Shannon Chiminiello Photography
Novato, CA
(19)
Novato, CA
(19)
For over 15 years I have photographed newborn, family, and special events (weddings, family reunions, parties, corporate events) for clients looking for portrait and photo journalistic style photos. I work in Marin, SF and Sonoma/Napa and on Maui during your vacation.
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19 customer reviews
Shannon Smith
Shannon is so amazing to work with! This is our second time working with her and as a family who is not wild about pictures, she makes the whole process painless. She is very patient, and when asked, she provided really helpful suggestions about what we were trying to accomplish with our photos, (i.e locations, poses and outfit choices) and she always gets great shots! She’s very professional, makes the purchase of your photos easy and most importantly, reminds us to have fun! Highly recommend! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Shannon Smith
Shannon is so amazing to work with! This is our second time working with her and as a family who is not wild about pictures, she makes the whole process painless. She is very patient, and when asked, she provided really helpful suggestions about what we were trying to accomplish with our photos, (i.e locations, poses and outfit choices) and she always gets great shots! She’s very professional, makes the purchase of your photos easy and most importantly, she reminds us to have fun! Highly recommend! More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Judy R Armstrong
When I first saw Shannon’s portfolio online, I knew she was the photographer I wanted to photograph a family reunion. My whole family was delighted with Shannon’s work. She’s a excellent photographer who was able to make the whole process of posing for pictures fun, especially for the children, and the fact that we were all enjoying ourselves shows in the photos she got of us. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Danielle Hansmeyer
Shannon has done photo shoots with our family for several years, and every time we have been so thrilled with the results. She has made the shoots fun and relaxing, which is not always easy with babies and teenagers! Shannon has a great way with making the kids feel comfortable and she is able to capture some great candids that organically happen during the process. She asks a lot of questions to get to know them better, which enables her to capture their "spirit" in the photos. We cherish the photos we have and love seeing our girls at different ages all around our home. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Gia Hodges
Shannon recently shot our wedding photos and I could not have been more thrilled! She went above and beyond to make sure we got all the photos we wanted. We specifically asked for photos that were not staged and formal and she delivered! At one point she was even on the floor taking fun dancing shots! She is professional, easy going and a pleasure to work with! I highly recommend Shannon! More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Kira Haas
We found Shannon by chance through an online search and when we recognized a couple of families in her gallery we decided to give her a shot. ..and we're so glad we did! We now have the absolute best family photos we've every taken! Shannon called before the shoot to go over every detail, from outfits to hair to candy bribes for the kids. She had the perfect location in mind and during the shoot she kept all of us laughing and lighthearted. The kids (3 and 6 year old) actually lasted the entire 2 hours! We couldn't be happier with our experience or the results. Thank you Shannon for the beautiful keepsakes! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Michelle Sopko
Our first family pictures and they are amazing. My 3 and 6 yo boys aren’t always easy to warm up, or they like that fake, show your teeth smile, but she managed to catch some great, honest, beautiful, sweet moments. She suggested a perfect location, helped me decide on our attire, and was willing to provide guidance on selecting our portraits. Her artistry and editing are fantastic. We’re extremely pleased! Highly recommended. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Jamie Leggett
Shannon was so fun to work with! Her calm and relaxed demeanor put us at ease. She was such a pro photographing our 9 month old --not an easy task! Her talent is incredible. We will definitely plan on working with her in the future. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Jamie Leggett
Shannon was so fun to work with! Her calm and relaxed demeanor put us at ease. She was such a pro photographing our 9 month old --not an easy task! Her talent is incredible. We will definitely plan on working with her in the future. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Kira Haas
We found Shannon by chance through an online search and when we recognized a couple of families in her gallery we decided to give her a shot. ..and we're so glad we did! We now have the absolute best family photos we've every taken! Shannon called before the shoot to go over every detail, from outfits to hair to candy bribes for the kids. She had the perfect location in mind and during the shoot she kept all of us laughing and lighthearted. The kids (3 and 6 year old) actually lasted the entire 2 hours! We couldn't be happier with our experience or the results. Thank you Shannon for the beautiful keepsakes! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Michelle Sopko
Our first family pictures and they are amazing. My 3 and 6 yo boys aren’t always easy to warm up, or they like that fake, show your teeth smile, but she managed to catch some great, honest, beautiful, sweet moments. She suggested a perfect location, helped me decide on our attire, and was willing to provide guidance on selecting our portraits. Her artistry and editing are fantastic. We’re extremely pleased! Highly recommended. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Christina Pasquale
I recently had family pictures done with Shannon, and I was absolutely impressed! Would highly recommend. We have a 1. 5yo and 3yo so I was a bit nervous to say the least! Shannon helped guide me through picking a perfect location, timing (around naps!), coordinating outfits… everything! My kids instantly warmed to her and she got some amazing pictures, that I absolutely love. We opted for a 45 minute session and our little guy was fading towards the end, but Shannon still managed to keep him engaged and the pictures prove it. When I saw the pictures, I instantly loved the style… they captured intimate moments, not forced poses. I couldn’t be happier :) More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Christina Pasquale
I recently had family pictures done with Shannon, and I was absolutely impressed! Would highly recommend. We have a 1. 5yo and 3yo so I was a bit nervous to say the least! Shannon helped guide me through picking a perfect location, timing (around naps!), coordinating outfits… everything! My kids instantly warmed to her and she got some amazing pictures, that I absolutely love. We opted for a 45 minute session and our little guy was fading towards the end, but Shannon still managed to keep him engaged and the pictures prove it. When I saw the pictures, I instantly loved the style… they captured intimate moments, not forced poses. I couldn’t be happier :) More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Amy Davis
