I had an amazing experience end to end between planning the day, shooting the photos, and reviewing the collection together with Kristen. While discussing my vision with how I wanted the photos, she helped me to coordinate timing and locations based on her expertise on lighting and color tones. On the day of, she arrived early to the proposal site to scope it out and make sure all the preparations were complete. While I was making small talk with my (newly proposed!) fiancé, she got in position to capture the moment. As soon as I dropped on one knee, she was ready to go and snapping photos. After the proposal itself, we worked together on different poses and backgrounds within the gallery. She was really fun and reassuring - even though I remember being in what I thought were odd poses, the final product ended up being adorable! She played with different angles and props, even using bush clippings and foliage to change up tone of the photos. She also entertained my multiple outfit changes requests! She clearly knows the Big Sur area well, and guided us to a few points that would work well with the sunset with beautiful backgrounds. On the same evening, she gave us a some sneakpeaks from the album so that we could share the news with our friends and family. We received a lot of praise about the photos of how the lighting and angles helped set the tone- some were soft and intimate, whereas others were fun and energetic. All in all, I really enjoyed the experience with Kristen and absolutely love the collection of photos. I would certainly recommend working with Kristen to capture your treasured memories. If I'm coming to Big Sur for any big events (hint hint) I am reaching out to her again. read more

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Long overdue review! I booked Kristen last minute for our babymoon in Big Sur and little did we know how lucky we were she was free to accommodate us! She was so sweet and made us feel relaxed and comfortable during the shoot. We didn't have to pose for any awkward maternity shots which my husband appreciated. We loved our photos!!! If we ever go back to Big Sur, I would want Kristen to capture photos of our little family. Thanks again Kristen! read more

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Kristen was very responsive and helped me plan a surprise engagement shoot on short notice. Everything went perfectly, in no small part to her planning and good communication. The photos turned out great - Kristen gave us plenty of time to soak in the moment (while she captured it), and then helped craft some fantastic posed shots for the fam! I highly recommend her. read more

Kristen was more than amazing. My fiancé and I loved working with her. She truly made the moment really special. read more

Better With You Photography - Surprise proposal - Session Photography Near Me

We used Ben's services in March of 2024 for engagement photos. I reached out to him early as I'm from Chicago and was unfamiliar with the area. I had no idea where to plan the proposal to be frank. Ben walked me through various options with their benefits and drawbacks. He even took time to have a phone call with me while we both viewed Google maps and showed me the specific path I'd take during the proposal so he could get the best pictures of us. Furthermore, Ben offered services at a very affordable rate. Lastly and most importantly, after the proposal we of course were both overwhelmed, and Ben had a calming approachable presence that kept us on track and produce the best photos possible. Couldn't recommend him more if you're looking for engagement photos in the Carmel/Monterey area read more

Kristen was AMAZING for my maternity photo shoot. Super friendly and easy to work with. We were at Ventana in Big Sur and she knew the property really well. Her guidance on time of day/best lighting/best natural poses and outfits was spot on. The photos will be keepsakes forever and friends & family have been raving about them. Highly highly recommend! read more

Better With You Photography - Session Photography Near Me

It was the biggest moment of my life to date: the day in which I asked my girlfriend to marry me. As one can imagine, this can be quite intimidating. However, from the moment I first spoke to Kristen, I instantly felt a sense of relief. I was planning a surprise proposal at Ventana Big Sur and knew how much my girlfriend would appreciate a professional photographer. Kristen provided great tips and guidance so that everything would go seamlessly. When the big day finally came, both my girlfriend and I couldn't have been happier. Kristen was able to catch everything flawlessly (which, by the way, was not easy considering she had to catch a plane flying over with a "Will You Marry Me?" sign!). Even better, she knew all the best spots around the property (i.e. ocean lookouts, redwood trees, etc.) so that no time was wasted; rather, every moment was enjoyed and captured thoroughly. The end product was a BEAUTIFUL collection of photos that we will cherish for life! I could not recommend Kristen more! Thanks so much, Kristen! read more

