Hi, I’m Joel.

I’ve been around cameras for as long as I can remember. Yes I know, we all have pictures of us as a baby, but did you also have a father who owned a commercial media production company? Likely not. There was barely a moment in my youth without a camera in front of or behind my face. Family trips, eating dinner, picking my nose – you name it. This constant immersion into the world of photography and videography gave me an inescapable love for a medium that told stories through images. So when I went to college I decided to study screenwriting – something that connected me to my media desires but also developed it by teaching me how to script stories.

Upon graduation I moved to Los Angeles and joined the entertainment rat race. In my spare time I shot all kinds of photography – nature, performance, feature film… really whatever opportunity arose. At first it was just for fun and to flex my creative muscles but eventually it took up more and more of my time. After I had my first photography show I finally realized that I couldn’t fight the fact that photography was taking over my life – and I loved every minute of it. Besides, it’s now a great compliment to my script writing sensibility. Nothing excites me more than putting stories together and documenting how they play out. Photography’s ability to translate the script I’m writing in my head into visual moments is like a perfect marriage.

Today, this marriage deeply informs my visual storytelling style. Specifically, I’m the type of photographer who loves to capture people and places “in the moment”. Many consider this a photo-journalistic approach, but I interpret it a little differently. I like to blend the raw emotion of photojournalism with the seductive aura of fashion photography to create images of romance and substance; a style I’ve dubbed “Modern Story Photojournalism”. I strive to achieve a natural aesthetic that lets the true beauty and enchantment of life speak for itself while nudging moments ever so slightly to make my images truly stand out. My unique approach results in photography that is fresh yet instantly timeless, and differentiates me from the typical Los Angeles wedding photographer.

 
 
 

Philosophy

I’m not a studio photographer who works in carefully controlled environments. While I have done it and can do it, it’s not my passion. I’m a photographer who goes on location. I understand the challenges, special equipment, and techniques necessary to record real world images. I’ve shot in the fanciest hotels, in isolated rain forests, and in waters 100 feet deep. Capturing remarkable images of events and people requires an understanding of the environment where those pictures are recorded. I provide you with technical and creative instincts that only seasoned photographers with a wide variety of photographic experience have. My confidence ultimately puts you at ease and makes for infinitely better photos.

As much as I’ve mastered on-site photography, those images are only half done as the final magic takes place on a computer and over the Internet. My advanced knowledge in the post-production process (retouching, coloring, toning, printing, etc.) help me focus on ways to make your pictures pop beyond your expectations. I prefer to print in house to control the final processing and costs. Whereas some photographers farm out this work to post facilities, I make sure to oversee every step of the post process to ensure that the product you receive is the best it can be.

Testimonials

We are so happy that we chose Joel for our wedding and engagement photography. He’s super-creative, and the shots that came out of his crazy ideas are some of our favorites. Our family and friends are obsessed with the pictures we posted on Facebook, and we get compliments on them from total strangers. Of all of the vendors we worked with for our wedding, Joel was the most responsive and most flexible, arrived early to scout locations, and overall it was a pleasure to work with him.

Hannah and Frank

Joel's photos were beautiful, thoughtful, creative, and playful -- really everything we had wanted from a photographer. We shared a link to the photos with all our guests and we were really surprised by how many people went out of their way to make specific compliments about the photography. Joel was easy to work with and totally responsive. At the event, he worked discreetly, mingled easily with guests and helped corral people for specific shots. He delivered the photos to us in a timely manner as promised. No regrets here... he was worth every penny!

Doug and Steve

My fiancé and I just did our engagement shoot with the one and only Joel and I can’t begin to describe how amazing he is! He doesn’t just take pictures, he captures moments to the point that all my friends and family said how much they can feel the love in my pictures. When my fiancé and I received our pictures, we were blown away! I think my shoot with Joel made me 10x more excited for my wedding. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking for outstanding photography for their engagement and wedding. You will not be disappointed!

Marcelle and Luis

Joel was great! Our pictures turned out fabulously, and we couldn't have been happier. He has an eye for bringing in all of the colors in the environment and bringing out your best features. He made us feel comfortable, guiding us through the process, but also allowing us to be ourselves and show our silly sides as well. We could not be happier with how wonderful our pictures have turned out. We highly recommend him to help capture your special memories.

Ann and Greg

We can't thank Joel enough for all his wonderful work during our engagement shoot. He was friendly and personable right from the start. His communication was great leading up to the date of the shoot and answered any questions that my fiancé and I had. He had endless ideas during the shoot and made us feel very comfortable. He was also amazing with the speed at which he edited and returned our photos. We enjoyed our experience with Joel.

Lolita and Marcus

Joel photographed our wedding and being a same sex couple who have been together 28 years, I wasn't interested in the typical "wedding package" and the associated costs. Joel heard what I wanted and offered a terrific solution that didn't cost thousands. The pictures look great, exactly what I was hoping for. Everyone commented on how great they thought Joel just ‘fit in’ to the event. He caught some great candid shots that we can share with our family, providing us with some great Christmas presents that we can give this year :-).

James and Michael

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