Rich at Clarkie Photography was hands down the very best decision we made when planning our wedding. It has been some months since the big day so looking back there are a few things my husband and I splurged on that may have not been totally worth it, BUT our experience with Clarkie Photography so exceeded what we imagined. Rich is so much more than a photographer; he's a true artist and you can tell by looking through his portfolio that he has a special eye for capturing emotion in a beautifully unique way. On our wedding day Rich was calm, on top of the timeline, and eased my nerves. He seemed to be everywhere at once, but he captured the day in a very non-invasive way. No interrupting to stage shots which was extra important to Chris. He worked so hard to move around us and our guests so we all could be "in the moment". THEN when we received our pictures, ahead of the expected date, and were BLOWN AWAY. Our wedding photos are gorgeous, unique, and flatter everyone. They transport me back to our wedding day in an instant. Our friends and family noticed how next level the pictures we have are and I've enthusiastically recommended Clarkie Photography to all our newly engaged friends. Rich, thank you so much for the priceless gift you've given us. You're talented far beyond the word limits of this review. OH also, my husband and I don't take too many pictures together so I would highly recommend opting to do an engagement shoot with Rich before the wedding day. We got more perfect photos of us being in love and had the chance to see how incredible Rich is so there was no stress about pictures leading up to the wedding. So friends and strangers, choose Rich and hope he is available on your day because these photographs we have are tangible memories of the biggest day for our love. I wouldn't trade the results or experience we had for anything. read more

There are no words to describe this mans talents! Il try though.... Phenomenal, artistic, friendly, reasonably priced. My husband and I are both very fussy when it comes to good photos, we decided early on that if we spent any money on our wedding the main money would be dedicated to photography to capture the memories. Looking on yelp and websites for weeks, a friend recommended Richard. Being from the uk myself, I was drawn to the fact he too is British. We met for a consultation having seen the stunning photos on his website and blog. We both loved his style and ability to capture real candid moments In his images, as well as his use of negative space in photos that make them pieces of art. So much in fact that I was very concerned his prices would be through the roof. When we met him we were happily impressed with his professionalism as well as his friendly attitude, when I saw his price range I jumped at the chance to work with him. It was a tad more than we budgeted originally but we were impressed that he didn't want to sell himself short by dropping his price, although he helped to stay close to our budget and truly his work is worth what he charges. We decided on a package that included an engagement shoot. This was a great decision because it meant my husband could get used to being photographed (something he's not overly keen on). Richard made it comfortable and a fun experience, the images from that shoot only confirmed that we had the right guy for our wedding. We have already blown up several of that shoots images for our wall and used one as the entrance photo on the wedding day. On the day itself he worked with us perfectly and the end results were exactly what I had hoped for. The only negative I can possibly give him, is he's too good! I will now take months to pick the best from 1000 of incredible photos! Thanks a lot Richard! Haha In conclusion, if you are thinking of working with Richard....don't think any longer. Book him, you won't regret it and his prices will rocket soon because he's too good to charge what he currently charges! Exceptional. :) read more

Clarkie Photography - The moment after we got married. He captured the excitement and overwhelming feelings of this moment perfectly :) - Event Photography Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Jen and Tari - Hotel Laguna, Laguna Beach, CA 10.17.14 The one thing Jen and I know we love about photography is that we like it to be different. We look for the off-guard moments that, to us, are art. When we met Rich and perused his portfolio, we saw this. We saw him able to capture moments that sing beauty, speak love and scream happiness. All in so many different ways. He keeps it fresh. And we couldn't wait to get fresh with him! For our engagement shoot, we met Rich at Eat Drink Americano in the Arts District in downtown LA. He arrived early to scope the good spots and then spent the next three hours using everything from original wall murals to historical red brick buildings to become a part of our own history. His use of natural light and filters makes every photo a new experience. We get chills every time we re-live this experience through his photos. Our wedding day came and again, Rich did not disappoint. He arrived early and with the best second photographer we could have ever expected. Even with families, wedding parties and prep crews for two brides, Rich was on top of everything and made his art a most natural task. Throughout the entire day, Rich blended into the groups of people but his photos stood out as beautiful memories of mine and Jen's new beginning together. We could not have asked for a better experience with Rich as our engagement/wedding photographer. He is very communicative with his process so we always knew what to expect from him before, during and after our big day. We truly appreciate Rich's professionalism, ability to photograph with a different perspective and mostly, to keep it fresh! read more

