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Austin & Dara Photography
Category: Event Planning & Services Photographers Photographers [Edit]
333 W Victoria StSanta Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 679-1645
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 9 am - 6 pm
Sat 10 am - 6 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
Bruce K. said: "I have used Jezaira Knight for my business photography with excellent results!!!! Her photography has brought us new work !!!! I can highly recommend her for any photography. She is highly professional and personal." read more »
23 reviews for Austin & Dara Photography
23 reviews in English
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Review from Melissa K.
South Pasadena, CA
11/29/2011
This review is long overdue, but I wanted to make sure that I gave it the time it deserves! We used Austin and Dara Photography for our engagement session and wedding photography, and we couldn't be happier. Photography was one of our splurges for our wedding since it was very important to us (along with food...yum).
First of all, as people, they rock. Like, seriously rock. I suspected it all along, but it was confirmed when we met at their home and they fed us delicious homemade muffins. That aside, the pictures are amazing!! Go ahead, look at their portfolio. All of the pictures are like that. I have to give the caveat that we've only gotten our wedding slideshow photos so I can't review the photo book or all of the photos, but I love every single picture we have so far. We wanted more of a photojournalist style and lots of pictures of our friends and family, and there are some amazing and priceless shots.
But then, there's more. We decided to do a 'first look' for a few reasons, mostly because we wanted to minimize the time for pictures after the ceremony. This was one of the best decisions we made. Aside from the practicality of getting to the party faster, it really gave us a chance to settle in after the stressful morning. Austin was great and truly got us into the moment! Looking back, it's one of my favorite parts of the day.
Anyway, bottom line, we're SO happy we found them for our wedding day. They're great to work with, super nice, and above all, their photos are amazing. We wholeheartedly recommend them. -
Review from Adriana A.
Seattle, WA
11/18/2011
We met Austin and Dara through a childhood friend while planning our wedding in 2008. Since then not only did this very loving and adorable family have become our GO TO photagraphers but good friends and great play dates.
There quality is the best ever and you can bet that they will do what ever it takes to make picture taking for 8 hours a great experience throughout. -
Review from Erich V.
Oakland, CA
6/19/2011
As a wedding photographer I always get nervous when I go to weddings: will my friends have picked a good wedding photographer or not? Will they have picked the heavy handed demanding photographer who is too concerned about getting photos for their portfolio to notice the couple is tired of standing in the sun? Will they have picked the young art school student who shows up wearing jeans and a hoodie and only shoots with one zoom lens and no flash?
Austin and Dara were none of these cringe inducing but all too real clichés. They were fun, professional and most importantly delivered a beautiful set of photos that told the story of our friend's wedding in the most beautiful light.
It's hard to get me to write a Yelp review for any of my competitors but Austin and Dara were a pleasure to watch work. So this 5 star review is as honest of an appraisal as I think it can get. Austin and Dara are as good as it gets. -
Review from Andrew P.
Venice, CA
6/14/2011
Austin & Dara were the perfect choice for our wedding.
From looking through countless portfolios in both Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, they were my top pick - and they were even better than I expected. The photos are perfect.
This review is a long time coming, as we were married in late February and I am just getting to it now. Everything turned out so well that I actually feel guilty for not writing them a review sooner.
Entertaining, funny, understanding and easy to work with - plus amazing photographers. Austin & Dara get my highest recommendation.
We only worked with Austin, since Dara had just given birth to their second child. He was great with our constantly changing schedule and time requests for our (somewhat) DIY wedding in Santa Barbara.
Austin's ability to instantly put everyone at ease was truly impressive. I have worked on set for commercial shoots and films, and Austin definitely has what it takes to make you look your best.
Super creative and professional, improvising through bad weather and somehow making it fun. Their portfolio should speak for itself, but I am more than happy to say that we were thrilled to work with Austin & Dara.
You won't find better photographers, better people or a better value for your money anywhere. -
Review from Miguel B.
Fullerton, CA
8/21/2011
Austin and Dara, besides having the greatest names ever, have the greatest sets of eyes in the business. My wife knows I'm not good at multitasking and not good at finishing tasks, and get sleepy just thinking of tasks. So she gave me my one wedding planning task, finding the photographer. At first I thought it was better than having to pick the wedding cake flavor or the flower vendor, or the venue, or all that other hard stuff. But once I got started, after my long bouts with procrastination, and I started looking at wedding photography portfolios my brain turned into mashed potatoes. I saw the same compositions, the same sepia tones, the same kinds of shots that look like love song karoake video montages. I then tried to swap tasks with my fiancee. Why can't she pick the photographer and I pick the cake flavor? But she looked at me with those stearn, yet beautiful eyes (an impossible combination I know) and I stayed the course.
