Award winner
Award winner thanks to recommendations from couples on WeddingWire.com.
- 2015
C J Varela Photography
Interested in this vendor?
1/328
"CJ was extremely professional and laid back. He was really easy to talk to when we did a planning..."
"CJ was absolutely incredible. We cant say enough about how wonderful he was. He communicated very..."
About this vendor
CJ Varela is a professional wedding photographer based in South Lake Tahoe, California. CJ has always had a love for photography. He was inspired to follow this passion as a career after the birth of his daughter in 2011, and began working full-time in 2013. Since then, this talented professional has documented over a thousand weddings with a classic, photojournalistic style. His wedding portraits are dramatic and detailed, showcasing each moment with honest emotion.
Services Offered
CJ invests his full attention in each couple’s special day. He makes it his first priority to create a light-hearted atmosphere where clients can be themselves. This skilled photographer takes a personable approach to each couple, using humor to lighten the atmosphere and capture their true personalities. CJ believes tying the knot to be a sacred and life-changing milestone. This is clearly reflected in his focused presence and dedication to each client’s wedding photos. This talented artist offers customizable packages to help soon-to-be-weds get the most of their special day. Couples can choose from a range of services and features at Divided Line Photo, including:
- All-day coverage
- Additional photographers
- Engagement sessions
- Digital images
- Hard-cover albums
- Thank-you cards
Experience
-
13 years in business
-
We speak English
FAQ
Which of the following are included in the starting price?
High-Res Images
Multi. Locations
Toning
Digital Files
Proofs
Which of the following are included in the price of your most popular wedding package?
Add'l Hours
High-Res Images
Multi. Locations
Digital Files
Proofs
Save the Date
What primary photographic style do you identify with?
Natural
Photojournalism
Traditional
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?
Albums
Canvas
Digital Files
Flush Mount
Matted Prints
Prints
Proofs
Save the Date
Thank You Cards
Still have questions?
Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!
Reviews of C J Varela Photography
Deann Sent on 05/24/2025
5 out of 5 rating
Perfection!
CJ was extremely professional and laid back. He was really easy to talk to when we did a planning session to figure out the vision for our photos. I was immediately at ease with him. He is super easy to get along with. I honestly am so impressed by how many photos he was able to get in such a short time. It seemed like he was in 1 million places at once. Despite moving all over during the ceremony, I didn't notice him, but he got INCREDBILE photos. He was great about giving recommendations and making sure the lighting was correct. It's obvious that he has a vision and a talent for what he does. His preview photos are so beautiful. I cannot wait to see the rest of the pictures fully edited. I am beyond impressed with his professionalism, but also his flexibility. We got cold and asked if we could take photos inside. He was super open to the idea and took a ton of really cool photos from inside the hotel room that are turning out to be my favorites. Overall, I am beyond happy with CJ's work. He provided us with amazing photos of our wedding day that I will cherish forever.
Sabrina Sent on 10/27/2022
5 out of 5 rating
Our most memorable day x100
CJ and his wife were the absolute best to work with for our special day. They made us laugh so much, allowing them to get some amazing candids throughout the whole day. They made sure we would get the best lighting for our sunset pictures which turned out even better than we could have imagined. They also worked so well with our videographer whom they have never worked with before. Definitely a photographer I would recommend to any of my family or friends to not pass up what so ever. Also, we got our pictures pretty fast which is always a huge plus when everyone wants to start seeing the photos. Photos to me was on the top of my list on where I wanted to spend the money for our wedding and I wouldn't have changed that for anything because these will be the memories you can have for lifetime. Amazing people who do amazing work :)
Elizabeth Sent on 01/18/2022
5 out of 5 rating
Exceptional Photography
CJ was thoroughly professional and communicated clearly throughout the day of and the months leading up to our wedding. He brought a great energy to our wedding, and managed the various personalities of our guests with ease. He took wonderful, stunning shots of everything we wanted and more. I highly recommend Divided Line Photography for any and all occasions!
Nicole Sent on 08/22/2021
5 out of 5 rating
The Best Experience
I had the best experience with CJ from the beginning to our big day. He was friendly, energetic, and very easy to work with. I will definitely use CJ for future photos and highly recommend hiring him!
Sarah Sent on 12/13/2020
5 out of 5 rating
Gorgeous Photos and a Professional Attitude
CJ is an amazing photographer and through his work he demonstrates his professionalism, talent, and, above all, respect for couples needs. On our wedding day, CJ arrived early and prepared. He was able to capture all of our emotions from the nervous butterflies before our first look to the look of relief after our wedding ceremony completed. The photos that CJ took were absolutely stunning and a wonderful way to celebrate such an important moment in our lives. Upon sharing our wedding photos with loved ones, we have received so many complements and requests for framed photos.
Although professionalism and talent are important criteria in a photographer, CJ respected our social distancing and mask wishes during our wedding. Health and safety are so important in life and his respect and understanding of our boundaries was the reason I know I could recommend CJ’s work to anyone.
CJ will capture your most important moments and make them into wonderful memories. If I had another reason to do a photo shoot, I would hire CJ in a heartbeat.
Although professionalism and talent are important criteria in a photographer, CJ respected our social distancing and mask wishes during our wedding. Health and safety are so important in life and his respect and understanding of our boundaries was the reason I know I could recommend CJ’s work to anyone.
CJ will capture your most important moments and make them into wonderful memories. If I had another reason to do a photo shoot, I would hire CJ in a heartbeat.
Sandi Sent on 02/14/2020
5 out of 5 rating
Amazing, easy going, great photographer!
My fiancé hired CJ to hide in the trees at the top of ski mountain and take photos of our engagement and CJ absolutely killed it! He took great quality photos and made it super easy to be ourselves in front of the camera, even amongst all of the emotion and excitement of the proposal. CJ was amazing to work with and we would most certainly hire him again!!
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Awards
Are you interested?
Team
CJ Varela
Owner
Professional Network & Endorsements
The Ridge Tahoe
4.7 out of 5 rating , 65 reviews
·
Hotel Weddings Map
Location
Why use Weddingwire to message vendors?
- Messaging our verified vendors on WeddingWire is complimentary, safe, and secure.
- Effortlessly manage vendor communications and planning details in one centralized location.
- Our mobile apps ensure you can stay connected with vendors anytime, anywhere.
- For customized pricing and package information, messaging the vendor directly is the quickest way to get the details you need.
C J Varela Photography frequently asked questions
C J Varela Photography includes the following photography services in the starting price:
- High-Res Images
- Multi. Locations
- Toning
- Digital Files
- Proofs
C J Varela Photography includes the following photography services in their most popular wedding package:
- Add'l Hours
- High-Res Images
- Multi. Locations
- Digital Files
- Proofs
- Save the Date
C J Varela Photography offers the following photography styles:
- Natural
- Photojournalism
- Traditional
C J Varela Photography offers the following photography services for weddings:
- Additional Hours
- Destination / Travel
- Engagement Shoot
- High-Res Images
- One Event / Day
- Second Shooter
- Wedding Portraits
C J Varela Photography offers the following photography materials for weddings:
- Albums
- Canvas
- Digital Files
- Flush Mount
- Matted Prints
- Prints
- Proofs
- Save the Date
- Thank You Cards
C J Varela Photography is recommended by 100% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 5.0, with the same score awarded for quality of service, flexibility, value, professionalism and average response time.
C J Varela Photography currently offers 1 special WeddingWire promotion and 1 discount promotion for wedding services.