Dave was our wedding photography for our March 2025 wedding and we LOVE our photos. Dave made us feel so comfortable on the day of the wedding and really rolled with the last minute changes when we had some last minute snags with getting guests in the right locations. He seemed to always be there at the right moment for photos with family and friends throughout the cocktail hour and reception, which made things so easy for us! Can't recommend him enough read more

For our intimate elopement wedding of a shy few we still wanted to have a professional photographer capture our once in a lifetime day. The venue had a suggested list of photographers that have already done work at the Hasting House Garden. Well that narrowed it down a few hundred for us! We first met Dave at a coffee shop. As with meeting new people it can take a bit to openly feel comfortable. It didn't take us very long at all to freely converse with him. He very much is a people person! Our communication continued up to our wedding day. During that time he was very open to questions and made sure to always answer them. As with photos there are going to be those you won't be fond of. There were a handful that didn't have the most flattering angle or facial expression. Just like life, not every picture is going to be perfect! There were plenty more photos we fell in love with. His calm and down to earth demeanor and accommodating patience was what we needed to celebrate our union. Our two witnesses even loved Dave and his way of conducting the photos. For those considering Dave as a photographer I suggest you do so! He is reasonably priced and the quality of his pictures are just as good and even better than some of the more expensive competitors. read more

Dave Medal Photography - Husband's Favorite - Event Photography Near Me

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ONLY HIRE THIS MAN if you want your once-in-a-lifetime day captured by a once-in-a-lifetime artist. Seriously, Dave Medal is that good! There is plenty of photographic evidence to prove my point, but if you are fortunate enough to secure his availability, you will also discover that Dave is one of the warmest and most caring people you'll ever meet face to face. He cares about you and your loved ones as people! And that is reflected in the images he captures. We will cherish our wedding photographs forever, thank you Dave Medal Photography! read more

My wife and I got married two months ago in Ben Lomond and we still find ourselves talking about how outstanding of a job Dave did and continually receive compliments from our guests. We chatted with Dave before our wedding and he described his focus on exactly what we wanted: capturing "in-between" moments, so to speak, such as members of our respective families meeting for the first time, or friends from different spheres of our lives dancing together. My wife and I recently recalled several moments at our wedding where we appreciated a special moment we were having with a guest and thought to ourselves, "you know, it would be really cool to have a photo of what's happening right now." Every single time, right after having this thought, we heard a click followed by a flash. He must be a wizard or something. We recently got our finished photos and we were delighted to see countless other priceless snapshots we had no idea happened until now. While these in-between moments were obviously incredibly important for us, Dave is top notch when it comes to posed group photos as well. He's incredibly skilled at wrangling the necessary people into photos and being considerate of time, and if we ever felt like one segment of photos was going too long, we just told him so and we'd move on. Dave is an incredible talent and just an incredible guy too. We'll never forget him and can't recommend him highly enough. read more

