I absolutely loved this photographer! She gave many suggestions ahead of time with locations, outfits and things to prepare for. During the shoot, our 3 year old toddler was a bit rambunctious, but she was great with getting him to look at the camera and pose for the photos. Afterwards she gave us proofs to look through and select. The photos turned out amazing and we got so many compliments from others with how they turned out. Thank you so much, Denise! read more

Denise Lum Photography - Session Photography Near Me

We looked through several options when we were looking for someone to take our engagement photos and ended up going with Denise because I really liked her work. Best decision ever. Denise was fantastic to work with. She was super responsive and always responded within 24 hours pretty much. We had never done any photo shoots before and she sent an email ahead of time with several great suggestions to prepare. She helped us pick a perfect woodsy location in San Francisco and even told us where to find easy parking the day of! The shoot went off without any problems. Denise walked my fiancee and I through different poses, both natural movement and some more stationary. It was easy going, sometimes funny, and we even brought a pet dog in spontaneously for a few pictures just for fun. Afterwards, she sent a follow-up email and stayed in communication all the time. We shortly got a link to pick out our favorite 25 pictures and despite us taking forever to get back to her, it only took Denise about 1-2 weeks to finish the final edits. We received beautiful, gorgeous, well-edited photos that we can't wait to share with our family and friends. Denise also gave us some black & white duplicates and threw in a couple of other photos she liked as well! Denise was just the sweetest and a very professional photographer. It was such a pleasure to work with her. I was really nervous about how the photos would turn out but Denise made the whole process so comfortable and smooth!! Thank you!! read more

I recently had the pleasure of working with Denise, and I must say, I'm thoroughly impressed. The photos she captured are truly stunning and speak for themselves. What struck me the most was Denise's exceptional communication skills. She kept us well-informed throughout the process, which made everything seamless. Denise's familiarity with the location was evident. She knew all the perfect spots to create beautiful backdrops for our family photos. What's more, she managed to engage our baby effortlessly, capturing genuine smiles that melted our hearts. Her patience and attention to detail were remarkable, showing that she takes immense pride in her work. On the day of the shoot, Denise displayed great coordination and professionalism. She made everything feel comfortable and natural, putting everyone at ease. Her flexibility and accommodating nature made the experience even more pleasant. Denise's friendly and cheerful demeanor made the entire session enjoyable. It was clear that she genuinely loves what she does and cares about her clients. If you're seeking a family photographer who excels in both skill and personality, Denise is the one to go for. I couldn't be happier with the results and the overall experience. *sorry didn't add any photo. Prefer not to put our kiddo's picture out in public! read more

Our experience working with Denise so far has been amazing! We booked her for package maternity + newborn shoot package. We have completed 1/2 sessions so far, and couldn't be happier with the results. We especially appreciated how proactive Denise has been in communication - she suggested shoot location recommendations, provided us preparation tips. During the shoot itself, she immediately made us feel comfortable, was super friendly throughout, and guided us through different poses but also left ample room for fun to ensure we had the best experience. We absolutely loved all the photos from the maternity session and had a really hard time afterwards narrowing down, because they were all so amazing! She processed the final photos quickly and even threw in some extra shots unexpectedly (for free). We could't be happier with the experience and results, and can't wait for our newborn session with her in a few short weeks! read more

We booked a family photoshoot with Denise and had such a positive experience! To start off, she was super responsive via email and provided so many tips leading up to the shoot. She was also super flexible with us, as we had to reschedule a few times. The day of our shoot she brought us starbread (yum!) and was great at directing us throughout the whole shoot. She was so patient with our 2 year old and worked around him even when he wasn't cooperating lol. He loved her and just kept wanting to give her hugs. The proofs came super fast and the photos were amazing! After selecting our favorites she sent back the edited photos really quickly as well and even threw in some extra photos for free. Would highly recommend booking a session with Denise! read more

We hired Denise for our family session and loved working with her! My husband and I aren't photo people, often very awkward and uncomfortable in photos, so we were a little nervous about doing one. But Denise made us feel so comfortable the entire time and we actually enjoyed it. The photos came out great!! She managed to capture all the best/ natural moments with our 6-month-old son and our neurotic poodle. Highly recommended! read more

