Kenny did an incredible job photographing my proposal! I found him through Instagram and I really liked his style of photos. We coordinated everything through Instagram DMs/phone calls. Through the planning and implementation of the proposal I could tell Kenny had a lot of experience and helped consider different logistics such as people in the background and the wind conditions. He made us feel very comfortable and was able to get a lot of really amazing candid shots! He gave clear instructions for poses and had such a friendly vibe the entire time. There were so many beautiful photos! He gave us a batch of 10 photos the same night so that we could share the news with our loved ones! Love the quick turnaround. The full set of photos came within a week! This was one of the most important moments of my life and I'm glad Kenny was there to document it. I also really enjoyed the blog post that he made documenting the photoshoot. I also appreciated that he made an Instagram post which made it easy for us to share the news on Instagram too. Take a look at his photos and you can see for yourself! I highly recommend him for any proposals, engagements, and weddings in the Chicago area! read more

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Booking Kenny for our daughter's wedding was one of the best decisions we made!!! Kenny has flawless technique as a photographer having mastered composition, lighting, creativity, etc. Unlike staged portrait shots, a wedding has so many moving parts throughout the course of the event. Kenny's ability to capture the energy and excitement of a wedding is unbeatable. We ended up with so many perfectly directed photos of the bride, groom, family & friends along with all kinds of action shots commemorating the evening. The final album tells a story of the entire wedding day. We will enjoy Kenny's photography magic for years to come! read more

My wife and I went to Kenny's studio back in February for a family photo session with our newborn little girl. He was able to take some truly amazing shots of our little Hope that we'll be able to treasure for a lifetime. His experience with kids clearly shows as he was able to adapt to whatever our needs were with towing a newborn along. Absolutely loved our shoot with Kenny. read more

I had the pleasure of working with Kenny to capture a surprise proposal in downtown Chicago, and cannot say enough great things about him. From the onset, he was incredibly helpful in working with me to identify the right locations, talk logistics, and overall helped ensure everything was planned to perfection. Even when there was a minor mechanical issue with the bridge raising (because of course that would happen the day of) he helped work on the fly to ensure we had options to make the surprise a success. In the end, the 300+ photos were incredible, and he even came to the party afterwards to capture photos with friends and family. Great guy, awesome photographer, and 100% a great decision to hire him. Thanks for everything, Kenny! read more

My Brothers and I wanted to have pictures taken for our Parents as a Christmas gift and I reached out to Kenny Nakai based off photos he had taken for some mutual friends. Kenny is hands down the best photographer I've ever used. Not only is he a 'master of his craft' - he's funny, engaging and genuinely one of the nicest men to work with! What ever your photography needs are, look no further- Kenny is incredible! read more

Kenny is such a wonderful photographer and person! We cannot thank him enough for capturing our wedding day so perfectly -- with his artistic eye, creativity, and professionalism. He was also so patient with us throughout the process of creating our wedding album. And when we received it, we were simply blown away! The photos, the design, and the quality were more beautiful and incredible than we could've ever imagined. Since our wedding, we've gone back to Kenny to have family photos taken with our 1-year-old daughter, and couldn't have been happier with the memories we have captured because of him! read more

A couple of years ago, I was newly engaged and my hunt for wedding vendors had just begun. I really didn't know what to expect in terms of photography packages and pricing. Kenny Nakai was the first photographer I found out about. I viewed his blog in astonishment since I've never seen such beautiful, elegant, and artistic pictures. Honestly, the prices shocked me at first. But when I found out about rates from other independent photographers around the area, Kenny's rates for his packages were comparable, if not better. There are also those larger photography companies you see in wedding expos; they do have good deals, but they just seem so generic. Kenny genuinely takes the time to get to know you and find out what you envision on your wedding day. Included in all of this packages is an engagement session. It was quite awkward at first, but Kenny is such a cool guy and he immediately makes you feel comfortable. During the wedding day, Kenny went to my fiance-at-the-time's house to take pre-ceremony pictures of him getting ready and then to my parent's house for my pictures. He then made his way to the church. He conducted himself with professionalism and was very discreet and respectful during the ceremony. After the ceremony, we managed to squeeze in three photo shoot locations within a small time frame and make it to the reception just in time. There was no sense of rush, we all had a good time and Kenny was fun to work with. We took pictures at Swedish Bakery, Montrose Harbor, and underneath the El tracks just south of Montrose. Kenny actually suggested the location underneath the tracks....it was a unique place for a shoot and it's definitely something that screams Chicago. The way that Kenny incorporated the steel framework in the shots was so cool....we loved it! Kenny has such an artistic and creative eye and has an amazing ability to capture the moment. He's very passionate about what he does and it shows. We are very happy that we chose Kenny as our photographer. We've been getting great compliments about our wonderful pictures. If you want exceptional photography, price should not be the primary deciding factor....skill, artistry, and experience of the photographer is what should be taken into consideration. Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, you want to capture the day as close as you can, as vividly as you can. You want to look at those pictures years from now, remember how wonderful the day was, feel the emotions you felt on that day, and not think about how blurry the photo is, how better it would have looked if the photo was taken from a different angle, or how much more lighting there needed to be. My husband and I love looking through our wedding pictures and showing them to our friends and family. We highly recommend Kenny, you will not be disappointed! Kenny definitely excels in photography and is constantly growing as a photographer. His passion has led him around the world and he recently just opened up a studio in Lincoln Park. He currently has a great promotion going on for last minute holiday photos....check it out! read more

