know it's hard to manage big bridal party of Persians!). Pictures are one of the most important things in the wedding and you can NEVER go wrong with Russ!
Reviewed On 9/07/2017 by Jacqueline R
Russell is truly an artist. He did a fantastic job from start to finish. We did our engagement session at the California Academy of Sciences, which we were hesitant about because of the crowds but Russell was willing to take on the challenge....
You don’t even notice the other people. Russell found the ideal locations around the museum to stop us to take photos and he so wonderfully captured our silliness as we engaged in the exhibits. Russell checked in with us multiple times leading up to the wedding and it was always easy to get ahold of him. As we planned our timeline for the wedding, he was very helpful with providing estimates on how long it would take to get all of our different combinations of photos and with suggestions on changes to the timeline that would make things easier on us. On the day of the wedding, he was professional, calm, but most importantly, he had a great, positive attitude. He was unobtrusive during the ceremony and reception, which I am very thankful for. I didn’t even notice him but he still captured every moment so beautifully. When we first viewed the slideshow of the photos, I cried. Looking at the photos made me relive our special day. The candid photos perfectly capture the emotion that was felt in that moment. In our couple shots, you can feel the love between us and how happy we are. Our wedding party photos and our various family portraits are stunning. Russell paid close attention to balance when telling people where to sit, stand, or where to look. I am seriously blown away with how all of our photos turned out. We have received so many compliments on the quality of our photos. We are so grateful to Russell and his work and we will forever cherish our photos.
Reviewed On 9/05/2017 by Sarah Z
Russell is simply fantastic and extremely talented, so much so that one of my bridesmaids has also chosen Russell as her wedding photographer and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to any of our other friends! My husband and I first met Ru...
ssell and his girlfriend Alex (who is also amazing and was our second photographer for both our engagement shoot and wedding) at his SF office and immediately saw his passion and joy for photography. Russell is charismatic, funny (or should I say pun-ny - because he loves puns!) and a blast to talk to and hang out with. We lost track of time at our first meeting and ended up chatting with Russell and Alex for almost 2 hours. It felt like we had been friends for ages and we decided on the spot that we wanted Russell as our photographer. Wedding planning can be chaotic and stressful, but selecting our photographer was one of the easiest decisions we had to make! For our engagement shoot, Russell and Alex drove out to meet us at Yosemite for the day. I became pretty nervous after seeing how many park visitors were around and staring at us taking photos. Russell was able to make me feel a lot more comfortable by telling jokes (and puns) and had an eye for finding all these beautiful spots with less people around. I will forever cherish our engagement shoot because for most of the day, Russell was able to make us forget that we were even taking photos and it felt like it was just my husband and I enjoying sweet moments together surrounded by towering trees and granite mountain cliffs. Fast forward 2 months to our wedding in July of this year. Russell and Alex arrived on time to me and my bridesmaids running behind schedule for getting ready. Russell immediately started telling jokes and was able to lighten the mood in the bridal suite. Before I even finished getting ready, Russell had already gone ahead and taken pictures of the flower girls, my dress and jewelry, etc. Russell and Alex were able to capture every joyous, tearful, funny and cute moment throughout the day and was open to trying every picture idea that we had. Unlike most wedding photographers we’ve seen, Russell didn’t try to pose us too much. Instead, he allowed real moments to develop and knew exactly when to capture the most genuine of emotions. Initially following our wedding, we felt somewhat regretful for not hiring a videographer to capture all the cute flower girl mishaps and moments that we missed. But after receiving back our wedding photos, that regret has completely diminished. Russell didn’t just capture photos, he captured stories and memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. My mom even said going through all the photos was like watching a movie of our wedding! Even though we are still in the midst of wedding season, Russell was able to deliver our photos weeks earlier than what was promised. If you have spent the time to read this entire review, then do yourself a favor and contact Russell immediately! Your wedding photos by Russell will no doubt make you smile ear to ear and help you relive the happiest moments of your wedding day for years to come!
Reviewed On 6/25/2017 by Lauren M
We can't shower Russ and his team with enough praise! They were true professional with experience that showed. As a destination bride and groom, we were a little nervous about never meeting some of our vendors face-to-face, but Russ put us at e...
ase immediately. His confidence and friendliness came through via Skype and he was always quick to respond to emails. He and his team were a joy to be around all day, making us all laugh and feel comfortable. They delivered photos that perfectly captured every emotion felt that day (in us and our guests) and we will forever cherish every one of them. Thank you, Russ and team!
