5 out of 5 stars and 31 reviews
5
(31)San Diego, Palm Springs, Southern CA and Chicago
About this vendor
Beautifully romantic and creatively photojournalistic wedding photography.
Details
Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
- Bridal Portraits
- Engagement
Photo & Video
- Digital Files
- Online Proofing
- Photo
- Printed Enlargements
- Printed Proofs
- Second Shooter Available
Photo & Video Styles
- Artistic
- Classic
- Documentary
- Lifestyle
- Modern
Wedding Activities
- Getting Engaged
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Wedding
- After Party
Awards and Affiliations
2019 'Best of Weddings'
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Reviews
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5
out of 5.031 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 3
Todd was wonderful to work with for our wedding day! He was warm, easy to be around, professional, and put us at ease all day. And of course, his photography work is beautiful! We ...
love our photos and are grateful to have those memories. Thank you Todd!
We are so grateful we chose Todd to capture our wedding and engagement. His photographs are a work of art. Todd has such a calming, patient, and joyous presence, he was the perfect...
person to have alongside us on our big day. Todd makes the photography process feel natural and fun. In our engagement shoot, he put us at ease, guiding us where we needed it but also allowing us to be ourselves and capture natural moments between the two of us. We will treasure the photos for life! This was consistent with our wedding day experience. We were so happy to have him with us throughout the day because of his positive energy and ability to guide people in pictures. Everything came out beautifully. When it came to creating our wedding album, he had an awesome eye for design and included our ideas. The final product came out better than we could have imagined. From our first call to wedding album delivery, Todd was amazing to work with. We could not recommend him enough to all our friends and family!
There’s so much I could say about working with Todd! Todd was so easy and incredibly kind to work with. Todd did our engagement and wedding photos and he’s worth every penny. He re...
ally puts his clients first and was so personable. He is beyond talented and we are obsessed with our photos and can’t wait to see the rest! My husbands never had photos done and Todd gave great direction, making it so easy and comfortable for him. We couldn’t have asked for a better photographer and can’t wait to hopefully work with him again! 10000/10 recommend.
My wife and I recently had the absolute pleasure of having Todd and his assistant capture our wedding, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the experience and the results. As two ...
brides planning our special day, we wanted a photographer who not only had an artistic eye but also made us feel comfortable and celebrated. Todd and his assistant exceeded all of our expectations in every possible way.
Before even speaking with Todd, we came across a couple's photo album at our wedding venue. We knew in that exact moment that we'd do everything we could to book with this photographer.
From our first phone call, Todd made us feel at ease with his warm personality and genuine interest in our story. He took the time to understand our vision, and his enthusiasm for capturing our love was evident. Todd’s professionalism was matched by his creative flair and extreme talent - and truly made us feel so comfortable.
On the day of the wedding, Todd and his assistant were punctual and incredibly organized. They worked seamlessly together and with our videographers, and their unobtrusive presence allowed us to enjoy our day without feeling like we were constantly posing for the camera. Todd's assistant was equally delightful, always ready with a helping hand or a word of encouragement. Together, they formed a dream team that put everyone at ease, from the bridal party to our guests. They made both my wife and I feel like we were models - and our family - who can be a bit timid in front of the camera - exuded confidence with Todd.
The results were nothing short of spectacular. Todd captured every moment beautifully, from even the smallest details. The emotion and joy of the day were perfectly preserved in every shot. Our portraits are stunning, and the candid photos are full of life and love. Todd has an incredible talent for capturing the essence of the moment, and we will cherish these photos forever.
In addition to the breathtaking images, Todd’s post-wedding service was outstanding. He provided a preview of our photos quickly, and the full gallery was delivered sooner than we expected. The quality and care he put into editing each photo were evident, and the final product was a true work of art.
What we also loved about working with Todd is he was incredibly responsive throughout the whole process. Not only did he respond to our initial inquiry promptly, but he provided several vendor recommendations, checked in with us as we neared the big day to see if there's anything he could do to help, and always made us feel as though we weren't just another client, but we were a big priority to him.
We cannot recommend Todd enough. He brought our wedding day to life in a way that we will treasure forever. If you are looking for a photographer who is not only skilled and creative but also genuinely cares about your special day, look no further than Todd. Thank you, Todd, for giving us memories we will hold dear for the rest of our lives.
Todd is everything a wedding photographer should be, and SO much more. I chose him after reviewing hundreds of wedding photos online. His works speaks for itself. He is insanely ta...
lented, organized, professional, and an absolute pleasure to work with. As someone who gets very self conscious in front of the camera, he made me feel comfortable and relaxed.
