Chugach Peaks Photography Reviews
Reviews
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.8 out of 5 rating
![WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2025 Winner]()
4.8 out of 5 rating
78 reviews
97% recommend it
Awards
-
![Allie]()
Allie Sent on 11/24/2024Wonderful Wedding Experience
We can't recommend Chugach Peaks Photography enough! Joe was very attentive and helpful from the planning process to photographing our small Girdwood/Turnagain wedding day. We received a ton of very helpful information and advice from Chugach Peaks well before our big day. At one point we considered booking a helicopter and received excellent recommendations and contacts from Joe, and, when we decided to pivot, he was full of wonderful ideas for how to best celebrate and photograph our day. He was so kind and comfortable to work with, and took us to some really lovely places. He truly helped make our day exceptional, all in a professional and personable manner. When we received our photos, it took us WEEKS to narrow down our favorites, as there were so many beautiful photos to choose from. Joe did a great job of capturing us and who we are. He also took some of the best family candid shots ever. Thank you, Joe!! We 10/10 recommend Chugach Peaks Photography! -
-
![Laura]()
Laura Sent on 11/03/2024An Unforgettable Wedding Experience with the Exceptional Joe Connolly of Chugach Peaks
My husband and I had the absolute pleasure of working with Joe Connolly, the incredibly talented owner of Chugach Peaks, to photograph our wedding in Juneau this summer, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the entire experience. From the very first moment we reached out to Joe at the start of our wedding planning, through to the day of our wedding, every aspect of working with him was seamless, professional, and truly exceptional.
Reaching out to Joe early on in our planning process was one of the best decisions we made. His wealth of knowledge and thoughtful recommendations—whether it was suggesting vendors or providing details for our helicopter package—made a world of difference. Joe and his team were always organized, prompt, and incredibly helpful in their communication, both before and after the wedding, which took so much stress off our plates.
On the day of our wedding, Joe went above and beyond to make the entire experience unforgettable. He guided our helicopter pilots to breathtakingly beautiful locations on both the glacier and the mountaintop and even coordinated the positioning of the helicopters to ensure they were perfectly framed in the shots. His skill at directing us and making us feel comfortable allowed us to capture some of the most stunning and intimate moments of our day. After our helicopter adventure, Joe continued to surprise us by taking us to more incredible spots around Juneau—beaches, forests, fields—to ensure we had a diverse range of amazing photos.
Joe didn’t just make our day unforgettable; he made it genuinely fun. His adventurous spirit and easygoing nature made the day feel relaxed and exciting. My husband and I loved chatting with him throughout the day, and he made the whole experience feel personal and special.
As if that wasn’t enough, Joe created an unexpected Instagram video for us on his flight back to Anchorage that same evening! It was such a thoughtful surprise, allowing us to share a glimpse of our day with friends and family while we eagerly waited for our full photo gallery. And speaking of photos, Joe delivered them much faster than we anticipated, since our wedding was earlier in the season. The quality and beauty of his work left us completely blown away.
Joe is more than just a photographer—he's a true professional and a master of his craft. It's no wonder he's such a highly regarded wedding photographer. If you're looking for someone who genuinely cares about making your day extraordinary and preserving those memories for a lifetime, look no further. Hire Joe—you won’t regret it! -
![Kalie]()
Kalie Sent on 08/25/2024What a wonderfull day !
We couldn't be happier with our decision to work with Chugach Peaks Photography for our wedding. From start to finish, their team exceeded all our expectations. They were professional, attentive, and genuinely cared about capturing the essence of our special day.
The photos are simply stunning—full of emotion, beautifully composed, and perfectly capturing the breathtaking Alaskan landscape. The entire experience was seamless, and their team made us feel comfortable and at ease throughout the day.
If you’re looking for a photographer who will go above and beyond to make your wedding memories last a lifetime, we highly recommend Chugach Peaks Photography. We are truly grateful for their incredible service! -
J Q Sent on 07/16/2024
World's greatest heli adventure photographer? YES
WOW! Beyond impressed with Joe's knowledge, guidance, resources, tips and the PHOTOS! Joe was so wonderful in guiding our adventure elopement, was so fun the day of and the actual photos are OUT OF THIS WORLD. Joe is THE EXPERT here. You would have to be crazy to go with anyone else for an Alaska elopement or wedding. Joe is so personable and he went out of his way to scout for us the day before and tailor the day to our dreams!!! So grateful that we found him! -
-
Mark Sent on 06/22/2024
A Perfect Day
My wife and I had a perfect wedding experience thanks to Joe Connolly from Chugach Peaks Photography! Joe has been a life long photographer and exceeded our expectations for capturing our wedding day on Knik Glacier. His experience and knowledge of the area gave us the most incredible photo opportunities and made the search for unique photo spots effortless. We couldn’t be happier with our photos! -
-
![Becca]()
Becca Sent on 12/30/2023Phenomenal
We were so fortunate to work with Joe for our Alaskan Elopement. He helped pick all the right places with the most stunning views and provided pictures that truly do speak more than a thousand words. Joe is friendly, full of knowledge and incredibly talented. We are grateful for every moment of our experience. He completely matched what we wanted, a calm but beautiful day full of Alaska scenery. Thank you, Joe for helping make our dreams come true. We can't stop looking at our photos to relive our special day! -
![Alaina]()
Alaina Sent on 09/26/2023Amazing!!!
