Surprise proposals across the Bay Area, planned down to the parking spot, the walking route, and the light. We hide in plain sight and get the real reaction. You focus on the question.
Most clients have a ring and maybe a general city/area in mind, and that's about it. Whether you have a specific spot and time in mind, or you need help figuring all of the above out, you came to the right place. I'll help you with location ideas, timing, and all the logistical details that aren't even on most of my clients' radars (until I mention them!). By the end of the call you'll have a clear sense of how your individual proposal could look, and whether we're the right team for the moment. P.S. Already engaged, or planning an anniversary session? Hop over to our sister site, which is built for exactly that. Same team, same standards.
Everything we send is discreet by default. A generic first text, no calls when they're around, and I'll tell you exactly how to keep the thread quiet.
Man, I love my f*cking job. Yeah, I said it, but that's how I feel, even after doing this professionally for a couple of decades now. I get the privilege of being there for the best moments of my clients' lives. Not only that, but I get to help orchestrate the moment so it's executed as flawlessly as possible, better than you could have possibly imagined it. Since I live here, I know all the best places to go. I know the secret, epically beautiful locations that aren't overrun by tourists (yet), so you can enjoy both privacy for this moment as well as a beautiful backdrop as you go down on one knee. Twenty years behind the camera. Over a thousand proposals between me and my team. I still genuinely love the planning conversation as much as the shoot itself, which surprises me more than anyone.
Everything you need to decide if we're the right fit is on this page. Pricing, process, real photos, real reviews, every question you might ask. I'll be candid: I'm not the cheapest photographer in the Bay Area and I'm not trying to be. What I promise is that when the moment happens, nothing about it catches you off guard. That's worth what we charge. Keep scrolling for more info, or jump directly to Pricing / Availability / Packages if you're like "OK Chris, but how much does it cost?!?"
Every shoot follows the same process, so you always know what's coming next.
Once you book a call, I'll text you personally within minutes during Pacific time business hours. Most proposals are planned discreetly so text keeps things flexible and all in one place. (Just make sure to mute the thread.)
If you're unsure where to propose, I'll ask a few simple questions about the vibe (coastal, redwoods, vineyard, urban) and guide you toward strong options. I can send recent proposal galleries from any of our shoot locations for inspiration. Knowing where you're staying/visiting can also narrow down our location options.
Once we've had our initial discovery call, all you need to do is reserve a one hour session. No penalty if plans shift. If I'm already booked, you'll see the "team" option in the hour slots at time of the reservation. I'm still your main point of contact throughout the process, but I'll loop you in with my photographer on a 3-way text feed 24-48hrs before the shoot.
Text me anytime with questions, adjustments, weather concerns, anything. If the spot has limited cell service I'll send detailed parking instructions, map links, and annotated/interactive satellite imagery so everything feels simple and clear on the big day.
Send a quick selfie of you both that morning so we know who to look for (we don't want to "stalk" the wrong couple!). Share your location with us via Find My (iPhone) or WhatsApp (Android). We're typically on-site at least 30 minutes early, scouted and ready.
After the initial proposal, we'll introduce ourselves and guide you through a relaxed engagement session together. 30 to 60 minutes depending on your collection and location(s). You don't need to know how to pose. We'll direct everything in a way that feels natural and fun.
Within 24 hours I'll text you a handful of sneak peeks along with the payment link; that's when payment is due, and you choose your collection then. Full edited gallery within 7 business days. Small retouch requests after delivery are almost always doable. And yes you can pay the difference if you want to upgrade your package after seeing the final gallery.
Text me anytime, day or night, week-of or six months out. For surprise proposals we know exactly how to communicate around the secret. No random texts "hey this is Chris your PROPOSAL PHOTOGRAPHER," no calls when your partner is around. If we do reach out first, it'll be super generic until you respond.
We look like tourists with big cameras, often shooting from a distance on a long lens. But the biggest thing is we completely ignore you (while actually NOT ignoring you) until you get down on one knee. It's easy to pretend to be a nature photographer when we're at gorgeous locations already.
Time, place, drive route, sunset timing, contingencies if anything shifts, even the timing math for your dinner reservation after. Surprise proposals get interactive satellite imagery with links and paths for where to park, where to walk, where to propose, backup spots, and often a preview of where we'll explore for the post-proposal engagement shoot. I plan for traffic, crowds, and backup plans because you can't anticipate everything. Above all, we maintain flexibility throughout the process to ensure success.
The moment the ring is on, we introduce ourselves and roll straight into a relaxed session together. 30 to 60 minutes, no awkward poses, no "say cheese", just two people who kinda like each other. It feels like a walk with friends, not a posed / forced / uncomfortable experience.