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I don't know why it took me a year to write this. But just like Yelp Reviewer RI. from 8/2/15, he really is THAT awesome. Beautiful Photographer for our Engagement and Wedding Photos. My husband Brandon and I met Dave while we started the search for a photographer for our September '17 wedding. We were both a little tired of searching for vendors at this point so we only reached out to three by way of email. From his initial response to our email, you could already get a sense of Dave's low-key and kind vibe. We decided to meet for coffee on a Sunday; Brandon and I had our questions written out, which I totally had to research for good interview questions because, as I had said, we were pretty fried from interviewing wedding vendors. Dave walked right up to us, as if he knew us for years, with his warm and genuine grin. Our conversation was so easy, talking about where we hailed from, where we live now, etc., etc. I actually felt kinda lame with all my business-like questions, but I asked them anyway. He responded to each of them professionally and with that same mellow, easy-going vibe that he embodies. We left our meeting and Brandon and I had no reason to meet with the other 2 photographers because we really thought Dave was so cool...he personally reminded me of that long lost favorite cousin that you grew up with, y'know? So, we booked Dave. A few months went by and Brandon and I procastinated with getting engagement photos booked. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't really interested in doing engagement photos, but figured it would be a good opportunity to see Dave "at work" and really get a sense of the fit. Holy moley, I left that session feeling SO happy about having gone through the shoot, not just because we got SO MANY GORGEOUS pictures, but it really sealed the deal for us in terms of getting an idea of how he is. Again, his low-key and easy vibe was on fleek (as the kids say), along with his warm smile. He incorporated our idea of taking pics in urban settings (murals, brick buildings) along with his own idea of heading to Fort Funston. I am so glad we did. He was able to capture every possible emotion and connection between Brandon and I...things I hadn't noticed since we've been together, but he truly is an artist in what he does and he was able to document it. Then our wedding: I gave him the biggest cousin-like hug when I saw him pre-wedding, cause y'know...he's "Dave". And then he worked so beautifully with all of our other vendors. My florist friend recognized immediately that he was a stellar photographer, just from watching him. I really don't know what more I can say about him...except my husband and I adore him. If you want to be at ease for your event, knowing that you won't have to worry about a thing, just book Dave Medal...seriously. read more

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Dave was our wedding photographer in 2016 (recommended to us by a wedding he did for friends in 2012), and we were blown away. He does a lot of homework/research ahead of time to find out who/what photographs are the biggest priority to you, and makes the day of seamless. Extremely professional and personable to work with. As an actor and bride, I had requests for how I wanted to be shot, and he had no problem working with me. We love our wedding photos and were thrilled with the pricing/products that we got. I will book again if I ever need another photographer. read more

Dave Medal took non-wedding couples portraits (like an engagement shoot minus the engagement) for me and my boyfriend and he was phenomenal. I've had photos done before by other photographers, and I did notice that my level of comfort as a "model" had a substantial influence on how good the pictures were. That's a lot of pressure! And we are our own worst critics when it comes to looking good in a photo. I haven't posted a Facebook picture since like 2011. So after this shoot, I just thought, "I hope one of them turns out good." Well, the pictures came back - super fast, thanks Dave! - and we look a couple from a magazine. My boyfriend had to convince me not to quit my job immediately and become a J. Crew model. I can't believe my boyfriend and I deprived the world of our photogenic-ity for so long! There are definitely 20+ KEEPERS! I'm so pleased! I really think this was a fool-proof photo session that would turn out well for even the most camera-shy or just camera-awkward of people. WORTH. IT. Highly recommended for people seeking an uncommon level of artistry in their pictures. read more

Dave is a truly lovely soul...an artist, gentleman, and professional. He did both our engagement and wedding photos and we couldn't be happier. He was an absolute JOY to work with...managing to put two camera shy people at ease right away...and brings positive, calm energy and a huge dose of creativity to his work. You'll enjoy time spent in his presence as much as you do the photos...guaranteed! read more

Dave Medal Photography - Event Photography Near Me

Dave was absolutely my favorite vendor to work with from my wedding. My husband and I are from Boston and got married on the beach in Montara because we love the amazing coasts in CA - so the photography was extremely important to us. We saw Dave's portfolio and knew he was the right person to be shooting our wedding. Speaking to him just once on the phone confirmed that he was the right fit for us. The photos came out truly wonderfully and I am so excited for all the amazing images we now have to remember the day. I really have to say, aside from being an awesome photographer - he is just genuinely such a great guy to work with. Not once did I feel rushed our like he was pulling us away to get photos, or in the way of anything going on. He made sure to get any shots we had asked for. One memorable moment in particular - I was getting ready with the bridesmaids and he was there along with the videographer (not associated with him) to capture the getting ready shots. The hair & makeup team ended up running a bit behind and the videographer seemed to be getting anxious/restless to stay on schedule and kept asking me when we would be ready (as if my nerves are not on end to begin with). Dave came over at one point and sat down next to me and just asked me how I was doing. I told him I was freaking out that we were running behind. He told me not to worry, and that these things happen all the time and that it really wasn't a big deal and we would still get everything in. I know it was such a small moment but it made me feel so much better and I just needed to hear it. And he was right. Couldn't have been happier to work with him!! Thrilled with our wedding photos!! read more