Denise was great! We have a big family of 5 but she knew exactly how to handle us, and was quick with the kids. The weather was a little tough but she helped find a new, beautiful location where the lighting was good, and the photos turned out beautifully. A real pleasure to work with. Would highly recommend! read more

Working with Denise was such a great experience. I haven't met a photographer as detailed and helpful as Denise. She gave helpful photo prep, outfit & venue tips and was really mindful of the weather so that we wouldn't take photos while sweating. I was a bit worried how our photos would turn out because our 5 year old had been really tired and cranky from a long day at school, but she worked her magic. She was able to make my daughters laugh and captured so many beautiful moments. Would highly recommend Denise! read more

Denise was incredible to work with. The photos turned out great! She was fast to respond and full of great tips and ideas to make the family photoshoot go smoothly. She even monitored the weather to ensure we got the best conditions for our photos. She was so sweet and patient with our 4-year-old. I would highly recommend her to anyone. Don't walk. Run to book her! read more

Denise was such a pleasure to work with. She was so communicative and detailed throughout the whole process. She ensured that we were happy with the setting AND the weather! Her friendly, laidback vibe made the experience smooth and enjoyable. And we absolutely LOVE our family photos!! Thanks so much Denise!! read more

Denise did a beautiful job on our maternity photos. She was flexible and understanding when the weather prevented us from shooting on our original date, and the wait was so worth it. We had a great time, the weather was beautiful and the photos turned out amazing. Denise is communicative and easy to work with. I can't wait to book a session with her after the baby is born. read more

From the initial booking experience to receiving the final album, we had an amazing experience with Denise for our newborn photo session. Her very detailed planning emails and suggestions were extremely helpful and well-organized, especially regarding what to wear and how to prepare a toddler for a home photo shoot. Denise is a great communicator, very responsive by email, and was extremely flexible with our schedule. The photo session went very well, and Denise was efficient, professional, and knew exactly how to coach our 4-year-old. And, most importantly, we love our photos! We could not be happier with our experience and highly recommend. We will be repeat customers! read more

Denise was wonderful to work with! She was incredibly friendly, professional, and made sure our family had a great experience throughout the photoshoot. She made sure to get a variety of backgrounds and combinations. We love how our photos turned out! read more

Denise was amazing -- we did a shoot with our little family, and she did great with our baby even though the baby was a bit off nap schedule. Did her research so she would know her way around the location we chose, and picked out great spots with beautiful backdrops and lighting. The pictures turned out great, with a nice variety of poses. She was also great for telling us what to do and where to go so we weren't stressed about making decisions. Highly recommend. read more

Do yourself a favor and book with Denise! She is responsive, professional, friendly, and a talented photographer. Denise was very responsive to emails and very helpful with advice. She helped find an ideal location, advised on time of day to maximize light and be flexible around bedtime (we have a 2-year-old), had great clothing ideas, and told us how to prepare ourselves and our son for the shoot. During the shoot, Denise was super patient and positive; she even gave us extra time when our son needed to use the potty and have a snack. At first our son was tentative with her (as he is with all new people), but by the end he just wanted Denise to hold him! He NEVER does that with people he doesn't know, so it tells you how fun and friendly she is. Her photos were fantastic; we had a hard time narrowing them down. She was incredibly fast in processing the photos... like, days. We strongly recommend Denise and will be booking with her again. read more

Our family has had the pleasure of working with Denise on two occasions and I would unequivocally recommend her, especially for families who want to capture special moments with their young children. The first time she photographed our family we only had one child- a rambunctious 4-year-old who previously did not enjoy photo shoots. Denise is so great with kids and playfully engaging them that she made taking photos feel like a fun game to our son. So much so that he asks when we can "have another play date with Denise" every time he looks at our family photos on the wall. Most recently, Denise photographed our family of four. Our now 5-year-old was wilder than ever and our 2-month-old was particularly fussy during this photo shoot. Despite these difficulties, Denise's photos once again exceeded expectations. Denise has a true gift for capturing candid, loving family moments set against beautiful backdrops and we can't wait to work with her again in the future. read more

We scheduled a family session with Denise and it was the best decision made! We had a total of four adults and one 13-months old for the photo session and Denise made the entire experience so easy and fun! My little one ran around the Elizabeth Gamble garden the entire hour of the photo shoot and Denise followed him around and took the most precious photos of my little goofball. Denise prepared us well for the photo session, she provided several photo shoot locations for us to choose and listed out the pros and cons of each place (with sample photos included too). She also provided great resources on how to dress, and color coordinate for the family session. Of course, we couldn't be happier with the final results. Everyone in the family loved working with Denise and we are looking forward to working with her again in the future! read more