Clarkie Photography - Event Photography Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My husband and I were married in April 2015. Rich as our wedding photographer and we also did an engagement / pre-wedding shoot with him. What can I say, Rich is an amazing photographer. He was the best decision we made about the wedding, easily. I researched dozens of wedding photographers in the LA area and was continuously disappointed by the style and cheese cliches being used out there. After working with and knowing Rich over the course of the past year, we couldn't be happier with the decision we made. Rich captured so many incredible, genuine moments from our wedding and he did so in such a beautiful way that I get emotional every time I see the photos. He is truly an artist and has an incredible eye for detail. Rich is funny and so easy to get along with. He is a true professional and it was a pleasure having him around during so many private / personal moments.His style and process made things so easy and stress-free on our wedding day. We know Rich meets so many people and shoots several weddings a year but on our day he made us and our friends / family feel incredibly special. If we could hire Rich to capture all of the special moments in our life, we would! The toughest part of the experience is deciding which of the amazing photos we want to frame and hang up because we want to display them all. Thanks to Rich's talents we get to treasure our wedding forever read more

Clarkie Photography - Wedding day at The Castaway Restaurant in Burbank - Event Photography Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This was exactly the email I sent Rich after I got to see our pictures: "I gave you a quick call because the gratitude that these pictures deserve can't be expressed over email. I legitimately cried. They are the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen. I don't have a favorite. I can't pick one. I can't even pick top 20!!!!! They're all breathtakingly beautiful. You captured us as a couple exactly as we are." I meant every single word. Rich is beyond amazing. He loves what he does and that comes out in the final product. I am the happiest bride to be. If you're looking for a photographer for your engagement pictures, please do yourselves a favor and book Clarkie Photography NOW. read more

My wife and I feel so fortunate to have found Richard. From our initial phone call to when he sent the final images, he was an absolute pleasure to work with. He was simultaneously calm, assertive and professional. An added bonus is he has a great sense of humor! When we first got in touch with Richard, he made a concerted effort to learn about us as a couple. He's a captive listener and you can tell he cares a great deal about catering his storytelling and style to all of his subjects. We did our engagement photo shoot in Angeles National Forest. Richard not only put us at ease with his jokes, he also did something that I believe played an important part in leading to the incredible, evocative photos we ended up with: he asked us to stop for a few minutes, look each other in the eye and say why we loved each other, what qualities we admired. The results were stunning, and not only because Richard is an expert in his craft at a technical level, but also due to the way he masterfully interacts with the people he is working with. After being floored by the quality of the engagement photos we would have been happy if the wedding shots were of the same caliber. But no, Richard and his assistant took it to a new level. What came back to us from Richard looked better than what you see in the best magazines and blogs. Our event was at Hummingbird Nest Ranch and Richard took full advantage of the raw beauty of our venue, putting us and all of our guests in the best light. Whether it was herding cats during the family and bridal party shots or getting in the middle of the dance floor during the reception, Richard made sure to capture all the photos we would have wanted and more. His performance was an A+ and I give him my highest level of recommendation! read more

We couldn't have asked for more out of Rich. He was absolutely wonderful to work with so much so, we hired him for all three of our wedding events and can't wait to hire him again. A wonderful attitude, consummate professional, an all around amazing talent. We cannot recommend him enough. Also, he's just super nice. The kind of guy you want to have as your friend. If you've gotten this far, Rich is your photographer, stop shopping. read more

I remember very well how I found Rich's work. Right after getting engaged I was searching many different wedding photographers' pages for quite a while. There are many other photographers out there who also do good work, but I didn't want something that was just good. I wanted to pick someone whose work really pulled me into the emotional content of the wedding. When I found Rich's page, I was stunned honestly. His photos really draw you in to the story of the day and the feelings that the couple have for each other and their loved ones. So many of his photos made me ask myself questions about the weddings and the people in them. I think that is what superb photography does, it provides us with a unique perspective that makes us ask questions about big and small moments. Rich is an expert doing just that. The day of wedding was magic! Weddings are a wild ride, and Rich is also very talented at staying calm and collected. This is also very important in choosing your wedding photographer. Rich is repeatedly rated as five stars because he is simply the best. You can't go wrong with choosing him to be a part of your day. read more