Then I saw Austin and Dara's website, I saw cinematic shots with great life in them. I loved the palettes of color, the personalities captured, and I envisioned myself succeeding in my one wedding task, therefore laying the groundwork for a successful marriage. No matter how much I mess up, or leave the toilet seat up, or accidentally become inconsiderate, at least I picked a really great photographer that made all our wedding party glow with happiness. Austin and Dara are super great and down to earth. Talking to them on the phone was a blast, because their daughter gave us an impromptu singing performance and she has promise. They're the kind of people you would definately want to invite to a nightime bonfire at the beach.
Austin showed up to our small but beautiful wedding at the San Ysidro Ranch and he was professional, easy going, and is someone you don't have to worry about on your busy day. I'm not the most photogenic person in the world, but after seeing his shots, I'm thinking my wife is not the only good looking one in this relationship. I mean yes she's always right somehow, but our future kids will be saying wow dad, no wonder mom married you. But seriously, Austin and Dara are great. I was beyond happy with their work and with them as human beings. It's a great family business and my wife and I are happy she gave me one great task. -
Review from Jessica B.
Cleveland, OH
10/5/2010
I'm just going to say it because we all already know it:
Austin and Dara are the s!$t. Hands down, they are the best photographers around. Hiring them is the best wedding-related decision you will ever make (besides saying "I do!").
No ifs, and or buts about it, these two define top-notch photography, AND, they are awesome people to boot. My husband and I were married on August 13th and we are still getting rave reviews about our pictures.
A & D, you are both truly talented and amazing people and your love for the people you work with and the work that you do is evident in every single pixel of every one of your amazing photographs. Anyone who doesn't sign up to have you photograph their wedding is crazy...or blind. You are both able to completely and fully capture life exactly as it's happening and exactly as it feels, which is totally key for a wedding. Nothing is forced, nothing is awkward. It's just all love. Seriously, you two are the BEST! -
Review from Kelly Z.
Beverly Hills, CA
7/24/2010 2 photos
I'm not sure I can put into words how truly amazing the duo is. They have not only such good hearts and this really beautiful feeling whenever they are together, its really their easy breezy attitude and fun they have along with you that made them truly the best to work with.
This truly is the most important decision you will make because you're day flys by so fast and can hardly remember all of those beautiful moments until someone, Dara & Austin, capture them. And not just capture but capture them in the perfect light, perfect frame...perfect...We had SO much fun re living our day through their lens.
Now for their photography! I can't say enough. As someone who is in the business of getting their picture taken I was SO impressed. Its something you are going to HAVE to spend good money on. This isn't a question. We are all on the penny saver mind set I think for a very long time if not forever but I'm telling you (not that they are crazy expensive) but the cost is worth every single nickel and dime.
I just can't really say enough about the kind of people they are and especially on your day you want people who are good people and fun and lovely. I had my big moment of stress before the big moment with trying to make sure things were ready and I'm telling you, looking at Dara and having her around made me so much less stressed. Its like having your good girlfriend around.
I found them at a friends wedding and I will recommend them to anyone and everyone. Helped made our day so special and I have the pictures now to prove it! xo
The Zajfen's July 3rd 2010 -
Review from Lisa O.
La Puente, CA
8/16/2010
Wow, this couple is beautiful; and they do beautiful work! I recently worked with them at a wedding in Paso Robles. Even 6mo pregnant, Dara is still working hard to make her clients' day special. Both her and Austin are wonderful. They know how to capture "the moment" without being intrusive.
Choosy people choose Austin & Dara - they are the peanut butter for your jelly :-)
I look forward to working with them again and will happily refer them to anyone looking to photograph their special moments in life. -
Review from Israel J.
San Luis Obispo, CA
8/29/2010
Austin and Dara are AMAZING! They are fun, talented, and they love what they do. I can not say enough good things about our experience with this husband and wife team of photographers. They bring all of themselves to the plate offering their artistic abilities, love of life, and genuine love for their fellow human beings. They have done a great job of creating a service that not only offers a great end product, but a personal touch that makes sure all your t's are crossed and your i's are dotted so that you not only receive great images but you have a whole bunch of fun while your getting them.
Thanks again Austin and Dara.
With great thanks,
Israel and Angelina -
Review from kellie l.
Los Angeles, CA
11/15/2009
From the minute we met Austin & Dara we knew that we wanted them to shoot our wedding. Before meeting them, we checked out their blog and fell in love with their style and thought that their work was spectacular. Since our wedding was small (only 12 people!), it was important to us that we have a connection with all of the people involved, including the photographers. When we met them, we loved their warmth, energy and pretty much everything about them. They clearly have a passion for what they do and it shows --- their work is excellent and we couldn't be more pleased with the pictures from our wedding. Everyone that has seen them is so impressed and asks how we found them!
We highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend Austin & Dara --- not only because of their unbelievable talent & ability to capture the moment, but because they are wonderful people who you just want to hang out with and have at your wedding anyway! If we could give them 6 stars, we would!!!! -
Review from Jessica W.
Sausalito, CA
11/3/2009
What fabulous luck I had finding Austin and Dara! As a wedding planner working in an area far from my normal vendors, I was very worried about finding the perfect fit. From the moment I sent
Austin and Dara's website to the bride she was completely in love with their work.
I feel that Austin and Dara were the perfect
photographers both in style and in personality, to capture this special day for a bride and groom who are very dear to me. They truly gave this couple a gift they will treasure
for the entirety of their lives together! -
Review from Rosie A.
Studio City, CA
7/23/2009
Austin and Dara are a married couple that photograph together. D and I knew we wanted a casual outdoor setting with a light feel for our e-session. While snooping through their website we discovered that their whimsical style was perfectly aligned with the approach we envisioned.
Upon meeting them for the first time in their Santa Barbara home, Daniel and I were instantly at ease. They have a remarkable way of making you feel as though you've known them forever and are only just now picking up wherever your friendship left off. They make a great team as they feed off each others creativity and they have such positive energy you inevitably have a blast, no fake smiles necessary!
Most importantly, they are as professional as they are fun. Austin and Dara were extremely responsive and timely. For any of you brides or brides to be out there, you know this is nothing short of a blessing.
Our engagement pictures are gorgeous and we will undoubtedly be booking them for our 2010 wedding! -
Review from ya b.
Goleta, CA
9/26/2010
From the minute you visit their beautiful, informative, and user-friendly website, you know that you are in capable hands. And then once you meet this warm family, you can't help but fall in love and want to hire them instantly.
Austin and Dara are talented beyond words and deliver a product that is truly worth the money. We booked them for a complete wedding package including 11+ hours of wedding day coverage and an engagement shoot.
Not only are the photos top-notch but they are a source of support and strength throughout the whole crazy day. Dara would whip out emergency items out of her tool kit all day that had me in awe (double-stick tape, pins, this concentrated breath mint droplet thing) and she was just a calm, fun person throughout. Also, she takes AMAZING, up-close shots of you and your loved ones' facial expressions. Austin is equally talented and goes the extra mile, climbing into trees or laying stomach-down on the carpet or floor, for the perfect shot.
From a mechanics perspective, they were always very prompt in responding to emails and requests, even reviewing my day-of timeline and giving helpful notes.
In terms of value for the money, I don't know ANYONE else who provides a gorgeous, 50+ photo slideshow OF the wedding that they display for your guests AT the wedding (!) and then upload to their website/Facebook almost immediately (!!!) This alone should make you want to hire them right now. Words can't express how awesome it is to get the immediate gratification of stunning professional photos while you and your guests are still riding the wedding high.
A&D get our highest recommendations! -
Review from Laura D.
Santa Barbara, CA
5/1/2011
We picked Austin and Dara because they are amazing photographers with beautiful work, and what a treat that now we can call them good friends as well. A wonderful family and a joy to be around - there's basically no reason not to fall in love with everything they do :)
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Review from C. C. C.
Goleta, CA
9/26/2010
Got married at The Granada in Sept. and Austin & Dara were our amazing photographers. They're amazing people too, and you'll really be truly lucky if you get the chance to work with them. Their photos are absolutely beautiful -- you probably already know that --but they really are warm, professional, fun, engaging, encouraging, and just a joy to be around. They were incredibly easy to work with, did so much to reduce our stress and shot absolutely gorgeous pictures. Like the wedding, the engagement shoot not only produced great pictures, but was quite simply just a ton of fun as well. They really posses an impressive blend of being casual and incredibly professional at the same time. We really couldn't be happier or recommend them any more highly.
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Review from September R.
Los Angeles, CA
10/4/2009
Wonderful! We can't say enough good things about Austin & Dara. They photographed our October wedding in Santa Barbara. If you are getting married in Santa Barbara or Los Angeles, definitely hire them.
They made everyone feel comfortable during the wedding and took amazing photographs. We were adventurous, taking their cues for shots and trusting their vision. It paid off. They both have an artistic eye and the ability to see shots. They listened to what we wanted and delivered that and more. Our wedding and engagement photos were stunning.
We thought we were splurging on the photography given our small wedding, but it was well worth the price. At the wedding, we had a slide show of some of the photographs and all our guests raved. Hire them immediately. -
Review from peter c.
