Approximately 10 years ago, I recommended my Mom to come through here to get her passport pictures taken. I remember her talking so fondly about the owner, Gary, and how interactive he was with her and her husband. And yes, her passport pictures came out great. Since her passport is due for a renewal, it was time for a comeback. We met Omar who is now running the joint. He was very apologetic about the "mess" (which wasn't THAT much of a mess) as he is still trying to reorganize now that he's in charge. He reported that Gary passed away a few weeks ago (I was bummed because I would have liked to have met him!) Omar spoke affectionately about Gary and what a wonderful mentor he was. After a bit of chitty-chatty, pictures were taken. I got the chance to look around and saw Gary's achievements - from meeting Maxine Waters to doing Tom Bradley's portrait. He seemed like a cool cat. Omar wasn't satisfied with the first printout of the pictures (afraid the passport agency may not accept it) so he fixed it a little bit and voila! We were outta there in no time. TIP: call to make an appointment. Just in case. They're not restricted to passport photos. They provide a wide array for services: family portraits, graduation pictures, etc... Highly recommending. read more

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-highly professional -punctual -kind -patient -great attention to detail -reliable service read more

Small family business. Fast, reasonable, and efficient service. Photos came out nice every time. Walk inns welcome.

I have never met someone who actually loves what they do for work. Gary displays great passion within his artwork! He is a very awesome person with a high spirited personality. When I walked into the office for the first time he instantly gave off a positive vibe and I felt very comfortable chatting with him. Gary took photos of me, my spouse, and my son and we all had an awesome experience. He caught some surprise shots of us which were hilarious to look at!! My son was being bad most of the time because he was tired, but Gary knew how to get his attention. In the process he captured memorable shots of my son and took a great family photo of me, my son, and my spouse. His prices are great and his work is high quality. Great guy. I would definitely recommend going to him for any photo shoot! read more

Toyo Photography - Session Photography Near Me - Gardena, California

Apart from making you look good, this place will make you feel good too! Mr.Toyo is So talented, and a Pleasure to be with. If you need a passport photo Mr.Toyo will bring the beauty from within as well... he does all types of photos. His business was started by his grandfather who brushed shoulders with Mr.Ansel Adams - 97 years ago. read more

I came across this business after 2 failed attempts at having a decent passport picture taken at other places. Gary was super friendly and professional when I called to inquire about his services. When I arrived, he quickly took my photos and did his magic. I was so impressed and thoroughly happy!! I highly recommend this place for all your picture needs. I will be back for more photos with my family. Thanks for your incredible work and for being so understanding. Best, Isabelle. read more

Found Toyo on Yelp and gave him a call. He runs a typical mom and pop shop (with a lot of history) that has been in business for a couple of generations and we were very pleased with the quality of his work. It was easy to set up and the price was decent. Toyo was great to work with and captured everything we discussed over the phone and more. Knowing that time was of the essence I received a call the next morning telling me that my photos were ready to be picked up (I can't thank you enough) so I highly recommend giving him a call. Quick Tip: take cash although he does except credit cards/checks. read more

I had to get some passport photos and called Gary based upon the other Yelp reviews. I tried the number but there was no response, but he called me back within 15 minutes. I made an appointment with him for the same day. There is plenty of street parking at studio. I went into his place and explained to him that I wanted passport photos. He was super nice and friendly. He took the photos and touched them up. We had a nice chat while we were waiting for the photos. I was in and out within 15 minutes. Plus the photos look better than the ones you get at Walgreen's or CVS since he touched them up for you. I highly recommend this place! read more

I needed to take a photo for my passport. It's not easy to find a shop in these day. I found a Toyo photography in Gardena . Very Reasonable price,Very friendly and did great job. Highly recommended. read more

Alway giving the best services in town. Is my 2nd time coming here and will be back in the future.

