Review #600! I couldn't end the year without this review! A handful of friends have used this photographer for their family photos and weddings; and I always loved the photos she produced. I tried to have a friend take my family's photos but our schedules never aligned. It was December and I procrastinated to get family photos for our Christmas cards. My friend just had a mini session with MarieSam and she told me the photographer still had sessions available. MarieSam replied to my email pretty quick and gave me all the details. Our initial contact was on 12/5 and we set up a photo shoot for 12/9. When the day came the electricity in our townhouse complex went out. A few hours before our scheduled shoot, my hair was soaked and I was freaking out. I called MarieSam and she was very understanding and we were able to reschedule for the 15th at Kenneth Hanh State Park. Before our shoot I told MarieSam that we were thinking of bringing our dog with us but didn't have anyone to wrangle him. MarieSam mentioned that she will have her daughter with her that can wrangle him for us! Her daughter helps with her shoots and it was nice of her to offer that. On the day of the shoot our 16 month old son did not want to cooperate at all. All he wanted to do was explore the park. Holding him was a bit of a challenge but MarieSam was so sweet and patient with us. I stared to worry we wouldn't get any good shots but she assured me she did. After our shoot she mentioned it will take five days to get the proofs. To my surprise she had them done in two days! I stayed up two hours passed my bedtime just admiring all the photos. I think it took about a day to narrow down the 20 images we wanted for our package and we got our photos four days after our shoot! I loved working with MarieSam, I really wished she was our photographer for our wedding. Her work is really great and she is very professional. We would love her to capture our family photos in the future! read more

When wedding planning we figured out that photography was at the top of our priority list. When searching for a photographer we didn't have to look for too long. We have had the pleasure to witness the vibe and feel of MarieSam and Tommy from a few weddings that me and my wife were in. To us, we needed to have that connection or have that feeling that they knew us and what we wanted. After the initial meeting with them, we knew that they were going to be our photographers for our special day. MarieSam is very professional and very attentive to her craft. She goes the extra mile with every detail. Leading up to the months and days till the big day she would send us little reminders and check ups. Honestly, it kind of felt that she was our wedding planner! She is very accessible if you have any questions or concerns through phone calls and especially emails. On the day of MarieSam and Tommy put us at ease. They worked and work very well with our other vendors especially with our videographer. We were very pleased and very happy with the work that they did. And the pictures speak for themselves. We highly recommend MarieSam and Tommy for any occasion! LOOK NO FURTHER! Lol read more

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Professional and personal, probably the two words that come to mind when my husband and I went from engaged to married. We knew MarieSam and Tommy from previous family weddings and loved their work. I mean the work speaks for itself. And the personalities that both of them bring to the table is nothing short of inviting and that close family oriented feel. By that we really mean they went beyond in terms of making us feel comfortable with what was about to go down. They made taking pictures feel fun and relaxed, like something we've been doing for a while (but we all know, not all of us are model-esque). There was another engagement shoot we did previously, and that did NOT give us that "happy" feeling. It was awkward kissing and "look at the cameras" type of feel. MarieSam and Tommy helped us feel welcome and I guess you could say "professional models" ;) Just want to point out an example before I close this out. There's a lot of tension on your big day and Tommy made my husband feel comforted that this was OUR day and no one would be able to take that from us. The first look is always so nerve racking and having them there, people that have done this and know the emotions know how to keep personalities calm and looking forward. The professional aspect comes into play when coordinating through the night with our different vendors. Our videographer was amazing and MarieSam did well to get their shots and accommodate the other trades. A simple meeting a week prior to the big day inevitably became the strict schedule that prevailed on the day. I love MarieSam and Tommy's work and if you see the work and love the work, why not? -Anthony&Jessica read more

MarieSam Sanchez Photography - One of our Favourite shots from our wedding =) by MarieSam Photography -Anthony&Jessica - Session Photography Near Me