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I've known Kenny for almost a lifetime. He is a perfectionist at heart and does not simply do things for the sake of doing them. The simple fact that if he's not happy with the finished product, it frustrates him to no end is telling. We roomed together in college when he took his first photography elective. I remember he'd spend hours in the dark room developing his pictures (yes, he learned this art with actual film). There was one I specifically remember where he spliced a negative to transpose an image of himself where you only saw his reflection in the mirror. He's the kind of guy that no matter what he does, he puts his whole heart into it. The moment he told me he was going to start shooting weddings, I knew that he'd be great. What I did not expect however was his ability to capture moments like few I've seen. I wanted to hire him right away, and flew him out to North Carolina to take some engagement shots of my finance and I, as she's a Duke alumni. More than happy with our pictures we hired Kenny to shoot our wedding in 2009. I was told by someone before my wedding to take some time to sit and enjoy the evening because it's going to fly by. Being the social butterfly that I am, I did not do that. Rather, I chatted with as many people as I could and danced the night away. I'm thankful for the moments that Kenny was able to snap of the evening. The moments that he was able to capture helped me put that evening together in the days to follow :) I'm not the kind of guy who would recommend the services of a friend because of the relationship that we have. After all, my reputation is on the line too. Kenny has proven himself to be a giant in the industry, not only taking beautiful pictures and portraits, but he always wants to grow and hone his skills (which to me is telling and separates the professionals from those trying to make a buck). He is a truly gifted photographer, who invests himself into the lives of those he works with. Personable and professional, he is THE guy you want to shoot any of your life's events. read more

It's not a coincidence that Kenny Nakai is in the business of photography. I have always felt that people gravitate towards giving the best of themselves; Kenny does that for all of his clients. Put a camera in this guy's hand, and watch magic happen. I'm also on the other side of the coin - I've provided music for weddings that Kenny has photographed and I'm always confident that those particular clients are going to love their finished product. He works well with all of the vendors (which = a very successful wedding reception). You'll read some fantastic reviews from his past clients, so it's a pleasure to speak to his credit from a fellow wedding vendor standpoint. Last thought: I went to Kenny for his expertise on a photo-shoot for my 4 year old daughter. Knocked it out of the park... the emotion in each photo is so moving. He does more than weddings - go have your family photo session with him. You won't be disappointed. He strives to give his best and comes out on top. read more

Kenny's photos were so good, we were immediately contacted but Chicago Style Weddings magazine who wanted to use them. Our wedding was the most amazing experience of my life and I can't imagine anyone capturing it better than Kenny. He is an artist and he's fun when you need him to be and he disappears when you don't need him, but all the while he is taking stunning photographs from every angle. Thanks Kenny, you are truly worth it. read more

Nakai Photography - Matthew and John light the Unity Candle. - Event Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wedding date: 07/26/14 Kenny was great to work with along with Tom, his second shooter. We had a bridal party of 12 excluding the bride and groom, so trying to get that many ppl posed just right can be tough. Kenny has an assertive, but polite approach to ppl and his art, characteristics are essentially for a successful photographer. He knows the city well and scoped out locations for us beforehand, doing research and all. He has a great eye for breath-taking pictures. We can't really express how thankful we are to Kenny! read more

