Ian Chin was a magician in his former life, I swear. Heard the saying "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade?" Well let me tell ya, Mr. Ian Chin is Minute Maid, himself! So my boyfriend proposes to me under the Golden Gate Bridge at Fort Point Military base (yeah, romantic right?) Anyways, its cold, its dreary, its rainy. All this to say, that this gloomy day in San Francisco showed no mercy on my appearance. My hair is frizzy, and no makeup in sight.
My now-fiance hired Ian to be a part of our special day, and I knew nothing about it. I was ashamed and embarrassed at the fact that these pictures would capture every element of my flaws that day, however Ian remained optimistic. He assured me that I still looked great, and that our pictures we going to turn out amazing. And he didn't lie.
We received the pictures in less than 72 hours, and I was dumbfounded. How did he make such a monotonous day look so enchanting, so beautiful? Tom and I are more than happy with the stunning proposal pictures that Ian took. His creativity and professionalism made that special day in our lives much more memorable. Thanks Ian!
Thomas and Meghan
My now-fiance hired Ian to be a part of our special day, and I knew nothing about it. I was ashamed and embarrassed at the fact that these pictures would capture every element of my flaws that day, however Ian remained optimistic. He assured me that I still looked great, and that our pictures we going to turn out amazing. And he didn't lie.
We received the pictures in less than 72 hours, and I was dumbfounded. How did he make such a monotonous day look so enchanting, so beautiful? Tom and I are more than happy with the stunning proposal pictures that Ian took. His creativity and professionalism made that special day in our lives much more memorable. Thanks Ian!
Thomas and Meghan
Ian is an amazing photographer and couldn't be happier with how our pictures turned out! My husband and I did a simple ceremony at San Francisco City Hall on August 5, 2016 and Ian was able to capture the magic, love and amazing structures of City Hall for our special day!
Since he was familiar with the venue, it was a breeze to get the best angles that both showoff the space and how handsome we are :)
Ian also got our family in order for their shots and listened to our requests. Everyone who has seen our pictures have complimented how awesome they were and we have Ian to thank for that!
Look no further for someone who is flexible, knowledgeable, and captures the memories of your special day!
Thank you again Ian!
Alfredo and Brian
Since he was familiar with the venue, it was a breeze to get the best angles that both showoff the space and how handsome we are :)
Ian also got our family in order for their shots and listened to our requests. Everyone who has seen our pictures have complimented how awesome they were and we have Ian to thank for that!
Look no further for someone who is flexible, knowledgeable, and captures the memories of your special day!
Thank you again Ian!
Alfredo and Brian
A little over due but Ian was one of our engagement photographers! He isn't afraid to get down and dirty and has a wonderful artistic eye. We did our e-shoot at Crissy Field/Presidio on a cold August evening. He was our favorite photographer to work with and I don't think any of his pictures looked the "same." I feel like a lot of professional photographers go for the same look or angles with their photos. I've even seen some do what he calls the "Instagram effect" where it looks like a slightly blurry photo.
He isn't available for our wedding, but we're so fortunate to have him do our engagement shoot. He does it all - weddings, engagement shoots, birthdays, and even boudoir photos. He took classes from a Playboy photographer, so his images are less whimsical kinda soft lines typical boudior shoot style and makes you feel more like a centerfold. I highly recommend Ian for all of your professional photographer needs.
Catherine and Ryan
He isn't available for our wedding, but we're so fortunate to have him do our engagement shoot. He does it all - weddings, engagement shoots, birthdays, and even boudoir photos. He took classes from a Playboy photographer, so his images are less whimsical kinda soft lines typical boudior shoot style and makes you feel more like a centerfold. I highly recommend Ian for all of your professional photographer needs.
