Ian Chin Photography

We worked with Ian to take pictures of our elopement at SF City Hall. We didn't know what to expect since neither of us had much experience posing for photos. Our time with Ian turned out to be amazing and so much fun! He was professional, creative, and very obviously knowledgeable of the venue's sweet spots to take awesome shots. On top of that, he was friendly, patient, and extremely considerate. We were beyond happy with how the pictures turned out and we highly recommend Ian for your wedding photography needs. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Highly recommended! At first I didn't think we needed a photographer, thought we had some gifted friends who could take care of it, but I'm so glad we decided to get one and that our photographer was Ian! A really nice guy, with a good eye - we did a standard wedding package, which was equal to or cheaper than other photographers we were checking out, and it came with an engagement shoot, where we got some lovely shots of us looking so happy together. At the wedding, Ian also managed to capture some great shots of friends and family, as well as us. He also covered our reception, and we have lovely group shots from that event. Thanks again so much for your excellent work, Ian! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

We hired Ian for our casual wedding of about 60 people, wanting someone who was down to Earth, and was able to go with the flow and capture some great photos without a super strict time outline or program. He took a ton of candid photos of our friends and family and everyone raved about how personable and professional he was. He created some awesome memories for us!Thanks Ian! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Ian was super easy to communicate with. Great to work with and most importantly our pictures turned out great. Thank you Ian!

Reviewed on Google Maps

Visiting from Toronto, I wanted to surprise my then girlfriend with a marriage proposal first (which I did in Muir Woods the day before working with Ian) while visiting San Francisco. Looking on for the best engagement and wedding photographers in San Francisco yielded a bunch of results, but Ian's work stood out the second I clicked on his website.His creativity, use of angles and light, and capturing the moment all made it an easy choice to pick him for our engagement shoot in San Francisco. He suggested Lands End based on my preference for an outdoor and nature friendly location near the ocean and it was perfect!I highly recommend hiring Ian Chin Photography for your engagement shoot in San Francisco - you won't regret it! :DThank you for making our trip so special! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Ian is the best! I got my wedding photo shoot pictures today and I love them!!!! I first found him through Yelp, then went on his website and already loved the pictures I could see there. Ian was very friendly in his emails and made a lot of recommendations (I wasn't exactly sure where we wanted to take the pictures), and was very patient in answering all my questions.When we met him in person to take the pictures, Ian was really nice and he knows how to make people feel comfortable in front of the camera. It was my first photoshoot (actually, my second, I took some professional pictures as a baby, but I can't remember it, so let's say this is the first photo shoot I remember), and it was really fun! I will definitely come back to Ian for my future pictures needs. His rates are affordable, he's a really nice guy, and very skilled. What more can you ask for?Thank you so much Ian! :) (and I'd give you a million stars on Yelp if I could! haha) More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Highly recommend Ian for event photography!He joined us for our rehearsal dinner with ~80 guests and we ended up with great photos of the evening. He was professional, reliable, unobtrusive, and talented. We will enjoy his photos for years to come! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

My wedding photos turned out absolutely AMAZING! Ian was early and very flexible in terms of getting all the different shots we wanted plus providing great input! He really knows how to capture everyone at the perfect moment as well as make the posed photos refreshing and unique. I will cherish my wedding day through these photos forever. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, you won't regret it! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Ian did a great job. We had a tricky photo shoot at the Palace of Fine Arts involving models and lots of costume changes. Ian was super to work with and the photo's were amazing . We will definately be using Ian for all of our Photo needs. Simply the best! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Ian did a great job with the photographs and captured the images to our preference. Listened to what we wanted and worked with us. Price was great for what you get and we had a blast! Thanks for capturing a precious moment in our lives including my ripped pants. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian did an absolutely phenomenal job at our my company's corporate event that I put together.  He was recommended through a friend and was on time, very flexible, and professional.  The event was about 250 people on a yacht in the SF Bay so getting to to all the decks and getting the lighting right for some of the pictures was hard. But Ian did it, and got the photos back to us in less that a week.  He really captured the important elements of the event and got some excellent candid and posed photos. I would absolutely recommend him to anyone.  He is professional, timely, and very easy to work with. Thank you Ian! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian did a great job with the photographs and captured the images to our preference. Listened to what we wanted and worked with us. Price was great for what you get and we had a blast! Thanks for capturing a precious moment in our lives including the part of the shoot, my ripped pants. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

