I am the photographer's ex husband so you can trust my review to be honest. We didn't get along but…read moreshe is the ultimate professional when it comes to photography. What she uses professional cameras to take photos not toys. She did a photoshoot for my daughter from another marriage and she did an incredible job. I highly recommend her as she will be patient and do what makes you comfortable. You can see her work on her site and her customers are happy.

I had a senior session for my daughter which was ok. The prices are rather steep considering the…read morequality of the photos. The photographer uses a camera that you or I could invest in and the "natural" lighting for photos outside of the studio. The studio shots made my daughter's face look very greasy from all the lighting used in the space of the studio. The pricing changed several times and the deal on Yelp was not provided to me although the photographer said it was. I would definitely shop around and/or ask all the questions you have in writing before signing a contract. I am cutting my losses with the actual sitting fee cost I paid. I WILL NOT be purchasing ANY of the photos from this photographer. Nor will I use this photographer again in the future. I'd like to respond to the photographer's comment. The photographer does not know why I chose to provide my Yelp review now. However, I will share my reasons. After going back and forth with rescheduling a date for the session (once on my terms another on her's) we had the session in October. I purchased the discount deal on Yelp after consulting with the photographer and her asking me where I found her (I found her on Yelp). She just said ok. When we spoke afterwards and I informed her I purchased the deal on Yelp. She tells me she already gave me a discount. During the consultation the photographer asked if it would be an indoor/outdoor session. I exclaimed I would like both so she quoted me a session sitting fee quote for both. The photographer stated in her response to my review she gave me a discount for an indoor/outdoor session. She never stated at the time of the consultation it was for the Yelp discount or that you can only use one discount. I would have made the decision that worked out as the best deal. She provided the online gallery for my review. Before entering the online gallery to review the photos she has a rating/review pop up. In order for you to enter the photos for review you have to rate it review her. I've never seen business practices like this. If your confident about the work you provide you would allow you customers to rate/review you after they review your work. Some of the pictures were good (the offsite photos) others were awful. All the indoor shots in her studio were awful! The indoor studio shots were where all her cap and gown shots were taken. The photographer had an abundance of lighting in her studio and only used "natural" lighting for the gym and outdoor shots. Needless to say, as a "PROFESSIONAL" photographer you prepare and provide lighting regardless. I'm not sure how this photographer feels she went above and beyond for me but, myself along with my daughter were her assistants for the session. So if anyone went above and beyond...it may be the client. Here nor there, I took my lost on the sitting fee cost I paid her for her time. Her quality of photography is by no means the quality of going to a studio. Do your research and get everything in black and white so you do not get bamboozled for SERVICE, QUALITY and YOUR VISION!

When I asked my husband if he wanted to write my review for Lisa, he said, "sure." This is what he…read morewrote: HOLY CRAP. HOLY CRAP. HOLY CRAP. Given that his eloquence didn't quite match the expression on his face, I thought I'd take over. Lisa did a boudoir photo shoot with me (the photos were a surprise for my husband's birthday). I wanted to write a review because I asked her not to put the photos up on her blog--though I loved them, I wanted to let the pictures remain private to us. However, my experience was absolutely phenomenal. Lisa worked with me for pricing; not only was she one of the only photographers I looked at who included all the photos taken as part of the deliverables included in the original fee (i.e. I don't have to buy photos from her because I will have digital copies of all of them with reprinting rights), but she also was just fine with doing the shoot at a friend of mine's apartment and having another friend do my make-up. Before the shoot, I expressed my concerns about my own body image and fear of not looking "good enough," and Lisa reassured me that it would truly be a fun experience--and it was! When you look at the photos she took, it's hard to believe that Lisa is so young, that she came to the apartment with only a backpack of supplies, and that she somehow managed to make me look like a model! The shots are so diverse--in some, she captured my actual genuine laugh or smile, while in others she found my inner seductress--but every single one is both classy and sexy. My husband is in awe and wants to "shout from the rooftops how hot my wife is"--and I have even been proudly showing them to close friends (which I never thought I'd do!). I cannot recommend Lisa enough--if you're worried about how you might look or feel during a boudoir shoot, have no fears! As my husband said, "see, this is how I see you every day--finally, someone captured that in a photo as proof."

