love notes from my incredible clients...
Tina & Katie
Steph went above and beyond for us - and for 2 days traveling to and from the Bay Area. We are overjoyed with how our pictures turned out, so much so that we struggled to decide which to print. She made the entire process easy, as well as made us both comfortable in front of the camera. I couldn’t recommend her more for your special day (or days)!
Lauren & Brad
We hired Steph for our July 2025 wedding and from the first phone call, we knew she was the perfect person to capture our day. Her energy is so warm, welcoming, kind, and laid back. She has an amazing eye for detail and her style is beautiful- she captured the natural beauty of our venue as well as the true emotions of every moment. We LOVE our album and will cherish these photos forever! Steph is so great to work with, very responsive and soo helpful throughout the planning process. If you’re searching for an amazing photographer Steph is the exact right person- can’t recommend enough!
Taylor & John
My husband and I feel so incredibly lucky to have had Steph as a part of our wedding day! Even though we only booked her a few months before the big day, it felt like we had known her for years. Before the wedding, I did a Fempowerment shoot with her, and from that moment, I knew she was the real deal. Steph has this amazing ability to make you feel completely at ease, even if you're not someone who loves being in front of the camera.
On our wedding day at Tannenbaum, she worked absolute magic with the outdoor scenery. Her eye for light, angles, and posing was everything we had hoped for and more. Even when one of my bridesmaids was significantly late, Steph remained calm and professional.
Multiple guests commented on how stunning her photos were and how beautifully she captured the natural light. Since my Fempowerment session, several of my bridesmaids are now seriously considering flying in from Connecticut just to shoot with her, that’s how incredible she is!
Steph made our day so special and captured moments we’ll cherish for a lifetime. I got married on June 26th, and not a few days go by without me looking at our photos; they bring me so much happiness every time I look at them. Beyond her incredible talent behind the camera, Steph is also incredibly thoughtful throughout the process. She sent sneak peeks along the way, kept us excited, and even delivered our full album ahead of schedule. With Steph, you’ll never have to worry about when your photos are coming. Booking Steph was one of the best decisions we made!
Bri & Kade
We truly lucked out with our photographer—Stephanie was freaking awesome in every way! From the moment we met her, we knew she was something special. She’s charismatic, kindhearted, and genuinely invests in building real relationships with her clients. By the end of it all, she didn’t just feel like our photographer—she felt like a forever friend. On our wedding day, a wild hailstorm and unexpected rain could’ve thrown everything off, but Stephanie handled it like an absolute pro. She stayed calm, creative, and somehow managed to capture the most stunning shots in the middle of all the chaos. And then—she got our photos back to us so quickly and with such incredible quality. Every image felt thoughtful, vibrant, and full of life. Stephanie went above and beyond to make sure our memories were captured beautifully, no matter what the weather threw at us. We’re already planning to book her again for our next shoot in Tahoe—because when you find someone this talented and genuine, you hold on tight. We’re so, so thankful for her!
Julia & Kyle
My husband and I can’t thank Steph enough for shooting our engagement photos and our recent elopement! Kyle and I are a little camera shy and she made us feel so comfortable with her. She really goes above and beyond for her clients! When we told her we were interested in doing our engagement shoot in Alabama hills, she packed up the camper van with her family and took the trip out to meet us there! Our photos turned out amazing and we had such a good time. Steph is now a good friend of ours and I’m sure we’ll stay in touch! Kyle and I both highly recommend Steph!! Book her!
Emma & Alan
Steph is amazing! We were looking for someone who had a great eye for capturing both the intimacy between the couple and the natural beauty around them. We chose to work with Shines for both our engagement photo shoot and on wedding day and we could not have been happier. It felt like we had been friends forever and we had total trust in her to capture our special moments. She’s easygoing yet efficient (we had large wedding parties and were able to finish all the shots before the wedding so we could enjoy the party without getting pulled away), super professional, and will do anything for you to get the perfect shot (including climbing and standing at awkward angles on uneven rocks… she really is incredible). If you have the chance to work with her, DO IT! You won’t regret it.
Tessa & Beau
Shines Photography and Stephanie are my absolute favorite! We were referred to Stephanie in 2015 for our engagement and wedding photos. We immediately felt relaxed with her; she was professional, encouraging, and helped us feel at ease. Her photographs are gorgeous, feel intimate, and capture color in a unique way.
As a wedding photographer, she both managed to get ALL the amazing shots, and somehow remain seemingly invisible all night. She coordinated with our wedding coordinator and the other vendors and guests with kindness and respect.
We have since hired Stephanie for maternity, newborn and family photos, and are so glad we did each time. She is a wizard with our kids and always makes sure the family dog doesn’t get left out! 10/10
FEMPOWER CLIENT LOVE
