The Art of Emotion

I felt it best to write my review after I had yet ANOTHER chance to view my wedding photos. So as you read this, please note that there is a huge smile on my face.
My husband and I had the pleasure of having Art of Emotion be our wedding photographers. Working with Becky was such a breeze. She was informative, kind, honest, and had many great practical suggestions for photos, as well as for the wedding day schedule. She always got back to me if I had questions in a timely manner. 5 stars for booking, follow up, and for Becky being Becky.
Come the day of the wedding, Becky and Josh were on time, and incredibly patient when I was running late from hair and makeup. Josh did an amazing job working with my husband and his groomsmen snapping the «man» shots as I continued to get ready and get my glamour photos with Becky. We took our family and bridal party photos in such an organized and fast manner. Both of us felt so comfortable when we had our «alone» pics as husband and wife. We are not the PDA type, but with Becky and Josh we both felt so comfortable!!! (If you can, you should book an engagement session with Becky too. It helped relax us for the big day and also gave us a chance to get to know her a little better.) Reception photos came and went, and I never even noticed them snapping away! 5 stars for professionalism
Ok now to the most important… The photos are AMAZING-​PERFECTION!!! I can literally re-​live my wedding day from start to finish just by looking at these images. There are no gaps, and every image is polished, timeless and captures the specialness of that day. The name Art of Emotion is 100% perfect for the type of work they do. I know because each time I look at the photos I feel bipolar… I’m either happy crying, laughing hysterically, reminiscing, smiling… you name it! All because these pictures are just phenomenal! Art of Emotion is worth every cent and then some (which btw is incredibly reasonable for the quality of work they produce).
So hands down, I have nothing negative to say about my experience with Art of Emotion. Not one thing. Thank you Becky and Josh for allowing my husband and I to re-​live one of the best days of our lives forever… moment by moment!!! We are truly thankful to have had you both there to capture it all!

I’ll start by saying I searched through many many photography sites for my wedding and Becky’s/Art of Emotion stood out. I am very sentimental and come from a family of artists so I hold photography to a very high standard. Becky and her daughter delivered! Planning a wedding yourself can be very stressful and Becky was such a help– she made suggestions for a to the minute schedule in order to maximize our time and it really helped us a lot with planning the entire event. Additionally, I love that Becky isn’t afraid to play with color/​saturation in her work and her images have a photo journalistic, more natural and spontaneous feel to them. The last thing I wanted was a bunch of generic, rehearsed and cliché images from my big day… Becky and Erika’s photos captured the spirit of our event and were playful and romantic. My only small complaint was that it took us longer than expected to get our pictures back, and they don’t default to giving you the original files; you have to request them later. Also the website w/​your photos doesn’t stay up as terribly long as I’d like and it’s a real pain to select pictures from it– when I used it it crashed on me a few times and after you select an image to purchase, the page refreshes and starts you back at the beginning so you have to scroll back through a bunch of pictures to get back to the last place you were viewing, which was a pain when you have hundreds of images to sort through. Of course you can’t rush good work and I would have rather waited for great pictures instead of getting mediocre work in a jiffy. I love my wedding pictures and love that the hardest part now is deciding which ones to frame and place around the house/​gift to others– there are too many great images to choose from! I highly recommend Art of Emotion and I can’t imagine getting better pictures anywhere else.

The day of our wedding seemed to fly by so it is great we had Becky and Josh there to capture the moments. They captured the day perfectly and we were impressed by the amount of detail in the each of the photos. They have an eye for artistic photos and an attention to detail. Many of the pictures they took bring back emotions my wife and I would like to remember for a lifetime. We recommend them to anyone and are happy we chose Art of Emotion to photograph our wedding day.

Becky from Art of Emotion is absolutely fabulous! Planning my wedding was a very stressful time for me and when I spoke with Becky she listened with compassion and understanding. She is professional, courteous, and very talented. Her rates were affordable and she got a lot done in the time frame she was allotted. She came out to Historic Sandrock Farm in Aptos and took some incredible pictures of my wedding. She really captured the magical romance between my husband and I in a way that we will never forget. She delivered on her promise more than I could ever have asked for. I truly treasure these pictures taken by Becky and recommend her services 100%.

