Leah Valentine Photography

We had a mini session with Leah for our holiday photos and I can't believe how great they turned out! We are a family of six- 2 parents, a 4 year old, 2 year old, and 4 month old twins, and I really didn't think it would be possible to get even one decent photo of all six of us, but Leah was able to take several that came out amazing! She also shot so many adorable photos of each kid individually and this was not easy. Our 4 year old is very rambunctious and our 2 year old is quite shy. She was also able to do all this in under 30 minutes, which is key when you're dealing with so many little one. We will definitely be using Leah for future photo shoot again! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Leah is amazing! We have done two different photo sessions with her and both times we managed to have fun and enjoy ourselves and get perfect family portraits. I don't know how she does it but she manages to get the perfect facial expressions of both of our super active boys. She makes the session a ton of fun for them and manages to captivate the craziest of toddlers. She is my go-to for any pictures we need for our family and we will definitely go to her first for pictures in the future. The best thing about Leah is that she's really enjoyable to be around, and that enthusiasm is contagious and comes out in our pictures! She is also extremely efficient, easy to schedule with, and is very punctual. There are no surprises other than just how awesome the pictures look. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

“Best photographer in Southern California ! Works fast, pleasant, had great suggestions for places to meet, and always has the camera ready for the “magic moments”.
I am so happy we found Leah, our photos always turn out absolutely AMAZING!! I found her while searching for Santa Barbara baby photographers, right after our daughter was born. We decided to bring our pet rabbit to the first photo shoot at her lovely studio, and I’m so glad I did because she captured some beautiful moments between the two of them. Leah has taken our family holiday pictures for the past two years. She is extremely talented, and knows the best spots in town to get beautiful photos. She is professional and yet makes you feel at ease, even though getting your photo taken isn’t always something everyone feels comfortable doing (I certainly don’t). Leah made the entire experience like we were just hanging out and no pressure (even with our with our fussy toddler and pet rabbit).�Whether you need a newborn photographer, family or pet portraits, Leah makes it easy. “ More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I'm not sure how Leah did it, but she got a gallery of photos of my two year old daughter and four year old son - in less than 1/2 hour. Even though they didn't know her, she made them feel at ease and they enjoyed themselves while she was photographing them. She got some beautiful pictures that really captured their personalities, and I love that we got some family shots too. I also love the diversity of the pictures we got, from individual ones, to group ones, distant and close ups, natural and more posed ones. Thank you Leah - we will be back for more! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I recently reunited with Leah after she took our engagement photos 3 years ago which were stunning. Recently, she took family photos with our one year old son and I was reminded of just how lovely she is to work with. She was so great with our active toddler, made us feel comfortable and natural and she just snapped away. I received my photos and again we are thrilled. We weren't sure how they would turn out because of our constant wrestling with our son, but she managed to capture the sweetest moments I will treasure forever. She had a quick turnaround, one week, and offers a variety of reasonable prices, especially during the holidays. Thank you Leah! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I met Leah and witnessed her photography work as a bridesmaid at my friends wedding. She was so thorough and creative. My friend ended up with some gorgeous photos! Fast forward a few years, I needed to newborn photos for my son! I reached out to Leah. She captured the early moments so perfectly. While I was tired and recovering, she was directing things, coming up with new ideas, and getting all the family and solo shots I wanted and the ones I didn't know I wanted! She even accommodated a silly request to put my newborn son in his dads hockey goalie glove. This was no small feat as the glove was used every week and dirty so she had to make it photo worthy. That is still one of my favorite photos. Did I mention she did all this great work while pregnant?!? I was absolutely stunned. We've had family photos with her almost every year since. She understands how to get my sometimes shy son to smile and really captures candid moments and genuine smiles. Her work hangs on my walls and I smile every time I see it. She's punctual, great with communication, and an exceptional photographer! She's priced well and in my opinion, it's an incredible value for the money. I highly recommended her and I plan to continue to have my family portraits with her every year! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

