Manuel Ortega Photography Reviews

Reviews

Awards

96

+21 User photos

• Soreliz A. Sent on 10/25/2022
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  Absolutely amazin photographer

  Simply put, Manuel Ortega is a superb, talented, artistic, and professional caliber wedding photographer who fulfilled all our expectations and more. Beyond his exceptional photography skills, Manuel is warm, friendly, and easy to work with, honest, reliable, a good listener, and attentive to you needs/preferences. He loves his craft, which shows in the quality of his photos and the joy with which he approaches his work and conducts himself. Manuel’s wife Melissa is a talented photographer in her own right and together they work efficiently and effectively as a team on all their shoots. They were both an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish. We also enjoyed meeting their adorable son who came along with them to our engagement photo session!
  We spent days searching for our ideal wedding photographer. It was important to us to work with a person of color and we are so grateful that we found Manuel, a fantastic photographer who is also Latino. We could not have chosen better. Unlike many other high quality, professional wedding photographers we researched whose prices are astronomical, Manuel’s pricing is reasonable, affordable, flexible, and it allowed us to stay within our budget, which we greatly appreciated.
  For our engagement photo session, we met Manuel at a beautiful beach in the Carmel area just before sunset. It turned out to be an ideal spot for our engagement photo shoot and we were very happy with how the photos turned out. The setting was gorgeous, lighting ideal, and there was hardly anybody else there. Manuel helped put us at ease immediately with his relaxed manner and professionalism, which made it easy for us to follow his instructions and get some great candid and posed shots. Manuel’s top-of-the-line camera equipment takes amazing photos with him at the helm. Melissa helped out with the backlighting and instructing us on ideal hand and body positions for the shots. We highly recommend doing the engagement photo session. It gave us a chance to get to know Manuel & Melissa and to develop rapport and an easy working relationship with them prior to the wedding. So, on our wedding day, we knew what to expect and already felt at ease working together.
  Prior to the wedding, Manuel promptly answered all our questions and we also had a great final conversation with him about our specific photography wishes/preferences for our wedding day. Manuel & Melissa delivered in every way. On our wedding day, they showed up early to familiarize themselves with the venue since they hadn’t been there before. As a team, they captured all the most important moments of our day, as well as the memorable details. They also did a great job capturing the setting, including the food, the dinner reception set up, the flowers, and beautiful aspects of the venue. Notably, despite the fact that our wedding got off schedule because our ceremony ran longer than we had anticipated, Manuel & Melissa adapted to the situation admirably and went with the flow, doing their best to capture family photos after the ceremony, even though we essentially ran out of time for them! They improvised beautifully under the circumstances.
  When we received our 1000+ wedding photos from Manuel a few weeks after the wedding, we were blown away. We love the wedding photos Manuel & Melissa captured and are so glad we hired them to be our wedding photography team! We highly recommend them!
  
  Rob & Soreliz
  

  Simply put, Manuel Ortega is a superb, talented, artistic, and professional caliber wedding photographer who fulfilled all our expectations and more. Beyond his exceptional photography skills, Manuel is warm, friendly, and easy to work with, honest, reliable, a good listener, and attentive to you needs/preferences. He loves his craft, which shows in the quality of his photos and the joy with which he approaches his work and conducts himself. Manuel’s wife Melissa is a talented photographer in her own right and together they work efficiently and effectively as a team on all their shoots. They were both an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish. We also enjoyed meeting their adorable son who came along with them to our engagement photo session!
  We spent days searching for our ideal wedding photographer. It was important to us to work with a person of color and we are so grateful that we found Manuel, a fantastic photographer who is also Latino. We could not have chosen better. Unlike many other high quality, professional wedding photographers we researched whose prices are astronomical, Manuel’s pricing is reasonable, affordable, flexible, and it allowed us to stay within our budget, which we greatly appreciated.
  For our engagement photo session, we met Manuel at a beautiful beach in the Carmel area just before sunset. It turned out to be an ideal spot for our engagement photo shoot and we were very happy with how the photos turned out. The setting was gorgeous, lighting ideal, and there was hardly anybody else there. Manuel helped put us at ease immediately with his relaxed manner and professionalism, which made it easy for us to follow his instructions and get some great candid and posed shots. Manuel’s top-of-the-line camera equipment takes amazing photos with him at the helm. Melissa helped out with the backlighting and instructing us on ideal hand and body positions for the shots. We highly recommend doing the engagement photo session. It gave us a chance to get to know Manuel & Melissa and to develop rapport and an easy working relationship with them prior to the wedding. So, on our wedding day, we knew what to expect and already felt at ease working together.
  Prior to the wedding, Manuel promptly answered all our questions and we also had a great final conversation with him about our specific photography wishes/preferences for our wedding day. Manuel & Melissa delivered in every way. On our wedding day, they showed up early to familiarize themselves with the venue since they hadn’t been there before. As a team, they captured all the most important moments of our day, as well as the memorable details. They also did a great job capturing the setting, including the food, the dinner reception set up, the flowers, and beautiful aspects of the venue. Notably, despite the fact that our wedding got off schedule because our ceremony ran longer than we had anticipated, Manuel & Melissa adapted to the situation admirably and went with the flow, doing their best to capture family photos after the ceremony, even though we essentially ran out of time for them! They improvised beautifully under the circumstances.
  When we received our 1000+ wedding photos from Manuel a few weeks after the wedding, we were blown away. We love the wedding photos Manuel & Melissa captured and are so glad we hired them to be our wedding photography team! We highly recommend them!
  