We love Kenny - plain and simple. My (now) husband and I planned our wedding in 8 months. After our venue was booked, a photographer was the very next thing on our list to book. We did a good amount of research online (searching photographers' portfolios and blogs) and asking married friends/family for referrals. But once we came upon Kenny's websites, his work just blew us away. We loved his style and creativity that we just didn't feel like we saw with the others. We knew he'd come with some kind of price, but we felt it was well worth it. He's such a great guy, so easy to work with, and he just made us feel so comfortable. We fed off his playfulness and put complete trust in him and our pictures turned out absolutely beautiful. He's still completely professional as well - quickly responds to emails and even accommodates last minute requests I had that had fast deadlines. He helped us find they type of pictures and backgrounds we wanted, even if that meant going all around Chicago to get them! But we were so thankful he really listened to our wants and our personality. We were so happy that we made such a great decision in going with Kenny. We'll turn to him again in a heartbeat. Thank you, Kenny! read more

Nakai Photography - at Bridgeport Art Center - Event Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Kenny shot our December 2013 wedding and from beginning to end, it was an amazing experience. People, I am telling you--this man knows his craft, he is a perfectionist and he cares deeply about taking beautiful, timeless and modern photojournalistic style photos. He goes above and beyond what you expect from a wedding photographer. First, the photos were absolutely spectacular and technically gorgeous. We wanted holiday-themed photos, and Kenny took the time to scout out potential locations and found an absolutely perfect setting near the old Water Tower. Which leads me to the second point -- that Kenny gives you careful, attentive personalized service that is second to none. As mentioned, Kenny took the time to find the perfect location during a busy (and cold) holiday season. He helped talk us down from ideas that would have not worked logistically and gave us thoughtful and beautiful alternatives. It was exactly what we wanted -- subtle holiday touches and classic but not cliche Chicago locations. He also shot indoor photos at the Cultural Center, along with "getting ready" shots, traditional family shots and of course ceremony and reception shots. He also gave us great tips, such as bring hand warmers and kleenex to deal with the cold outdoor sessions. He also stayed with us the ENTIRE day, and was very patient during the limo rides and family photos. He uploaded the photos that evening so guests could view them on his laptop during the reception. Each and every picture was gorgeous and I received endless compliments. He delivered the photos in a beautiful, custom-made DVD case. AND, Kenny is nice, down-to-earth, easy to work with, funny and puts you at ease. What more can you ask for? I could go on and on, but I am telling you if you are lucky enough to get Kenny book him immediately. You will not be disappointed. read more

Nakai Photography - One of my favorites...just outside Water Tower. - Event Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Kenny is an artist in how he is able to capture the moment. He was our photographer for our wedding at the langham hotel this past weekend. I saw his past work that he did at the langham and knew he was the one for us. He makes the pictures look like art in that nothing looks posed or fake. He is able to bring out the beauty of the city/hotel/people and capture the moment. He also is easy to work with. He's calm and friendly but has no problem telling you what to do to get the perfect picture. His wedding album is so beautiful that it's going to be our coffee table book. If you have any hesitation, follow his Instagram account and you will quickly see how talented he is @nakaiphotography read more

SO HAPPY with my professional portraits taken by Kenny! He perfectly captured the vibe I was looking for (that I wasn't sure how to articulate!). Creative, intuitive, and beautifully stylized. The experience of the shoot itself was also top notch- relaxed with helpful tips and ideas. Would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a photographer! read more

Kenny is a fantastic personality and character photographer. He captures the essence of his subjects in a way you can feel how they are. That is a gift. read more

We absolutely loved working with Kenny as our wedding photographer! Not only were his pictures incredible, he is such a kind and great person to work with! Highly recommend Kenny! read more

