Russ Levi Photography

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!

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.

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.

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?).

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.

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.

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!

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!!!

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!

- 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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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

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!!

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.

ide us without making us feel or look awkward. The pictures turned out beyond amazing and the entire experience far exceeded our expectations.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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 :)

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!

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.

hotos turned out beautiful and beyond expectation. We couldn't recommend him more.

'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.

’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.

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!!

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!

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!

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.

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!

d also used them for our wedding invitations and they capture our personalities so well! Absolutely enjoyed working with him.

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.

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.

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!!!

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!

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...)

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!!

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.

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.

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.

. 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!!! :)

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?!?

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.

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!

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.

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

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!

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.

, 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.

lucky we have such incredible memories. Thank you so much Russ!

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!

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)!!!!

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.

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!

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.

es we wanted to have. During this call he also had some great suggestions about how to make the process work well and have the pictures come out great (such as having kids and Grandma go first during formal photos, keeping the ceremony cell phone free so there are no cell phones in the shots of us walking down the aisle). Such great pro tips I never would have thought of! On the day of, Russell was a delight to work with. He really put us and our family at ease during the formal pictures. He also has an incredible eye. Our pictures are so creative, beautiful, and well done! He captured some of the most beautiful candid moments of the day! It was so much fun to experience the wedding all over again through his images. Another really nice thing was that the night of the wedding, he sent us a few shots which we were able to share with our families and put on Facebook. They were so beautiful and it was great to have them so early on. It was really above and beyond. Russell is incredible at his craft, and a super cool guy.

We'd definitely recommend him to others!))

moments 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.

pecific photos we wanted and how we wanted the day to go and the photos to feel when everything was said and done. Day-of he showed up on time (actually early), and made my bridesmaids and me feel at ease right away. I’m not used to having much attention on me, and I was pretty nervous about having a photographer but there were lots of jokes through the first shots and enough direction when we were taking posed pictures that I got over my nerves quickly. Another thing I was grateful for was how fast we moved through our posed family pictures after the ceremony, which meant my husband and I got to enjoy more of our cocktail hour and reception! I wanted great photos but I also wanted to enjoy my guests and Russ was totally on board with that. During the party, Russ did a great job of being around when we needed him and blending into the party the rest of the time – once I looked down and he was sitting on the dance floor to get some shots, that’s dedication! If all the work at the wedding wasn’t enough for one day, Russ sent us a few processed photos the NIGHT OF the wedding! He went home after a long day and made sure that we had some amazing shots to share with everyone that same day. I can’t recommend Russ highly enough. He was professional, fun to work with, and his work is absolutely beautiful. Check him out, you won’t regret it.