Kristen helped capture a surprise proposal at bixby bridge in big sur. She was incredibly helpful from the start. I was originally planning on popping the question from a different spot, but she thoroughly researched and warned me the trail to that spot was closed halfway. After she suggested bixby bridge, she woke up early in the mornings to let me know when sunrise was so that I could time my proposal appropriately. On the day off, she arrived on time and was able to stealthily give me signals on how to propose in the right spot. After that she spent more time with us getting some shots posing around the area. The photos came out incredibly well and my fiancee loves them too. Not only that, we got the photos so fast! Would highly recommend Kristen for a friendly, high quality, and helpful photographer. read more

Kristen was an amazing photographer for our Big Sur elopement! She had a great energy about her and really made us feel at ease. She encouraged us to do things we might not have thought of otherwise, which made for amazing photos, and worked so well with everyone else involved (videographer, officiant.) The hours we spent with her were very enjoyable, but even more wonderful were the photos we received. We had asked for a few teaser photos, and she delivered SEVEN that night alone, which was a very unexpected and amazing surprise. The rest of the photos were sent to us not long after, and they were without exception extraordinary. She captured exactly the mood we were going for, asked and listened to what we wanted, and captured our love on film. Better With You Photography is spectacular! read more

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Kristen is amazing!! She responded quickly to my initial inquiry, and was so pleasant and positive during our first conversation that I just knew I had to work with her in setting up the most perfect surprise proposal. She was very meticulous, and helped with EVERY detail: from ideal timing to catch natural light and avoid crowds, to picking the most breathtaking location, down to wardrobe palettes for the time of day we chose! She provided very detailed directions in advance of the big day, and had backup plans to our backup plans, accounting for every disruption we could think of. My girlfriend (now fiancé) and I walked up to the dreamy picnic Kristen had set up, and it could not have gone any smoother. On our initial call she'd mentioned that proposals were her favorite thing to capture, and that was evident on the big day as she was genuinely excited, gracious and very accommodating (super helpful for proposal nerves, ha!). And the final photos? We haven't stopped looking at them! Kristen captured the raw emotion of the moment I asked the love of my life to be my wife, and these images will live with us for the rest of our lives. I cannot recommend her enough, she's a rockstar! read more

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Kristen helped us with our small ceremony/elopement photos. She was super invested and had great advice about lighting and best time of the day to schedule our ceremony, beach photos, etc . We are super happy with our photos, they capture the Carmel/Big Sur vibe, and our love is captured in the photos as well. Zero awkwardness. We will have timeless mementos of the day. read more

We had an absolutely wonderful experience partnering with Kristen on the surprise proposal to my girlfriend (now fiancé) of 8 years. She was the 9th photographer I reached out to, and knew from the first call that she was unequivocally the one I wanted to collaborate with on such a monumental milestone. She made the entire process seamless and exciting. From the top, I had a tight window to plan in terms of exact location on Big Sur (ton of options), optimal time of day and how to pull this off without compromising the surprise, etc etc etc. She helped quarterback the entire thing, which put me at ease leading up to the big day. Kristen did an exceptional job of covertly capturing the proposal and the photo session afterwards. Photo sessions can sometimes feel awkward and unnatural for those of us who aren't in front of a camera for a living, however Kristen's demeanor and experience of being able to create a comfortable environment made the session welcomingly relaxed. She promptly provided 5 edited shots on the same day and the entire portfolio online well within the promised timeframe. The photos are absolutely stunning and captured this special moment exactly in the way we imagined-- candid and natural. We cannot recommend Kristen enough as someone to partner with for any special occasion that you wish to cherish forever through the art of photos!! read more

Better With You Photography - Session Photography Near Me

Kristen is an absolute dream to photograph your family. She is very professional, communicative, creative and talented, truly a delight to work with. She squeezed our family in to her schedule at last minute and did a superb job from the minute we met her on location, to the follow up and editing of the shots. We recently moved here from Texas and have now found our go to photographer - so lucky we found her and will sure use her in the years to come! read more

