Todd was recently hired to provide headshots at an executive mixer I was invited to in Palo Alto. I did not expect such amazing professionalism, direction, and willingness to provide all of us with a variety of high quality headshots that day. The service he provided was stellar, and I would have easily paid more than 4 figures for that level of direction. Can't thank him enough for such an excellent eye for detail and for his talent. Highly recommend. Thanks again, Todd! read more

Todd Rafalovich Photography - Event Photography Near Me - San Mateo, California

As a professional wedding and special event planner on the Monterey Peninsula for over 28 years, I have had the opportunity to work with Todd on many events. He's easy to work with, great at communication, and flexible. My couples are always so happy with him and with the final portraits. I recommend Todd because I trust that every one of my wedding couples will be overjoyed with his personality and work. I'm sure you'll be thrilled to work with Todd as well. Patty Speirs, Planning Genius Every Last Detail Wedding & Event Coordination Monterey, CA read more

Todd is an extremely talented photographer. I am so pleased with how our company headshots and photos turned out. The quality and uniqueness of his photos are incredible and he has a keen and developed eye for photography. I encourage you to take a look at his website to see what I'm talking about. Will definitely use him again in the future! read more

After meeting Todd for the first time we truly were relieved because we no longer had to search for someone to photograph our wedding. His calm demeanor put us at ease. I've never been professionally photographed and honestly working with Todd was the best decision I made for the big day. He was really good with direction and he is patient yet efficient. The one killer detail that made us choose Todd was that he was trained with a film camera before the digital world was available, although his digital camera shots were amazing as well.. So he gets the award winning shots at the perfect moments that are to die for! We were so happy with his professionalism and would recommend anyone out there to him. Few side notes: he was invisible the day of, meaning he wasn't in the way of the guests which was awesome. His edits are done at lightening speed and we received our prints soon after the 2-3 week mark. If I had to choose all over again, Todd is the way to go! read more

Todd Rafalovich Photography - Event Photography Near Me - San Mateo, California

How do I give this man and his awesome wife, Ruth, 10 stars?! They were/are absolutely great people to work with -- not to mention the teasers that we've been given are nothing short of STUNNING. Todd and Ruth were absolute godsends and we can't thank them enough for swooping in 1.5 months before our wedding date as our previously booked photographer had stopped answering our emails and phone calls! This brought on a tremendous amount of stress for me, but Ruth made it a point to make me feel like everything would be okay and spent about half an hour on the phone with me to give me advice to ensure I was on the right track with wedding planning -- THIS WAS BEFORE I BOOKED WITH THEM. Phenomenal people to work with and just know, Daniel and I could not be happier with how well everything worked out. Even everyone at our wedding that encountered Todd spoke so highly of him in the way that he was able to organize and direct our group shots -- especially when it was a LARGE crowd! It was not stressful at all (as I had imagined it would be) and having Ruth by my side to make sure I did not have one hair out of place was freaking awesome! I truly believe that things happen for a reason and I am so glad that the blip in our plans brought us together! I feel like we made life long friends and we can't wait for our next event to book again! Would/will recommend to anyone and everyone! read more

Todd Rafalovich Photography - Can't get better than this! - Event Photography Near Me - San Mateo, California

A long deserved review. I've referred Todd to all my friends around me who were seeking for a photographer (for wedding or for other occasions) and I shall continue to do so. We've had a 1-hour engagement session with Todd in San Francisco, and he amazed us with his professionalism and skill. You can't always expect sunlight in San Francisco, but he made it work regardless. Todd knows the best angle of his model, he knows exactly where to shoot and where your eyes should be looking at. He was patient, dedicated and professional. He paid attention to every single detail that I myself may even ignore. He called me three days ahead to confirm the logistics and gave me advices on what to wear. Of course we wouldn't hire anyone else for our wedding, and we are so happy and grateful for our decision! read more

Incredible photographer. I've worked with him 3 times now, and he has done a stellar job every time. He's very humble and patient. At weddings, guests can be quite aggressive, barking orders to "take this picture" and "take a picture of me!", but he manages them very well. Working with him has always been easy, as he is responsive, on time, and turns around picture surprisingly fast! Not much else to say about him except we hope to work with him again. read more

