Pinnel Photography is the photography studio of Juan Pinnel, a Santa Barbara-based wedding photographer working throughout California and select destinations worldwide. Since 2015, Juan has photographed weddings across Santa Barbara, Montecito, Ojai, Los Angeles, Big Sur, Napa, Sonoma, the Bay Area and other destinations throughout California.

Juan approaches photography as a process of attention, one that keeps him present and connected to the people, light, architecture and design that give each celebration its character. His photographs are honest and refined, balancing natural moments with a strong sense of composition and an appreciation for the details that make each wedding distinct.

Most of the wedding day is photographed as it unfolds. Juan works with a calm presence, attentive to gestures, relationships, humor, emotion and the unexpected moments that often become some of the most meaningful photographs. During portraits, he offers direction when it serves the image, creating photographs that feel composed while retaining spontaneity and personality. His work moves naturally between candid observation and more intentional portraiture, allowing the final collection to reflect both the experience of the wedding and its visual character.

Before focusing on photography, Juan studied cinematography at film school in Buenos Aires and worked professionally in film and television. That background continues to inform the way he sees, particularly his relationship with light, movement and composition, as well as his interest in architecture, landscape, fashion and design.

Based in Santa Barbara, Juan has extensive experience photographing weddings at many of the region’s distinctive venues, including San Ysidro Ranch, El Encanto, Rosewood Miramar Beach, Ojai Valley Inn, Montecito Club, Hotel Californian and the Santa Barbara Courthouse, as well as celebrations throughout the Santa Ynez Valley. His work also takes him throughout California, including Napa and Sonoma wine country, the Bay Area, Big Sur and Los Angeles.

Juan photographs celebrations of many different scales, from intimate weddings and courthouse ceremonies to large gatherings and full wedding weekends. Regardless of size, his attention remains on the relationships between people and the particular atmosphere of the celebration. The setting and design matter, but so do the expressions, movement, conversations and moments of humor or emotion that give the photographs life.

Pinnel Photography offers a personal approach and a calm presence throughout the wedding day. Juan works closely with couples, planners and creative teams while keeping the photography experience natural and unobtrusive. Each wedding is approached individually, with the intention of creating photographs that feel specific to the people, place and celebration.