  Rob & Soreliz
  

  • +3 photos
• Holly Sent on 03/14/2021
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  The best of the best

  Where do I even start? I asked friends for a recommendation for a local photographer that did weddings. I was given a dozen different ones that I went and researched on my own. My husband and I have played with photography in the past and were really picky on who we would choose for our big day. We were blown away by Manuel's website and work.
  He responded quickly to my online inquiry and any and every random question I had.
  Due to Covid, this was the only person besides our family and minister that would be at our wedding. He arrived at the location before we did, which I didn't expect, because I'm usually the first one everywhere. I met him and his lovely wife/assistant and was instantly at ease. I didn't even have to ask, they immediately starting documenting our big day. They gave direction when we asked, but it was like they weren't even there, yet they captured every single special moment, ones even I missed. Our family left talking about how nice and professional they were.
  We received our pictures back FAST, and holy crap... I cried out of happiness as I looked through them. They were so good, I literally don't know how to pick which ones to print to put on the wall. Every time I look through them, I find even more that I love and appreciate.
  If you are thinking of hiring Manuel, do it. My friends and family are obsessed with our pictures and I'm so grateful we chose him. I will stop strangers on the street and tell them about my amazing experience. I look forward to working with him in the future.

  Where do I even start? I asked friends for a recommendation for a local photographer that did weddings. I was given a dozen different ones that I went and researched on my own. My husband and I have played with photography in the past and were really picky on who we would choose for our big day. We were blown away by Manuel's website and work.
  He responded quickly to my online inquiry and any and every random question I had.
  Due to Covid, this was the only person besides our family and minister that would be at our wedding. He arrived at the location before we did, which I didn't expect, because I'm usually the first one everywhere. I met him and his lovely wife/assistant and was instantly at ease. I didn't even have to ask, they immediately starting documenting our big day. They gave direction when we asked, but it was like they weren't even there, yet they captured every single special moment, ones even I missed. Our family left talking about how nice and professional they were.
  We received our pictures back FAST, and holy crap... I cried out of happiness as I looked through them. They were so good, I literally don't know how to pick which ones to print to put on the wall. Every time I look through them, I find even more that I love and appreciate.
  If you are thinking of hiring Manuel, do it. My friends and family are obsessed with our pictures and I'm so grateful we chose him. I will stop strangers on the street and tell them about my amazing experience. I look forward to working with him in the future.

  • +4 photos
• Rosa S. Sent on 12/05/2019
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  Amazing!

  Working with Manuel and his wife Melissa was a great experience! I haven't had a photo shoot done since my senior pictures, which was about 8-9 years ago, and this was my fiance's first photo shoot, so we were definitely nervous and our anxiety was at an all time high! Manuel and Melissa definitely made us feel at ease with everything and just made our whole engagement session run smoothly. They have the best personality and a great sense of humor, which definitely helped our nervousness. We are SO IN LOVE with our photos!!!! If we didn't already have a wedding photographer booked, we definitely would have booked them for our wedding!! Thank you so much Manuel and Melissa!

  Working with Manuel and his wife Melissa was a great experience! I haven't had a photo shoot done since my senior pictures, which was about 8-9 years ago, and this was my fiance's first photo shoot, so we were definitely nervous and our anxiety was at an all time high! Manuel and Melissa definitely made us feel at ease with everything and just made our whole engagement session run smoothly. They have the best personality and a great sense of humor, which definitely helped our nervousness. We are SO IN LOVE with our photos!!!! If we didn't already have a wedding photographer booked, we definitely would have booked them for our wedding!! Thank you so much Manuel and Melissa!
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• Kristen C. Sent on 03/11/2020
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  Manuel and his wife, Melissa, are surely a dynamic duo!

  I cannot thank these two enough for making our photo session easy and so much fun! Manuel is a pure genius behind the camera. He has an incredible eye for shots and poses that will leave you cherishing these images for a lifetime. Melissa was just as wonderful in assisting with lighting, offering other poses, and helping to keep our dog’s attention towards the camera! These two are just a joy to be around. I immediately felt comfortable with them! I cannot express how awesome these two are and I cannot recommend them enough! After our session, I was smiling for the rest of the evening! Do yourself a favor and book them for your next photo session!

  I cannot thank these two enough for making our photo session easy and so much fun! Manuel is a pure genius behind the camera. He has an incredible eye for shots and poses that will leave you cherishing these images for a lifetime. Melissa was just as wonderful in assisting with lighting, offering other poses, and helping to keep our dog’s attention towards the camera! These two are just a joy to be around. I immediately felt comfortable with them! I cannot express how awesome these two are and I cannot recommend them enough! After our session, I was smiling for the rest of the evening! Do yourself a favor and book them for your next photo session!
• Vic M. Sent on 11/20/2019
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  So beautiful and blessed

  Manuel and Melissa did such an amazing job during our entire wedding. Me and my wife are absolutely in awe of our portraits. Not only did we gain a photographer but we gained a friend. Thank you!