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***MUST HIRE, ABSOLUTE BEST PHOTOGRAPHERS*** We hired Todd, Ruth and Kin to photographer our wedding in October. We planned our wedding from the East Cost and my wife was only able to meet them once before our big day. Ruth was generous enough to pick up my wife at the BART station nearby to have their first sit down meeting, well before we signed our contract. Todd has a vision for his images and uses his team to execute that reality. Kin was the second shooter, covering the guys getting ready, secondary shots and reception moments - an absolute blast to work with, fun and easy going. They provided a quick-cut if images right away and full download of finished photos a few weeks later. As a photographer myself, I appreciate they're work, vision, commanding of groups, and price. You won't find a better deal, Better people, or have a better experience. No question, 100% would hire again!!! read more

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I cannot believe how great our family photos turned out with Todd. We were an ambitious bunch - bringing a 4 month old and our dog to an outdoor shooting in the park, but Todd was patient and flexible with our crew. He captured photos that I will cherish for a lifetime and was an absolute pleasure to work with. read more

There are tons of wedding photographers out there. I checked on at least 18 portfolios while doing my research. They were all good... Beautiful photos with great reviews too! Todd's art was different though. His skills are incredibly magical. The photos from our engagement photo shoot to our wedding day were all exceptionally gorgeous-- we received heart warming remarks from family and friends. Todd and Ruth are lovely, flexible, professional and very easy to work with. They helped a lot in forming my wedding timeline too-- made me feel more comfortable that our day was going to be great! My husband and I were very pleased working with them that we have decided that Todd Rafalovich Photography will be our family's official photographer! read more

Todd Rafalovich Photography - Event Photography Near Me - San Mateo, California

Hired Todd after speaking with a few more photographers , for my husbands 50th bash. His photographs came out super!! So happy with the results , we worked with Todd for our family photos too: another great set of photographs!! For both our shoots, Todd was very responsive via email and phone , always on time and very professional- one thing we all never remembered at the birthday party that- Todd was there! He took 100s of photos making sure he had multiples of each of our guests and still managed to not be in any ones way! He is our go to photographer for sure. read more

We've continued to work with Todd on our family photos every year since we got married and he is a master a wrangling newborns, infants, and kids. His photos capture everyone looking their best, but also looking like themselves. We're so delighted to have a series of family photos that capture our family as it has grown. Todd is quick to capture the kids with their fleeting smiles and smirks and has new ideas so that even if we revisit the same same location for a photo shoot, the photos look entirely different. It's truly a pleasure to work with Todd and Ruth. read more

We had a simple City Hall wedding, which is why we were able to afford Todd for a few hours on a Friday afternoon to take photos of the 5-minute event, some family portraits and couple shots in various locations in SF. For what we got, I would say the $1000 charge plus $220 processing fee is a steal. Todd is very professional, an adjective used by a few other reviewers here. Meaning: he isn't gonna be cracking jokes and be your BFF the first time you meet, but he will keep the conversations to the minimal and get his job done. Before we met, I thought it'd be helpful for us to make suggestions on locations for the couple pictures. I even thought about showing him the pictures I really liked on his website to give him a sense of what our style is like. Unnecessary. Todd knows exactly where to go, why, and what to capture. We simply had to listen to his instructions, 'walk around," "lean in," "look at each other," etc., and voila, here are 800 beautiful pictures. His style tends to yield a very minimalist background, which emphasizes the people (the newly weds.) He also loves to have us walk around to get a sense of movement, without looking awkward or silly---I mean, everyone knows how to walk, not everyone knows how to pose naturally or attractively. And he isn't afraid to lie down in the middle of a busy intersection to get the shots he wanted. Sure, it'd be unpleasant to have our photographer die on our wedding day, but those shots are so darn good. You can't even tell that our faces were twitching with both awe and horror and we were mouthing "Todd, don't die!" read more

Mr. Rafalovich is an amazing photographer and despite the fact that he comes from Stanford (GO BEARS-j/k), he has real eye for photographic art and is an absolute gem of the Bay Area. I origionally stumbled upon him to be a wedding photographer of mine many years ago, and when my engagement ended - he was very compassionate and energetic to capture photo's of me in a very artistic form, something I never even considered before. We spent an entire day and evening capturing photos that literally turned into a life of their own and eventually inspired me to embrace a new outlook on life. So funny how pictures can change your reality and emotional landscape.. Truly an unexpected gift from him that I will never forget... I mean, when you look at his wedding pictures that he has taken of other people - it really makes you want to get married!!!!! So, the factt that my life was changing (and I obviously was NOT going down that path) he really captured some of the most amazing photos I've ever seen, and I really couldn't believe they were of me. I know that someday I will use him again for his origional intended purpose, but in the meantime - I would recommend his work for any project that you had in mind. If you look on his site, you will see alot of his works are also of his travels across the globe and you can't deny his talent in any way shape or form. I also love the fact that we share the love of the cuban culture and I encourage you to see this link.. http://www.toddrafalovich.com/travel/cuba.html read more