Lisa was the first vendor I contacted once we had our wedding date. I had seen her work over the…read morepast few years and was captivated by the artistry of her photography. I was so excited she was available for our Sept 2013 wedding and could not wait to meet her. At our initial meeting, we had a lot of fun getting to know it each other and both my husband and I felt comfortable with her right away. This comfort continued into our engagement photo session, which we did in Old Town Alexandria. Lisa had fantastic suggestions on where to go and made ordinary scenery and streets come to life and compliment us. On our wedding day, I had no worries or stress related to the photography, I knew with Lisa's talent and eye in combination with her dedication and passion our photos would be beautiful. When I saw the pictures I was stunned, they are absolutely amazing. She was able to capture the entire day perfectly, the photographs were better then I imagined. We have received so many compliments on our wedding photos and about how much fun our guests had with Lisa throughout the day. Lisa was an absolute pleasure to work with, she is an incredible artist and amazing person. I feel very blessed that we were able to work with her and get to know her. I would not hesitate to recommend her, she is the best!

Esmaralda is the best!! We have had her take photos of our family (large group of about 15 people,…read moreour immediate family) and every time she gets MULTIPLE options that we can use for holiday cards, invitations, and scrap books. We have used one of her photos for our holiday cards for the past 3 years and I wouldn't think to call anyone else! Esmaralda has a great eye, a steady hand and excels with retouching (extra bonus for for me!) Thank you Esmaralda for making our photo sessions so carefree and painless, we look forward to seeing you again this fall for another photoshoot - this year we'll do it with the fall foliage, can't wait!!! - Jenny and the boys

We cannot recommend Megan enough! She was so communicative, thoughtful, kind, collaborative, and…read moreprofessional! Every part of the process was better than we could have imagined. She made us feel so comfortable and she managed everything so well. Our sneak peeks were ready so quickly and our final photos were stunning and perfect. Thank you, Megan!!

Megan was wonderful to work with from start to finish! She's very responsive, booking was seamless…read moreand she provides a ton of helpful advice for preparing for the shoot including ideas for locations. The day of the shoot she was right on time and made us feel relaxed the entire time. Our dogs are high energy and high maintenance none of which was a problem for Megan, she took it all in stride and we absolutely love the shots she got. There's no one else we'll do any future family photoshoots with, Megan is the best!

Jan is simply amazing. You could not hire a better photographer who possesses both the…read morephotographic expertise and wonderful personality to share your wedding day with you. She is absolutely at the top of our list of all our wedding vendors. She is incredibly talented, professional, responsive, and patient. Over the months leading up to the wedding and after the engagement shoot (what a great decision that was to do!!!), Jan answered a myriad of questions leading up to the wedding (many not even remotely related to photography). She always answered emails immediately. Something we very much appreciated. Talented and caring is a wonderful combination in a photographer. Certainly there are other photographers who also have her amazing camera skills, but Jan has something that sets her apart. She is a kind, relaxed person with a wonderful ability to handle complex & confusing situations. She knows how to get people to relax in front of the camera & completely forget she is there - this equals amazing photos. I really do not think we understood when we started the selection process how important personality is when it comes to selecting a wedding photographer. But, we learned, it should be high on your list, right after photographic skill. We were so fortunate to have heard wonderful reviews of Jan and that helped us a lot in picking her. We had people going every which way the day of the wedding. But Jan had asked us ahead of time to think through what pictures we would want of family and friends. We did not quite "get" why we were doing it but the day of the wedding it became clear - Jan and her assistant had everyone in and out of shots before we knew it. Her assistant, by the way, was superb also. As we look back now at these gorgeous pictures, we realize no one was missed. During the day of the wedding, our entire bridal party totally lost it - what to do next, where to go, when to go. Jan, gently and sweetly, kept us on track the entire day. But she was never in your face, never intrusive. Most of the evening, we do not even remember seeing her or her assistant. But the glorious photos prove she was there! Jan posted the wedding pictures almost immediately after the wedding. We sent out the link to family and friends and the response from has been universally -- what gorgeous photos. She was able to capture not only the photos of the day, but perhaps most importantly the mood of the day which can be best described as - magical. No, Jan did not pay us to write this review, she is simply that good. We are so very happy we decided to go with her. When it is all said and done, the wedding flies by in a nano second. What you have left are memories and your photos. This is not an area to skimp on. Go for the best --- Jan Michele is simply the best. But hey, don't listen to us, trust your eyes. Her work on her web site says it all. Jan is a true artist who cares deeply about her work and her clients.