My fiancé and I had a really fun time doing an engagement photoshoot with Denise. This was actually our 4th engagement photoshoot, but there's several things that stand out with Denise: 1. Her communication is on point; she made sure to reach out to us early and even moved her schedule around to accommodate a time that worked for us. 2. She made the photoshoot very fun and personable; we were not even 5 minutes into the shoot and it already felt like we had a very talented friend taking our photos. 3. She has talent; from the composition of the shot to the post-processing, we were blown away when she sent us the pictures. Overall the experience we had with Denise was one of the best. If you want someone who can deliver excellent photos and a great photoshoot experience, we highly recommend Denise! read more

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Denise recently took our family's photos and they turned out beautifully. From beginning to end, she was organized, gave us in depth information for how to prepare for the day, sent reminders, and kept us updated on everything we needed to know. We did an evening photo shoot and my kids were cranky. I felt bad and wasn't sure I could get them to cooperate. Denise was so patient, had great ideas to get them to enjoy themselves and how to get a stressed mom to relax and get in the moment too. We ended up with so many gorgeous photos. It was so hard to choose our top ones for her editing. Her style is all about capturing the authentic, real connections between everyone. That's what makes them so unique. Thank you, Denise, for capturing these special photos. This was our first photo shoot as a family of four, and I am looking forward to more with Denise as the kids get older. read more

Denise and her daughter helped us with the family photoshoot with our 5month old son. They were very flexible and sweet. And most importantly photos turned out so beautiful! Highly recommend her and thanks again for beautiful family photos! read more

This review is definitely long over due! My husband and I were looking for a photographer for our maternity shoot almost 2 years ago and I am so lucky to have found Denise! She is very professional, patient, and soo good at what she does! So good that she is our go to photographer! For our Christmas photoshoot last year, my son (as what some kids usually do) decided that he didn't want to look at the camera and didn't want to cooperate at all! Being that it was his first Christmas, I was really hoping and praying that Denise got Atleast one good picture. Well, when I got the sneak peeks, I was super surprised that she was able to capture lots of good shots, that were holiday card worthy!! Denise's customer service is exceptional! She goes above and beyond to make the best that it can be (even when I was dreading the newborn shoot- with my colicky baby boy and puffy tired mom eyes)! I would recommend her again and again!! read more

We are so lucky and grateful we found Denise! From the initial inquiry email to getting us our photos, we were met with the utmost professionalism! Here are the highlights: - She is incredibly responsive and easy to work with! - She took the time to set us up for a successful photo shoot with tips, tricks, photo ideas - Her turnaround time was so fast - Her photos are amazing And Here is where she really went above and beyond: - She kept checking in with us regarding weather as we were shooting end of Sept/Oct -- when weather didn't cooperate with us she was happy to reschedule with us as it was too cold for the little one - We had an idea of the type of photography we wanted and she made it happen! - She scouted out the location we were shooting beforehand and knew where she wanted us to take photos - She made our little one who is not the smile-iest, smile! - She made us feel so comfortable and at ease with the camera - I had specific photography requests that she was so mindful of! - I went in with the idea that if we got 5 good photos, I would be thrilled.. we came out with 50 great photos that I had a tough time choosing! - She is so personable and easy to work with, you feel like you're friends afterwards! Now I'm trying to figure out how we can get to work with her more :) Thank you so much, Denise -- I am so glad we found you! read more

178 photos taken and my baby is smiling in 170!!! How she got my baseline fussy baby to smile is a miracle! I found Denise through Yelp and hired her for a family photo session. We met at the Cypress Forest. I exchanged emails with her about my vision and am soooo happy with the results! Denise made us feel so comfortable. Can't wait to work with her again!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! read more

We had Denise do an in home newborn photo shoot with us a couple weeks ago. Scheduling and coordination were very easy and she did a great job preparing us. She arrived right on time with breakfast treats and some wraps and clothing options for our little guy. She was very sweet and easy to work with. We appreciated that she gave good direction and had an eye for detail. At the end of the shoot she made sure to ask if there were any other shots we wanted to explore. Overall it was a great experience. We received our proofs within days and the final edited images came very quickly after we made our final selections. Her professionalism and responsiveness were very impressive and we are really happy with her work. read more

