Top 10 Engagement Photographers in Phoenix

An engagement session is all about celebrating your love and capturing photos that can be used for your “save-the-date”, social media channels or wedding website. It’s also an opportunity to connect with your prospective wedding photographer and ensure you can work together before your big day rolls around.

Couples getting married in Phoenix have no shortage of choices when it comes to engagement photographers, most of whom also shoot weddings. In this list, we’ll highlight 10 of the best and their photography journey.

Ben and Kelly Photography

Recognized as among the “Top 10 wedding photographers in North America” by Master’s of Wedding Photography, Ben and Kelly strongly believe that love can change the world. Married for more than 20 years, they are on a mission to celebrate the uniqueness of each and every couple they work with through images that are bright and vibrant. Ben and Kelly’s work has been featured in numerous publications that include “Inside Weddings” and the Huffington Post.

Carmela Joy

Carmela Joy is a wedding, engagement, and lifestyle photographer who is based in Arizona and is passionate about capturing the “genuine interactions, spontaneous moments, and candids that make your personality and love unique”. She first picked up a camera in her senior year and hasn’t looked back since, saying she takes great joy and responsibility in capturing the love stories of her clients. A look through Carmela’s portfolio is also like a whirlwind tour through the magnificent landscapes of her home state.

Nhiya Kaye Photography

Rebecca Johnson is the lead photographer at Nhiya Kaye Photography, which offers authentic, fun, and story-driven imagery. She launched her photography business in 2012 after a six-month trip to China and has been on the rise ever since. Rebecca describes herself as a “shadow sidekick” and an “advocate for your memories”, as well as a “personal journalist” for the couples she works with. Rather than focusing on a perfectly posed version of life, she prefers to document the quirkiness and imperfection of your reality.

Cam + Larisa

Meet Cam + Larisa, aka the “Kaisers” - a husband-and-wife wedding and engagement photography and videography team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They say that their journey as professional photographers began on their own wedding day when they had a “horrible experience” with their photographer and made it their mission to not let other couples experience the same. During their relaxed and fun sessions, they are all about capturing natural portraits and candid moments, rather than stiff and awkward shots.

Riss and Steven

It was while documenting an event together that Riss and Steven fell in love before eventually fusing their creative energies in a successful wedding and engagement photography business. As a team, they bring out the best in each other, with Riss having a knack for helping couples to express their emotions and Steven being calm, with exceptional attention to detail. As your engagement photographers, they don’t want to simply be another vendor but friends you can count on throughout your wedding planning process.

Samantha Rose Photography

Samantha Rose is an Arizona-based elopement photographer who also regularly shoots engagement sessions for her couples. Originally from the Midwest, she moved to the Southwest to be with her high school sweetheart and has found inspiration in Arizona’s incredible landscapes and golden colors. Samantha wants to encourage more couples to have “authentic and meaningful elopements that feel like home in the outdoors”. She strives to capture all of the special moments, from your first kiss to your first hike as newlyweds.

Jonnie and Garrett

Jonnie and Garrett are another husband-and-wife photography team who specialize in Phoenix engagement sessions. Both born and raised in Arizona, they picked up photography as a shared passion while they were dating and learned the ins and outs of the industry alongside one another. Countless weddings and e-sessions later, their portfolio is filled with images documenting all of the emotions and moments that make love so special and they strive to deliver something that their couples can “hold onto for a lifetime”.

Jennifer Hill Photography

Jennifer Hill Photography is the husband-and-wife team of Jenn and Quinton, two high school sweethearts who are passionate about capturing life’s authentic moments. They describe their photography as for “adventurous and madly-in-love souls” - something that they can both relate to. While Jenn is the lead photographer (discovering her passion for the craft during nursing school), Quinton is her second shooter and right-hand man who is guaranteed to make you laugh throughout your engagement session.

Aaron Kes Photography

Aside from being a skilled engagement and wedding photographer, Phoenix-based Aaron Kes describes himself as a “super laid back dude”. He says that this helps to make his clients relax in front of the camera, something that’s essential for capturing authentic moments. Aaron picked up photography while working in the film industry and particularly loves it when clients ditch tradition to do something completely unique. Having photographed everyone from cowboys to punk rockers, he believes that you should love and own exactly who you are.

Thomas Shull

With a bachelor's degree in Public Relations & Photography from Northern Arizona University, Thomas Shull loves to connect with adventurous couples and says he has an “affinity for photo sessions on the edges of desert cliffs”. He’s all about documenting authentic moments amidst the natural beauty of Arizona’s surroundings. When he’s not shooting as an engagement and wedding photographer, Thomas Shull works for a local non-profit, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, which helps to mentor young people through positive relationships.

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