My friend had used Leah for her wedding photos, I admired her wedding photos because there is something unique about her work. I can't put a finger on it but her photos are something very special. I knew that I had to use Leah at some point in the future. Well, I was given that opportunity when my girlfriends gifted me with a session as a baby shower gift ( best gift ever!). It was up to me to choose either maternity or newborn portraits. I choose newborn and was in awe when we saw the photos. Leah came to our house and made the session super fun and relaxed. She even showed up with some props and new born outfits which I was very thankful for; I hadn't really given much thought into the session. We ended up with the most amazing photos! We look forward to having Leah capture many more family portraits. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Leah is so talented! She doesn't just take photographs - she creates beautiful scenes, fosters a warm and comfortable atmosphere, and has the patience of a saint! I highly recommend Leah! Such a wonderful experience and
truly beautiful pictures to last a lifetime! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Leah did our family portraits for 19 of us on the beach! I was so worried about it going smoothly since there was so many of us. She did awesome! She took all the pics we wanted. She was patient and great with the little kids. AND the pics turned out great! I would highly recommend Leah! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Leah was so great to work with! She was recommended by several people and we were excited to see she was offering mini sessions just in time for the holiday season. She was very punctual and had great communication via text messages prior to the photo shoot. Payment was very easy since she accepts Venmo! The actual shoot was very laid back and she was very accommodating to our family’s needs. She also had a very quick turnaround time (only 2 weeks!) to process the photos. We hope to use Leah again for future photos! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Leah was simply amazing! I found her at a wedding convention and I just fell in love with all the examples she had at her booth! She was very easy to work with and I am so glad she was there to capture our engagement photos, while being very pregnant, and our wedding! I highly recommend Leah to everyone and I will definitely continue to book her for our future photos! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah was WONDERFUL!!! She was always professional, kind, and personable, and she was so very patient with me when I was emotional the day of. The photos are BEAUTIFUL and exceeded my expectations. We found Leah through a referral from a relative after my original photographer didn't work out. She made us feel so comfortable and the end product was amazing! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah was amazing. She is incredibly professional and took great photos. Her end product speaks for itself.

I have been to a number of weddings for friends and family and absolutely hated their photographers, so i dreaded this part of planning our wedding. Off the bat though, it was clear that Leah was one of the top photographers in the area. I highly recommend her. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah Valentine photography was one of my favorite vendor partners during the special day. So professional on every detail and just so wonderfully artistic, and of course a dream to work with. So happy I met her and am so honored that she was with us on that day. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

We worked with Leah on our wedding this summer and we honestly could not run out of good things to say about her. Spoiler alert: Leah knocked it out of the park in all areas.
Leah’s pictures are STUNNING. After reviewing both our engagement photo shoot and our wedding day gallery, we were blown away by how amazing the pictures turned out, and what a large selection of them we wanted printed in some form or another (we ordered an engagement album and will be ordering a companion wedding album, as well as some individual photos). Neither my husband nor I feel like we’re really “photo” people, but we were really struck with how comfortable we look in all of our pictures. Leah’s style is incredible versatile, as well. Leah’s end product is amazing, and the photos are the most important part of the wedding, right?
Leah is a blast to be around. Not only is she fun and funny, she really channels the spirit of the wedding at any given moment. She knew when to lead me and my husband off for quiet, couple-y pictures; when to encourage my brother-in-law to photobomb a family portrait (which ended up being one of the funniest photos of the night); and she knew exactly how to round up and organize our family members and guests for the pictures we knew we wanted/needed.
My husband and I like to joke that we didn’t end up needing a wedding planner because Leah was so knowledgeable and thorough. Leah really helped us through what were unfamiliar with in the wedding planning process, including drafting a timeline based on what we wanted to do on the day and how long she imagined it would take. She also gave me a couple of great recommendations for vendors that I had not yet booked, which was totally reassuring and worked out very well.
Leah is a fantastic photographer, and I would recommend her to anyone I know getting married in the area (though she travels, too!). She did an amazing job with our wedding, and we are so lucky to have found her! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah was amazing! So easy to work with! And the pictures turned out great!!!

Reviewed on WeddingWire

My husband and I will be forever grateful to Leah for the fantastic job she did as our wedding photographer! She flew to Bermuda to capture our intimate wedding on the beach, and she truly captured the moments, the beauty, the spirit, everything! She is talented, dedicated, creative, patient, flexible, and friendly. Her passion for photography and for her clients shines through her work!

