My husband and I were married at The Villa SJC this spring and were happy to book Brett as our photographer. He shot our engagement photos last June. We went with two of several locations he'd suggested, which offered different romantic backgrounds. The pictures he took are stunning. Brett has a photographer's eye and truly enjoys capturing people's connection. He has an easygoing personality and balances observation with direction. Brett offers guidance and suggests poses that feel and look natural. He is also open to ideas. Brett was a real pleasure to work with. The day of the wedding, we shot at two locations. Brett was solid and set a calm tone. We love our portrait shots from the Mission San Juan. Brett captured our ceremony at The Villa beautifully, and was especially superb with our families afterwards. He and his second shooter, Paul, worked wonderfully together with the videographer to document our big day. He even stayed late. We couldn't be happier with our wedding photos. Thank you, Brett! read more

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Brett is the best!!! I can always count on him to get the perfect shots, make the couple look absolutely stunning and produce a magical gallery!! His work is so consistent and absolutely beautiful!! No wonder so many of my clients want him for their big day! Can't wait for many more weddings!! -the Ladies of Intertwined Events read more

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Brett is an absolute joy to work with. He will be doing any and all future photography we need!! We hired Brett for both our engagement and wedding photos. So, if you're a bride out there, know that Brett is THE BEST and do yourself a favor... just check this one off your list and move on to all of the other things you have to think about! Rest assured you'll be in great hands! Brett is a master at his art. His photos are gorgeous, classic, clean and tasteful. He does truly stunning, timeless work. Not only is the end product phenomenal but Brett effortlessly makes you feel so at ease during photo shoots. He has this wonderful ability to make something that could easily be awkward, feel so fun! We were so thrilled to have found Brett and can't wait to work with him again. He's got it all- personality, professionalism and incredible talent. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for everything, Brett!! Bahan & Josh read more

Brett is the real deal. Before we even got pictures back, we had guests coming up to us telling us how much they liked Brett! He was efficient, professional, kind and talented. We got sneak peaks a day and half after our wedding and we are speechless. Multiple people have asked me to send them Brett's information to keep on hand for when their child gets married! You will be THRILLED when you choose Brett Hickman! Thank you thank you! read more

Brett came highly recommended to me by my wedding coordinator and was one of the best decisions I made for my wedding! Brett is an insanely talented photographer who has a knack for finding the best locations with the most amazing lighting. In addition, he was able to capture two un-photogenic people as the best possible version of themselves. While my husband and I don't enjoy the way we look in pictures, we actually enjoyed looking through all of Brett's photos. Throughout the day, he efficiently set up shots and gave good direction for position placement without being pushy or impatient. In addition, during the wedding party photoshoot, he noticed that we were a bit parched from the day and fetched some waters for us which I found incredibly thoughtful. Taking pictures can be awkward, but Brett made the entire experience comfortable and enjoyable. Several bridesmaids and groomsmen came up to me after the wedding to tell me how impressed they were with his interactions with the wedding party as well as the other vendors. Brett did a great job working with the videographers to make sure each person was able to get the shots they needed. One of my favorite things about him was that he would come up and show us pictures he took which showed how passionate he is about his work. This made us trust his professional judgment and got us super excited the see the final product. Once we received all of the photos, we were blown away. There simply are no words that could adequately articulate how amazing his photos are. Every single picture contains a sort of warmth that captures our wedding day exactly as we remember it - perfect. THANK YOU BRETT! read more