As a serious perfectionist myself- I can confidently say there were very few people I 1000% trusted with the vision for my wedding. But, after looking at Kenny's work online & meeting him in person I was so impressed and knew he was the perfect photographer for us. Starting with the engagement session- it was FREEZING outside but we barely minded with how much fun Kenny made it. My husband was not thrilled with the idea of engagement photos (i mean there are a lot of awkward ones out there lets be real) BUT he instantly changed his mind once he met Kenny. Kenny captured the most stunning shots, included our favorite parts of the city & even played around with our dog. He was game for anything, made us feel so comfortable and like he was a long time friend hanging out with us. By the end of the night, freezing and all, neither myself or my husband wanted the session to end and couldn't wait to work with Kenny again! Not to mention, the photos were to die for & made making save-the-dates nearly impossible with all of the options! On to the wedding- our bridal party, family & guests STILL comment months later on how amazing our photographer was! Kenny captured every detail and moment perfectly. I never had to question his quality of work or if everything was getting taken care of (the amazing part of hiring another perfectionist). In fact, I woke up around 4am the next morning with edited photos from Kenny. I couldn't believe he barely slept, if at all, and instead went through all of our photos to have some ready for me when I woke up. I highly doubt many photographers do this, but it speaks to his passion for photography! Kenny's photography is art and makes your wedding look like it belongs in the pages of vanity fair. After working with Kenny for awhile now from engagement shoot to finalizing our wedding album I can sincerely say hiring him was one of the best decisions I made and I am so thankful to have these photos to look at forever. If you are lucky enough to have Kenny available for your dates- do yourself a favor and hire him you wont be disappointed. read more

When I started looking for a photographer, I wanted to make sure that I had someone who I trusted. It was very important for me to not worry on my wedding day. When we met Kenny for our engagement session, both my (now) husband and I were beyond impressed. He was able to control crowds and capture pure artistic shots. We felt very confident in his ability to do our wedding. On our wedding day all I have to say is WOW!! He was great! He knew exactly how to capture perfect images and sees shots that are perfection. From the pictures to the actual wedding photo book, I have been impressed every step of the way. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Everyone complimented us on our pictures and shared how great he was during the wedding day. If you are looking for a professional who you can trust, who captures artistic shots, and is someone who will be patient and captures not only the big moments, but the little moments, Kenny is your man! read more

With so many smartphone pics and selfies floating around - sometimes I forget what a really professional photo looks like. Kenny is that pro - with a great personality and sense of humor. At our St Patricks party, he fit right in and got the best out of everyone. The photos are superb and he really captured the energy of the event. I strongly recommend Kenny Nakai as the only photographer to use for your special event. read more

Kenny shot our family photos last year and we loved the experience and of course, the resulting images so much! Our kids were 1 and 4 and anyone with young children knows how challenging photo ops can be. Kenny went above and beyond, placing props on his head, and acting goofy just to get those grins! I highly recommend him and our biggest and only regret is that we didn't use him for our wedding. read more

Nakai Photography - Family pics! - Event Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I knew I wanted Kenny to take my wedding photos the moment my husband and I met him! He sat down and wanted to hear our story so he can show what kind of dynamics my husband and I share through our wedding photos. The whole time I was talking to him he made it so comfortable that I felt like I was talking to a friend that I haven't seen for a while. Probably why my husband whose camera shy was able to look very natural in our photos! Kenny's photo style helps me relive the moment all over again every time I see them and does not look outdated! read more

Kenny shot our wedding in Nov of 2015 and the photos turned out great. He's professional, keeps a cool head day of the event (which, you'd be surprised how many others don't do this), and keeps things moving throughout the day. One thing I love about his work and is fairly unique for a wedding photographer (in my opinion) is his ability to capture amazing shots that are beyond the standard portrait. His wide shots that incorporate the city, your venue, or an unseen reflection are all great. Turn around time of the initial images was pretty reasonable. One thing I recommend no matter what photographer you choose is to create a list of all the shots you want the photographer to capture the day of. Look at other's photos and note the ones you like/want and share that with your photographer prior to the day of. On your day, you will not remember all the shots you want and you will miss some. read more

No one compares...Kenny Nakai is an exceptionally talented photographer. One thing I have always said about Kenny's work; there seriously is magic in his photos. I knew it before we hired him for our wedding and I continue to see in his work every single day! We hired Kenny after seeing his stunning photos at my sister in law's wedding. We had a destination wedding in Cabo and aside from the date and place, one of the first decisions we made was hiring Kenny. It was honestly one of the best things we decided. Couldn't have been happier. Our wedding day was blissfully special and although the memories are alive in our minds and hearts- it is truly through his photos that we are able to continue to relive such an incredibly happy day in our lives! He couldn't have given us a better experience. From the initial phone call to receiving the final photos- he perfectly translated everything we wanted to see in our photos. He captures moments. I have no idea how, but moments that you don't think could possibly be photographed, he gets them. Kenny has such a way of making you (usually a person who doesn't typically spend hours and hours in front of a camera) feel totally at ease, which guarantees photos that really reflect you as a couple. He adds an element of aristry to all of his photos that make every single one frame worthy. He has since photographed basically everything in our lives. Not only is he our go to photographer, but he has become a dear friend. You can't help but love him. Hands down, hire Kenny! You will be outrageously happy with every image for ever. read more

