Jill made our photo session so fun! The photos turned out great and we enjoyed the whole process. Will be doing our annual photos with Jill from now on! read more

Jill is very skilled with babies and young kids. I love every single picture we have taken with her. I was fortunate to find her when my first child was a little under 1 year old and Jill has been our photographer ever since. She is just skillful at making kids interact so they are actually part of the process and not just bored or annoyed. I love her candid photos, she captures the kids' personalities and even when one kid is in a bad mood, the pictures turn out pretty good. read more

I can't believe I didn't write this review sooner. Simply because Jill is an INCREDIBLE photographer! I found Jill last year when I realized I didn't have any photos of me pregnant. Let's be real, pregnancy is a beautiful experience but no one wants to see themselves with swollen feet and huge belly. But this was our miracle baby so I decided she needed to be captured before she came into this world. After doing research, looking at reviews and the photographer websites I landed on Jill and I was lucky that she had availability. Literally weeks from my birth! She was so much fun, and brought not only her talented eye, but a calming and supportive presence to the experience. She made us laugh and really captured our marriage and the love and joy this baby was bringing to our lives. After the birth, she took wonderful photos of our little one at a week old (who peed all over the place but Jill was so calm and didn't even bat an eye) and recently did a session for her 1 year old birthday (where our baby had a meltdown). She is a consummate professional, with a ton of experience and her strength is not only the technical knowledge but the ability to bring out the emotions in her photographs. Her subjects are works of art and our stories shine through in every single frame. Her website is easy to navigate, she responds quickly, provides great advice in advance of your session and follows up with a gorgeous portfolio you won't regret investing in. I can't recommend Jill enough!! PS: I second another reviewer who stated that Jill is someone you want to be friends with! read more

Jill was such a pleasure to work with for our newborn pictures! She really understood what I was looking for in the pictures that were more natural looking with a lot of natural lights. She did an amazing job preparing and helping with posing despite our active toddler trying to run away! We loved all the pictures so much that we couldn't pick and choose- we ended up getting all the pictures! In love with the pictures and so glad to have found her! read more

This was our first time using Jill for any photography but it will not be our last. She got my shy senior, who was dreading this day, to have fun and smile. It was a painless process, and the photos were perfect. read more

Jill was amazing to work with! So sweet, professional, and patient. We had a great newborn session and highly recommend her!

Jill was recommended to us by a friend to capture our maternity and newborn photos and we are so glad we found her! She is super friendly and very easy to communicate with throughout the process. My husband and I felt at ease with her right away and she was great working with our newborn once he arrived. Definitely recommend her services if you're looking for top of the line photos! read more

Jill was fantastic working with our family on some portraits. We had a large group including a wild three year old and a sleepy eight month old, so she had her work cut out for her. She kept the kids' interest and made things fun for the whole group. We loved the results and are so happy seeing the pictures displayed in our home. read more

Amazing experience! Jill came highly recommended by our friends. Having seen her previous work with them, I was really taken with her style and aesthetic. She is also fun to work with, really responsive, and has tons of suggestions (clothes, locations, etc). We took our 3.5 and almost 2 year old toddlers for photos with her at Gibson Ranch and they turned out so so beautifully. Jill was extremely patient and had so tricks to get the kids to cooperate, smile, and laugh. The pictures came out exactly 2 weeks later as she promised, beautifully edited, with a sentimental slide show that put us to tears. I'm already thinking about next year's photoshoot with her. Honestly, you should just book her now. What are you waiting for? P.S. she's also a really great human being, and you'll probably want to be friends with her after your session. read more

Jill has been photographing my family for years, she is so responsive and professional. Pricing is great for the quality and service you receive. As my family grows and we continue to get family photos, I never question who to go to, my first thought is always Jill. read more

Jill's photos are always beautiful! She has a great way of getting both kids and adults to smile for candid genuine photos. She's also great with pets. Highly recommend! read more

Jill is the absolute best!! Her mini sessions work perfectly for my family as I have a newborn, 3 year old and a husband who all have very short attention spans. Her pictures turn out AMAZING every time. The hardest part is choosing your pictures because you'll want them all. We will be using Jill for many many many more years to come! read more

I can't say enough positive things about both our experience with Jill Carmel and the final product. I've worked with many photographers over the years and returned to her. She is professional, easy to book, easy to contact with questions or changes. The actual sessions are friendly, timely and she is a joy to work with. read more

