References - wedding photography

My wife remembered Joseph Kohn's work from her best friend's wedding, which was three years ago. I thought it was pretty impressive that my wife would remember his work three years after the fact, so I was immediately intrigued.

Our experience with him was AWESOME. My main concern in picking a wedding photographer was that we would end up spending a lot of money on photos that nobody would care about in two years and that would make our wedding seem like a boring, staid affair instead of a celebration. Instead, Joseph really captured ALL the aspects of the day for me - the solemnity, the mystery, the anticipation, the joy, the party. He has a genius for staging photos in a way that really evokes the feeling of the day for me months afterwards, but he also has a genius for candid shots that are artistically interesting and bring out the human heart of a scene. And by "artistically interesting," I mean he shoots the coolest wedding photos I've ever seen - in fact, he shoots some of the coolest photos I've ever seen, period. If you've never seen wedding photography that you honestly thought was cool without being gimmicky, you need to check out Joseph's work.

Besides the quality of his photography, Joseph was a joy to work with. He was a complete professional - which means he knew when (and how!) to be unobtrusive and how to move post-ceremony photos efficiently without being pushy, but ALSO that he genuinely shared our happiness. Throughout the process I felt like Joseph approached our wedding asking himself not how much money he could talk us into spending but how he could enhance the day for us, and our memories of it. Joseph really blew me away with every aspect of this process.

Lisa and Eric

OH MY GOSH! ... You're soooo GOOD!!!! Why do you have to make me smile, laugh and tear during work, I don't know, but Thank you!

Thank you for letting us relive the joy of all the endless smiles, every exciting detail, and for making me, once again, shed another tear. For a moment in time that’s so personal and surreal, you captured every look, every emotion and all the passion Gerard and I have for one another. As I continually praise you and constantly tell you, “you’re so good,” and you blush and always humbly say, “you’re welcome Hossanah,” please know that everything you’ve done for us, from the beautiful engagement pictures, the breathtaking slideshow, and the priceless wedding pictures, along with your professionalism and enthusiasm, we are grateful and overjoyed you were a part of our special day.

Hosanna and Jerry

I tend not to post reviews, but had such a great experience with Joseph that i just had to. A couple of years ago, two friends of mine got married, and sent around their wedding pictures. I still remember gasping at those pictures. They weren't like any of those traditional, corny shots we were used to - they captured those elusive emotional moments and really got the feeling of the event. I made a mental note then that if i ever got married, I'd want that same photographer, w/ that precise yet carefree style, all about the special moments rather than the snapshots. So fast forward to this year, when my wedding was fast approaching and I hadn't chosen a wedding photographer yet. I just wasn't seeing the same caliber of photos - or if i was, they cost tens of thousands of dollars. So I emailed my friend asking what the name of that amazing photographer was, and contacted him. And, miraculously, he was able to come shoot our wedding - a destination wedding in mexico. After the groom, it was the best decision i made. We quite honestly spent no time on the photos - we were always running late, didn't want to take time away from our guests, and wanted to make sure the wedding festivities were going well - but somehow he managed to take amazing shots. My hubby had little interest in the photography, but when he saw the pictures he was a convert. In the 5 minutes that Joseph managed to get us alone during the reception, he took some of the most jaw-dropping shots i'd ever seen. He would steal us away for a minute at a time and get some amazing pictures in., I still have no idea when and how he did it. He was completely unobtrusive, yet somehow always there. And he was extremely available both before the wedding (during the planning) and during (and after!), and suggested some amazing shots/ideas for the ceremony. I wanted to do a 'trash the dress' session - he was excited and had some great ideas, and got some amazing shots in the pool and in the ocean! And the slideshow he put together (without me lifting a finger, mind you) was amazing - people keep telling me it's the best wedding photography they've ever seen. I tend to agree. So if you're looking for a top-notch, flexible, reasonable wedding photographer who's really willing to work with you - and you want amazing photos with very little effort - you can't go wrong with Joseph and his team.

