Surprise Proposal & Mini Engagement | Chris and Taryn

Manhattan Beach Pier • Los Angeles • California

Stephanie Ip Photography
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About a month before the surprise proposal day, Chris and I started planning for this life changing event to celebrate a special milestone in his and Taryn’s dating journey. 

The cover story of this surprise proposal was that the two of them were flying in from Boston for her birthday in her hometown of Manhattan Beach. Chris had never been to Manhattan Beach Pier himself but knew it would be the perfect spot to pop the question as the location holds a dear place in her heart. How thoughtful and sweet is that?

About a week before the day, Bryan (my husband) and I went out to Manhattan Beach Pier to scout for a spot that would be perfect for the couple. If you are reading this post in the future, 2021 was the second year of the global pandemic (COVID-19), where vaccines were developed and distributed across the world. By the time we were scouting, a lot of people were a lot more relaxed on the social distancing guidelines, and definitely out and about enjoying life again, especially at beautiful Manhattan Beach. 

As a photographer for this particular shoot, it is very important that I find a place that would give me great vantage points and hiding spots. While it would be nice to get closer to the water, I felt that a lot of people had their beach tents up, which could potentially get into the pictures, providing a less desired result. Also, it would be a little tricky to identify our hiding spot and make sure we wouldn’t miss each other on the day. Instead of picking a spot close to the water and in the middle of the sand, I ended up staging the couple at this little mound that is about 30-40 feet away from a stone bench overlooking the ocean, which was a perfect spot to blend into the background. 

Since Chris and I couldn’t meet in person, I decided to put together a short video with all the details about the plan. On the day, we even drew a crowd, and the rest is history!

Chris and Taryn Surprise Proposal and Engagement at Manhattan Beach Pier
Chris and Taryn Surprise Proposal and Engagement at Manhattan Beach Pier
Chris and Taryn Surprise Proposal and Engagement at Manhattan Beach Pier
Chris and Taryn Surprise Proposal and Engagement at Manhattan Beach Pier
"Stephanie was FANTASTIC. She absolutely nailed the perfect proposal/engagement photo shoot and helped to coordinate the entire play-by-play with me from start to finish. I'm based on the East coast and was trying to plan a proposal on Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles. I had never been to the beach before but knew it was the right place to pop the question. Not only did Stephanie remain stealthy and capture the whole moment with 100+ photos, she scouted the area a week ahead (and sent a Youtube video of vantage points), suggested the perfect spot (with the pier in the background), showed me her hiding spot and angles, and even ran out to purchase a bottle of champagne for me (and kept it chilled). She did all of this for me AFTER HAVING HER OWN OFFICIAL WEDDING THE MORNING OF THE PHOTOSHOOT. My fiancé and I are so happy with the photos and Stephanie was extremely generous with her time (before and during the day). She even sent ~5 photos along during the same day so we could shar them with friends and family immediately. Just incredible, incredible service and A+ quality pictures. I would 100% recommend her to anyone seeking some help for a high (or low) stakes photo opportunity."
Chris and Taryn Surprise Proposal and Engagement at Manhattan Beach Pier
Chris G.

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"I'am from Mexico and I visited LA California to propose to my girlfriend in the Griffith observatory
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Definitely recommend Stephanie to other couples in the LA area!!!"

Allison B.

"I would highly recommend Ms Stephanie and Stephanie IP photography. I found Ms Stephanie through google. Just looked for "surprise proposal" and I'm really lucky to have encountered her website.
She was very accommodating and very versatile and could adjust to your liking. Just tell her what's on your mind then she would also add her suggestions which makes the outcome superb. She is very professional and always considers her customer's contentment.
On top of that, her shots and editings are good! She also delivers within the time frame she sets. Thank you Ms. Stephanie!"

Mark L.

"Amazing as always! we love her work so much that we used her for both proposal and the engagement photoshoot. Great vision when it comes to taking photos! She made us feel very comfortable as we are generally not very natural in front of the camera. Shabu and Bryan are always great company as well! Overall, highly recommend her to anyone who is interested in organizing a proposal & taking engagement photos!!"