  Manuel and Melissa did such an amazing job during our entire wedding. Me and my wife are absolutely in awe of our portraits. Not only did we gain a photographer but we gained a friend. Thank you!
• Jennifer F. Sent on 09/03/2019
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  Easy Breezy

  I recently got married at my friend’s home in Pebble Beach. We are from Chicago so it was a little scary choosing businesses/people to make our event as perfect as the setting. Manuel Ortega Photography did not disappoint! In fact, they provided the best service and the final wedding photos are beautiful. I highly recommend Manuel!!!!

  I recently got married at my friend’s home in Pebble Beach. We are from Chicago so it was a little scary choosing businesses/people to make our event as perfect as the setting. Manuel Ortega Photography did not disappoint! In fact, they provided the best service and the final wedding photos are beautiful. I highly recommend Manuel!!!!
• Stephanie Sent on 08/24/2019
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  Highly recommend!

  We had such a great time shooting our engagement photos with Manuel and Melissa. They trekked with us through the Forest of Nisene Marks to capture the shots we were looking for. They are both so friendly and professional. We were very pleased with our photos and would definitely use them again!

  We had such a great time shooting our engagement photos with Manuel and Melissa. They trekked with us through the Forest of Nisene Marks to capture the shots we were looking for. They are both so friendly and professional. We were very pleased with our photos and would definitely use them again!
• Sarah Sent on 03/06/2020
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  Manuel & Melissa are AMAZINGGG! =)

  Manuel & Melissa are a DREAM team! From the VERY moment we met them we knew we had chosen the right photographer for our big day! They were fun, easy to work with, and brought such a POSITIVE energy to my bridal shower, our engagement session and wedding. They knew how to make my husband (then fiance ;) feel comfortable which allowed for him to relax and take some amazingly breathtaking photographs! I've said all of this and I haven't even mentioned the best part....THE PICTURES! o my goooodnessss...STUNNING, BREATHTAKING, MEMORABLE, VIVID & SPECIAL!!! Thank you BOTH from the bottom of our hearts for bringing our dream wedding to LIFE

  Manuel & Melissa are a DREAM team! From the VERY moment we met them we knew we had chosen the right photographer for our big day! They were fun, easy to work with, and brought such a POSITIVE energy to my bridal shower, our engagement session and wedding. They knew how to make my husband (then fiance ;) feel comfortable which allowed for him to relax and take some amazingly breathtaking photographs! I've said all of this and I haven't even mentioned the best part....THE PICTURES! o my goooodnessss...STUNNING, BREATHTAKING, MEMORABLE, VIVID & SPECIAL!!! Thank you BOTH from the bottom of our hearts for bringing our dream wedding to LIFE
• K. Gabriela G. Sent on 05/08/2019
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  Amazing Photographer!

  I got married in December and the venue recommended Manuel Ortega Photography. Manuel and Melissa are absolutely wonderful and very professional. I’m so happy my hubby and I decided to go with them. They made the experience magical and so stress free. I had two of my fur babies as my ring bearers and the rest of my fur babies as guests. Manuel and Melissa were so sweet and patient with taking pictures of all my fur babies. I would absolutely recommend them!

  I got married in December and the venue recommended Manuel Ortega Photography. Manuel and Melissa are absolutely wonderful and very professional. I’m so happy my hubby and I decided to go with them. They made the experience magical and so stress free. I had two of my fur babies as my ring bearers and the rest of my fur babies as guests. Manuel and Melissa were so sweet and patient with taking pictures of all my fur babies. I would absolutely recommend them!
• Megan D. Sent on 12/10/2018
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  Excellent attention to detail and so professional

  There truly aren't enough great things to say about Manuel and his wife Melissa. They are so professional and incredibly easy to work with. They make you feel so comfortable, confident, and relaxed when working with you. I hired Manuel for our wedding after I saw a sample picture he had up at our venue. We knew we had to have him as our photographer. He knows how to capture the right lighting (no color is washed out), the right moments, and has such a creative eye for capturing the PERFECT epic picture for your event. Manuel and his wife truly captured the spirit and joy of our special day. We have so many stunning pictures to choose from to print now. I can't wait to hire him again to take more photos for us! Worth every penny!

  There truly aren't enough great things to say about Manuel and his wife Melissa. They are so professional and incredibly easy to work with. They make you feel so comfortable, confident, and relaxed when working with you. I hired Manuel for our wedding after I saw a sample picture he had up at our venue. We knew we had to have him as our photographer. He knows how to capture the right lighting (no color is washed out), the right moments, and has such a creative eye for capturing the PERFECT epic picture for your event. Manuel and his wife truly captured the spirit and joy of our special day. We have so many stunning pictures to choose from to print now. I can't wait to hire him again to take more photos for us! Worth every penny!
• Saundra Z. Sent on 12/10/2018
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  Amazing Photos

  We absolutely love our photos! I am so happy that after meeting with several photographers we decided to go with Manuel. He did an amazing job capturing all the important moments of our special day. We have beautiful pictures to look back at and that we will be able to show our future kids. He and Melissa cover every angle. She was super attentive in making sure every hair was in place and even made sure my makeup was not a mess after the happy tears. Lol
  He has an incredible eye and took some Candid pictures that made me so happy that I just about cried with emotion. Extremely happy with our decision. Love love our photos.

