Lizzy Sent on 04/21/2022

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Beautiful Photos and top notch planning and shooting experience

Booked Marina Borov through Head and Heart photography for a 2 hour elopement shoot in January of 2022 in Santa Barbara. I am honestly not a wedding person and was totally apprehensive about this process, pre-shoot Marina helped me plan when I knew nothing about what I wanted. She was super collaborative as we formed a vision together. She was punctual, prepared, and even served as our witness on the day of the elopement. My partner and I are both awkward people in front of cameras (read eyes shut and goofy expressions), but I really wanted some candids and things that felt real vs. cheesy. Through Marina’s excellent on-set manner and direction she cajoled us into some amazing candid shots. She was playful, curious, flexible and has a great eye and the photos really show that. I honestly expected the whole experience to be painful, but instead it felt fun and meaningful under her guidance. I work as an art director with commercial photographers for a living, and I have to say Marina stacks up in every way: she is a true wedding pro. She goes above and beyond with her work and she’s a total bargain for what she brings to the table. Book her while you still can!

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Tash Sent on 07/08/2021

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Amazing photographer

THE ABSOLUTE BEST! My wedding was this past weekend and Kiel was our photographer. We chose him because of his amazing portfolio (check out his website!!) He was wonderful to work with and really made the day stress free. So many people from our bridal party (and even guests) commented on how comfortable Kiel made them feel. He was also very organized and had us on schedule the entire evening (even with thousands of family pics). I would highly recommend Kiel and his team!!!

Jocelyn Sent on 07/07/2021

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Amazing Photographer/Photogtaphy!!

AMAZING photography!!! One of the main thing with photos is you need to feel comfortable with the person taking them and Kiel is amazing at that. I would definitely recommend using H&H Photography for anything- big or small!!

Emelita Sent on 08/19/2020

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Awesome work

Kiel has been very professional and friendly . He made us comfortable throughout the event. He was able to capture our moods/emotions in every shot . I can't help but smile and relive the moment as I go thru the pictures .

Nyomi Sent on 08/16/2020

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Nothing short of extraordinary!

What an experience, I'm not sure where to start!

Head & Heart Photography by Kiel Rucker is nothing short of extraordinary. I say this for many reasons...he is super friendly, enthusiastic, and genuine and his work is simply wonderful. He cares about your ideas and vision and can bridge your vision with his style. But at the end of the day, you really don't need to do anything other than show up, have fun, listen to his direction and trust his vision.

Head & Heart photos are gorgeous and even when we felt like maybe we didn't do the best job modeling, there were plenty of photos to show that Kiel knew exactly how to capture us when least expected to get the best photos. I also like that Head & Heart has a more editorial approach - basically your photo will look like something right out of a magazine. That's exactly what we wanted and that's what was delivered.

Our team was no doubt the dream team and one thing I really admired about everyone including Kiel was that he and others were very respectful of one another and our planner. I feel that is super important especially if there a new people working together. I also feel like it's our responsibility as the client to do the same to make their jobs easier. This results in a win for everyone and it certainly did for us!

I could write an endless review but I want to be sure it's brief enough to be read in its entirety. Thank you Head & Heart Photography for giving us a wonderful experience and producing such beautiful timeless, stunning photos.

Teal Sent on 02/05/2020

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Wedding Planner Approved!

So many fantastic things to share about Kiel from a wedding planner's perspective. Kiel was attentive to the needs and requests of our clients, turned around stunning images in very reasonable time frame, and is a true joy to have alongside our team on the wedding day.

We knew our clients were being well cared for the entire day, he was happy to field my requests for detail and other shots, and in the months leading up to the wedding was a wonderful communicator with me to work through logistics and just taking great care in listening and collaborating.

Can't wait to team up with Kiel again soon!

Elena Sent on 02/03/2020

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We LOVE our photos!

We couldn't even begin to imagine using another photographer. Kiel was right fit for us from the very beginning. We met with him and a few other photographers early in our process and were impressed that he's both super responsive and a clear communicator. But what we loved the most was his energy - he's calm (which helps put everyone at ease), disarmingly funny (which gets the smiles), and super flexible (we trusted him w/ almost all direction but he was always good with asking for our ideas and our input first). He corralled our large family for group shots with ease and humor. So he gets all the points for being easy to work with, but it's the pictures that matter - and they've been stunning. Our engagement photos which were like a practice round blew us away, but for the wedding Kiel and his assistant paired to capture the most beautiful moments and we couldn't be happier with the portfolio. We're lucky to have such a pro capture our biggest day.

Tom A. Sent on 12/24/2019

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Couldn't have had a better experience....

I had the pleasure of working with Braydon on my proposal. To give you a little background, my fiance and I were taking a week long trip along the PCH in California with an eventual stop in Santa Barbara where I had decided to propose. Being from the East Coast, I had no idea what to expect and how to plan a proposal without ever going to Santa Barbara in advance. Just through a few phone calls Braydon helped pick out the perfect location and timing to make sure the photos and proposal worked out perfectly. He put me at ease knowing how confident he was in his recommendations. The photos came out beautifully, he kept himself far enough away to give us our moment and still take great photos, and then ran up right in time to get beautiful photos of the proposal. He was so easygoing and relaxed and made the post-proposal shoot fun. We haven't stopped receiving compliments on our photos. Braydon exceeded my expectations in every way.

Lexi Sent on 12/01/2019

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Incredible Wedding Photos!

Working with Kiel was an absolute pleasure and we are so happy with how our wedding photos turned out. Kiel and the second photographer were able to capture so many amazing moments during our wedding in Montecito and we will treasure our photos forever. Kiel was incredibly nice and made us feel comfortable in front of the camera. He did a wonderful job editing our photos and we could not be happier with the final product!

Lynette Sent on 11/11/2019

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Fantastic- enjoyed working with Kiel!

Kiel is an absolute pleasure to work with!. He’s professional, relatable, and will listen to your vision and bring it to life with his talent. I couldn’t be happier with the pictures he captured for our wedding and will definitely be reaching out to him in the future as life unfolds. My girlfriends and I have all used him for our weddings and it’s so fun to reconnect with him at events. You will be in good hands and may even end your special day with a new friend for life!.

Bruno Sent on 09/30/2019

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Best photographers!

Alex, Kiel and Alden were beyond exceptional in the entire process of capturing our wedding. They Alex was polite, professional and extremely helpful the entire day from capturing the bridal party to photography during the ceremony and reception. Alden met the groomsmen as we were getting ready and followed us throughout the evening and captured some amazing video. I cannot express how highly I recommend this amazing company.

Donzi Sent on 09/26/2019

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Simply a wonderful experience

Navigating the wedding industry is remarkably difficult when you are planning with just the help of your friends and family. When we found Head & Heart photography we couldn't have been more touched. Kiel and Braydon were so easy to work with, being responsive, thoughtful, and honest. While planning, I continually had an inbox full of long email threads with multiple vendors that all felt insincere and convoluted, but never with Head & Heart. Braydon was professional and never made us or our guest feel uncomfortable (many of our guests went out of there way to tell us how great he was following our wedding). We are very grateful to have found a company that made us feel respected and heard. We love every single photo along with the experience we were able to share with Head & Heart.