We all loved him so much, that when my sister got engaged a year later, we booked him for her wedding, too! I cannot say enough great things about him. Todd is an incredible photographer and an amazing human. Looking forward to working with him again!
Todd is an amazing wedding photographer, and so awesome to work with! I'm a wedding planner, and we recently worked together on a wedding at a private estate in Palm Desert, CA. Th...
e entire day went off without a hitch—in large part thanks to Todd and his super easygoing and flexible demeanor, and his ability to roll with the punches and whatever surprises the day presented. I would highly recommend Todd James Photography for anybody looking for a professional, personable, and super pleasant photographer to capture the essence of their special day!
I wish I could give Todd more than 5 stars. He was amazing. All the shots he got looked so good and him and his assistant were nice and easy to work with. We couldnt have asked fo...
r a better photographer for our wedding.
Todd should be your number one pick! He has such a great personality. So easy to work with. He was kind, patient, open to suggestions, and was professional from start to finish. He...
made us feel comfortable- never felt pressured to pose in any particular way or act like anything but our true, authentic selves! He’s dedicated— so much so that he took the time to visit our venue ahead of time to find the best spots for our pictures. If you want someone who is passionate about capturing your “forever” moments, then Todd is your guy. Absolutely adore how the pictures turned out! Thank you!!!
I found Todd through Instagram and was immediately drawn to his work. Every shot he takes turns out beautifully and tells a story...even if you don't know the couple. Needing him a...
s our wedding photographer was further validated after talking to him a few times over the phone. He was receptive to every detail and concern of mine and on the day captured the special moments in the whirlwind that is your wedding day. Memories fade over time, but with Todd's pictures you can relive that moment. He was so enjoyable to work with and having him as apart of our wedding was one of the best decisions we made!
We had the pleasure of working with Todd for our engagement photos and wedding. From our first phone call with him, he made us feel so comfortable and excited to work with him.
He...
was so optimistic when we scheduled to take our engagement photos and there was a wild fire - he still came out and the pictures came out amazing.
For our wedding day, he made the picture taking process so smooth and easy. He knew the best spots around the venue for photos and made it so easy to get the family pictures finished before the ceremony. During the family photos, my mom pulled me aside saying how wonderful he is and how she could tell he is so good at his job.
We just received a sneak peek of our photos and they are incredible. We can't wait to see the rest and can't recommend Todd enough!
Where do I even start? Todd is an absolute all star and I can’t imagine having anyone else shoot our wedding. Photos are the only thing to remember your special day by and Todd is ...
worth every penny and more! He made us super comfortable and directed us every step of the way. He even came to the venue the day before to scout locations and take test photos! It rained on our wedding day and he made everything work and made me feel calm and reassured. He shot my sisters wedding which has been featured all over Instagram and professional sites. I couldn’t recommend Todd more!
On our initial call with Todd, we completely hit it off. He has such a calm and relaxed presence about him, but you can feel his passion for photography as well as for working wit...
h couples to capture their big day. He reassured us that even though he hadn’t worked with a gay couple, he would do his homework and would be the right photographer for us. Although we talked to a few other photographers, we were drawn back to Todd’s style, aesthetic and personality. Aside from being an amazing photographer, Todd is such a great guy. Throughout our planning process, he checked in a number of times to see how we were doing - for no other reason than to touch base. We had a great engagement shoot with Todd at Malibu Creek State Park in July of 2020. Getting to know him even more in advance really made us feel like we made the right decision. He made us feel very comfortable in front of the camera and knew he was going to be a great presence to have around us on the big day. The engagement photos were wonderful and he turned them around quickly so we could move forward with updating our website and creating our save the date. He even arrived at the location an hour before us to scout out some great spots to shoot. We got married at Park Winters in Winters, CA in July of 2021. We just received our photos back and they are to die for. Even in 102 degree heat, Todd captured our day perfectly. He hit all of the photos on our shot list, improvised on the spot when needed and kept us and our wedding party/families in the shade whenever possible. When you look at our full gallery you see the complete “story” of our day. He perfectly balances detail shots, posed photos and candids all while somehow capturing those perfect authentic moments that may have been missed by others. Photography is definitely an investment, but you cannot understate the importance of a good photographer. Todd isn’t just a good photographer, he is a great one, not to mention an all around great person. We are so thankful that we found him. We don’t think anyone else could have captured our wedding in the same way.