My husband and I hired Todd for our June 14, 2008 wedding. I just picked up my wedding photos and the pictures are just breathtaking! I booked 2 other photographers before finally deciding to choose Todd. The only reason I didn't go with Todd at first was because he was pricey! After thinking long and hard I didn't want to go half A$$ on my photos. I finally convinced my fiance to let me pick the photographer that I wanted or else I'd regret it! He knows how indecisive I can be....Thank goodness I booked Todd! He was very professional, a perfectionist and his photos are amazing! My husband is very happy that we went with Todd and so am I. Let me tell you! I have friends who don't even want to show anyone their wedding photos but I can't wait to brag to everyone and show them mine.... hehe =) This is what I received from Todd: A black box filled with 4x6's of all the photos taken by Film (there were over 1000 photos) DVD negatives of all the film photos. DVD negatives of all the digital photos (2 Dvds) DVD Highlights of Todd's favorite picks Book Todd ASAP because he is the best! He will capture the emotion of the day which is something you really want to cherish forever. If you are undecided and still shopping around then be careful because when you finally decide to book Todd he will probably be booked! read more

A few months ago, my coworker Grace asked if I had found a photographer for my wedding. After my response of "no, not yet", she suggested Todd. Her exact words were, "If I could get married all over again, I'd have him take my pictures. He's amazing." That had me intrigued, so I immediately logged onto his website. Wow. Amazing. Smart. Unlike any other website I had ever seen. I knew instantly that this was the right person to hire for our wedding photos. I called my then fiance shortly after and he took a look as well.... that was it. He contacted Todd and we were in contract soon after. Our wedding was last week, and my mere words can not express how thoroughly impressed I was with Todd and his assistants (Tom and Dave). And uber professional and friendly to boot. Todd's vision and attention to detail is unlike any other... he sees angles and opportunities that other people (including photographers) just don't see or catch. I'm not the most comfortable person at being in pictures or the center of attention, but they just made everything seem so easy and seamless. I wasn't self conscious at all. Let me not forget to mention that these guys were present for the entire day and evening-- they didn't miss a single thing. Bottom line: they worked their tails off. It's only been a week, so I haven't seen all the pictures yet obviously, but I have no doubt they will be beautiful. I know that when the time comes to have professional photos taken again (perhaps family photos??), I'll be contacting Todd. read more

Todd's talent is beyond anything I can describe. Everyone who has seen our wedding photos says they are the best they have ever seen. Todd is a perfectionist and will take whatever time is necessary to get the perfect shot. The price is a bit high, but when you see the quality it is totally worth it. If you spend money on something, let it be videography and photographer because I guarantee the day will fly by. Todd's photos will allow us to go back and relive our day. read more

I just received our wedding photos and couldn't possibly be happier! First, Todd is an incredible photographer. The images are absolutely stunning. They perfectly capture the day, our happiness, and the little quirks that made our wedding. He caught expressions and moments with grace and beauty. He somehow made me look pretty with tears in my eyes! In addition, Todd is an so easy to work with. He is professional, friendly, and made us all feel relaxed and very well taken care of. During the wedding, he was not intrusive at all, and totally understood that there was time for pictures, and time to enjoy the moment. (Which he always seemed to capture) I wish we had done an engagement shoot with him to get to know him better in advance - he offers them at a very reasonable rate and I'm sure they would have been fantastic. Thank you, Todd, for making our wonderful memories into beautiful images. read more