My husband and I couldn't be happier with our decision to hire Carl Elixir for our wedding day! We…read moreopted for the 8-hour package with both photography and videography, and it was absolutely the perfect choice. Ash (photographer) and Ched (videographer) did an incredible job of capturing every detail and emotion of our special day. They were professional and a joy to work with. They made us feel at ease throughout the entire process, from the first look to the last song during the reception. The photos and video are absolutely stunning. Ash captured the essence of our wedding, from the romantic ceremony to the fun and laughter of the reception. We've already gotten so many compliments from our friends and family on the beautiful photos and videos. If you're looking for a talented and professional photographer/videographer team to capture your wedding day, look no further than Carl Elixir. Aside from the incredible final product, the team was very responsive and addressed my concerns and helped me execute my vision for the wedding day!

My wife has seen Carl's work all over social media, and she's been admiring his style even when she…read morewas single. So when we started to look for a wedding photographer, we thought of him first. He's slightly more expensive than others, but he is worth every penny spent! If possible, I would recommend talking to him before even booking your venue because he's so experienced with the DMV area and knows so many good venues that would be photogenic. He's responsive, on time, and very professional. For example, on our wedding day, my mother's makeup was running late, but my wife wanted to get a picture with her before we headed out to the first look. Based on his years' experience, Carl immediately told the makeup artist just to put on the lipstick first for my mother and snapped a few shots for us. Even now, my mother still mentions how great and decisive he was that day! Carl was funny, decisive/efficient, and great with all my wedding party (including our 3-year-old flower girl), as well as with both sides of parents. His ability to speak Mandarin Chinese was the cherry-on-top, as he could communicate with many of our guests that way! His assistant Chuck (who covered me & the groomsmen during getting-ready) was also excellent; he made sure we all felt comfortable and natural in front of the camera by laughing along with us and being extremely personable. And with the extra hour we paid for his shooting, we ended up getting quite a few more really good pics. We were so delighted with the leather-bound printout album that include our 40 favorite pictures. Carl was the best wedding vendor we had, and he'll prove it to you that he's worth every penny!

Jillian was my doula/birth photographer. She was SO wonderful to work with! I barely noticed her…read moresnapping photos while I was in labor, but she captured so many amazing moments. I will absolutely hire Jillian again when I have another baby. Highly recommended!

Wow, it's June already? At least I'm consistently late…read more We've never done a family shoot since my family became mixed (parents remarried) and seeing as how some folks were moving away figured it was time. Grandparents, parents, and grandkids, the gambit of family members descending upon Occoquan, VA at Christmas. Although Jillian was at our wedding I never saw her in action with the kids. Wow! My niece is really camera shy (and like 3 years old), we all make fun of her school photo (not in front of her of course) because she looks about ready to kill the photographer. Needless to say, that photograph isn't one that can be sent to family members, unless it is to give them a chuckle. Jillian was like magic, instantly setting the little one at ease. Jillian even got her to sing 'Let it snow' at one point, Jillian singing along (which of course made Jillian one of the cool big people) although our favorites were of her Dad tossing her into the air in front of a particularly beautiful Christmas window display, fir garland draping the outside. Of course each couple had their own photos, and I with my Dad, my brother-in-law with his mom. Jillian even managed to get my step-mom involved despite a true hatred of her picture being taken, which means now she and my dad have some truly lovely photos of eachother. It was a fantastic day, fun, and as always relaxed because Jillian is the best. And now we have family photos and some wonderful Christmas time memories.

We had an amazing experience doing a mini session with Kristin! The location she chose was…read morebeautiful and unique and we'll treasure the photos she took forever! They're beautiful.