Reviewed On 6/08/2017 by Olga A
We could not be happier after working with Russell on our engagement photos and are now literally going to finalize our wedding date based on his availability. Obviously - his photos are magical. But also, Russell is just a really, really cool ...
dude. He is passionate, not afraid to be himself, and very easy to be around. This helped a lot for two people who are timid with taking photos and don't really know how to work with a photographer. We kind-of-sort-of had an idea of a "mood" and threw out a few disjoined adjectives, and, lo and behold, he ended up nailing it perfectly. Honestly, I was concerned, because he didn't look like he was working too hard - he was just joyfully taking photos while swiftly shifting gear. It was overall just a really good time where we got to play around a lot. He was incredibly imaginative and never had a shortage of ideas of how to use a space creatively. In the end, I was WOWED big time with Russell's work and constantly torture my friends and family by sharing my photos again and again with exclamations such "DAAANG I look good in this one!" or "How in the world did he think of this?" or similar. Since I'm hoping to not get married more than once, now I'm just brainstorming excuses to hire Russell for more photo sessions.
Reviewed On 5/31/2017 by Jeanette G
To start, Russell had fantastic communication through the entire process - which was amazing, since most of my vendors took sometimes a week to reply to my email. His style was fantastic and really captured our engagement photos (A MUST for us...
because we wanted to really feel 100% comfortable on our wedding day) and wedding day perfectly. He was very friendly to all the guests and my parents loved him! We are very happy with our wedding and engagement photos and couldn't recommend him more. Thanks Russell!!
Reviewed On 5/18/2017 by Corinne B
My fiancé and I knew we wanted more than just the basic, awkward engagement photos you see nowadays. After looking at Russ’s website, the decision to hire him was clear. His photos are rich and captivating. They tell a story. On top of his stun...
ning photography, he was extremely professional and quick to respond to our inquiries. Even though our photo shoot was only at 2 locations, he made it seem like 5 or 6. He really knows how to use the space and light to its full potential. I do not consider myself to be photogenic, and rarely like any pictures of myself, but I absolutely adore the pictures Russ took. If you are looking for a photographer to capture genuine moments, not just cheesy poses, Russ is your guy. Highly recommend. Will use him again in the future.
Reviewed On 3/20/2017 by Lindsey M
I chose Russ Levi for after scrolling through what felt like hundreds of Bay Area wedding photographer websites. The beautiful couples shots and endearing guest interactions in his portfolio, as well as his excellent reviews, sealed the deal fo...
r me. Our photos turned out beautifully, and I was especially impressed with the nighttime and first dance shots. Russ was very responsive in communications, on time for our engagement and wedding day shoots, and got great coverage of the proceedings without any unnatural interruptions. He is flexible and will plan out your shot list with you in advance to capture what is important to you. We received our edited photos back two months after the wedding day, and the photo album will probably take 1-2 months from when I submitted my album selections. I would not hesitate to recommend Russ for your wedding photography he is great artist, has a pleasant demeanor, and is highly professional.
Reviewed On 2/07/2017 by Beth F
Russ was one of our favorite parts of our day. Yes, Russ is amazing. Look at his photos. He's so easy to work with, super organized, responsive, funny, and calm. He got our required family and group photos with ease and an ability to direct la...
rge groups of people kindly and quickly so we could get back to enjoying time together. He has created treasures for us, for our families, and friends. We look at his photos and are instantly transported back into that specific moment, with all the emotion, love, joy, and tears. I have never felt my heart fill, overflow, and expand with joy and love as I did on that day. Each photo ignites that feeling every time. Thank you.
Reviewed On 2/03/2017 by Abraham N
We used Russ Levi Photography for both an engagement shoot and our wedding day and we can't say enough wonderful things about working with him! He has a very unique, editorial style that sets him apart and well above most wedding photographers...
. His photos are both beautiful and striking; they capture the moment perfectly and look like they belong on magazine covers. Russ is amicable and kind, so rapport develops almost instantaneously - something very important for someone who will be right there capturing your most intimate moments. He effectively provide polite feedback and guidance to get his subjects situated for the perfect shot. Pricing was also reasonable and contracting was straightforward. Also, I definitely recommend an engagement shoot as it allows you to get used to being photographed, to see what types of shots you like and don't like, and gives you fantastic material for your wedding website. We can wait to hire Russ again for other family photoshoots!!! :)
Reviewed On 11/02/2016 by M P
Russell is truly outstanding. He has amazing intuition for anticipating the moment, a good eye for the artistic, and a knack for capturing your natural emotions in a very genuine manner. And of course Russell's fundamentals and technique are ...
top notch. The net result is your photos will look amazing. Russell makes the mundane looks magical. Actually, I wonder if anything looks mundane through Russell's eyes, because all of our wedding photos look so beautiful. If you want amazing wedding photos, you owe it to yourself to check out Russell's portfolio. Oh yeah, and Russell is super fun and personable too! When we were deciding on a photographer, we ended up grabbing ice cream with him and his girlfriend to get to know each other better. How awesome is that?!?