Katie Sent on 02/13/2019

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Absolutely Stunning Engagement Photos

Words cannot express how beautiful the engagement photos that Braydon took for my fiance and I this past weekend in Santa Barbara. My fiance and him coordinated ahead of time over secret email + texts to plan the surprise. Braydon was responsive, attentive and adaptable - being able to find us on the beach from just a photo and general location which changed last minute! He captured the moment perfectly, and without me knowing he was in the background taking beautiful photos. Once he let us soak in the engagement, he appeared from his hiding spot and proceeded to take stunning photos on the beach at sunset for the next 45 minutes. He had the photos back to us via a website link within 2 days. The website has a great interface + simple access on mobile and desktop + easy to download the photos.

Now to the actual photos - STUNNING! From the lighting, editing and setting to his guiding us into different positions, resulted in multiple perfect shots. There is not one shot in the collection that we did not like. We absolutely loved every single one.

Thank you Braydon for making our engagement a moment we will never forget, and with photos that will last our lifetime.

Nicole Sent on 11/27/2018

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Kiel is fantastic!

Kiel Rucker was our photographer for our Santa Barbara Courthouse elopement. He was referred to us by a friend, and we are so grateful for that referral! Kiel is a true artist and genuinely good person. Prior to our special day, Kiel suggested that we get together to get to know each other a bit. We met up for coffee and he spent at least an hour with us chatting about who we are, what we wanted to capture in our photos, and just life in general! We both found him to be very pleasant and down to earth. On our wedding day, Kiel showed up promptly, actually arriving before us, and was ready to go! He even took some shots prior to the ceremony time, which we weren’t expecting! Kiel was fun to work with, has a great sense of humor, and had creative ideas for our photos. We didn’t have to think about anything and just followed his lead. The results are truly fantastic! We are so pleased with our wedding photos and feel that our day was so perfectly captured! We received our photos within a couple of weeks, which is awesome! We give Kiel the highest recommendation! On your wedding day, you definitely want someone that is easy to work with, kind, fun, and a master of their trade! Kiel is your guy!

Rosalee Sent on 11/14/2018

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wedding photography dream!

From the moment we planned to elope in SB, I knew I wanted Kiel to shoot our intimate wedding of 35 at the courthouse. He was responsive to emails, friendly, professional and excited to get to know us and our relationship.

We are a couple who rarely has had professional photos taken. I still can't believe how comfortable we felt the entire day with Kiel and his lens. We actually had fun taking photos! The rush & excitement of getting married blurs things all day long. Kiel managed to capture moments I didn't even know were occurring - and I have only seen our sneak peak photos so far!

Kiel's experience in the Santa Barbara & Montecito area shines in his photos - he knows exactly where to place you while making you feel confident and at ease. He is a true artist when it comes to wedding photography - his work is nothing short of beautiful. Thank you Kiel! :)

Kelly Sent on 11/05/2018

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Beyond my expectations!

Alex did a phenomenal job capturing our beautiful wedding! He used a lot of the natural landscape around us to create beautiful photos!

He was very helpful with posing and made the entire process a dream! The results were better than I would have ever expected!

If you are looking for an amazing photographer, look no further than Alex with Head & Heart Photography!

Michelle Sent on 09/04/2018

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Kiel was the perfect elopement photographer!
He is skilled in composition, positioning, color and textural contrasts. He made measured creative decisions at the event to produce better photographic memories. In addition, he exhibited excellent professioanlism before, during, and after the ceremony making for a seamless event. We highly recommend his skills and services!

Julie Sent on 07/18/2018

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After looking at a lot of different wedding photographers in the Santa Barbara area, Kiel was our first choice. Kiel works in the photojournalistic style which is exactly what we wanted.

Kiel communicated well prior to the wedding, both by email in advance, and by text day-of. We were not familiar with the location and he was helpful in getting us oriented. He met us about 30 minutes early, got us into the appropriate office, and even served as our witness. After the ceremony, we spent an hour or so taking pictures around the property. He was kind and friendly at all times, offering suggestions but listening to what we wanted.

We've only seen the preview shots but are very pleased so far. I would recommend working with Kiel to anyone who likes his photography style. He is very easy to work with, prompt, friendly and talented.

Michelle Sent on 05/20/2018

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Kiel was one of THE BEST investments and decisions we made for our wedding! We were lucky enough to have stumbled upon him through a simple Google search, and we are SO glad we did! Kiel did both our engagement and wedding photos. You can tell he has a true passion for what he does and a special talent for capturing light. His work is art and magazine worthy! Kiel's down to earth personality makes him easy to work with; we recommend him to anyone looking for beautiful, timeless memories for your special day!!! THANK YOU Kiel!

Geraldine Sent on 05/15/2018

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My SBE wedding planner recommended Kiel during the final moments of elopement planning. She knew he would be a good fit to our special day. Kiel made our day less nerve racking & somehow magically guided the flow of the elopement schedule while capturing the romance & excitement in pictures. He even checked in the night before to make sure we were ready for any items we wanted captured in photos. Day of, he definitely guided us in our poses while looking natural in our surroundings & made sure we took advantage of the light/sunset. Didn't realize all the coordination required to make sure our special memories were photographed -- Kiel definitely delivered based on the initial pic highlights & of course with the rest. Could not stop staring at the pics the first time I saw them. Can't wait to see the prints!

G&S

Zohe Sent on 04/20/2018

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If you’re looking for talent, variety, and flexibility in your event photography to suit all your needs, stop right HERE and look no further.

Head & Heart photography captured a farm to table symposium for a group of event professionals that we hosted and they did a phenomenal job in every aspect. We could not have been more thrilled with both the quality of the images as well as the quality of the photographers who captured the event.

From start to finish of the event both Braydon and Deb were extremely professional and personable. They worked hard to unobtrusively photograph all the gorgeous details, beautiful colors and the ongoing activity of the interactive afternoon.

They did not miss a single detail or opportunity to capture candid moments among this vivacious group. My favorite moment is when at one point Deb noticed me standing to the back of the room watching the presentation take place, and she gently directed me into some poses to snap some photos of me amongst the setup venue while the event taking place in the background. Literally, she CAPTURED the essence of the event behind me and made it so effortless to get flattering images of me that I will use for my website, promotion and as headshots for years to come.

The best part? The turnaround of the Images. So quick! We received a handful of teaser images from Braydon within 24 hours, which allowed for us to share the stunning images in the social channels to fellow event pros and attendees while the buzz of the afternoon was still palpable. The photos were stunning, colorful, artistic and captured the afternoon perfectly.

The icing on the cake is that every single wedding planner and event professional that attended the event were impressed not just with the gorgeous quality of the images, but also with having received them so quickly. That is the highest form of flattery for a photographer. I look forward to partnering with Head & Heart in the near future, and hope you do too!