  We absolutely love our photos! I am so happy that after meeting with several photographers we decided to go with Manuel. He did an amazing job capturing all the important moments of our special day. We have beautiful pictures to look back at and that we will be able to show our future kids. He and Melissa cover every angle. She was super attentive in making sure every hair was in place and even made sure my makeup was not a mess after the happy tears. Lol
  He has an incredible eye and took some Candid pictures that made me so happy that I just about cried with emotion. Extremely happy with our decision. Love love our photos.
• Alejandra Sent on 10/17/2017
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  Love love love our engagement pictures! Amazing! Best decision we could have made. Manuel and Melissa make a great team. It was pleasure getting to work them. Thank you so much!!

  Love love love our engagement pictures! Amazing! Best decision we could have made. Manuel and Melissa make a great team. It was pleasure getting to work them. Thank you so much!!
• Andreana A. Sent on 12/11/2018
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  Andresen wedding

  My wife and I were recently married in May and when it came time to pick a photographer to shoot our wedding all we had to do was see the quality and beauty of the photos that Manuel produced and the choice became clear, we had to have him! The decision was made and my wife and I got into contact with him. Manuel was extremely prompt to get back with us and the first thing I noticed upon speaking with Manuel was his sincerity and patience. My wife and I had a ton of questions and he answered them with ease. He told us that as a part of our wedding package he would shoot a complimentary engagement session which we were absolutely stoked about. The day came for our engagement shoot, and we were to meet with Manuel and his wife Melissa at his studio in Monterey. Upon arrival Manuel and Melissa were there to greet us and they were extremely welcoming and friendly. This was our first time meeting but it felt as if we knew them for years. Upon entering Manuel’s studio you could see how seriously he takes his craft. My wife and I went through a couple of albums he produced and we were in absolute awe. While we were there waiting for the sun to set Manuel asked what we would like in our photos and shared ideas of what would make the photos brilliant. When it became time to shoot it can be an intimidating or uncomfortable situation however for us it was never that way. Manuel and Melissa made us extremely comfortable and made the shoot fun and entertaining. When my wife and I got to see our photos we were stunned, they weren’t just good they were fantastic! Prior to our wedding day Manuel stayed in contact with my wife and I not just to go over details of the wedding day but to also just check in and make sure we were ok. As the wedding day arrived Manuel was first on the scene and was shooting as soon as we had arrived. Manuel and Melissa worked long and hard through the day and throughout the night to ensure our wedding was photographed to perfection and let me tell you it was! When we received our wedding photos our jaws dropped and the only word I could think of was breathtaking! I truly want to thank Manuel and Melissa for all of their hard and amazing work they did for us. They never treated us like clients but more as family and family is what they are to us! If you want average photos with average customer service Manuel is not for you, but if you want to work with the best of the best and be treated like gold, pick Manuel Ortega Photography, you will not regret it! Thanks again Manuel and Melissa! -The Andresens

  My wife and I were recently married in May and when it came time to pick a photographer to shoot our wedding all we had to do was see the quality and beauty of the photos that Manuel produced and the choice became clear, we had to have him! The decision was made and my wife and I got into contact with him. Manuel was extremely prompt to get back with us and the first thing I noticed upon speaking with Manuel was his sincerity and patience. My wife and I had a ton of questions and he answered them with ease. He told us that as a part of our wedding package he would shoot a complimentary engagement session which we were absolutely stoked about. The day came for our engagement shoot, and we were to meet with Manuel and his wife Melissa at his studio in Monterey. Upon arrival Manuel and Melissa were there to greet us and they were extremely welcoming and friendly. This was our first time meeting but it felt as if we knew them for years. Upon entering Manuel’s studio you could see how seriously he takes his craft. My wife and I went through a couple of albums he produced and we were in absolute awe. While we were there waiting for the sun to set Manuel asked what we would like in our photos and shared ideas of what would make the photos brilliant. When it became time to shoot it can be an intimidating or uncomfortable situation however for us it was never that way. Manuel and Melissa made us extremely comfortable and made the shoot fun and entertaining. When my wife and I got to see our photos we were stunned, they weren’t just good they were fantastic! Prior to our wedding day Manuel stayed in contact with my wife and I not just to go over details of the wedding day but to also just check in and make sure we were ok. As the wedding day arrived Manuel was first on the scene and was shooting as soon as we had arrived. Manuel and Melissa worked long and hard through the day and throughout the night to ensure our wedding was photographed to perfection and let me tell you it was! When we received our wedding photos our jaws dropped and the only word I could think of was breathtaking! I truly want to thank Manuel and Melissa for all of their hard and amazing work they did for us. They never treated us like clients but more as family and family is what they are to us! If you want average photos with average customer service Manuel is not for you, but if you want to work with the best of the best and be treated like gold, pick Manuel Ortega Photography, you will not regret it! Thanks again Manuel and Melissa! -The Andresens
• Tiffany M. Sent on 12/15/2018
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  Best in the industry!