SUMMARY: Brett Hickman provides a professional photography service for real estate and special events at great prices and with wonderful creativity. STORY: Brett was chosen as the photographer for my friend's wedding day in San Diego, CA. He and a fellow colleague drove down from Orange County. They were on-time and helped guide us through the entire process without getting in the way or inconveniencing the wedding group. He paid close attention to the group and went out of his way to make us all comfortable. First, Brett went up to the bride's party to document their getting dressed and helping each other while his colleague documenting the groom's side doing the same. Later we went to Balboa Park for the official wedding photos. Brett was not pleased with how the limo driver took us to a far away spot in the park so he directed the driver to go to a spot that would be easier on the bride to walk in her dress and shoes: a very thoughtful and nice touch. During the ceremony in the church Brett and his team were at every angle, but never distracted anyone or got in the way. After the ceremony he directed us to do certain poses and then even asked for feedback and listened to ideas from the wedding party to accommodate our tastes. At the reception they continued to work hard and did a nice job of staying in the action without getting in peoples' way. The wedding happened this last weekend so I have not seen the final outcome. I will edit this review appropriately once I see them. PROS: + Courteous and professional team + New and high quality equipment on hand + Pays attention to the audience's needs and goes out of his way to make them comfortable + Is receptive to feedback + Brett has a great eye for creative poses and shots. He can make any scene work, despite the conditions. NEUTRAL: - Prices are market average, but are worth it. CONS: - None at the moment read more

Brett is a true artist with a camera! His patience and attention to detail is reflected in the incredible shots he takes. He does all my real estate photos and also my promotional pieces. He listens to clients and is sensitive to their needs and direction; they are always blown away by the end result!! Hire Brett without hesitation! it will be one of your best decisions!! Sandy DeAngelis read more

Consider my review as 4.5 Stars; Yelp just doesn't allow such nuances. :) Until getting in contract with Brett, our attempts to find a wedding photographer were disheartening. Several photographers that I spoke with were either charging outrageous prices or were just kind of snotty. Brett was great from the first time that we contacted him. He has always been professional and personable; but more importantly he is clearly enthusiastic about what he does and the art of it. Exhibit A: At one point during our engagement shoot, he stepped back down a slope and stumbled backwards (luckily without incident) all because he was trying to get one specific angle of a shot. During our wedding, he and his assistant were great. They were there capturing all the wonderful moments but were not the least bit intrusive. We just saw the final photos last week and they are gorgeous. Brett took advantage of our rainy wedding day to allow our wedding colors to really pop against the backgrounds. As a final flourish, he sends you all the images on an USB drive in this nice wooden box. The only reason that this isn't a 5-star review are minor things like some miscommunication about a meeting time. We'd hire him as out photographer again in a heart beat. read more

Brett is simply the best! Every single vendor we hired for our wedding asked who we selected as our photographer. When we told them we went with Brett, every single one made it a point to tell us what a great decision we made, raved about the quality work product he turns out, and how much they personally enjoy working with him. When that is the reaction from people in the industry, there can be no higher compliment. Brett is an incredible photographer who you can clearly tell enjoys his job. Brett has an amazing ability to make you feel comfortable and natural while taking photos. We were thrilled with the quality of his work product and responsiveness. We will recommend him to anyone who is looking for a photographer. Thanks for everything, Brett! Dane & Cassandra read more

Brett and his team were so amazing to work with this past year- with our micro celebration, engagement shoot, and finally on the big wedding day! We loved their creative ideas and how comfortable they made everyone feel throughout the process. We really appreciate them and feel grateful to have worked with them. read more

Amazing... Brett and Nick just covered my daughter's wedding... the Engagement Pictures were outstanding and I can't wait for the Wedding ones. Brett was friendly, accommodating and professional. He made each and everyone of us feel at ease... thanks again read more

We were referred to Brett from our wedding planner and we are so happy!! He shot our engagement photos at the Dana Point Harbor and our wedding at The Villa in San Juan. We absolutely love all of our engagement photos! We have received our sneak peak pictures from the wedding and we are so excited to see all of them! His work is gorgeous and he really helped capture all the emotions and excitement. I love the overall feel and aesthetic of his photography and highly recommend him to anyone who wants beautiful moments captured in beautiful pictures! read more

