I booked a newborn photo shoot as a surprise gift for my wife to document the cuteness that is our new daughter (1 week old at time of shoot). After extensive research, I decided to go with Emily and The Absolute Photography, and I couldn't have made a better decision. Emily was very accommodating and made the whole process very easy for us, which is much appreciated amidst the stress of being new first-time parents. As a last minute decision we decided to pay a bit extra for Emily to come out to our house for the sake of convenience, and she was more than happy to do so, even though the trip must have been quite the trek. Once she was here she took wonderful care of our little girl. She was gentle, patient, and knew exactly what she was doing. She totally understood the need for a quick (and not so quick) breastfeeding break and was able to find humor in the fact that our little girl peed all over my wife...twice. Although our baby was a bit fussy at times, Emily was easily able to calm her in order to get some really fantastic shots. She captured our style perfectly and we could tell that she was really invested in making sure that we got quality pictures. She seemed genuinely excited about what she does, which is important in a nice final product. She was even nice enough to ask if we were planning to do birth announcements, which we were, so she said that she would be sure to send us a sneak peek the same day so that we could possibly include some of the images. If you are looking for a top quality photographer to take pictures of your precious little babies and children, look no further. Emily did an amazing job and we would do it again in a heartbeat. read more

I should have written this review a long time ago, but I kept forgetting. Now, I just want the world to know how awesome Emily is. She took newborn photos for both of our kids and also did our baby announcement pictures. We absolutely love the service and the photos she provided. For the newborn sessions, the process was easy and enjoyable--she came to our house, set up everything, and even incorporated some personal items we wanted in the pictures. We still cherish those photos, even after a few years. read more

I booked a family photo shoot with Emily as a Christmas present for my partner. We brought our dog, which can always be an unknown variable. Neither of us are usually very comfortable getting our photos taken, but Emily was wonderful at putting us at ease and made the whole thing a lot of fun. She was great at working with us and our dog. We did a mixture of posed and candid shots, and Emily did a great job of capturing our somewhat quirky personalities. Best of all, the photos turned out great! read more

The Absolute Photography - Session Photography Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Dear Miss Emily Avila, Any business requires TRUSTED RELATIONSHIP & HONEST SERVICE between the company and the customers. I believe you should recall Miss Amy Nguyen and refund the amount of 160$ you took from her but did not provide any service. If you would like to talk to me about it, please do not hesitate to message me. I have all the evidences, such as your messages, your explanation which made none sense to us. If you did not contact her or me and refund that amount. Then, I am 100% sure to you and your business that you will regret about this. Sincerely, M. read more

Emily photographer my fiancee and me for our engagement shoot. Before the chosen day, we exchanged emails and determined the venue. She had some suggestions which was definitely super helpful. We decided to do it at the Palace of Fine Arts which was a great suggestion from her. Once we got there, she met us promptly at the scheduled time. I was not sure what to expect but she made us super comfortable. We walked around the area, and the first few photos were just capturing us in the moment. We are also big into jumping pictures (everybody should try them out once) and she was super willing to experiment with them. She had great ideas for the various pictures and was proactive about suggesting them. We did a full set in the venue and realized that we still have time remaining. She was more than willing to walk with us to Crissy field and try a few more photos out. The best part was the sun was setting and the lighting was perfect. She was also prompt about sending the photos to us within the scheduled time. She also takes credit cards and checks which makes things super efficient. Overall, if you are thinking photo shoots, look no further than Emily and Absolute Photography!! read more

Emily did a photo shoot of my aikido dojo yesterday, and she was amazing! In just 30 minutes, she took over 1000 shots of high action. I'm talking inches off the ground, and crisp shots of very fast throws. Her ease behind the camera, organization, and attunement to what's needed were wonderful to behold. We will happily use The Absolute Photography again! read more

Emily immediately made my daughter feel comfortable and special which made the photo shoot great. The pictures that were taken were very flattering and my daughter proudly shows them off. This is not easy to do for a teenage girl! Emily is a true professional with an amazing eye to detail and I would recommend her to anyone looking for professional photos. Thank you Emily and The Absolute Photography! read more