Macy Sent on 03/31/2018

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Words cannot begin to describe how amazing Kiel was on our big day. It was an extraordinary experience that will stay with us the rest of our lives; we will no doubt be in rocking chairs on a porch one day telling our grandchildren about our absolutely incredible wedding photographer and how he really made our day. His professional, kind, and specific consideration were incredibly respectable and it was our immediate sense that we were blessed to be working with such an expert. He is outgoing, sweet, sensitive, and fun, and his work is magical to say the least. It truly takes your breath away and he captures the most magical moments that represent the love and life of a couple and in a family and among friends. He made me and all of my wedding party as well as friends and family feel so comfortable and confident, I truly think he must be an incredible gift to each individual that is lucky enough to stumble into his life’s path. I honestly tear up thinking back on the extraordinary photography service we received on my wedding day, because I know how very lucky we were to have Kiel there to document it. His work speaks for itself and is beautiful beyond belief. Kiel really has a rare gift of being so very blessed with innumerable talents and creativity, but on top of that he really is just one of life’s most magical human beings. We will always remember Kiel and keep him in a special place in our hearts as we continue in our marriage together, and cannot recommend enough that you select him as your own photographer for any event of importance or significance, as he will be the very best choice to ensure your moments and memories are documented for years to come. We cannot thank him enough for his time, talent, and extraordinary ability to photograph life as we know it. We love you Kiel!!!

+3 photos

Jara Sent on 03/29/2018

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Kiel is one of a kind - he's got a warm, generous heart, and a perfect eye for that rare, heartfelt moment. I'm really glad we got to have him be a part of our wedding; every picture feels so alive and beautiful!

Thaddia Sent on 02/26/2018

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Kiel is simply the best. Not only is he a wonderful human, his photos are unreal. Kiel made taking wedding photos SO fun & everyone felt so comfortable with him (which made the photos even better)! Kiel truly captured the essence of our wedding; every photo shows the joy and the laughter that was taking place that day. We were so blown away with our wedding photos! WE LOVE KIEL!!!

Erin Sent on 01/08/2018

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Kiel was wonderful to work with and I would work with him again in a heartbeat! His optimistic and go-with-the-flow attitude helped to calm any jitters we had with the planning of our elopement. We really appreciated his willingness to accommodate any changes we needed to make due to the wild fires in Santa Barbara around the time of our wedding. But most of all, he is a very talented photographer. Our photos are beautiful and really capture the emotion of the day.

Vanessa Sent on 12/09/2017

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My wedding pictures are stunning!
If I could sum up my experience with Kiel in one word, it would be vibrant.
He brings an artistic yet honest quality to every picture. Kiel is very open and has such a great personality which shows through his work. He made everyone feel comfortable and went above and beyond for us... he even climbed a wall!
I'm not sure who was enjoying the photo session more.. us or him. I just remember there was a lot of laughter. I think it's amazing when you can tell that someone truly loves their job. There are a lot of photographers, but with Kiel you are also getting an experience.
A vibrant experience.

Chelsey Sent on 10/29/2017

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My fiancé and I had a great experience with Kiel. We won our session from an online contest, but both of us felt he treated us as if we were regular paying customers. Had we not won the contest he would still be our number 1 choice. We took our photos in Santa Barbara, a town we were not very familiar with, but Kiel had very good suggestions for locations. Although engagement photos can be an awkward experience, Kiel did a great job of making it a fun experience. We are very happy with our photos and would recommend Kiel to anyone!

Ian Sent on 10/18/2017

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We booked Kiel for our wedding in Santa Barbara this August and it was the best choice we could have made.
We live in the UK so had to organise the wedding from more than 5000 miles away which meant initially all communications with Kiel had to be via email, this however did not prove to be an issue. Kiel responded to every email and question (photography related or not) promptly and professionally and even helped us source other things for the wedding that were clearly outside of his remit. He didn’t complain about the many and the dumb questions, in fact he was so friendly with us that we have missed him since the wedding.
We loved Kiel before we even saw any of his photos. He set us both at ease immediately and felt more like one of our wedding guests than the photographer. He slotted right in with all of our friends and family and everyone thought he was great.
We got a first look at a sample of our photos within a week of the wedding and they were beautiful! My Husband (still feels weird calling him that) and I are not always the most photogenic but Kiel has managed to capture us at our best and the colour and light in the photographs make the event look as special and magical as it felt for us on the day. We have just received the full download and again the images are great both formal and relaxed and will help us remember the detail of the day for years ahead.
I guess you need to be really careful when choosing a photographer for your special day, however we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Kiel to anybody in terms of professionalism, quality and going that extra mile to ensure the results are as good as they can be…you won’t go wrong!

Sharon Sent on 10/17/2017

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I highly recommend using Kiel for all your wedding and pre-wedding needs! When I initially did research for Santa Barbara photographers (my husband and I live in Huntington Beach) for our engagement photos and courthouse elopement photos, Kiel's work immediately stuck out. You can easily tell that this man has attention to detail and style judging by his website. Seriously, check it out. Kiel was so kind enough to meet with us over a couple drinks the night before our engagement/elopement photoshoot to discuss all the logistics of when, where, how, etc. If you're type A like me, it was very reassuring to have a clear direction of how the day would go. The shoot was super fun too! He was our witness for our elopement, and we felt like he was just our (very professional and talented) friend who was along for the ride documenting our special day. You won't regret using Kiel. He's just an amazing person in general and the fact that he's talented, professional, organized, and fun helps :)

Karlee Sent on 10/12/2017

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I cannot even begin to express my gratitude for Kiel and his unbelievable talents! My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Kiel this past weekend at our wedding in the greater Sacramento area. Upon meeting, we instantly felt comfortable and all of the normal day-of wedding nerves disappeared. He captured our special day in such an incredible way, and I am beyond obsessed with all of our photos! Kiel is truly one of a kind and I cannot say enough wonderful things about him as a person, and a photographer. Thank you Kiel....you are amazing!

Sabrina Sent on 10/02/2017

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Kiel is the most down to Earth, creative, and talented photographer who really strives to capture the natural elements of a relationship. We had the pleasure of working with Kiel for both our engagement photos and for the duration of our wedding. He also did our little guy's one year old birthday shots (what a versatile photographer!) When my husband and I showed up for the engagement photos we were feeling uncomfortable and awkward about how everything would pan out and Kiel simply did what he does to produce the most beautiful and natural images. When it came time for our wedding, Kiel was punctual and efficient and so easy to work with. He effortlessly put us where we needed to be to get all the best shots in a timely manner and made us laugh while doing it. Highly recommend Kiel for any and all your photo needs.

Aj Sent on 09/24/2017

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Kiel did an outstanding job photographing our wedding. He was professional, punctual, and on top of that aslo a cool guy. He was nice enough to grab a drink with us to check in before the big day and went above and beyond putting myself and my wife at ease while getting all the photos we wanted. We definitely would recommend him for any event.

Thanks Kiel!

Leda Sent on 08/10/2017

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Kiel is wonderful! I've followed his photography for a while and when my now husband and I set a date he was the first person I e-mailed- I knew I wanted him to photograph my wedding before I met my husband.
Kiel shot our engagement photos in the snow on a day he had lost his voice - it was pretty hilarious to take direction from his arm waving and us falling in the snow - it ended with a lot of laughing, silly-ness, and beautiful photos.
Our wedding photos are beautiful, they are everything I wanted, Kiel's use of light, and color are stunning. His ability to be in two places at once capture all the fun moments was impressive. He is also just a very kind and easy to get along with person, making the experience even better.

