testimonials

    These thoughtful remarks from my wedding photography clients provide a good sense of what it's like to have me photograph a wedding as a photojournalist. (I'm especially proud of the comments that say they were unaware of my presence.) First up is a thank-you card from Kate and Alex. (Here's a picture of them on the right.) I'm grateful to all of the people who took the time out of their busy lives to write these kind testimonials and thank-you notes.

    We were looking for a photographer who understood us and could capture real moments of emotion and connection without being overbearing or intrusive. We were asking for a lot, and Ian truly delivered with stunning results. So many real and fleeting moments that could have gone by without notice were captured for us to cherish forever-my brother's reaction to my untraditional wedding shoes, exchanging a "it's really here" look with my now husband, a group laugh as a friend told a story, a shot of me looking at my father and his best friend through the glass window, and so many more. What I love about Ian's photography is the layers and depth to the photos-there is a story in the foreground and background. His work is real, poignant, and a true art form, so he doesn't have rely on common photography tricks like dutch angles or excessive photo finishing to get excellent results. To top it off, Ian was very professional so we never stressed about the photography before or during the wedding. He really seemed to enjoy his work and had a quiet charm and warmth that made him a pleasure to work with. Ian was one of the best decisions we made around our wedding, in terms of his presence, his process, and his stunning end product.

   Ian has a remarkable ability to "see" the spontaneous moments that capture the essence of a wedding. In his own beautiful style he expresses those moments and creates a wonderful narrative that brings it all back to life every time you look at the photos. He's a talented artist and a delight to work with.

   When my husband and I were planning our wedding, finding a good photographer was our top priority. We wanted someone who would capture the day without intruding upon it. Ian was the perfect choice. I don't even remember seeing him after the ceremony began; yet his photos show that he must have been by our sides constantly. I think he must have an invisibility cloak. Ian captured the "real" moments of our wedding, the genuine happiness, motion and energy. His incredible eye brought out the magic of the day. Although he works alone, he got pictures of everything. I regularly thumb through the album he made for us because when I look at his photos the day comes alive again and I get to see parts that I missed the first time. I can almost hear what our guests are saying to each other in the photos. Before the wedding Ian made time to get to know us and our tastes. He really cared about our wedding, and I got the feeling that it was more than just a job to him. Ian was incredibly easy to work with, prompt, and reliable. He far exceeded our expectations and we are eternally grateful.

   We LOVE our wedding pictures! Thank you so much. I received the book last night and I must have looked through the book at least 10 times before bed and one time already before work this morning. It was like being there all over again.

   Ian is the perfect wedding photographer! He is so patient, laid-back, friendly, and easy to be around. He has an amazing eye for composing the perfect picture. My husband is a graphic designer (and deals with beautiful imagery all day long) - he was completely sold on Ian's ability to take magnificent photos! We really wanted wedding photos that captured the day without feeling like they were contrived. Ian said he wanted to tell the story of our day and did just that. He was unobtrusive, yet managed to get photos as if he was right there in the middle of the action. Must be magic! We have framed a bunch of black and white, 8x10 photos from our wedding in our home. We get so many compliments from friends. I smile every time I walk by them. I highly recommend Ian! I can't say enough great things about him. Two pairs of our friends have since used Ian for their weddings since they met him at our wedding and saw our wedding photos.

   Ian had talked about shadowing us throughout the wedding, but I really had no idea that it was possible for a single photographer to capture as many beautiful moments as he did. His intuition was spot on, it was as if he knew what was going to happen before anyone else did, and was always right there to capture the event--even better than our memory of it. We loved his photojournalistic approach to the wedding. Everyone in the photographs is so natural, so unselfconscious, so spontaneous. Looking through his photographs of our wedding is like reliving the day all over again.

   We opted for a photojournalist style for our wedding, not the traditional portraits. And we were very happy with our photographer, Ian Martin, a very gracious guy who didn't intrude on the day. My husband and I never saw him during the ceremony and he took wonderful pictures without us noticing.

   I cannot express my gratitude to you deeply enough. You gave us the ultimate gift by capturing the essence of our wedding day better than we could have ever imagined. It's almost as if you knew exactly how we wanted our day to go, and you tapped into that, capturing it all on film. People only get one wedding day and that is why what you did was so special. Each time we look at the photos, not only do all of the emotions rush back into us, but we are transported back to our wedding. Alexandra and I agreed that yours was the best money spent -- on our entire wedding. But what you brought to our wedding went beyond your photography. I've had at least 15 people come to me and remark at how delightful you were. You added warmth and positiveness to our day. That is something no other vendor did. I will heartily recommend you to all of my friends getting married! You were a true gentleman from beginning to end. You are a gem and Alexandra and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

   We have received the pictures, and they are so beautiful. Matthew and I would like to thank you for being a part of our special day. Your professionalism, dedication to your job, and great attitude (especially when the limo broke down and we were going to hop in the back of your car) made us feel that we were in good hands. But of course, the pictures tell all, and we are so happy that you have captured so many wonderful moments on our wedding day.

   We wanted to thank you for the beautiful photography you did for our wedding. Since we were having a small wedding, it was extremely important for the photographer to blend into the background and yet still feel like family. It meant the world to us that you seemed like a close family friend and not just an ordinary "vendor." We were able to relax and enjoy our day. We were so excited and so happy--and you captured all of that on film. It was a very intimate and sacred ceremony, and somehow, none of that got lost when you translated that into photography. You captured every detail from the emotion on our faces to the rich color of the flowers. It was so beautiful, and we were able to share all that with so many family and friends who were not present that day! When our ceremony ran a little longer than planned and the light started to fade, we thought some of our "after the wedding" photos wouldn't come out. When we received the album, there were many beautiful photos of us enjoying the last sparkle of the gorgeous sunset that evening. You are an amazing photographer, and I will recommend you to anybody I know that is getting married. We can never thank you enough for being a part of our special day and for capturing moments that will forever be engrained in our hearts.

   My family came from Ireland for our wedding, we had only 30 people at The Lodge at Pebble Beach. Ian blended into the small crowd wonderfully. He was a complete gentleman. He had so much respect for me as the bride and my family, he captured every moment of the day without intruding on our space. Our photos are fabulous, a complete treasure for the rest of our lives.

   Thank you so much for helping make our wedding day so memorable. In choosing a photographer, we wanted someone with a photojournalistic approach. From the moment we met you, we knew we were in good hands. You immediately made us feel so comfortable - you’re such a nice guy! Our wedding day came and went so quickly. Looking back, it all seemed a blur. Fortunately, we are able to relive it in glorious and vivid detail looking through our amazing proofs. Ian, you so beautifully and unobtrusively captured the physical and emotional elements of our wedding day! I think I've looked through that book a hundred times already. Choosing you as our photographer was one of the best decisions we made other than deciding to get married! We wish you the best.

   Ian! Those pictures are amazing. They are exactly what I had imagined when I was looking at your website. There are some that truly are works of art, if you understand my meaning. And you made us look beautiful! ...these photos just took my breath away. It was totally worth it. Thank you so much.