Lets face it. The dress will be worn and packed up. The food, and cake will get eaten. The music will die down, as will the candles. And as though it felt like this night would never end, it will finally be true what you’ve heard other brides say. «Enjoy it! Cause before you know it, it’s over.»
We can never really hold on to or keep these things. Yet, with the gift of a great photographer we are able to revisit all the joy, the details, friends and family of one special day. And if you are lucky enough to have The Art of Emotion photographing your wedding day, then you are able to revisit so much more. The romance, the anticipation, the love, the moments that happened when you only wish a camera was around. The Art of Emotion catches it all!
I took great care looking for a photographer, I felt it was THE most important element of our wedding day. I searched countless websites, got recommendations that I sometimes felt obligated to use, but they just weren’t what I was looking for. I wanted a photojournalism approach with heart. When I saw The Art of Emotion’s portfolio, I as in love. We had the pleasure of having Becky for our event. She was perfect! Punctual, fast, a great director, and such a sweet lady! Whenever we had a question it was answered promptly, and exact. I knew we were in great hands.
She is now my go to photographer for family, and portraits as well. When you’ve found the best, why go anywhere else?
Our pictures where breathtaking, and the response from others are that of seeing fireworks.
Grandchildren, and greater grandchildren will find these when looking at their ancestry and say, «Wow, I really feel like I’m there!». The memories that Becky has photographed for us will last forever, with grace and style.
Those brides were right, it does go fast… but there’s always anniversary portraits!

With so many great photographers in the bay area, choosing one was very difficult. We interviewed many others before meeting Becky and although they were nice and professional when we met Becky, we both know that she was the one.
During our first meeting it was apparent that she was passionate about wedding photography and excited about potentially being a part of our day. On the wedding day, she and her son Josh showed up on time and thoroughly prepared. She even noticed that my wedding dress was too long in the front and helped prepare a quick fix! Between their skill and relaxed demeanor our wedding day was a great success!
After receiving our photos both my husband and I were so pleased to view all the brilliant work from that day. The emotion and love has been captured forever.
Thank you Becky and Josh!

So professional, organized as all heck, awesome photos. What a joy to have Becky and Art of Emotion as our wedding photographer. Worth every penny and more. I would recommend Becky to anyone who wants unique, creative wedding photos that you can be proud to display, share and keep for decades. They are really little pieces of art, each of them. I’ve received TONS of positive compliments on our photos. Awesome photos were one the things I would not budge on in our entire wedding planning process and Art of Emotion delivered.
Here’s a peek at our photos!

Becky and Eric were wonderful photographers, who truly captured the spirit of our extremely special day. The pictures are so unique and beautiful, we couldn’t be happier with how they turned out! We are so pleased to have such incredible pictures for our lifetime of memories. We definitely are recommending Becky to anyone!!!

This review is 5 years overdue.
We found Art of Emotion through «knot​.com». My husband and I met with Becky at her house in Aptos. After talking to her and thumbing through her portfolio we were instantly convinced we found our photographer.
We started our pleasant experience during our engagement photo session. Becky had a way of making you comfortable in front of the camera. The photos came out very nice.
On the day of the wedding Becky and Erika arrived early. Becky was very motherly (which I appreciated) making sure that I was feeling okay. Erika was there to lend a hand. She made sure that my dress looked okay. They captured moments that we weren’t able to see during the celebration. The album looked awesome! Our negatives arrived 6months later… not sure if she’s still sending negatives or disc. Overall a great experience and highly recommended.

