Mike Danen wedding photography in the San Francisco and Monterey bay areas. My style is to allow your wedding day to unfold naturally, capturing each beautiful, emotional moment unobtrusively. Your wedding album will become your most valuable family heirloom, handed down to your grandchildren.
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Hi, I'm Mike Danen, a wedding photographer and filmmaker in Monterey, Carmel, Santa Cruz, San Jose, and the San Francisco bay area of California. For 20 years I have been documenting beautiful weddings and events locally, and at destinations around the country. I'm a trusted, preferred vendor at many of the beautiful and unique wedding venues in the Monterey bay area, and am certified by Here Comes The Guide.
Contact me and tell me about your wedding plans. I am happy to provide you with a custom collection based on your needs, and the scope of your wedding day. I can also put together a special package for small, intimate weddings. Yes, I edit all of the images, which includes color correction, exposure adjustment, selective black and white processing, clarity adjustments, and other corrections.
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Reviews (31)
Laura M.
Nov 11, 2021
We were honored to have Mike capture our wedding day, and he did not disappoint! Thanks to him, we have so many great photos from our perfect day that we'll cherish forever. He was so great to work with! Not only is he such a nice person, but he's so easy to communicate with and really helped make the sometimes awkward process of posing for pictures feel comfortable, easy and just fun! Thank you, Mike; we'll be forever grateful to you!
Marie M.
Nov 08, 2021
Mike did a fantastic job photographing my wedding. He was very easy to work with and super kind to everyone. The photos we received from our day are better than I ever imagined. Mike is extremely talented and he is really able to capture the entire day in his photographs. We could not be happier with the work from Mike, and will be recommending him to all our friends.
Suzy Kargianis
Jun 13, 2019
Mike and his team are the best! We love the beauty and artistry of our wedding photographs, and our wedding video is super fun to watch. I literally wept with joy when I first saw all my photographs. I never feel good in front of the camera, but Mike helped me relax, and I was overjoyed at how I looked in the portraits. Definitely the best pictures I have ever taken.
We were married in Monterey, and Mike knows all the best locations for beautiful, dramatic photographs. He also provided a big, beautiful, heavy wedding album that is a work of art. Truly a family heirloom. If you are getting married in Monterey or Carmel, you can't find a better wedding photographer than Mike Danen!
We were married in Monterey, and Mike knows all the best locations for beautiful, dramatic photographs. He also provided a big, beautiful, heavy wedding album that is a work of art. Truly a family heirloom. If you are getting married in Monterey or Carmel, you can't find a better wedding photographer than Mike Danen!
Sally Nichols
Jun 10, 2019
I did a lot of research to find my wedding photographer, and I am so glad that I found Mike- he is the best! I am so happy with all of my wedding photographs! He is such a nice guy, and very easy to work with. His work is very creative, and artistic. He is one of the best photographers in Northern California.
Lauren L.
Apr 26, 2019
The sheer talent possessed by Mike is nothing short of awesome! He went above and beyond to get every shot. He raced around to capture every moment, and somehow managed to make each photo beautiful! Mike offers direction when needed (portraits), but also manages to disappear so you don't even realize you're being photographed (after the first few minutes, at least). I have never felt so comfortable in front of the camera, and my wedding photographs are gorgeous!
Emily Van Cortlandt
Mar 27, 2019
Words can not describe how amazing Mike was with our wedding photography. He was great every step of the way, helping both myself and my husband feel relaxed and comfortable. From our first point of contact to the photos we received shortly after our wedding, I can not think of a single moment I would change. He is truly one of the best! I can't honestly think of anything I would change about any of our interactions. Mike made me feel so comfortable and beautiful on my wedding day, that I forgot about the camera.
In fact, most of the day we hardly saw him, unless we looked for him, and there he was. We appreciated how unobtrusive he was most of the day, while also stepping up and efficiently handling all of our family photographs. Mike, I can not thank you enough for your hard work and dedication to your craft! We will never forget the love and attention to detail you put into every lovely image!
In fact, most of the day we hardly saw him, unless we looked for him, and there he was. We appreciated how unobtrusive he was most of the day, while also stepping up and efficiently handling all of our family photographs. Mike, I can not thank you enough for your hard work and dedication to your craft! We will never forget the love and attention to detail you put into every lovely image!