Dave did a phenomenal job at our wedding. The photographs truly captured the feeling of the day, and Dave was incredible to work with. He was a calming influence throughout, and he faded into the background only to pop up at just the right moment to nab the perfect shot. He was there all day long, and even stuck around into the evening to take some photos down at the beach and in Capitola Village with us. The pictures of that day are perfect - we are beyond thrilled with them, and can't recommend Dave enough! read more

Dave Medal Photography - Event Photography Near Me

Dave Medal photographed my August wedding in San Francisco, and I highly recommend him! My husband and I are both visual artists, so choosing our photographer was one of the first and most important decisions we made when planning our wedding. Dave more than delivered! We instantly fell in love with Dave's online portfolio, which displays a strong sense of place and expert, yet playful understanding of lighting. After one phone call, we knew Dave was "the one," thanks to his clear passion for image making and his enlightened, stress-free approach to shooting weddings. On our wedding day, Dave's confident yet unobtrusive presence was the perfect fit for our small wedding and intimate setting. And we could not be happier with our wedding photos - they perfectly capture us in the spirit and energy of the day, and reflect our most cherished memories. Thank you, Dave! read more

Okay, so I just got married yesterday and feel compelled to post this review - that's how awesome Dave is. He's extremely well organized , had down all the photos he was take to the point of memorization, was switching lenses and cameras in seconds, was directing his assistant on lighting changes due to the unexpected clear skies of Half Moon Bay, and got through all the scheduled photos under time. Oh, did I mention he's got the best sense of service / gentility in talking with family and friends to make them feel special yet move things along without anybody feeling rushed. Not only this, but when the Taxi service we called decided to desert us at the ceremony site from the time I confirmed a day before, Dave drove us (YES, the bride in her huge princess dress, and me) to our reception site. He did this with a smile and put us truly at ease. I've never worked with anybody before that has such a command of what they do yet does it in an approachable and kind/sincere way. We can't wait until we get back and later receive the photos he took. You'd be a fool to not hire Dave as a photographer for any event. read more

My husband and I booked Dave to photograph our wedding, and we couldn't have been happier with the experience. On the day of the wedding, Dave knew exactly what he was doing and he helped us through the process (we weren't used to getting our pictures taken and had little idea of what to do). Dave also has a very calming manner that helped me stay relaxed when the day started off running late. After our photo session, during the reception, Dave did an excellent job of reacting quickly to capture candid moments. Several times throughout the night I found myself pausing to admire how quickly and seamlessly Dave could change the lenses on his camera. When the photos finally came in, I was in love! Dave did an excellent job of capturing our special day in a detailed, artistic, and personal way that I will cherish forever. I would highly recommend working with Dave to anyone and everyone :) read more

We booked Dave for our May 16th wedding in Capitola. He was truly a pleasure to work with. He was very prompt at responding to emails and was very open to working with us. We agreed to do an engagement session first and we were not disappointed. We basically went hiking with Dave and we multiple amazing pictures. Our friends and family were so impressed. Dave was open to negotiating time before and after the wedding for extra photos and it did not disappoint. Dave and his assistant Brian ended up being with us for 10 hours and Dave was very open to finding cool backdrops and interesting lighting to make our photos extra special. About 7 weeks after the wedding, Dave sent us all the originals on a disk and uploaded "the best of the best" to his website so we could share the photos with our guests. So far I have made 250 photos my "favorite" and we haven't even looked through all of them yet. Dave does an excellent job of framing photos and really captured the spirt of our wedding day on film. I would not hesitate to use him again or to recommend him to a friend or family member. read more