Denise Lum Photography - Session Photography Near Me

It was a pleasure working with Denise. We booked her for newborn photo shoots. The photos turned out so beautiful! She was very helpful and helped us get some great photos, even when our newborn was being fussy or difficult. Would highly recommend! read more

We found Denise through yelp to help capture portraits for my sons's 5th birthday as well as do a maternity photo shoot. We had to reschedule multiple times due to my son getting sick and the wildfires affecting the air quality - of which she was so accommodating and understanding! Finally when things cleared up we had our session we were impressed at how easy she made the process go! She's really easy to talk with, and she instantly made us feel comfortable. My husband had reservations about posed shots, but when we saw the proofs (which came back so quickly too) he was sold! We were so happy with our proofs and photos that we booked a newborn shoot. With the newborn shoot we were surprised with how she got so many great shots with what little we had going on in our home. We will definitely continue to seek her out in the future - she is amazing! read more

We had Denise photograph us for a maternity photo shoot in the evening. The photos turned out beautifully! Really happy with the results. We had them shot in a rose garden in a local park and she made the location look spectacular. She provided us with the right amount of instruction and hands on guidance to produce great results. She had lots of suggestions for poses! Denise was flexible, professional, and friendly. We got the photos quickly. From contacting her to getting the photos was a breeze. Super happy she was our photographer for this important moment. read more

I would rate this photographer higher than 5/5 if I could! Denise Lum did our Maternity photos in May, 2022 and I would highly recommend her if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was very kind and made me feel very comfortable when trying out different poses in my pregnant body. Her photo files are really great quality (perfect for social media and for framing / printing) and we can't stop looking at the pictures! She was very flexible with us and super professional / quick with communication & planning with us. Gorgeous shots that we will treasure forever read more

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Had a wonderful experience with Denise for my daughter's newborn photo shoot. I didn't plan ahead to find a photographer in advance and scrambled to find someone when my daughter was one week old. Most photographers prefer to work with newborns under 2 weeks old. Denise scheduled me into her busy schedule with short notice since she understands how precious it is to capture these wonderful moments for my daughter. She squeezed me in early in the morning before having to shoot at a birthday party. Denise was super sweet and arrived with a box of yummy cupcakes for me. She provided props and wraps for the photo shoot. My daughter pooped on one of her blanket and I felt really bad but she was super nice and understanding. :) She was more concerned that we got poop on our wrap instead. I love how our photos came out and how quickly she provided us with the edited photos. She's super quick and responsive with emails. I would highly recommend her. We plan on having Denise take my daughter's 6 months photo shoot as well. read more

After doing research on a family photographer in the area, we found Denise and we are so happy that we did! Her work is beautiful, communication was on point, and she made us super comfortable when she was capturing photos of me, my husband, our dog, and our newborn. We couldn't be happier with our experience and the finished product. Thank you, Denise! read more

I've been looking for a photographer who has a lifestyle/documentary style that also has very reasonable pricing. I heard about Denise through my work colleague who had the cutest baby photos of their daughter, and I'm so happy I reached out! I chose an in home session and Denise captured some natural & sweet moments of what our "typical life" is like at home with our 6mo. Denise is professional and easy to converse with. She is very diligent and does homework beforehand like when is the best natural light in my home, our insecurities (like certain angle of face) that she can be mindful of, and made sure we were aligned on what I wanted to capture, etc. She's flexible with timing and graciously accommodated to my little one's napping schedule last minute. When the session starts, she lets us do our thing and gives us some direction yet still keeps it natural / not awkward. Even when little one got fussy towards the end, Denise still managed to get some great shots. Denise quickly sent over 60 pictures for me to pick from, and I ended up purchasing all of the photos for additional $50 which is totally worth it in my opinion. The turnaround time of the edited photos was also super quick! From my experience, it takes months to get pictures, but Denise was able to edit the photos in less than 2 weeks. Impressive! I highly recommend Denise's work and talent. I plan to hire her again for my little one's future milestones and special occasions! read more

