Thumbtack » California » Photographers Santa Monica

Luminary Photo

  • Simi Valley, CA 93063 (map)
  • (805) 587-7611

Credentials (view details)

  • DOJ Smart Search verified
  • Address verified
  • Phone verified
  • Email verified
  • Thumbtack reviewed
  • Facebook verified
  • Twitter verified
  • LinkedIn verified
  • Website verified
  • Thumbtack Elite member
  • Gold member

News feed

  • Just finished Dave and Kathryn's wedding and it was a blast your should check it out at http://facebook.com/Luminaryphoto or www.luminaryphoto.com/blog. – Nov 10, 2011 at 3:41 pm

  • Just joined a new advertising service called Thumbtack. I like their idea of advertising and I am looking forward to working with new clients. – Aug 31, 2011 at 9:27 am

Great Photography for Families & Events

Request a quote

Luminary Photo • Simi Valley, CA

  1. You'll be asked a few quick questions that will help describe your needs.
  2. You'll be asked to provide your contact information so that Dave Alton will be able to get in touch with you.
  3. You'll have the option to get competing quotes from other qualified service professionals, saving you time and money.
Request free quote »

Hi! I'm Dave Alton, a photographer and owner of Luminary Photo, which I run with my wife, Jodi. I have been photographing, people places and things for the past 19 years.

Since I started Luminary Photo about 6 years ago, I have photographed a wide range of subjects, such as weddings, celebrities, places and fashion. I have donated my time to charity organizations where I captured Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dick Van Dyke and Randy Newman with my camera. My work has been published, and I am the photo editor for Namak magazine.

What I love most is photographing weddings. It is the greatest fun you can have as a photographer. I love participating in the start of a brand new family. With each wedding I shoot, I am reminded of my own marriage. Every wedding reminds me how much Jodi and I mean to each other.

Jodi also has a keen interest in photography and has a natural way with the camera. As a team, we believe in creating photographs that captures the emotion of our client's wedding day.

We consider our pictures to be the family's very first heirloom. We work with the bride and groom to capture the year of planning that goes into creating a perfect wedding.

We would love to work with you to create a package that fits your needs, whether they include weddings, portraits or any other type of photography. Please enjoy the photos, and we look forward to speaking with you soon.

Reviews

  • November 21, 2011

    Dave is the consumate pro - very easy to work with and he got a terrific product. The shots look really good - amazing, for a bunch of musicians! Dave has a great eye, he knew how to make us look good, and it was a really fun shoot. Excellent work - thanks, Dave!

    – Terry

  • November 16, 2011

    Cannot say enough about how nice it was to work with Dave. Starting with the engagement photos through the wedding and reception. Photos mean everything and we are so happy that Dave took such great photos to help us remember our special day. I would not hesitate to recommend. A true photographer with an eye for catching ALL the special moments. THANKS DAVE!

    – Dave

  • November 15, 2011

    I worked with Luminary Photo in September of 2011. Dave and Jodi were extremely professional during the photo shoot for the holiday cards. They captured enough photos to successfully design a holiday card and give various pictures for family and friends. I would highly recommend working with Luminary and I will use them in the future!

    – Celeste

  • November 13, 2011

    I used Dave for my pregnancy portraits and more recently for promo pictures for my band. The shots he got were amazing!! It really speaks to his versatility. He is an absolute dream to work with - he really listened to what we needed and went above and beyond in delivering. He came up with some really creative shots that truly depicted the vibe of our band. The pregnancy pictures - I will cherish forever!

    – Natascha

  • November 10, 2011

    I had the opportunity to get press & promotional photos done with Dave and couldn't be happier with the result. The session was fun, energetic and professional and the photos reflect that.

    I'd highly recommend anyone get their photos with Dave. He's great to work with, quick to communicate with clients, and brings it home with a quality finished product.

    – Kirsten

  • November 7, 2011

    To say I was satisfied with Dave and Luminary Photo is an understatement. His work was superb, timely and he stayed in communication with me during the entire process. I highly recommend Luminary photo to anyone looking for the professional and personal attention that seems to lack in today's service industry.

    – Raymond

Write a review

Question and answer

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. When looking for a photographer you have to love their photography first but almost as important if not more is that you love working with them. Brides often fall in love with the photography but then find on the day of the wedding that the person doesn't match their personality. You should always plan on having an engagement session with your wedding photographer. We include an engagement session with every package because it is our time to learn how you respond to having your picture taken.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Really great pictures come from having a great day and wedding. Great wedding photography is 1 part photographer skill, 1 part happy couple, 1 part happy guests and a sprinkle of luck. Brides and grooms often fret too much about how they look or what they are wearing and what is really important is how they are feeling. If you feel great those emotions come through the camera and make your photographs look wonderful. Don't worry about things too much plan as much as you can, and then sit back and enjoy.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. The questions that you should ask have less to do with the gear or degrees they have and more to do with how a photographer gets the "shot". As noted above it takes everyone working in concert to have great wedding pictures so while photography skill and gear plays a role in the photography, the photographers skill with people is equally important. Putting people at ease and making them feel comfortable having their picture taken is truly the photographers skill. Once a photographer does that the picture is easy. Ask how does a photographer make people feel comfortable?

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Lots of people undervalue photography. Remember that photography is a great way to relive your day. Snapshots are great but art is a way to capture the emotion and that is what we photographers do. I also think that a bride getting a CD with all the images of the day is likely not going to appreciate the photography as much as the bride who gets an album. A CD with 1000 images is overwhelming for most brides. Let the photographer guide you to getting the most out of your wedding day photos. Have albums and prints made that you can put up and share with your friends and family forever.

Facebook Twitter Email