As you can see on Dave's blog and website, the quality of his work is excellent. Needless to say, we are very happy with the photos he took at our Rehearsal Dinner and Wedding. However, what really bears mentioning is that he is awesome to work with. You couldn't ask to meet a nicer guy who makes you feel more comfortable and at ease. He balances a relaxed and friendly demeanor with a high level of organization, always conscious of timing and the tight schedule you might be working within. Looking through the 1000+ photos from our wedding, I realized that Dave somehow managed to be everywhere - capturing special moments all night, yet in a way that wasn't distracting or disruptive in the moment. I was also impressed by the number of cameras and lenses he was rotating between all night. The combination of film, digital and black and white photos we received was so much fun to go through and I really appreciate the different looks he got from each. Finally, I have to say that when I was interviewing photographers, I was turned off by many of their policies regarding prints and negatives as well as a lot of astronomical pricing. I felt that Dave's rates were reasonable, especially given that there was no charge for the negatives. I would work with him again in a heartbeat. read more

Dave was simply awesome, and a pleasure to work with! From when we first spoke on the phone to having him photograph our wedding, we were completely at ease. I felt confident that Dave would take beautiful photos, but also be someone I wanted to be around on our wedding day, he's just a happy guy and very personable...it felt like having a friend there with us. One of the best things about working with Dave is his personality. He has both a calming demeanor and yet is also professional and wants to make sure the day runs smoothly and he captures incredible photos. He did a great job of providing guidance or suggesting shots to take, while also listening to what we wanted him to capture on the day. At one point we were considering taking a photo post-ceremony of the entire wedding (which was in a small space). I appreciated that Dave was totally on-board with making it happen if we wanted, yet he was also realistic with us about the logistics of it and outcome of the resulting photo (lots of little heads crowded together ha). He was great at giving direction and also making sure we were really happy with the way everything went and that we enjoyed our wedding day. During the ceremony and reception, he was completely a non-factor, which I mean in the best way...I knew he was there capturing everything but I never felt there was a paparazzi or felt distracted...yet somehow he was snapping away! His photos are incredible. He's very talented and has an ability to capture the essence of a moment--his photography feel both intimate and special, yet authentic and not posed or fake. We couldn't be happier having Dave as our wedding photographer. I'd highly recommend him to anyone - you won't be disappointed! read more

When I saw the photos, I was so happy. Dave is a great guy, and does a great job. I am so glad I went with him!

Dave is amazing! Not only did he get all of the shots we wanted he made all of our friends and families at ease. He is able to make you laugh and feel comfortable in front of the camera even if you usually aren't. Such a great presence to have on such a stressful day. He is able to capture the perfect moments of your party. As we walked around and mingled with our guests, I would look for him to get a quick shot with someone, he was always nearby but never hovering. He captured the day perfectly. Loved working with Dave! read more

Dave did the photos for my wedding in May 2009 and they were fantastic. His prices were very reasonable.

Dave and his photography are amazing!!! He was so fun to work with and really captured some beautiful memories for us. He has true passion for what he does and his work shows it! read more

Dave did all the photos for our corporate website and they came out fantastic! For a client service based company (I work at a boutique investment bank) it is very important that our website communicates to our prospective clients that we are a professional, top-tier organization, and that starts with our Team page on the website. Originally we thought we knew how the pictures should look, and what we wanted. Dave walked us through his vision of how to photograph us and ended up taking us in a different direction than we originally thought. His vision turned out to be significantly better than our original idea and our website looks fantastic. I would recommend Dave to anyone considering a professional photographer. read more