Without a doubt, Jill is 5 star quality and beyond professional. We worked with Jill for our maternity and newborn photo shoot and plan to be back for all of our family photos going forward. She's not only a baby whisperer, but also perfectly captures the moment every time. I can't commend her enough for her preparation (she had a phone call with us to discuss our vision, shared recommendations on clothing and colors, as well as reviewed the pictures we liked and tried to recreate them) and her attention to detail/specific guidance to us to help us through each shoot. If you want the best, you've found it - go with Jill. read more

Jill is spectacular to work with! She took my first ever professional head shots at the McKinley Rose Garden and they turned out lovely. The company I work for (Civitas) has hired Jill a couple of times in the past for team photos and just recently in December 2022 when we added new team members, we went straight back to Jill for our team photos. Jill is not only an excellent photographer, but she communicates to her clients before, during, and after the proofs are delivered. I especially love the way she gives direction during the shoot and even recommends attire based on the occasion beforehand. Jill gives you the opportunity to view the photos and pick your favorites before she retouches the final product. It is worthy to note that her retouching style is very natural and she does a perfect job at enhancing every photo with close detail. We will definitely come back to Jill time and time again for all our professional photo needs. read more

Jill is amazing and extremely talented! She did our family photo shoot and handled 8 adults and 4 kids like it was just another day. Our photos were beyond any expectations. My Mom is not able to walk around much and she helped choose a location that worked for her and did photos that accommodated her physical abilities. My parents have never done a photo shoot before and the results made my Father cry happy tears. It doesn't get better than that! Past experiences with kids has been stressful and difficult. Jill took that all away and worked so well with the kids (ages 5-15). At one point, Jill sensed my sister in law wasn't thrilled with the background of some of the photos. She took the time to get it right and found a location on our site that my SIL was happier with the background. Thank you Jill for capturing my beautiful family and making it pleasurable at the same time. Our photo album was released to us quickly and final photos were sent to us in a very timely manner. I highly recommend Jill for all your family photo needs! You will not be disappointed. read more

Jill is a fabulous photographer! She created a comfortable and fun environment for our family to be photographed in and the pictures are over-the-top amazing! So grateful! read more

We used Jill's services for our one year olds first birthday pictures. He gets really nervous in new environments and got a little fussy during the photo shoot, but Jill was able to capture so many smiles from him. They turned out amazing and the whole experience was pleasant. We would highly recommend Jill! read more

Jill has been taking our family photos for the past 12 years and I wouldn't go to anyone else. She is amazing and works great with kids. She can always get my family to smile and laugh, even our dog looks good in our pics. We love her! read more

Jill does amazing work! She is kind, friendly, conscientious, and so easy to work with. We had our crazy kids as well as the grandparents involved in our shoot. She patiently guided us through the entire shoot. Our 5 and 7-year old kids absolutely loved her. She managed to capture the silliness in our son and the sweet playfulness in our daughter. We loved every single picture in our gallery and ended up ordering all of them. The prints arrived just before Mother's Day. It was perfect and I will treasure them forever. :-) She will forever be our first choice family photographer! We love you, Jill! read more

Jill has been such a delight to work with over the years! I found her on yelp and what a great decision I made. She has photographed our family starting with our daughter's newborn pictures, then at 1 and 2 years. Jill has the most calm demeanor and she is fabulous with kids. She captures the personality in the most beautiful shots either in her studio, garden, etc. She also gives additional advice on wardrobe or any questions throughout the whole process, and really goes above and beyond to make sure we are all prepped. I feel like I've known her forever, but it's only been two years. You won't regret a session with Jill! read more

We used Jill for photos of our newborn. Everything about Jill, from the experience of working with her to the finished photos was fantastic. She is professional but very natural and easy-going, with a demeanor that puts you at ease. She was great with the baby and we felt totally comfortable with her in our home. Jill used a lot of natural light and mostly uncontrived poses (a few were more "staged" but for an effect that was lovely in the finished product). She can get both mom and dad involved or focus more on the baby, whatever you like. We were so happy with our photos. They actually make me tear up every time I look at them! And you can tell Jill really cares about her craft and is in it for the love. She has vision but lets the session unfold organically. I can wholeheartedly recommend Jill for any of your newborn, maternity, or family photography and for anyone who wants to capture their memories with some beautiful and elegant photography. read more