  As a business professional in the wedding industry we are fortunate to work with some amazing vendors... Manuel Ortega has not only been my top recommended photographer for many years, but he was my top choice for my brothers and sister in laws special day! After the first appointment my brother Justin and sister in law Mia were over the moon to work with him and Melissa because they felt like family, genuinely caring about capturing every detail. Day of, they executed perfection through a lens!
  
  Manny and Melissa were like a choreographed dance positioning themselves fluidly in the right angles to capture moments of pure emotion and perfection. Manny has the ability to see lighting and angles before he takes his snap, but yet he is so quick when he captures it and then he transitions to the next shot. Our family and Justin and Mia’s whole wedding party loved them and were AMAZED on how quick he did group shots. They were calling him a Ninja behind the lens.
  
  Working with Manny and Melissa for client weddings has always been enjoyable to see them in action; but being on the other side watching him capture my brother’s and sister in laws marriage was priceless. Their overall wedding experience between their wedding at Sycamore Creek Vineyards and having the BEST PHOTOGRAPHERS made their day perfection! 10 Stars!!!!
  

  As a business professional in the wedding industry we are fortunate to work with some amazing vendors... Manuel Ortega has not only been my top recommended photographer for many years, but he was my top choice for my brothers and sister in laws special day! After the first appointment my brother Justin and sister in law Mia were over the moon to work with him and Melissa because they felt like family, genuinely caring about capturing every detail. Day of, they executed perfection through a lens!
  
  Manny and Melissa were like a choreographed dance positioning themselves fluidly in the right angles to capture moments of pure emotion and perfection. Manny has the ability to see lighting and angles before he takes his snap, but yet he is so quick when he captures it and then he transitions to the next shot. Our family and Justin and Mia’s whole wedding party loved them and were AMAZED on how quick he did group shots. They were calling him a Ninja behind the lens.
  
  Working with Manny and Melissa for client weddings has always been enjoyable to see them in action; but being on the other side watching him capture my brother’s and sister in laws marriage was priceless. Their overall wedding experience between their wedding at Sycamore Creek Vineyards and having the BEST PHOTOGRAPHERS made their day perfection! 10 Stars!!!!
  
• Heather H. Sent on 12/06/2018
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  Amazing and beautiful photos

  Manuel was the photographer for my wedding in Big Sur and not only were the photos amazing, it was such a great experience. I knew that I needed him to be my photographer and when I checked his availability I was ready to be flexible with my wedding date to make sure he could be there. The website, contact information, and handling all the preparation even before the day was easy and comfortable. He was familiar with the location and has such a great personality that he was just one of the gang. His wife Melissa is equally as amazing and a fantastic photographer in her own right. The candid shots while getting ready were fun and really captured the wedding party's personalities. Not only did he take the "classic" shots, he took some very fresh and unique poses/angles as well. He is very observant and has a great eye for quickly realizing that a special moment is happening and the candid shots are definitely some of my favorites. The group photos after the ceremony can be a drag sometimes and I thought I was going to starve, but when I looked up Melissa had made sure to run over and grab me a drink and plate of snacks that I really needed. I absolutely treasure my photos.

  Manuel was the photographer for my wedding in Big Sur and not only were the photos amazing, it was such a great experience. I knew that I needed him to be my photographer and when I checked his availability I was ready to be flexible with my wedding date to make sure he could be there. The website, contact information, and handling all the preparation even before the day was easy and comfortable. He was familiar with the location and has such a great personality that he was just one of the gang. His wife Melissa is equally as amazing and a fantastic photographer in her own right. The candid shots while getting ready were fun and really captured the wedding party's personalities. Not only did he take the "classic" shots, he took some very fresh and unique poses/angles as well. He is very observant and has a great eye for quickly realizing that a special moment is happening and the candid shots are definitely some of my favorites. The group photos after the ceremony can be a drag sometimes and I thought I was going to starve, but when I looked up Melissa had made sure to run over and grab me a drink and plate of snacks that I really needed. I absolutely treasure my photos.
• Jennifer Sent on 10/10/2017
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  My now husband and I are from New York, and we decided to have a destination elopement in Carmel by the Sea, CA, with just seven immediate family members present. The thought of booking a photographer from 3,000 miles away, without a face to face meeting was a daunting task, but from my first correspondence with Manuel, he put me at ease and made the entire process of booking a breeze. Similarly, our wedding day was seamless because of Manuel and Melissa’s impeccable professionalism and their breadth of experience documenting weddings. On the day of the wedding, my husband was so nervous that I was unsure he was going to be able to relax and enjoy the day, but as soon as Manuel and Melissa showed up to his hotel room to photograph him getting ready, he instantly became calm. It was clear to my hubby that Manuel and Melissa had everything timed perfectly, that they knew exactly how much time they needed to capture everything, and best of all they had my hubby and in laws cracking up as they were taking pictures. By the time my hubby and I met for our first look photos, we were both at ease, completely calm, and just having a blast while enjoying our day. By the time our wedding was over, both Manuel and Melissa felt like part of our family. Less than a week after our wedding, our photos were posted online and we are still in awe of how breathtaking their work is. There are so many photos that we absolutely love, and we know that we will be able to cherish those photos for year and years to come. We had an amazing, amazing wedding day, and we honestly have Manuel and Melissa to thank for that.