Jay S.

"Stephanie was amazing! She captured all our moments during our surprise proposal, had a super cute set up and made the session extra fun and creative!"

Monique F.

"Working with Stephanie during our surprise proposal was an absolute pleasure. I'm not usually one for photos but she made the entire experience fun, relaxing and rewarding. All out photos turned out wonderful. We'll definitely be looking to book her again for future photos."

Josh B.

"I found Stephanie in Google maybe a year before our wedding. I personally like her shots because it’s simple and intimate. For a small wedding of 50 people, she made every picture so perfect and meaningful that I had a hard time picking which ones to choose to download in the end for the final photo gallery. Stephanie and Brian were so professional and very kind to choreograph me and my husbands sweetest photos. They taught us how to act naturally while dancing or posing for the pictures. She takes the best pictures. Talent wise she’s one of the best but her vocation and passion to make it more meaningful and intimate is what sets her apart from the other photographers. She creates a story in every picture.
thank you so much to Stephanie and Brian. ❤️
Diana and Matthew Nov. 2023"

Diana G.

"Working with Stephanie was an absolute pleasure. I purchased the personal branding package. In the past I've found taking photos a slightly difficult and intimidating venture. However Stephanie made it pleasant and fun.
Before we even began, Stephanie spent time with me and asked lots of questions to help narrow down exactly what I was needing. She was an extremely good listener and paid close attention to even small details.
The shoot itself was a pleasant and fun experience. I was surprised how efficiently she worked. The shoot was completed quickly without feeling rushed. I was grateful the process did not take all day. It was energizing rather than exhausting.
In the end the results were photos even better than I expected. Stephanie even spent extra time with me reviewing the photos to make sure I got EXACTLY what I wanted. The next time I need photos Stephanie will be the first person I call!"

Mark S.

"Working with Stephanie was incredible! She was super organized, prepared, and her pictures were perfect. Highly recommend to anyone! She’s the best!!!!"

Marc S.

"TLDR: Stephanie and her husband, Brian, were truly fantastic to work with. I would wholeheartedly vouch for their premium service to anyone needing a photography session. She goes above and beyond with communication AND coordination. Our engagement photos came out immaculate and I couldn't be more thankful!!
I first messaged Stephanie in August 2023 with plans to propose to my (now) fiance. She instantly got back to me and booked a zoom session for the both of us to better get to know one another. I shared my vision for the proposal and she happily gave some of her recommendations (especially considering she knows where all the "hot spots" are in the Los Angeles area). Ultimately, we planned for a proposal on a yacht in Marina Del Rey, which was her very first time doing this! We were in constant contact regarding all the details for decoration, directions, and for the coordination of my family and friends. She even went out to the Marina to meet the captain and scope out the boat and the area. We had several zoom sessions with both myself and my family to make sure this went perfectly. Stephanie was so patient and was always positive!!
Fast-forward to the actual proposal: Everything went off as planned!! Stephanie and her husband, Brian, coordinated my family on to the yacht prior to the arrival of my fiance and me. My fiance had her eyes closed the entire time while we set sail. By the time we anchored the yacht, Stephanie guided my family to the front of the boat. I then had my fiance open her eyes, only for her to discover we were in the middle of Marina Del Rey during sunset with all of our loved ones present. It was so beautiful and Stephanie did an amazing job capturing the moment. The decorations were gorgeous and she did an exceptional job at providing us with a beautiful charcuterie board with champagne and refreshments.
Overall, my family, my fiance, and I were TRULY blessed to have worked with Stephanie. It's incomprehensible just how much work she does behind the scenes. She really wants you to have the best experience you can. I would, without a doubt, highly recommend her to do your photos! Thank you again Stephanie and Brian, you two are truly amazing!!!!
Always, Marty and Mikaela"

Marty E.

"We had a secret engagement photoshoot and everything was PERFECT! We can't thank Stephanie and Bryan for all they did. ❤️❤️"

Eduardo N.

"Stephanie was absolutely wonderful and easy to work with. Both my husband and I are new to posing for pictures but she directed us in a way that made it feel very natural and comfortable. She was also able to give us some photos early so we could print thank you cards which we appreciated a ton. I love her style of editing and overall it was a great experience."