Ellie & Ari

Hi Joseph,

I just wanted to let you know that the pictures are simply amazing. We LOVE LOVE LOVE them! My friends all LOVE LOVE LOVE them! Our parents too. My dad thinks he looks particularly handsome in the pictures. The pictures beautifully captured tender moments as well as the fun we had that day and evening. Your creative shots are masterpieces. I have gotten so many compliments on the pictures, and not just that they are nice, but they are the best that my friends have ever seen. People like them so much, they have forwarded the link to the slideshow to people I didn't even send them to, and those people have given me major compliments. We are really lucky to have had you as our photographer. Looking forward to the album!

Thanks!
Aya and Yuji

PS. thank you for the great turnaround time on the slideshow. We got the link while we were on our honeymoon and we kept watching it and tearing up. Chia-Hui had told us that you were really fast in getting the pictures to her too, and she was right!

Dear Joseph,

We received the uploaded pictures today. (Lack for a better word) Wow, your turn around time was super fast! We were overwhelmed with the amount of pictures. They’re all fabulous! Your distinct style is un-measurable to every degree. The slideshow was beautifully done. We love the stunning photos caught by what you thought was good to say the least. You have an eye for capturing moments that are magical and making them feel glorified. You’re like a magician with great perfect timing. The color, dynamics, and the music you chose was awesome! We love it, we love it, and we love it! Thank you, Joseph for everything you have done for us. We truly appreciate your sense of details, absolute professionalism and kindness. Everyone always says they like they are watching a preview to a movie or pictures straight from a magazine. The slideshow took us through a journey and relived every moment. Also, how you ended the slideshow was spectacular! We can’t wait until the storybook comes out! You’re simply wonderful, Joseph! Thank you again for creating endless memories!

Best,
Zarah and Jake

This is the first review I've done..and I feel that I must. I've always wanted great pictures for my wedding but being quite a picky individual, I knew it was going to be hard for me to find a photographer for my wedding that would understand my style...then I found Joseph and I couldn't be any happier. Joseph is excellent with photojournalism, but most of all he is hard working, motivated, funny and loves his job. Joseph helped made us feel comfortable from the very beginning...Although he is all about capturing those spontaneous moments, he also attend to our ideas and needs. On our wedding day, Joseph was with us the whole day and captured every moment with perfection..again, I couldn't be any happier. I greatly recommends Joseph...he is one those photographer that really WOW you...and excites you when you look at your pictures., he is simply talented. I feel that photography tells a story...it captures priceless moments that last a lifetime and you can trust Joseph to give you just that.

Stepanie & Tim

Hi Joseph,

I got the album!!! It is beautiful!!! It has been such a pleasure working with you Joseph, everyone loves it, and I will always recommend you. Thank you a million times for helping to make our wedding so memorable.

Amie & Kenny

Hi Joseph,

First off I just want to say that your work is phenomenon! I couldn't believe how beautiful the pictures turned out. I was afraid that my photos wouldn't turn out as nice as the ones you had posted on your website, but it came out above and beyond what I expected. Everybody loved the pictures and thought they belonged in a magazine ad. The slideshow was a work of art. We had chills just watching it because the images told a story that was very touching, everything was perfect and beautiful. We couldn't even believe that was us in the photos. You did such a wonderful job, and your pictures shows that you're a creative and artistic photographer. I would definitely recommend you to any future weddings. You were worth every penny!! Michael and I are extremely happy we chose you to take our wedding photos. Thank you so much!!

Gwen & Michael

Joseph,

Our company has worked with you several times of the last couple of years. I watch the photographers and listen to how they interact with a mutual client. What I can say without a hesitation is you listen to what your client is asking you to do.. They want certain photograph pose.. I have watched you give them what they want and guide them into a much more appealing shot, and they do not have a clue what you did. I have also followed your work I have a few clients that have become friends and others that I have spoken with at the end of our contract. I have heard positive comments. Venues you have developed a great working relationship with have recommend you. I myself have recommend you and have never ever heard anything negative. Keep up the great photography.. I see the ie"professional photographers" showing up at different events and I can honestly say..Alot of people with a digital camara..have now become "professional" my advice to clients...Becareful...look at alot of photos.. are they professional quality in style or are they Uncle Buds brothers picture taking quality? Like I say "just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should wear it.!".. Any "PROFESSIONAL"I am starting my own business good old boy can print a business card and hang a shingle"

