Wedding Photographer - Your search stops here
My wife and I had the pleasure of working with Neal Kreuser Photography for our recent wedding, and we could not be more satisfied with the way he handled every aspect of the photography. We felt a connection with Neal almost right away, during our initial consultation. We had lots of questions, but never felt rushed or pressured.
One of Neal’s biggest strengths (apart from his skill with the camera) is his down to earth personality. In a different context, this would be a guy who you would want to have a beer with. At the same time, he exudes professionalism and confidence in his work.
He knows his stuff, especially concerning lighting. He knows how to capture the sunset in a way that makes the picture pop and sparkle. It’s just on another level.
One of the things that really sets Neal apart is his willingness to do *whatever it takes* to get the perfect shot. There were at least two occasions where Neal almost killed himself - literally - because he was so focused on getting that angle. During our engagement photos, it was so hot Neal burned a hole through his jeans while lying on the asphalt for a good ground-up shot, but he never complained. Shortly afterwards, summer monsoons rolled in bringing torrential rain. This almost jeopardized the 2nd half of the shoot but Neal was willing to keep going anyway, taking possibly the best shots of the day.
Personality-wise, Neal is a joker. We enjoyed him being silly in order to get people to smile. His jokes made us laugh, even when they were blatantly (and intentionally) corny. If you are looking for someone who is very formal and proper, there is nothing wrong with that, but just know that’s not Neal’s natural state.
As for communication, Neal was always prompt to respond to any questions or concerns. Occasionally, there was a small delay, but it was never a problem. We couldn’t expect him to be answering texts while he is in the middle of a shoot or on his day(s) off. It did not ever take repeated texts or calls to get a question answered - he would always reply. Just don’t expect instantaneous replies every time. To be clear, the communication was excellent overall.
Neal was also extremely flexible and adaptable to our wants and needs. If we wanted to do an extra location for the engagement photos, he was cool with it. If we needed to change a date or time, he was cool with it. We never got the impression that he was feeling put out or annoyed. He’s really good at going with the flow.
We also received our photos extremely quickly, within a week or two at the most. It is possible to view your photos online, and then select which ones you’d like to have professionally retouched.
Finally, value for the money. You can’t do better. There is simply no way. Neal told us he wants his services to be affordable for the average guy, not just the rich. Could he charge more? Honestly, we think he could and it would be justified. But that goes against some of his core beliefs, which to us apart from saving money, also impressed us in terms of character. You really get a lot for your money, and there is literally no sacrifice for the savings. 5 stars here.
So, overall - talk to Neal and at least put him on your short list for photographers for your event. We had several people ask who our photographer was so they could see if he was available for their special occasions. We loved working with Neal and he made it fun the entire time. Thank you Neal!