Family includes dogs and getting their portraits takes work. When those moments are captured--the…read moreportraits turn to art that sparks joy and commands attention. What a stellar show +'s: + Dogs love her. Talented photographers tease something out of their subjects to capture on film. Ellen did just that and wow! My senior dog (10 yrs) and teen dog (2 yrs) had different personalities. Both responded to Ellen. My dogs looked into the camera and forgot all about Mom. It was all about Ellen and her camera! + Mindful. My senior dog had eye issues and Ellen was mindful of the flash. Thankfully we had no issues but I am glad she had remembered. + Professional and clear process. We had a consult before the studio session. During the session she let the dogs run around on set before settling down for the actual shoot. After the shoot we took a break and got to see the proofs. + Patient. Ellen allowed me to ponder on my proofs. The task was challenging since I was on a budget but didn't want to lose special moments. She helped me navigate through all the proofs to find the ones I wanted. We followed up with a zoom call to finalize layouts and choices. + Instinctive. We tried posing with my girls on a sofa. The girls were not comfortable and I perhaps looked stiff. Ellen picked up on it and said let's move on. + Natural artistic vision. I had selected many for print but Ellen helped me select the right sizing and layout for my walls. Also what is key is finding the right photos for the layout. Her art studies came into play and this proved key. + Flexible and a listener. If I had concerns, Ellen heard me out whether through email, text, or phone. She actively resolved anything. Overall I am beyond pleased with the photos for my girls! I am completely thrilled with the final product. The richness of the prints and the quality of the work are worth the memories I now have on my walls. What a pleasure it is to have the work generate warm happy thoughts when either guests or I see them! Essentially I have not only captured priceless moments of my dogs but also showcased some real art in my home! Thanks Ellen!!!

My experience could not have been more perfect. Having never had pet photography done before, I…read moredidn't know what to expect but Ellen made the day one to remember. She clearly adores animals and treated my Emma with the finest, most loving touch. At first, I was unsure about making this kind of investment but something in me said "go for it." I am so glad I did. You see, our shoot was April and three months later my beloved Emma was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of mammary cancer. She likely won't make it to Thanksgiving. That shoot with Ellen was one something that I'll always cherish. The artwork means even more now. Our time with our babies are never long enough. Do all the things, make all the memories. Take all the photos. You won't regret it. Thanks Ellen. Emma and I are so greatdul for your kindness and love.

Yamin was incredibly patient with our shy kitties, especially the anxious one. That particular cat…read moremust've taken almost an hour for her to look less than petrified while the other one just did not cooperate. (It was embarrassing.) In spite of such obstacles, somehow he managed to snap gorgeous shots of both of our cats and now they're prominently and proudly displayed in our neighborhood Pet Food Express window store front. Some of our friends even asked if our cats were models--that's how great the pictures came out! He was responsive in emails and had a quick turnaround for the proofs and status updates. It was such a great experience and definitely worth it--I definitely recommend Yamin for quality photos that capture the natural and effortless yet majestic essence of your pets.

Yamin is so wonderful! Not only is he an amazing photographer, he has an incredible understanding…read moreof dog behavior. My dog Anna is dog reactive so Yamin suggested photo shoot locations that were both beautiful and quiet to minimize distractions as much as possible. He was also extremely flexible and made it so easy to schedule a time that fit into our busy lives. After the fun part was done (taking photos), he was so fast and efficient getting the proofs back to me and providing a wide array of purchasing options. I look forward to working with him again!

This review is long delayed as our wedding was in October 2025 and engagement photos in April 2025…read morebut looking back at the pictures captured by Vivian brings back so much good memories! Viv was immediately our first choice because she has an incredible portfolio of photographing in redwoods and nature which is sometimes very difficult to photograph with the different lighting. We are a bit awkward but from the get go, she was easy to talk to and was also organized. Our wedding was on the casual side so we did not have a planner but Viv was on top of everything and even though we had a day of coordinator, Viv was the one coordinating when it was her time and took lead which was much needed to wrangle everyone. The wedding was a tiny bit chaotic, running behind and rather short but Viv did a fantastic job capturing candid moments and making sure to pull us away for portrait photos away from everyone else before the wedding ended. She was professional and there wasn't a moment where I thought she was distracted. Her work speaks for itself but I really love that she shoots in multiple formats and captures the light and nature around the subjects so clearly and naturally. I often wish our wedding was slightly longer or not running behind because that would have given Viv even more time to take amazing pictures! We really enjoyed having Viv as our photography and thankful for the memories she has captured for us.