A handful of edited photos shared first so you have something to send family ASAP. Small retouch requests after delivery are almost always doable. We aim to have at least 150 final edited photos for you to pick your absolute faves from.
Yes, and honestly this is most of what you're paying for. For surprise proposals I map drive time from your starting point, the exact arrival window so we hit the last stretch of good light, the walking route to the spot, what to say if your partner asks questions, and the timing math so you still make your dinner reservation after. For engagement sessions we'll scout the location together, plan outfit changes if you want them, time it to the light. Either way, every step rehearsed. Most photographers send a satellite image and call it planning. Mine is the first 5 minutes of a real conversation. The couples who book us say this part is what calms their nerves the most.
We reschedule. No deposit, no fees, no drama. I've seen every kind of curveball: late ring, foggy beach, sick partner, family emergency. The shoot moves; nothing changes. Just give me as much notice as you can.
Standard service area is San Francisco down through Big Sur, and north to Napa and Sonoma. We regularly shoot proposals across all of it. For anything outside that range (Yosemite, Tahoe, Hawaii, destination), just ask and I'll work up a custom quote.
Entirely situational. Sometimes 20 minutes, sometimes a full hour. The Coastal collection tends to be shorter (proposal moment + a quick engagement walk). Signature and Full collections take more time because we're covering more locations and capturing more variety. I'll plan the exact window with you ahead of time.
Sneak peeks (a handful of edited favorites) land within 24 hours of the shoot, so you have something to share with family the next day. Your full edited gallery follows within 7 business days.
No. Schedules change, weather changes, life happens. I don't want you locked in financially before the shoot is done. The exception is last-minute bookings (less than a week out) where I may need payment up front because I'm moving appointments around to accommodate you.
When your sneak peeks land, within 24 hours of the shoot. Zelle, Venmo, PayPal, or wire (your choice). The full edited gallery lands in your inbox within 7 business days. If you want to upgrade tiers after seeing the photos, you can pay the difference then.
For surprise proposals we shoot from far enough back that they'll never spot us, usually 30 to 60 feet away with a telephoto lens. Your photographer looks like a tourist with a big camera, blending into the scenery. We point out exactly where we'll be standing in your planning call so you can angle your body the right direction. In 20 years and 1,000+ proposals between me and my team, we've never had one blown by being spotted. (For engagement sessions, the photographer is obviously there, but we direct quietly so the moments feel natural, not posed.)
Absolutely. An alternate approach: tell your partner you hired a photographer to capture your small family at a cool location. You both go into it knowing you need to look your best and a photographer is involved. At some point during the shoot, you propose. It works beautifully and the kid often becomes the centerpiece of the photos.
We don't do decor ourselves; one job at a time. But once you book, I'll hand you my list of the Bay Area's best flower-and-signage people. I've stood next to their work for years.
We can, but people generally hire us for still photography and editing. Here's the workaround: at the pre-agreed-upon proposal spot, your photographer is nearby pretending to take photos of something else. You walk up, hand them your phone, and ask if they can take a picture of the two of you real quick. They oblige, except you handed the phone over already in video mode. They pretend to start taking a photo but the video is rolling, you get down on one knee, and voila, it's all captured without anyone having to hide. We can absolutely recreate the scene with still photos too, so it's really the best of both worlds.
We'd love to. A lot of our proposal couples never really leave: engagement, wedding, then the family shoots. I get to hit all the high points in people's lives. It's the best part of the job. Just text me when you're ready to talk dates.
Hasn't. Happened. Yet.
Two weeks is comfortable. One week is doable. 48 hours is possible: text me and I'll tell you straight if we can pull it off. Holiday weekends and sunset weddings nearby can fill the calendar fast, especially September through December.
Ten minutes on the phone and you'll know exactly how the day goes. No deposit, and nothing to pay until after the shoot.
Book a 10-min call
5.0 average on Yelp and Google.
Pick after the shoot, pay when the sneak peeks land.
Pricing based on where + which day of the week.
Local-only quoting, or "we'll figure it out when you get here."
Most of our clients aren't local. They're making plans from Southern California, the midwest or East Coast, sometimes another country (hey Canada!).
First or second surprise proposal of the year.
140+ proposals every year. 1,000+ between Chris and the team since 2015.
30 to 50% deposit. Signed contract. Non-refundable.
Zero deposit. You pay after the shoot. I can afford to work this way because in 20 years, nobody's walked away unhappy enough to test it.
Not a list we googled. These are the places we have actually planned proposals at, and we know which ones are quiet on a Saturday, which need a permit, and which hold the light late.