Los Angeles, CA
5/8/2010
Your wedding photographer will be a huge decision and we are so pleased with our choice of Austin and Dara as photographers for our July 2009 wedding. They have both the fantastic photography skills and personality we were seeking in a photographer.
We started with extensive online research for photographers and, after narrowing down the selection based on online images, met with numerous individuals in person to find the best fit. After meeting with Austin and Dara, we knew immediately we had found our photography team.
What an individual appreciates in a photo is entirely subjective and the online search process is a great start to help find a photography style that you find appealing. Austin and Dara's photos are amazing and we knew they would record our wedding in a style where we would look back at the photos and really appreciate our choice. In a field full of photographers taking one-dimensional bland photos, Austin and Dara's photos have a depth and feel that you don't find in many images. Their images are full of emotion and keep you clicking on to the next one wanting to see more. I encourage you to browse their site to see what I am talking about.
We met with a lot of really great photographers but after meeting with Austin and Dara we knew they, as a team, would be a perfect fit which is really important because you will be spending a lot of time with your photographer. They are so passionate about their work and really enthusiastic to capture your special day.
We talked with them for bit and they showed us a current set of wedding photos they were working on which just reiterated what we already knew from looking at their online images... that they were qualified and had a style we really liked. They explained the wedding photography process were really positive and encouraging. As I said earlier, we left knowing we had found our photographers.
Check out their site:
http://austindara.com/...
and on facebook to get a feel for their personalities:
Austin & Dara Photography
As a bride or groom, you will find that the entire wedding flies by and you missed everything because your mind is traveling one thousand miles an hour. The photos will be your only way to see what you missed and you will truly appreciate having somebody you both enjoy being with who takes fantastic photos to record the event. We are so fortunate to have found Austin and Dara to record ours. -
Review from Jaime M.
Culver City, CA
6/6/2010
I was impressed with Austin & Dara as soon as I met them. I worked a wedding with them last Summer and had the good fortune to get to know them as fellow photographers and people. The only thing more impressive then their kind demeanor, fun spirits, and joy is their photography. I continue to be amazed and what has prompted me this very moment to write this review is the ridiculous images I saw them produce at a Yosemite wedding recently (ask to see them if you haven't). I recommend them whole-heartedly and without reservation.
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Review from Elissa V.
Culver City, CA
8/18/2010
From the first email exchange we had with Austin & Dara, it was a love-fest! They are the most professional, kind-hearted, artistic, and passionate photographers (and people) you will ever meet.
They have a beautiful quality about their profession and that same quality is demonstrated in every aspect of their lives. They are so much more than photographers.
They shot our engagement photos in May of 2010 and will shoot our wedding in January of 2011. The images were absolutely stunning. Austin & Dara are able to capture the essence of their subjects in every emotion: romance, humor, sheer joy, and utter bliss.
I guarantee if you hire this amazing duo, you will gain two amazingly artistic, creative, hilarious, and talented photographers (& friends). I can't say enough good things about them -- We could not have made a better choice for our photographers! -
Review from Patrick B.
Santa Barbara, CA
6/4/2011
Austin & Dara are two of the best photographers in town. They truly care about every client and will always give you that extra attention. They are total professionals!!! If they are available, book them fast! :)
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Review from Nicole D.
Ventura, CA
3/31/2010
We met Austin & Dara at one of the Santa Barbara Bridal Expo's. That night, I was reviewing photographer's portfolios online and trying to narrow it down. I emailed them, and as it turns out we had won a free engagement shoot with them! Lucky us! We had a great time on our E- shoot with Austin, and of course knew we would book with them for our May wedding. We have about a month before our wedding, but I have complete confidence that they will capture the total beauty (&beyond) of the day (rain or shine). They are more than photographers, they are storytellers. When you are planning a wedding It's nice to have at least one vendor that you don't have to worry a thing about. Thanks Austin & Dara!
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Review from Jeremy T.
Bellevue, NE
8/17/2010
Dara & Austin were the best team we could have picked for our engagement photos. They were very friendly, professional, and very relaxing. We did some family shots first w/ my 2 little ones, then Dara watched them while me and my love went and took couple shots. They were great shots. They provided us with a quote, and references to other photographers so we could shop around. They were the cheapest, and the most communicative as well. I really can't describe how great an experience this was. I told my girl that we should get these done every year based off this experience.
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Review from Naoise T.
Chicago, IL
8/19/2010
These are two of the most loving, and caring individuals you'll ever meet. Austin and Dara get as excited about your engagement shoot and wedding as your are about it. They are as passionate about their clients as they are about what they do. Austin and Dara really try to capture the intimacy and love between two people as creatively as possible, without being a slave to specific photographic techniques, or positioning. They really bring such open hearts and open minds to the Wedding experience that I can't imagine choosing anyone different.