Please note that this review is just for our experience thus far with The Art of Emotion photography and I will post another update once we’ve had our wedding. This review is of my honest and humble opinion about the professionalism of this company.
So I was very nervous when I first began the search for a photographer for our upcoming August 15^th wedding and just didn’t know where to begin. Our biggest concern was finding someone who would still make our day look and feel so very special but within a budget that we could afford, given that I had been laid off at the time. My first thought was to just Google in the words «bay area wedding photographers» and to my surprise «The art of emotion» was the very first thing that popped up.
I immediately decided to look through Becky’s portfolio and was just so impressed by how real and emotional her photos were. lol, I guess that’s why their called the «art of emotion» as there is an art to being able to capture a moment of a lifetime.
Anyway, I did do end up looking through a few more other photographers portfolios, however, I just kept coming back to this one because I liked Becky’s style so much better and it also helped that Becky was kind enough to offer her «recessionista» package to us which made me breath a sigh of relief.
Almost as soon as we met with Becky, we just knew we had to book with her. She was so easy to talk to and really listened to all of our concerns as well as our circumstances. Since booking with her, she has been super helpful with offering cost saving suggestions, vendor recommendations and get this! Even a seamstress who could custom sow the dress of my dreams since we couldn’t afford any of the designers gowns that had caught my eye.
So far we have had just had our engagement photo session done by Becky last month. We met her at the Legion of honor and did a photo shoot there and at Bakers beach in San Francisco. Through out the shoot we were able to get more comfortable in front of the camera and during times when we weren’t sure what to do, Becky made sure that each photo would come out just right and took into consideration angles or features of mine that I did not want the camera to be focused on. We got our album in the mail a few short weeks later and have been enjoying all the bragging rights that go along with snagging ourselves such a genuinely kind, personable and professional photographer whom I am absolutely sure can almost double as your wedding day therapist/​mom if need be! haha
I am just literally jumping for joy to see how well our wedding photos turn out and will most likely be sharing a few with all of you, just so you have an idea of how truly unique and one of a kind Art of Emotion really is! So please stay tuned!

There are SO many decisions that go into planning a wedding… costs, budget, location, theme, weather, style, family, colors, flatware, vendors, vendors… and vendors!!!
While some of the decisions that went into planning my wedding conjure the «devil is in the details» phrase (a headache to say the least), there was one that was not only easy to make but actually delivered what previous work promised, and more!
Before meeting with any, I looked at so many photographer websites and always found myself back at Becky’s each time. There was just *something* about her pictures that captured my heart. You could tell there was someone with a deep soul behind the lens.
When I found out that her pricing was in my budget I pretty much knew she would be our photographer and when I met her that was confirmed. Becky was the first and only photographer I met with. She is not just a photographer, she’s a true artist. While her photos speak for themselves, you just have to talk with Becky for a few minutes to know that she is someone you want by your side on your wedding day! She is experienced and calming and knows how to deal with just about any situation that may come up on the big day.
Before the wedding she always was quick to return emails and to answer any questions I had… even after we signed a contract! Her communication was very appreciated! On the wedding day she arrived on time and was such a beautiful presence to have there. I was pretty nervous but she, and her daughter Erika, both had such a way about easing me into feeling comfortable when the cameras were in front of me. Yet, at the same time they were never «in the way» or rude to anyone just to «get a shot.» They were respectful and courteous to guests and everyone involved!
Becky and Erika went out of their way to take care of us that day and beyond! I was pretty sick, unfortunately, on my wedding day and at one point Becky pulled a power bar out of her bag to revive me and even gave us a ride to the reception hall to avoid the walk when I was not feeling well. She also bent over backwards to make sure I was happy with everything and to this day (a year after the wedding!) has continued to respond to all my emails and our requests for more albums and prints and provide friendly advice!
And finally, the most important thing about Becky is that not only is she a fabulous emotional support to have as a part of your wedding, she is AMAZING at what she is there to do… to take pictures! Her photos of our wedding are just gorgeous! Magazine AND museum quality! Every time I look at the proofs I see a new detail that I missed before… a texture, a color, an expression, a reflection… her photos are rich, beautiful and creative! Thanks to Becky and Erika we have the memories captured from our wedding in an elegant and striking expression of the day. Art of Emotion was quite a find and a wedding decision I will always feel gratitude and blessed for having made!