We've received the photos and as you may have expected, we have been showing it off non-stop to everyone. Needless to say, we are very, very satisfied! We have been getting nothing but compliments about our photos. Somehow, you've made this day more magical than it was. This was the entire reason why we chose you and you never failed us. To be honest, you exceeded our expectations. Not only was everyone so impressed by your photographs, we are impressed by your professionalism and service. Cheryl is very picky when it comes to pictures, let alone her own. Usually when we're looking at wedding photos, we see about 5 - 10 shots that are great. Most of your photos are pretty much a work of art to say the least. It will be very hard to pick photos for our album. Cheryl especially is soooooo proud of her pictures and has been talking about you non-stop. All of our friends who used to brag about their wedding photos and who told us how great their photographer was now look at our pictures and tell us they're jealous and wished they could've gotten you instead! Haha! It's great to see the look on people's faces or hearing them gasp as soon as they see your shots. Some of them were speechless. You did a great job! And your friend as well. Seriously, man. We are right now your biggest fan.

First of all, Ryan and I want to thank you for helping make our special day even more amazing than it already was. The pictures are breathtaking, and the work that you put into them is phenomenal. We absolutely LOVED the slide show you put together (I cried the first couple of times I saw it). The engagement album that you turned into our guest book was unlike anything anyone has ever seen; all our guests thought it was awesome and said that we looked like models! Now, we just cannot wait to see how the wedding album turns out!

Your hard work, dedication, professionalism and artistry are beyond compare; and we are so glad that we chose you as our photographer. We enjoyed every photo session we had with you because you made every moment fun and magical! You helped us feel comfortable with you not only in the photo shoots, but throughout the entire process; we trust you completely and for us, that was the most important thing. Your passion, artistic eye, excellent creative judgment and all around warm personality makes you an outstanding photographer… the most talented photographer we have yet encountered… Ryan and I would GLADLY recommend IQphoto to any future bride and groom, you are worth every penny!

Joseph, thank you again, for all of your hard work and for being patient with us. I know that you are extremely busy and the work you do is difficult and time consuming. We sincerely appreciate all the attention you give to us and our photos. You are the best! We hope to work with you again soon on family pictures!

I looked around for a long time for a photographer. One day, my brother who is an art student recommended Joseph because as he was an artist himself, he could really tell the difference between professional photography and all the other ones and he actually told me, Joseph was a true professional, as well as a great artist. I am not an artist myself, so I have no experience with the little details of good photography, like lighting or positioning. But my brother could actually point out that Joseph is so detailed at those little essences of photography and that is what makes him special. When I reviewed his website, I was so fascinated that I actually went through his calendar and CHANGED OUR WEDDING DATE to match his availability just to have him as our photographer. What surprised us more is that not only did he provide high-quality work, he was a delight to work with, and highly-flexible. The pictures for my small wedding turned out to be so special in their own way, I was in tears when I looked at the slideshow after the wedding. Joseph, once again, Nick and I would like to thank you for all you have done for us. Not only are the pictures (both engagement and wedding), so beautiful and unique, but also you managed to put them together in such a way that it tells a story that is so precious and valuable to us. We really appreciate you coming so far out to Lodi even though you were not feeling well, and for all the other accommodations you had made for us. I am really looking forward to my wedding album!!

WOW!!! I'm speechless. What an incredible slide show. You are so so talented. Thank You, I can hardly wait to see the other photographs. Again, what an amazing photographer you are. Thank you for making our day that much more special by capturing all of the truly touching moments!

