My wife wanted to take the reigns in finding our photographer, so naturally I let her do her thing. She wanted someone who took dramatic pictures using everything around us (nature, architecture, people, etc.) After a search of websites and some price comparison, we set up a meeting with Jihan. After our first meeting with her we cancelled all the other photographer meetings we had. We both knew right off the bat that she would be the perfect photographer for us. Not only were her books amazing, but she was a really cool person. Our wedding day was such a fun adventure with Jihan. In between the ceremony and reception Priscilla and me had about 3 hours that we wanted to devote to taking pictures. We got married at the Old Santa Barbara Mission and our reception was at the Four Seasons in Santa Barbara. We gave Jihan absolute control over our photo session, just saying that we trusted her to pick some really cool locations...and she did not disappoint. We shot at the mission, a beautiful marsh/garden area, a cemetery (I know it sounds crazy, but in none of the shots can you tell it's a cemetary and some of our best shots were at this location), the railroad tracks and the beach. All the locations were brilliantly scouted out and she knew exactly what she wanted to do when we got to them. On our day Jihan worked with anohter photographer and a lighting assistant. So at all times we felt like everything was being covered. When we got to the cocktail hour and reception we took a few more pictures as a couple, but after that it was mainly Jihan and her team caturing the fun of the party. Everyone who looks at our pictures marvels at what a great job our photographer did at capturing the emotions on peoples faces. The candids that jihan and her team took of the reception really are great. In the end Jihan is a truly gifted artist...much more than a wedding photograher, but more importanly a really fun spirit and great person to share your wedding day with. I would recommend her to anyone, not only for her great work, but her personality and fair pricing. read more

Jihan Abdalla was the photographer for my August 8, 2009 wedding. I was set up with her through another company's referral system. Basically, we were matched with Jihan based on the style of photos we were looking for. After we were referred to Jihan, I scoured the photos on her website and loved them all! I immediately became very excited to work with her at our wedding. I spoke with Jihan a few times before the wedding and each time she asked me numerous questions about my wedding, the location, and the types of photos I wanted. She gathered very detailed information and began scouting the area for good photo opportunities. I mentioned that I like photos taken in random places so Jihan literally drove through the area near the church to find some unique places. I am so impressed by how she goes above and beyond to meet the needs of her clients. My fiancee', family, and I planned the entire wedding ourselves down to the very last detail. Because we had put so much of ourselves into planning our wedding, we were hoping for a photographer who would capture those details along with the love and joy we would feel on our wedding day. To say Jihan captured these things well would be an understatement. Our wedding photos are honestly the MOST unique, MOST beautiful, MOST amazing wedding photos I have ever seen. She beautifully captured the most intimate moments on film. The photos have been immaculately edited and are bursting with color. The black and white photos are gorgeous and powerful. When I saw our photos for the first time, I was in tears, as were many of my friends and family. I have received tons of compliments on these photos and have friends who already want to book Jihan for their 2011 wedding! Since I began planning my wedding, I have become obsessed with everything wedding related. I scour wedding sites and read wedding blogs daily and can say with 100% confidence that Jihan Abdalla is an amazing artist. We are so very blessed to have her photos as our forever memories of our beautiful wedding day. read more

When we asked Jihan to photograph our wedding, we had a unique request! We were planning two different weddings, at opposite ends of the globe. Because our families live in different countries (United States and India), and few would be able to make such a long journey, we decided to celebrate in both places. And Jihan very competently took on the massive challenge of photographing both events, and threading them together to tell one story. Our first ceremony took place in my parents' garden in Pennsylvania. Planning and organizing the wedding was a group effort, with family and friends pitching in, and Jihan's photos reveal the homespun quality of our wedding day. Her first priority was to get the shots that we wanted, and she was receptive to any ideas we had as the day unfolded. She created a collection of moments, of smiles captured without any notice, and conveyed the joy we all felt that day. The Indian wedding was a testament to Jihan's endurance as a photographer. The ceremonies lasted four days, each of which she carefully documented with incredible attention to detail. She patiently worked around so many unpredictable variables, such as last minute changes, a language barrier, dust storms, bright lights, and huge crowds of people. None of those variables come through in Jihan's photos. All you see are our families coming together to celebrate, set against the exquisite, saturated colors of India. It wasn't until both weddings were behind us, and some time had passed, that we had a chance to go through all of our photos to choose ones to frame and hang. The tiny details already fading from memory, it's only now that I can truly appreciate the lasting quality of Jihan's work. She really tells the story of our two weddings, our two families, and our two cultures blending together. We are so lucky to have that story preserved in pictures. read more