I went today for last minute passport photos. The door was locked but there was a note on the door to call. I called, he picked up and luckily he was right around the corner (He went out to get his lunch). I went inside and right away he took 2 photos and had me choose the best one. He got rid of my blemishes and dark circles too! He even gave me some tips to touch up my own photos. I would definitely recommend coming here and get your picture taken from an Art Center alum rather than going to CVS or Walgreens for a horrible picture (from past experience). You're going to have the passport for 10 years so might as well like your picture! $16 read more

Mr. Gary "Toyo" Miyatake is professional, welcoming, and accommodating. I called at 6:00 pm just to inquire about his hours and fees, and an hour and a half later, he photographed my daughter, did the touch ups, printed, and framed the photos! Best of all, I was able to give input and approve the photos as he did the touch ups right then and there. He also gave my daughter and I a history lesson, showing us a photo his grandfather took of the Japanese internment camp and a photo of Cesar Chavez that he took and is now in the Smithsonian. He is a very talented photographer and could really be charging more for his expertise, but his prices are very reasonable. I highly recommend Toyo Photography. read more

It was my wife's first mother's day and we wanted to do a short notice family portrait. We found Toyo on yelp, gave him a call and met him at his studio a few hours later. Toyo is very accessible and flexible with time. The studio is professional, comfortable and shows great examples of his past work. His Cesar Chavez portrait is a submitted exhibit into the Smithsonian museum. Toyo is friendly, talented and professional. We showed up, he helped us with great poses and the photos came out great! Highly recommend family or personal portraits with Toyo! read more

I came in for some last minute passport photos and Mr. Toyo did an amazing job! 6 photos for $16! I don't usually write Yelp reviews but I had to share my experience here. I'm the type of person that has to see my picture before it's finalized because I'm don't want to pay for a picture that I'm not happy with. Mr. Toyo took several poses and made sure the lighting was just right for my photo. After the photos were taking he took the time to touch them up but not to the point where they looked touched up. He made it look very natural. If you need passport pictures done this is the place to go in the South Bay! The studio is located on the corner of Raymond and Gardena, if there isn't street parking there is parking behind the studio. Happy picture taking!! read more

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This review is long overdue!!! If you want the most amazing passport pics ever or portraits of yourself for business or of your family, I cannot recommend this place enough. The owner and his wife are amazingly sweet and professional, plus you can tell that the photographer knows exactly what he's doing and how to capture your best features. We've had a busy year at my business, but I'm planning on bringing my staff in to have their professional portraits done because of what a great experience I had here. Literally, pay the extra little bit of money to get great passport photos from this pro, rather than an inexperienced kid at Walgreens or CVS. They really care here and it shows in the work! Plus, you have your passport for like 10 years and I have already received so many compliments on mine. Call in advance, but I was able to come in same day and I was in and out. Also, they only took cash the last time I was in, but the customer service was definitely worth the extra few min drive to the atm. read more

Toyo Photography - Session Photography Near Me - Gardena, California

Waste of time. PLEASE TOYO PHOTOGRAPHY change you schedule on yelp !!! You close at 5pm everyday not at 6!

We've gone here before to get a toddler's photo for passport. Today we took our other toddler, did not get the nice older gentleman we've had in the past. This younger guy was rude, had ZERO patience with a two year old and was not accommodating. They have a high seated chair for little kids we used last time and he didn't unwilling to use that for us. Kept barking at us and my daughter "tell her to stop saying 'cheese'". Also, last visit we got 4 passport photos for $16. Today, this other guy only gave us 2 photos, and one of them has a scuff on the nose, which would not be acceptable for a passport. Congratulations on losing future business from us. read more

I love this place, great for my business pictures and family pictures, plus my entire family from El Pollo Inka Restaurants hired him to take our pictures, need more proof, Gary is a Pro read more

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My experience at this photo studio was great. It's not just about "great photographers" like what Eric U described. I have had many photos done by different companies/people for various occasions. This particular time, I chose Toyo Photography because of the history behind this studio. Long story short, he not only takes various types of photos, he takes photos of many of the last remaining 442nd and 100th battalion Nisei soldiers. His work was featured in many different studios. There is history in this studio as I've seen his grandfather's work. If you guys know anything about Toyo Photography, try looking up Toyo Miyatake and the a very powerful moving documentary called "Toyo's Camera" You think a grandson won't live up to standards that his grandfather set almost a century ago? I doubt it. The person below me might've had a bad encounter, but I had a superb quality photo shot and amazing rapport with this studio. read more