Todd was referred to us by one of my neighbors. We were looking to get some engagement pictures since neither of us had ever really had any professional shots taken of us. We loved them so much that it was a no brainer for him to shoot our wedding. What we loved about his style was that the pictures looked natural - there wasn't a forced pose and he just managed to seamlessly capture each of the special moments. It was.. perfect. 'Til this day, I look back at all his pictures so I can relive the day. Most recently, I knew I had to reach out to him again with the arrival of our little one. Todd suggested we do 2 sessions for my son: some at 1 month old and some at 6-7 months old just so we could compare how much our son had grown and the different expressions he'd be making. Definitely a brilliant idea! I LOVE LOVE LOVE how both sets turned out and I'm in awe that he managed to get my son to cooperate. Some of my favorite shots were taken while we were just hanging out, forgetting that Todd was still there. I can't wait to enlarge some of the shots! Todd is such a pleasure to work with. His work is impeccable, yet doesn't break the bank. I love that he provides the original images on a CD for you. both in B&W and color. I can't wait to have another excuse to hire him! And if it wasn't enough just to hire him, I've even bought some gift certificates from him to give as Christmas gifts to friends that admired our pictures. read more

The reviews don't lie - Todd is awesome! He shot our engagement photos in 2005, our wedding in 2006, and our family shots last weekend (now that our family is complete). He gets the beautiful, candid shots and shows off his talent and technical skill, but additionally, he is keenly aware of his subjects and will help pose you. He pays attention to the smallest details (like flyaway hairs) that would ruin an otherwise awesome picture. I enjoyed working with him in 2006 when we got married and thought he was very good then, but having watched him with my young kids (3 and 8.5 months), I have even more praise for him. He's totally patient, maintains good humor throughout the session, and is flexible. He only shot in film when I got married, but now he does digital, and he is FAST! We had our CD of images the very next day...now the hard part, picking which images to print! He's pricey for weddings, but well worth it in my opinion; family shots are totally reasonable, bordering on cheap! read more

One of the best decisions I have made for my wedding is choosing Todd as our photographer! Photo is one of the things that matters the most to me in wedding, I browsed about 20 photographer's blog and finally choose Todd. Todd is not very into social networking and he has tons of beautiful pictures he did not even share on his website. He always capture the most beautiful moment, he is creative, professional and talented, you cannot ask for more. Todd and his wife are also very helpful to me in the whole wedding preparation and the wedding day. Todd knows the time and always remind me, he gave instructions on what would look good in pictures, he is just amazing. Here are some of the photos of my wedding by Todd: https://www.facebook.com/xiaodanrebecca.sun/media_set?set=a.10154222399163648.1073741830.738473647&type=3 read more

I went to college and majored in Art. Todd Rafalovich is worth every penny, just look at his pictures and you will see his style and creativity. Todd photographed our wedding at the Palace of Fine Arts with his assistant Dave and Tom. Thank you guys! read more

Todd and Ruth deserve every bit of their 5 star rating. I wish I could give them a million stars!! The experience the day of the wedding was incredible. I dubbed Ruth the fairy godmother of the wedding, because she was prepared for everything, and so helpful and calming. It seemed like every time something wasn't quite perfect, she was there with a solution. They got so many shots when I wasn't even looking, and all the photos were incredible. We have a mix of candid and posed shots that are all absolutely stunning. Our main problem is choosing which photos we love more, because each shot is just amazing. Todd is an absolute master at what he does. We have said repeatedly how incredibly glad we are to have worked with them at our wedding. I would go back in time and hire Todd again if I could. Absolutely would recommend them to anyone. read more

I was requested by my company to get a professional head shot done for our website. As I searched websites to find a photographer, I came across Todd Rafalovich Photography. Todd's pictures were amazing! I thought for sure that I wouldn't be able to afford him or he would be completely booked. I sent an email and received a quick response. Price was within my budget and he had availability that met my schedule. When I went for my photo shoot, Todd and his wife, Ruth, were extremely patient with me as I had never done a photo shoot before. When Todd showed me a few of the pictures on his camera during the session, I was blown away at how good they looked. Todd and Ruth spent about 90 minutes and 3 wardrobe changes with me. And, I was pleasantly surprised to have proofs 2 days later! The pictures are beautiful. The lighting is perfect and any edits are subtle. Thank you Todd, for working your magic on me. I love the photos! read more

Amazing experience! Todd is very professional and great to work with. Working with children can be very difficult but Todd has a great way of working with them and manages to get beautiful images. In addition to be able to work with the parents and children to get the best pictures possible he is very talented. Todd uses natural light for most of his pictures and they come out amazing. I highly recommend Todd for your baby pictures or family photos. Another thing about Todd that is different from other photographers is that he gave us most of the shots and was able to get us our images to us within a week. This is rare with a photographer with his skills. Whether you are looking for studio pictures or pictures at an onsite location, he is your photographer. read more