Jill is terrific! I booked her for my headshot and didn't realize the makeup artist had made an asymmetrical eyebrow and eyeshadow, making it look like I forgot to make up half my face--it wasn't apparent in person but was very apparent on photography (which was beautiful minus the makeup issue). Jill did an outstanding job of retouching the photos so that I wouldn't have to go through the trouble of redoing the shoot, saving me a lot of time, money, and hassle--AND she didn't charge me for it even though I offered to pay for her extra time. She's truly a wonderful person and skilled photographer. The final outcome was natural and gorgeous! She did the photoshoot using natural light in her airy and beautiful studio, and her down-to-earth demeanor made me feel relaxed and comfortable (I usually dislike having my photo taken). She comes highly recommended for good reason--I can't wait to see what she can do when I get my makeup done by someone more experienced! read more

If you're reading this, then you're probably looking for a photographer... look no further! As has been stated by a number of others who've had the pleasure of working with Jill, she has an amazing eye, and a knack for capturing the essence of a moment, whether orchestrated, or simply observed. This was our second time using her services, the first being a newborn shoot 8 years ago, and the most recent being a family shoot. Her staging of the newborn photos were ridiculous cute, but what is even more impressive to me is the way she handled the kids during our recent family photo session. Our kids are the ones that see a camera and either give you the smile that screams "I would rather do anything but take a picture," or literally scream "I would rather do anything but take a picture!" She really kept them enjoying the shots throughout the session. She was patient with the kids (and with us), and never rushed us. Even following the shoot itself, she was super-responsive, always helpful, and diligent about ensuring our satisfaction. Besides truly enjoying the process, we LOVED the end product. We know that we'll be cherishing these stunning pictures for years to come! read more

Jill took photos of our two daughters. Jill's pictures were amazing. The lighting and natural expressions she caught were perfect. She also suggested several different backgrounds in the backyard we were shooting in. She has an eye and knows what will look good. The greatest thing was her ability to work with the kids. One of my two kids was being a total grump and didn't want to have her picture taken. I wanted to strangle my kid, but Jill was unphased. I don't know how she did it, but she managed to get great photos from my reluctant daughter. read more

Jill is an amazing photographer who captured stunning images of my four children. She is professional and fun. Extremely accommodating and provides a wonderful photography experience. I highly recommend!! -Valerie Burke read more

Jill is professional and creative. I'm honored to have worked with her over the last 5 years. She's captured memories that are priceless. My advice is to book her. There is a specific style to her photography that cannot be duplicated. read more

We have used Jill several times for family photos and they do not disappoint. These are timeless family photos that we will cherish forever. The quality and moments she captures make you realize why you need a professional to take high quality photos. She also has a natural way with children, as our daughter loves her and the methods she uses to capture those truly memorable photos. We will use Jill for years to come, as her company is exactly what we were looking for in a photographer, professional, personable and she is great with kids! read more

Jill came to my daughter's home to take newborn photos of my newest grandson and our family. Jill takes her time, is patient, understands kids and really just captures your family's heart and spirit. I highly recommend her. You will love her and her work. read more

We've been clients of Jill's for three years now, starting with family photos when our son was about four months old. We absolutely adore working with her, and the photos she takes are amazing - they somehow capture each of our personalities perfectly, and I treasure them all. She's truly an artist with a lens, and she puts everyone at ease. After we finished our most recent session, my son (who's 3 now), said "I miss Miss Jill. I like when she puts the cheeseburger on her head." What better endorsement could you get! :-) read more

Jill is perfection! My husband and I booked her for our maternity shoot, and we had a great time with her. She is down to earth and makes you feel comfortable. Her ability to put us at ease and to capture the moment with natural light made our pictures turn out amazing! When our daughter was born, Jill did her newborn shoot and birth announcements as well. She was so gentle with our baby and knew how to calm her down to get the best shots- she even wiped our baby's bottom when she had a little accident =) Our bedroom was a mess (we took pics in there because of the light coming through the windows), but Jill angled everything so you couldn't tell. We ordered an album of both sessions and it arrived today. Craftsmanship and layout are on point. We could tell that she took time to make the album perfect. We can't wait to have her do our baby's one year pic, and the rest of our big milestones. Love you Jill!!! read more