Catherine and Ryan
This review is a little overdue, but I have just come back to visit my wife's family here in SF (we live in Australia). We just showed everyone the DVD of our photos from our wedding in April when I suddenly realized that I forgot to tell the world how awesome Ian's photos are! He managed to capture the emotion of everyone so incredibly well and his unique perspectives for some of his shots were really really cool. The man is a true professional and I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Kate and Ben
Kate and Ben
Ian did our engagement photo shoot this past Sunday (2/21/16) and it was great. We just received our photos today and they are fantastic! He really captured us exactly how we wanted. I especially love the candid photos where we are laughing because it is so us. He did some amazing shots from different angles, distance, etc. He definitely has a great artistic eye and you can tell he loves what he does. We highly recommend him. Thanks Ian!
Nikki and Cory
Nikki and Cory
Highly recommended!
At first I didn't think we needed a photographer, thought we had some gifted friends who could take care of it, but I'm so glad we decided to get one and that our photographer was Ian! A really nice guy, with a good eye - we did a standard wedding package, which was equal to or cheaper than other photographers we were checking out, and it came with an engagement shoot, where we got some lovely shots of us looking so happy together.
At the wedding, Ian also managed to capture some great shots of friends and family, as well as us. He also covered our reception, and we have lovely group shots from that event. Thanks again so much for your excellent work, Ian!
Aravinda and Nevin
At first I didn't think we needed a photographer, thought we had some gifted friends who could take care of it, but I'm so glad we decided to get one and that our photographer was Ian! A really nice guy, with a good eye - we did a standard wedding package, which was equal to or cheaper than other photographers we were checking out, and it came with an engagement shoot, where we got some lovely shots of us looking so happy together.
At the wedding, Ian also managed to capture some great shots of friends and family, as well as us. He also covered our reception, and we have lovely group shots from that event. Thanks again so much for your excellent work, Ian!
Aravinda and Nevin
Ian was hired by my boyfriend (now my fiancé) to shoot our proposal. He was easy to work with and gave Bryan advice in order to get the best photos. There wasn't a place to "hide" during the proposal, but Ian did a great job of staying far enough away to give us our privacy but still get GREAT shots. After the proposal, Ian suggested some areas that would make for nice photos. He directed and staged us, which was so helpful. Ian was kind and chatted with us throughout the entire process.
Our proposal was on a Saturday and Ian sent us the link to ur photos on Monday before noon! Such a quick turnaround.
These photos will be treasured forever and I am so, so grateful that Bryan's Yelp search turned up Ian. We cannot recommend him enough!
Thank you Ian, for priceless photographs and a wonderful session!
Vanesa and Bryan
Our proposal was on a Saturday and Ian sent us the link to ur photos on Monday before noon! Such a quick turnaround.
These photos will be treasured forever and I am so, so grateful that Bryan's Yelp search turned up Ian. We cannot recommend him enough!
Thank you Ian, for priceless photographs and a wonderful session!
Vanesa and Bryan
Let us say right up front: planning for a wedding can be pretty nerve wracking. We had no particular recommendations for a wedding photographer, so we searched around and hoped for the best. No exaggeration: we hit the jackpot! Having Ian shoot our wedding was one of the best and most fortunate decisions we made!
We first had a meet and greet session at our home with Ian, and immediately had a very comfortable, yet professional rapport with him. Ian was a good listener, clearly knowledgeable, and had insightful advice on how to optimize the photography angle of our wedding. The package we chose included an engagement session which took place a few weeks before the wedding. We are so glad we included the engagement session! We got to see Ian work from behind the lens, and although we were a bit nervous, he made us feel comfortable in our shoes, and we actually had fun. When we got the photos of the engagement session back, we immediately knew that we picked the right guy as our wedding photographer. The professional quality of the shots....the way Ian captured us at that session....we knew we had a great photographer for our wedding!
Ian was phenomemal at the wedding itself. There were a number of instances when groups of people weren't together for certain shots, and sequences of shots had to be changed at the last minute. Ian just went with it beautifully....he calmly improvised based on the changes, and he still got all the shots! Ian was a pro all the way, and the final results proved it: we absolutely LOVE our wedding photos. Ian knew how to make the right suggestions for the posed shots, and caught all of the important moments, at the right angles, during the ceremony.
