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Weddings

About

So here you are, wanting to know a little bit more about me!

Primarily a wedding photographer, I’ve been in the industry for 10 years now. I’ve shot at numerous locations in the Bay Area, California, Hawaii (my favorite!). I’ve photographed over 250 or so weddings over the course of 10 years, met a handful of amazing clients, and surprisingly enough some of my former clients I can now call close friends, and some even family.

Consider this, if we do by chance end up working together, I will be the one aside from your partner, that will be by your side throughout one of the biggest days of your life. Weddings are kind of a big deal! Don’t get me wrong pretty pictures are great, so are awesome venues, styled wedding day themes and so forth, but first and foremost I value and would like to honor this human connection that I am hoping to build with you. I’d be lying to you if I told you I’ve never heard these questions from wedding guests: “So, how long have you been friends with the bride and groom?” “How do you know the family?” I’ve heard all of these and similar questions to this extent, which is why I’m excited over the connection we can build together in order for me to help you create something beautiful — something beautiful and captivating that you can share with your future children. I want you to be comfortable with who you two are as an individuals in front of the camera, because in the end, it’s the reason why you and the one you happen to be committing to, fell in love in the first place.

I didn’t start photographing weddings until after my partner in crime and I shared our big day together. It was always an intimidating thing to think about. The idea of being responsible as the one who was creating these memories for my clients. After we shared our wedding day together, it helped me to realize what was important to us as a couple.

Let’s make pretty pictures together, but at the same time let me freeze these moments on your day for you to look at and say to yourself, “Wow, I remember that exact moment!” or maybe, “Wow! I don’t even remember that exact moment!” I’d love for you to allow me that privilege of being the one to photograph these stories for you.

With that said, without getting too deep, I’m just your basic California bred guy/father/partner/friend. I love spending time with my partner and hanging out with my kids. Yes they can drive me crazy at times, partner and children, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Life and marriage is tough work, and I’m willing to put that in. Being a Bay Area native, I love the San Jose Sharks (failure and all), the GSW, and have an appreciation for baseball and football. I love good eats, craft cocktails, binging out on Netflix, video games, and I do, yes I do, NERD OUT on anything space related. Astrophotography, SpaceX launches, Sci-Fi movies, and so on.

If you’d like to know more about me, please don’t hesitate to reach out on my contact form, or even send me a message on Instagram. I’d love to connect with you and your loved ones, and hopefully create something beautiful with you.

Thanks for stopping by!

XO

Jonathan

  • Asian-owned
illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

Which of the following are included in the starting price?

High-Res Images
Slideshow
Digital Files

Which of the following are included in the price of your most popular wedding package?

Add'l Hours
Engagement Shoot
High-Res Images
One Event / Day
Slideshow
Digital Files

What primary photographic style do you identify with?

Natural
Photojournalism

What photography services do you offer?

Additional Hours
Destination / Travel
Engagement Shoot
High-Res Images
One Event / Day
Second Shooter
Wedding Portraits

What photography items do you offer?

Digital Files

Reviews of Encarnacion Photography

K
Kenny Sent on 09/24/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Excellent photographer for your big day

Where to start with Jonathan. First off the guy knows how to make you laugh 😂. He comes highly recommended from Saratoga Spring's vendor list. From the initial consultation to engagement shoot (included as a test run) and the actual wedding day, the man is full of jokes. You do not need to worry about knowing how to pose yourself for all the photos, the man can (gently) nudge you physically or with words to produce excellent photos. He will also work with you to gather all the necessary people for large family and friend portraits in an efficient manner! Jonathan also has great communication on any questions you may have via email or phone.
M
Marissa Sent on 08/15/2016
5 out of 5 rating
Jonathan and Joanne are the ultimate photography team! I loved looking through their gallery on their website and when I showed my then fiancé he agreed! Very prompt on their delivery of edits as well!
J
Jessica Sent on 02/03/2015
5 out of 5 rating

I contacted Encarnacion photography as well as a few other photographers to get more info and they contacted me back with lots of information, which I loved. Just from looking at their portfolio and blog, Chris and I were impressed and loved their style of work. We set up a Skype meeting with them because as they mentioned, it's important for them to connect with their clients and for us to feel comfortable with them.

We decided on Collection 2 which included:
+ 8 HOURS OF WEDDING DAY COVERAGE WITH JONATHAN + YOUR CHOICE OF ENGAGEMENT SESSION
OR SECOND PHOTOGRAPHER
+ ONLINE GALLERY TO SHARE WITH LOVED ONES + DIGITAL DOWNLOAD OF YOUR PHOTOS
+ RELEASE FORM WITH FULL PRINTING RIGHTS
(We went with the engagement session and also decided to add Rehearsal Dinner coverage.

