In short, Stephan has a great eye, takes great photos, is incredibly professional and easy to work with, and his prices are very reasonable. The longer version of the above is that I asked Stephen to come take photos of 3 little boys -- their ages were almost 1, almost 3, and 4. I really like the photo-documentary / photojournalist style I saw in his portfolio on his website and wanted to capture some of our "real life" moments with our kids. As you can imagine with three little guys this age, these are not easy people to photograph. And yet Stephen did a *spectacular* job of capturing our kids in all their real-life glory. Even amidst tears and tantrums from less-than-cooperative little people, I love the pictures we got. Stephen has a great eye for details and the artistry that I want from a photographer in terms of framing the shot and getting the right details in the image (which is really not always the case from other photographers I've worked with). He was also super-reasonably priced, and at least for his family portraiture, his fees included the images themselves (you didn't have to buy your prints through him -- he emailed me all the images and so I now have them saved in soft copy on my computer and could order the prints from whatever outlet I choose at fair prices; I used mpix.com and it was easy.) Our family almost never hired professional photographers for family photos before, but now I think we will actually start doing this more often after finding Stephen. We plan to get more pictures with him in the future for sure. read more

Stephen was an excellent choice for our wedding day photography. His professional yet laid-back approach to capturing special moments makes him one of the best photographers to work with. If you are looking for over-saturated post-production, look elsewhere. Stephen's photos are not glossed over in fake, high contrast lighting and HDR. Instead, Stephen relies on natural lighting and instinctive positioning to make his photos feel intimate and authentic, without sacrificing any artistic integrity. For portrait shots, he will work behind the lens with the subject in finding the best possible framing, lighting and arrangement in a way that does not feel awkward or intimidating. For candid shots, his journalistic approach makes the photos feel fresh and energetic - as we flipped through our reception party photos, we could almost feel the atmosphere of the room lift out of the photos. Stephen doesn't just capture the facts - he captures the emotion and feeling of person and place. Stephen also recognizes the ancestral value of photography, and his awareness of family heritage, legacy and tradition is evident. Thus, his photography retains a distinct timeless quality rarely found elsewhere... if you want your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren to look at your photos and "feel" what they captured - Stephen has the talent to provide that for you. Highly recommended for any occasion. read more

We've been fortunate enough to have Stephen document our family on three separate occasions over the years. He has photographed us in Central Park, the HighLine and in our family's home in NYC. The photos we have from these three shoots are among my most treasured possessions. Each time, he manages to capture sweet and silly fleeting moments with each child (and adult!) looking like their truest selves. Each personality is perfectly captured. He is totally unfazed when kids get uncooperative (which always seems to happen during photo shoots) and makes the whole process relaxed and fun. He shoots with the confidence of an experienced photojournalist and combines this with an excellent artistic eye. His shots are always beautifully framed and he seems to find beauty in places I've never known to look. Every time I see the results of our time spent with him I'm simply blown away. On a practical note, I'm thrilled that he allows access to his digital images so that I can use them to create holiday cards, prints for the wall and gifts for family members. Although we've used other photographers in the past, none have come close to capturing our family like Stephen has. I hope to have him documenting our family for years to come and couldn't possibly recommend him more! read more

I cannot rave enough about Stephen's talent as a photographer, his laid-back presence, and his consciousness as a small business owner. He photographed our wedding this past December and from a commercial standpoint I cannot think of one single complaint. He was always timely with his communication, accommodating in our requests, tolerant of our family quirks and idiosyncrasies, and incredibly quick in his turn-around time frame. Not only are we thrilled with the result, but after looking at our pictures, both my sister and a work colleague have hired him for their weddings. My five-star endorsement of Stephen goes beyond just his acumen as a photographer. His ease of presence and gentle sense of humor were a comfort and treat to have during an important day of transition in our lives. He added to the joy our our day, and we now have photos that tell the story and bring a smile to my face. His gift brings the whole experience back to life. I've never heard of a photographer spending as much time with a couple during the rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, and on the day of the wedding, and to me that speaks to how much he personally invests in his art. read more

Stephen is an unbelievable talent! He was recommended to us by a mutual friend in NYC. He came to the city to do a shoot and we booked a family photo session in Central Park. We had never done family photos before; my husband is always reluctant to take pictures, my daughter must think the camera is going to steal her soul as she rarely cooperates, my baby just started walking & doesn't stay still, and I am always so critical of pictures of myself. I can not tell you how patient Stephen was during our session. He made everyone comfortable, had tricks up his sleeve to get our daughter to laugh & smile, and took pictures in a variety of locations keeping us moving. We all had fun. When we received the photos my husband and I were beyond thrilled! The moments, expressions, light, and colors he captured were simply incredible. If you are searching for a perfect photographer, look no further....you'll be pleased as punch with Stephen Jerkins! read more

Stephen is fantastic! Our kids (ages 1,3,6) love him and he consistently captures their personalities. Seems like every one of his shots is a money shot and the hardest part is picking out which ones to print. I love how flexible and accommodating he is and really appreciate how he interacts with my kids...he is greatly patient, has fun, and doesn't expect them to be perfect (yet always manages to shoot those brief moments with everyone looking at the camera and smiling). I also love the variety of his images. He captures real moments instead of just posed ones and is very creative with a great eye, with lots of uniquely fun shots. Practically, he provides a tremendous value in both session time and image freedom. We use Stephen every chance we can, and believe he is one of the very best around. Our house is covered in images that Stephen has taken because every session we end up with so many images that we have to show off. read more