I had always wanted to get married in City Hall since it is such a beautiful building. We compromised with my parents and ended up having a ceremony and reception outside of the City. We had made an appointment months prior to get and sign our marriage license and decided last minute to gather my immediate family to come with us and to take pictures since it was the ONE thing I wanted. My wedding photographer was already booked, so to yelp I went. It made sense to search for photographers who specialized in City Hall and boy, i LUCKED OUT. I could not be happier with our pictures. Ian was laid back (so are we) and he knew exactly where to go. Although i love the building itself, i wouldn't be able to tell you where to go to take said exquisite photos. Ian knew EXACTLY where to go, the best lighting and shooting around the crowds... and the pictures were STUNNING. We have goofy candid pics, we have amazing silhouette pics, and we have gorgeous staircase portrait photos. The pictures are so beautiful and no crowds! And all this within a week of booking! He's not overly expensive and he's got a great personality. Our photos were cleaned up and send via a downloadable file in 3 days and we want to print them all. Thanks Ian for making wedding day #1 so much fun and taking the pics to prove it! Highly recommended! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Long overdue review! I found Ian on Yelp and asked him to help with my proposal photos at Lands End. My now fiance did not know that we would have a photographer (she wanted one) and Ian hid himself well so that I could make my proposal a surprise! It was a cold and drizzly day for the proposal, but the pictures came out amazing nonetheless and that was due to Ian's ability!Ian was incredibly professional and kind during the event and I would recommend him for any future shoots! Great guy! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I recently hired Ian to shoot my proposal to my girlfriend of 2+ years. My original photographer bailed on me two days before the big day. I was frantically searching on Yelp for photographers and was coming up empty as nobody was available to shoot on such short notice. One of these people I called on eventually referred me to Ian who ultimately came to the rescue and saved the day!I was obviously stressed out over the logistics of the day and Ian was super flexible when communicating. We coordinated over phone and text the day prior and in the hours leading up to the proposal itself.I chose the Cityscape Lounge at the Hilton Union Square. When I realized I had reserved a time before sunset, he was flexible and we pushed our time back an hour or so to try capture the golden hour. My girlfriend ended up being late due to traffic and he was extremely accommodating there as well and even helped coordinate with the hotel staff that was in on it to ensure everything went off seamlessly. Finally, Ian was flexible and attentive during the actual proposal. There were a couple of curveballs (e.g. unexpected tourists getting into the frame, accommodating pics with family members that showed up after it went down, and the fact that we went slightly over the allotted time), but Ian was alert and adapted to a changing setting. The quality of the proposal photos is amazing! And in them, you can see the care and attention Ian put into the composition of each shot. All-in-all, I highly recommend Ian not only because of his skill as a photographer but also for the care he put into making my proposal shoot a truly delightful experience. Thank you again Ian!!!!! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian did an incredible job with our proposal photo shoot. He made sure everything went flawlessly the day of the proposal, and the pictures turned out perfect. Couldn't recommend Ian more.

Reviewed on Yelp

I needed a photographer to shoot my proposal, and Ian fit the bill! He captured the moment perfectly and took a handful of fun pictures after the hard part was done. I coordinated with him over phone and text in the hours leading up to the proposal itself, and we pulled it off without a hitch. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

My husband and I hired Ian for our wedding in May 2017.  He did an outstanding job!  The pictures were artistic, fun, creative and captured all the most important moments, emotions and people that day.  Throughout the entire process, he was professional and very courteous.  We will be recommending him to all our friends and family. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I hired Ian with one week notice to shoot a company event. He was nice enough to rearrange his schedule to accommodate us. Ian showed up on time and documented our event for us with very little direction on our part. The pictures were ready within 2 days and they are absolutely beautiful. He got all the "important people" without us having to point out who was who. We are very happy with the service and product and would definitely consider hiring Ian again! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian Chin did such a fantastic job photographing my city hall wedding.

I've never hired a photographer before and wasn't sure what to expect, but Ian made the entire process so easy. He's a professional to work with, listened to what I was looking for and offered great suggestions, and made us feel so comfortable.

I honestly was only hoping for a handful of great photos that documented our wedding day, but Ian provided us with an entire album's worth. Plus he gave us some digital files that very night so we could post them online AND gave us the remaining photos online within a few days. Everyone I've shown our wedding pictures to comment on how great the photos are and how Ian really captured how happy the day was for us.