We had our engagement session at the end of January so that we could send out our save the dates- our wedding date was August 8th, 2014. Anyways, at the engagement session, Chris and I were extremely uncomfortable in front of the camera so Johnathan started cracking jokes and we started to ease up. He was a very good director and we got a bunch of pictures we were able to use for save the date cards and for our invitation mini book.

We had our rehearsal dinner at Pedro's in Los Gatos and Johnathan was there to cover the dinner. The next day was our big day and Johnathan had met us at the hotel. I was getting ready at our suite and Chris was getting ready at one of his groomsmen's rooms and Johnathan managed to get a good amount of shots of us getting ready. He was nice enough to offer Chris and his groomsmen a ride to Nestldown so we didn't have to take the same shuttle. (Thanks again!)
When we got there, Johnathan was there taking pictures of me finishing up getting ready with all my bridesmaids. He set up a spot where Chris and I could do our First Look shots and all of the pictures looked amazing! We then took pictures with our bridesmaids and groomsmen before the cer
F
Frances Sent on 04/04/2011
5 out of 5 rating
My wedding was only yesterday, YESTERDAY (04/02/11), but I already feel compelled to tell the world about these absolutely PHENOMENAL PHOTOGRAPHERS!

Where should I begin? Maybe I should start by telling you that Jonathan and Joanne already provided me with professional photos less than 12 hours after my event, or should I tell you about how they made my entire bridal party and I laugh the entire wedding day? They not only kept my husband and I entertained and happy throughout the entire evening, but all of my guests also gushed about how fun they were to be around. Yup, that's definitely their trademark -- fun, fun and more fun. And, they are ALL about QUALITY when it comes to your photos. They won't stop shooting until they have the perfect shot. And their vision? Very original and creative. Heck, they can shoot you in any boring place and make it look amazing. I even have people ALREADY asking me who my photographers were so that they can hire them for their next event.

There are too many A-M-A-Z-I-N-G things to say about these photographers, but I will leave it at this -- professional, fun and sincere folks. If you choose Encarnacion Photography, you choose the BEST.
S
Jeni Sent on 02/03/2011
5 out of 5 rating
As a bride, it was completely important to find the RIGHT photographer to capture a very special day to me. We (my hubby and I) needed a photographer that wasn't your typical pretty wedding cookie cutter photographer. We wanted a very creative eye, a modern and contemporary perspective and photographer that understood us.

I was lucky to find them accidentally on Facebook. We were a little hesitant at first since they didn't have 10 years of experience under their belt and like hundreds of weddings in their portfolio either BUT I was impressed with their website and contacted them. They contacted me back with hours of my initial email to them. I was totally impressed by their professionalism, creativity and their attention to detail. They never made us feel like we were just clients.

Our engagement session with Jon was so fun and the pictures and the book they created were just gorgeous. I can't stop flipping through it.

When it came time to plan the wedding day, they were very helpful, made many recommendations that I did end up using and they were very detailed. It really built my confidence with every interaction with them that I absolutely made the right choice in photographers.

The day of the wedding, they were early and prepared beyond belief. It was so neat to watch them all walk in, cameras in hands, and just start shotting. The whole day was awesome. They were able to rally up my huge wedding party for photos when it was time and my bridal party absolutely loved working with them. It was more like a party during the wedding sessions then a photo session. With my wedding I also ordered up the BOOTH OF AMAZE. Essentially it was a simple white backdrop that all my guests could take photos to their hearts content. MY GUESTS LOVED IT and had lots of fun with it. Totally beat having an old school carnival style photobooth. The best part - the Encarnacion provided these HILARIOUS pre-made signs and my guests went to town. The pictures were awesome!!!

All in all, Encarnacion Photography was first class in their professionalism, they were great and super upbeat in their personalities and they totally helped make the wedding easy and enjoyable.
S
Shirley Sent on 01/01/2011
5 out of 5 rating
The Encarnacions are a wonderful team of husband and wife. They provide the best service and produce an incredible product! If you want quality pictures that are unique and beautiful, you need not look further than Encarnacion photography. My fiance and I could not have been any happier with the engagement pictures that we have received from them.
L
Marian Sent on 01/30/2010
5 out of 5 rating
This married couple duo is so awesome! They have a very fun, modern and fresh style. Their personality and style totally matched ours mainly since they're also a young couple with children like us, which is another plus for us. We felt that they could relate to us, like as if we've been friends with them forever. "Joann-athan" captures great pics. I've even had friends who used them for their weddings. Check out their website and blog! It's funky and fresh, yet still classy and professional, just like them. =)
K
Kathy Sent on 01/20/2010
5 out of 5 rating
I am so incredibly blown away by Joanne and Jonathan. A wedding is a once in a lifetime event.. I had booked the wrong kind of photographer a year and half in advance. Three weeks before the wedding, I realized that a photographer that was judgemental, hard to talk to, communicate with, and believes in "art" more than the "moment" is not the type of person I wanted to be around at my wedding. I fired that guy... and scrambled to find a new one. I thought I was lost until a friend that does photojournalism recommended Encarnacion Photography.