What can I say, Todd is not only an insanely talented photographer but a superb human being. His photos are out of this world. They're beautiful, timeless, and one-of-a-kind. We ...
are so happy with how they turned out and we are so grateful we found Todd. He knows what he's doing, putting you in the right light, finding the best spot for certain pictures, he's amazing. And his disposition is so nurturing and lovely, when we had moments of stress he knew exactly what to say, he knew how to calm us down which I think truly goes above and beyond. I can't wait to continue to use him through life events that call for beautiful pictures.
Todd was the perfect wedding photographer! He was great every step of the way--from our initial consultation and planning, through the wedding day, and all the way through getting...
our photos, prints, and wedding book. He was 100% reliable through the entire process. You spend a lot of time with your photographer on your wedding day, and Todd had a calm and friendly demeanor the whole day. He was genuinely a nice guy to be around. Also, as you can see in his portfolio, his pictures are absolutely amazing. They blew away our expectations. They are one of the few things you take away from your wedding, and they're worth splurging on. We strongly recommend Todd.
HIRE TODD!! You will be so happy that you did. Not only is he talented and professional, but he is also a super genuine and nice person. We loved our entire experience with him and...
were so impressed by everything. As a wedding photographer myself, I was *very* particular about what I was looking for in terms of style and skills and it was so great to have someone I could 100% trust to capture our day. I can confidently say he was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding!
Todd was hands down the best vendor we worked with for our wedding in November. He was professional, kind and produced quality work. It was clear from the beginning that Todd took ...
this seriously and would do his best which he did at every point in the process. We had a small wedding and we were told by multiple people after how nice he was and easy to work with. He even gave my husband his undershirt when he forgot his! He is caring and really contributed to making our dream day a reality. I would highly recommend Todd to anyone looking for a wedding photographer.
Todd was really great to work with. He immediately put us at ease and the pictures came out so natural. He captured the real us! Everyone was raving about the photos.
Thanks Todd,...
Emily and Dave
Todd met and exceeded all of our expectations, before, during, and after our wedding! He was thoughtful, understanding, creative, and on top of his game ... in other words, trustin...
g him completely came easy. Not only did he take care of us on our wedding day, our photos are so incredibly beautiful - I love them! Thank you for everything Todd!
When we started looking for photographers, we only had a vague idea of what we wanted: We were aiming for a bright and colorful day of our families having a good time, and wanted t...
he photos to reflect that. With (admittedly) very little notice, Todd was able to get to know us, help us decide what kinds of photos we definitely wanted, and worked with us on the day to create a variety of shots that never would have crossed our minds. He was also able to strike a perfect balance between blending into the background for candid shots and improvised photo shoots that perfectly captured our spirits and the beauty of our outdoor location.
Afterwards, Todd produced a gorgeously bound album of our favorite photos, and a very stylish USB drive with all 860+ photos from the entire day - and each one is absolutely beautiful! Between his incredible services and expertise, and the peace-of-mind that comes with being in the hands of a professional, Mr. James has been worth every penny and more. We would recommend him to anyone!
I am so thankful and blessed Todd shot our wedding photos in July 2016! He captured every moment and the pictures turned out wonderful! They are photos that we will have forever ...
and the most cherished memories. I would highly recommend Todd as a photographer. He makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera. He is not only a great photographer, but also a wonderful man and someone you can trust!
Todd is the absolute best!!!! M wife and I were recently married in July in a outdoor setting. Todd and his team coordinated everything to make sure our day ran smoothly. His abili...
ty to find the emotion in a scene is incomparable. From day one we knew we were using Todd and we are so grateful we did. Highly recommended!!!
P.s. My wife and I are in the woods in white and Navy. Best picture ever!!!
5 stars just doesn't seem to cut it. My wife and I are able to relive our wedding day over and over because of Todd's amazing photos! He was such a joy to work with throughout th...
e entire process (engagement shoot, wedding day, etc.), and is the ultimate professional. He's the best!
I can't speak highly enough of Todd! He's truly a wonderful, happy guy that makes you feel so comfortable throughout what can be a stressful/high-emotion day. As the person who spe...
nds the most time with you & spouse-to-be on your wedding day, he artfully balances being present but also letting you have your special moments uninterrupted. And most importantly, he captures those moment so perfectly. We opted to not have a videographer, something I wondered if I'd later regret, and I have to say I don't solely because Todd's timeless photos are better than any video.
