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Stephanie Secrest Photography

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Wedding Photographer
Main Office Location: By Appointment Only
Alameda, CA 94501
Contact: Stephanie Secrest
Phone: 510/337-9796
www.secrestweddings.com
  Request more information from Stephanie Secrest Photography
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Service Area:

Northern California





Stephanie Secrest Photography

Services

Stephanie Secrest says, “You know those pictures you’ve seen of a co-worker’s wedding, and she looks really stiff and all the emotions look fake and forced? Almost painful? Yea—that’s not me at all.” With the experience of shooting hundreds of weddings and an upbeat, friendly personality, Stephanie puts her couples at ease, which makes for natural, vibrant and storytelling photos.

She has a photojournalistic, artsy style and pays close attention to the light, yet above all else, she stands by the belief that wedding photography should capture the intangible liveliness and joy of each moment.

Wedding Packages start at $2900 and include all digital files.

Certified By The Guide Reviews

(What does this mean?)
These Reviews are from real brides who have used this vendor's services—pulled straight from their Certified by The Guide reference check. We only post reviews that we have collected, so we can feel confident that they are the real deal. Yes, we know. We're control freaks.

“Stephanie is a true photojournalist and a spectacular wedding photographer. We have stunning photos to last a lifetime.”

“If a couple is looking to trust a true artist and professional, they should feel confident in letting Stephanie do what she does best…telling your story through photographs.”

“Her presence made me feel taken care of and almost like a movie star! I felt very calm and even comfortable enough to get silly with her at times (which made for really fun photos!)”

“We were THRILLED with Stephanie’s service. She was incredibly responsive and has continued to be responsive now, almost two years after the wedding.”

“She was extremely professional, wrote down (in detail) exactly what we wanted, and even suggested some fun photos that I hadn’t even thought of!”

“Stephanie was totally awesome on the day of our wedding. She was hands-down the most professional service provider we had at our wedding.”

“She’s genuinely the sweetest person ever!”

“We were very happy with the service Stephanie provided. She was clear, upfront about price and contract needs, and most importantly, she was always timely with appointments as well as the day of our event.”

“Stephanie captured all the photos we hoped she would and everything we discussed. We were looking for a photojournalistic style, and Stephanie provided exactly that.”

“Stephanie was great from start to finish.”

“She has a very fast turnaround with the photos—she puts them all online for viewing so quickly. She also offers a free photo session with her wedding couples after they have their first baby, whenever that may be!”

“I was blown away with the amount of photos that Stephanie took! She captured every moment of my wedding that I wanted and in the exact style that I had hoped for.”

“With her background and storytelling abilities, I knew she would be able to find shots and ideas that would exceed our desires.  Being a blur as many wedding days go, it was wonderful to see the moments she captured where I was either distracted or not present.”

“She really goes above and beyond. Let her suggest unique and creative ideas, she’s amazing at that.”

Questions and Answers

What 3 words best describe your work? Perfection, masterful composition, playful. (I was never good with math!) ;)

Why should someone hire you? Having experienced 25 years of working for the press as a photographer has made me extremely quick on my feet and capable of responding to any situation. I’ve even sewn a bride into her dress when no one else knew what to do (photos on my website!).

Tell us something unique about your company. I offer free baby portraits for life for all of my couples!

What drew you to this field/how did you get started? My father was a newspaperman and I grew up at the newspaper and around journalism. I was brought up learning how to tell effective stories with photos. I also have my Master’s degree in Photojournalism from one of the top schools in the country. It was a no-brainer!

What are some sources of inspiration or influences on your work? I rely on those photographers who have been mavericks of their time (mainly the master photographers from the Farm Security Administration, 1935-1944). I’ve studied their style of composition and lighting for years. I also hang out in museums, studying the Dutch Golden Age painters and the way they created magic through their dreamy lighting with brush strokes. I watch for this light during a wedding day or I re-create it.

What is the best advice you give a couple when planning their wedding? I think the best advice I could give a couple getting married is to assign a point person for their wedding day. Someone who can make decisions so the bride and groom aren’t bothered with the barrage of questions that most likely occur on a wedding day.

What's your favorite quote? “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” —Antoine de Saint-Exupery, "The Little Prince"

Stephanie Secrest Photography Covers These Areas:

Northern California
  - East Bay
  - Napa and Sonoma Wine Country
  - North Bay / Marin
  - Peninsula
  - San Francisco
  - South Bay / San Jose
  - Tri-Valley and Livermore Wine Country
- And other areas by special arrangement.
(What's this?)
This is a list of the areas that Stephanie Secrest Photography normally serves. However, be sure to ask them if they’ll be able to work at your particular location.

In Business Since 1996


Wedding Services > Northern California > Wedding Photographer

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