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If you are looking for an awesome photographer - Brett is your guy. He was great to work with - made the shoot fun and effortless. Brett really wanted to achieve the best results and was particular about the details. His shots were fresh and creative - great use of light and texture. I was amazed as the results and can't wait to incorporate Brett's work in my business. Thank you Brett for a great job! Sally Stewart read more

Brett is the best photographer, hands down! He has been shooting my family for years and captures those priceless and powerful moments that are so special you can't even put them into words! His artistic ability coupled with his attention to detail make every picture tell their own story. He is extremely professional and is an attentive listener to all of his clients needs. We will continue to use him and recommend him for years to come! read more

Brett did our engagement and wedding photos. I can't remember how I found him, I think I saw something on Facebook and knew immediately that was going to be my wedding photographer (this was before I was even engaged). Because we live south of him, we often chatted through emails and he responded very quickly. Even with our engagement shoot, he gave us some tips to make it go smoother and look better. I will have to say Brett is very patient and accommodating. He usually does his engagement shoots during the week because of bigger events on the weekend but with us living far from him and my husband being military and unable to confirm what evenings he would be available, Brett allowed us to do it during the weekend. Brett was super professional and directed us throughout the shoot. After, he gave us some tips about places to eat in the area. But the most impressive thing with Brett was how he was during our wedding. We had planned a pretty good schedule of thigns and I think he had some ideas of where and what he wanted to shoot. Unfortunately, we got held up at church due to some confusion with our planner and the people working there so we got to Balboa 45 minutes late. Brett made up for it though and shot a ton of pictures and I have so many favorites, it is hard to chose. He did a great job and did everything we wanted. He was punctual and professional. Again, we had our reception on base so we needed some personal information from him so he could get on base and he was great about that as well. I have recommended him to friends and I know when the times comes for our next big shoot, we will be using him. read more

Brett Hickman Photographers - One of my favorite shots- I love the capture of the colors of the skyline- true talent there. - Event Photography Near Me - Tustin, California

I e-mailed Brett 3 days before I was going to have all of our family together for just a few hours on a Sunday. He got right back to me and scheduled the shoot. He changed the location after he found a better place to shoot which turned out to be amazing! I was hoping for just at least one shot of us all looking normal and had no idea we would end up with too many pics to choose from. He made the shoot so easy and with 4 kids, 2 dogs and the grandparents it went seamlessly. I can't say enough so if you have questions just look at our photos when he gets them on his blog. It was amazing and we are already looking forward to the next time! Amazing family photographer! read more

Brett is a wonderful person for reaching out to me, after some miscommunication that happened months ago. His work is top notch and I greatly look forward to our anniversary photos next year :) read more

Very impressed with Brett and his team. Brett photographed my sisters wedding this past week at the Loft on Pine and did an outstanding job. His interaction with the wedding party and our family was what made me want to write this review. Would definitely recommend him! read more

I recently acquired Brett Hickman for a wedding and I have to say that this guy is a true professional. He and his colleague showed up to the hotel on time with everything ready to go. I am the type of guy who hates doing big photo sessions, but he and his colleague Carlos made it so easy for us. I felt very comfortable with them the entire time. And one of the best things about it is it looked like Brett and Carlos were having a good time. When your photographer is relaxed and enjoying himself, it makes the whole experience that much more pleasurable. Whoever this Dawn M. woman is is absolutely incorrect about Brett. I couldn't imagine somebody being any more professional than he was. There is no doubt that I would be recommending Brett to anybody who needs a photographer. read more

Wow! Brett did a fantastic job with my professional head shots I needed! The shots turned out fantastic! He was very delightful to work with even with all my requests like: not making my face look too round, get rid of my roots and fix my top in the picture :) great work! My boyfriend is using him next after seeing the results. read more