Reviewed On 10/28/2016 by Rebecca M
Russ was an absolute pleasure to work with and I warmly recommend him for any event. He thought of the location for the shoot and helped set the fun and relaxing tone. I usually hate taking pictures and he made us feel comfortable and fit in wi...
th the vibe of the group. He took stunning pictures of us in the Marin Headlands. Thank you, Russ for an amazing experience. We certainly will use you to capture another life event.
Reviewed On 9/13/2016 by Karen W
Russ is truly wonderful! He photographed our intimate wedding (12 attendees total). His beautiful images not only reflect the warmth and heartfelt magic of the day, they also seem to elevate our little wedding to a grand event worth capturin...
g and sharing with all the friends and family we can gather. We absolutely love the result, and the process was easy as well. Russ was incredibly helpful and responsive about all the date/time frame/terms and day-of details. During the ceremony, he was virtually invisible (and still managed to capture key moments) and throughout the day, we has warm and engaging with all guests, while maintaining professional commitment - no easy task. Whether you are planning a simple, intimate wedding or a huge raucous affair - please contact Russ!
Reviewed On 9/10/2016 by Michaela M
OK. To start with, let me just say this man is an absolute pleasure to work with. He is prompt, charismatic, funny, patient, genuine and an absolute professional. How he manages to embody all these things at once I'll never know. Seconds af...
ter you meet him (once he's given you a giant hug), you'll feel as if you've known him your entire life. Honestly, there's a good chance you WILL want to know him the rest of your life after you see the pictures he's taken. He has an absolutely incredible ability to, somehow, be right there to capture those moments you want captured (a wink, a fleeting expression, wiping a tear away) that otherwise would be gone forever. It's pure magic... but also, he just REALLY knows what he's doing. My husband and I were married at Jack London State Park, which is an absurdly picturesque place....old stone barns, giant oaks, vineyards... it's almost too much. Russ and his equally amazing 2nd photographer Alex, however, managed to capture every aspect of the site's beauty with no trouble at all. Again... because he's pro. I'm convinced Russ could be dropped on Mars and still shoot stunning photos through his astronaut helmet with a disposable camera. :) Thank you again!! The. Best.
Reviewed On 8/10/2016 by Libbie S
If I had to describe Russ in one word I'd go ahead and use TALENTED. Ever since I got my photos back I have had SO many compliments on the quality of the photos. People keep telling me they should be in a magazine and to be honest, I can't stop...
myself from hard-core swooning every time I look at the photos. Russ is super amiable and is great at giving direction. He's easy going and fun to be around. 10/10 would recommend :D
Reviewed On 8/08/2016 by Pam C
Russell shot our wedding in May in San Francisco and was fantastic. He was professional, efficient and the photos came out stunning. He made sure to take beautiful shots of us as a couple both formally and informally and of our guests and all t...
he details. Some of the photos are artistic and some are formal, posed photos of family and friend combinations. He was so easy to work with and got the photos to us quickly. He was WONDERFUL!
Reviewed On 7/30/2016 by a member
We could not of asked for a better wedding photographer. Russ was our photographer for our rehearsal dinner and wedding in San Francisco. He did a fantastic job capturing all of the great highlights and moments. Being a visual designer myself...
I was looking for a photographer that was creative, artistic and easy to work with. He definitely exceeded all of our expectations. Our family and friends complimented on how great Russ was during our wedding weekend. We took our first look and formal photos at Crissy Fields and the weather in San Francisco is always unpredictable. It was really windy that day but Russ made our wedding session fun despite any weather conditions. We booked our package a year in advance and communication has always been great. We definitely made the right choice and recommend Russ to anyone looking for unique photography on their special day.
Reviewed On 5/18/2016 by Knottie1463594014
Russell blew my expectations out of the water! I hired Russell to capture my actual proposal to my fiance, and he was on top of every detail from the original email onward. He was quick to reply, proved flexible and easy going around planning...
, and was collaborative in putting together a package that was perfect for me. On the day of the shoot, he arrived right on time and his presence eased so much of my anxiety around the whole occasion! I knew I was in good hands and that he'd done this many times before. I knew my special moment would be captured absolutely perfectly. Russell used 2 high end cameras for our shoot and knew exactly how to capture all the important instances from so many interesting and powerful angles. He led us through such a fun, sweet photo shoot after the proposal and helped us commemorate our SF apartment that we're soon leaving behind. He even captured some photos of our beloved Siberian kitties! Russell provided the proofs right away and let us choose the photos we love the most. Then he delivered the finished product well before we were expecting it. Wow. I simply trust Russell, believe in his visual aesthetic, and will hire him again as soon as I get the chance. Bravo Russell.