We got married in 2001. I remember my wife was trying to figure out which photographer to hire. I remember asking her if we really needed a photographer.
God bless her heart — she found Becky of Art of Emotion, and I, being the typical male, wasn’t too opinionated either way. But I remembered thinking that Becky was really nice. We got together for our engagement shoot, and I remember feeling kind of awkward, because I generally don’t like being photographed. But Becky made things nice and easy for us.
A short while later, we got the proofs for the engagement shoot, and I remember thinking, «Wow. I look hot.» Well, ok, I’m usually not conceited, but Becky brought out something in our engagement photos that made me really happy.
Fast forward to the wedding — Becky and Erica (her daughter that shot with her) were … well, I honestly don’t really remember them too much on our wedding day, except for the wedding party shots at a local park before the wedding. I guess they did a good job of hiding out of place.
Then we got the wedding photos, and wow. The wedding day had passed by in a blur for me, but these photos took me right back to the day and captured moments I’d either not noticed, or completely forgotten. If the engagement photos hadn’t convinced me, the wedding day photos showed me how important it is to have a good photographer to chronicle the wedding day. I absolutely loved the getting-​ready photos, since I got to see what my wife was up to before we met at the park.
Pretty much everything overwhelmed my expectations. In fact, I was so impressed and so in awe, I wanted to learn more about wedding photography (but that’s a story for another day).
Two years ago, my wife and our two kids asked Becky to do a family shoot for us. What a fun day! We met up in Aptos, and went to the beach, and walked around the area, and just had fun hanging out. A few weeks later, we received a beautiful album showing our family at our best — just relaxing and being fun and loving and goofy.
Thank you, Becky, for being part of our memories. We’ll be back (soon, we hope, because the kids will be going off to college before we know it!).

We got are pics and are just in awe.
Becky and Josh rocked at the wedding. Becky even helped me out when my zipper broke by sewing me into my dress, and the pictures WOW the pictures!!!
Just flat out fabulous!

We hired Becky to do the photography for our wedding back in 2005. We researched so many photographers and I fell in love with her style. I really could feel the emotions in her pictures. We met with her and again fell in love with her. We found her prices reasonable and her personality very sweet. We also loved that the engagement photos were included in the price. On my wedding day, Becky and Erika took beautiful, natural, candid pictures in color and black & white. I rarely saw them during the wedding, which was what I was hoping for. Who wants to see the photographer standing in the aisle during the whole ceremony or a camera in your face during your first dance? They also did a great job calming my nerves that day by having me do breathing exercises when I was getting nervous! Not only were they completely professional, but they also added those personal touches which showed they really cared about my wedding. We loved Becky and Erika and would recommend them anyone looking for a photographer for any occassion.

The previous two reviews were just from interviewing with Becky. Wait until you had your wedding you will REALLY know how good she is!!!
Our wedding was in June and we booked her in December. How did we find her? My husband and I just felt in love with her work. It’s a cute story. We happened to pick the same venue where her daughter, Erika, had her wedding. The catering manager was showing Erika’s album and I, particularly, just couldn’t take my eyes off those pictures, and told my fiancé at that time — I WANT THOSE PICS!!! When we interviewed with Becky in Dec 07, like Carolyn said, she showed us many albums and styles, and gave us many suggestions and ideas from vendor referrals to cost saving wedding planning. We definitely took her advices because we knew she knows that place REALLY WELL!
We ended up saving $ 1500 because Becky suggested us to share the lighting cost with the evening couple (we had a day wedding). As the bride and a perfectionist, I was really picky on everything and got irritated very easily that day. Becky not only calmed me down and was able to make my mom «laugh» in the pictures (my mom rarely smiles in pics), that’s PRICELESS!
We just got the album for our wedding 3 weeks ago and the pics are AWESOME! We appreciate every single thing she’s done for us and every minute working with her and her son, Josh. They were a memorable part of our special day.
Thank you Becky & Josh!

I booked Becky Burgin of Art of Emtion to be my photographer at my May 2009 wedding.
Why did I choose Becky out of the many photographers I interviewed?
1. She is very sweet and down to earth. The last thing you need is a diva photographer on the day of. Your wedding is about you, not your vendors.
2. Her work is very artistic and romantic.
3. She takes time to listen to what you want and but provides you with very good guidance.
4. Her prices are very reasonable.
She drove very far out to meet me twice and brought all her albums with her and went over each album in depth. The more pictures you see, the more you see how one photographs. I have met with photographers that showed me 20 pictures and expect me to sign with them.
What really sealed the deal was that from talking with her (we met for almost two hours and it was late!), she gave me alot of good advice in terms of general wedding planning, what to do, what not to do, how to save money, and not just photography. She had the «mother’s perspective» because she planned her daughter’s wedding, and she knew what it entailed.
I will update this review after the wedding