Where do I even begin? Brett Hickman is an absolute legend. He was one of the first vendors we locked down--and the one photographer whose work we fell in love with instantly upon seeing his portfolio online. His lighting was on point and his compositions were beautiful. I was living in Australia up until a month prior to our wedding and my now-hubby lives in North Carolina, but Brett was more than accomodating. He was fun and informative over the phone, quick to respond to emails, and flexible in moving dates and times around for us, especially for the engagement shoot that we scheduled a week before I flew back from Aussie. He didn't want us to meet him and be behind his lens for the first time on our wedding day, and so an engagement shoot with him would help us get to know and feel comfortable with him beforehand, and vice versa. It was a brilliant idea and a blast, and it only served to further solidify our trust and confidence in him and his photography. He was light-hearted, professional, creative and punctual on our wedding day. And the photos are just INCREDIBLE. Ever since receiving them, I haven't been able to stop looking at them and re-living the day. He captured all the moments so well, and all our family and friends agree. I highly recommend Brett as your photographer. You won't regret it--in fact, you'll thank yourselves for the rest of your lives. read more

Brett is amazing photographer - we are so happy we chose him to do our family photos. We had Brett do a one hour session with us to photograph our family for my mom's birthday and to celebrate her new grandson. The pictures turned out absolutely stunning. He knew the perfect spot to photograph us and was able to keep our 6 month old baby engaged and smiling almost the entire time. He quickly (but not too quickly) moved through different poses to get the best lighting but also to keep the entire family (and baby) happy and engaged. I also appreciated that Brett helped us with outfit choices via email before the shoot, as we haven't had photos done in a long time and wanted to look modern yet pulled together. His communication with us was always prompt and he accepts Venmo! Yay! Overall we would highly recommend his work - our pictures are truly priceless and we'll treat them as family heirlooms. read more

This review is long overdue, but I knew that I had to write it, as it is well deserved. My husband and I were married in August of 2013 at Laguna Presbyterian Church followed by a reception at the St. Regis Monarch Bay. Our wedding planner gave us several photographer recommendations. After contacting and interviewing just about all of them, I was confident that Brett Hickman was the best choice. He was just as professional as he was enthusiastic, and was able to connect with the vision my husband and I had for our wedding. He was an excellent listener, very organized and a genuinely lovely, affable person. I can honestly say that, of all of our vendors (who were all fantastic, by the way) and wedding-related decisions, Brett was the best choice that we made. We had quite the multi-cultural wedding, with bridesmaids and groomsmen from England, New Zealand, Dubai... And guests from just about every corner of the world! Yet, it took Brett and his assistants no time at all to make everyone feel completely comfortable. He engaged everyone and succeeded in making mine and my husband's post-ceremony photography session exciting and enjoyable! He went so far above and beyond what he was hired to do. He coordinated brilliantly with the other vendors, namely our planner, stayed longer than we had asked him to on his own accord and at no extra cost, and came up with the most gorgeous, creative spots and angles for photos. After our wedding, he was very efficient about following up, giving us a preview and having our 900-some photos ready in a timely manner, all of which were absolutely stunning. He didn't miss a thing! Truly, we could not have hoped for better. And to this day, we still enjoy flipping through all of the amazing photos that help us relive every bit of our special day! read more

Brett was the perfect photographer for our wedding! Throughout the entire planning process, Brett was always available and quick to respond, which I so appreciated! Our engagement and wedding photos came back better than we could have imagined, and Brett and his team made the whole day so exciting for us. He worked seamlessly with our other vendors, which made the process even more enjoyable. We can't say enough wonderful things about Brett and the photos he takes- we absolutely loved how light and natural the photos came out, which was just the way we wanted them. Thank you, Brett, for capturing the best day of our lives so perfectly! read more

Brett is truly one of the most gifted photographers I have had the pleasure of working with! Brett was extremely professional, responsive, and helpful throughout the entire process. Our wedding photos are absolutely beautiful and we have received endless compliments from friends and family. Not only is he extremely talented, but very kind and funny as well! He is intentional about making sure the couple is comfortable, relaxed, and have fun during the process. This is something we greatly appreciated! I would highly recommend Brett for both engagement and wedding photography. We were so blessed to have you! :) read more