After reviewing countless wedding photographer's websites, Simon and I were very excited to meet with Joseph Kohn. His website provides you with not only breath-taking examples of his work, but there is a great deal of information that helped us to understand what we should be looking for in a photographer. At our meeting he presented us with several slideshows of weddings he had recently done to give us a sense of his artistic style and we were quite impressed. I have to admit though that it really isn't until you have gone through process yourself and you are looking at your own completed photos that you can truly appreciate his dedication and the quality of his work.

Words can’t describe how much we appreciate all the hard work you have done!!! Our wedding photos are spectacular!

It seems through our searching of vendors, most top of the line wedding photographers are either sooo classic or just need to retire from taking wedding pictures due to the fact that they seem to miss the fun of the wedding. However, Joseph was right on the target with a great mixture of artistic, classic and magazine shots. Joseph worked with us, even with the picky bride, Jade (I can own up to it) with her photo shots. We wanted a magazine style photos that described the ambiance of the day and he perfect it to the T. Since we didn’t hire a videographer, we wanted a photographer who would capture all of our special moments from the engagement pictures, to the dress rehearsal to the getting ready to the ceremony and reception. Every picture was absolutely fabulous. For our engagement pictures, time was a crunch for us since we planned our wedding of 160 in three and half months. He made a foggy, windy, dreary day look like we were having fun on the beach with the sun peaking out. His talent and eye made all our worries disappear. When Joseph arrived the night before our wedding at a restaurant we rented for our rehearsal dinner, he arrived prior to the time we asked, in style and a little mysteriously as he didn’t want to disrupt our celebration. He arrived with the eye of an artist and left with the best pictures we have ever seen of us and our family and friends. When it came to the morning of the wedding Joseph and his staff arrived right as we started to get ready at 10 am, with the surprise of the heat beating down at 80 degrees. Being that our wedding was at two locations, Joseph and his staff nailed our shots even under the most stressful and uncomfortable situations. Our wedding was in Napa and happened to be a record breaking day of 96 degrees. Having the ceremony in a small 1800’s white church, with NO AIR CONDITIONING, an over limit of people attending, and on top of that, a horrible wedding coordinator that kept forgetting everything resulting in a long delay of the ceremony, wasn’t the best of the situations. Nevertheless, you would never know from our pictures. By the end of the night, and over 1000 pictures later, Joseph had a huge smile on his face and we knew that we were going to be thrilled with the pictures .Joseph was phenomenal. He made Jade feel like a movie star and Ian like a rock star. His attention to detail, the environment, lighting, texture and to the joy of those who were there just overflowed in his pictures. Joseph went above and beyond the call of duty. We couldn’t have asked for a more talented, sincere, easy going, professional and wonderful photographer to capture our memories. We had to brag to all of our friends. When one of our friends asked how the wedding shots were, they were surprise at how happy we were with the pictures, since she too just got married, and her photographer didn’t capture any of the moments that she would have wanted.The quality of the photos was stunning. With his insanely high pixilated cameras and his experience, we were floored by the clarity, color and styles of the photos. There were no glares, or shiny faces or random things that always seem to appear in the most important photos. First and foremost, we looked fantastic in the pictures (which is never a bad thing), but more importantly, we looked like us and not so posed in every picture. We thought he made the wedding so extravagant, gorgeous, fun, and filled with love. Most essential, he captured the spirit and essence of the event.

We know how bad vendors and their mishaps and lack of reliability can stress you out in the planning or during your wedding because we had them (wedding coordinator & reception event manager), but just know when you choose Joseph there are no worries to think about. We would without a single reservation we recommend (and have been recommending) Joseph to any bride and groom to capture their memories. He is worth every penny.

We are critics, and we don't easily give raving reviews. But in all honestly, we can sum up Joseph's work in one sentence: amazing, highly professional, artistic, creative, and stunning ARTWORK! We use the work 'artwork' because he has the unique ability to take a simple moment and capture all the beauty behind it in a photograph. Joseph is very professional to work with, and is always accommodating - and we have several requests of him! During the wedding day, he was courteous and did not intrude anywhere at all. It's amazing how many pictures he took without us even noticing. The candid shots are so precious to us now. When Joseph showed us the final work of our album, we were stunned. And we hate to say this, but when you see your friends' albums now you realize how boring they are (don't mean to be mean, but it's true). We did a TON of research of photographers and found that Joseph's prices were very reasonable compared to others who's photography was not always as good. Joseph, thank you for being so patient with us, and for capturing our special day in your unique artistic way.