Kenny is awesome! We found him 5 years ago at the last minute and we were so glad we did. My husband is a photographer himself so we were pretty picky about wedding photos. We were amazed at how the photos turned out. The colors were awesome and the shots were creative Not only so, Nakai brought such great energy while shooting. Apparently many of our friends who got married later all wanted to book him after seeing our photos. read more

I can't say enough about Nakai Photography. Kenny was phenomenal. Personable, professional and most importantly our pictures turned out beautiful! Our conversations leading up to the big day were executed perfectly. Thank you for helping us capture these wonderful memories. read more

Most people hire Kenny to shoot their wedding, but Kenny is great at also shooting family portraits. Every one knows how hard it is to shoot photos of kids. He is great with kids & is creative in using props, making funny faces & engaging kids to get their attention. He's flexible with his time & accommodating to busy schedules. Our family has had a great experience with his family portraits & we highly recommend his work! read more

Wedding date: 7/27/2013 After shopping around for a photographer for months, my husband and I decided to meet with Kenny. He photographed a friend's wedding, and based on the quality of those photos, I wanted to meet him and see if we would work well with him. First of all, Kenny was one of the more personable photographers I met out of the handful I encountered during the wedding planning process. He is down-to-earth, didn't try to push anything on us, and didn't try to make us spend more than we budgeted for. He understood that we wanted good quality photos because once the big day is over, that is all you will have to reminisce on that day. He listened to our requests, came up with great ideas for our engagement session, was willing to bounce all over the city the day of the wedding, and was remarkable at finding those shots you wouldn't have thought about taking. Since the wedding, I have received multiple compliments on our photos, and I think I always will. I'm so proud of them because they bring me back to the excitement, nervousness, and love I felt that day. While he is on the pricer side, I do not regret our decision- his work is and was amazing, and for that I will always be grateful. read more

Kenny is a great guy to work with. He is flexible in scheduling a time that works with you. He has some great ideas on ways to get great photographs and really has an eye in catching great moments. We did a family shoot in his studio and was so patient with our two young kids. He sends you a cd of a TON of pictures and I couldn't believe how many great moments he captured. read more

Kenny first photographed our wedding in 2008, and has become a part of our photographic journal. He was there for the Baptism of our first son, our first family session, and every holiday ever since. He has an amazing eye for composition, creative lighting, and set up. He brings something beautiful to his work, from his photo journalistic style, to his studio portraits. Even those are not your standard portraits. I just received files from our holiday shoot yesterday, and I'm in love! Family photos just aren't the same without him! read more

I just received my CD with all our photographs, and I have zero regrets choosing Kenny to be our engagement and wedding photographer. He goes beyond his role as a photographer and even helped us choose our venue, wedding planner, florist through his recommendations - and they were all spot-on. For our engagement shoot, he arrived earlier and chose some great spots even before we arrived. Even though it's awkward getting photographed, his personality and humor made us laugh and look natural. For the wedding, he used the architecture of our venue to make shots that were very artistic and creative. I think this is beyond the skill of any other photographer. He is very organized and captured every permutation of family members portraits. Also, when we were outdoors, he risked his life to take a great photograph squatting in the middle of the street! How can you be more dedicated than that? Please consider him to be your wedding photographer if you value the quality of photographs for your special day. read more

Our family tries to take a family photo once a decade. When you hear this, you think "How hard could it be to plan a family photo once every 10-15 years?" But it is. :) With family members living on 3-4 continents and heavy travel schedules, it's a bit like "herding cats". But this was the summer for the photo. And we wanted to make sure that the photos would capture how our intergenerational family is changing and growing to now include a 14 month old, new cultures, and new family members. Not only were the photos Kenny delivered above and beyond what we expected - they were fun, funny, emotive, and all in all, beautiful - but the photo experience in his studio was relaxed but efficient (he kept the group comfortable and the atmosphere fun but kept the pace going) and he was able to keep my 14 month niece engaged and happy (no easy feat). All this to say, as a photographer and a person, Kenny can be entrusted with the task of capturing your special moments and he will definitely deliver. read more