Chugach Peaks Photography made our special day extra special. Nick, our photographer, was awesome and very easy to work with. He knew the area and knew where to get the prime shots. As for the overall process, from start to beginning, it was very organized. The instaproofs were available online and available to all those who you want view. All communications/instructions were very clear and honestly conveyed. -
![Katelyn]()
Katelyn Sent on 09/26/2023Professional, Talented, and Awesome.
My husband and I recently got married on a glacier and Joe was our photographer. It was more awesome and beautiful than we ever could have imagined in our wildest dreams, and we could not have planned it alone. Joe helped curate the experience from day one, and he went the extra mile in so many ways. He helped us book the helicopter company (shoutout to Outbound Heli Adventures), included a list of vendors, and even provided a list of things to do in the area. He made sure we were prepared for the weather as well. He is an incredible artist who is experienced with navigating the terrain, and he ensured our utmost safety throughout the day. His portfolio speaks for itself, and we are so blessed to be a part of it. If I could give 10 stars, I would. -
![Christine]()
Christine Sent on 09/22/2023Best Wedding Day Decision
We are so happy with our photos from Chugach Peaks! Monica was lovely to work with and helped us with posing. She included a diversity of scenery and was flexible enough to go to three locations with us. She assisted with getting our very large family coordinated for group photos rather quickly and she captured several amazing candids of us and our guests as well. Monica really listened to the type of photos we wanted and captured every moment perfectly. -
-
![Magdalena]()
Magdalena Sent on 09/06/2023Highly recommended!
Joe and Nick were amazing!! So, my husband and I had this idea to get married in Alaska with grizzly bears in the background. Joe suggested a spot, shared some pictures of it, and gave us some helpful tips. He was always very honest and didn't beat around the bush. On the actual day, Nick was our photographer, and he was super patient with us, paid attention to small details, and we're totally in love with the awesome photos he took.
Also, our elopement had to be delayed for two days because bad weather stopped us from flying. Luckily, Nick was still available, and we're so thankful for his professionalism and flexibility.
Lastly, we were expecting to get our pictures within 10-12 weeks, but we received them just two weeks after our elopement!!
Thanks a bunch, Joe and Nick, for making our elopement so memorable! -
Cori Sent on 02/28/2023
Beautifully crafted wedding photography!
Chugach Peaks was definitely the best decision we made with our entire wedding planning. We opted for a destination wedding in Alaska in February! YES, February. As a former photographer myself, wedding photos ranked priority #1 for me. The majority of our budget went here. As I would tell past clients when I was shooting weddings - its the only tangible thing you have after the day has past. I came across Chugach Peaks Photography on weddingwire.com and after looking at the portfolios of all the shooters, we decided on Joe Connolly. His images were beautiful, spontaneous moments that really captured the emotion of the day. Joe's style of shooting was amazing - he captured moments - many without me even realizing he was there, and even the posed portraits were relaxed and spontaneous. We braved the winter temperatures and held our ceremony outside - (I highly reccommend The Inn at Tern Lake) and I'm extremely pleased that we did so! Our wedding was a magical Winter Wonderland! My husband and I were so thrilled with the images that Joe was able to create for us, that we are also doing a helicopter wedding photo session this summer! I simply cannot wait as I know those images will be breathtaking!! Joe's easy going demeanor made us immediately comfortable and it reflected in our photos. He was very responsive to every text and email I sent.
For someone who appreciates good photographs and is critical of quality, Joe Connolly of Chugach Peaks Photography does not disappoint! Thank you so much for giving us cherished memories of our wedding day! Looking forward to Part 2 on the glaciers! -
-
Ciara Sent on 10/12/2022
Such amazing talent!