Of course, we ultimately wished for professional photos that would capture our wedding day as we remember it, and cherish them always. Ian did all of this beautifully......we feel SO fortunate to have chosen Ian to do our wedding!
Alethea and Jim
We first had a meet and greet session at our home with Ian, and immediately had a very comfortable, yet professional rapport with him. Ian was a good listener, clearly knowledgeable, and had insightful advice on how to optimize the photography angle of our wedding. The package we chose included an engagement session which took place a few weeks before the wedding. We are so glad we included the engagement session! We got to see Ian work from behind the lens, and although we were a bit nervous, he made us feel comfortable in our shoes, and we actually had fun. When we got the photos of the engagement session back, we immediately knew that we picked the right guy as our wedding photographer. The professional quality of the shots....the way Ian captured us at that session....we knew we had a great photographer for our wedding!
Ian was phenomemal at the wedding itself. There were a number of instances when groups of people weren't together for certain shots, and sequences of shots had to be changed at the last minute. Ian just went with it beautifully....he calmly improvised based on the changes, and he still got all the shots! Ian was a pro all the way, and the final results proved it: we absolutely LOVE our wedding photos. Ian knew how to make the right suggestions for the posed shots, and caught all of the important moments, at the right angles, during the ceremony.
Of course, we ultimately wished for professional photos that would capture our wedding day as we remember it, and cherish them always. Ian did all of this beautifully......we feel SO fortunate to have chosen Ian to do our wedding!
Alethea and Jim
Ian is AWESOME!! My husband and I had a last minute elopement (with our two daughters) at San Francisco's City Hall, and we needed a photographer to capture the moment. Luckily, Ian was available.
About two days before the ceremony, I realized that we needed a witness....which of course, it just being us and our girls, we didn't have. I asked Ian, on short notice, if he could be a witness for our wedding, and he graciously said, "yes, I'd be honored to." He arrived early (before us, in fact), and as we were waiting for our marriage license, he began taking pictures.
The moment I met Ian, I felt that we were in good hands. He is extremely professional, patient, creative, and kind! I had no idea what type of style I wanted for our photos, and that was fine, Ian took care of it all. I plan to hire Ian again on our next trip to San Francisco for a second round of family photos.
Pick Ian Chin as your photographer, you definitely wont be disappointed!
Thank you for all the wonderful memories, Ian!!
Danielle and Albert
About two days before the ceremony, I realized that we needed a witness....which of course, it just being us and our girls, we didn't have. I asked Ian, on short notice, if he could be a witness for our wedding, and he graciously said, "yes, I'd be honored to." He arrived early (before us, in fact), and as we were waiting for our marriage license, he began taking pictures.
The moment I met Ian, I felt that we were in good hands. He is extremely professional, patient, creative, and kind! I had no idea what type of style I wanted for our photos, and that was fine, Ian took care of it all. I plan to hire Ian again on our next trip to San Francisco for a second round of family photos.
Pick Ian Chin as your photographer, you definitely wont be disappointed!
Thank you for all the wonderful memories, Ian!!
Danielle and Albert
Ian did a fantastic job with our wedding photos at City Hall in San Francisco. He advised us on how to schedule the photos to make best use of the space, what to expect at City Hall, and where to take group and individual photos. We had a very large and unwieldy group that he charmed into position with deft and polite instructions. Everyone raved about his amazing ability to quickly position the group and take gorgeous photos in a short period of time. We feel so lucky to have found Ian and worked with him. I don't think we could have found anyone else who could live up to his amazing skill. We also really appreciated that he gave us the negatives for the photos when he was finished. We cannot recommend Ian highly enough.
Camille and Gus
Camille and Gus
Ian shot my surprise marriage proposal on Treasure Island. He was very helpful in working with me to come up with angles and background shots, flash vs. no flash, etc. We did a consultation on T.I. a couple of weeks beforehand so he would know where to shoot from so as not to be noticed, and he told me where I should stand.