Faith Y.

"Stephanie is a superb photographer! She photographed and videotaped our wedding and reception and the pictures are awesome and of the highest quality. The prints and enlargements we bought from her associated print studio were also great, and better quality than you would get from other places. She's great to work with and very responsive to any questions you may have. I give her my highest recommendation to anyone looking for a professional photographer for their event!"

Mark S.

"Stephanie and her team were the best! She spent time beforehand to show examples of locations and photo styles. On the day of, she was early to set up and did a great job with our baby and dog. The photos turned out beautiful and the turn around time was exactly as promised. Would def use her again for our next photos!"

Annie P.

"I found Stephanie thru google and I am so so happy with the photos we got back from our family mini session. We look forward to working with her again!""

Erin S.

"I needed a lifestyle shoot and Stephanie was the only one that would accommodate my needs by coming to me to do the shoot. The shoot was done well and I would recommend Stephanie if you have unique needs."

William R.

"Stephanie helped me arrange the perfect surprise proposal for my now-fiancé! We were going back to the site of our first date, and I had an idea of what I wanted the proposal to look like, but Stephanie really made it happen. She communicated efficiently and completely, and with her guidance the logistics were rapidly determined. She and her husband managed to hide from my extremely-observant partner as I maneuvered us into position for the proposal, and she didn't miss a beat! She had planned out the perfect rainy-day proposal photo shoot in advance, and my partner and I felt so comfortable and able to relax with her guiding us through the shoot. And then she sent us photos the very next day and they were spectacular!!! She is a phenomenal photographer, communicator, and logistician, who is so easy to work with! It's unfortunate that I'm limited to 5 stars!"

Michael L.

"Thank you endlessly Stephanie and Bryan, and Shabu, for a wonderful photo session, delightful pictures, and help with the digital downloads and ordering prints on a holiday weekend! This was service above and beyond spectacular, and I so appreciate it.
I look forward to having pictures on a regular basis now, instead of every fifteen years!"

Elle W.

"Stephanie helped shoot my proposal. I was coming from out of town and had our friends bring my fiancee to the proposal spot without her knowing what was going on. Needless to say, it required a lot of coordination and Stephanie helped with all of that. She researched the final two spots I was considering, met me the day of to figure the perfect spot and angle. Also her husband was there for any support and extra props since it was at a public space.
Definitely recommend!"

Samir S.

"Stephanie is truly a gem! She is great at what she does and it shows! She takes the time to discuss in detail vision for photos, props, setting, timing etc.
Because of Stephanie's calm vibe plus great talent, she was able to capture so many beautiful moments for me and my family! My daughter is one and I had so much feeling of apprehension. All the pictures came out great.
I am so grateful I have found her and will definitely continue to use her as our photographer!"

Vanessa G.

"Stephanie helped shoot my proposal to my girlfriend (now fiancee) and did an amazing job!! The pictures came out beautifully and my fiancee is so happy with them.
For me, what was even more helpful was the location scouting Stephanie did prior to the shoot. She went to 5 different locations for me (since it was a destination proposal) and gave me her clear and honest feedback on each of the spots until we found the perfect place! See the picture below.
She also put me in touch with a decor expert who she had worked with in the past, so the day of I had absolutely nothing to worry about except not fumbling over my words when I actually proposed.
Highly recommend!!"

Chiraag D.

"The family photos Stephanie took were absolutely magical and more than I could have hoped for. I never do reviews (I am not sure I have ever done one before) but feel compelled to write this because I am so happy with the entire process of working with Stephanie. She was extremely responsive from the time I reached out to book the session all the way to helping with questions on the website platform after she delivered the photos. We had a few family members who did not want to do photos :) and she worked extremely well with all the personalities. She gave great advice on what to wear. All that being said the end result of the photos were amazing. If you are looking for photographers book Stephanie!!!"

Erin F.

"Stephanie made me feel very comfortable as she was taking photos for my graduation shoot & my birthday party. she does a fantastic job at capturing the small moments during big events, making the photos that much more priceless. overall, i'm VERY happy with how the photos turned out for both photo shoots."