Marla Chen
Mar 07, 2019
This is a LONG overdue post to rave about how amazing Mike Danen and the rest of his team are! If I had to do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing. Mike and his team are true professionals and are so much fun to work with! We had Mike's team make us a video, as well as do photography, for our wedding day, and also provide a photo booth. The quality of work and the images Mike captured that you have for a lifetime do not compare to other photographers in the Santa Cruz Monterey area. My wedding book is absolutely beautiful, and he also made us some canvas prints for our home. He was our favorite vendor, and I cannot recommend him more highly!
Kim Tanaka
Feb 01, 2019
Absolutely, hands down, the best decision we made for our wedding. We got married in Monterey, and photography was our highest priority. Mike was referred by a friend, and I loved his artistry, customer service, and personal touch. He doesn't approach his photography business like a typical business person. You really feel cared for, and like his only priority is that you have a perfect wedding day.
He always does more than you expect, and works behind the scenes with the other vendors for your benefit. During my wedding day, we hardly saw Mike, unless we looked for him, and somehow he was always there! He captured the beautiful and emotional moments, and my friends and family loved him. Mike is the best, and we cherish our photographs and wedding album.
He always does more than you expect, and works behind the scenes with the other vendors for your benefit. During my wedding day, we hardly saw Mike, unless we looked for him, and somehow he was always there! He captured the beautiful and emotional moments, and my friends and family loved him. Mike is the best, and we cherish our photographs and wedding album.
Deborah E.
Nov 05, 2018
Mike and his team were great! From our first point of contact Mike was professional and took any possible worry out of the process! We live in San Mateo and got married in Carmel. Mike was willing to travel to our area to meet with us on a Sunday evening for our engagement photos. It was cold and there was walking involved but Mike was a trooper! During the next 7 months of planning, Mike stayed in contact as necessary and always let us know if he needed any information or assistance in his portion of the planning.
When the wedding day came, Mike and his team were the first vendors to arrive (besides hair and makeup) and they were equipped with a drone, multiple photographers and someone taking video. We knew we were in good hands :-) We got our photos back about a month after the wedding and they were gorgeous. Not to mention the sweet video that was included in our package.
Great memories to hold onto for a lifetime! Mike offers nice packages and the one we chose included a wedding album which Mike is currently working on. We can't wait to see it! Don't hesitate to get in touch with Mike for any photography needs. You won't regret it!
When the wedding day came, Mike and his team were the first vendors to arrive (besides hair and makeup) and they were equipped with a drone, multiple photographers and someone taking video. We knew we were in good hands :-) We got our photos back about a month after the wedding and they were gorgeous. Not to mention the sweet video that was included in our package.
Great memories to hold onto for a lifetime! Mike offers nice packages and the one we chose included a wedding album which Mike is currently working on. We can't wait to see it! Don't hesitate to get in touch with Mike for any photography needs. You won't regret it!
Deborah E.
Nov 05, 2018
Mike and his team were great! From our first point of contact Mike was professional and took any possible worry out of the process! We live in San Mateo and got married in Carmel. Mike was willing to travel to our area to meet with us on a Sunday evening for our engagement photos. It was cold and there was walking involved but Mike was a trooper! During the next 7 months of planning, Mike stayed in contact as necessary and always let us know if he needed any information or assistance in his portion of the planning.
When the wedding day came, Mike and his team were the first vendors to arrive (besides hair and makeup) and they were equipped with a drone, multiple photographers and someone taking video. We knew we were in good hands :-) We got our photos back about a month after the wedding and they were gorgeous. Not to mention the sweet video that was included in our package.
Great memories to hold onto for a lifetime! Mike offers nice packages and the one we chose included a wedding album which Mike is currently working on. We can't wait to see it! Don't hesitate to get in touch with Mike for any photography needs. You won't regret it!
When the wedding day came, Mike and his team were the first vendors to arrive (besides hair and makeup) and they were equipped with a drone, multiple photographers and someone taking video. We knew we were in good hands :-) We got our photos back about a month after the wedding and they were gorgeous. Not to mention the sweet video that was included in our package.
Great memories to hold onto for a lifetime! Mike offers nice packages and the one we chose included a wedding album which Mike is currently working on. We can't wait to see it! Don't hesitate to get in touch with Mike for any photography needs. You won't regret it!
Lexi L.
Dec 03, 2017
Mike was a pleasure to work with. Always available to communicate via phone or email. Easy going and affordable rates!! I love his work, especially how he is able to capture people in the moment. He knows what he is doing if you just let him roll. Our guests said he was the kindest photographer they ever met. Thank you again for helping us remember such a special day with lovely photos!