If you're looking for a professional, skillful, thorough, accommodating, and affordable photographer, than Ian Chin is your man. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Ian is an amazing photographer! Showed up to our event in a suit and acted in a professional manner. Gave us directions on how to pose and was patient with us throughout the entire session! Email communication was a breeze prior and after the event. Photos delivered via email within the week! Would DEF recommend to anyone in need of a photographer! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I hired Ian as the photographer for my brother's evening reception for his wedding. It was held in a trendy bar with string lights as the only light source so I was really worried about getting someone who could photograph in this kind of environment. Needless to say, Ian was AMAZING. Everyone loved him before we even got the photos back - he was kind, professional, and well-dressed (bonus points in my book). The photos were just the icing on the cake. Would recommend him for any kind of event and will definitely book him again! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian is a great photographer and very easy to work with! I hired Ian to take pictures when I proposed to my girlfriend, now fiancé, and he did an amazing job. We had a few phone calls beforehand so I could explained my plan and he provided great advice in order to get the best pictures. At the time of the proposal, he was well-hidden and got incredible shots. We were very pleased with the photos Ian took and his overall professionalism. I highly recommend Ian for any of your photography needs! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian Chin was a magician in his former life, I swear.  Heard the saying "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade?" Well let me tell ya, Mr. Ian Chin is Minute Maid, himself!  So my boyfriend proposes to me under the Golden Gate Bridge at Fort Point Military base (yeah, romantic right?)  Anyways, its cold, its dreary, its rainy.  All this to say, that this gloomy day in San Francisco showed no mercy on my appearance. My hair is frizzy, and no makeup in sight.My now-fiance hired Ian to be a part of our special day, and I knew nothing about it.  I was ashamed and embarrassed at the fact that these pictures would capture every element of my flaws that day, however Ian remained optimistic.  He assured me that I still looked great, and that our pictures we going to turn out amazing.  And he didn't lie.We received the pictures in less than 72 hours, and I was dumbfounded.  How did he make such a monotonous day look so enchanting, so beautiful? Tom and I are more than happy with the stunning proposal pictures that Ian took.  His creativity and professionalism made that special day in our lives much more memorable.  Thanks Ian! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I had some professional photos done with Ian. Communication and scheduling were easy and effective. When I arrived for the shoot he was prepared and on time. His instructions were clear and easy to follow. When we were done Ian delivered the photos to me quickly. I am quite satisfied with the work. I hope I will be able to work with Ian again. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian is an amazing photographer and couldn't be happier with how our pictures turned out! My husband and I did a simple ceremony at San Francisco City Hall on August 5, 2016 and Ian was able to capture the magic, love and amazing structures of City Hall for our special day! Since he was familiar with the venue, it was a breeze to get the best angles that both showoff the space and how handsome we are :)Ian also got our family in order for their shots and listened to our requests. Everyone who has seen our pictures have complimented how awesome they were and we have Ian to thank for that! Look no further for someone who is flexible, knowledgeable, and captures the memories of your special day!Thank you again Ian! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian was hired by my boyfriend (now my fiancé) to shoot our proposal. He was easy to work with and gave Bryan advice in order to get the best photos. There wasn't a place to "hide" during the proposal, but Ian did a great job of staying far enough away to give us our privacy but still get GREAT shots. After the proposal, Ian suggested some areas that would make for nice photos. He directed and staged us, which was so helpful. Ian was kind and chatted with us throughout the entire process. Our proposal was on a Saturday and Ian sent us the link to ur photos on Monday before noon! Such a quick turnaround.These photos will be treasured forever and I am so, so grateful that Bryan's Yelp search turned up Ian. We cannot recommend him enough!Thank you Ian, for priceless photographs and a wonderful session! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We hired Ian for our SF City Hall wedding, 6/19/15. This happened to be the same day as City Hall's 100 year anniversary party and the whole rotunda was roped off, but luckily he knows all the beautiful secluded spots that make for great photos. We hired him for an hour and a half, which I think was just the perfect amount of time for the ceremony, a couple of family shots, and both posed and candid of just the two of us. He made us both feel at ease and brought out our true smiles, which can be hard to do. Thank you Ian for our lovely photos!!!

​Lisa and Chris More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Ian did our engagement photo shoot this past Sunday (2/21/16) and it was great. We just received our photos today and they are fantastic! He really captured us exactly how we wanted. I especially love the candid photos where we are laughing because it is so us. He did some amazing shots from different angles, distance, etc. He definitely has a great artistic eye and you can tell he loves what he does. We highly recommend him. Thanks Ian! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian did a fantastic job with our wedding photos at City Hall in San Francisco. He advised us on how to schedule the photos to make best use of the space, what to expect at City Hall, and where to take group and individual photos. We had a very large and unwieldy group that he charmed into position with deft and polite instructions. Everyone raved about his amazing ability to quickly position the group and take gorgeous photos in a short period of time. We feel so lucky to have found Ian and worked with him. I don't think we could have found anyone else who could live up to his amazing skill. We also really appreciated that he gave us the negatives for the photos when he was finished. We cannot recommend Ian highly enough. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Thanks you very much Ian for doing such a first class job. The pictures you took for our wedding were excellent. It was very kind of you also to be our witness. You made us feel so relaxed and we had such a really enjoyable time. We would strongly recommend Ian as a wedding photographer he is so warm and friendly yet he can do such a professional job. The photographs speaks for themselves.