I am really 'camera shy' and Leah did a wonderful job making me feel comfortable during the portraits! She has a great eye, and two good ears, so she was able to suggest picture locations, poses, etc. that both worked beautifully and matched our tastes. She took gorgeous and dynamic shots of the ceremony itself. Then she seamlessly organized all of the group pictures that we wanted (no easy feat with 25 people, including many kids, but she made it fast and fun!) and also suggested other meaningful group photos that we're so glad to have but that we may have overlooked ourselves because of the frenzy of the day. She also got the BEST candid shots of our beloved friends and family celebrating. We TREASURE the photographs from our wedding! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah shot beautiful, artistic photos for our intimate beach house wedding. Her photos are unique in her attention to details and focus on capturing flattering and gorgeous lighting. Leah's professionalism, effortlessness and wonderful personality helped us to enjoy the day and maximize time with our families. As people who are a bit introverted and shy, my husband and I felt comfortable during portrait sessions thanks to Leah's helpful coaching and pleasant demeanor. She was also very patient with our family members who wanted to take many pictures for their own memories. One of the highlights of our reception dinner was showing the wedding picture slideshow that Leah had already created in less than an hour. All the guests fell silent, except for the collective "oohs" & "aahs," and we all clapped at the end. The day following the wedding, Leah had already sent us a 45 photo "sneak peek" gallery to share with our families while we were still on vacation at the beach house and we haven't stopped looking at it!

Becky & Danny More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

We immediately felt at ease when we first met Leah. Her sweet nature, calmness, and ability to bring out the details of our day was amazing! We felt so comfortable with her, which allowed us to just relax and soak up our wedding day. Leah captured the most beautiful moments and we can't say enough good things about her. She is amazing at what she does, a true professional and was the perfect fit for capturing our wedding day memories. She was prompt with our photos and engaging from beginning to end. We just received our album and recalled Leah's beautiful words to us, "Your family will have this heirloom for years to come". Thank you Leah for being passionate about this in your profession! It's beautiful! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah shot our wedding in Cabo, Mexico. She was 100% professional yet, still so fun and laid back. She corresponded super promptly before, during and even after the wedding. She was able to answer any questions we had and was wonderful at giving tips and direction during the shoot. Leah was loaded down with camera gear but, that certainly did not stop her from moving quick to get all of the amazing sunset photos! Every detail was captured so beautifully, from close up shots of our rings to the group photos, right down to the table settings at the reception. I even saw pics of a few desserts at our reception that I missed out on eating! : ) My husband and I highly recommend Leah to capture any of your special events and we will absolutely be using her for all of ours. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah is a fantastic photographer! She is creative, fun and easy to get along with. She is professional and responsive. We were traveling from Las Vegas to Santa Barbara so we had to do a lot of work over the phone, by email and she was wonderful to work with. We love our photos and the products we purchased. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah was AMAZING. Everything you could ever want in a photographer.
The photos are stunning. She made me look BEAUTIFUL! !!!!
She was responsive, on time, reliable, flexible, polite, unobtrusive and STILL got great pictures!
She held my hand and babysat me through the process (BONUS!)
Just lovely, a great experience.
Definitely recommend. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

We had a great time with Leah. She was very professional and energetic. I would recommend to any of our friends or family. We plan on using Leah again in the future! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

