ABOUT ME
Life Behind the lens :)
Hey, I’m James.
I’m here for the simple joys in life—good times, great people, and creating art out of memories.
I absolutely love connecting with people and finding that sweet common ground, especially when it isn’t immediately obvious. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of so many amazing moments, turning them into timeless images.
I’m a big fan of all things arty & techy, spontaneous road trips, hikes, and beach days. Music festivals & raves? Heaven on earth. I'm a lifelong musician and have been playing piano since I was five years old. You might even spot me onstage sometime under my DJ alias, tames! I also love video games, anime & film, which inspire my artistic approach. My passion for cinema influences my cinematic editing style, bringing rich tones, intentional lighting, and storytelling compositions to my wedding photography—like stills from a movie.
I also have an amazing partner, Jamie, who teaches meditation & sound healing (yes, she does weddings!), and together we have a delightfully derpy chihuahua rescue named Robyn. :)
Back in college (I’m only 31, but it feels like forever ago), I started experiencing digestive issues that doctors couldn’t pinpoint. Turns out, it was IBD all along. Without a diagnosis at the time, nothing worked, and I found myself out of work and school just when life was supposed to be taking off.
To cope, I started taking landscape photos on my phone, escaping into nature whenever I could. I soon noticed that I felt way better when I was outside shooting, and before long, photography became both a creative outlet and a key part of my holistic healing process. I started gaining traction by sharing my photography on Instagram, and with the encouragement of some incredible people, I decided to pursue photography full-time.
One of those amazing humans was Blake Andrews—local legend, true homie, and founder of SLOtography. He saw something in me and mentored me for years, and we still work alongside each other at SLOtography.
Fast forward to today.
Nearly a decade later, I've had the honor & privilege of capturing 140+ weddings and being published in numerous blogs & publications, including The New York Times + Rock & Roll Bride! I still work with my talented SLOtography crew while running my own brand, which I launched in 2017 (you are here!).
On the side, I’m also a Certified Pro Airbnb Photographer and have shot countless Airbnbs across California. I’ve even hosted a few successful art shows featuring my landscape photography.
I love all types of photography, but weddings & elopements remain my passion. I’m a total sap for love, and it’s a joy to document one of life’s most beautiful moments.
I’m also a lifelong ally of love in all its expressions, and in my sessions I strive to create a safe space for people of all identities, backgrounds, shapes & sizes to be their fullest & realest selves. In 2020, I took this commitment a step further by becoming a LGBTQ+ Inclusive Certified Photographer with EquallyWed Pro and continue to learn how to be a better ally for my LGBTQ+ couples & beloved friends in the community.
My values & approach.
I believe love is for everyone. In 2020, I became an LGBTQ+ Inclusive Certified Photographer through EquallyWed Pro, deepening my commitment to creating a safe space for couples of all identities, backgrounds, shapes, and sizes. I’m also a big believer in therapy & inner work, always striving to be a kinder and safer human, both in my personal life and in my business.
Put simply: I show up for my clients with my heart on my sleeve. Let’s create something beautiful together.
I can’t wait to meet you! ♥
Interested? HIT ME UP! I’d love to hear from you.
I typically respond within 24-48 hours, though response times may vary depending on the season. Thanks so much for your patience—I appreciate it!
Haley & Brian`s stunning wedding at Wolf Lakes Park, CA is now live on the blog. Privileged to witness their love at such a stunning venue. Special shoutout to White Claw for basically sponsoring this wedding lol. Check out the full blog post (link in bio) for more unforgettable moments. 📸 #WeddingPhotography #FresnoPhotographer #WhiteClawWeddings
If you or anyone you know is looking for a wedding photographer specializing in soulful, cinematic wedding photos that don`t things *too* seriously, I`d love to connect. 😊
Shoot me a DM or inquire directly through my website (link in bio).