We hired Rich for our October wedding of this year. We cannot say enough great things about him. His style, personality, experience, talent, professionalism are all top notch. We are thrilled we chose such a incredible photographer - one that has an artistic eye. On our wedding day he went above and beyond, he was there early, stayed late, capturing all important moments. He seemed to just be everywhere constantly working. We just got the photos back and they are an excellent reflection of our special day. We highly recommend Clarkie Photography for any professional photography needs!! read more

Loved Clarkie's style and artistic touch. He definitely has an eye for composition and lighting. Great guy to work with and trust us, having the right photographer takes a lot of stress off of the big day. Thanks Again! read more

I just wanted to take a moment and say a few words about Rich. From the moment I found his photography page, I was blown away by the power of his images. Although for various reasons beyond our control we were unable to book Rich for our wedding, I am sure he'd do an amazing job. His communication with (potential) clients is outstanding. His mobility is a huge bonus! And his work just speaks for itself. You can't go wrong with this guy. read more

Rich was such an integral part of making my wedding day as wonderful and perfect as it was. I was so at ease, knowing that he would capture everything so well - how I had envisioned, but even better... which he absolutely did! I was very certain of how I wanted my wedding photos to look: not at all cookie cutter, and just to be evocative of the night... a romantic, chic dinner party kind of atmosphere that transcended time and place. With the backdrop in place, Rich did his thing and took photos that my family and I will always treasure. My husband and I were stunned when he sent us proofs during our honeymoon, and even more amazed when he quickly sent us the rest of our photos and his signature slideshow soon after. Rich now has lifetime clients in us -- we could not be happier with our photos. They truly capture how we felt that day, and looking through them is amazing because they are not the typical, kind of cheesy-looking wedding photos that I always see. They are beautiful, they are dramatic, and they are just so us. He took beautiful family portraits and found the best lighting for photos of my husband and I during cocktail hour, and the rest of the photos just show everyone having the best time ever on the dance floor, having dinner, and throughout each part of the night. Rich made everyone feel incredibly comfortable that day, and while he is a total ninja and got every shot we were after (all by himself!), he never was in anyone's way or at all intrusive. Truly a ninja of his craft! From start to finish, working with him was so, so seamless. He took his time in getting to know my husband and I in the months leading up to our wedding, and by the time we met in person, he truly felt like a friend, and a very reliable one at that! I have already referred him to several people and can't wait until I have a reason to use him again! Thank you for everything, we are so happy that we found you! read more

Perhaps the strongest recommendation I can give for working with Rich is admitting that since my wedding, my family and I have been obsessed with coming up with another occasion or reason to hire him again! After my husband and I got engaged, looking for a photographer was our very first task. Given our backgrounds in film and photography, we were extremely picky. Additionally, we were having a multi-day, not quite conventional Indian/Hindu wedding, and we needed someone who could capture events that might be unfamiliar. We researched many companies, but as soon as we came across Clarkie Photography, we knew that there was no other choice for us. Rich is amazing at both couples photography and candid shots. His couples photographs are amazingly epic, and the candid shots really capture the beauty and emotions of events. In addition to the amazing aesthetics of his work, I have never seen better documentation of a Hindu wedding ceremony. Meeting with Rich confirmed our choice in Clarkie photography. Rich is incredibly professional and easy to work with, and you can trust him to deliver. He is very punctual and a clear communicator. He always responded to our emails in a timely manner, and took the initiative to check in and give us updates. He also took the initiative to arrive early and stay late, which means he captured moments of our wedding that even the videographer missed. Rich is also very kind. My whole family loved him. Emotions were running high at the wedding because my family was dealing with a very recent death, and there were several difficult vendors having meltdowns. Rich was able to work with all of this chaos, adjusting his photography plans according to what was going on. He was also really honest and calming, which I truly appreciated! I was extremely stressed the whole weekend, but Rich made a point of telling me when it showed on my face, so we could have the best photographs possible. My husband and I both felt awkward taking couples photographs, which was compounded by exhaustion and hunger, but Rich did a wonderful job of encouraging us and instructing us on how to best pose. He also did a perfect job coordinating with our videographer. I cannot recommend Clarkie photography enough. His photographs are gorgeous and real. Our family and friends oohed and aahed over their beauty, and we were happy to have photographs that will always remind us of the details, big and small, of our wonderful wedding. read more