Christopher Sent on 07/14/2017

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Kiel was great! It was a great experience all around and he was so helpful with the entire process. I actually had another photographer booked but that photographer cancelled about a week prior to when I was planning on proposing to my now fiancé. I found Kiel on Yelp and am so glad that I did. He was very prompt in getting back to me and getting the appointment set up and helping to work with my plan.

The proposal was a surprise so Kiel was very discrete until after I popped the question and captured every moment. He then guided us in a short photo session after and was very supportive of the both of us.

I cannot recommend Kiel enough. He was professional throughout and a great person to work with during such a special moment for the both of us! Check out his Instagram for the work he does and you'll get a real feel for his style. He genuinely loves the work that he does and was truly happy for the both of us. Great photographer and a great guy to work with!

Cynthi Sent on 06/26/2017

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Kiel is awesome! We decided to elope in Santa Barbara Courthouse mural room. We were so nervous and Kiel made us feel so comfortable he is super nice and very professional. We are so happy with the photos! He truly is the best!

Gavin Sent on 06/24/2017

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Kiel is great! I spent several weeks reaching out to potential photographers to photograph our proposal. I initially learned that many wedding photographers had never photographed a proposal, so when I discovered Kiel I was happy to learn that he had already shot a handful. I was initially attracted to Kiel's style - as someone who works in film & TV, I've developed a visual style that I like and immediately recognized Kiel's work as fitting that style - sophisticated, intimate, and beautiful. When speaking with other potential photographers, I suffered a bit of sticker shock (and found some to not be immediately forthcoming in their offerings) - Kiel, however, clearly explained what he offered in his package, and to my surprise, even offered to scout potential locations with me. Between his portfolio, kindness on the phone, and great offer, I chose Kiel to photograph our proposal.

Kiel worked with me to find a location that worked for us both; he met me at one of our potential locations the day before. Once we decided that we liked the location, Kiel helped choreograph the scene so we would get the best photos possible the next day. Kiel is extremely warm and easy to work with, he's flexible and has a great eye for lighting, framing, posing, performance, and location. On the day, Kiel headed out to the location almost an hour before we got there to make sure no one took our spot! My fiancé later told me that she only spotted Kiel as I was dropping to my knee, so he definitely helped keep the surprise intact to the last moment. Once the proposal was over, Kiel went above and beyond by working with us long after sunset to capture some amazing photos. We both loved working with Kiel and look forward to seeing him again soon!

Jo Sent on 06/21/2017

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We had an amazing experience working with Kiel! We hired him to shoot our engagement session back in the beginning of June, in Santa Barbara. Kiel is a magician when it comes to finding spots and playing with light! We already had some favorite spots in mind, but Kiel worked with us adding a new spot (which was like a piece out of a fairy tale!) to make sure we got the best out of the two hours we spent together.

Before our meeting we exchanged several emails, and already from our first talks one could see Kiel is a really kind and nice person. By the time we met in person it felt more like meeting an old friend, than a photographer. We had so much fun during the photo shooting! Then, just one week and a half afterwards, he already sent us quite a few pics for a preview. We were amazed about how he managed to capture our feeling into one snap! We can't wait to see the rest!! All in all, Kiel is simply awesome! Thank you so much, Kiel! :-)

Sierra Sent on 06/11/2017

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Kiel is AMAZING! We hired Kiel to shoot our multi-day wedding celebration. We had events planned over multiple days that I wanted photographed and he did a tremendous job. He used the down time in the days leading up to the wedding to scout locations and look for the best lighting. He helped us set up the wedding arch so it would have the best lighting for photos during the ceremony. As a fellow photographer, pictures were really important to me. Kiel did a great job in making sure everything was lined up. Because our wedding was over a long weekend where everyone was staying together, we really wanted to create a community feel. We brought Kiel into our celebration and he immediately befriended everyone. It was so great to see and I think it really paid off in the end because all our guests were really relaxed and excited when he was coming around the taking pictures of them.

Kiel is so much fun to work with. He is up beat, positive, fun, knowledgeable and professional. You end up spending a lot of your wedding day with your photographer so having someone who is fun and easy, that feels like another friend makes the experience way more enjoyable--especially so for people who may not like having their pictures taken. Kiel made the couple, family and bridal party photos so fun and was very efficient in moving people into position.

Kiel did a great job of creating some images that I had in my head that I wanted and also used his artful eye to capture my husband and I in ways I couldn't have imagines. He is a true artist.

Of course we got back from the wedding and I could barely wait for the photos to come back. Within a week Kiel had sneak peak images for us. I was thinking he would give up something like 5 or 10 like I have seen from other friend's weddings. Kiel gave us a bunch. It was so fun to relive the moments. Can't wait to see the rest.

If you are looking for a talented photographer and an amazing person to spend time with, Kiel is your man.

Jibraun Sent on 06/06/2017

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My wife and I hired Kiel for the elopement package. In short, he was terrific. After suggesting a few ideas of what we were looking for, Kiel proposed a bunch of great venues to take shots at. He was a joy to work with, and was very flexible for our wishes. Highly recommend!

Nadia Sent on 02/11/2017

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When it comes to photographers, Kiel is the best!

He has an amazing eye. His way with light, texture and nature give every photo an ethereal tone. All the photos felt natural. We captured the standard family portraits (which are beautiful) but the candids and details shots are my favorite. Photo after photo he captured the moments of pure, raw emotion. I would recommend Kiel for your wedding hands down.

He's also extremely professional. We got married in Santa Barbara last September but live in the Midwest. He was very responsive via email with all our questions throughout the process. Whenever we were in town (even just for a weekend), Kiel made himself available to talk or walk through the venue. The day of the wedding, he and his assistant Andrea were just amazing. We tried to capture all the photos before the ceremony but were running later than expected. Kiel knew exactly when I was burning out from the stress and needed to break. Andrea was just the sweetest! She helped my grandparents walk to and from the photography site and made our 5 year old nephew smile in the family photos.

Susan Sent on 01/03/2017

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My husband and I planned for our Santa Barbara elopement for only a month, but as soon as I saw Kiel's website; I knew we had to have him document our day. He was so kind in squeezing us in with little notice, but spending time with him that day really sealed this recommendation - he was thoughtful, creative, and expert in the shots he captured. I know we'll treasure the pictures for years to come. Not only that, but he's a pleasure to work with and brings a warmth and a friendliness to everything he does.