We were thrilled with the pictures that Joseph took of our wedding. It was great to get the feedback from friends who saw the pictures online. In fact, one friend said they were the best wedding pictures she had ever seen (and she was married!). Joseph and his assistants were very friendly, observant and completely discreet. It was amazing how they managed to get exactly the right expressions and moments without staging anything. He did a fantastic job including both artistic and classic shots. I trusted him completely, and I am glad I did. The results have impressed not just us, but all of our family and friends.

Joseph was wonderful to work with. All of his photo's were amazing. He captured such perfect shots, which was tough because we had an Hindu weekend and I just gave him written direction and he knew what to do. His time and efforts was second to none, you will be so delighted when you get your photos back from such and unforgettable day.

We can say with utmost confidence that Joseph Kohn is among the most talented wedding photographers in the Bay Area. We say this because as Joseph knows, we are a very detailed couple who interviewed over nine photographers and talked to countless friends before hiring him. In the end, the decision was an easy one. You will see that Joseph's work is original and imaginative, a refreshing change from traditional "posed" photography. His work is colorful, creative, both lively and elegant, and naturally composed to capture the emotions of the day. He also has a truly uncanny attention for detail, which was unmatched by any photographer we met with. Any photographer will show you his or her best work. Joseph showed us more photos than anyone, his collection of quality work plentiful. In hiring a wedding photographer, personality is just as important as talent - you need to feel comfortable spending the entire day with this person! Joseph exudes a quiet and reassuring confidence, and it really came through on our big day. He was focused yet flexible (which is very important as trust us, timelines tend to run behind schedule). And he was courteous, not at all bossy. His calm and friendly demeanor made our guests - even the ones who were camera shy! - feel right at home! We never thought that anyone could exceed our expectations. Joseph Kohn did far and beyond just that. The photos still leave us wondering "where was he? how did he land that shot...at that EXACT moment?" When you meet Joseph, when you hear him explain his work, you will sense his passion as an artist which shows through his photos and the beautiful magazine style albums that he personally designs. We give Joseph Kohn our highest recommendation! Good luck and congratulations to all of you!

I wanted to take a few moments to express our appreciation for the wonderful job you did for us during our wedding. But I decided instead to recommend you by addressing this email to anyone who wishes to hire a photographer to document an event of personal significance to them. Choosing a photographer is not easy. In fact, entrusting your memories (and really the only relic of the event) to a complete stranger, can be frightening. You may have no clear idea what you want, or may not know exactly what to ask for. And even if you do know what you want, there's no guarantee the professional you hire will deliver. To top it all off, you need to spend a small fortune on this leap of faith. First of all, let me assure you that there is no simple way to make a choice that will guarantee you great pictures of your event. You probably have to spend a good deal of money and even then, you will only get great pictures if you have a great photographer. If you’re reading this review, you’re probably interested in finding a photographer who will provide that superb end-product. For our wedding, Joseph did just that. He and his assistants were able to anticipate moments, were courteous, professional, and unobtrusive. They are also very talented on set pieces and candid shots, they use top notch equipment, are on time and offer a good selection of packages for you to choose from at fair prices. What can you expect from a great photographer? Well, primarily, they must be able to make you look good. Check out Joseph’s sample pictures. Examine how he composes them. What is in them. How they are framed. How vibrant the colors are and how intense the contrasts. Notice how he includes a good mix of close-ups and shots from a distance. Notice also how he varies the angles and the height as well as the lens used for each shot. It’s also quite obvious he invests a considerable amount of time in post production. We can also attest to his expertise in using natural light or flash, even in conditions which posed quite a challenge, such as very dim light at the Golden Gate or an evening reception in a room surrounded by windows. We particularly liked his ability to take shots where the subjects are lined up across the depth of the composition, so that the figures in the background look like they’re receding, at times sharply contrasting, but often captured softly out of focus. Joseph also does a great job capturing the feeling of the event, probably because his pictures lean toward candid/photojournalism type shots rather than set pieces (although he did a fabulous job on those, too, for us).In the end of course you have to answer for yourself the most important question: do you like what you see? Would you like your wedding to look like Joseph’s samples? If you look at Joseph's work you'll see that he exudes a certain mood. Is the mood of the photos to your taste?For our part we took months to make final choices for the album – the pictures were so good it was heartbreaking every time we had to “cut” one. Joseph never lost patience with us and didn’t rush us. He just kept in touch until we were able to make selections we could live with. Everyone wants their own unique signature event. Tastes can differ. But there is one thing all couples want and should get out of their wedding photos. They ought to look like superstars. Thanks to Joseph, we did.