  My now husband and I are from New York, and we decided to have a destination elopement in Carmel by the Sea, CA, with just seven immediate family members present. The thought of booking a photographer from 3,000 miles away, without a face to face meeting was a daunting task, but from my first correspondence with Manuel, he put me at ease and made the entire process of booking a breeze. Similarly, our wedding day was seamless because of Manuel and Melissa’s impeccable professionalism and their breadth of experience documenting weddings. On the day of the wedding, my husband was so nervous that I was unsure he was going to be able to relax and enjoy the day, but as soon as Manuel and Melissa showed up to his hotel room to photograph him getting ready, he instantly became calm. It was clear to my hubby that Manuel and Melissa had everything timed perfectly, that they knew exactly how much time they needed to capture everything, and best of all they had my hubby and in laws cracking up as they were taking pictures. By the time my hubby and I met for our first look photos, we were both at ease, completely calm, and just having a blast while enjoying our day. By the time our wedding was over, both Manuel and Melissa felt like part of our family. Less than a week after our wedding, our photos were posted online and we are still in awe of how breathtaking their work is. There are so many photos that we absolutely love, and we know that we will be able to cherish those photos for year and years to come. We had an amazing, amazing wedding day, and we honestly have Manuel and Melissa to thank for that.
• Kristine Sent on 08/26/2017
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  World class, top of the line, best vendor booking of the entire wedding type of photographer. Manuel and his amazing team (I love that his wife is a part of the business's team) are all just amazing people and produce quality, consistent, astonishing images. Excited to have these to look at for decades to come.

  World class, top of the line, best vendor booking of the entire wedding type of photographer. Manuel and his amazing team (I love that his wife is a part of the business's team) are all just amazing people and produce quality, consistent, astonishing images. Excited to have these to look at for decades to come.
• Toya Sent on 07/30/2017
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  Amazing! We were doing a small intimate ceremony and were in search for a good photography who was available and flexible as we wanted to include our 6 God children and knew that they all may not cooperate with an official start time.
  
  It was very easy to use his website and get a quote! We were lucky that Manuel was available (less than a months notice). We could not be happier with the finished product!!
  
  Manuel and his wife Melissa were very professional and made me feel at ease. We were running behind due to kids napping and getting ready and Manuel and Melissa were not bothered at all.
  
  I felt like my friends were there capturing the moment. I couldn't be happier with them and felt like I left with 2 new friends. The day was better than I expected and they captured so many moments that I didn't even know were happening!
  
  I received the slideshow less than 15 hours later and the remainder of our package (Elopement) was delivered ed the next day!
  
  The images were more than I expected and I am glad that we found Manuel and Melissa and would have them shoot for us again! You made our special day even more special. Thank you!!
  

  Amazing! We were doing a small intimate ceremony and were in search for a good photography who was available and flexible as we wanted to include our 6 God children and knew that they all may not cooperate with an official start time.
  
  It was very easy to use his website and get a quote! We were lucky that Manuel was available (less than a months notice). We could not be happier with the finished product!!
  
  Manuel and his wife Melissa were very professional and made me feel at ease. We were running behind due to kids napping and getting ready and Manuel and Melissa were not bothered at all.
  
  I felt like my friends were there capturing the moment. I couldn't be happier with them and felt like I left with 2 new friends. The day was better than I expected and they captured so many moments that I didn't even know were happening!
  
  I received the slideshow less than 15 hours later and the remainder of our package (Elopement) was delivered ed the next day!
  
  The images were more than I expected and I am glad that we found Manuel and Melissa and would have them shoot for us again! You made our special day even more special. Thank you!!
  
• Stefany Sent on 10/17/2017
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  An absolutely SENSATIONAL experience working with Manuel, Melissa and Diego. It all began with engagement photos in February. Manuel and Melissa met with us in Monterey (City Hall) Gorgeous day and perfect weather to take pictures. Let me tell you guys; My Husband (fiance at the time) & I had no ideas on location nor poses. Melissa and Manuel took care of all of that, made me feel comfortable in my own skin, made sure my hair was in the right place, hands, arms in the proper area of the body. Even showed me how "pop & lock my hip" ha ha funniest thing ever but I trusted their advice. A few weeks later we met with Manuel and looked over our engagement pictures. They were ALL so beautiful; perfect lighting and captured a beautiful memory i'll remember for a lifetime to come.Later in June we had our wedding. Manuel suggested having a before wedding picture session; He brought his sweet wife Melissa and good friend/partner Diego. They began with taking pictures of me and my bridesmaids getting ready, from our pretty robes, make up, hair dos.. list goes on and on. Along with my Husband and his groomsman getting ready for the big day. And to even sweeten the day, they captured precious moments of my darling and cute granddaughter Aeriella whom is not camera shy :) Throughout this entire meaningful moment in our lives, Manuel and his wonderful team made ALL of our pictures look like a fairy tale. In fact, they captured my husband getting emotional during the ceremony as I walked down the isle; (if there were no pictures to show proof I wouldn't have believed it). Manuel is a true artist and master of his work. He takes photography to a whole new level, even travels the world to learn new techniques.The photos were just beyond anything we could have imagined. Myles and I Thank you from the bottom of hearts for taking your time and sharing these months together. The day went by so fast, and you captured every minute of the entire wedding. We will have an album full of love.