Joanne and Jonathan took my wedding on with such understanding and compassion that they blew us away. Incredibly responsive, always easy to reach, communication is not an issue with this team. They just get it.. the emotion, the feeling, the love in a moment.

Jonathan stayed with me the entire time, helping out on anything I needed, keeping the mood fun, smiling, and just plain silly so that my new husband and I could truly enjoy every single moment of that day - no matter what went wrong. The team is stealth! They take those moments that bring you back to that moment, that feeling... and it is incredibly priceless to have for our families, for us, and for our future children.

I had the most amazing time at my wedding, and I stand by the fact that you must have a great team behind you at your wedding with support.. friends, family, and great photographers. It was the most incredible moment of our lives and we relive those moments every time we see the photos. Thank you Encarnacion Photography for helping to make our wedding nothing short of amazing.
A
Andrea Sent on 03/23/2009
5 out of 5 rating
Encarnacion Photography is absolutely AMAZING!!!!! We were lucky enough to be referred to them by a friend and were surprised by the quality of work that was to follow. My wife and I went to Encarnacion Photography for both our engagement and wedding photos. Jonathan was so personable and working with him was like working with a friend. His ability to keep up with our sarcasm and dirty sense of humor made it even better! Don't get us wrong...he's very professional and knows how to get a great shot really quickly. At our wedding we were lucky enough to have Jonathan and his wife Joanne photograph the day. They worked so well together and their energy made the day that much better. We absolutely recommend Encarnacion Photography to everyone whether you're getting married or just want to take family photos. We loved working with Jonathan and Joanne and we're currently brainstorming a good reason to take photos again!
J
Jean Sent on 10/14/2008
5 out of 5 rating
Jonathan is very talented and personable! I hired him to shoot my Catholic ceremony last month. Working with him was fun! Even my bridal party had an amazing time shooting with him. His easy going personality and humor made us feel comfortable throughout the shoot despite all the stress that was going on that day. In addition to being talented and personable, Jonathan is also artist. He was able to capture our moments in ways I couldn't have imagined. He never rushed us and took his time to perfect some shots in different locations. He's also very professional, from being on time for meetings and shoots.

Despite not being in the business that long, Jonathan really has the potential to be one of the most sought after wedding photographers in California. His techniques and lighting skills are awesome. When he forwarded me my slideshow a day after the wedding, I was really impressed. The images he captured were not only natural, they were vibrant and edgy. I started to imagine all the future family, dog, and children photoshoots that we would like to have him do for us.

Overall, I had a wonderful experience working with Jonathan and Joanne from booking through the actual event. Throughout most of the wedding planning, I was stressed out to the max because of work and issues with family. They were understanding and even listened when I had to vent about the wedding planning at times. They always assured me that everything would be ok. Their show of concern and ability to be patient with me showed how much they care about their clients. In addition to being patient, they are very easy and flexible to deal with. Since I wasn't sure which photo package suited me based on the menu, they gave me the option to customize a package based on my wants, needs, budget, and hours of coverage. I find those qualities important when you're dealing with vendors. Wedding photography is an investment and its important that you're comfortable working with people you can trust.

I highly recommend Encarnacion Photography for your wedding or family event! You should book them ASAP since their prices are unbelievable for the quality of images you get. I wouldn't be surprised if their prices increase any day now. Hurry up and book them now!!!

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Awards

14
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2011 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2010 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

1 Endorsement
Styles by Ann, Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Styles by Ann, Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Wedding Hair & Makeup

Encaracion is awesome! They are professional and their work is very modern and very nice. All my customers that have used them have loved them and will rave about them over and over again!

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Map

Addresses map

Encarnacion Photography frequently asked questions

Encarnacion Photography includes the following photography services in the starting price:
  • High-Res Images
  • Slideshow
  • Digital Files
Encarnacion Photography includes the following photography services in their most popular wedding package:
  • Add'l Hours
  • Engagement Shoot
  • High-Res Images
  • One Event / Day
  • Slideshow
  • Digital Files
Encarnacion Photography offers the following photography styles:
  • Natural
  • Photojournalism
Encarnacion Photography offers the following photography services for weddings:
  • Additional Hours
  • Destination / Travel
  • Engagement Shoot
  • High-Res Images
  • One Event / Day
  • Second Shooter
  • Wedding Portraits
Encarnacion Photography offers the following photography materials for weddings:
  • Digital Files
Encarnacion Photography is recommended by 94% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.7 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.8 in value, 4.7 in flexibility, 4.7 in professionalism, 4.6 in quality of service and 4.5 in average response time.

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