Anwen was such a pleasure to work with! I mentioned it to the manager, and he admitted how lucky he…read morewas to have her working there. The vibe in this shop is very can-do. We had an odd shaped photo we wanted to shrink to fit a square frame we brought in. They had to go at it a couple of times to get it right, and then Photoshop out a dark spot at the top, and it turned out great. They really wanted to make us happy with the result. I hadn't been to a camera store in years, and it was so nice to go in and see how alive and well the business of photography is and especially Mikes Camera Shop!

Excellent Service! I…read morewanted a Tamaron lens that wasn't in stock, but they had it ordered for me right away. James was great, he was very polite and professional, and explained F stop to me in the best way possible using an older lens as an example. He really is passionate and knowledgeable about cameras from past and current technologies. Everybody was great, the staff was playful and joked around here and there. I was a bit picky of how the lens needed to be handled, but James respected that and understood. The lens was in immaculate new condition and it was the best purchases I ever made, especially for the price!

It has been almost 5 years since I took Tom's DSLR jumpstart class, and the lessons I learned that…read moreday are still in use. The class really helped ignite my ability to properly set up my camera, but also how to adjust setting on the fly. Since his class, I have been published in multiple aviation books, blogs, newspapers, and magazines. Last Year I was an Editors Choice in the 2023 Aviation Week and Space Technology Photo edition Without Tom and his class I would no doubt be plodding away with my camera with the usual mediocre results instead of what I am shooting now. If you want to do more with your photography this one is an easy call. Give Tom and PhotoTrainer a try.

I came to Tom looking to get some knowledge about photography and a better understanding of how to…read moreuse this new SUPER DUPER XYZ 99-100 SUPER FLY camera I bought. After 2.5 hours with Tom I now feel like an INVINCIBLE KRYPTONITE IRON CLAD NINJA JEDI.....ok, ok, that may have been a bit much. My experience with Tom was very good, I got a better understanding of the craft, and feel better in the workings of my SITH SLAYING SURGICAL SLICING LIGHT SABER of a Camera ....(clearing Throat) excuse me, a better understanding in the workings of my camera. Let me keep it professional, Tom was an excellent teacher, very knowledgeable in his craft, & was very patient in answering all my question's. For me this was money well spent. Thanks Tom... Your Kung-Fu is strong.

Our son has joined Tara's photo school for three summers in a row. Tara gets the class to…read moredifferent, interesting places to take photos. She also has a teaching style that is both challenging and encouraging--helping students expand their technical skills and artistic vision. It has been fun for him, and exciting for us to see the growth in his work.

From the owner: We host exciting and educational experiences to help you learn to create incredible photographs to…read moremaster your craft! We offer classes, workshops and summer camp programs throughout the year!

I recently finished the Beginner and Intermediate 1-2 workshops at PhotoSprouts. Jordi is an…read moreamazing and incredibly knowledgeable instructor who knows how to break down technical settings so they actually make sense. Photosprouts provides their own mirrorless cameras and lenses for these workshops but you can bring your own as well. I brought my own and Jordi helped a ton with helping set it up and answered tons of my questions about when to use various features. The class structure is a mix of lectures and immediate hands-on exercises. The photowalks during the intermediate sessions were especially useful for applying manual settings to real-world scenes and learning how to compose shots on the fly. Getting that direct practice with my own gear was the biggest takeaway and I walked away with a much better handle on my camera. Highly recommend PhotoSprouts and I plan to take some of the more advanced workshops in the future!

Christina is the best!…read more I first came across PhotoSprouts when I took a beginner photography lesson in 2023 with Jordi. Afterwards I followed up with questions on what the best camera to buy for a safari would be, and PhotoSprouts owner Christina went above and beyond in helping me compare and contrast the 2 models and lens I was debating. She literally wrote me an essay and I remember being blown away. Fast forward to 2025 when I bought my first real camera (the Canon mirrorless one that she'd recommended two years ago) in advance of a safari honeymoon. I took 2 private lessons with her to learn how to use it. I'm a complete beginner (ex. I barely knew how to attach the lens and adapter to the camera base). Christina is knowledgeable, warm, and patient. She suggested we go to the SF Zoo to practice shooting different animals to best recreate what the honeymoon would be like. We started off with the basics (ex. aperture, ISO, shutter speed) in the Zoo cafe. Christina was prepared with printouts, props, and example pictures which helped me grasp the concepts faster. After we went through the 101 printout, we walked around the zoo to put the concepts in action. It was so helpful to have her next to me so I could ask her all my questions as they came up in real-time. For example, she pointed out that I had a tendency to over-expose my shots (because they looked dark on the LCD and viewfinder when we were out in the sun) and that I could be more aggressive when pressing + holding down the shutter release button. I also only had one battery which died within an hour, and she kindly lent me another for the remainder of class. I was amazed by how much I learned in the 2 hour lesson and took a follow-up lesson on how to import, store, and edit photos. Thank you Christina for the amazing classes and tips!