My partner and I were drawn to Vivian for her prior experience working with the venue and our…read morewedding planner, and, most importantly, her vision. We were given curated referrals for a photographer from both the venue, Mister Jiu's, and our wedding planner, and something about Vivian's photos struck us as both intimate and purposeful, naturally capturing the best moments in her subjects and the moment. Vivian has a terrific eye for capturing everything from the planned and choreographed to the spontaneous. Many of our photos were taken at the venue and the surrounding area of San Francisco's Chinatown before and during our dinner celebration. We were always in good hands, experimenting with different poses, cameras, and film to achieve a varied look, which, upon reflection, my wife and I were so glad Vivian took the time to do everything she did. We also appreciated her ability to switch gears from serious to witty, perfectly capturing every moment our surroundings or guests placed us in. And importantly, Vivian captured every important moment, framing our loved ones and us perfectly, even when we didn't know she was doing so. Vivian always made us feel welcomed, was always kind, and appreciated the love and joy perfectly captured in our photos that day. Thank you, Vivian, for being there with us on our special day!

Teresa is phenomenal with animals, and she's equally as compassionate and patient with humans too!…read moreShe's been photographing my puppers for over 10+ years and each time the photos bring light and love into my heart. This latest studio sitting I had my two dogs plus their BFF join the shoot. Yes, that's 3 puppers at once. Teresa was a patient and positive photographer with proven techniques to capture their personalities. I'll continue to partner with Teresa for years to come to chronicle my love bugs!

I was able to get a few photos taken with my cavapoo Piper at a doggie event hosted at The Westin…read moreSt. Francis. Despite the chaotic environment with lots of noises and distractions, Teresa was able to capture really good photos. I am definitely considering doing a paid session with her down the road. Highly recommend!

I had the pleasure of working with Jim on a series of shots I needed for a modeling gig. He was…read moreeasy to communicate with, accomodating, prepared and professional. I felt we used the time well and came out with great material. His pricing was more than fair and he even offered extra prints. Thanks again!

From the owner: Portrait and pet photography, with an emphasis on relaxed shoots and natural, flattering results…read more Based out of South Berkeley. Enthusiastic about working with underrepresented subjects and families. Pro-bono shoots are available for social justice organizations.

Paws and Play Studio captures still moments of my dogs that says everything about them!…read more I had two dogs to join Andrea and her assistant for two separate photo shoots since I wanted two separate locations. What's pawsitively pawesome +'s: + Skill. I have a one year old pup and a senior dog. She commanded their attention in both still and active shots. They responded to her very well. The 1-1/2 year old is especially easily distracted but Andrea managed to have my pup's attention in all our action shots. + Memorable moments. The pictures are priceless--I wanted them all. Even my friends who know my two dogs very well were impressed and said the essence of my dogs were captured in the photos. + Timely. Andrea and her assistant showed up on time and made time for the right shot. Andrea didn't mind getting down on the ground to get a dog eyes' view! And during the pandemic, she and her assistant wore masks. + Action shots. I was worried that my younger dog would run off and not pay attention. My worries were unfounded as I saw my dog run to her over and over again. Not once did my dog run off to chase a bird or sniff something on the grounds. Every single time she ran to Andrea to give her the perfect action shot! + No pressure. During our viewing session, Andrea patiently allowed me to view the proofs and select my favorites. Not once did she try to push any of the images or packages onto me. We also scheduled a follow up call to allow me to narrow my final options. + Dogs don't lie. Both of my dogs responded favorably to her. In fact my younger pup tried to follow her home. That tells me everything. I had a very positive experience with Paws and Play Studio from our initial consultation to our end product. Everything was delivered as expected with no surprises. Andrea did not disappoint. She captured the character and essence of my dogs on digital and print. Those images are priceless and to have the right person to take care of your dog and your memories is an investment. My dogs and I are happy to have found Andrea at Paws and Play Studio!

Andrea has been a joy to work with - we are lucky enough to have had two sessions with her. We won…read morethe first session through a fundraiser with Copper's Dream Rescue where our handsome pup Kuma got photographed for their 2021 calendar. Andrea immediately made us all feel at ease and Kuma fell in love with her and her treats. We left our shoot feeling like we'd made a new friend! When we met with Andrea to view the photos she took, I immediately started tearing up watching the slideshow. At the time, our pup Kuma had been on steroids and various other medications for many months and hadn't been his true, energetic self. Seeing him running and smiling in the photos made my heart swell and eyes fill with happy tears. We were so pleased with our time with Andrea that we booked a second session so we could include our other pup, Cali (she had been at puppy training for the first photo shoot). Our second photo shoot was just as much fun as the first - we wanted Andrea to capture some family portraits of us as well as candid shots of both Kuma and Cali. She couldn't have done a more spectacular job. The photos we have bring us so much joy and happiness. Andrea is professional, sweet, and funny. She does a beautiful job capturing both candid and posed moments. We could not recommend her more highly. She is one of the best in the Bay Area and we hope to work with her again in the future!