I found Chugach Peaks Photography on Instagram and was immediately captivated by their profile photos. I spoke to my fiancée and contacted them right away! Even during the initial inquiry phase, Joe was very patient in helping me and my significant other navigate our helicopter wedding planning at Knik Glacier. We really wanted to capture the fall colors since it is our favorite season and Joe took the time to not only explain the timeline for that but also spent over an hour chatting about various topics pertaining to the intricacies of having an adventure wedding. After chatting a few times, we decided to proceed with the booking and do not regret it at all! Our timeline was tight, about 6 weeks, and we spoke multiple times on the phone, texted and emailed. Joe not only is an amazing photographer but is also a great business owner who prides himself in quick responses, transparency and attention to detail. We booked Joe to take photos at the AirBnb for a first look, gift exchange, getting ready photos and for the helicopter wedding for 6 hours total. Joe recommended the 5 landings that we explored and each location was so amazing. He taught us about the geography of Chugach State Park, told us many fun stories, and helped us with posing which made us feel very comfortable and welcome. We just received 999 edited photos less than one month after our wedding which is an amazing turnaround timeline (we were expecting them back in 10-12 weeks). This will vary depending on wedding schedules but we were very pleased with the quick turnaround. The final photos are AMAZING and we are very happy with the final product! I would highly recommend Chugach Peaks Photography to capture your special day. Also, we ended up choosing Joe but all of the images from the team of photographers are amazing 😊 If you are doing a heli wedding, do not forget to tip and offer to buy the photographer and pilot a lunch! They really appreciated the kind gesture and went above and beyond with everything. It truly was a day to remember! -
-
![Sarah]()
Sarah Sent on 09/04/2022Beautiful wedding photos!
Joe was our wedding photographer, and he did a fantastic job. He made the most of the time he had with us and took us to get photos in some of his favorite places around Girdwood before the ceremony. During the reception he interacted with guests and captured photos of almost everyone. At the end of the night, he took some absolutely incredible photos of us in the rain. We couldn’t be happier with Joe; he’s an amazing photographer. Highly recommend! -
-
![Kayla]()
Kayla Sent on 07/23/2022Accomodating
We've hired Chugach Peaks for our wedding next March and the package we selected includes an engagement shoot. They came out fantastic! We are out of state and they were very accommodating in getting our shoot in while we were visiting AK for a short period over the summer. We even got to do two locations, making all of my AK engagement photoshoot dreams come to life. At ease getting to know my photographer, Monica, ahead of time, knowing the photos will come out great for the wedding. -
Steve Sent on 07/02/2022
Best experience ever!
My wife and I got married on Knik glacier with Joe as the photographer. He over exceeded our expectations and we trusted him with all of his recommendations with places to go to. When we were booking with him, he always answered/responded immediately and provided detail about the wedding day and things to do in Alaska in general. He took his time and genuinely wanted us to experience the best of Alaska. We got married on the glacier, flew to the mountains and then the ice wall. He gave us background on the glacier by explaining the history and made it also feel like it was a tour. He captured every moment beautifully and gave us advice on how to pose. He was truly an amazing person to work with and I trust him with anyone’s wedding day. -
-
![Madelyn]()
Madelyn Sent on 01/29/2022Did not prioritize the Bride
I’ve thought long and hard about this review and I wish I wasn’t as disappointed with my wedding photos as I am. The ones we have captured the scenery beautifully but despite planning our entire wedding timeline around Joe (doing a first look early, three hours of pictures before ceremony, and modifying our space so the views were unobstructed) there were virtually no bridal photos of me or close ups with me and my husband and he left early without asking the bride. Joe took many close ups of my husband and his friends shooting and relaxing before the wedding and even some great close ups of guests, but he took less than three of the bride getting ready and no bridal portraits at all, despite being in the room with me while I was getting ready and the fact that I was ready early. The photos he took during the first look I can’t even see my face (the bride) and the photos of my husband and I during our private photo time with joe capture the landscape but there are less than five close ups on us where we are the focus of the picture. Joe also didn’t take close ups of us with our families, close ups during the first dance, or any shots of me and my husband at the dinner table. I’m really sad to write this because Joe came highly recommended, but I’m heartbroken because I will never be able to redo those photos of me on my wedding day and get the close ups I’ve seen from his other weddings. Joe also left early without even asking me (the bride) he went straight to the groom. This meant he didn’t capture a beautiful part of our reception where the guests and band gathered by the fire for a beautiful concert. Not sure if this was a day where Joe was busy, or distracted, or he had too full of a 2021 season. But I wouldn’t suggest hiring him because he qualify of service was not great for us.Chugach Peaks Photography's reply:
This is a response directly to Madelyn as she never contacted me after the wedding. (Her husband did text me and said he wanted to talk about things on the phone and would call me when he was free, but never followed up on that)... Hey Madelyn, sorry for not taking more close ups of you! I just looked at your gallery and it seems there are 44 images of you getting ready, 16 of which are pretty close up. We certainly had the time to do more and I never realized it was a priority of yours. Sometimes people tell us they don't want any closeups, sometimes they ask for a one hour session of just the bride including closeups of eyes and ears, sometimes people don't say anything at all. We took lots and lots of great photos all day in multiple locations and had I known it was a priority, it would have certainly been something I focused on. If you look through any of our website galleries, you'll see a wide range of wide angle portraits, mid range, and closeups - but some days there are more of one than another. This isn't necessarily a reflection of the mood, whether we like or dislike the clients, location quality, lighting, etc.. it's just the natural flow of a wedding and we try not to force a style or approach to the day unless we're given specific instructions from the clients. We've done that in the past and been criticized - it's hard to find a "one size fits all" approach to wedding photography! One of the reasons most people hire us is our focus on keeping "Alaska" present in the photos. This day and location were exceptionally beautiful - perfect weather on a gorgeous fall day, and the images reflect that. The family photos are some of the best-background'ed photos you could ever dream of, but if you would like them to be more zoomed in, we can easily crop much closer, lose the scenery, and gain more "people" in the frame. If you'd like me to re-crop/frame everything, I would be happy to do that. On the other hand, had I zoomed in and cut out the scenery the day of the wedding, I think I would have been at a greater risk of being in trouble for missing the scenery that you came to Alaska for. Still plenty of file size available to tighten things up. The same can be done for any of the bride and groom photos. Many are already waist-up, so cropping to head and shoulders isn't an issue. Regarding leaving - I wasn't distracted or busy. I was actually a little bummed to leave because I was hoping for more campfire photos, but the reason I left was it appeared as though things were dying down - when I left, lot of guests had gone inside or were elsewhere on the property and the band had stopped playing. It seemed like things were entering the phase of the night where it's dark, and there's not much to photograph anymore as it's an unlit outdoor space. I had been around the fire getting photos of the musician and a few guests chatting for awhile, waiting for something to happen and for people to reappear, before finally heading over to the groom to see if I should take off. I didn't know where Madelyn was, and I asked if anything else was going to happen and if they needed any more photos and he said I was free to take off. As I was packing up, Madelyn found out I was leaving and asked for a few more group/friend shots, which we did. Obviously in hindsight, sometime after that, the bride and her friends/family re-gathered at the fire-pit and I missed that. Super bummed. Moral of the story, communication is important! As photographers, we can never communicate enough. If you're a bride and groom, you can never ask us enough questions or give us enough pre-wedding requests. We'll keep this in mind for all our up-coming weddings and try to do better. -
-
Sydney Sent on 10/11/2021
Above & Beyond
Joe from Chugach Peaks,
I cannot thank you enough for photographing our wedding. You were so personable, friendly, and made us completely comfortable. I am so happy you were just as optimistic as we were about the weather. The wind and rain just made it that much more special in our eyes. Thank you for capturing all of the beautiful raw emotions of not only Cole and I, but our friends and family. We are in love with all of these photos! We are so thankful we'll be able to relive that day through these photos forever. Lets talk about that turn around, less than 4 weeks, I am stunned. I was fully anticipating 8 weeks minimum after that crazy summer. I was in disbelief when I got your email last night. You've gone above and beyond. We're going to look at the album options and turn in the questionnaire. We will definitely be booking with you again if we need any photography and recommending you highly to people we know.
Thank you again for a spectacular experience and service.
Sincerely,
Sydney Kenney -
-
![C P]()
C P Sent on 08/17/2021Absolutely Stress Free
From the first time we contacted Joe, he made us feel at ease about planning a Helicopter Glacier Elopement. We were so pleased to find out that he was not only interested in being our photographer, but actually helping plan out the whole day including transportation (helicopter), lodging, and even dining logistics. He even recommended some vendors for your typical wedding day needs (like flowers).
Joe (and his team) made the entire process seamless. I can’t express how important this was to a stress free elopement. He’s not a wedding planner, but I’m confident that with just a few exchanges with him, you’ll have everything you need for a perfect wedding day if you’re not interested in getting into the nitty gritty of your wedding day details.
As far as the quality of his company’s work, the photos speak for themselves. They’re going to come out spectacular. We were thrilled with the quality, quantity, and variety of photos.
Joe is also an officiant (no need to take up an extra seat) and a commercially trained pilot. This made us feel a bit more safe knowing that between him and the pilot, there are two people onboard who can fly the aircraft. We also hired a videographer, and they worked really well together (like a team, not stepping on each other’s toes).
We didn’t have our family around (we eloped), so it was nice that Joe was pleasant to hang out with for the day, as well! -
-
![Thomas]()
Thomas Sent on 07/23/2021Best Photographer, Period.
Chugach Peaks Photography is beyond amazing! Joe's photos speak for themselves, absolutely perfect and stunning! However, beyond the photos, Joe is absolutely a ton of fun, and the nicest person you could have involved in your wedding. We had to change plans a few different times because of the pandemic, and he worked with us through it all, finding a time finally in 2021 that would work out. Beyond that, he even gave us a lot of tips of things to do and see while in Alaska and even tips about moving there since we fell in love with the state! Wouldn't do photography with anyone else! -
Are you interested?
Are you interested?