Emily photographed the engagement of me and my fiancee . First she committed to meeting us all the way up near Ft. Bragg at a little hotel on the coast . She was on time and she even helped me set up the proposal picnic that I had envisioned on the beach . As soon as I dropped down to one knee to begin my proposal , she jumped into action and started taking pictures of the moment . After the proposal it turned into a photo shoot on the beach , and Emily took some excellent photos of us walking through the surf . In only a few short days, Emily edited the photos, loaded them to her secure website , and sent us a flash drive with all of our photos on it . Hiring Emily to take photos of us on our engagement was the wisest thing I could have done . If you are considering a photographer for a big life moment , or just want an absolute professional photographer for a fair price , you will hard pressed to find anyone better than her. It goes without saying that she will be photographing our wedding in 2015 ! read more

I was hoping to simply get a refund for the deposit I paid in advance for your sitting fee of $150. I guess a deal is a deal so it's on me. We never could sync up due to the baby being sick, etc. Of course I accept my responsibility in this but I don't recall seeing language about the sitting fee being nonrefundable. I requested by deposit back after several months but my email was ignored and my credit card company couldn't help either. It just seems like the right thing to do but if you feel good charging people money for providing no services then so be it, enjoy. read more

Working with Emily and her husband was an amazing experience! The Absolute Photography is definitely our first choice for capturing life's treasured moments. Communicating my desires for our wedding was a breeze with Emily. She was always available by phone, text and email. My husband was very particular in his wishes for our wedding photographs and she obliged effortlessly and professionally! Our photographs were beautiful and we loved the additions and changes she made to the prints, adding her artistic flare. Emily is professional, creative and captured our wedding beautifully. I won't hesitate to ask The Absolute Photography to work with us again in the future. I am so grateful to her and her husband! read more

Emily came by our home in Walnut Creek and spent a few hours taking pictures of our newborn baby. Not sure how, but she was able to stop and keep him from crying so that the pictures would come out wonderful. If you are looking for a professional photographer in the East Bay, I highly recommend Absolute Photography. Thanks. read more

Emily did a photo session for our big 12 person family with 3 kids. She drove over all the way from east bay. Her photos turn out great, super artistic and everyone loves them. Clear communications throughout the process! We highly recommend her! read more

I wish there was an option for ZERO stars!!! I am very disappointed in the PROFESSIONALISM AND THE TRUST with EMILY!!!! She ran a promo DEAL for maternity and newborn photos. It took her over a month to produce the edits on the photos in which she set up 3 deadlines to have them ready. Once I received them she only edited about 10 photos. WHICH looked like I just had a flash put on my photo. THE COMMUNICATION is HORRIBLE!!! She used an excuse of her personal problems being the reason she was not able to EXECUTE. I'm still waiting on a REFUND FOR WORK SHE HAS NOT PRODUCED!!!!! NEVER USE THIS WOMAN OR HER SERVICE for your PRECIOUS life MOMENTS!!!!! read more

Today was my daughter first newborn photoshoot and I can't put into words how please I am with the whole experience. Emily is not only professional but she's great with my daughter. She was able to work with my vision and what I wanted even though the ball was all in her court. She's kind, patience and super easy going. I can't wait to see how the photos turns out. I'm sure it will be beautiful and more then what we expected. Her price are super reasonable comparing to many photographers out there who's only in it for the money. Moving forward, I will only book Emily to capture all our family precious moments. Thanks Emily for making this new Mother super happy. read more

Emily did a family shoot and also did my newborn shoot; both experiences resulted in great portraits! She really knows how to capture those unplanned moments, she truly captures the emotion and mood of the moment. She was super flexible and prepared as she brought many props to accomodate the baby shoot. She was great at giving direction to get a good pose but also let our family just be us! She was very professional and returned the photos with a super quick turnaround time. The final product was perfection; the edits she applied to the shots came out outstanding. I highly recommend The Absolute Photography! read more