I was anxious when I accepted the task of finding a photographer for my son and daughter in law's outdoor wedding ceremony at Crystal Springs Golf Course. I did my research and spoke to quite a few photographers, and when I found Todd, I knew we were in good hands. He and his wife, Ruth, were very professional, accommodating and kind. When the forecast was rain, and the outdoor ceremony had to be moved indoors, he reassured me that we would have great photographs of the day. Well...it rained, and rained and rained, but he was right. I now know that it doesn't matter where the wedding is. If you have Todd photographing it, you are going to have phenomenal photos! His work exceeded our expectations. The wedding photographs are absolutely SPECTACULAR! I can't stop staring at his photographs in awe! They are priceless! Todd's experience and talent are remarkable. Thank you, Todd! read more

Todd took our wedding pictures and till this day, I continue falling in love again and again with the amazing pictures he took of our weeding 15 years ago... truly a love story captured in the most elegant, unique and downright beautiful images. I love the portraits Todd took of us, they are beautiful and inspiring. But what I love the most are the candid moments captured through those lenses - like when my husband and I were resting on a bench, leaning our heads together... you could feel the love between us... all captured in that one image... or the heartwarming image of my husband looking at me as I walked down the aisle...or the striking image of a quiet moment shared between us with the scenic venue behind us ...All those precious moments were captured in those beautiful, breathless and inspiring images... Todd did an amazing job on our big day and he really captured the most incredible pictures... pictures that till this day, I continue falling in love with them. I just can't say enough good things about Todd and his incredible talent. Todd made our special day a day to remember for the rest of our lives... through beautiful and timeless images of two people in love... in their very special day... read more

Todd is wonderful!! Todd is the preferred vendor by my wedding venue - Thomas Fogarty. We were very lucky to have him to be our wedding photographer. We had a great experience with Todd, Ruth and his assistant Ken. Our wedding was held on April/16/2016. (by the way, It was a really beautiful day, haha). Everything Todd and Ruth did for us really blew away our expectations. Many guests told me that Todd is so professional and patient. Yes, they have great personalities, they are kind, patient, open minded and keep you in a positive mood. They advise us what are important for the wedding day, how to keep up with the planned schedule and make the wedding flow smoothly. Wedding can be very stressful, Ruth helped me release some stress:) Super sweet lady! Todd is super talented, his work speaks for itself. He knows exactly what he is doing and we got some excellent images. More to come! Good job Todd and Ruth! Thank you!! read more

Todd Rafalovich Photography - Event Photography Near Me - San Mateo, California

Todd Photographed our wedding at St. Vincent De Paul and we were truly impressed by his professionism, style and artistic ability. It is difficult to find someone that can really "capture the moment", but Todd did it! Todd and his assistant were really great and we were able to get all the pictures on our list!!! When people look at our photos, everyone is in awe. Todd made me look way better than I actually do... Todd also did our family portraits when we had our first baby, wonderful person to work with. read more

I'm told that a lot of people stress out about finding good wedding photography, but after meeting Todd in person, we knew that we had nothing to worry about on that front. Indeed, from start to finish, Todd was definitely one of our favorite wedding vendors! In terms of photography, Todd is really artistic and clearly knows what he's doing. He was able to quickly take photos with angles and lighting that we would have never thought about, and yet they turned out mindblowingly amazing. He was also very subtle and non-intrusive about capturing candid shots, like a photo ninja! And now, we have so many unexpectedly flattering photos of ourselves, our friends, and family to cherish for years to come :) In terms of personality, Todd is super warm and happy, and puts people at ease. His wife, Ruth, is incredible and a life-saver (won't go into detail, but an item she had prevented a wardrobe malfunction!). I could go on and on about how wonderful Todd Rafalovich Photography is in every single way, but I'll spare you the essay. In short, we couldn't recommend Todd more! read more

Todd Rafalovich Photography - Event Photography Near Me - San Mateo, California

Todd is a pleasure to work with. This is the second year in a row we have hired him for our family photos and both years we have been VERY pleased with our photos. He is so patient with the little ones (we have a toddler); ready to catch a rare, shy toddler smile and snapping pictures while we interact with each other - these candid photos were some of our favs! He does such an amazing job capturing natural light so that even the unedited photos look amazing. We are very much looking forward to making this an annual tradition. We will cherish these photos for years and years to come. read more