We needed a passport photo for our 3-month old infant. Gary was incredibly quick and took our baby passport photo and printed it. We were in and out in 5-minutes flat. Would definitely come back for our future family photos, thank you! read more

I called this place at around 8 at night as I was rushing to find a place that would take passport photos for my Japanese passport which was expiring soon. At first no one picked up, but 3 minutes after I hung up I received a call from Gary, the gentlement who owns the studio and I was able to schedule an appointment early the very next day. I went the next morning and Gary took me through the process of taking an appropriate passport photo. The whole thing didn't even last 15 minutes. He was very amiable the whole time and I felt right at home. The man is a professional and is third in line in a family-owned business so to say that he's good at what he does is an understatement. He was even the photographer for former Mayor Tom Bradley as well as a number of surviving members of the famed 442nd RCT Nissei soldiers, so that speaks in volumes. Bottom line is, Toyo Photography is the place to go if one wants to get top-notch quality photographs taken. Gary is a pleasant person and is a high-caliber photographer. You won't regret accepting his services! read more

Gary is fair and professional. I got my passport pictures taken here in about 5 minutes. $15 CASH ONLY He was away, but called his number on the sign and he showed up in a timely manner. While I was waiting, Gary showed me other technical work of his for decent prices and so if I plan to enlarge old pictures of my family, I know where to take it to. 92 years in business... 3 generations... In a day and era where the photo industry is becoming more and more digitalized, it is good to know that there are fair, honest folks like Gary in the business. read more

I am a mother of 3 daughters, all ranging in ages (meaning their schedules are all different) and they all live in different areas. I was desperately looking for a photographer that was affordable, flexible, professional and could capture the beauty of all my daughters. Passports photos should be beautiful too :-) I called at 8:30am and was greeted by Gary/ Toyo. He said we could all come in at staggering times and we did, starting at 9am, 30 minutes later! We were greeted with a smile, the studio was filled with photos of famous icons and gorgeous families that Gary and generations of his family photographed. My daughters were each positioned and guided, they felt like they were in a professional photo shoot (without the price). Once the session was completed, we seen the images on a large screen while seated on the couch and chose which image we preferred. The image was then assessed for any blemishes (pimples or other temporary blemishes), which were removed and we were given multiple copies and our file name if more photos were needed in the future. I paid the same price I would have paid at a One Hour Photo, but I received 5Star service in less then 30 minutes for 3 people! I would recommend using Toyo Photography! read more

I came here based on reviews for passport photos. I am estastic with my photos, I only wished he could take DMV photos, lol. I highly recommend Toyo Photography!! read more

I came here with my family today right away I felt comfortable with Gary. Patience and easy going man. Overall, I was happy of the quality and how fast & efficient Gary was with our photo shoot. Couple of shots and that's all we needed was to get a few good pictures in. We were a big group and we also did individual family pictures. We were out of there in hour. I would definitely come back for any occasion! read more

I was in dire need of quality U.S. passport photos due the next day, so I called the studio around 6:30 in the evening. I couldn't find the business hours anywhere so to my surprise, Gary answered the phone and told me that he could take my shots that evening The entire process took about 15-20 minutes. Gary was extremely friendly and while we were waiting for the photos to print out, he gave me a tour of his studio and the awe-inspiring collections that his family has gathered throughout history. Growing up in Gardena, I felt a great sense of home in his studio. As Sato N. mentioned, "The man is a professional and is third in line in a family-owned business so to say that he's good at what he does is an understatement." In my consumer opinion, Toyo Photography is in fact the best place to go if one wants to get the highest quality photographs taken. Gary is the most pleasant photographer I have dealt with. You WILL want to return here and I will make sure that anyone who asks me where to get their photos taken will be directed to Gary at Toyo Photography. read more