S. B.
Dec 03, 2017
Mike was a pleasure to work with. Always available to communicate via phone or email. Easy going and affordable rates! I love his work, especially how he is able to capture people in the moment. He knows what he is doing if you just let him roll. Our guests said he was the kindest photographer they ever met. Thank you again for helping us remember such a special day with lovely photos!
Julie Francis
Aug 12, 2017
Chelsea W.
Jun 04, 2017
Thank you, Mike Danen, for taking photos and video for our wedding! We also did an engagement shoot. The photos from both events turned out beautiful. The wedding video captured the day perfectly! Mike was professional and flexible and willing to work with us on any special request. I would definitely recommend Mike to anyone needing an event photographed.
Lola R.
Dec 20, 2016
My husband and I got married on July 30, 2016. I waited because I made some albums on Shutterfly and I wanted to see how the images transferred. We hired Mike for both our rehearsal dinner and our wedding. After our initial meeting my, now, husband said that he wanted to hire him (we met with a few more but he was right). For his experience, the area, and what you get he was reasonably priced.
For our dinner rehearsal Mike was there for 2 hours and got several wonderful, good quality and good content shots. At the wedding, I hardly noticed him and his assistant were there (they blended right in), but they got lots of wonderful shots. Also the images transferred beautifully on the Shutterfly albums.
For our dinner rehearsal Mike was there for 2 hours and got several wonderful, good quality and good content shots. At the wedding, I hardly noticed him and his assistant were there (they blended right in), but they got lots of wonderful shots. Also the images transferred beautifully on the Shutterfly albums.
Lola R.
Dec 19, 2016
My husband and I got married on July 30, 2016. I waited because I made some albums on Shutterfly and I wanted to see how the images transferred. We hired Mike for both our rehearsal dinner and our wedding. After our initial meeting my, now, husband said that he wanted to hire him (we met with a few more but he was right). For his experience, the area, and what you get he was reasonably priced.
For our dinner rehearsal Mike was there for 2 hours and got several wonderful, good quality and good content shots. At the wedding, I hardly noticed him and his assistant were there (they blended right in), but they got lots of wonderful shots. Also the images transferred beautifully on the Shutterfly albums.
For our dinner rehearsal Mike was there for 2 hours and got several wonderful, good quality and good content shots. At the wedding, I hardly noticed him and his assistant were there (they blended right in), but they got lots of wonderful shots. Also the images transferred beautifully on the Shutterfly albums.
Nicole D.
Oct 14, 2016
We loved Mike Danen & his team at our wedding on October 9. He has GREAT ideas of where to take photos and angles. He took some really cool shots behind grass and trees to give the photos a special effect. They were so kind and went above and beyond by staying extra long to make sure my husband and I were happy. I loved his style, he wasn't in our face and I really got to enjoy the night and dance, while he was taking photos from all different angles.
Kim V.
Sep 24, 2014
This review is long overdue. With all of the stress with planning a wedding, it was such a pleasure to work with Mike. Mike was extremely professional and accommodating. I booked Mike to do my wedding and engagement photos about seven months before the wedding. We waited for better weather to take our engagement photos and ended up taking the engagement photos a month before the wedding.
We took pictures at several locations in San Francisco, which took several hours because I wanted both day time beach photos and city lights pictures at night, and Mike was such a trooper! Even under the tight time constraints, Mike pulled through and put together gorgeous pictures for us. Mike and his assistant were so nice. They are so creative and perfectly captured this time in our lives that we will keep forever.
Mike's turn around is super quick. My wedding package arrived before I was back from my honeymoon. Even though Mike was quick to turn the photos around, he did not skip on the quality.
We took pictures at several locations in San Francisco, which took several hours because I wanted both day time beach photos and city lights pictures at night, and Mike was such a trooper! Even under the tight time constraints, Mike pulled through and put together gorgeous pictures for us. Mike and his assistant were so nice. They are so creative and perfectly captured this time in our lives that we will keep forever.
Mike's turn around is super quick. My wedding package arrived before I was back from my honeymoon. Even though Mike was quick to turn the photos around, he did not skip on the quality.
Sammy D.
Feb 19, 2014
Mike is an amazing photographer! My husband and I had him as the photographer for our wedding in Santa Cruz, CA in October 2013. The photographs were absolutely beautiful! He was so kind and generous throughout the entire process. The photo book we received is absolutely stunning. He did such great work! Thank you so much Mike! My husband and I have pictures that will bring back out beautiful wedding memories always and forever!