MarieSam was the photographer for my best friends wedding in LA. Working with her and Tommy during the wedding was a lot of fun and the photos and video from the wedding came out absolutely stunning! When I found out they were making a trip to the Bay Area and available to do sessions, I immediately contacted MarieSam to book a family photo shoot. MarieSam was extremely responsive in answering all of my questions. We discussed potential locations that would work well for young children (6-year old and 9-month old). She also provided me with some helpful links related to family photo shoot attire. This was beyond helpful in coordinating outfits for 2 kids and 2 adults. We narrowed down two locations for the shoot - The Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Field. The day of the shoot - traffic was horrendous getting to the first destination (Palace of Fine Arts). It was fleet week and the area was overly concentrated with tourist. MarieSam and Tommy arrived early to scope out the place before we arrived. Once we started the shoot, I could tell by their expressions that we were getting some amazing shots! With the bad traffic conditions and a grumpy 9-month old - we opted to do the entire shoot at the Palace of Fine Arts. The turn-around time was pretty quick and the pictures came out phenomenal!! There were so many awesome shots that I'm still struggling with which photos to frame in our home. MarieSam also provided us a slideshow link to share with friends and family. The slide show had roughly 40 of the best images from the shoot. Our family absolutely loved it!!! Working with MarieSam was a great experience. She was 100% professional and put us at complete ease. We definitely plan to use her again in the future!!! read more

MarieSam Sanchez Photography - Family Photo shoot at Palace of Fine Arts - Session Photography Near Me

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As a recent bride I know that so much effort and planning goes into this one special day. But when all is said and done, the dress is worn, the cake is cut, and your wedding song is over-played...all you have left to look back on are the photos. So, let's just say the photographers are kind of a big deal. I am so thrilled to have entrusted MarieSam Sanchez Photography with making these memories for us. MarieSam and her husband Tommy not only captured every detail perfectly, they somehow captured the essence of that day and I am very thankful for that. They were unobtrusive when taking candid shots and gave great direction when taking formals. Plus, the calm, natural composure these photographers carry made it easy to be ourselves and stay calm throughout the day. I would recommend them to anyone and give them 4 thumbs up (if I had 4 hands...)!!! Did I even mention that they are wonderful people and a pleasure to work with? It felt like they were in our wedding, not vendors covering it. read more

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The most artistically talented and down to earth photographers we have encountered! We loved their work from the very beginning as they photographed our brother's wedding two years ago and it was an honor to have them be a part of the days leading up to our very own wedding! They went above and beyond what we expected and while MarieSam was taking my photos, Tommy was excellent in calming my husband down and making him comfortable, which truly brought the best out of our photos!!! They are so easy to work with, flexible and professional people! Their talent is so raw, we can't get enough of seeing their work and the beautiful images they capture through their point of view. You just need to be gifted with the kind of talent they both possess! Check out MarieSam's blog and it's evident that she loves to do what she does! Absolutely without a doubt highly recommend this phenomenal duo! LAKERS BABY! Much love and gratitude, Austin and Daisy read more

MarieSam Sanchez Photography - Words can't describe how thankful we are to have Mariesam and Tommy be a part of a special time in our lives. Thank you! - Session Photography Near Me