Retaining Rich as our wedding photographer was the easiest and best decision we made for our wedding day. He is doing exactly what he was born to do. A total professional from the start, we never had any doubts that he would do everything he could to maximize his time, but create breathtaking products (which he did). He was thorough yet unintrusive, sensitive yet clear, and a complete joy throughout the day. Our images are priceless artifacts that, due to his keen eye and editing, could be magazine features. I understand that wedding photography can seem like an indulgent cost, and I get that weddings are already very costly, but Rich is worth every penny and more. I have too many friends who regret skimping on wedding photography because, at the end, it is the only visual artifact from the day (unless you also opt for a videographer). The whole day goes so fast and you can't be there for every beautiful moment. If you can, you want someone with the care and skill that Rich has to document those moments. We will cherish ours forever. Thank you, Rich! read more

Richard is a rare talent and deserves more than 5 stars. My husband and I spent countless hours researching and looking for photographers. Every time, we kept coming back to Richard. We were so drawn and moved by his photographs. I could imagine how couples felt looking at their photos of their big day and wanted that same feeling. I remember my husband saying "We MUST meet with Richard. His photographs look like movie stills. This is who I want to photograph our wedding." Before our initial meeting, my husband and I knew that we wanted to work with Richard. Meeting him only solidified that feeling.. Not only were his pictures INCREDIBLE, but he was absolute delight. He listened to what we wanted and took the time to explain the best way to achieve it. Since we were getting married in Santa Barbara, CA he explained the logistics of the day and what we should expect from him. Having someone be very upfront right off the bat is so helpful and greatly appreciated. We booked Richard about a year and a half before our wedding date (My husband and I had a long engagement). Throughout that time, Richard stayed in contact and checked in to see how things were progressing . He made sure that we had shot lists well in advance so he could provide us with his insight and give us a realistic timeline for photos. A few days before the big day, Richard checked in to make sure that we were doing okay and to let us know when he would be arriving, who his assistant would be and most importantly to breathe. It was very reassuring to know that of all the things left on our list of things to do and things to worry about, Richard WAS NOT one of them. The big day arrived and Richard and his assistant, Ren showed up while my husband and I were getting ready in our respective areas. My husband and I decided that we would not see each other the night before and had opted to not do a first look. We wanted the first time that we saw each other to be when I was walking down the aisle. Richard was able to capture my husband's face the first time he saw me in my wedding dress - that picture makes me cry every time. Richard was so reassuring and easy to work with, that any uncomfortableness I had about posing for pictures immediately disappeared. Thinking back on the day, I remember my guest laughing and having a good time with Richard and Ren. They both were so personable and warm that all my friend and family loved working with them and it really came through in the photos. Throughout the day, he was great with communicating with our other vendors and tried to keep with the timeline as much as possible. He was hugely instrumental in making sure that the wedding stayed on track and flowed smoothly. Within a few days, Richard had emailed us a few teaser photos. We were so blown away and couldn't wait to see the entire album. About a month after the wedding, Richard emailed us our pictures along with a slideshow (I cried the entire time the slideshow was playing.) The photos are beautiful and exactly what we was hoping for. The mix of posed and candid shots are perfectly balanced. I am so incredibly grateful for finding Richard and so thankful for his time and his artistic talent. He is an amazing photographer and I believe you would be hard pressed to find someone as talented as Richard. read more

Richard Clarke, who owns clarkiephotography, is a very talented wedding photographer who also has a varied portfolio of travel, family and special occasions. We love looking on his website to see what new photos are there and remind ourselves of the very special ones he did for us. Look at his website, meet him for a chat and you will be on a journey to a special day! read more