I have to say Brett and his crew are as good as it gets! From their professionalism to the quality of the photos, my family and I couldn't have asked for more! We have used Brett for our Wedding, family weddings, as well as for our family portraits for the past couple of years and each time he goes above and beyond! If you are ever in need of a great photographer, Brett is hands down the guys to use!!!`` read more

Brett photographed our Engagement Photos and Wedding and we couldn't be happier. Outside of Brett and his team being talented and professional, Brett is an incredibly nice guy and attentive to his client's needs. For both sessions, Brett proposed many great ideas for photos and settings while listening to our ideas and vision. Photographers for Weddings and Special Events can be so important; for us, he was the only person creating an archive of the night for our memories. We are so glad to have worked with Brett as our photos were perfect and will last a lifetime. read more

Not only is Brett one of the nicest people I've ever met, he is a seriously amazing photographer. All of our family and friends were completely stunned by his photos used on our save-the-date and on our website. What's really great about Brett is that he knows exactly how to make you look great not only with lighting/exposure but also when it comes to positioning. He knows every angle your arm/wrist/chin/leg should be in and he will tell you exactly how to move - this is so helpful for those of us that aren't seasoned models. I had a different shoot in New Orleans where I live (because I won it at an auction) and to put it bluntly it really showed how amazing, skilled, trained and professional Brett was in comparison. You will not get the same direction from just anyone else. He is so enjoyable to work with and he'll know how to deal with your family no matter how crazy they might be, and on top of that he's super professional which I need, respect, and love. I would give him 10 stars if I could. read more

I was referred to Brett by my friend who got married in the Dominican Republic. Her pictures were beautiful so I gave Brett a call. I 100% recommend Brett for a destination wedding (or for any wedding)! I was worried about the cost of a photographer for a destination wedding (I got married in Playa Del Carmen April of this year). I thought it would be very expensive to fly a photographer in and pay for hotel, etc. However, Brett's prices for destination weddings is extremely reasonable and the quality of his work is amazing. I could not be happier with my decision. He is very responsive and he is very attentive throughout the entire process from planning to actual execution. We had 2 photographers come to Playa. The 2nd photographer was also amazing. Included in the package was a photo session the day before or after the wedding. We paid for it to be an hour long session but Brett is very accommodating and made sure we got all of the pictures we wanted (which definitely went beyond 1 hour). All of the photos came out perfectly. Brett knows what he's doing from taking all of the pictures you want and ones that you would never even think of. He does a tremendous job of capturing all moments. You can tell he has A LOT of experience with destination weddings. When we first signed up for his services, we initially decided that we wouldn't have Brett create our album. However, after the wedding and after seeing how amazing the pictures turned out, we changed our minds and decided to have him create our album. WE LOVE IT! His albums are beautiful. The quality of the layout as well as the actual book itself is amazing. We couldn't be happier with Brett's services. If we had to do it 100 times over, I would go with Brett each time. read more

Brett did an above and beyond fantastic job for our wedding! From the very beginning he was extremely professional and met with us to discuss everything we were looking for in our photographs. He was always available with any questions we had! On the day of the wedding, he was AWESOME! He has a very artistic eye and will do whatever it takes to get the shot he envisioned. I had emailed him prior to the day that my girlfriends and I wanted to take a shot of the cover for the movie Bridesmaids, he had the photo ready to go and delegated who would be doing what pose! The photo looks spot on! As it was Christmas time, there were a bunch of Christmas lights at the venue, Brett pulled us aside at one point because the fog had just rolled in and he took the most amazing shot with the fog rolling in and the lights behind us! It is now our Christmas/Thank you card photo! We would recommend Brett to anyone and everyone that needs professional photography. We will def. be using him in the future! read more