Shannon is awesome! My husband and I finally decided it was time to have some family photos done and we enlisted Shannon for the job. She came highly recommended through some friends and she did not disappoint! We have an 11 year old who can rarely take a photo with a genuine smile, a 10 month old who can not sit still and a hyper 2/12 year old dog. Despite these factors, Shannon was able to capture some amazing photos of our family. Aside from being a really talented photographer, she is very sweet and knows how to make everyone feel at ease. We will definitely be using her again!! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Amy Davis
Shannon is awesome! My husband and I finally decided it was time to have some family photos done and we enlisted Shannon for the job. She came highly recommended through some friends and she did not disappoint! We have an 11 year old who can rarely take a photo with a genuine smile, a 10 month old who can not sit still and a hyper 2/12 year old dog. Despite these factors, Shannon was able to capture some amazing photos of our family. Aside from being a really talented photographer, she is very sweet and knows how to make everyone feel at ease. We will definitely be using her again!! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Karin Collins
Shannon photographed the Grand Opening of my business Stroller Strides in San Anselmo. It was a larger event with 50 people and Shannon managed to get a good range of photos of the whole crowd and event. She was very professional and delivered what she promised: high quality professional photos. I would definitely work with her again and I highly recommend her. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Stephanie Conner
Shannon has an amazing talent and is a true professional. I would recommend her to anyone. Unlike other photographers we have used in the past, when I hired Shannon to take photos of my family of six, she really took the time to get to know each of our family members. This enabled her to truly capture their individual personalities, and the love we have for each other. With two teenagers and two toddlers, she was able to make them smile and laugh, capturing amazing shots. She went to every extreme to get the best photos, even rolling around on the ground to get pictures of my toddlers. These are pictures I will treasure forever and I am so grateful to have captured that moment in time. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Janice W Ellingson
I would recommend Shannon to anyone and everyone who wants to preserve memories of their family. She is extremely professional and at the same time completely down to earth; she made us feel so comfortable. Working with her was wonderful, but the actual photos were amazing. I called her the instant I started viewing our gallery; I was in tears over how gorgeous the photos were. We will be using Shannon as our family photographer for years to come! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Nick the kid 88
I had the pleasure of working with Shannon in June. She photographed my family (myself, husband, 5 year old son, and 8 month old son). She was very professional and thorough. Before our session she met with me to go over what I wanted from the experience and we discussed the location, how to dress, how to prepare ourselves for the session, what types of photographs I wanted, ect. On the day of our session we met at Marin art and garden center, chosen by Shannon. It was a beautiful location. I really wanted to have my photographs taken outside, so this was the perfect place.The session lasted for over two hours and she captured all those photographs I was hoping for and more. She also got a lot of candid shots, which actually turned out to be my favorites.She has an eye for capturing those special family moments. For two hours she kept my children engaged, which was not an easy task. She even made my oldest son her assistant, which he thought was pretty cool. She left no stone unturned when it came to taking every possible photograph in multiple locations throughout the garden center. When I actually saw the images online, I was very pleased. They exceeded my expectations. She took over 200 photographs, so the only problem I had was choosing from all the fabulous pictures she took. She also assisted me in the selection process, coming to my house and reviewing my options, as well as putting together several storyboards to help make the selection process a little easier. I would definitely use Shannon in the future and would recommend her to family and friends. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
What’s the secret to taking a great photograph?
Other than good lighting and a lot of patience... the secret to a great photograph is real, meaningful connection - connection between the people being photographed and the connection between me and my clients.
What questions might you ask a client when starting a new project?
Generally it is helpful to know how many people there will be, what type of event will be photographed (birthday party, anniversary, family reunion, business event, wedding), the date if you know it and what your goals are.
What do you love most about your job?
I lOVE getting to know my clients and photographing them in a way that is fun, active and easy. My favorite part of my job is racing back to my office to see what we captured and hearing my clients reaction to their photos!
Why should our clients choose you?
I photograph your family and event the way I would want mine photographed and I have very high standards. I take great care to capture a wide range of groupings, backgrounds and emotions. Every session or event to me is a new opportunity to make my clients happy. I value each and every one of my clients and am thankful they keep returning year after year!
Can you provide your services online or remotely? If so, please add details.
All of my photo sessions come with a password protected online gallery. This allows my clients and their families that live near and far to log in to view and order images remotely.
What changes have you made to keep your customers safe from Covid-19?
I am vaccinated and boosted and will be happy to wear a mask if the client requests it.
Photo Sessions
I specialize in maternity, newborn, child, family and multi-generational photo sessions. My sessions focus on capturing the relationships between you and your family members- the real emotions and interactions that aren't always typical. These are the things you will want to remember...
Event Photography
Trust me to capture your wedding, bar/bat mitzvah, corporate event, party or gathering. I will capture the entire story from small detail to the big picture with beauty and love.
Family & Event Photography in Maui, HI on your vacation!
I photography families, weddings and events on your Maui vacation. I lived on Maui for 5 years and go back quite often. I am sometimes even available to plan my visits around your vacation. Capturing beautiful images when you are all relaxed and happy on vacation is a gift you will never regret!
Corporate Photography
Meetings, Company Parties, Headshots, Newsletter photos.