Better With You Photography - Session Photography Near Me

We have so many amazing things to say about Kristen, but I'll try to keep this review organized! The first reason that Kristen is so great is her personality. Of course, having beautiful photos that will last a lifetime is important, but that is not nearly as important as a having genuinely fun once-in-a-lifetime day that will remain in your memory forever. Therefore, the people you surround yourself with can make a huge difference on how you remember your day. Kristen is so easy going and has such great energy. It was truly a joy to have her around on our big day. On the day, she was my go to gal and even helped zip me into my dress and place my veil in my hair! Additionally, Kristen's personality made it so easy to feel comfortable and not awkward in front of the camera. The second reason that Kristen is awesome is because of her skill! She was so great at talking to us and guiding us through different poses, without it looking "posey." Many of our photos captured real genuine laughs in the moment. Because of this, there is so much emotion in the photo. When looking through them, you can genuinely feel the happiness of the day. Good photos can help you remember, but great photos can help you relive! All while just talking to us and having a good time, Kristen was able to capture the great angles and take beautiful shots in motion. We feel so lucky to have had Kristen as our photographer since our favorite photos from our gallery are the candid ones, and Kristen did an amazing job at taking natural looking photos. Lastly, Kristen's professionalism was outstanding. She was so prompt to respond to e-mails, helped us with locations, and gave us detailed information for parking. If I had a question, Kristen was there with an answer. Her turnaround time was seriously phenomenal. We received our sneak peeks the next morning and had our full gallery much sooner than we had expected. She worked really fast at editing our photos and getting them back to us although she had other shoots to attend as well, which was super appreciated. It was exciting to have the pictures back so soon, as there is so much anticipation in seeing them! Overall, we had a really wonderful experience and would without a doubt recommend her as a photographer. She goes above and beyond in every category. Having her there felt just like spending a fun day with an old friend and in the end we received beautiful, natural, well-edited, photos at lightning speed. Kristen is absolutely phenomenal! read more

Kristen is a true gem! She recently took photos of our family for our Christmas card and as we prepare to welcome a new baby. She perfectly captured my 2.5-year-old daughter's spirit and our joy as a family. Kristen makes everyone feel at ease and is so wonderful to work with. It's not always easy taking pictures of a busy toddler, but Kristen is very patient and a master at what she does. I can't wait to have her capture more important family moments in the years to come. Don't hesitate to book Kristen, she's absolutely amazing! read more

I stumbled upon Kristen when researching places I might want to propose in the Big Sur area, and I'm so glad I did. She's an excellent photographer, and I loved her work I saw before she shot our proposal, but she was also an excellent adviser and source of information about some of the spots in the area I was considering. She had a good handle on traffic patterns, and ideal times, and because of her, we were able to get some alone time at Bixby Bridge which was packed every other time we drove past it. The pictures were wonderful, and she's a very warm, comforting personality and it felt like we were old friends. Can't recommend her highly enough. read more

Better With You Photography - Session Photography Near Me

Amazing, amazing, amazing! My (now) fiancé surprised me with professional photos from Better With You Photography during his proposal and I could not be happier! Kristen did an amazing job at capturing all of the emotion of the moment. Neither of us are super photogenic, but she made us comfortable and kept us looking natural. The turnaround time was super quick and the edits are perfect. HIGHLY recommend. read more

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So my wedding was last weekend and I cannot day enough nice things about Kristen. We threw it together last second and she was so was so helpful and such a positive force in the entire process. All of the guests couldn't stop talking about how awesome she was and once we got back some of the preliminary pictures.... wow. She's unreal. If anyone ever needs a photographer, you'd be crazy not to use Kristen. read more