At first I was a little frustrated by a last minute rescheduling due to the studio not being set up, which you know is all the more difficult when the subject is a one year old. Then I was a bit put off that the "studio" turned out to be a few balloons taped to the floor and a simple facade and homemade backdrop in the living room of her house. All in all, it was way less expensive (by hundreds of dollars) than many other photographers, and the pictures turned out great. read more

I love The Absolute Photography! We hired Emily for a family portrait session to celebrate my graduation from grad school. She took dozens of photos, and was incredibly patient with my two daughters, ages 5 and 6. Even when my older daughter started to put up a fuss and get a little grumpy (as is her nature), Emily talked to her, cheering her up, and she really helped her to enjoy the photo process. The photos themselves are beautiful--she found a spectacular setting, and worked with us to get a wide range of shots--me and my husband, the whole family, girls together, girls with their dad, etc. She really captured our family dynamic on film, and we gave copies to all the relatives that year. A wonderful experience that led to wonderful photos! Do not hesitate to hire The Absolute Photography! read more

I booked a shoot with Emily to capture my newborn daughter! From the very beginning, upon calling to inquire about her services she was friendly and eager to assist! Emily came to us and to my surprise was a little early :) which was good because she was able to get aquatinted with my boyfriend and baby girl as I hurried to get myself ready! She immediately began setting up! Emily has such a warm personality and you can tell she loves what she does! She was patient with us and allowed time to get things just right with a hungry new baby! She was gentle and handled my daughter with care which made not only me and my boyfriend comfortable, but my baby girl as well! :) I loved all her props and ideas! She worked quickly to get our photos back and they turned out amazing! I definitely look forward to working with her again to capture more amazing moments of my family! read more

Emily did a photo shoot of my baby girl, Luna, when she was just 5 weeks old. She was here on the east coast, so we booked a session with her in Brooklyn. We didn't know what to expect with unpredictable newborn behavior, but Emily was a seasoned pro--she knew how to work with Luna to get some spectacular portraits and family photos. She was patient and easygoing, and we felt really relaxed during the whole session. Luna seemed to be under her spell and didn't complain, cry, or fall asleep once. Thanks to Emily, we have some very special photos that we've framed all over the house (ordering prints was super easy and fast!). We plan to use her annually to capture our growing girl and I highly recommend that others do the same. read more

Emily A is the best: talented artist, skilled with equipment and helps you relax. She made this 67 year old author look fabulous for my book photo see: www.thisbrightlightofours.com. Definitely recommend her! read more

Emily did a photoshoot for our family over the Holidays. It was our family's first outdoor professional shoot and she was so patient with our two kids especially the 1 year old who doesn't want to cooperative for the most part! Her rate was reasonable and her turn-around-time was excellent! I was eager to get our photos from the session and thankfully I did not have to wait long at all. read more

I met Emily through a family member when I was a few months pregnant and right off the bat she was outgoing and personable - she offered to take some maternity pictures the first time we met! I never got around to doing professional pregnancy photos which I totally regret! As soon as we had our baby I wanted newborn photos and called Emily to see if she would be interested. She was flexible and willing to drive all the way to our home in Daly City to do the photos. I was so excited I picked out some cute outfits for the shoot, but didn't end up using any of them because Emily had brought her own props and costumes that were ADORABLE! Emily was patient, organized, had awesome equipment, awesome props, awesome visions and turned the photos around so fast - I really felt like she was as excited about them as we were which we've never experienced! She is very creative and had her own ideas for poses - they weren't just the normal newborn poses you see on pinterest! The pictures turned out amazing and I am so grateful that Emily was able to capture that precious time of my daughter and our family. We enjoyed the session and photos so much we booked her again for Christmas photos. Again, she had awesome ideas and props and we had a LOT of fun doing the shoot. We love Emily's work so much that when my brother and fiance started wedding planning and started researching photographers I recommended Emily, showed them the photos she had done of our family in the past, and they booked her ASAP! We plan to book her for many more events as our baby and family grow! She's ABSOLUTELY amazing you won't regret working with her! read more