We were so pleased with the photos Todd took of our family in October 2020. We met in Central Park San Mateo (he safely accommodated a shoot during the pandemic), and in just 30 minutes he captured a TON of amazing shots of me, my husband, and our 14 month old. We will definitely use him every year for our family portraits. I've never gotten so many compliments on our annual holiday card! It was absolutely beautiful. read more

Unparalleled. Period. That's the word that comes to mind when I think of my experience with Todd, his assistant Dave, and the extraordinary photos that were captured. Todd's style was exactly what I wanted; a more artistic, creative, with an uncommon, imaginative edge. These photos were a gift to myself after accomplishing one of those "once in a lifetime" events (IRONMAN). I wanted to document that time in my life, and those specific disciplines (swim/bike/run)--but at the same time, for them to be beautiful, powerful, and natural. My biggest concern was that I wanted them to not only LOOK like me, I more importantly wanted the photos to truly capture the essence of me in these shots. And I must say, my expectations were exceeded--I was blown away when I flipped through all the shots Todd had taken. Todd's talent, experience and innate sense of capturing "the moment" was phenomenal. And lastly, what pulled everything together was how easy it was to be photographed by Todd. He made me feel so comfortable, confident, and I was able to let myself be "me" versus feeling stiff, awkward and unnatural. Todd captured the authenticity of me in this special moment in time of my life--as they say, PRICELESS... I'm in awe every time I look at them--and beyond grateful to Todd for making these memories tangible, and able to last a lifetime. Bottom line--Todd Rafalovich Photography is unequivocally one of the very best. read more

Todd Rafalovich photographed our wedding reception, and WOW... what an fantastic job he did. After having worked with many photographers in the past, rarely have I seen a creative mind and and sharp eyes working together so perfectly to produce truly stunning photography. Todd's professionalism is not only seen through his photographs, but also through every interaction in the planning and executing of the shoot and the event itself. During the photo shoot, Todd's clear direction was precise and produced exactly what we were hoping for. He understood our goals and was able to capture the emotions, energy, and setting of the event extremely accurately... all while never being intrusive. I cannot possibly recommend Todd and his services strongly enough. Todd, thank you and your team for a fantastic experience and exceptional photographs that will always remind us of a very special event in our lives. read more

Todd has an extraordinary talent for photography. He has a unique eye for beauty and takes a creative, journalistic approach to capturing your wedding day. I selected Todd to photograph my wedding in the Sonoma wine country after witnessing a selection of photographs on his website, www.ToddRafalovich.com. I was wowed by his artistic approach to photography capturing the beauty and genuine sentiments of a wedding day. Not only beautiful, his photographs tell a story about the people whose lives were touched on this special day. From planning to the day of our wedding, Todd was a joy to work with. He offered professional advice and suggestions and was not afraid to go the extra mile to capture the perfect photo. He was extremely efficient, non-disruptive and put me completely at ease. I could not have been more pleased! A few weeks following our wedding, he promptly mailed us our photographs on DVD and in-print for review. My husband and I spent hours looking through them -- laughing, tearing-up and remembering the day. Todd captured our wedding without missing a beat and found a way to tell our unique story through his custom approach to photography. I hope other brides have the opportunity to work with Todd. He is a dream photographer who will leave you with a lifetime worth of memories that you will cherish forever. read more

I have a hard time believing all of these raving reviews for Todd. I agree with Evelyn - I was thoroughly disappointed. If you go to his website you will think he is really talented, but somehow none of that talent showed up on my wedding day or at my engagement shoot. The first time I got a bad feeling was after the engagement shoot. I actually got a huge knot in my stomach after the engagement prints came out, because I had HUGE doubts about his abilities after that but I'd already committed to the wedding with him. I expressed my concerns and he tried to convince me otherwise, and said he'd keep my concerns in mind for the wedding day. On the wedding day, he missed so many of the photos I wanted him to take, he didn't even get one single good head-to-toe shot of me alone, and if I didn't ask for photos with my flower girl/ring boy there wouldn't have been any. The whole process was super-rushed and I am really really disappointed I picked him to be my wedding photographer. In fact, after my wedding I was so upset at the prints I got, I waited a whole year before ordering. I actually comtemplated not ordering a wedding album at all. It took me a long time to just accept that I had to make do with what I got and try to enjoy it. It's hard to do when it costs you another $1,500 for the album and you don't love it. I would suggest you book Todd for a regular photo shoot first and see if you like his style and work before booking for the wedding by looking at his portfolio. It's so hard to tell when you look at their portfolio and it's like their best photos ever, and usually of people who are really photogenic to start with. One other note to consider is that Todd mostly shoots with a real camera (not digital) and he is not big on retouching at all. read more