Denise is such a sweet and talented photographer! She was super friendly, so easy to work with and responsive when I made an inquiry on wanting to take anniversary pictures. She was very accommodating when I first told her that my boyfriend and I have hectic schedules. She communicated really well and made the whole process very effortless for me. We were nervous when it was time for our photoshoot. However, once we met Denise, she made us felt so comfortable. We had lots of fun during our photoshoot and we absolutely love our photos. I would definitely choose her again for future events and would recommend her to everyone! read more

My husband and I are both very happy with work with Denise on our maternity photos. She is very responsive over email and gave us a lot of suggestions on what to wear, which shooting location to choose etc. More importantly, the photos turn out to be amazing. She captured a lot of sweet moments between us within the one-hour session. I will definitely consider working with her again for the family photos in the future read more

We purchased a maternity and newborn package from Denise. We did our maternity photos when I was about 33 weeks pregnant and our newborn photos when our baby was about 2 weeks old. Both experiences with Denise were fantastic. She provided a lot of guidance in advance and helped us with posing and acting natural during the sessions. Nothing ever felt rushed and we had ample opportunity to weigh in with poses that we wanted to try. We have worked with several professional photographers in the past and Denise's turn around time for proofs and final edits was the fastest we have seen. The online albums were easy to use and share with our friends and family. Most importantly, the photos are beautiful! We would definitely recommend Denise to others and would absolutely work with her again if we are ever looking for professional photographs for our family! read more

We did the pregnancy photoshoot and everything about the experience was above and beyond. She was on time, courteous, and a darn good photographer and photo editor! I highly recommend her as she was also very flexible with us due to our concerns surrounding COVID. read more

Wow, I'm so thankful to find a gem like Denise. I was interested doing a maternity session and made an inquiry via her website. Her response time was good and we went ahead and booked a session. We ended up having to reschedule our session due to the weather. I just appreciate how well she communicated with us and being so flexible with our hectic schedule. During our photo shoot Denise made us feel comfortable and just constantly assuring us she was getting great shots. When we received our proofs she exceeded beyond my exception. The pictures came out so beautiful and now we have these memories to cherish for life. She's the entire package you want in a photographer: talented, friendly, flexible, and easy to work with. read more

Denise Lum Photography - Session Photography Near Me

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My husband and I wanted to document our first pregnancy with a maternity photoshoot. After browsing various Bay Area photographers' portfolios, we decided to go with Denise's services, since we loved her excellent use of light and her ability to capture all the positive emotions of pregnancy in a natural way. We also found that her various packages were very affordable and offered of lot of options for all kinds of clients. Through our email correspondence, we found Denise to be not only professional, but really friendly and prompt in answering all the questions we had regarding our ideas for our maternity shoot. She not only suggested various locations for the shoot itself since we didn't have a place in mind, but also offered a styling guide for both partners being photographed. On the day of the shoot, Denise was on time and as friendly in person as she was in her emails - being naturally shy, I was afraid that it would be difficult for me to relax enough to have a good photoshoot, but Denise immediately made use feel comfortable and allowed us to place our trust in her expert hands. She was responsive to our ideas for some poses, and also had some great ideas for us to try. Overall, it was a very positive collaboration, and we wouldn't hesitate to work with her again. When we received the proofs and final shots, we were so happy with them; they were photographed and processed in exactly the style we had in mind. We're happy that we chose Denise as our photographer and would definitely recommend her to others who are looking for someone to do maternity (or family) photos! read more

We scheduled a newborn photo shoot with Denise and we couldn't have been happier with the entire process and the final photos! Our baby came early and Denise was able to squeeze us in despite the change in anticipated schedule. She is truly a baby whisperer! She helped all of us feel at ease in front of the camera and got some really great shots that we will cherish forever. Thank you Denise. read more

We had an amazing experience with Denise. She photographed our family in Sharon Park in Menlo Park. Denise was wonderful with our 2 year old daughter and truly brought out the best in her. I appreciate that Denise took the time to ask us questions about our daughter's likes and dislikes before the photo session to get to know her better. Denise even played our daughter's favorite songs from Moana bring out laughter and smiles. We are so happy with how our photos turned out and can't wait to get them framed! read more

Denise was so great to work with for our family photo shoot! She was very thoughtful about suggesting locations that fit what we were looking for. The session went very smoothly, and Denise was able to capture a wide variety of shots. And she made the photo shoot super fun for the kids! The finished photos were fantastic. It was a real pleasure to work with her! read more