Unbelievably Amazing - The whole package! Unfortunately, he already had another wedding on the day that I am getting married (a sign of how spectacular his work and demeanor truly is) so I was unable to use him but his personality and custom service is beyond five stars. I had mentioned that I am still lost about the whole process because today was my first day researching photographers and in fact he was the first that I had spoken to. After he had found out about the date conflict, he proceeded to spend an extra 20 minutes on the phone with me explaining how the whole process works, what to expect, what to look for and even offered to bounce ideas off of him when I was stuck. He was so unbelievably kind, knowledgeable and such an honest business man that I am so sad that I would want to work with him (until next holiday)... not to mention ... have you seen his portfolio? STUNNING. A truly exceptional photographer and business man! I'd recommend him to anyone! read more

Just hire him. We were looking for a photographer for our engagement photos and found Rich on the Knot website. We checked out his website, immediately fell in love with his work, and quickly decided to hired him for the job. He was an absolute dream to work with during our photo shoot in Malibu, and we were completely blown away by the photos. When it came time to hire a photographer for our wedding in Chicago, my husband and I knew there was no one else we could possibly consider for the job. We flew Richard out for the wedding and it was one of the best decisions we made during the planning process. On our wedding day, Rich went above and beyond to capture the most epic, breathtaking, and timeless photos of us. Once again, we are blown away by Rich's talent and professionalism. I can't hep but smile every time I look at our wedding photos. read more

Richard photographed our wedding last year. He made us feel at ease form the start with plenty of opportunities to discuss our vision for the day. Our photos are amazing, he's managed to capture so many wonderful moments without us even realising he was there. We proudly put our photos on facebook and have had some very complementary comments, including from a few a people 'these are the best wedding photos I have ever seen.' We were also able to share with friends an easy to use online gallery and slideshow. We absolutely love our photos as they tell the story of the day. I'm addicted to looking through the gallery and re-living every moment. Thank you to Richard for making that possible. read more

Richard Clarke is truly as good as it gets. Not only is he an extremely talented photographer, he is a wonderful person- charming, professional, lovely to be around, and committed to delivering exceptional work. He has an incredible eye for detail, doesn't miss a beat, and works harder than anyone I have ever met! When our wedding called for shots on a hot tennis court, he jumped at the chance (and obliged my groom by hitting a ball or two!) He ran from location to location to ensure that no detail went un documented, and was so emotionally connected to us as a couple that our shots reflect intimacy and raw moments that only Richard could anticipate and capture. He is so quick to respond to emails and touched base with me in the weeks leading up to the wedding not just to talk photo details, but to make sure I was doing OK. I can't think of anyone I would trust more than Richard -- I can honestly say that I now consider him a friend. A dear friend at that, who stood by our side on a very emotional day, and managed to capture the essence of our day in a stunningly beautiful portfolio of photos! If I could give him 10 stars, I honestly would! read more

We had both an engagement session as well as wedding shoot with Rich. One of the best things about him (not including his phenomenal photography skills) is that he is so friendly and has an innate ability to make you feel comfortable. Not only does this mean better pictures (because who wants to look awkward in their pictures?), but it also makes the whole experience quite fun and enjoyable. Overall, Rich has extraordinary artistic ability, is extremely professional, and could fit in just about anywhere. Thank you, Rich! read more

My fiancé and I booked Rich for our engagement shoot and couldn't be happier with the results! The weather didn't cooperate during our initial shoot, and Rich graciously offered to do an extra hour at sunset on another day to make up for it - at no extra cost to us. The pictures came out beautiful in spite of the weather and were a nice mix of traditional and artistic shots. He made us both feel comfortable and relaxed throughout the shoot, which shows in the pictures. We received the edited pictures within two weeks of our shoot with clear instructions on how to access and print them. We cannot say enough positive things about the quality of service and would work with Rich again in a heartbeat! read more

What can I say, Clarkie caught so many key moments in our magical day. I still get weepy when I revisit the reveal picture, such a flood of emotion at that very moment, I almost feel it all over again and catching the tear falling down my face during the father daughter dance, just priceless! These moments are so very special to me and he portrayed them in a beautiful light. Clarkie did not just take pictures at our wedding, he stepped right in to our world and he got it! read more

AMAZING!!! Found out about Clarkie photography when a friend posted some of the pictures Richard had taken of their family Not only he is super talented, he is the nicest person and so patient. It was all around a great experience and we look forward to working with him in the future. read more