The morning of, my fiance arrived later than planned, so Ian and I were standing it the cold wind for quite a while. He was very patient for that and we just chatted to calm my nerves--much appreciated!
Everything turned out as planned, and the photos look fantastic! His rates are affordable and the quality and service was top notch. Highly recommend for your photography needs!
Matthew Lewis
The morning of, my fiance arrived later than planned, so Ian and I were standing it the cold wind for quite a while. He was very patient for that and we just chatted to calm my nerves--much appreciated!
Everything turned out as planned, and the photos look fantastic! His rates are affordable and the quality and service was top notch. Highly recommend for your photography needs!
Matthew Lewis
I have always felt awkward in front of cameras and my 4-year-old daughter always shies away from photographers as well, but Ian just has a knack for making me, my husband, and my daughter feel comfortable during our photo shoots. It is extremely difficult to take a decent picture of my daughter since she refuses to smile on cue or look at cameras, but Ian had so many tricks to get her laughing and because of this, he has been unbelievably successful at capturing numerous, endearing photos of her.
Ian has been our go-to photographer for 4 years now! And there are several reasons why we keep calling him up, year after year. We trust his artistic eye. We trust his ability to capture social moments. We trust him to make every photo shoot fun and comfortable.
He's very professional, yet approachable. Turn around times for photos are short, which is perfect for any family who is anxious to see the finished photos. His work never ceases to impress.
The holiday season is upon us and I have already scheduled my holiday photo shoot with him because I wanted to make absolute sure my family and I got on his calendar.
All-around great photographer. Highly recommend.
Ella Mei Lincoln
Ian has been our go-to photographer for 4 years now! And there are several reasons why we keep calling him up, year after year. We trust his artistic eye. We trust his ability to capture social moments. We trust him to make every photo shoot fun and comfortable.
He's very professional, yet approachable. Turn around times for photos are short, which is perfect for any family who is anxious to see the finished photos. His work never ceases to impress.
The holiday season is upon us and I have already scheduled my holiday photo shoot with him because I wanted to make absolute sure my family and I got on his calendar.
All-around great photographer. Highly recommend.
Ella Mei Lincoln
Ian is just awesome! My partner and I used him to capture our San Francisco City Hall wedding moments and were amazed at his photography! Ian proved to us that you don't need to pay big $$ to capture your special moments! With Ian you "don't just get what you pay for"; you get so much more and from such a kind person! He was so professional from our first dealings with him till we received our finished photos (they were wonderful by the way)! We almost skipped on having a wedding photographer, I am so glad we didn't and thank you Ian!
Chuck and Tom
Chuck and Tom
We hired Ian for our SF City Hall wedding, 6/19/15. This happened to be the same day as City Hall's 100 year anniversary party and the whole rotunda was roped off, but luckily he knows all the beautiful secluded spots that make for great photos. We hired him for an hour and a half, which I think was just the perfect amount of time for the ceremony, a couple of family shots, and both posed and candid of just the two of us. He made us both feel at ease and brought out our true smiles, which can be hard to do. Thank you Ian for our lovely photos!!!
Lisa and Chris
Lisa and Chris
Thanks you very much Ian for doing such a first class job. The pictures you took for our wedding were excellent. It was very kind of you also to be our witness. You made us feel so relaxed and we had such a really enjoyable time. We would strongly recommend Ian as he is so warm and friendly yet he can do such a professional job. The photographs speaks for themselves.
Brian and Niamh
Brian and Niamh
Ian is very professional and very wonderful to work with. He recently did our wedding and my family thought he was great. He is great when it comes to kids and knowing how hyper and grumpy they can be lol. My son gave him a hard time. Sorry Ian!! I loved working with him and I know he will make you happy to!!!
Thank you so much Ian for helping make our little wedding special!!
Hawaii is next!!! See you soon!
-Michael and Crystal Galindo
Thank you so much Ian for helping make our little wedding special!!
Hawaii is next!!! See you soon!
-Michael and Crystal Galindo