Jihan Abdalla was the first vendor I found for our wedding, since photography was the highest priority for me. When my husband and I met with her, we knew right away she would be perfect. She was professional, comfortable to talk with, and her pictures were outstanding. We did an engagement photo session with her as well. She accompanied us to a location 45 min away, sitting in the back seat with my Mom and our two dogs! She was great with the dogs and the moment we pulled up to our location she was spouting out ideas for shots. It was our first time taking professional photos and she was very helpful regarding what to do. To say the least, the photos turned out beautifully and we knew we were in for a treat with our wedding. We got married in Santa Barbara, and Jihan brought an assistant who was equally fantastic. They were both with us from the dressing room (one with us and one with the boys) through to the reception. Nobody noticed them at all, but they did a great job of grabbing us to catch the best lighting out on the beach, and then swiftly got us back to the reception. I was thrilled with every aspect of Jihan's work, especially when we got the pictures back. When I sent our web gallery to our friends and family, I got more compliments on how nice the pictures were, than comments on the wedding itself! I highly recommend Jihan. Her work went above and beyond our expectations! read more

Jihan was our wedding photographer for May, 2008 wedding. Words fail to describe how talented Jihan is! She is a truly gifted photographer; I am convinced that she captured my wedding day in a way no one else could have. I found Jihan through the referral of a friend who used her as her wedding photographer. Her pictures were so beautiful! More than that, she really caught the emotion of my friend's day. We were so impressed that my husband and I made the big decision to forgeo our deposit on another photographer and book with Jihan. Even though it was a bit out of our budget, it was sooo worth it! Pictures truly are one of the few things from your wedding day you get to keep forever. Her services are very much worth the expense. Jihan was also extremely easy to work with. We met with her once before the big day and had countless email conversations. She said she's always on-line and she isn't lying...she was almost always accessible. And, on our wedding, Jihan and her assistant were so accommodating. Their attitudes were so great and they made us feel really relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera. I even heard my bridesmaids talking about how "cool" she was. I highly recommend Jihan Abdalla Photography. She'll capture your day in a beautiful, candid, stylish way with an attitude that will keep you relaxed and entertained! read more

Finding an excellent photographer for our wedding on May 29, 2010 was a top priority. The couple may get older, but the wedding photos last forever. Jihan Abdalla was the perfect mix of artistic, photojournalistic and classy for our tastes. We spoke several times by phone, and I knew right away that she was going to be easy to work with. She was very accommodating, and always willing to adjust to our requests. When we met her for the first time, she jumped right into things and worked with us to help us capture our best photos. We were able to make suggestions (which she listened to), and she had plenty of ideas of her own on how to capture the moments perfectly. In an Indian wedding, there are A LOT of people to work with, and Jihan did it seamlessly. In fact, after the set photos were done, we didn't even notice her maneuvering her way through the reception. She was completely unobtrusive, yet somehow managed to capture every moment beautifully. Even after our wedding, Jihan has always been available and helped with photo projects and applied her artistry to help produce gorgeous results. She is an amazing artist and I would recommend her (as I have personally done for family and friends) without reservation. Thanks for the amazing memories, Jihan!!! read more

Jihan is an amazing photographer who captures the very essence of all that the wedding day produces. The hours it took getting prepared, the applying of makeup, tying full windsors, getting dressed, pinning boutonnières and corsages all captured by the flash and the photo. From the minor details to the only time an embrace of a fathers arms as he hugs his son and encourages him to be a better man than he will be captured... to the seconds shared between mother and daughter right before the bride takes her walk to her groom. Jihan is EVERYWHERE from your dressing room to the cake table and even hiding behind a corner to catch the comically aspects of small children trying to put the candles out that took the better half of the morning to light. I have seen photographs that made me smile and cry, that took my breath away and gave me a belly laugh. The most important photo I saw was when she captured the very emotion that last for only a moment as the groom sees his bride for the first time. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SEE ALL THAT WAS MY WEDDING DAY! read more