Dave shot our engagement photos, and will soon shoot our wedding!! And I couldn't be more excited! Our photos look amazing! His pictures capture light in a way that most other photographers cant and dont! I have never looked so pretty in my life, which...is what we all want photographers for, but never imagine that they can work wonders like dave did! Not to mention he is such a pleasure to work with. He is professional, but also such a genuinely nice person. He put both me and my fiance at total ease, and we couldn't be more happy with his services! I am updating my review- as additionally we worked with him on our wedding, and I am finally getting around to ordering a wedding album. I cannot express how much of a lifesaver he was at our wedding. He had such a calming force, and It was a blur for sure, but there were so many things I didnt remember that he captured and his photos that I was so grateful for. The work was beautiful and he was super on time and focused. We didnt have a planner, and he basically was ours, wrangling all the family members at the right time and telling us how he would schedule things to make photos go well. The work was phenomenal and we couldnt have had a better experience. read more

My wife and I really couldn't have asked for a better overall experience working with Dave for our wedding this summer. Every step of the process was organized and well planned out from our initial meeting over coffee, to LISTENING to exactly what shots were most important to us during the weeding, to the final care package with our flash drive of photos after the wedding. Dave proved to be an incredible professional every step of the way. Weddings can often be busy and complicated fiascos, but Dave ensured that there was order when we needed him most: organizing family photos! Dave took charge in a very direct and friendly way to make sure we kept our evening schedule on the right track, while shooting some amazing shots. Our venue was Thomas Fogarty Winery, which is worth mentioning for not only its beauty, but expansiveness. This fact required Dave and his assistant to cover a lot of ground in many different locations (the vineyard, the wedding site, the dining area, the indoor area, etc.). Dave never seemed to spread himself thin. We always felt that he was there for the right moments, and that is truly how you should feel when thinking of your wedding photographer. I look forward to being able to recommend Dave in the future. read more

While planning our September wedding, we were referred to David Medal on the advice of another excellent photographer for whom David had once apprenticed with. That photographer had shot a friend's wedding many, many years ago, but the beauty of his work had stayed with me. The referral to David led to my recognition that much of the beauty I admired had been captured that day by David's hand. Completing the circle, our wedding photos now inspire admiration and awe (and aww's) in friends and family. David Medal was the photographer every bride searches for: skilled, comfortable, respectful, and caring. David is present without imposition, relaxed while maintaining exceptional focus, care, and proficiency. David, as a photographer with a great eye, possess every ability to capture people and moments. What sets him apart is his ability to deftly create a space for great photography. David captured our wedding day from start to finish, and was open to doing even more: on the morning of our wedding day he met us at our home and walked with us, shooting constantly for those few blocks, to our venue in Pacific Heights (San Francisco), and was even ready to roll out with us after the party had ended, in case the skies were clear and the full moon offered an opportunity for moonlit photographs along the route to our hotel. David cares about his craft and, exceptionally, recognizes the client as part of that craft. He has my complete confidence, respect, and gratitude, and will forever be the photographer I call on to capture the most special and precious celebrations and events in our life. He is priceless, and cannot be recommended highly enough. read more

I met Dave at corporate holiday party in 2014 where he was booked to shoot photos of the performance by Chromeo. After finding his wedding and family work online I soon booked Dave for some large family events and he did an excellent job. His photos are fantastic as you can see. What you can't see is how good he is at keeping everybody at ease and smiling on the most memorable and often stress riddled days of their lives. Usually people are somewhat uncomfortable around cameras, but, around Dave people really light up and enjoy their close ups! Two weeks ago we had our wedding at an estate outside Austin TX on the lake and we brought Dave out because we knew we could depend on his energy, warmth, and professionalism. We did not want to take a chance on a local photographer we didn't have any experience with. Dave was amazing! He shot all the standard stuff but also knew how to get all those little photos that you want but didn't know you wanted until you see them. He was also great with my brother's 2 y/o twins who are usually a nightmare. My mother-in-law said he was great with the bridal party during the whole getting ready process, he even poured her some champagne! Overall, you can't get a better product or experience than what Dave provides. Thanks Dave! Hope to have you out again soon! read more