I can't say enough good things about MarieSam and Tommy! Not only did they take our engagement and wedding pictures, I've had the amazing opportunity to do a couture shoot and boudoir shoot with MarieSam. The first time I took pictures with MarieSam was a couture shoot. I've never taken professional pictures before, so I was a bit nervous at first. But, my nerves quickly disappeared. MarieSam is warm, fun, and makes you feel so comfortable in front of the camera. The first time she took a picture and then showed it to me on her camera, I'm pretty sure I said "Holy sh*t!" out loud because I was amazed at what I saw. After my first experience, I knew without a doubt that I wanted MarieSam for our engagement and wedding pictures. Our engagement pictures were taken at the Irvine Regional Park, and the pictures were gorgeous! We had so much fun. I love that MarieSam and Tommy are a husband and wife team. They're so in sync with each other. MarieSam takes the direct, close-up shots while Tommy acts as the "creeper" in the background taking candid and long-distance shots. They tell you how to pose and how to kiss so every picture turns out perfect. (Btw, Tommy is totally not creepy at all LOL) I can't begin you to tell you how happy we are with the wedding pictures! THEY. WERE. EVERYTHING. They captured everything perfectly. I love how excited MarieSam gets! She was up until 4 a.m. after our wedding because she was so excited to edit them! Lastly, the boudoir shoot was one of the most fun experiences I've ever had. At the recommendation of my hair stylist, I decided to do a boudoir shoot as a wedding gift to Joe I recommend EVERY WOMAN to do this at least one time in her life. I felt SO sexy. ;) It was tough to narrow down which pictures I wanted in the album because they all looked so good! On the wedding day before our first look, Tommy took Joe somewhere private and took pictures of Joe's reaction while he opened my gift. Joe had no idea and totally did not see that coming. I could go on and on about MarieSam and Tommy, but I'll stop here and say just do it. You'll love them as much as I do! read more

You know that feeling when you meet..."the ONE"? You have a sense of calm even when your insides are in toil and almost instantaneously you know - this is it - they are OUR photographers. It was love at first meeting. We were introduced to MarieSam and Tommy through my sister who knew them through a friend who's cousins with... you get the story. We set up a meeting and met them at the local Starbucks (just in case they were crazies - insert crazy face here) and we even brought my sister as the chaperone. We sat and chatted through some great conversation because time flew by and the next thing we knew it had dropped about what seemed to be 15 degrees, the sun was gone, and well - we knew we had found our photographers. MarieSam and Tommy both have a way of capturing moments of love. Anyone can take a great photo - but to ensnare the essence of your moment - that moment of pure joy, elation, love, sweet serenity, innocence, and sexiness all melded into ONE photograph that can illicit that same response by just looking at it - THAT is rare. The one thing I took away from experiencing the duo that is MarieSam and Tommy is that when you have people who do work for you with LOVE - pure. unadulterated. curling toes. squealing in absolute adoration. LOVE - the work shows it. They were absolutely professional but with such a caring, sincere heart that it is difficult NOT to fall in love with these two and their work. read more

We met MarieSam through and friend and I am so glad I found her!! I loved my friend's wedding photos and was looking for a photographer to document our growing family and booked her for a maternity session. I have since hired MarieSam to for our newborn photo session and plan to hire her for all of our family milestones. I have absolutely loved every single moment she has captured of our sessions and love the energy she brings. She pays attention to those small details and has perfect timing for those awesome candid moments. MarieSam is professional, dependable and very easy to work with. From the moment you contact her, she is responsive, and makes it easy to work with her. She even brings photo props to your sessions and gives you ideas on what to wear, locations, etc. Not to mention, she has an awesome partner - Tommy, who is super talented behind the camera. I highly recommend MarieSam Photography for any of your photography needs, they are absolutely wonderful! read more

MarieSam + Tommy are truly the best pair of photographers (and humans)! They photographed our engagement photos in July 2018 and our big wedding day right before the Christmas season chaos in December 2018. We were referred to them by Mark's side of the family-- two brothers (and a few friends from our church) used MarieSam + Tommy's services, so they were practically family and were familiar with our religious traditions and expectations. We knew right away when we got engaged in January 2018 who our photographers would be. MarieSam + Tommy are just the sweetest, funniest, most genuine and professional individuals to work with. They made all of our sessions feel SO comfortable! We clicked immediately (sharing the love of Lakers + USC, sorry Tommy, not UCLA LOL) and shared so many laughs that we knew they were the perfect fit! Since day one they have been so professional and timely about emails and questions, and they provided top-notch quality services throughout all of our sessions. Their session packages are awesome-- they offer so many options AND even cater to your unique needs if you need add-ons. Their online gallery is also pretty awesome where we were provided with a secure log-in to view AND download all of our high-quality photos (web-size + high resolution).. we love it so much! We also were able to send the links to our family members so they could view and download as well. On the days leading up to our sessions and the day-of's, MarieSam + Tommy were very professional and knew exactly the mood and feel we were going for in our photos. They even do walk-through's of our potential locations beforehand to really get the most out of the venues in their photos. Looking at our galleries that were re-touched to perfection (no filters needed for posting photos + printing photos), we and our families were so pleased and amazed by the high quality of our photos. They captured memorable candid moments that we wouldn't expect to be captured.. and we loved every single one of them! To summarize, MarieSam + Tommy are just the best photographers we could ever ask for. We highly recommend them to anyone who would like to capture their special occasions in high-quality photographs. We plan to continue using their services to document all our future milestones as our little family grows. We love them! - Ronelle + Mark read more