Better With You Photography - Session Photography Near Me

My fiancé and I just got engaged this past Friday 5.31.2019. Everything about the set up for the actual proposal couldn't have gone smoother and Kristen was an integral part of the process. We traveled to Big Sur from Reno and the reviews I read led me to Kristen and I couldn't be more grateful they did! She knew how to navigate the region like a pro, which was huge for me traveling in from a ways away. I was not entirely sure about all the details regarding the actual location where we popped the question but she did and developed a plan that was easily executed despite zero service in the area for days leading up to it. So as far as planning goes, 10 out of 10. Results now, they couldn't have been more beautiful. Honestly, what she produced is beyond anything we could have imagined. She captured the proposal like a sniper from about 100 yards away, capturing the entire scene while it occurred. After that, she engaged us in friendly conversation and comfortably guided the two of us through about 45 minutes of a photo shoot; which we would have certainly felt more awkward without Kristen's lax style. 11 out of 10 for results. Like I said beyond grateful and very stoked on life. I'd fully recommend her to anyone that finds them self in a situation similar to mine. read more

My husband and I had a wonderful experience with Kristen from Better With You Photography in Ventana Big Sur. My husband and I visited Big Sur for our babymoon. We got maternity photos taken in the beautiful forest behind the Ventana resort. Kristen is so incredibly talented and the photos prove it! She knows the area so well and knew EXACTLY where to go to get the best shots and she knew exactly what TIME to go to capture the best natural light. She is calm and gives wonderful advice on how to pose and where to look. Our conversations between locations were enjoyable too and made me realize just how special of a person Kristen is. Her talent is enormous and I am so grateful that I found her online! If you plan on taking any type of photos in the Big Sur or surrounding areas, you should absolutely look into Kristen. She will NOT disappoint you!!! Thanks again Kristen! read more

Kristen is fantastic. She gave us privacy as we got engaged and made us feel so at ease afterwards, shooting in a few different backdrops but having us laughing and candid throughout. She was very responsive in advance, even giving outfit advice to my significant other over text, and was prompt afterwards with sneak peeks and the full image set. Would highly recommend anyone to work with her! read more

We cannot say enough about Kristen. She was so wonderful throughout the entire process and the day of - in a simple statement, she just made everything better. My husband and I planned an elopement in Big Sur and hired Kristen about 6 months before our big day. We had a consultation phone call with her and then kept in touch over the next few months. She helped us plan our day/timing around the light and gave us several suggestions for locations. When it came down to the day of our ceremony, she was early, which was such a relief, and from that moment everything was just such a breeze. When you are planning an elopement with just the two of you, the officiant and photographer, who you hire really matters and sets the tone. Kristen was so warm, kind, thoughtful and just a pleasure to be around. A few days after our ceremony we got sneak peaks and they were stunning. Shortly after that we received all of our photos. We were so surprised by how fast and painless everything was. The day was a breeze, our photos are breathtaking and most of all we have nothing but happy memories from that day. Cannot recommend Kristen enough! read more

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Highly recommend Better With You Photography! While searching for photographers for my trip to California Kristen, with Better With You Photography, was the first photographer I came across and I could not had been luckier. From my initial inquiry to receiving the photos, everything was done in the most timely manner. The amount of detail provided made me feel beyond comfortable from the first conversations. When it came to planning the proposal out, Kristen not only listened to my thoughts, but provided invaluable feedback and suggestions on location, timing, and the entire process. She provided a long list of diverse and beautiful spots for the proposal and once I decided on the spot, she helped plan every moment down to the minute to ensure it went perfectly. The entire experience once at the spot was nothing short of exceptional. Kristen arrived plenty time ahead and notified me once there, she was discrete during the entire proposal and could not had captured the moment any better. The photos taken following the proposal were relaxed, natural, and enjoyable. We were very impressed with the turnaround time on the photos and then even more so the quality, the photos could not have been better. Thanks to Kristen, we have beautiful photos that will allow us to relive the moment throughout our lives. I highly recommend Kristen, with Better With Your Photography, nothing short of professional, an incredible photographer, and will truly make your proposal, wedding, etc. one of the most memorable that you will be able to relive through her remarkable photography! read more