Reviewed On 5/06/2016 by Knottie1462559274
Amazing experience! Russ took photos of my husband an I, just when we were celebrating our first year of marriage. He is so professional and so friendly, so that made our experience so easy and relaxing. He brought the best of us, and we are so...
lucky we have such incredible memories. Thank you so much Russ!
Reviewed On 3/11/2016 by Knottie1457684015
R - Ridiculously talented U - Unusually patient S - Super professional S - Sense of humor rocks E - Excellent service L - Love the price L - Likely the best part of our wedding day I've written an acrostic poem for Russell because he's...
that special of a dude. He shot our engagement and wedding photos, and I wish I could express how awesome they came out. He's knowledgeable, professional, and as previously mentioned, ridiculously talented. Thanks so much for being you, Russ!
Reviewed On 3/10/2016 by Knottie1457636952
After having our Engagement and Wedding photos done with Russ, our friends could not stop raving about Russ' talent, professionalism and just his awesome personality. He is so easy to work with and is such a pleasure to work with. We have alr...
eady had two other friends work with him and their pictures turned out lovely as well. We are going to try and use Russ again for some family photos, because we just can't get enough!!! HAHA He's great! You have to use him because he is just the best and so much fun (and adorable)!!!!
Reviewed On 3/10/2016 by Knottie1457634763
Russell is a true professional. His portfolio demonstrates his skill in taking creative, well-composed photographs, but it doesn't do justice to quality of the service he provides. Russell encouraged us to be ourselves and captured our best mom...
ents together. He guided us through poses that made us look our best, but allowed us to stay true to who we are. For instance, our formal clothes were no match for the 50-degree October weather, and yet Russell moved the process along with the right balance of humor and encouragement without taking so long that our fingers froze off :) With our large group photographs, he was able to quickly and politely managed us so that the photographs looked great and we weren't forced to forego any photo opportunities due to lack of time. It was a pleasure to have him at our wedding and we love how our photographs turned out. I can't recommend Russell highly enough-- both for his amazing photography and his consummate professionalism.
Reviewed On 3/08/2016 by Alex T
My husband and I had done extensive research looking for a photographer for our same sex wedding. After extensive research, price comparisons and meeting with other potential photographers, we chose to go with Russell and we are so glad we did!...
From the moment we met Russell we knew that his personality worked well with ours! He was open to hearing what we wanted and what we expected. On the day of the wedding, Russell constantly checked our comfort level and asked if there were any specific photos we wanted to make sure he didn't miss anything that was important to us. He was easy to work with and has a great eye for creative shots. Although we had seen photos from other clients, we were still in awe at how beautiful our own wedding photos came out. It was the perfect balance of candid and posed shots that were not a mere repetition of one another. Russell managed to take "traditional" shots that weren't too stuffy or rigid while still capturing unique ones! Some of our favorite shots were actually taken on Pier 7 in San Francisco while it was raining! There aren't many photographers willing to take their expensive gear in the city, in January, when it's raining, but Russell knew how much it meant to us. We loved the idea of being out in the city even in the rain and he made it work! Russell is an amazing, talented and personable photographer who is focused on delivering everything he can to his clients. We highly recommend him! Our only regret is that we only hired him to cover our wedding and not our reception!
Reviewed On 2/11/2016 by Kevin N
Russ Levi was an amazing professional from start to finish. My wife and I were very particular about our wedding photographer, and we didn't want your typical, boring wedding photos. As soon as we saw Russ' work we were very impressed. His ph...
otos are very journalistic, cinematic, just straight up money. I thought he did major touch ups, but his photos just naturally come out amazing. We wanted to jump on a call with Russ to get to know him and his artistic vision before we moved forward. It was his welcoming spirit, professionalism, and chill personality that sealed the deal. We knew he would be easy to work with, not anal, and judging by his work, he is a true artist. When the day of the wedding came, we had to make a few adjustments, changing the location etc etc, but Russ was totally cool about it. Through out the whole day of the wedding, Russ and his assistant were super cool yet professional. I, myself have been a groomsman for several weddings, but the photographers were never as personal and never guided our stance, formation, poses as well as Russ did. He made sure that every single person in the photo was placed perfectly and was super patient with everyone. We all know it's difficult to get family members together, but he was super patient with everyone. One thing my wife and I really appreciated was the fact that Russ stayed for the whole night of the wedding. I've never seen a photographer really commit and take pictures for the whole night, but he stayed from start to finish. I appreciated that he was able to take pictures for all of my friends who wanted a photo and was readily available when we wanted a photo. Another memorable experience was when it was slightly raining outside, but Russ was willing to work in the rain to take an amazing shot for us. Russ was super easy to work with, very professional and chill. He told us if we were ever in the city to call him out for drinks. How personable is that? He's really building relationships with his clients, not just a portfolio! I would recommend him to anyone. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. Everyone came up to me and told me how awesome my photographer was.

Contact Info for Russ Levi Photography