I got married in April 2005. Why am I reviewing Todd's work now? Well, hiring him was the best wedding-related decision we made, and if you don't need the details, skip to the last paragraph for the summary. Oh, and yes, he's expensive. YES, he's worth it. Before meeting with Todd, I had seen some of his albums (some of the venues we had looked at had them) and been pretty impressed. I had also read great things about him, and been referred by someone I really trust. However, I was hesitant about whether I wanted to pay so much for photography. I know myself and my hubs well enough to know that neither of us loves being the center of attention, and had trouble imagining us being comfortable being photographed all day while we were all dressed up and out of our usual comfort zone! So I knew that personality and fit was going to be really important for us. When I met with him, I was immediately comfortable. He was very down to earth, answered almost everything on my list of important questions before I asked, and asked me good questions about us, the wedding plans, and what we wanted with photography. I felt that at the end of the day, when he said, "now turn your head to the left" for the zillionth time, he would keep both me and Chris from getting too grumpy about it. On the big day: Todd arrived about ten minutes early (big points for that!) and started snapping pictures of me carrying my dress down to the bride's room while his assistant was still unpacking the rest of the equipment. He did more getting-ready shots as well as separate shots with the guys, and with me and the bridesmaids. We had decided to do pictures together before the ceremony, so we did shots of the two of us and various group/family/bridal party shots. He got all the right moments during the ceremony, and I never noticed him. After the ceremony, we took some planned time alone. We started to practice our first dance, since we'd never done that with me in the dress. After giving us some time alone, Todd snuck in and took some pics of us dancing (including my absolute favorite picture of the day). We didn't even notice him! Then we did a few more pictures together, and joined the reception. He took lots of great reception pictures, got all the right shots of the toasts, our first dance, cutting the cake, and our getaway. After the reception, Todd went with us out to Half Moon Bay and spent about an hour taking more pictures there. We were definitely more relaxed by then, and I'm glad we did that. So, almost 3 years after the wedding...it's true, I've forgotten what the food tasted like. My dress is folded up in a box in the closet and I threw away my shoes. I didn't preserve my bouquet. But I look at our wedding pictures EVERY day, and I still get goosebumps. read more

After recently having non-wedding related photo sessions #3 and #4 with Todd Rafalovich, over 5 years later, I can definitively say that he is still amazing. Possibly even amazinger. Session #3 - my work hired him for professional head shots (not glamour head shots, but suit type head shots). He came to our office, and shot maybe 10-12 people in the lobby (and outside when we got kicked out of the lobby) everyone was DELIGHTED with how their photos came out - from junior staff to the actuaries to the practice leader. His prices were better than most of the corporate photographers we got quotes from and for the first time in my career, my professional photo doesn't look weird and stiff like I work in insurance. Session #4 - we took family photos with our 8-month old. Not only did he capture some fantastic moments with the baby, he was very patient when she needed a little break or a snack. We left with 600 photos, and more film shots to come. The settings were varied, and shots were creative and different than some of the other family photos we've had taken, and of course, he caught us all at our best angles. Again, you'd never know we were taking photos in his garage on a white backdrop in the drizzly rain (with a heater for the baby), but that is the beauty of photos with Todd. You just have to trust the process. He was easy to work with, his wife was helpful throughout (banging on the baby's favorite monkey to make it light up and make noise to get her attention) and she was delightful company as we waited to wrap things up. The photos were amazing and we could not have been more pleased with the entire experience. If it wasn't clear before, I hereby sign up for a lifetime membership to the Cult of Todd Rafalovich! read more