Katrina I.

"I can't speak highly enough of Stephanie! I called her the day before I needed some corporate headshots, and I was sure I wasn't going to have any luck finding someone! To my surprise she had some availability for us the next day and was so awesome to set everything up! She was extremely helpful and worked with a sense of urgency which was amazing for my multitasking self! When she arrived the team absolutely LOVED her! They joked around had some fun and took some amazing photos! After it was time for her to leave, she followed up with me again and then within 2 weeks she had our photos ready to go! The interface she uses for her photo galleries is top notch and all her photos were magical! I will absolutely be using her again when I have other teams in the area! If you are on the fence just do it! She is the best!"

Amanda A.

"My family is so grateful to Stephanie for the extraordinary photo shoot! She could not have been more flexible, responsive and talented. We have one family member who shies away from photos but she made us all so comfortable that we were able to keep going for 45 minutes. She paid attention to our input on location/ general style then added so many of her own amazing ideas and we got all the shots we wanted! Definitely will hire her again and highly recommend her to everyone we know!"

L D.

"My husband and I are so happy that we selected Stephanie and her husband, Bryan to be our photographers for our Catholic wedding. As you may or may not know, there are a lot of restrictions with regards to photography during a Catholic ceremony. However, Stephanie and her husband were awesome and they did an amazing job at capturing our special day. Stephanie was very pleasant, friendly, professional, responsive, organized, and punctual. She and her husband were wonderful to work with and very accommodating. I look forward to working with them again!"

Claudia K.

"Thank you Stephanie and Bryan for taking such wonderful family photos. Especially for my daughter and her fiancé first appearance with our family. She is a professional not only in photography but also creating the exact mood for the epic moment."

Ricky N.

"Stephanie did an awesome job with my photos. She was great at guiding and staging the whole thing and making me feel comfortable about the process. The photos came out well and in a very timely fashion. Would recommend to anyone looking to get photos taken around the area!"

Matthew K.

"What an amazing and professional experience we had with Stephanie. She has wonderful communication skills, and she took her time to connect with us to understand our exact needs and expectations. She has a very calm and stealthy manner when getting the shots she wants with the help of her husband. She made our event stress-free and captured the moments so perfectly. She gave us creative suggestions with her artistic eye. The final products were beyond amazing, more than we expected. Her kindness and generosity were genuine and she made the entire experience so pleasant. She is easy to work with and beyond organized with the details and quick timing. She thinks of everything and has everything under control. You can just enjoy your day. You won't be disappointed!"

Karin Y.

"Stephanie did a fantastic job from start to finish for my son's first birthday party. She was responsive, professional, and it's clear that she wants to do the best job possible for her Clients. I was impressed that she went to check out the venue prior to the party even though I sent her photos of it. That way, she was prepared with all the right lighting and equipment. I'd highly recommend her & look forward to working with her again."

Sands P.

"Stephanie & her husband did an amazing job with our family beach photos. She was flexible, professional & quick to get us our digital copies. Price was good too! Would use them again in the future & highly recommend."

Irene J.

"I am so happy to have amazing family photos in 2022, my both kids birthday is in April, so I was thinking want to do memorable gift for them. I found Stephanie and just book right away, when we had initial zoom meeting at the beginning, she was really asking me detail what concept do I want, what kind of mood. I told her my stories and she took a memo, we made amazing final version! On the shoot day, it was super windy, but we captured each moments for our family and her husband Bryan made my kids feel comfortable and make happy mood at all the times!! We took photo at El segundo beach, sunset time. It is really beautiful, warm torn and golden mood, I love that! And all photos look really natural! She just kept doing and seized the moments. After that, once I received all final version, all procedure was explained very detail, easy to follow the steps. I ordered more photos and even 12 x 18 inch prints :) We will take photos with Stephanie every year to celebrate for my kids birthday, different location and time, I will try sunrise time next year! I never ever leave reviews so I am not sure this is right way or I wrote too much, But just want to say this I strongly recommend Stephanie !! I will brag my photos!"