Sue B.
Jul 07, 2013
Mike and his crew photographed our daughter's May wedding in Tiburon and the digital images were ready before they were back from their honeymoon. The traditional formal photos were very well done getting the groups organized quickly so that we could all go on to the reception. This included a photo of the entire 120 of us at the church. The candid photos are where he really shines capturing the emotion and beauty of the day.
There isn't rewind time in wedding photography... there is only one time to get these pictures that will be around for years right. Mike does it in a professional way and does not get in the way either. He will make sure that you get the photos that are important to you as he asks for a list from you before the event. Just be sure that you list everything you want.
After seeing the engagement photos (which incidentally were used to make a scrapbook that guests wrote their wishes for the bride and groom in instead of a traditional guest book at the reception), we were pretty sure that Mike would do a good job for the wedding. And he did.
There isn't rewind time in wedding photography... there is only one time to get these pictures that will be around for years right. Mike does it in a professional way and does not get in the way either. He will make sure that you get the photos that are important to you as he asks for a list from you before the event. Just be sure that you list everything you want.
After seeing the engagement photos (which incidentally were used to make a scrapbook that guests wrote their wishes for the bride and groom in instead of a traditional guest book at the reception), we were pretty sure that Mike would do a good job for the wedding. And he did.
Sue B.
Jul 07, 2013
Mike and his crew photographed our daughter's May wedding in Tiburon and the digital images were ready before they were back from their honeymoon. The traditional formal photos were very well done getting the groups organized quickly so that we could all go on to the reception. This included a photo of the entire 120 of us at the church. The candid photos are where he really shines capturing the emotion and beauty of the day.
There isn't rewind time in wedding photography. there is only one time to get these pictures that will be around for years right. Mike does it in a professional way and does not get in the way either. He will make sure that you get the photos that are important to you as he asks for a list from you before the event. Just be sure that you list everything you want.
After seeing the engagement photos (which incidentally were used to make a scrapbook that guests wrote their wishes for the bride and groom in instead of a traditional guest book at the reception), we were pretty sure that Mike would do a good job for the wedding. And he did. Thanks!
There isn't rewind time in wedding photography. there is only one time to get these pictures that will be around for years right. Mike does it in a professional way and does not get in the way either. He will make sure that you get the photos that are important to you as he asks for a list from you before the event. Just be sure that you list everything you want.
After seeing the engagement photos (which incidentally were used to make a scrapbook that guests wrote their wishes for the bride and groom in instead of a traditional guest book at the reception), we were pretty sure that Mike would do a good job for the wedding. And he did. Thanks!
Karla D.
May 07, 2013
We just recently had our engagement session in San Francisco with Mike and our experience was nothing short of phenomenal. Mike's level of professionalism was beyond the level our expectations. He risked his equipment just to get that perfect picture and lost his flash tri-pod in the waters of San Francisco. Fortunately for all of us Mike came prepared with a spare and we were able to continue with our session. Mike was very patient and open to all of our suggestions we couldn't have been more pleased with his work.
We would recommend Mike because he is truly, and genuinely a hard worker. Mike is a Photographer not a sales person and is dedicated to his clients. We cant wait for him to shoot our wedding.
We would recommend Mike because he is truly, and genuinely a hard worker. Mike is a Photographer not a sales person and is dedicated to his clients. We cant wait for him to shoot our wedding.
Vince P.
Nov 28, 2012
Mike Danen is an outstanding photographer on all levels! Punctual, Professional, Creative, Patient and Organized! We first met with Mike in Santa Cruz to discuss possibly using his services for our wedding. He was patient (stayed with us for 2 hours), thorough, brought a variety of engagement & wedding albums for us to view and answered all the questions we had.
We were so happy and honored that we chose Mike as our photographer. He definitely did not disappoint and went above and beyond what we envisioned for our wedding. He brought an assistant to capture all the other angles, so we had plenty of photos in the end. Mike is very creative with staging various backgrounds, angles, setting up shots with the right lighting as well as capturing the candid moments.
Not only that, he worked around all our family members that kept getting in the way with their cameras. He directed our bridal party with ease and we had 21 in our group! Throughout the evening our parents dragged him around to take photos with friends and family and it went smoothly. Mike seemed to always be in the right place waiting for the right moment to capture the right shot.