Erin Sent on 09/20/2016

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I cant say enough good things about Kiel. He immediately made us feel comfortable, like we were old friends just out having fun. No pressure. If there is one vendor you work with on a pretty intimate level during your wedding day it is hands down your photographer, so choose wisely. Kiel went above & beyond for us, he traveled all the way to a tiny town on the Olympic Peninsula tucked away in nearly the furthest corner of the Northernmost US. To say it is a challenge to get there is an understatement. He hung out with us all day the day before, came and scoped out the properties and even had a beer and watched the sunset from a bluff by our house with myself and some girlfriends. He was down for adventures, tromping through the forest, and listened and executed the style of photography we imagined for our day. We are thrilled with what we have seen so far and I would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking. So yeah...huge shout out and many thanks Kiel! #nailedit

Alyssa Sent on 07/28/2016

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Kiel did both our engagement photo shoot and our wedding, and my husband and I couldn't be happier! The photos are absolutely gorgeous! Kiel does an amazing job of capturing the light in such a way that his photos absolutely glow! He has a definite eye and a beautifully natural style. He captures the natural beauty of both the couple and their surroundings, whether the wedding be inside or outside. Kiel is professional and is able to take gorgeous photos without needing constant direction. Throughout our entire planning process he got back to me quickly whenever I had questions and was always very accommodating. If you are ever searching for an amazing wedding photographer, look no farther because Kiel is definitely it!

Brittany Sent on 07/27/2016

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If you're unsure of which photographer to pick in the Santa Barbara area, look no further! Kiel was absolutely the most friendly and easy person to work with. He was helpful when it came to picking out a place for engagement photos for my husband and me, and answered quickly to emails I sent with questions and comments regarding the shoot. His eye for photography and overall talent, made for stunning photos that my husband and I will cherish forever. Kiel was extremely easy-going (and for those who feel slightly uncomfortable around a camera, he made us feel relaxed and we were able to just have fun and be ourselves). I highly recommend Kiel Rucker if you are in search of a gifted photographer, who is easy to work with!

Alison Sent on 07/20/2016

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Kiel is a wonderful photographer. He is not just an ordinary wedding photographer, but he will make your event pop. He is a ton of fun to work with and really made me feel comfortable. His photos are beautiful and he has such a great eye for shooting. He is extremely professional and gets the photos to you when he says they will be there.
I love the way he uses the light and really makes the photos pop.
We also used Kiel for our engagement shoot and that was a great warm up for the wedding. We have so many amazing photos from our engagement shoot.
I recommend using Kiel for your wedding photographer ! I cannot say enough great things about him and his work. He is amazing and I love all his photos!

Kiel is the best!

Rachelle Sent on 06/30/2016

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After viewing Kiel's website, we knew he was the photographer for us. His romantic expression combined with his ability to capture natural elements drew us in. During our initial meeting, we hit it off with him right away. Kiel was extremely attentive to our needs and made us feel very comfortable. He was very friendly and easy to work with, which is very important since you spend so much time with your photographer on your wedding day.

I love our wedding photos! Kiel is an amazing photographer who knows how to capture those special, candid moments. Through his photos he was able to focus on specific details while portraying the over all feel of our big day. We were so blessed to not only have him shoot our wedding, but also to take part in our day among our friends and family. Kiel comes with our highest recommendation.

Jenny Sent on 06/26/2016

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We couldn't have asked for a better wedding photographer than Kiel! He was very responsive and helpful as we tried to plan our Santa Barbara wedding remotely from Tennessee. His warm nature and easy going approach put us immediately at ease the moment we met for the first time. His photographic style was exactly what we were looking for.....and he captured the spirit of our special day perfectly! I highly recommend Kiel Rucker photography if you want a personal experience with beautiful photos!

Cesar Sent on 06/26/2016

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We strongly recommend Kiel and his team. Since we first met the bearded one, we were drawn to his eye for grabbing candid and natural shots. So often as you glance other photographer's galleries, you find "staged" photos. Kiel is able to pull off natural photos that bring the best out in people and in a comfortable manner. We spent several hours with him during our engagement shoot in different locations and instead of it being a process it was a truly fun and memorable experience. He listened to what our vision was for our wedding but as a creative professional, he applied his style, elevated our ideas and captured many wonderful moments we now have. Kiel and his team showed their uber organization abilities by herding a group of 250 wedding guests in a matter of minutes for one large group shot

He had great follow thru in getting us our photos relatively quickly and was always responsive on e-mail and open to ideas. He is top of his game and Santa Barbara is lucky to have such a creative in their backyard! Stop reading this review and give him a call now!!

Van Sent on 04/18/2016

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We loved our experience and working with Kiel Rucker Photography. He was a great photographer and professional.

Stephanie Sent on 12/11/2015

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Kiel provided absolutely amazing photography for our wedding and engagement pictures. He was so flexible and accommodating with our schedule and timeline.

On the day of, he knew exactly how to position us, use light, and capture us at our best! The hardest part has been trying to pick which pictures our the favorites to hang as we love them all!

Many of our guests commented how professional, polite and kind he was.

Kiel is not only a wonderful photographer, but also a wonderful person and we would highly recommend him.

Margaret Sent on 11/23/2015

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Kiel is the absolute best! He took beautiful pictures of our wedding and made me and my husband incredibly comfortable. We're not huge fans of having our picture taken and Kiel did an amazing job of capturing beautiful photos of us, the venue, and our friends and family. He's a complete professional and genuinely wonderful person. We highly recommend him!

Erin Sent on 10/25/2015

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Highly recommend Kiel Rucker Photography! He photographed our August wedding in Santa Barbara and we could not be happier with our choice. Kiel was first of all a joy to work with. He is professional, positive, genuine, considerate and an amazing photographer. He showed up to our event early to scope out our very large site on his own. He was such a calming presence on our wedding day and definitely jumped in to lend a hand with things at multiple times through out the day. He makes you feel comfortable in front of the camera and most importantly captured so many beautiful moments on our wedding day.

We opted to do an engagment shoot a few months before our wedding. It was a great opportunity to meet Kiel and get to know him before our wedding. He additionally captured some great photos of us and most importantly we had fun doing it. We loved having Kiel at our wedding. Thank you Kiel for everything!

User2336569 Sent on 09/27/2015

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We highly recommend Kiel! He made us feel so comfortable and at ease in preparation and on our wedding day. He knew just the right words to say to help us get the photos we wanted, get to where we needed to be during a busy day, and enjoy the moment. And, of course, the photos look incredible. Kiel's style finds the perfect mix of posed and candid photographs.

What makes Kiel stand out from other highly-skilled photographers is his thoughtfulness and his warm, positive demeanor. Even without a camera in his hand, you can't help but smile when around him.

Ima Sent on 09/21/2015

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My best friend selected Kiel to shoot my wedding ceremony at the Santa Barbara Courthouse as a wedding gift. We could not have been happier with her choice. Kiel captured so many beautiful moments between my husband and I. I was thrilled to be able to re-live the wonderful emotions I felt that day just from looking at the pictures.To top it off, Kiel speaks Spanish very well which was great since my husband speaks Spanish :)

Sharla Sent on 09/10/2015

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Kiel is a kind, patient and super responsive photographer that really knows his art form. I asked if he could photograph my best friend and her husband on their wedding day at the Santa Barbara Court House. Not only was he super responsive, he also listened to what was desired and delivered phenomenal photos that really told the story of my friend's wedding. His ability to capture light, candor and angles is really a testament to his photography skills. My girlfriend and her husband LOVED the photos! Added plus? Kiel speaks fluent Spanish. I wish I could have hired Kiel for my own wedding!