  An absolutely SENSATIONAL experience working with Manuel, Melissa and Diego. It all began with engagement photos in February. Manuel and Melissa met with us in Monterey (City Hall) Gorgeous day and perfect weather to take pictures. Let me tell you guys; My Husband (fiance at the time) & I had no ideas on location nor poses. Melissa and Manuel took care of all of that, made me feel comfortable in my own skin, made sure my hair was in the right place, hands, arms in the proper area of the body. Even showed me how "pop & lock my hip" ha ha funniest thing ever but I trusted their advice. A few weeks later we met with Manuel and looked over our engagement pictures. They were ALL so beautiful; perfect lighting and captured a beautiful memory i'll remember for a lifetime to come.Later in June we had our wedding. Manuel suggested having a before wedding picture session; He brought his sweet wife Melissa and good friend/partner Diego. They began with taking pictures of me and my bridesmaids getting ready, from our pretty robes, make up, hair dos.. list goes on and on. Along with my Husband and his groomsman getting ready for the big day. And to even sweeten the day, they captured precious moments of my darling and cute granddaughter Aeriella whom is not camera shy :) Throughout this entire meaningful moment in our lives, Manuel and his wonderful team made ALL of our pictures look like a fairy tale. In fact, they captured my husband getting emotional during the ceremony as I walked down the isle; (if there were no pictures to show proof I wouldn't have believed it). Manuel is a true artist and master of his work. He takes photography to a whole new level, even travels the world to learn new techniques.The photos were just beyond anything we could have imagined. Myles and I Thank you from the bottom of hearts for taking your time and sharing these months together. The day went by so fast, and you captured every minute of the entire wedding. We will have an album full of love.
• Sarah Sent on 01/28/2018
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  We hired Manuel to be our wedding photographer (married April 2017), and we couldn’t be happier with that decision. He is a master behind the camera, and having him at our wedding was an absolutely wonderful experience. I highly, highly recommend him.
  
  Photography:
  The best thing you can do is go to his website and let his works speak for themselves. But since you’re here looking for opinions, then in my mind, there is no question concerning his talent. Like everyone else, Manuel will capture the important events as well as all the little special moments that happen in a wedding. But Manuel will also give you amazing show stoppers. Pictures that when you show people later on, they don’t just say “Oh you look so nice!” but instead go “Wow! You look so amazing in that photo! Where’d you get your photographer?” Not an exaggeration, this has happened several times. It’s actually part of why we picked him over other photographers. He offers something a little extra special.
  
  Personality:
  Manuel is an absolute joy. He strikes the perfect balance of feeling like an old friend that you could joke around with yet at the same time still maintaining professionalism. It is easy to feel comfortable around him and his team, which is pretty important if you’re not used to being in front of a camera. One of my favorite things is that Manuel has all these little tricks to get you to laugh during a shoot so that he could capture real, warm smiles. I won’t spoil them here so he can keep using them, but I will say he had us cracking up several times. He really made the whole experience a lot of fun. And the photos of those moments look amazing.
  
  Overall, if you’re looking for a photographer for anything, even outside of a wedding, I definitely recommend Manuel. You’ll have a lot of fun and the photos will be amazing. That certainly was the case for us, and we are very grateful to Manuel and his team for helping make our wedding day so memorable.
  

  We hired Manuel to be our wedding photographer (married April 2017), and we couldn’t be happier with that decision. He is a master behind the camera, and having him at our wedding was an absolutely wonderful experience. I highly, highly recommend him.
  
  Photography:
  The best thing you can do is go to his website and let his works speak for themselves. But since you’re here looking for opinions, then in my mind, there is no question concerning his talent. Like everyone else, Manuel will capture the important events as well as all the little special moments that happen in a wedding. But Manuel will also give you amazing show stoppers. Pictures that when you show people later on, they don’t just say “Oh you look so nice!” but instead go “Wow! You look so amazing in that photo! Where’d you get your photographer?” Not an exaggeration, this has happened several times. It’s actually part of why we picked him over other photographers. He offers something a little extra special.
  
  Personality:
  Manuel is an absolute joy. He strikes the perfect balance of feeling like an old friend that you could joke around with yet at the same time still maintaining professionalism. It is easy to feel comfortable around him and his team, which is pretty important if you’re not used to being in front of a camera. One of my favorite things is that Manuel has all these little tricks to get you to laugh during a shoot so that he could capture real, warm smiles. I won’t spoil them here so he can keep using them, but I will say he had us cracking up several times. He really made the whole experience a lot of fun. And the photos of those moments look amazing.
  
  Overall, if you’re looking for a photographer for anything, even outside of a wedding, I definitely recommend Manuel. You’ll have a lot of fun and the photos will be amazing. That certainly was the case for us, and we are very grateful to Manuel and his team for helping make our wedding day so memorable.
  
• Mia Sent on 12/30/2018
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  Couldn't be happier!