I was initially VERY nervous about our couple's session. Neither me nor my boyfriend had really done anything like this before. I had so many questions: What type of clothes should I wear? How should I do my hair? Where should we go? Props? MAKEUP?!? MarieSam skillfully guided us and helped turn something that could have been terribly awkward and painstaking into a fun, unforgettable photo-shoot! She offered simple and kind advise that soothed my anxieties and really helped me prepare for our photo-shoot. Long story short, it COULD be weird kissing in front of a stranger (one with a camera, no less), but MarieSam and Tommy are so sweet and personable that it was easy just to be ourselves and enjoy the moment! I could not be happier with our experience and pictures! MarieSam has a keen eye for photo ops that really highlight your personality and well representative of your personality! Highly recommended! read more

Hands down one of the best photographer's I've worked with! MarieSam and Tommy have done two photo shoots for my hubby and I and each time we are blown away by their talent to capture the most amazing photos. We recently had them do our maternity session at our home and the photos came out better than imagined. Both MarieSam and Tommy are professional, fun and have an eye for the perfect shot. They are laid back enough that you feel comfortable even though taking professional pictures can sometimes be awkward. I highly recommend MarieSam Sanchez Photography for any event...wedding, family, maternity, etc...you will not be disappointed! read more

MarieSam and Tommy are the best photographers in the industry! They are super professional, visionary and great communicators! They photographed me for a lifestyle shoot for my website and promotional materials and the pictures turned out amazing! I constantly receive compliments on my pictures and I would definitely hire them again and again. If you would like to check out their work go to www.CeliaWardWallace.com. read more

Due to my mom's recommendation (due to their fun and positive interaction with guests at a wedding she attended) my husband and I used MarieSam for our wedding back in 2011. If you've ever lived above a rock and saw the Friends episode of Monica and Chandler's engagement pictures....that is my husband for any posed picture. With MarieSam (and her husband Tommy), my hubby actually showed his smile that melted my heart on our first date. He felt comfortable, I learned tips for taking good pictures, we laughed, and had the most amazing engagement and wedding pictures. Then when we moved to the next stage with kids, MarieSam captured some of the most beautiful pictures and moments with our babies. We did family pictures in 2017 and again 2018. Her talent just keeps improving and I couldn't rave more about not only a talented photographer, but an amazing human. I feel like MarieSam is a bestie we see each year. If you ever hesitate, not that you could after looking through her work, take my advise and use MarieSam to help ease the "Chandler" in your life! read more

Where do I even begin!? MarieSam and Tommy are just awesome human beings first of all. The passion for photography and their clients are evident in their work. I found her on Yelp in 2016 for our first family session and since then they've photographed us every single year, our next one is next month! And truly, I just love their style so much!!!! read more

We had an awesome time during our engagement photos in Downtown Los Angeles last September. We had an amazing time, even though the weather was over 100 degrees. Both MarieSam and Tommy were great to work with. They also took photos for our wedding shower. All their pictures turned out amazing! Here's the link... http://mariesamsanchez.com/mike-stevie-urban-style-downtown-l-a-arts-district-engagement-session-photos/ read more