Cha R.

"What can I not say about Stephanie? She did an incredible job throughout the process. I commissioned a mini-engagement photoshoot for a surprise proposal. Stephanie was very professional in wanting to know the story and plan. She was very flexible scheduling zoom calls to confirm the plan. She suggested great spots and I even took one of her suggestions and I do not regret it. I had to reschedule a few times and Stephanie was more than accommodating. When it came to the day of, Stephanie did a great job hiding in plain sight and coaching me to do certain things. She as a great aesthetic and really worked hard to capture the natural beauty of us. She directed us well and could not have asked for a more pleasant experience. The pictures came out spectacular. I wish I could give her 6 stars!"

Alfredo S.

"I booked professional headshots with Stephanie. She arrived early to quickly set up and used the full booking time to do as many shots as possible in different angles and poses. Stephanie was helpful, friendly, and easy to work with. The photos came out great!"

Vivian C.

"I wanted to get my maternity and newborn photos taken so I reached out to Stephanie. She is nothing but amazing!! I highly recommend her especially for those who live in the Southbay area. She knows all the good photo spots here. Not only she's a good photographer, but also she is very organized. She responded to my messages in a timely manner, quickly set up a meeting to go over the details of the photo shoots and she even created a Pinterest board for me to share ideas. When I was pregnant, my belly was not showing too much so I waited till the last minute to book her but everything worked out so well on the day of thanks to Stephanie being so organized. The photos turned out exactly how I wanted for my newborn photo shoot, she brought some props such as a nice basket/crib and some cushions etc. to make the photos look extra nice. She always showed about 20 mins earlier than the time of the photo shoots and tested lighting etc. so we could start on time. She has so many good ideas as to posing so she would guide me and my husband to pose so it was good that we were able to try different poses. She would always go an extra mile and took the time to cater our needs. I had too many outfits for the baby for the newborn shoot and my baby would get fussy or need to change diapers so it was a lot more difficult and took a lot of time of our shoot but she was willing to take the photos I wanted her to take even though it was past our time, which I appreciate so much!! It had been a while since we got a professional photo shoot and working with Stephanie was so much fun and if we were to do another photo shoot, I would definitely go back to her! (Maybe the next one would be my daughter's 1 year birthday?""

Saki G.

"Stephanie was awesome, she is quick and knows her stuff. We got a bunch of shots done with lighting in a very straightforward and simple manner. She knows how to make you comfortable too."

Javad T.

"My husband and I realized we didn't have a single decent photo with our 9 month old, so we reached out to Stephanie for a session (thank you Yelp for the rec). We are so glad we did! First off, the process of booking a session with Stephanie was so easy. I booked a slot on Stephanie's website, and Stephanie reached out immediately to schedule a phone call to learn more about what type of photos we were looking for and to help us determine a location for our shoot. She had numerous photos of each location in the South Bay she frequently shoots at, which made figuring out where we'd want to shoot and determining the type of photos we wanted so easy.

All we were hoping for was 1 frameable photo with our baby, but in a 30 minute session with Stephanie, we came out with dozens of great family photos, where even our baby is smiling and looking at the camera. My husband and I are not people that normally pose for photos. Stephanie was able to direct us to pose in ways that felt natural to us, and not forced, and how to get our baby to smile and look at the camera.

After booking our first session with Stephanie, I immediately booked a second session for a photo session with my extended family. With that said, we'd highly recommend her!"

Dow-Li K.

"I reached out to Stephanie for a surprise engagement photo shoot with my now fiance. Stephanie is such a wonderful and professional photographer! She is very generous and flexible to work with and is great at communicating with you to plan the photoshoot which is a big plus! I didn't have time to scope out the location I suggested to do the shoot however Stephanie went above and beyond to scope out the location herself and provided great suggestions and options as to where to do the engagement and get great photos! The surprise engagement itself was perfect because of her help! The photoshoot itself was very smooth and was easy to pose for the photos because of her excellent communication skills. My fiance and I fell in love with the photos that Stephanie captured! The results exceeded my expectations! She definitely captured this special moment in our lives which I am grateful for. Would definitely recommend to anyone that needs a photographer to capture any special moment in their lives! Thank you Stephanie for everything you did to capture our special day!"