There are so many wedding photographers to choose from, but Kristen from Better With You Photography, is 100% the best choice for SO many reasons. She's super talented obviously, but she's also very professional so you can count on her to respond quickly, be on time (actually, early!), and to protect your precious memories! I love that she mostly quietly/discreetly takes photos, but then during the portraits she helps couples move into poses that feel and look really natural. Highly recommended! read more

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! My boyfriend (now fiancé!) worked with Kristen to ensure our proposal/engagement was captured during our road trip through Big Sur. Kristen not only arrived early and before us, but scoped out the park the previous day to help my fiancé plan the perfect spot to pop the question. She remained hidden before/during the big moment yet somehow managed to capture such raw emotion on both of our faces. After the proposal, we walked around the park taking pictures in various locations - all of which look very natural and unposed, my favorite. At the end of our session, Kristen even helped us kick off the celebrations with a bottle of champagne - SO thoughtful! From the amount of care and passion Kristen puts into her work, to the timeliness of responses and delivery of images, everything about our experience with Better With You Photography was top-notch. I am so grateful for Kristen (and my fiancé) for being able to remember this day for the rest of our lives. read more

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We couldn't have imagined a better engagement photoshoot experience. Kristen knew all of the best spots for gorgeous outdoor photographs and helped orchestrate much more than a quick photoshoot - she helped us navigate to cool local spots, recommended us places to stay for the weekend, helped us prepare for the shoot, and was generally just a pleasure to work with. Neither of us had prior experience with formal photo shoots and initially thought that the whole affair could be awkward - not at all! Kristen made us feel totally at ease. She talked us through the shoot, and we had a ton of fun with it. The photos themselves are absolutely gorgeous - Kristen did a phenomenal job of capturing amazing and varied backdrops and a mix of far away and close up shots that we will cherish for a lifetime. Her turnaround time was really quick, and she even gave us some previews before the full portfolio was ready. We loved working with Kristen and would recommend her to anyone. read more

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We recently received our wedding photos from Kristen for our Big Sur elopement and are beyond thrilled!! They are absolutely gorgeous and could not be more perfect. Both my husband and I are somewhat camera shy but Kristen made us feel instantly at ease and comfortable. Kristen knew we were having a virtual reception with family later in the week and she went out of her way to send us the photos in time. I highly recommend her services for anyone getting married in the Big Sur area. We are so happy with our beautiful photos! read more

Kristen was an amazing photographer and met our needs perfectly! The photos turned out wonderful and we could not be more satisfied with the experience. Kristen was able to work with me on incredibly short notice and had so many good ideas that made the photos so special. We definitely recommend other couples use her for photography in the future! We would hire her again :) read more

Better With You Photography captured my wedding better than I could have imagined. I had a very non traditional wedding choosing to elope to New York City Hall over the pomp and circumstance of a big wedding and party. (To each their own!!) We invited immediate family and a couple of close friends with a guest list totaling 15! With less than a months notice, Kristen agreed to fly across the country and capture the most special day of my life. On a Thursday morning no less! Kristen's attention to detail is on point. A week prior to my wedding Kristen sent me a short list of items I should think about. One of these, which never even occurred to me was creating a list of family members and the different combinations of family to take pictures with. This way we weren't fumbling around on my wedding day wasting precious time. Even better, it ensured that we didn't miss any shots. And don't worry, if there is that one wedding date lingering around trying to get in all the family photos, Kristen will gracefully and tactfully ensure he is not in every single picture! One thing that Kristen feels very passionately about is the first look. As a very carefree bride I hadn't put too much thought into this. But Kristen insisted that we do one. I am so glad that we listened to her because these are some of my favorite pictures of our day and one of the most special moments. Overall Kristen's style is very organic and fun. She has a knack for capturing the vibe and uniqueness of the couple. Cliche photos are not propositioned, unless of course you (or the mother of the bride) want them! As an added bonus, Kristen noticed that I didn't have a garter or something blue. Next thing I know, she is pulling out a garter made of blue daisies from her camera bag. It's hard to top that! And finally (I could go on all day) the turnaround time on getting the images back was so fast. Instead of having to impatiently wait months to get professional photos back, they were ready when we returned home from our honeymoon! It was such a treat. I highly recommend Better With You Photography! read more