Brian and Niamh More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

This review is a little overdue, but I have just come back to visit my wife's family here in SF (we live in Australia). We just showed everyone the DVD of our photos from our wedding in April when I suddenly realized that I forgot to tell the world how awesome Ian's photos are! He managed to capture the emotion of everyone so incredibly well and his unique perspectives for some of his shots were really really cool. The man is a true professional and I cannot recommend him highly enough. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian is the best! I got my wedding photo shoot pictures today and I love them!!!! I first found him through Yelp, then went on his website and already loved the pictures I could see there. Ian was very friendly in his emails and made a lot of recommendations (I wasn't exactly sure where we wanted to take the pictures), and was very patient in answering all my questions.When we met him in person to take the pictures, Ian was really nice and he knows how to make people feel comfortable in front of the camera. It was my first photoshoot (actually, my second, I took some professional pictures as a baby, but I can't remember it, so let's say this is the first photo shoot I remember), and it was really fun! I will definitely come back to Ian for my future pictures needs. His rates are affordable, he's a really nice guy, and very skilled. What more can you ask for?Thank you so much Ian! :) (and I'd give you a million stars on Yelp if I could! haha) More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian is the best! I got my wedding photo shoot pictures today and I love them!!!! I first found him through Yelp, then went on his website and already loved the pictures I could see there. Ian was very friendly in his emails and made a lot of recommendations (I wasn't exactly sure where we wanted to take the pictures), and was very patient in answering all my questions.

When we met him in person to take the pictures, Ian was really nice and he knows how to make people feel comfortable in front of the camera. It was my first photoshoot (actually, my second, I took some professional pictures as a baby, but I can't remember it, so let's say this is the first photo shoot I remember), and it was really fun!

I will definitely come back to Ian for my future pictures needs. His rates are affordable, he's a really nice guy, and very skilled. What more can you ask for?

Thank you so much Ian! :) (and I'd give you a million stars on Yelp if I could! haha) More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

We hired Ian for our SF City Hall wedding, 6/19/15.  This happened to be the same day as City Hall's 100 year anniversary party and the whole rotunda was roped off, but luckily he knows all the beautiful secluded spots that make for great photos.  We hired him for an hour and a half, which I think was just the perfect amount of time for the ceremony, a couple of family shots, and both posed and candid of just the two of us.  He made us both feel at ease and brought out our true smiles, which can be hard to do.  Thank you Ian for our lovely photos!!! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian shot my surprise marriage proposal on Treasure Island. He was very helpful in working with me to come up with angles and background shots, flash vs. no flash, etc. We did a consultation on T.I. a couple of weeks beforehand so he would know where to shoot from so as not to be noticed, and he told me where I should stand.The morning of, my fiance arrived later than planned, so Ian and I were standing it the cold wind for quite a while. He was very patient for that and we just chatted to calm my nerves--much appreciated!Everything turned out as planned, and the photos look fantastic! His rates are affordable and the quality and service was top notch. Highly recommend for your photography needs! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

A little over due but Ian was one of our engagement photographers!  He isn't afraid to get down and dirty and has a wonderful artistic eye.  We did our e-shoot at Crissy Field/Presidio on a cold August evening.  He was our favorite photographer to work with and I don't think any of his pictures looked the "same."  I feel like a lot of professional photographers go for the same look or angles with their photos.  I've even seen some do what he calls the "Instagram effect" where it looks like a slightly blurry photo.  He isn't available for our wedding, but we're so fortunate to have him do our engagement shoot.  He does it all - weddings, engagement shoots, birthdays, and even boudoir photos.  He took classes from a Playboy photographer, so his images are less whimsical kinda soft lines typical boudior shoot style and makes you feel more like a centerfold.  I highly recommend Ian for all of your professional photographer needs. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian is very professional and very easy to work with. He did our San Francisco City Hall Wedding and everyone thought he was great. More importantly, the photos came out wonderfully and they captured the tears coming down my face (yay ugly crying ha) and the many laughs throughout the day. He was great is making us feel comfortable in front of the camera and making us laugh over and over (we are SO awkward in front of the camera but he made us feel at ease)

Can't wait to have you photograph us in Chicago next! ;) More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