We knew our photographer, Jihan, through another friend and had seen her unique, beautiful style photography before we ever started planning the wedding. In addition to that, Jihan has been the knot.com photography award winner the past 2 years. We did not want the same old boring wedding and her style is very creative. On our wedding day we met her 2 hours before the ceremony so we could take pictures with the wedding party on Main Street in Santa Monica; at one point we recreated the Beatles "Abbey Road" album cover while crossing a busy intersection! She listens to your ideas and then incorporates them with her vision. She was easy to work with when we had to do a few of the typical wedding photos as well. During the reception you did not know she and her talented second photographer, Caroline were even there other than the results of great photos. Jihan is not just a photographer; she is an artist that works in the film industry as well. read more

I would rather take all the time in the world shopping around for the perfect photographer than my wedding gown. The most important thing to me about a wedding especially my own are great photographs, which is why we chose Jihan Abdalla Photography. My husband is also a photographer, so we took a while in choosing a wedding photographer who was great with composition and lighting. When I first saw Jihan's work, my eyes started to tear up! Her photos aren't just a snapshot of the occasion, but they tell a story of that particular moment. I couldn't wait to meet her! When I finally did on the actual wedding day, we instantly connected. She has such a great personality, takes her work seriously and goes above and beyond. We are very pleased with our photos and are completely satisfied customers! read more

Jihan was amazing. We couldn't be happier with our decision to have Jihan Abdalla Photography capture our wedding day. Jihan was such a pleasure to work with and our pictures are terrific. They managed to think of every detail along the way to ensure that each moment was caught on camera and that the emotion felt throughout the wedding came across in each photo. Looking at the photographs makes us feel the same joy we felt that day and gives us the chance to experience parts of the wedding we didn't get to take the time to enjoy then. Jihan's dedication and artistic commitment to her craft means we ended up with beautiful photographs that match the beauty of the day for us. Jihan goes above and beyond for you and I would recommend her in a heartbeat. read more

Thank you Jihan. You are truly unique in every sense, you have heart of gold & not to mention have the most amazing team. You manage to handle our large group with such poise, patience & a pleasant smile that kept assuring us that every thing will turn out just beautiful and it did thank God. Your customer service is just superb. I loved your sincerity and how passionate you are when it comes to your work. You also were very generous in helping us find an excellent videographer that we loved. Between you and him Leena , Mohannad and both families will get to relive & charish their special day for years to come. Thanks again for everything. read more

Jihan was amazing. We could not have asked for a better photographer for our wedding. She captured every moment we wanted candidly. Jihan and her assistant, Valerie, were so laid back and easy going that they helped make both days of our wedding flow seamlessly. We were so lucky to have found her and could not be happier with the results. Not only was every important moment caught on camera, but they were caught THOROUGHLY!! Very artistic and unique style with great ideas for some planned photos, however, she really shines with capturing candid moments. Please at least call her and speak with her and I know you won't be disappointed. read more

Jihan was fantastic. She made everything very easy and smooth for me and my husband leading up to, and on our wedding day. My pictures came out gorgeous and I LOVE them!! I really liked the way she (and her assistant) worked the day of our wedding too. I would look over and see them taking shots of everthing and everyone so i knew they were capturing what I may have been missing..it was perfect. The day I got my proofs from her I sat and looked at them in disbelief...there was so much that I didn't see that she had captured beautifully. I would highly recomend Jihan to any "bride to be." read more

I met Jihan a couple years before my wedding and after I saw her website and her unique style I knew I wanted her as my wedding photographer. My biggest concern was my husband since he doesn't like pictures, but Jihan was able to make him relax and enjoy every minute of it. Final result ...The pictures exceeded our expectations! Jihan was also the photographer on one of my friend's wedding and she was very happy with her pictures too! Great photographer, unique style and cool personality..we couldn't ask for more! read more

Jihan is awesome! She is worth every penny and more! She was courteous and professional, but most importantly, the pictures came out amazing! She is so talented and I am so thankful she shot our wedding pictures! Highly highly recommend!! read more

She is for real! I love her work!