Kristen did both our engagement shoot and wedding photos in San Diego. She is a kind, professional, and responsive. She was such a pleasure to work with and you can tell she truly values the relationship she builds with her clients. She did an amazing job and our pictures came out beautiful. She takes the time to view the venue with you and will work with you to find gorgeous places to shoot. I am so glad we hired Kristen for our wedding and I encourage you to meet her to understand how she will put you at ease. I recommend her to anyone looking for a wedding photographer to capture and be part of your day! read more

I've only been married once and don't plan on doing it again because my experience was so fantastic! Better with you photography took care of everything and our pictures were simply perfect. Not knowing what to expect I felt very comfortable the entire time. My wife and family were also very happy. I'm pretty sure my wedding pictures are the best wedding pictures ever. We are very lucky to have hired Kristen to take care of our special day. read more

I found Kristen, from Better With You Photography, on Instagram and loved the way her images didn't look posed. I hired her after we met up for coffee and she shot my wedding last year here in San Diego. She was easily my favorite vendor, or "friendor" as she called it. Haha. Most importantly, she was so good at making my husband and I less nervous. She found awesome places to take pictures on the day of for our portraits, and was so creative. Our pictures came out better than i could have hoped with a dreamy, romantic feel. She was professional and friendly through the whole process, and she's not just a great artist but also good at the business side of what she does. I definitely recommend hiring Kristen and Better With You Photography. Best friendor ever! read more

Kristin Pace is simply AMAZING! She took the time to get to know me and went above and beyond in helping me plan the PERFECT engagement! She took the most beautiful pictures of the most perfect day! HIGHLY recommended!!! Thank you Kristin!! read more

Kristen Pace was simply amazing! We were traveling to Big Sur from Dallas and wanted some family photos to commemorate our times together. We found her online after seeing her work on her website. She made us feel comfortable immediately and more importantly she made our 2 year old instantly fall in love with her! She was easy going and let my daughter do her thing on the beach and just captured the best/natural photos of us together. So lucky and happy that we found her and everything turned out just perfect..I look back at the pictures and can't help but smile thinking of the beautiful memories we made as a family together! read more

It's been a little over a year since our destination wedding in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico - it was truly magical. I feel so lucky that Better With You Photography was there to capture the emotions, the feeling, of our wedding weekend. I just looked through all our wedding photos and relived each smile, each tear, each laugh. The photography captured so many amazing candid moments, in addition to the traditional shots, that looking at the photos is truly re-living the day. Kristen and her team were able to catch fleeting moments - a look, a smile, an exchange...I am so grateful that we have these moments captured. Kristen and her team were very professional, helpful, kind, and felt like we'd been good friends for years, they fit right in and blended in. It never felt like "oh there's the photographer". I am incredibly thankful for the conversations we had leading up to the wedding, where Kristen suggested a first-look shoot with my husband and I, something I wasn't sure about. She kindly explained that she'd love to have more time, and time with just the two of us. We'd also get to the reception and the margaritas faster if we did a first look. :) I am so incredibly thankful that we did a first-look, it was the only time that day my husband and I had time to just let it all set in and be together, revel in it together. It felt very natural and we felt like it was just us, except of course Kristen and her team were there capturing it all. The photos are just incredible, more than I ever could have imaged or hoped for. The photo turn-around after was very fast and the photos are truly amazing, many should be in a magazine - the quality is absolutely outstanding. I will be hiring Better With You Photography for every future milestone event in my life, and have recommended Kristen and her team to all of my friends. Thank you, Kristen, my wedding truly was Better With You! read more