Juan M.

"This company offers reasonable prices rates and outstanding customer service. I highly recommend Stephanie Ip Photography to anybody looking to capture the special moments in their life on camera. 📷"

Nathan G.

"Stephanie is a really great communicator, clear and responsive and she took time to understand what we wanted. We had her take photos at my husband's 50th and she worked hard to make sure she captured all our guests, and worked her way around the room - but very unobtrusively! We got some lovely photos for a very reasonable price."

Katie S.

"So happy we booked our New Year mini session with Stephanie and her husband (he assisted during the photo shoot) we couldn't be happier. From the start Stephanie was helpful and responded quickly. Both Stephanie and her husband worked so well and professionally (and made the kids comfortable and laugh) with us. We love the way our photos turned out and I'm already excited to book for next year. Definitely would recommend."

Stephanie D.

"Stephanie was awesome! We had such a fun time on our shoot, and the pictures came out so great!! Super friendly, easy to talk with, and fair prices. She was able to edit out my husbands braces as he was not a big fan of them in the pictures but you can't even tell he has them! Thanks for the great pictures!"

Braeden H.

"We had the pleasure of working with Stephanie for a multi-generational family mini-session at Terranea. Stephanie was responsive, flexible, and very willing to work with us and our not always cooperative toddler. The end results were fantastic and were delivered in a very timely manner after the session. I highly recommend Stephanie and look forward to working with her again."

Jaimie E.

"I decided somewhat last minute to attempt to take Christmas card photos with my husband, 3-year-old, and 3-week-old. Not only was Stephanie up for the task, she did an amazing job! She was flexible with the location I wanted to use and went above and beyond to make sure we got some beautiful photos with our rowdy son. We will absolutely be booking Stephanie when we need family photos again!"

Julie D.

"Stephanie was by far the best photographer I have ever worked with! She responds promptly to emails, she brings enthusiasm and grace to the shoots and gets your gallery back in record time! It was wonderful working with her! We cannot wait to work with you again."

Kelli F.

"So grateful we found Stephanie for our family photos! She responded quickly, set up a zoom call to meet and answer all questions, and took gorgeous family photos for my family of 7 at Terranea in Palos Verdes. She rose to the challenge as we're all adults without kids yet, but she gave us great poses and we loved how easy and affordable she was to work with."

Mali G.

"Very easy to work with. I hate having photos of myself taken, especially when posed. Stephanie made me feel at ease and set up a casual setting. I really appreciate someone who listens and works with you to get the best results. That is Stephanie."

Linda F.

Nancy H.

"I was looking for a photographer for my family and I. And wanted it to be special since it was my family and I first time having a photo shot. stephanie made the Process of booking very easily she made everything very clear on the pricing she also gave us options to chose from on the locating of the photo shot and what time it'll be best to take picture. Stephanie and her Partner were amazing the day of they were very accommodating made everything so easily And comfortable I would honestly book again And would also recommend her for Anyone looking for an amazing Photographer."

Stephanie S.

"Stephanie Ip Photography is an excellent photographer, I love how our family photos came out. She is very patient and took her time so that the pictures come out perfect. Stephanie has excellent communication skills, I highly recommend her services!!!!"

Norma B.

"I found Stephanie through Yelp while browsing for photographers for our family portrait. We had not taken one in MANY years, and this one was going to be a birthday gift to our 92 year old mom, so everything needed to be ON POINT. The job of finding "the perfect photographer" was sort of thrown into my lap at the last minute, as we had one person leaving for college, a few others going on vacation, plus a holiday weekend coming up, and Mom's birthday was 2 & 1/2 weeks away. This was also during COVID! I requested quotes from five different photographers; only THREE responded. TWO of them told me FLAT OUT they were NOT accepting any reservations. Stephanie responded immediately via e:mail, and included her pricing and package options, as well as a link to her website so I could review some of her past shoots. From the start, I already felt a sense of warmth & genuine openness. Since it had been years since we had done any type of group portraits, I had a million silly questions! Stephanie, however, was ever patient and understanding, and NEVER made me feel uncomfortable (or dumb), and always took the time to explain everything in detail to me so I understood what I was paying for & what we were doing. The day of our photo shoot, Stephanie and her amazing assistant arrived early enough to set up and start shooting at our designated time. There were 11 of us, so you can imagine how difficult it was to get us all lined up, postured, etc., but in spite of her sweet, soft voice, Stephanie managed to get it done, and our pictures look fabulous! I would absolutely consider soliciting Stephanie again the next time I need a photographer to capture a special memory (provided she hasn't retired from all her success!), and I am more than pleased to recommend her to the community to capture YOUR memories as well!"