My boyfriend and I were looking for a professional photographer to take my high school senior prom photos earlier this year, and that's when we were referred to MarieSam by an aunt, who has been a long-time friend of her. Prior to actually contacting MarieSam by email, I found her blog (http://www.mariesamsanchezblog.com/), where I immediately fell in love with her work. She does everything from engagement photos, to wedding photos, to family portraits, and they are all equally beautiful! I ended up showing the blog to my friend, Stephanie, because she and her boyfriend were also looking for someone to do their prom photos. So in the end, we both decided to go ahead and contact her. Both Stephanie and I were a little hesitant at first because we had never worked with a professional photographer before, so we weren't sure on what to expect in terms of price and planning. However, MarieSam did a great job in guiding us through the planning process and offered us a great price (considering we were all high school students on a tight budget!) The best part about it was that MarieSam was 9 months pregnant and due in a week at the time, yet she was still more than willing and happy to do this for us. If that isn't dedication, then I don't know what is! Like I said, the planning process was a breeze! MarieSam gave some great recommendations for locations to take our pictures, and we ended up going with a park in Huntington Beach where she had previously done a session. Through several emails back and forth, we finalized all the details about where to meet, what time, how long our sessions would be, and we were set. Our photo sessions took place on the day of our prom, a few hours before the event. The park was absolutely beautiful and I'm glad MarieSam had recommended it to us. Stephanie and her boyfriend went first, then my boyfriend and me. MarieSam was with her husband, Tommy, who also had his camera. While one was taking close-ups, the other would be further away, taking the photos at a different distance/angle. I am extremely photo shy and can get a little awkward in front of the camera, while my boyfriend was a little more hesitant about having someone taking photos of us kissing--but MarieSam and Tommy made it so comfortable for us! There was a lot of laughing and there was just a relaxed, laid-back vibe throughout the session. After the session, MarieSam and Tommy briefly gave us information on when to expect the digital copies and we were on our way to prom in no time! Just FIVE days later, I got an email from MarieSam saying our photos had been uploaded and ready to view. Through a photo-sharing website called PASS, we had access to all the photos taken during the session. The photos came out beautifully! In addition to the various poses, she and Tommy were able to capture some great candid moments. My boyfriend and I will definitely cherish these photos and we were so happy to have worked with her. read more

Amazing people and amazing photography! My wife and I had them for our engagement and wedding photos. We had never taken professional pictures before and so we had no clue what to do, but Tommy and MarieSam made us feel so comfortable and we ended up having a really great time with them! So we found out how great their personalities were and then we received the photos and we were blown away! So not only are they great with people they are AMAZING photographers. My wife and I highly recommend them! read more

They were amazing!! Not only did they make us feel comfortable but they took beautiful photos. I'm so glad that they got to share my special day with us as well as document our day!! read more

My husband and I had the pleasure of having our engagement/wedding pictures taken by Mariesam and her husband, Tommy. They both did an amazing job from start to end. They made us feel very comfortable and have a great personality. Mariesam helped me with any question and concerned my husband and I had regarding the location of our wedding pictures/engagemetn, and she gave us some good pointers for posing. ;) If you are looking for a photographer who excels 110% look no more because Mariesam Sanchez Photography has great services. Thank you guys for the beautiful pictures. It has been almost seven months that we got married and not a day goes by where I can't look at my wedding pictures. They are gorgeous. read more

My husband and I had our engagement and wedding day photos taken by MarieSam & Tommy, and we were so grateful we did! With so many options for photographers out there, it can seem overwhelming to choose one--but we are very happy and at peace about our choice. They are professional and creative photographers, with fun and approachable personalities and great work ethic. It's important to feel at ease and on the same page with your wedding photographer, because they are also the ones with you the entire day (and communicating with your family and friends). We trusted their expertise and creative direction for our wedding day, and we were able to enjoy celebrating with family and friends on such a rare occasion (instead of worrying). They captured great moments for us to look back at throughout the years and to share with our loved ones (and people who were unable to attend our wedding)! We highly recommend MarieSam Sanchez Photography for your wedding or next event! read more