My fiance and I had Leah take our engagement portraits, and we were blown away by her talent! Leah is so much fun to work with, she is very creative and is always prepared. We really enjoyed our photo session near the beach in Santa Barbara. On top of that, the photographs turned out phenomenal! Our family and friends keep telling us how beautiful the pictures are, and think they are worthy of a magazine. I'm looking for an excuse to work with this brilliant photographer again! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah Valentine was wonderful to work with! I met her at a bridal expo and after meeting several photographers, she was a breath of fresh air. Approachable, friendly and knowledgeable. She didn't have your typical "sales pitch" approach which was a nice change from the others I had met. She doesn't have to sell you on her work because her work speak for itself. While scheduling our engagement session, she was very responsive and accommodating. I sent her some ideas of the overall "look" we wanted for the photos. She sent me a few location suggestions and we chose the location she most recommended, Butterfly Grove in Santa Barbara. Once there, wow! The location was breathtaking....exactly what we had envisioned. She took us to the most amazing spots in the park and made us feel very comfortable as we took our pictures. From that day to the final selection of of our photos, we were so happy to have worked with her. We used the pictures she took for our Save the Dates an our wedding website. We have received so many compliments! Great photographer, very friendly and warm yet very professional. Highly recommended! Read her blog too! She has great pictures on display. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah was truly professional in every aspect. Initially meeting her, we knew right away that she was the right photographer for our huge day. She shared ideas and tips with us that actually helped shape the timeframe for our ceremony and reception. Her and her assistant were easy to work with when the heat was on, yet extremely polite and dedicated to getting the shots we requested as well as ones we hadnt thought of. When we received the photos we were so thrilled with the lighting and quality. There are so many great ones, were not sure which to chose for our album...still. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah was our wedding photographer. Our first meeting was held over beer and food at a local bar-- it doesn't get more awesome than that! We wanted to work with someone who would be not just a wedding vendor but someone we actually LIKED. We love Leah's easy-going nature and great sense of humor. She kept us comfortable and laughing in front of the camera and was open to trying new things-- sparklers, anyone :)

Leah is professional and well-organized. I didn't use a wedding planner so I really valued her emails that kept us on track to create shot lists and timelines. We did plenty of work up front and on the day of the wedding, it all went perfectly. She caught photos and details that I didn't even notice at our wedding.

Leah has a strong professional network of talented photographers. She brought a super fun second-shooter to our wedding and together, they captured it all. In fact, one of our wedding guests used our second shooter and their primary photographer for their wedding! So we got two pros!

We would absolutely 100% recommend Leah to anyone looking for a great wedding photographer. I had a girlfriend say she wished she could redo her own wedding photos with Leah after seeing our sneak peek photos. Leah's prices were right on target for the quality and service we received. We are looking forward to the next opportunity to work with Leah.

Did I mention how FAST our photos came back I got a full portfolio of our September wedding photos at the same time another friend of mine got hers-- except her wedding was in July. That was a huge treat! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah photographed my engagement photos and my wedding photos. She is amazing; she has a gift for capturing the true emotion of your special event. She is always early and professional and she answered all of my questions about photos or basic wedding ideas prior to the big day, which helped out tremendously since I didn’t have a wedding planner. I would highly recommend Leah to everyone that I know. I will continue to use Leah as a photographer for my family portraits for years.
Thank you Leah for Capturing our special moments! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah photographed both our engagement session in Philly and our wedding at the Carriage House at Rockwood Park in Wilmington and did an outstanding job at both. From the moment I met Leah, I felt at ease because of her friendly, professional manner. She made things comfortable for my husband and I so that each picture looked natural and filled with love. When I saw our first picture from the wedding (during the reception...yes, Leah was able to give us our first view the day of!), I was amazed. She captured moments that were so special and so loving of everyone involved in the wedding. Her work is absolutely beautiful and she takes care in making each picture perfect. She was so prompt in getting our pictures to us and made them so easily accessible for all! I honestly still cannot believe how easy the process was. I find myself smiling, laughing, and crying while I look through the pictures over and over. I would highly recommend Leah Valentine for anyone looking for a professional, artistic, friendly photographer! More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire

Leah has photographed our family several times over the years, including our beach wedding in North Carolina, and I could not be more in love with the photos that now adorn our walls. She is an extremely talented photographer with a creative, modern approach — an artist as anyone can clearly see in the beautiful images that she creates. What the images can’t show you is the person on the other side of the camera. Leah is a truly wonderful person who is a pleasure to work with. Photographing our family of six—including four young children—is no small challenge. Leah handled the children perfectly, though I won’t say effortlessly—she worked hard and stopped at nothing to get smiles from all of them! Anyone can hold a camera and tell a group of people to say “cheese” – it’s quite another thing to produce images that capture the genuine love of a family and the individual personalities of each of its members. We will be forever grateful for Leah’s talents. More...

Reviewed on WeddingWire