It can be overwhelming to choose a photographer in the city where there are so many to pick from, but Todd was an easy choice for us! He really took time to listen to the type of p...
hotos we were hoping for, while guiding us through the whole process. We had so many family members and small children involved in our family group shots, and he handled this so well with only a few takes to get the perfect photos. We were so happy with how beautifully he captured simple moments throughout the day and quickly helped us make the decision to switch locations for our bridal party shoot when it started raining. From an engagement shoot to our wedding day and helping us with our photo book 3 years later (when procrastination had taken over!), Todd was very professional and kind. Our wedding was a wonderful day and we couldn't be happier with the photos that we have to remember all of the special moments that we had.
Todd was easily our favorite wedding vendor to work with. Pictures were a priority for us, and after seeing Todd's pictures and hearing his commitment to capture the natural emotio...
ns of the day, we actually signed with him before signing with our venue! It was the right move. Throughout the process, we continued to be wowed and added more items to our photo package. We had an outstanding engagement session and absolutely loved our wedding photos. There were hundreds of high quality photos to choose from on Todd's convenient online portal, which made it hard to narrow down for our wedding album! More than the photos, Todd and his assistant were wonderful to work with. They took care of us, offering snacks and water along the way and keeping us and our family on schedule to fulfill the vision we set out to achieve. Todd is a responsive communicator, easy going, and a calming presence to have at a special event. When it came to Todd or the photos, I didn't worry about a thing!
Todd is wonderful to work with from start to finish. We could not have been happier with how everything turned out. He checked in with us a few times before the wedding, and made ...
sure to be very aware of the type of day we had in mind and how to plan the day so that the was able to capture the moments that meant the most to us. In addition to a lifetime of happiness with your S.O. the photographs are the only thing get to take with you after the wedding; and we wanted to make sure they were perfect, which is why we chose to work with Todd. Keeping in mind that you also spend your entire wedding day with your photographer, Todd is an overall great person to have around. After getting our photos back (in an incredibly reasonable timeline) there were so many amazing images to choose from it was difficult to narrow down our favorites to print, which is why we are so happy that we ordered the wedding album.
We were connected to Todd via a family friend and I could not be happier we took the recommendation. A main feature we wanted to capture of our wedding was the ceremony location (...
sunset cliff's) and he captured it beautifully. He took full advantage of the natural beauty of our surroundings. Todd was easy going and professional, even taking the time to meet with us in Chicago while he was here on business (we had a destination wedding in San Diego). We were extremely happy with most of the people we worked with and I would put Todd at the top of our list to recommend again and again.
Todd is an absolute gem. I can't even express how much gratitude we've had for him over the last year and half. From the time we had our first consultation over the phone, to our e...
ngagement session in Sonoma, to just recently our wedding day in September; he has done nothing but impress my husband and I. Not only does he have a very calming, confident spirit but he straight up produces the most stunning photographs we've ever seen. A few other cool things: without surprise he worked very well with our videographer at our wedding, he's prompt to respond back to my (many) emails, and above all he'll make you feel like you belong in front of the camera. This was especially important for my husband who hasn't had much experience getting his picture taken. We couldn't recommend Todd more.
Todd is an amazing photographer and he gave us the most beautiful photos of our wedding day. He is wonderful at capturing the beauty in the natural interactions between people so y...
ou won't end up with any photos that look staged or posed. I couldn't be happier with the way both our wedding and engagement photos turned out! And throughout the year and a half between when we first met Todd and had engagement photos taken and the time we got our finished wedding photos, he was great at keeping in touch and communicating with us about everything. Thank you Todd! :)
Todd is a true artist whose passion for his work is evident. From the beginning he was available to help with the planning process every step of the way. He spent time getting to k...
now us as a couple, allowing our photos to have a very personal touch. He made sure to be aware of family dynamics, helping to put my mind at ease. I felt like he went above and beyond to listen to our likes and dislikes and make sure they were taken into account. We really valued all his input from choosing locations to shoot, to making sure we capture certain shots. The photos captured by Todd and his team tell the story of our wedding day from beginning to end in the most beautiful way. I would strongly recommend him to anyone looking for a photographer with a photo-journalistic style.
My husband and I couldn't be happier with our wedding photos. Todd is truly a great value. We got know him a bit before the wedding through our engagement session – which we were...
also very happy with. We used the engagement photos for our save the dates. Todd is very personable and easy going. He worked well with all our different vendors. His album designs are gorgeous – the layout design is clean and he has the albums printed in Italy.
Contact
San Diego, Palm Springs, Southern CA and Chicago
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