Shelly O.

"It was a last minute thing. I needed a wedding photographer for my parents' wedding in 5 DAYS. I was lucky to find Stephanie online. I called her and glad she came to the rescue. She was VERY helpful, detailed, and professional. She was very kind to accommodated my requests too! She definitely took beautiful pictures and captured moments from this special day. Looking forward to future bookings. Will definitely recommend to family and friends!"

Khristine G.

"Stephanie is a fabulous photographer. She listened to what I wanted and was very flexible to accommodate my requests. She did my headshots for my MBA program. My photos look awesome! I will definitely refer my family and friends to her."

Joy A.

"Stephanie is very easy going person. We had a great photo session for headshot. She knows how to leverage outdoor lighting very well."

Ethan L.

"Stephanie was great! Great shots despite me being camera shy, done quickly, retouched and delivered in under a week. Highly recommend!"

Blake R.

"We had a wonderful experience with Stephanie for our family photo session! She made the whole experience fun and engaging for everyone. We love how our photos turned out! We definitely recommend her to friends and plan to contact her in the future to capture more of our precious family moments."

Wendy C.

"Stephanie was FANTASTIC. She absolutely nailed the perfect proposal/engagement photo shoot and helped to coordinate the entire play-by-play with me from start to finish. I'm based on the East coast and was trying to plan a proposal on Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles. I had never been to the beach before but knew it was the right place to pop the question. Not only did Stephanie remain stealthy and capture the whole moment with 100+ photos, she scouted the area a week ahead (and sent a Youtube video of vantage points), suggested the perfect spot (with the pier in the background), showed me her hiding spot and angles, and even ran out to purchase a bottle of champagne for me (and kept it chilled). She did all of this for me AFTER HAVING HER OWN OFFICIAL WEDDING THE MORNING OF THE PHOTOSHOOT. My fiancé and I are so happy with the photos and Stephanie was extremely generous with her time (before and during the day). She even sent ~5 photos along during the same day so we could shar them with friends and family immediately. Just incredible, incredible service and A+ quality pictures. I would 100% recommend her to anyone seeking some help for a high (or low) stakes photo opportunity."

Chirs G.

"Stephanie was fantastic to work with! She seamlessly rolled with the punches even when the weather didn't cooperate (rained ) the morning of the photo shoot. Super professional and the photos came out great. Would highly recommend Stephanie to anyone looking for some stunning engagement photos!"

Jeff Y.

"I feel so fortunate to have discovered Stephanie Ip Photography! I contacted her about photos to use for online dating. Understandably I was a little bit nervous about the whole thing and Stephanie set me at ease from our first phone conversation. She was very clear, organized, and professional at every stage of the process from booking to confirming to the actual shoot. My photos turned out great and the shoot was a lot of fun. Stephanie was able to suggest locations and show me similar photos and let me choose from a variety of times of day, lighting, and specific locations. Proofs were available very quickly and once I chose the ones I wanted, the final product was in my email inbox the next day. I am already getting compliments on the pictures including "You're photogenic!" which I have never been told before, ever!

Juliet G.

"Stephanie is a great photographer!! She is professional, courteous, so much fun to work with and her photographs are stunning. She is really quick to pose and gets a nice shots without taking too much time at posing. We never thought that we would have pictures as beautiful as we do and they turned out even better than I could have imagined! She guided us every step of the way - from picking a great location to matching outfits. She exceeds my expectations and we felt really comfortable during the shoot.

