James Lester Photography was recommended by our wedding planner. As we loved James's portfolio, we hired him for our wedding. In our first meeting, we told James that the groom wasn't very comfortable getting his photos taken -- James made some suggestions on how to manage that discomfort, which we appreciated. The day of the wedding, James was calming and cheerful. He managed difficult personalities among the guests with aplomb.

We had planned to take bride/groom photos overlooking the ocean at sunset. James kept an eye on the weather, and when he noticed that the fog was rolling in earlier than usual, he coordinated with the wedding planner to take those photos earlier than planned while we still had good light.

The finished photographs are beautiful! In addition to formal photos of the family and wedding party, James captured many wonderful candids of our guests enjoying the wedding. Every time we scroll through the wedding album, we find a new photo we love.

My fiancé and I booked with Makayla for our elopement and our reception. She was so easy to work with and communicate with. She really allowed us to be ourselves and gave us some great prompts to help us loosen up. James was involved in the booking from the beginging and they both answered our questions with kindness, professionalism, and promptness. The photos turned out fantastic, and it was so wonderful to have our elopement photos on display for our guests at our reception. It was such a blessing to be able to have Mackayla capture us perfectly, and I hope we get to work with her again!

I'm not from the SLO area so I had to choose a wedding photographer based on their showcased work and reviews so I can admit to being a little nervous. James was lovely and personable at the wedding and had great ideas for shots. Still I do not think of myself as especially photogenic and was nervous there wouldn't be any magical shots. I was so wrong. James took flattering and gorgeous shots and edited them in amazing light. I highly recommend him to anyone looking to capture a special occasion!

James is a magic-maker! First, his vibe: He is so calm, chill, fun, funny, easy-going—exactly the kind of person you want to be working closely with on a big day like a wedding. I really can't compliment his demeanor enough. That alone is enough to hire him, but the photos James captured are breathtakingly stunning! He is a true artist. The whole day looks like a dream or a movie, which is exactly how it felt! I can see all the love and happiness and silliness up close in the photos. He captured each and every detail with such care. And all of our big moments are forever immortalized in such a beautiful way for us to cherish. His work speaks for itself. Pleaseeee do yourself a favor and hire James!!!! You'll be so, so glad you did!!

We couldn’t be happier with James as our wedding photographer! He’s professional, attentive, and genuinely excited to capture every special moment. On our wedding day, he made everyone feel comfortable while effortlessly snapping both stunning candid moments and beautifully composed shots.

The final photos exceeded our expectations, each image perfectly captured the love, joy, and little details that made our day unforgettable. We received our gallery quickly, and the quality was outstanding.

We wholeheartedly recommend James to anyone looking for a talented, passionate photographer who delivers timeless memories!

James did an amazing job for photographing our elopement ceremony in Pismo Beach! He was incredibly kind and considerate towards our families and our dog. His familiarity with the area led to some gorgeous pictures on the beach! We loved how the photos turned and highly recommend him for your wedding or event!

James Lester Photography truly exceeded our expectations on our wedding day. From the very beginning, James was remarkably responsive and a joy to work with. He effortlessly put everyone at ease with his warm demeanor and professional approach. His artistry and attention to detail shone through in every beautifully edited photograph. We received our photos in a timely manner. I wholeheartedly recommend James Lester Photography to anyone seeking to capture their special moments with elegance and grace.

James did an absolutely fantastic job on our Madonna Inn Elopement ceremony. He knew exactly what to do, even when we didn't. Could not have asked for a better photographer.

Can’t explain how grateful we are to James. His knowledge and professionalism was so outstanding. His pictures were perfect and we can’t stop looking at them. The whole experience was great and I highly recommend him to anyone who wants a professional and genuine person.

We could not recommend James enough! He photographed our wedding in Santa Cruz in March 2024. Leading up to the wedding, James was so kind, thorough and answered all of our questions. The day of the wedding, my husband and I read our vows to each other, just the two of us, and James captured everything perfectly! He also made us feel so comfortable (even though we both are usually uncomfortable in from of the camera). James captured beautiful pictures in the Santa Cruz forest but also captured super fun photos of our friends at a brewery afterwards. We could not be happier!