This review is massively overdue. I'm a former frequent flyer here, and I have to say TIF is my…read moreall-time favorite one-stop shop for anything photographic in the Bay Area. I started coming here six years ago to augment the lab time and instruction I was getting in school. Their darkroom was my happy place for a long time and was fairly priced. What impressed me the most about their gorgeous space was that they encouraged clients to get their work off their screens and onto the walls. Literally, any time I had a question about anything related to photography or printing, Stuart, Ed, Constance, Chrysta, or Nathan would make the time for me and help me out or give me feedback. I enjoyed printing there and always left feeling inspired because they were so kind, knowledgeable, and professional. If you'd like to learn about photography, I highly recommend checking out their services, classes, and workshops. I wish I could give them more than five stars!

A a small business owner I have never left another business a bad review, but this experience was…read moreunacceptable. My artwork was mishandled and the finished product I had hired them for was poorly executed and unusable. I had to take it to a qualified business afterwards who confirmed they did not do a good job. When I raised the issue, the owner and staff were dismissive, refused a refund, and ignored multiple emails and calls. Their unprofessional behavior was bizarre and astonishing. They clearly aren't equipped to handle valuable artwork. Save yourself the headache and take your projects elsewhere.

I've been following Bruce's Instagram account for some time and really enjoyed his photos and the…read morelocations he was using in the Bay Area. A friend recommended him, so I hired him to do a one-on-one session to help me with sunset photography. The session was awesome! Bruce is extremely knowledgeable about the area, he took us to a fantastic location for our sunset photos, and he answered a ton of questions I had about taking photos (framing the shot, settings, gear... etc.). I learned a LOT from the session and took one of my favorite photos ever. Overall, it was a great learning experience for me. I would highly recommend Bruce to anyone for one-on-one or a group session. He is amazing at what he does and he's honest about his input and feedback. I can't wait to schedule another session! Thanks, Bruce!

Building a new restaurant, Mersea, on Treasure Island, I've seen may of Bruce Getty's beautiful…read morephotography and own a few of his pieces, and the view from our restaurant on TI is spectacular, and the only person I had in mind to capture the SF Skyline beauty if Bruce. He is very professional and committed to providing the BEST view possible. His passion for his craft shows in the stunning photos. I look forward to his next set of photos for our new restaurant.

I highly recommend this photography class! Peter is a very skilled photographer and will explain…read morehow to work your camera and take beautiful photos. He will give you tips on how to se

I just finished Peter's class today. I've read so many things on the concepts of how the elements…read moreof apeture, shutter speed and ISO work, but I couldn't get the concepts to click to put it into action with my camera. I'm now walking away finally understanding the main concepts to get my DSLR out of AUTO and it has already significantly improved my photography. Peter was patient, funny and very knowledgeable. I highly recommend this class to anyone wanting to improve their skills. I will say that this is not a class for someone that doesn't know how to use their camera at all. You do need to know the basics of how to find and adjust settings and in my opinion you'll get way more out of the class . Thanks Peter for inspiring my creative side again!

It is such a well-organized store and carries everything needed for all kinds of DSLRs. There was a…read moretime when I really needed a CF card and all the electronics stores I thought to check or call didn't carry it in stock. If I knew this store existed within a 20 mile radius of me it wouldn't have been a problem! They carry all the different kinds of electronic storage cards in stock as well as all kinds of batteries required by DSLRs. I also came to ask about flashes and the guy I spoke to was very knowledgeable, answering all my questions easily and very clearly. He had a professional, straightforward, no-nonsense kind of attitude, making my visit short and sweet! I think I will make this my first stop shop for all things camera related from now on!

I was in need of passport photos. I called when they opened as I not only needed passport photos…read moretaken, but asked if I could print out passport photos with a file from my phone. They were a bit hesitant, but were open to me bringing it in to see what they can do. The door is always locked and someone has to let you in. A bit strange, but makes sense with all the expensive equipment and accessories they have. Isabel greeted me and asked what I needed. I said passport photos of myself and if I could print passport-style photos with an image I had on my phone. She said we could try and if so, it would still be full price. I was totally fine with that. We did that part first and it was pretty seamless with scanning a QR code with my phone, uploading and Isabel did some magic to get those printed. I took my photo and that was processed. I looked around while waiting. All in all, pretty cool spot. Props to Isabel for making the whole passport photo process really easy.

A shout out to Ro in the main office - she's such a delightful person and extremely helpful - she…read moregoes above and beyond to help you best she can - she's amazing!!!

This is a long overdue post, but I truly appreciate Rochon's kindness & help during the busy…read moreholiday season. I came in just minutes before closing, and she still took the time to complete my Live Scan. The process was smooth, affordable, and much easier than expected. I highly recommend this location if you need a Live Scan and suggest calling ahead to book an appointment. Rochon's kindness made the entire process smooth and stress-free. I truly appreciate the excellent service that I received from this center!