MarieSam did a fabulous job photographing my baby's first birthday ("dol"), which is a very big celebration in Korean custom. She demonstrated skill and patience in the way she spent the time ensuring she had many beautiful detailed shots of the decorations and high quality photos of our family and guests. She has a great eye for catching both posed and candid shots and highlighting key moments during the event. She was very professional, responsive, and adaptive to all my questions and concerns about the lighting in the room (we had a difficult lighting situation since the room was relatively dark compared to very bright light outside on the beach, but she made it work). She knew exactly how to guide us to ensure the photos would turn out beautifully. Her turnaround time was quick and her prices are very reasonable! read more

I was in search of a local photographer for a family shoot when my daughter turned one and I'm so glad someone highly recommended MarieSam! From the very beginning of the process, she was so helpful, patient, warm, prompt and professional! She and Tommy captured the sweetest candid moments and exceeded all of my expectations! I look back at those photos and am so glad they were able to shoot our first family session. Can't wait to work with them in the near future for an updated family session with the newest addition to our family! read more

I love MarieSam and so happy that I used her for my engagement shots and my wedding. I have the most beautiful photos and I feel that she got every photo I wanted and more. I also got my book printed years (yes, years) after my wedding and she was so accommodating and had my album (and the parent albums) to me asap. I love her and would and do recommend her to anyone! xo read more

Planning a destination wedding adds an extra challenge of finding a photographer across the miles. When my daughter forwarded me her email response from MarieSam, I felt a comfort level long before meeting our photographers, simply thru MarieSam's email messages. She & Tommy did not disappoint! WOW!! This husband-wife team was responsive to all our requests, generous of their time & passionate about their work. We embraced them as part of our wedding activities because they both have friendly spirits that make you feel like you have always known them! The results make you go 'Ahhhhh!' Their work is truly breathtaking. They are a Godsend for a bride & groom on their special day! read more

We had both Tommy and MarieSam at our wedding. They were our photographers for our engagement session, and we just loved them so much that we hired them again for our wedding even though our wedding was across the country! They're fun people who genuinely want to get the best shots for you at your event. They are great at directing us so that we don't look stiff and awkward in our photos. My husband and I had a lot of fun taking pictures. The best part is that there are two of them, so we were able to get the same shots from two different perspectives. I LOVED all the photos. read more

MarieSam was amazing! I love photography, and while I can take a decent picture, I am by no means a professional. That being said I was being extremely picky when I was looking for photographers. I wanted someone who knew how to use light and when I stumbled upon MarieSam's website I knew I had found the right person. She was quick and professional from the moment I contacted her. She is well organized and prompt. We choose to shoot at the beach. The day of the shoot everything seemed to be stacked against us. Major LA October heat wave, wind (hot wind), and a large beach crowd (thank you heat wave). On top of all that it was high tide and huge waves (thank you El Nino). I thought we were doomed. There was no way anyone was going to get a good shot of my family of 4 (two kids 8&10). I was hoping for one good shot. One shot that all the grandparents would receive as xmas gift, and the same shot for xmas cards. Not only was I SHOCKED at how beautiful our pictures turned out we had a ton of great shots! So many good ones that I'm still trying to figure out which ones to order! MarieSam was kind, respectful, patient, and over all fun to work with. Stop looking for photographers and hire MarieSam, she is worth ever penny! read more

MarieSam & Tommy are absolute GOLD!! We've known them for years & we were SO excited to have them shoot a family session for us. They made us all feel so comfortable in front of the camera & we all had such a great time. The pictures they presented with us were absolutely gorgeous & will be cherished for years to come. They were incredibly professional & easy to work with. I recommend MarieSam to everyone I know who needs a photographer. I would hire them again without question! read more