I concur with Sato - great customer service - convenient and very accommodating! I totally recommend Gary & Toyo for your passport photo needs. Thanks! read more

Gary did an excellent job with our family photo this past week. There were 8 of us (including 2 small babies) and his photographic work is amazing. He is quick, efficient, and got our portraits done in 2 days, in time for Christmas! We were amazed at his photoshop skills and instantly adjusted our photograph. Everyone looked great in the photo. Thanks Gary for a great job. You are a testament to the photographic, Toyo name! read more

Toyo Photography - Jose! - Session Photography Near Me - Gardena, California

If I can give zero stars then I would! The man who took my photo was very passive aggressive. I called him earlier in the day to check if he is able to take UK passport photos and he said yes. Once I arrived he kept asking me questions on the dimensions although I arrived 5 hours after I spoke with him. This gives him plenty of time to check. The photos do not look good. He initially printed the wrong size so he reprinted but I am still not sure that it is the correct size so I will go some place else. P.S. photos cost $20 read more

Needed to get some Passport photos and Toyo Photography was able to help me. It was quick, good photos and friendly service. Make sure you CALL FIRST to check his schedule though,... Thank you Toyo. read more

Gary Miyatake was friendly, helpful and professional. He was very creative and artistic with his photo recommendations which left me with a positive experience. He definitely has a passion for his work and the end results speaks for itself. I will definitely recommend his services to family and friends. read more

Gary took our family portrait a couple of years back. And it came out great then. This time we needed passport photos. He took our pictures and those too were good. Because of the quality of work and his attention to details, my wife and I decided to have another portrait taken. The result was perfect. Gary's mastery of proper light distribution in taking pictures was showcased. The icing on the cake was the composition of the picture that captured the message that we are trying to express! You do great job, Gary. Much appreciated. read more

Great service - personable, professional - 1st time I've ever liked my passport photo - Thanks Toyo.

I've got my passport photo here !! Very knowledgable and friendly guy !! I was a bit late for the appointment and yet he was there waiting for me. After taking a picture, he sent me off to my car ! So sweet and very honest service !! Pricing was very reasonable, he offered me photoshop for free and he deleted all of my pimples :) I'm so glad I found them ! read more

We went to take a family photo / graduation picture at the studio. Gary was very nice and helped us relax and ask our needs as well as propose couple of scenaros to best capture the family into a picture. We took couple of poses and Gary showed us on the screen to help us pick the one we liked best. Picture came out to be great and was framed in a classy authentic frame that matches perfectly with the tone of the picture. My family, parenrts and inlaws are extremely happy with the outcome and so am I. I would defnitely take our next family event photo with Gary as I trust his skills and artistic sense. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !! read more

I needed to take passport pictures so gave them a call. Gary told me I could come in 10. Minutes. Took the pictures and he showed me around amazing art works!! Look forward to taking a family portrait soon. While walking to my car we were just talking and I almost forgot to pay him because we were chatting. Great guy! read more

This is the prestigious family owned photography studio. It is very interesting to see many historical photos displayed on the wall.

Needed to get a passport photo, and saw the best reviews for this business. I called and he told me I could come in right away. He was very friendly and was able to take my picture, touch-up the photo, and print it within 10 minutes, if even that! Only $16 (for 6 copies of the passport picture.) Great business, great price, great experience. I highly recommend; especially if someone needs a passport photo ASAP! :] read more

I've had my 2 year old's passport photo taken and it came out great! Not only it went so smooth (Gary knows how to guide kids to photo booth without saying a word) but my son looks so good in the picture! As a mother I've taken numerous pictures of my son and he never looked that good. It almost felt like a magic when Gary took only one picture and captured the exact moment. I'm really happy that I found this place! read more

I had a hard time finding a photo shop for the Japanese passport photo which is different in Size from the US passport. I went to Toyo Photography without an appointment. Gary is well experienced and the photos for the Japanese Passport were taken and processed instantly. I strongly recommend Toyo to the Japanese people when they renew their Japanese passport. read more