  Manny and Melissa photographed our engagement pictures and our wedding. They are AMAZING!! Super friendly, easy to work with, and not to mention the pictures were absolutely stunning. We could not believe the quality of the pictures. They also got our pictures to us very quickly. We couldn't be happier using them. HIGHLY recommended!!

  Manny and Melissa photographed our engagement pictures and our wedding. They are AMAZING!! Super friendly, easy to work with, and not to mention the pictures were absolutely stunning. We could not believe the quality of the pictures. They also got our pictures to us very quickly. We couldn't be happier using them. HIGHLY recommended!!
• Bettyellen Sent on 11/28/2016
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  I can not express enough how much I LOVE Manuel!! He is absolutely amazing to work with!! He listen's to your wants and needs and then make them come alive in his beautiful photos!! My husband and I are not people who like to take photos, but the one thing I wanted more than anything was to have our wedding day captured, and he did that beautifully! He and his wife are so fun to work with,! They both were very patient with my husbands shenanigans and made us feel very comfortable! I refer them to everyone I know and come into contact with! TOP NOTCH PROFESSIONALS!!!

  I can not express enough how much I LOVE Manuel!! He is absolutely amazing to work with!! He listen's to your wants and needs and then make them come alive in his beautiful photos!! My husband and I are not people who like to take photos, but the one thing I wanted more than anything was to have our wedding day captured, and he did that beautifully! He and his wife are so fun to work with,! They both were very patient with my husbands shenanigans and made us feel very comfortable! I refer them to everyone I know and come into contact with! TOP NOTCH PROFESSIONALS!!!
• Sheryl Sent on 06/23/2017
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  Working with Manuel and his wife Melissa was first class service. Not only are they the nicest, down to earth couple and they're easy to work with, but their work is AMAZING!! After searching several websites looking for the perfect photographer for my wedding as soon as I saw some of a Manuel's work I knew he was the one. I can happily say I did not make the wrong decision. They did our engagement photos as well as our wedding day. Our engagement session we had so much fun shooting & they turned out gorgeous. My wedding photos are absolutely stunning and we LOVE THEM!! I've gotten endless compliments on them and asked several times who did my photos. He captured the whole day beautifully. I told him when I picked up my album that a story is being told through his pictures. I'm so thankful.
  I've already asked Manuel if he would do our future family portraits and my maternity shoot whenever that day comes

  Working with Manuel and his wife Melissa was first class service. Not only are they the nicest, down to earth couple and they're easy to work with, but their work is AMAZING!! After searching several websites looking for the perfect photographer for my wedding as soon as I saw some of a Manuel's work I knew he was the one. I can happily say I did not make the wrong decision. They did our engagement photos as well as our wedding day. Our engagement session we had so much fun shooting & they turned out gorgeous. My wedding photos are absolutely stunning and we LOVE THEM!! I've gotten endless compliments on them and asked several times who did my photos. He captured the whole day beautifully. I told him when I picked up my album that a story is being told through his pictures. I'm so thankful.
  I've already asked Manuel if he would do our future family portraits and my maternity shoot whenever that day comes
• Christina Sent on 06/23/2017
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  Manuel Ortega Photography - simply the best choice my husband and I made to capture the most memorable day in our lives.
  
  Manuel & Melissa (and assistants) were so down to earth - when we initially were searching for a photographer we didn't want to feel pressured to select a photographer right away, we wanted to feel that whoever we chose was THE ONE, and they simply met all our needs. From the initial introduction of pricing to our wedding day - we were so appreciative of the amazing, creative, unique, story-telling this couple is and made our selection of photos so hard to narrow down but it simply says a lot, what they do is 110% outstanding job and by going with Manuel Ortega photography you will not regret your choice.

  Manuel Ortega Photography - simply the best choice my husband and I made to capture the most memorable day in our lives.
  
  Manuel & Melissa (and assistants) were so down to earth - when we initially were searching for a photographer we didn't want to feel pressured to select a photographer right away, we wanted to feel that whoever we chose was THE ONE, and they simply met all our needs. From the initial introduction of pricing to our wedding day - we were so appreciative of the amazing, creative, unique, story-telling this couple is and made our selection of photos so hard to narrow down but it simply says a lot, what they do is 110% outstanding job and by going with Manuel Ortega photography you will not regret your choice.
• Doris Sent on 11/29/2016
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  Absolutely incredible is the best way to describe Manuel and Melissa. They aren’t just photographers, they are true artists and story tellers. Their work speaks for itself, but apart from that they are just truly great people to deal with as well. From the moment we met with them, we felt connected and comfortable with them. They listened to our vision of what shots we wanted and captured all of the emotions and moments of our once in a lifetime event. Our wedding photographs were beyond our expectations. Five star all the way.

  Absolutely incredible is the best way to describe Manuel and Melissa. They aren’t just photographers, they are true artists and story tellers. Their work speaks for itself, but apart from that they are just truly great people to deal with as well. From the moment we met with them, we felt connected and comfortable with them. They listened to our vision of what shots we wanted and captured all of the emotions and moments of our once in a lifetime event. Our wedding photographs were beyond our expectations. Five star all the way.

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