Jessica Sent on 08/23/2015

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We are SO glad we chose Kiel to photograph our wedding! Kiel was very professional and did and amazing job capturing all of our special moments from our day. He was very personable, which helped us to stay relaxed and having fun while taking pictures. Taking pictures is a little awkward/uncomfortable for me, so I found this VERY helpful. He was creative and directed us for poses, while also allowing us to take as many special or silly pictures we wanted. We were very pleased with his work and absolutely love our pictures!

Enric Sent on 08/06/2015

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It was such a pleasure to have Kiel document our special day, an elopement! He was always considerate, gentle and put us at ease even as novices to being intimately photographed. Working with him from the beginning to end was simple and smooth. We were impressed by his enthusiasm and professionalism throughout. At one point in our short planning for the event, we even considered not having a photographer - we are so pleased and happy that we changed our minds, and cannot recommend him enough!

User2240479 Sent on 07/24/2015

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Kiel is amazing! We were so happy with the photos he shot for our courthouse ceremony in Santa Barbara. The photos turned out to be exactly what we envisioned and more.

K Sent on 07/07/2015

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As a wedding caterer, we always look forward to working with a photographer who is willing to capture shots of the food that we so meticulously prepare. Kiel was so fantastic to work with, flexible when the thunder heads rolled in, pleasant throughout, and the photos that he just finished are stunning! His style is elegant and crisp at once, not gimmicky, or laden with editing tricks, you can see his skill with the lens is evident. It was such a treat to see such beautiful photos of our work and we can't wait to work with Kiel again!

Anna Sent on 05/25/2015

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If we could give Kiel more than 5 stars, we would. He does not just take pretty pictures. There are poetics in his point of view, the way he captures the light and the moment to help tell your story. These are not your same tired wedding shots. Kiel is where wedding photography is headed. We feel honored and gifted to have had the opportunity to work with him before his talent pulls him out of our reach.

Not only is Kiel a fantastic photographer but he is the kind of person you would like at your wedding. He was wonderful with our families, patient and gracious, but still got his shot. Kiel made wonderful efforts to get to know us long before our wedding day. Because of this, we both felt extremely comfortable with him and knew he understood our vision completely. Our engagement pictures were phenomenal and our family and friends were very impressed with Kiel's talent. He is genuine, authentic, professional, warm, and an all around amazing person. We recommend him very highly.

Thank you Kiel!
-Anna & Stephen Jones

Tara Sent on 05/18/2015

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Kiel was one of the easiest photographers I have ever worked with. My wife and I were looking for a photographer for our wedding and after meeting Kiel we knew we chose the right one. Although we only eloped at the courthouse Kiel treated us and our families as if it were a full wedding. We had a great time and he went above and beyond his duties as a photographer. The few images we saw on his camera make us not want to wait to see all of them!!

Vickie Sent on 04/26/2015

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My husband and I did our 40th Wedding Vow Renewal as a destination event in Santa Barbara, California. We selected Kiel Rucker Photography via the Internet and Email process. We couldn't be happier with our selection of photos taken and the customer service that we received in ordering our photos. Kiel was on time and very professional throughout the whole event. He was able to capture not only our vow renewal but also additional family photos that were taken. Most of our photos were during the ceremony and could not be staged. He did an excellent job in capturing the atmosphere of the event. I have over 190 photos to cherish of our special day. The price I paid to have the photos developed was extremely competitive with what I could receive at home. Also, the photos were delivered within a week of when I ordered them. I would highly recommend Kiel Rucker Photography. If we are ever in Santa Barbara area and need a photographer, I will contact Kiel without hesitation.

User2056568 Sent on 03/03/2015

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Our experience with Kiel was wonderful. We planned a destination wedding and set up all arrangements long distance. We purchased his elopement package. He arrived early to scope out lighting and angles. Kiel was friendly, personable and professional, he knew when to speak up and when to step back and let us just enjoy the moment naturally. He stayed until the job was done which helped us get everything we wanted and not feel rushed. We were very pleased with the final images, the timeliness in him returning the digital images and the prints to us. We would recommend him to others and use him again in the future.

User1998260 Sent on 01/05/2015

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Kiel completely exceeded our expectations and the photos were incredible. He was also an absolute pleasure to work with, making us feel extremely comfortable on our big day. We can't say enough great things about him and couldn't recommend him more for your wedding. Thanks again Kiel!

Rebecca Sent on 12/29/2014

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Kiel captured our wedding day perfectly! He added so much to our ceremony. Kiel is as good as it gets....he is amazingly talented, lots of fun, extremely professional and wonderful to work with! Our photos turned out so well and depicted our personalities and style. They are creative, candid and lovely. We highly recommend Kiel and can't say enough great things about him personally and professionally!

Isa Sent on 12/19/2014

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Long story short, Kiel is not only an amazing photographer but an amazing person with a great presence. Life has a way of aligning things how they should be and this totally happened for my husband Jake, I and Kiel. The end result was amazing. He captured the magic of my dress and the wedding and when I saw the results I cried tears of joy!! We received numerous compliments about him from our wedding party and guests and knew that he was meant to be there for us on such a momentous day.

The story:

We first reached out to several photographers in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Kiel was over our budget but just in my interaction with him I guaranteed to refer him in the future! He was that great!

So we decided on a more affordable photographer but long story short, two photographers ended up flaking on us and the last one the night before our wedding. (Never skimp on such an important part of your wedding)

I remember having such a pleasant experience communicating with Kiel so on a whim I left a voice mail for him at around 8AM the morning of my wedding. About 30 minutes later he called me and said he was on his way down from San Francisco from shooting another wedding and would be happy to be my knight in shining armor!! Kiel came to our rescue, allowed us to relax, he is great at making you feel comfortable in front of the camera and just has this presence that you can't describe. Turns out he even knew a lot of our close family guests. Just as I knew my husband was the one.....I should have known Kiel was the one but the universe made it so anyway and I am so happy the stars aligned.

Choose Kiel!! Your Search Ends Here!!

Mariana Sent on 12/02/2014

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Kiel was the best photographer we could have for our wedding!! He is very personable, professional, was always very fast at getting back to us, and keeping us informed about all the details... Not to mention that we got our pictures and wedding album VERY fast.
We really love each and every picture he took of our engagement session and wedding, he made us feel comfortable and most important the result was AMAZING! Makes us re-live our wedding each time we see the pictures.

Steph Sent on 09/28/2014

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Kiel was the first wedding photographer I contacted about photographing my small, simple June wedding. His relaxed yet professional attitude was just what my husband and I were looking for. Our pictures turned out better than we ever could have imagined. I highly recommend him for wedding photography!

Kelli Sent on 09/25/2014

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This September we will be getting married in my Father's backyard in Santa Barbara, and we are thrilled that the sweet and talented Kiel Rucker will be with us on the most important day of our lives. Back when I was in college, I had the pleasure of working with Kiel at a local SB coffee shop. He was always incredibly friendly, kind, thoughtful, and funny. I was so happy that he was available for our big day as I couldn't imagine anyone else being our photographer. In March Kiel took us on a little road trip through Los Olivos and up Figueroa Mountain to find the perfect places for our engagement pictures. Needless to say we found more than enough beauty in the hills, and spent several hours together making magical memories and taking gorgeous pictures. Every moment we spent with Kiel was fun, enjoyable, and quite frankly perfect. He is so easy to be around, made us comfortable, made us laugh, and reminded us of how exciting this whole wedding thing really is :) The time flew by, and we were left with pictures that exceeded all our expectations. Now we are even more excited about the wedding later this year and what incredible images Kiel will be capturing. Inspired, enthusiastic, professional, creative, committed, fun, passionate, talented...these are only a few of the words that best describe Kiel. He has been the easiest decision we've made thus far, and absolutely the best. THANK YOU KIEL!!!!