Much love! 🥰
capturing the joy and the beauty of two best friends embarking on a lifetime journey together is what makes my work so fulfilling. 🙏🏻
cheers to all the love, laughter, and happily ever afters, my friends. 🥂💕
p.s. share this with your boo. 😘
#marryingmybestfriend #californiaweddingphotographer #loveandlaughter #bridetobevibes #engagementphotoideas
Happy engagement season! 🥰
I love getting to connect with couples in this way before their wedding day. Having time to chat, get comfortable in front of the camera and enjoy stunning sunset views…it’s always such a joy getting to capture these moments over a fun adventure together. 😊
Here’s a couple of recent engagement sessions from this winter season so far! Much love everyone. 💕
A little late to the new year’s reflections bandwagon as always, but dude 2024 was absolutely bonkers. I don’t know how I got through it, but I’m proud of myself for once. It’s been a delicate balancing act of keeping my head down, hustling hard & enjoying the fruits of my labor whenever a new achievement unlocked. I’ve long been observant to the cycles of good karma & blessings that manifest when you commit to your healing, learn your lessons, practice good communication + boundaries, feel your feelings, transmute your pain into art & spread love every day. While more subtly noticed when I was younger, these positive ripples are fully realized for me now and I am so grateful to be finally living my best life lately. That’s not to say it’s been an easy year though. Probably the hardest year ever tbh. Duality is wild lol. I worked my booty off everyday, wearing so many hats, capturing 37 weddings (new record!), dozens of airbnbs and other shoots, while putting basically all my free time into a budding music career. I also healed from a brutal two-year flare-up of ulcerative colitis (shout-out @cedarssinai), got off of mind-dulling anxiety medication, got my ADHD under better control after finally getting diagnosed last year & somehow made it out alive in this all-time busy time. There’s no sign of things slowing down either, but I feel confident in my ability to face the challenges that will inevitably come this year. I believe life never throws anything that you can’t overcome until it’s your time to leave this earth. So keep learning your lessons, keep making your art, keep in touch with community, tell your people you love them, tell yourself how loved you are & never ever give up on the ride my friends. The best is yet to come I promise. Love you all. Thank you so much for supporting me all these years. Happy New Year. 😘💕🌈
There’s really nothing quite like the fairytale vibes of @chateaunoland ~ always so happy when I get to work out here. Even better when I have the honor of documenting a beautiful wedding for a sweet, gracious (and fun!) couple like A&J. So stoked on how these turned out, and can’t wait to get the final gallery wrapped up soon! Congrats again 😊💕✨
Grateful for so much lately - too much for me to put into an Instagram post tbh. 😅
But I will say how grateful I am to K&C for inviting me to capture their sweet elopement on 11/11 ✨
We were due for rain all day, but the universe had other plans and blessed us up with the most beautiful winter sunset. Ahhh, moments like these…magic. 😌
Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season filled with beauty and quality time with loved ones. Much love. 💗
Nassim and Ben’s wedding at Ragged Point Inn was pure magic. With the breathtaking Big Sur cliffs and ocean as their backdrop, their day was filled with love, laughter, and beautiful cultural traditions. From the elegant sofreh aghd to the joyous dancing to the gorgeously sunny weather, every moment was wrapped in beauty and the kind of love that rekindles the soul. Here’s to a lifetime as vibrant as the coast that witnessed their vows. 🌊✨🥂 #BigSurWedding #RaggedPointInn #SofrehAghd #PersianWedding #CaliforniaWeddingPhotographer #WeddingTeaser #SLOtography
Shoutout to this wonderful vendor fam as well (def missing some peeps here) - couldn’t do any of this without you! ❤️
@slotography (me + @videobyrobin)
@storiestoldbyfilm
@realcrushevents
@raggedpointinn
Tangled up in you… 🌿💕✨
Sweet & mellow newlywed couples session with Ashley & Dylan after they tied the knot in OC the day before! They wanted green colors in their pics and, well, ain’t much green in the wild this time of year so we roamed around the Leaning Pine Arboretum at @calpoly instead. 😍
We connected instantly over our love of raves & dance music and had a lovely little walk thru these beautiful gardens. Gorgeous greenery & good vibes all around. I feel so blessed to have such a fun career where I get to meet such sweet & inspiring people. Congrats again, Ashley & Dylan! 🥰
Sarah & Niels def passed the #slocal vibe check - y’all are a fabulous couple! Thanks for having me! 😎🙌🏻
Such a fun time strolling thru @downtownslo (shout out @fremontslo + @buonatavolaslo + @booboorecords) as we captured couples portraits, before they later commemorated their love with a sweet lil elopement at the SLO Courthouse. We ultimately made our way to @novorestaurant for a lovely dinner party with the fam. I don’t shoot downtown often enough so it was inspiring finding new creative scenes to play with!
Thanks again you two cuties! 💕