Our photos were completed in the time expected and they were gorgeous. There were many shots that captured the best moments throughout our celebration and the shots we really wanted the most, came out perfect. We're still choosing the photos to put in our wedding album, but we are confident that Mike will do a great job on that as well. We would highly recommend his services to our family and friends.
We were so happy and honored that we chose Mike as our photographer. He definitely did not disappoint and went above and beyond what we envisioned for our wedding. He brought an assistant to capture all the other angles, so we had plenty of photos in the end. Mike is very creative with staging various backgrounds, angles, setting up shots with the right lighting as well as capturing the candid moments.
Not only that, he worked around all our family members that kept getting in the way with their cameras. He directed our bridal party with ease and we had 21 in our group! Throughout the evening our parents dragged him around to take photos with friends and family and it went smoothly. Mike seemed to always be in the right place waiting for the right moment to capture the right shot.
Our photos were completed in the time expected and they were gorgeous. There were many shots that captured the best moments throughout our celebration and the shots we really wanted the most, came out perfect. We're still choosing the photos to put in our wedding album, but we are confident that Mike will do a great job on that as well. We would highly recommend his services to our family and friends.
P. R.
Jun 09, 2011
This is a long overdue review for Mike Danen and his team for wedding photography and video. Mike took amazing photos for us for our engagement shoot, wedding, and reception, and created a great album for us. Many of the photos are on his website. Also, we found him to be extremely pleasant to work with, and extremely responsive. His pricing was also a good amount below what we've seen in the market.
We had an Indian wedding, over 2 days, and it was very long. Mike offered to start at 5:30am, and took photos over many, many hours. The video is also great, and includes a highlight section which mixes in interview questions that his team asked my fiancee and I during our engagement shoot. It is something we will cherish forever. Mike works all throughout the Bay Area (and perhaps further) and I would recommend him without hesitation. Feel free to contact me if you want more details on our experience with Mike.
We had an Indian wedding, over 2 days, and it was very long. Mike offered to start at 5:30am, and took photos over many, many hours. The video is also great, and includes a highlight section which mixes in interview questions that his team asked my fiancee and I during our engagement shoot. It is something we will cherish forever. Mike works all throughout the Bay Area (and perhaps further) and I would recommend him without hesitation. Feel free to contact me if you want more details on our experience with Mike.
Christine C.
Sep 23, 2010
Mike did photos for our June wedding. Throughout the entire process, he was incredibly responsive and took extra time and effort to ensure that we were happy with our photos. He got some great shots that our guests were quite impressed with! Of note, he gives you all the digital files (and in a timely fashion as well), so you are able to print the photos wherever you want. Also, he reminds me of Rick Steves.if you are a Europe travel fan, that's a good thing!
Kelly Kilian
Feb 12, 2010
N. C.
Jan 31, 2010
Mike did such a wonderful job with the photos for our wedding, i couldn't have asked for anything more. he really knows what he's doing as our venue had extremely poor lighting, but he was able to pull it off beautifully. mike and his crew were professional, friendly, inconspicuous, accomodating, efficient, helpful, thoughtful.i could go on and on. the results were incredible, who knew we could look that good?!?! and he does it all for a great price too! i definitely recommend him with no reservations whatsoever! ps - he does videos too!
Christine C.
Mike did photos for our June wedding. Throughout the entire process, he was incredibly responsive and took extra time and effort to ensure that we were happy with our photos. He got some great shots that our guests were quite impressed with! Of note, he gives you all the digital files (and in a timely fashion as well), so you are able to print the photos wherever you want.
Also, he reminds me of Rick Steves...if you are a Europe travel fan, that's a good thing!
Also, he reminds me of Rick Steves...if you are a Europe travel fan, that's a good thing!
Sammy D.
Mike is an amazing photographer! My husband and I had him as the photographer for our wedding in Santa Cruz, CA in October 2013. The photographs were absolutely beautiful! He was so kind and generous throughout the entire process. The photo book we received is absolutely stunning. He did such great work!! Thank you so much Mike! My husband and I have pictures that will bring back out beautiful wedding memories always and forever!
Chelsea W.
Thank you, Mike Danen, for taking photos and video for our wedding! We also did an engagement shoot. The photos from both events turned out beautiful. The wedding video captured the day perfectly! Mike was professional and flexible and willing to work with us on any special request. I would definitely recommend Mike to anyone needing an event photographed.
Tim Scott