San Jose Wedding Photographer:  Benipayo Photography Studio

Last month’s wedding was in San Francisco at Saint John of God Church and their reception was at McCormick and Kuleto’s Restaurant.

Saint John of God Church was smack in the middle of everything.  Chinese grocer across the street and surrounded by condos.  It was a little noisy at around 630 since the dude that works at the Chinese grocery store was closing and he was making plenty of noise.    That was the only bad part since the inside of the church was adorn with fancy stained glass and the nicely decorated wooden walls.   The priest was nice enough to let me go “anywhere” I wanted.   Of course, I did not go anywhere and tried not to be noticed by not using a flash and staying in one or two places after the priest started talking.

The reception site at McCormick and Kuleto’s Restaurant was just several miles from the church.  The place looks ordinary from the outside and looking like any four star restaurant inside.  I went in and looked around where most of the guest have arrived way before me, drinking and eating h’orderves.  I wanted to help myself with those delicious looking appetizers but did not do so since it did not look professional to be eating while working.   I was at first disappointed at what I saw, just tables and nothing is ready???  After five minutes, I asked where they will be eating.  The waiter opened the door and showed me a ready reception area – beautiful place with nice big window looking at the ocean.  I was impressed!!  Really fancy and reminded me of where I got married.  Also, the waiters were nice and helpful.  I totally recommend this place if you are looking for a reception site.   Oh yeah, the food –  DEEELLIIICIOUS!!!!

The attendees to this wedding were from all over the place.  The Bride and Groom was from Terre Haute, Indiana.  The groom’s family are from Los Angeles and Jordan.  The Brides family are from Northern California and San Francisco (maybe San Jose too).   Unfortunately, the grooms father couldn’t make since his visa was not approved.  The bride was even from Whidbey Island where I use to live.  I wonder if we went to the same High School???

Here are some of the photos from the wedding.  Please enjoy!

If you want to hire me for your event / wedding in San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, or anywhere in the Bay Area

Michael Benipayo

Benipayo Photography

email: michael@benipayo.com

San Jose  | Wedding | Photographer | San Francisco

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There are many styles of wedding photography out there.  My specific San Francisco photography wedding style is eclectic – using all styles to get the necessary photograph.  I use documentary style wedding photography during the ceremony, reception, and “getting ready”.  My goal is to photograph a wedding that tells a story but still utilizing all styles to get the picture that I think you want.  However, there are times when I do ask the bride and the groom to hold it for 2 seconds or so during the bouquet toss / garter toss and cake cutting.  Other than that, I think that hiring a wedding photographer claiming to have only one type of style will not get you that photo that you normally see on magazines  or what you deserve.  Just my two cents.

What exactly does documentary wedding photography stand for? Wedding photography, generally speaking, is a type of photography that deals specifically with weddings and oftentimes, pre-wedding events such as wedding announcements or engagement parties. Documentary wedding photography is a mixture of traditional wedding photography and documentary filmmaking. Documentaries allow the San Francisco wedding photographers to immerse themselves in the culture or the milieu of their subject. Some documentary wedding photographers apply the same principle to the wedding and reception coverage. They take photographs from the day the wedding was announced until the time the wedding reception ends.

Documentary wedding photography can involve fashion photography or black and white photography. But most documentary wedding photographers prefer taking candid photos, because these make the subjects and the scenes look more “natural.” Such images also allow the photographer to create a story about the bride and groom. Simple and small details, like a child hiding under the table or an aunt perusing the menu, can contribute to that story and make the wedding album (or video) so much more interesting. Capturing such moments also give the impression that the photographer knows what he’s doing. It also shows that he is creative enough to tell a story based on those few details from the wedding and reception. In addition, such scenes allow the guests to get to know the couple more and make them look at the wedding as something more than just an event that they had to join.

A talented and reliable San Jose – San Francisco wedding photographers will be able to document a wedding through a series of images. Such images would convey the necessary emotions and be powerful enough that the photos speak for themselves. Any individual who looks at the photos will be immediately introduced to the bride and the groom. As he goes over the rest of the wedding album, he will know how the bride and groom met, how the groom proposed, and what transpired during the wedding day. He will also be introduced to all family members who attended the wedding, as well as the friends of the couple. Any quirky character or eccentric family member will probably have an entire page or two devoted to him.

These are the photos that the couple can go back to when they get older. They will remember when they first met, up to the day that they got engaged, and until that fateful day when they finally get married. Such are the moments that a good documentary wedding photographer will be able to record.

san jose photographers

Michael Benipayo

Benipayo Photography

email: michael@benipayo.com

San Jose  | Wedding | Photographer | San Francisco

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Text By: Dan Coyle

Dan is a journalist who writes for websites on a variety of topics.

I have been looking at other photographer’s review and found this online. Apparently, the San Francisco wedding photographers in question are not answering their customer’s correspondents. Late delivering albums and other products is definitely not a good sign of customer service. One reason why I keep my wedding photography in San Francisco – San Jose – Oakland – Monterey area to 30 wedding a year so that I can deliver a quality service. Unfortunately, there are so many photographers out there practically giving away their services that everybody budget conscious brides and grooms are booking with them.

If you are a bride or a groom looking for a photographer, the initially communication should give you a clue. The wedding photographers should respond within 24 hrs to 36 hours of your email or less than 24hours for a phone call. If they have not called or emailed you for more than the specified time, then most likely it will be worse once you sign the contract since they got you on the hook already. To be honest, most photographers are honest and they love what they do. Unfortunately, no everyone is honest so you just have to be watchful.

Furthermore, tell your San Jose wedding photographer – portrait photographer how you want to communicate with them. I personally like email since I get emails through my cell phone and can answer them immediately if needed. However, email to some people is very impersonal, so if you prefer phone conversation, you should let me know.

My current review online is just two so far. However, if you should become my client, I’d be very happy if you write a review about my business.

The following review is not about my business but of some other San Francisco wedding photographer.

HERE IS A REVIEW by Christina L. about her San Francisco wedding photographers:

“I really want to give P****a five stars — they were wonderful to work with on our engagement shoot and wedding day. Great funny guys, really interested in doing good work. And the pictures were absolutely gorgeous. Everyone that we showed them to was blow away. If this review was limited to the photo sessions and pre-wedding service it would be five stars, no questions.

However, their follow up has proven to be non-existent, if not deceptive. Our initial preview images were delivered more than three months after the wedding, and only with much prompting. Their excuse was that they had overbooked themselves. That’s fine, but it would of been nice of them to tell us.

Now we are about to celebrate our first anniversary, and we still do not have an album of our wedding photos. Our last few emails have gone unanswered. I get the feeling that they have moved on to their new customers (undoubtedly paying more than we did now that they have been around a little while) and could care less about their past clients.

This has been a huge let down for us, because we really loved them at first. But no wedding photographer is worth the trouble if they cannot deliver an album a year after the wedding.

Bottom line: good wedding photographers, but customer follow up is at your own risk. Like many wedding photographers, they are interested only in taking photos, not on the rest of the wedding package they promised.

EDITED FEB. 2009: Since posting this review, I have been contacted by two other y****s who have had similar experiences. These customers have received NO photos of their wedding at all (we at least have digital files) and P****a will not return their calls. Since posting this review, my calls and emails have also been ignored. Use this vendor at your own risk”.
It is true that you really are taking a risk. So, wise up and find that wedding photographer that you really deserve and will provide you with what you want.

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