Angie is extremely professional, while also being very personable and very easy to work with. She…read morecommunicates clearly throughout the whole process, making it all seamless and stress-free. Angie is a natural with pets; during the photo shoot, she had even the shyest of our three cats at ease and having fun. And her photos are absolutely fabulous. Angie did incredible wall portraits which captured the individual personalities of our cats. And the album Angie prepared not only had beautiful photos, but also was beautifully laid out, capturing our cats' actions and stories. Everything Angie did was way beyond expectations and we cannot recommend her highly enough.

Your doggie photos are in good hands with Angie…read more Angie is incredibly thoughtful and prepared. She also knows how to get your pup's attention after a long photo session. She will listen to what matters to you and what you aim to capture on photos.

My wife and I had a family photography session with our elder dog, Sam. I'll admit that we both…read morewent in skeptical! We've been capturing memories with Sam on our phones for years! What went into a professional session that would be any different?! Little did we know, we needed this. Not only to celebrate Sam's long life with us, but his late brother Codie's too! We brought a portrait of Codie along with us, packed up Sam's blankets, and just went in with an open mind. We came out with a new set of memories with Sam being the star at the center of it all. I only wish we'd thought of doing this sooner with both dogs, but I think we honored them as best we could given the circumstances, with Pipi and her team's expert and caring help.

Before you book, know that:…read more 1. This business requires a $100 deposit for booking a session. 2. You only have 3 days WITHIN BOOKING to cancel the appointment in order to receive a refund. 3. It does not matter if you booked an appointment two months away, and you cancel a month in advance - you will NOT get a refund if you do not cancel WITHIN 3 days of booking the appointment. --- I found this studio via Instagram ads, boasting a free session for Bay Area locals. I signed up, we had a phone call, and I was informed that the session was free but the photos were not. So basically, you can book the session and they will take the photos, but if you want to take your photos home, you have to buy a photo package (starting at $750+). What a clever way to hook people in... advertise a free session, then charge people for the photos, since technically they're not charging to take the photos of you - just for you to take them home. Foolishly, I booked the appointment anyway and paid the $100 deposit fee for an appointment set in September. I received a confirmation of the appointment and (doubly foolishly) did not notice the explicit statement that there is only a three day window from the time of booking in order to cancel and receive a refund of the deposit. This was in July. It is August now - well in advance of the appointment - and I realize I have to cancel. Of course I receive an email letting me know that I will not receive a refund. This is upsetting, but in all fairness, the cancellation policy was provided with the confirmation (I checked). So all of this is to say: BE PREPARED AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE AGREEING TO before you decide to book with this studio. **Furthermore, you will not find this business listed on the Better Business Bureau's website. If you are filing a complaint, you will need to input their business details manually. Most of what you need is provided in your booking confirmation. For LLC and licensing information, you can find them here: https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business**

Aaron is a godsend…read more I adopted my wonderful big 10-yo pittie, Benson, last year. For the past year, we've been going at it HARDT on our Tues/Thursday daycare commutes. Up at 5 am; catch the train at 6; walk through West Oakland at 6.30 am; drop off Benson at daycare at 7. Do it again in the opposite direction at the end of the day. We are both worn out. I met Aaron randomly and told him about dog owners without cars needing transport for stuff. I mean, yeah, Lyft says they take dogs but dogs with a big head and reputations like mine...well, pits make folks nervous. Aaron said, We do that! I signed up as soon as I could. Aaron met Benson, took us on a test drive, and I have support as a Dog Mama! And now Benson and I aren't killing ourselves and wearing down our middle aged joints to get to daycare at the crack of dawn. My dog loves being in cars and now we're doing it safely and efficiently. I am SO GRATEFUL for Aaron and the No Bark Zone!

Aaron was able to fit us in last minute. Our nervous dog immediately ran up to him and wanted to…read moreplay during the meet and greet. He kept us updated and sent photos through out the day. Norman was definitely comfortable and well taken care of. We will for sure book again and use other services.