I highly recommend Stephen! He is extremely talented and such a nice guy. He made the whole photo shoot experience fun -- and with a 3 year old involved, that's saying a lot. My son really liked Stephen and so he was able to get some great shots that captured the kiddo's personality. This is an achievement given that half of our photos are blurred and/or goofy/distracted faces. The photos came out great -- so many great shots that it's hard to pick which ones to print and frame. I love that we have a collection of semi-posed portrait style and awesome candids too. This was actually the second time we did a shoot with Stephen -- got great photos the first time in 2014 too, which is why we were eager to do another shoot at this new preschooler stage. And Stephen is definitely our go-to photographer for the future. Hope he plans to keep visiting NYC regularly. : ) read more

If you would like to smile ear to ear and/or cry tears of joy every time you look upon your photos, look no further than Stephen Jerkins Photography! Stephen has taken family photos for us several times in the past few years and I treasure the images he has captured!! It is almost impossible for me to take good photos of my VERY busy toddler, and SO worth hiring a pro!!!! My little girl must have whined 80% of our last photo session but Stephen remained completely unfazed and managed to get some absolute gems!! He's great about capturing beauty in the seemingly mundane--like the photo of me putting my daughter's bow back in her hair for what must have been the hundredth time :) Stephen has my highest recommendation! read more

In short, Stephen is very good! He did our wedding and engagement photos and my wife and I love them. I don't typically enjoy getting my picture taken as it can seem unnatural. Stephen did a good job of keeping us loose and feeling natural. We know Stephen a little from before the picture sessions and that helped some, but even if you've never met him he'll keep you comfortable and happy. We had a pretty big wedding and felt that Stephen captured the whole thing well. It was fun looking at the pictures and remembering how fun the day was! read more

Stephen was the photographer at my wedding this summer, and my wife and I could not have been happier with his work. He was incredibly easy to work with the whole way through the process, and was very accommodating. We had tons of young children and other difficult family members that we wanted in pictures. Stephen managed our crowd in the friendliest way imaginable, and got stellar pictures that we cherish. I could not recommend him more highly. He is an awesome photographer with a keen eye, and an equally awesome person. read more

Stephen came up to NYC to do our family photos. I have a toddler that is now anti-photos and I wasn't sure we would get anything. When we received our photos we were so happy. We have a to. To choose from and we all look great in them. Not to mention the lighting was perfect, the moments captured were perfect, everything was just how I dreamed it to be. Stephen made us feel relaxed and comfortable and was very patient. He took his time and we never felt rushed at all. I will definitely use Stephen again! read more

Stephen is a great visionary. For our shoot, he had to work with 9 children, 4 of which are toddlers, plus a 93 year old great-grandfather. Stephen handled the session with such a calm and patient manner. His artistic and creative strengths allowed him to capture beauty in pictures we never could have imagined. Stephen is able to paint pictures with his camera that are non-traditional, yet stand the test of time. I will use him again and again, and would highly recommend him to anyone! read more

Stephen was incredibly professional and extremely easy to talk to. We felt completely comfortable and at ease the entire time. And the pictures turned out incredible! An impressive feat considering he was dealing with a squirmy two-and-a-half year old. It was right at the top of the list of most enjoyable photo sessions we've had. Oh, I forgot to mention, he's got a top-notch beard that is as impressive as the pictures! Can't wait for next time! read more

Stephen took beautiful photos of my husband and me! I put my wedding dress back on for the photos and the setting was perfect-an old horse farm-his keen eye for simple beautiful contrast with the bright white dress and aged metal and wood made the photos perfect! And his personality was very calm and professional-and he was easy to talk to so the whole process flew by too soon! I am definately so proud of those photos and Stephen's talent!! read more

We want Stephen to photograph all our life events! Our favorite photographer! Affordable--yes! But what I can't wait to see in his photos are the details, expressions, and life he captures in each photo. A little visual time capsule that I go back to scroll through over and over. Of course they are framable too! Looking forward to what he captures with his camera next! Hire him! read more

Stephen did an absolutely amazing job of capturing my 9 grandchildren (ages 1-12), and my 93 year old father, in a beautiful series of portraits! He was patient, fun, and creative! He took posed shots as well as some funny and sweet candids. Our family will always cherish these beautiful images. read more

We've used Stephen Jerkins Photography several times for photos for our business website and could not be more pleased. His turn around time is very quick and he is a pleasure to do business with. He's professional and personable and I would highly recommend choosing Stephen Jerkins Photography. read more

We've had family photos done by Stephen three times now, twice with a group of ten. He is so amazing to work with. He is responsive to emails, friendly, prompt, and great with kids! Family photos can be stressful, but he really makes the process so easy. I highly recommend him. read more

My family and I have had the pleasure of working with Stephen on several different occasions. He was always friendly, professional and produced beautiful work. I have four children that range in ages from 2 to 9 so pictures can be challenging. Stephen rocks every time! read more