We were so lucky to stumble onto Joseph's web site. As residents of the Bay Area, we were lost in our search for a photographer for our wedding in New York and were discouraged that we would have no chance to meet face-to-face with any New York-based photographers before our wedding. We discovered that Joseph is incredibly flexible with travel, and being able to make arrangements for an event on the other side of the country by meeting with him locally and making plans in person was ideal. Joseph entertained our guests at our rehearsal dinner with his sense of humor and lit up people's faces to take some very memorable photos. At our wedding, his attentiveness and calm reassuring demeanor made him a pleasure to work with. He took an impressive number of beautiful and interesting shots, capturing so many details, including things we only know happened from seeing the pictures. His work really told the story of our wedding .After seeing the results Joseph can produce, and as someone who works with digital imagery professionally, I can say Joseph has quality equipment, and really knows how to use it. I was impressed with the care he puts into each step of the process to make sure the pictures look the best they possibly can. Joseph's eye for lighting, color and composition is excellent, and he uses those skills from capturing the moment to the designs of his albums. The end results are stunning.The photos Joseph took are as beautiful as our memories of
our perfect day. No matter where you need photos taken,
I can highly recommend Joseph Kohn.

"Simply Artistic! Joseph's view points are unlike any other - he captures the essence of an event in subtle yet striking ways. His creative angles and unique digital remastery are just some of his many talents. We received so many wonderful compliments on our wedding photographs and treasure our memory of the day! We definitely recommend."

I can't even tell you how happy we are with your excellent work! You were totally professional from beginning to end. Plus, your friendly personality was a big hit with the guests. Everybody has been asking about seeing the pictures "that nice photographer took." We really appreciate this, especially given how chaotic things were that day. With all the details we had to worry about, it was nice to know that our photographer had his work totally under control. Good job!

As a wedding photographer in Los Angeles, I can tell you that Joseph's work is unique and beautiful. He uses light in a creative and talented way that many other photographers just cannot do. I highly recommend him.

Joseph Kohn is an excellent photographer. We selected him to photograph our wedding in Philadelphia after interviewing numerous other artists. His style is photojournalistic and he has a true knack for capturing delightful candid shots. We didn't want someone who was going to take all the "grip--grin" shots or make everyone pose for pictures! Joseph was willing to fly for a reasonable fee to the East Coast to photograph our wedding. We knew instantaneously that we had more than just a photographer; we had a superb professional. Not only did he capture the pictures we will treasure for the rest of our lives, but he helped make our wedding day run smoothly and seem effortless! We left all the details in his hands and didn't give them a second thought. Joseph's confidence and unobtrusive style allowed us to focus on our guests instead of feeling "bossed around" by our photographer. Numerous guests commented that Joseph was the best wedding photographer they had ever come into contact with. He interacted well with everyone and was able to capture true life and emotion on film. His camera angles and eye for color and contrast gave our photographs that fresh twist we wanted. We are thrilled with the quality of our wedding pictures and with the photographer himself. Attentive and capable, yet laid back, Joseph exemplifies all the qualities you would want to have in a professional photographer. We wholeheartedly recommend Joseph Kohn to anyone who is seeking excellence with a personal touch.