User1772260 Sent on 08/19/2014

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I started looking for a photographer fairly late in the game. My husband and I planned a simple and sweet civil ceremony at the SB Court House, but we still wanted someone to capture our special day for a couple of hours. I did an online search for several photographers in the Santa Barbara area, and I emailed them asking for information, availability, etc. Out of all of them, Kiel was by far the best choice for us.

I appreciate how responsive, prompt, and awesome he's been since I first contacted him. Correspondence with him has been a dream!

During our time with Kiel, he was kind, humorous, and easy to get along with. Everything happened very naturally... organically.. and we got the most gorgeous photographs thanks to him. It was a lot of fun to work with Kiel, and I sincerely recommend him to capture anyone's special day.

Alycia Sent on 08/07/2014

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Kiel really deserves all 5 stars! He is such an amazing photographer, and person at that. Going into our wedding my husband and I knew that the photos were the most important thing for us. We wanted every moment captured, and to be able to work with someone who was down to earth and fun. We got all that and more! After searching for quite some time for a photographer,I finally stumbled upon his website and contacted him right away, after looking at his pictures on the website. From the very beginning he was exactly what we were looking for. Kiel responded within hours every single time I emailed, he was always open to any questions I had, and was so flexible the week of when the location of us getting ready changed multiple times. When we met him, it got even better! He was so down to earth, fun, so creative, and just a great guy to be around. We received the pictures much sooner than expected, and they were more than we could have asked for. Kiel tok creative and beautiful shots. I am so pleased that we get to have these photos from such a great guy, for the rest of our lives. The BEST choice we made for our wedding.

Rachel Sent on 08/01/2014

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What can I say - Kiel deserves every single 5 star review on this page! And I JUST got married and haven't even received my photos yet! I didn't know him before my wedding, I wasn't even referred, I just found him among many other SB area photographers and I'm so grateful that I did. I'm pretty much just saying what everyone else on here said but it's so true it needs to be said again - Kiel is truly a kind, warm, funny and all around great person and it shows in his work. I don't really like getting my picture taken, I've never been very "natural" at it, but he was so easy and fun to work with, the whole experience was very comfortable. He felt like a guest at our wedding which is exactly what I wanted out of any vendor - everyone liked him and I know it will show through in his photos. It felt like we'd hired a friend to take pictures - Kiel is very genuine, and that is such a great quality in a person and a photographer. I will never use anyone else to take professional photos, and I will recommend him to anyone who asks! Thank you Kiel for contributing to our day and helping be another part that made it so wonderful. PS - on a business note - he's very easy to communicate with and he'll work with you on your budget! He also really helped us understand the process so we knew what to expect and plan for long before the wedding even happened. The BEST photographer you could ask for!

Melissa Sent on 06/16/2014

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Kiel Rucker is not only a talented photographer, he is a pleasure to be around! His kindness, positive energy, professionalism, and warmth immediately puts you at ease. And as repeatedly mentioned by our female family and friends, Kiel is easy on the eyes, which makes the whole experience that much better!
Most importantly, Kiel is extremely clear and efficient when guiding you through the entire process of capturing your event. Unfailingly polite as he respectfully navigates your event, Kiel manages to capture every moment without intrusion.
We completely trusted Kiel’s creativity and discerning eye to beautifully capture our wedding and he exceeded our expectations!! We are blown away with his incredible talent for capturing feeling and emotion, which is evident in every image. We specifically requested images to preserve the way we felt and the candid moments he captured truly elicit the essence of the day. We will undoubtedly continue to cherish his work for years to come!
In fact, I want to plan another major life event, just so he can join us to document it! Hire Kiel Rucker to capture your special moments and you won’t be disappointed!

Francine Sent on 04/25/2014

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I met Kiel Rucker after my good friend referred me to him. Since I'm from the orange county area but was getting married in San Luis Obispo county, it was hard for me to find a photographer to meet with that was willing to make the drive up.
Kiel is based out of Santa Barbara and was willing to make the drive so it was perfect! He was affordable and willing to work with us. For a bride on a budget, this is so important. After all the details were ironed out and the contract was signed, we were excited to meet him in person. We met him on the same day that he shot our engagement photo shoot. My then-fiance and I were a bit nervous since we had never met him before and we are not the picture-taking type. But from the moment we met each other, Kiel was so easy to talk to and we felt completely comfortable around him. It was like meeting up with an old friend. Thank goodness for that, since he was going to photograph us for our shoot! In my opinion, there really has to be a friendship between you and your photographer because it will definitely show in the photos. Needless to say, the pictures turned out beautiful, as he was able to capture everything we wanted plus more. We were so excited with how our wedding pictures would turn out.
On our wedding day, Kiel was AMAZING and I got all the shots I wanted. I didn't give him any direction, and I loved EVERY single photo. Throughout the day, I didn't even realize he was there! There were many candid shots that turned out to be some of my faves.
I received many compliments from my guests that my photographer was on point and was able to capture so many great moments. I've definitely gained a friend in Kiel and a photographer for life! Thank you, Kiel, for giving us so many memories that we will be able to show our future children years down the road!

User1583845 Sent on 04/13/2014

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We are so happy that we had Kiel photograph our elopement at the Santa Barbara courthouse. We wanted a few shots at a location other than the courthouse and Kiel did a lot of legwork before we met to figure out two locations that met our criteria. Kiel was very accommodating to our requests and made sure to follow up on ideas for shots that we wanted. Kiel was good at setting up posed shots (I always welcome direction on how to pose in a more flattering way). During our courthouse ceremony, he shot in a photojournalistic style that captured the emotions of the moment. The photos turned out wonderful and we are happy that we went with Kiel.

We found Kiel on Yelp (looking for Santa Barbara wedding photographers), read the reviews, and sent him an email. We exchanged emails and had a couple of phone discussions. His reviews were accurate and the photos on his website are indicative of the photos that he took for us.

We don’t live in Santa Barbara, so the first time that we met Kiel was at the courthouse on the day of the event (Kiel was early, we were a couple of minutes late). Kiel got right to work taking pictures and keeping track of the time so we could make our appointment with the clerk and our dinner reservations later that night. Kiel was very pleasant to meet and spend the day with, we would recommended him to anyone with a special occasion in Santa Barbara. Kiel processed the photos and returned them in us faster than promised and was always reachable and accommodating.

