5 out 5 - are you thinking to yourself "this is too good to be true?" Or perhaps "this review has got to be from this photographer's friend or relative." Ha - I don't blame you. Before having met Jana, I would've been skeptical too; especially since these days, photographers seem like a dime a dozen - especially in LA - and reviews are such easy things to write, say as a favor for a good friend. But the review you are about to read is strictly written from a client perspective - a very satisfied client at that. And what I'm about to share with you is a long hidden secret - a gem in the world of photography - Jana Williams.

My husband and I just got married on August 20th, 2011 and Jana was our lead photog. She was exceptional. Her passion for photography is probably the first thing you will notice (well, after you get over her gorgeous smile that is) - and her dedication to creating the most perfect shots was inspiring. I met with Jana twice before our wedding - she was super-flexible with our meeting times and very accessible via email. I promised her a dream board of shots that I liked but when things got a little hectic in that final week before our wedding and I hadn't sent it to her; she took the initiative to contact me to remind me to send them. Many photogs wouldn't have done that and would have just taken shots that they personally liked. (Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a photog's vision - especially since they are the pros. But I also like a pro that listens to what I like too - and then produces for me an end product that is a combination of both of our visions). I appreciated Jana's initiative and her respect for what I wanted. To add more kudos to her availability and flexibility, shortly after our wedding, we needed some shots for publishing purposes, when I contacted Jana, she responded to me with what I needed in the same day! I was very impressed. Now, almost a month after the wedding, I’m looking for a few more shots for some additional publishing needs and once again, she is still on the same response schedule – right away. She’s definitely not one of those vendors that bids “adieu” to you as soon as the wedding is over and you have paid their fee. She’s extremely helpful and always very responsive despite her demanding travel schedule. It made, and continues to make us feel, important as clients.

I would say that one of Jana's best assets is her beautiful personality - it's so bright, bubbly and happy - it's infectious. She has this way of making you (and even your most camera shy or anti-camera family and friends) feel at ease (and even coming out of their shells) - it's fantastic. Then, there's her professionalism. The second Jana gets behind the lens, it's game time and she's all business. Still super sweet, she’s focused on getting the right shots from all angles and in all the right kinds of light. She's not afraid to take control to get the shots she wants – while still being super polite to all other vendors she has to work with (for us, it was our videographers). And a big plus - she makes you feel like a star when she's shooting you. Jana’s dedication and professionalism made me feel comfortable on two fronts - relaxed so I could look good for the camera during one of the single most important days my life and also, I was without a doubt that Jana was capturing all the best shots for us of our special day. I didn’t have to baby-sit. For a serious control-freak like me, that kind of comfort is a level of trust that is priceless. Jana was able to provide that for us.

And at the risk of making this review any longer, I have to add that Jana's cool and collected attitude despite all the chaos that can be a wedding - made me feel so much calmer. We were running a bit behind schedule that day (due to events unrelated to photography) and normally, I would've completely been impatient and in a rush, but Jana's coolness kept me completely distracted and very relaxed. Again, priceless.

In terms of her quality of work, I’m going to keep this mention short because if you've already visited her site - I'm sure you’ve already concluded that her work is simply gorgeous. And if you haven’t seen samples of her work yet – go take a gander at her site pronto. Her work has already been published on several popular wedding blogs! The teaser shots that we've received of our wedding have been breathtaking - and in the words of many Facebook & Instagram friends - "beautiful," "gorgeous," "amazing, and (my favorite) "dreamy." I can't wait to see the rest of our wedding collection. Hands-down – both my husband and I love her work.

To conclude this review, I have to mention that through the two years that we were engaged, we must have looked up and researched at least 60 photographers. We had very high standards for the photographer that we were going to hire for our wedding. Reading all the couples' reviews, then interviewing and meeting with at least 25 of the photographers who we thought met our standards – all this before meeting Jana. So I know how mind-numbing and tiring (and often frustrating) this process can be – tediously reading all the reviews (god-forbid a photographer having mixed reviews) and taking the time to see which one works best for the quality that you want and your budget. I hope that my review, though long, has served to at least show you that Jana is worth looking into and perhaps even contacting for a meet with her. I don't think you’ll be disappointed. She is a creative genius in {wedding} photography, and her visions through her work are absolutely fabulous. Despite that fact that many of our friends are professional photographers, since meeting Jana, she is now my resident go-to photographer.

I leave you with this: be sure you don’t settle – find the photographer that is a good, if not perfect, fit for you guys. For us, our perfect fit was Jana. Good luck!