Jill photographed my daughter as a newborn and most recently, just before she turned one in celebration of her first birthday. When I decided that I wanted to have some birthday photographs taken, there was never any doubt that it was going to be Jill who I was contacting. Pretty much everybody who has ever been in my house has commented on the pictures of my daughter as a newborn (and my family pictured with her), they are THAT good. I mean, I made a super cute baby, I gotta take some credit for that, but Jill's attention to detail, the way she works with light, and the final product are just impeccable. Breathtaking. On top of presenting you with the most beautiful final product, she is so fun to work with and AMAZING with both kids and babies. I did not think for a second about hiring anybody else, and I won't in the future. I emailed Jill with an idea for the birthday shoot and what I got in return was even better than both what I asked for and what I expected. I'm just going to have Jill photograph my family until every wall in my house is filled with pictures. And then I'll buy a bigger house. And you should too! read more

Jill has tremendous talent and a knack for capturing the most beautiful and authentic moments. We worked with her for our newborn and first birthday milestone shoots and could not have been more pleased with our experience and the beautiful keepsake photographs that Jill made for us. In addition to being an amazing photographer, Jill is also a baby whisperer who will transform your screaming, squirming baby into a little cherub with her mere presence. We can't say enough good things about her work and will definitely be back to document other important milestones! read more

I had never had professional photos taken and what a difference! I was a little nervous, but she made the process so fun! She is super great at her job. I can't say enough good things about her and her beautiful photos! read more

Jill is incredible!! We have now done a maternity shoot, newborn sessions with each of our 3 babies and a family photo session with her. I get so excited to work with Jill and to see the beautiful photos that she creates. They are works of art!! I always think, "Yes! This is exactly what I wanted!" Jill is super patient and makes you feel at ease during the session. She is amazing at working with newborns and gets great shots of my kids even when they are not in the mood to have their picture taken. Jill has always worked with us to get not only the shots that we have in mind but also the ones that she knows from all her experience will turn out great...and they are some of our favorites! I love the natural and relaxed feel of Jill's photos. We get so many compliments from people who see them. Can't wait for our next session!! read more

Jill has photographed all of my wives pregnancies and all three of my children. We are up to nine photo sessions now, and they have all been amazing. The photo sessions have produced pictures of my family that I value beyond words. The photos she has taken of my family keep me company constantly. They are on my phone, computer, my walls, etc. I share them with friends and family. I look back on them and reminisce. Jill's work is invaluable to me because it documents my family both for me, but also for them in the future. The amazing product mixed with the pleasure that it is to work with Jill makes her head and shoulders above any other photographer we have worked with. Jill is fun, friendly, calm and encouraging during the shoot. Before and after the shoot she is communicative, accommodating and professional. I could keep going, but I think I've made myself clear. JILL IS THE BEST!!! read more

Jill deserves 10 stars and not 5. I don't think 5 justifies how awesome she is. She has a certain way with kids that makes me want to hire her as a nanny. But her love of photography really gets in the way of that. So, for now, photos will have to do. Jill had a session with my wife, son and myself and somehow made all of us look good. We took a stroll around old folsom in 103+ degree sun and she didn't complain once. She was great giving us instructions and was very easy to talk too. Jill didn't hardsell any additional services or photos but we left wanting to do more. Maybe she used a jedi mind trick on us? read more

Jill photographed my maternity, and our son through his first year since his arrival. With all the amazing photo apps and filters available these days, we were unsure if it was something necessary or worth the committed time & money to do. Looking back at all of Jill's work for us, no one could have recorded my little man's first year better. The year has passed, we feel lucky that we did not choose to scrimp on these precious smiles that we'll never get a chance to capture professionally again. Jill is not an ordinary photographer. Her attitude, style and talent was unquestionable (not her first rodeo!). We learned a lot from her-- beyond photos. It's hard to describe her incredible finesse with baby. She always had helpful suggestions and hints, never pushy, and always appropriate. She was magical to watch work, and it reflected in our sweet photo books. These were the things we had want to remember. Jill is delightful to work with. No regrets. read more

We just did our 3rd photo session with Jill in just over a year, which should tell you how much we love her! She is so easy to work with and puts our normally shy son at ease quickly. The photos are always so good that I have to order them all because I can't choose! I especially love the candid shots I didn't even know she was taking, capturing those natural moments of our family just doing what we do. We will certainly be working with her again and again as our family grows. read more

I used Jill for my maternity photos and my newborn birth announcements, both experiences were amazing! Taking photos at these two times of my life, especially as a first time mom, were anticipated with a lot of anxiety- but Jill was able to calm my nerves and my worries. She is not only professional but she makes even the most nervous person feel very comfortable, not to mention she was so great with my newborn! I even offered her to stay at one point to be my nanny, haha. Seriously. I recommend Jill to anyone that asks who did my photos, but the wonderful pictures usually speak for themselves when people see them. read more