Jessica Sent on 02/09/2014

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Two words to describe Kiel and his work, THE BEST! Kiel shot our 2010 Santa Barbara wedding and my husband and I couldn’t have been happier with the photos. From the day we met Kiel, he made us feel comfortable and took the time to find out what we envisioned for our BIG day. Kiel used our vision and his creativity to produce beautiful photos! His easygoing, cheerful, professional demeanor made it possible for us to focus on the important aspects of the day, which he made sure to capture. We were so happy with the final product that we asked Kiel to shot our pregnancy photos. We are truly blessed to have such treasured life events captured by Kiel.

Stacey Sent on 10/27/2013

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"We desired our wedding photographs portray what we felt - real, genuine, heartfelt love. This is exactly what we received from Kiel. Not only did he catch the moments we treasured by memory, but he caught the moments we may have otherwise missed. Kiel is not only an amazing photographer, but a real, genuine, heartfelt person. A perfect fit for anyone desiring more than just photos, but emotion caught in an instant, displayed and kept alive through a photograph"

Elaine Sent on 10/24/2013

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Before I knew Kiel was an amazing photographer I knew that he was an amazing person.
His personality translates flawlessly into how he photographs—artistic, thoughtful, and beautiful all around. Kiel photographed moments of our wedding day that I would not have thought to ask about and doing so he captured the true spirit of us. I highly recommend him!

User1397652 Sent on 10/23/2013

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All of my photographs turned out beautifully. I especially appreciate all of the details from our day that he captured that we were not able enjoy the day of the wedding but will be part of our lives forever, covering our walls and albums.

Mary Sent on 10/23/2013

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Before meeting Kiel, I knew he would be a great fit as our wedding photographer. The pictures on his website were classy, fun, and amazingly beautiful! After we met, I was even more excited that Kiel would be the one capturing our special day. We received positive feedback from our bridal party and family regarding Kiel's professionalism and ability to communicate with everyone in the chaos of organizing wedding pictures. He was wonderful with our little niece and nephew and was not at all intrusive during the ceremony. Kiel is amazing and we HIGHLY recommend him to anyone looking for a great wedding day experience and gorgeous pictures to last a lifetime!

Sara Sent on 09/23/2013

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Kiel was a perfect fit for our wedding. We had a beach wedding with general ideas about what we wanted in pictures, and Kiel gave us exactly what we asked for-even when we weren't able to articulate what it was that we wanted! I had met with other Santa Barbara wedding photographers and got some bad vibes and a fair amount of snootiness, not the case with Kiel. He was very professional and very flexible, and has proven to be an incredible photographer. He has also done priceless newborn photos of our son, and we'll continue to use him for all future life occasions.

Emily Sent on 09/18/2013

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Kiel photographed our wedding last fall and all we can say is wow! We cannot thank him enough for everything he did to make sure we had amazing pictures that were better than we could have imagined. We have received so many compliments on our pictures and could not be happier with how everything turned out.

With Kiel, we never had any concerns. He was always responsive to e-mail and met with us before the wedding to discuss which locations would be best for our big day. He was able to capture all our special moments with a creative and artistic eye while remaining unobtrusive.

Kiel was very professional, enthusiastic, and really listened to what we wanted as a couple. He made sure to take the pictures that we would happily look back at for many years to come. We would without reservation highly recommend him! Thank you again Kiel!

Caroline Sent on 09/01/2013

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We were very happy we hired Kiel to photograph our wedding. The pictures were gorgeous and creative. He was also very professional and pleasant to work with! I highly recommend this photographer!

Jennifer Sent on 09/01/2013

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My husband and I were so grateful to have Kiel as our wedding photographer. He surpassed our expectations and made us feel so comfortable the whole time. All the images he captured really showed the story of our entire day. I highly recommend Kiel if you want top quality service.

Catherine Sent on 12/20/2012

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Kiel is highly skilled in photography! He photographed our engagement and wedding pictures. His creativity and knowledge resulted in pictures reflecting the beauty of our setting while flattering me and my husband. Working as the solo photographer for our wedding, he was able to capture events from multiple angles, not missing any special moments.
Also, his personality makes him comfortable to be around! He was flexible in the planning, which was refreshing.
My husband and I truly appreciate his work and the time he dedicated to produce beautiful photos, lots of photos, which we now cherish.

Nicholle Sent on 04/06/2011

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We cannot praise Kiel enough for the amazing engagement and wedding photos. Kiel has a wonderful eye for photography and his natural talent shows in his work. Our photos are beautiful, unique and definitely reflective of our personalities. He captured the emotion of the day perfectly. He is the ONLY photographer we would recommend! He's simply the best!

Molly Sent on 03/03/2019

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A true artist

Kiel is an incredibly talented photographer. His photos are so artistic - perfectly composed, creative lighting and rich colors. We are in LOVE with our wedding photos - they captured us, our family and friends, and the magic of the event so well. He is great at candids - the shots never felt posed or forced. My mom never smiles in pictures and he got some of the best shots of her I've ever seen. Not to mention he is a super nice guy and fun to work with. If I could give more than 5 stars I would!!!

Jennifer Sent on 12/27/2017

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Kiel was a wonderful addition to our elopement. He was organized and has a wonderful sense of humor. Our teaser images are amazing and we cant wait to see the rest. So happy we hired Kiel to shoot our wedding. We cant wait to work with him again in the future.

Jennifer Sent on 02/15/2017

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Working with Kiel was a great experience. Since we weren't local, we opted to do our engagement session where we live rather than with Kiel. Luckily, we were able to meet up for coffee during one of our visits to SB for wedding planning. Having met Kiel before was great so we didn't have to do any intros then and felt comfortable just diving in on the big day. We had some preliminary emails about certain things that were important to me but I never noticed much of that happening during the day but those things were all there when we got the pictures back.

He is super professional and buttoned up but never seems stressed or rushed. He was, for lack of a better term, so chill and easy to be around. As everyone says, you really spend a lot of your wedding day with your photographer so having a calm presence is a huge asset.

Now the photos, they really speak for themselves. We picked him for his skills using natural light and the outdoors. What we didn't expect was the range of shots, both in composition and moments captured. A few of my favorite shots of the day were completely unplanned for and not what I was expecting to love.

We got them back in a timely manner as well. He even rushed ours a bit so we could have them in time for the holidays with our families.

C Sent on 02/09/2017

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Kiel is an amazing photographer! He has so much personality and gives every project his absolute best effort possible! We enjoyed his work with our wedding and feel like we've built from that event a friendship that will last for many years to come. I highly recommend his work.

Julia Sent on 12/05/2018

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Santa Barbara in our hearts

Braydon of Head & Heart was a great addition to our wedding day! His friendly disposition and ability to melt into the wedding party made working with him so much fun! Braydon does appear to be very busy, so if you use him, don’t expect much hand holding before or after your big day. But day-of will be great, and he captured some great shots at the ceremony and dinner! If you’d like Braydon to focus on mostly arranged, portrait type still shots, I’d recommend you make a list beforehand (I didn’t even think of it and found myself arranging people as we were taking photos and it was a little crazy), as well as be cognizant of how people are standing, etc. Braydon definitely shines with the in-the-moment, non-posed shots. Thanks to him, we have beautifully captured memories to enjoy for the rest of our lives!

Head & Heart Photography by Kiel Rucker Reviews

Reviews

Head & Heart Photography by Kiel Rucker