We are so thankful for the work that she did and I'm so happy we have these beautiful photos to cherish forever... I definitely would recommend her!!!!"

Kristine C.

"Absolute 10 out of 10!! Stephanie did a fantastic job capturing my sister's high school graduation photos. She was very attentive and creative with directing my sister, who is a bit camera-shy. Stephanie made her feel comfortable and relaxed during the whole photoshoot. She was very knowledgeable in regards to lighting, backgrounds, and poses. Stephanie indeed went above and beyond; she even stayed an extra 30 minutes to capture more golden hour shots of my sister. I truly appreciate how accommodating and punctual she was at the photoshoot location. Again, thank you so much, Stephanie, for the thoughtful keepsake you gifted my sister and the beautiful pictures!!"

Chidinma O.

"As many others have stated, Stephanie is responsive, responsible and goes above and beyond. We were new to the professional photography world and she answered all my questions, set up a Pinterest site to see my tastes, and was flexible on the date of shooting (sun/heat). We used her for family photos but I would not hesitate to recommend her for business use also."

Marcia L.

"Stephanie was great, she knew a good location and was flexible with my time slot and day of the week. Shes also got a great eye for backgrounds and poses. It was my first time getting anything like this done and she helped me through it. Stephanie was also the very helpful in helping me stay in my budget. I already recommended her to my associates and friends."

Sean V.

"I am so grateful for the work you have done.. amazing pictures and wonderful person to work with.. she made me smile even though i didn't know how to smile on camera."

Salem A.

"I had a great experience working with Stephanie for my business headshots. She was professional, made me feel comfortable throughout the entire process. Communication was excellent; scheduling the appointment was easy, and the shots were great. I highly recommend and hope for future use as our business grows."

Tom F.

"Stephanie is such a great photographer. She accommodated every request I have, and went above and beyond of what is expected. We did the shoot in our not-so-spacious house, and worked with it so well. It's hard to really take a great photo if space is limited. But she was able to manage and still made the outcome looked great. And apart from being a great photographer, she's a very kind person, very patient and very professional. She takes her job very seriously. I would definitely recommend her to my friends and families. I couldn't be happier with our photos. Thanks to her!"

Jessan C.

"Stephanie was amazing! I planned a surprise engagement and Stephanie scouted the location, sent me videos of her plans (covid precautions instead of meeting in person), and did an amazing job capturing our very special day. She was prompt, responsive, and had great follow through. Would definitely recommend her services. Also, the photos came out great!"

Josh E.

"Stephanie has taken many pictures of my family over the years! Whether it's portraits of me setting out bunches of luscious Thompson seedless grapes, or pictures of the family oohed and aahed over the new baby on Thanksgiving, or capturing our toddler running around in excitement hunting for Easter eggs!

Stephanie has passion for arts and a keen sense to capture the moment! Her creativity and imagination shines through in her photographs and they speak to me! We look forward to seeing more of her amazing work of art!"

Terry J.

"Stephanie Ip Photography has done a great work on our family pictures during this pandemics. The pictures are lively, full of joys and fun as we were directed by the photographer. We found family pictures would not need to be formal, sit tight with formal smiles but family pictures can be lively, relaxing and joyful.

The year of 2020 was a year gave everyone the worst year and look forward good times coming. Photos give us snap shots of joyful moments which cannot be recreated."

Charles I.

"Very professional photos. Stephanie was very nice and knew exactly what she was doing. Highly recommend and planned out every shot we did."

Sepehr K.

"The best! it’s my first time to hire a photographer as i am not comfortable with my body.. stephanie made me so special, like a friend giving advices on my poses .Stephanie took an amazing shots and professionally done. thank you stephanie i really love it 😍"

Rodolfo L.

"Stephanie’s ways of capturing those precious moments are unique. She took quite a few lively and lovely pictures for our family members during this unprecedented pandemic - sweet and fond memories locked not just in the album but also in my heart."

Anita I.

Authentic. Unscripted. Timeless.

Real Moments, Zero Posing Pressure—Let’s Shoot!

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