I rarely write reviews for Yelp, but Todd's work was so exceptional that I wanted to share my experience. I first saw Todd's photography about 10 years ago, and knew then that I wanted to have him photograph my wedding. Throughout the craziness of life, I kept track of his name and I finally got the opportunity to hire Todd for my wedding a few months ago. The wait (and the diligence in not losing his name) completely paid off; the photos are phenomenal. In fact, my matron of honor loves them so much that she keeps talking about remarrying her husband just so that Todd can photograph their wedding! If you are looking for a photographer, here's what I would say about Todd's photography style, approach and results: * His style: What differentiates Todd from other photographers is his creativity and artistry. Many photographers can produce clear, quality photos; Todd's photos are all clear, quality photos as well, but in addition to that they're incredibly artistic. Multiple people who have seen the photos have said that they belong in a museum because "they're art, not just photos". * His approach: Todd has a wide range of (for lack of a better term) photographic styles. In my wedding photos alone, there were some photos that photojournalistic, some that were high fashion, some that were the traditional wedding/family photos, some that were portraits. The many different styles of photos give the collection real interest. Most wedding photos are only interesting because they are of people you know; Todd's photos are interesting because they are art. The angles of the photos, the way he uses shadows, the silhouettes ...it's amazing. * His work ethic: He arrived on-time and stayed throughout the entire event, outlasting quite a few of our guests. Throughout the day, both Todd and Dave (his assistant) were constantly moving to capture the key events. One of the ways that Todd's professionalism manifested itself was through the speed with which he moved. He went through my list of requested photos (arranging my very large family in the family shots) in record time. At slower moments, he would pull me and my husband out for just a few minutes to take photos. This was great because we didn't want to be removed from the festivities for long; the fact that Todd was so quick minimized the time that we were away from the guests, without comprising the quality or creativity of the photos. And I will never forget Todd lying flat on a dirty, uncomfortable gravel road to get just the right angles. He was focused and on-point for hours, and the results showed it. He was both professional and friendly - a true expert at home in his work. * His results: Magic. That's the right word. Todd's photography made the day look so magical. There was one shot that he took using the condensation on the car window to create a misty look as my husband and I kissed inside the car. It is incredibly romantic; it looks like something you would see in the old black & white classic movies. Also, he made me look absolutely beautiful and made my husband look staggeringly handsome, which is what most people want on their wedding day! Even the family shots, which normally are pretty mundane, really pop. In short, if you're looking for basic, portrait-only photos, you may not need someone of Todd's caliber, but if you want a photographer who will capture the beauty of the day with true originality and imagination, Todd is the photographer for you. Also, a quick note on Dave, his assistant...Dave was awesome; he was often more helpful than my bridesmaids. He would hold my train as I moved from location to location, in fact, he helped me hike up a steep hill so that I could get photos by an old oak tree. He always had a great attitude and was extremely laid-back, even while running around. It was a pleasure to have him as a part of the day; I highly recommend him as well. read more

Todd is the best. For our July 2006 wedding, photos were one of our top priorities. As a result, we swept through over 20 local and non-local photographer sites, consulted friends who are professional photographers, etc. to whittle down a short list. We found that even "affordable" photographers weren't cheap; most of them took worse pictures than those of our hobbyist friends. Todd does mostly film but does some digital. Since our wedding was outdoors, we wanted to go with traditional film to ensure we captured the colors optimally. Todd is professional and generous, patient and skilled. We had a fun time during our initial meeting and our engagement photo shoot with him. Most importantly though, during our wedding day, he was great. Key strengths: 1. Perfectionist: He doesn't need to snap dozens of pictures of the same shot. He gets it perfect first then shoots. For example, a friend of ours put his arm around my shoulders in a casual shot. Todd reminded him that we might not like a big hand between the bride & groom :). He made sure the details were clean -- moving stray hairs, making sure relatives didn't bring in a big purse, that no one's face was partially covered. He was, frankly, amazing in this respect. 2. Strong eye: He is really into shapes and we came away with some unique shots that were really artistic and beautiful. Case in point: At Stanford where we took pictures, I explicitly remember thinking "ew, there's a dirty puddle" and then lifting my dress to walk around it. Todd was soon laying on the ground to take some photos. After we got our pictures back, I realized he used the "dirty puddle" to take an awesome shot of our silhouette and its reflection! Everyone oohs & ahhs at this picture. 3. Polite & blended in: Todd worked well with our parents and guests. Some of our guests noted they didn't ever really *see* Todd. Given the amazing shots he captured and that he's probably 6-12 inches taller than most of us, this is a tremendous skill & benefit. I've been to some weddings where the photographers are really obnoxious and in the way. 4. Professional: On-time, helped keep us on track with our timeline. 5. Fun: I really enjoyed working with him. Really nice person with a good sense of humor. No doubt, Todd's pricey, but worth it. For his albums, he just charges for the materials and a bit for his labor. Other photographers we met charged ridiculously high prices for their albums. Though we still haven't had time to order our formal albums, I have our pictures everywhere (you can get high-res digital scans of the film from him) and smile each time I see them! read more