This review is a bit overdue but better late than never. After spending quite a bit of time researching bourdoir photographers online, I finally settled on Ian, and I am so glad I did. Mostly because of his other Yelp reviews and the professionalism of his website. I wanted to do something special for my boyfriend for Christmas. I met Ian at his place along with the make-up artist, who was referred by Ian and did a great job. I had never done anything like this before and felt fairly awkward in the beginning. But Ian was really great at making me feel comfortable thank goodness! The shoot lasted for 1 hour or so and I never felt like anything was rushed. I would recommend following the directions in the attachment he emails after booking as the advice makes for a better shoot.Ian also assisted me in helping me select outfits for the shoot. I believe we shot 4-5 "scenes". It was all very fun. Letting me bring my own playlist to play during the shoot was really nice and helped me feel relaxed.When I returned to view the photos, we widdled down the selections together. I trust his eye much more than mine and we chose enough to create a photo book. I was SUPER pleased with the results. I saw a friend who did her shoot thru livingsocial and boy do you get what you pay for. Ian- my boyfriend loved his book and when the time comes when we need another professional photographer I will be calling you! Keep up the good work! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian is AWESOME!! My husband and I had a last minute elopement (with our two daughters) at San Francisco's City Hall, and we needed a photographer to capture the moment. Luckily, Ian was available. About two days before the ceremony, I realized that we needed a witness....which of course, it just being us and our girls, we didn't have. I asked Ian, on short notice, if he could be a witness for our wedding, and he graciously said, "yes, I'd be honored to." He arrived early (before us, in fact), and as we were waiting for our marriage license, he began taking pictures. The moment I met Ian, I felt that we were in good hands. He is extremely professional, patient, creative, and kind! I had no idea what type of style I wanted for our photos, and that was fine, Ian took care of it all. I plan to hire Ian again on our next trip to San Francisco for a second round of family photos. Pick Ian Chin as your photographer, you definitely wont be disappointed!Thank you for all the wonderful memories, Ian!! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I booked Ian for a surprise proposal photography session. He was extremely helpful in giving me ideas for awesome locations to propose at. My heart was set on Baker Beach and he was quick to respond in how to position my girlfriend to get the best shot possible. Since it was a surprise, Ian was able to stealthily take some of the more intimate moments of the proposal.Once the jig was up, he gave even more ideas on how to create some more memorable moments with the Golden gate Bridge in the background. He even got my now fiance to give me a piggy back ride, one of my favorite pictures of the day! The photos came back very quickly (less than a week!)Ian was an absolute pleasure to work with and also a steal at the price he asked. His photos came out amazing and I would not hesitate to work with this man once more. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I hired Ian Chin to capture my proposal at Baker Beach in San Francisco. Ian was very prompt to respond when I contacted him about a week and a half before the big day. On the day of, Ian was sure to stay in great contact to insure things kept to plan. After capturing my proposal, and meeting him for the first time, Ian had several ideas to get wonderful shots of us on the beach. A few short days later, we had roughly 75 quality photos of my fiancé and I at Baker Beach. If you're in need of a photographer, I would highly recommend Ian Chin to do the job. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

We hired Ian as our wedding photographer and we really enjoyed working with him. He replied to my initial email super quickly which is always great for first impressions, and he was easy to correspond with and work out details even though we live 4000 miles apart. On the day he worked his socks off and even stayed late for no extra charge as our schedule was running late. He put everyone at ease and we had a lot of good comments from family and friends about him. If you want a committed and talented photographer, go for Ian! More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I have always felt awkward in front of cameras and my 4-year-old daughter always shies away from photographers as well, but Ian just has a knack for making me, my husband, and my daughter feel comfortable during our photo shoots. It is extremely difficult to take a decent picture of my daughter since she refuses to smile on cue or look at cameras, but Ian had so many tricks to get her laughing and because of this, he has been unbelievably successful at capturing numerous, endearing photos of her.Ian has been our go-to photographer for 4 years now! And there are several reasons why we keep calling him up, year after year. We trust his artistic eye. We trust his ability to capture social moments. We trust him to make every photo shoot fun and comfortable. He's very professional, yet approachable. Turn around times for photos are short, which is perfect for any family who is anxious to see the finished photos. His work never ceases to impress.The holiday season is upon us and I have already scheduled my holiday photo shoot with him because I wanted to make absolute sure my family and I got on his calendar.All-around great photographer. Highly recommend. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Ian was our photographer for our San Francisco City Hall wedding. We hired him for an hour and he was wonderful. He worked so hard to give us a nice variety of shots, taking full advantage of that beautiful building. Ian is super friendly and made our entire family feel very comfortable. The pictures are beautiful and he got them to us so quickly! Highly recommend and would definitely work with him again. I would give him more than 5 stars if I could. :) More...

Reviewed on Yelp