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Downtown Chicago Wedding
Various places I visited in preparation for and during my wedding weekend!
Shang Chen Photography
- Hours:
Sat-Sun 8 am - 12 am
About This Business:
We tell people often that we're different from other wedding photographers, and, well, we mean it. Our photos are different - classically beautiful… read more »
19 reviews for Shang Chen Photography
19 reviews in English
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Review from Emma D.
Durham, NC
11/21/2011
There's a simple reason why Shang's reviews are all 5-stars -- Shang is the absolute best. She's incredibly organized and communicative, she's enthusiastic and energetic, and she's got talent out the wazoo! Did I mention she's a sweetheart, too?
We hired Shang for both our engagement shoot in July 2010 and our wedding in Oct 2011. My husband and I were long-distance during much of the wedding planning, but that was never an issue when it came to photography. After an initial consult, all of our communication with Shang was via e-mail or Skype, and she kept an up-to-date Google Doc with all of our important information. The engagement shoot was a great preview of the talent and energy she would bring to our wedding. The day of the wedding, she and her assistant (props to Kyle Peng!) were early, warm (figuratively and literally, as they penguin-huddled us from the cold Chicago wind), and so fun! Shang is a great director -- authoritative, supportive, and so incredibly nice! My bridesmaids loved how friendly and funny Shang is, and the way she kept us engaged and relaxed.
And the photos are INCREDIBLE!! We absolutely love all of our wedding photos. Shang gives you both the posed, glamorous shots and the authentic, photojournalistic shots that capture your memories and emotions perfectly. Just go look at her website. 'Nuff said.
We feel so so lucky that Shang was our photographer. She currently isn't taking any new clients (http://shangchenphoto....), but maybe she'll start up again in the future? One can hope! :-D -
Review from Franny E.
Waltham, MA
8/6/2011
*happy sigh* - what can one say about Shang that truly sums up how great she is? When we started searching for a wedding photographer and I checked the reviews here, I actually wondered why they were all enumerated. I now realize it's because there's not really any other way to say all that's great about her in an organized fashion. So, here we go:
1) Professionalism: Holy businesswoman, Batman! I've heard so many horror stories about uncommunicative, unprofessional, non-responsive wedding photographers, and allow me to assure you: Shang is the polar opposite of that. She is the most punctual, thorough, professional, reliable person I have ever worked with. She does exactly what she says she will do, usually before she said she would. We got our photos while we were on our honeymoon! Seriously!
2) Flexibility: Shang was amazing about negotiating the terms of her contract around our needs. She came up with some creative ideas for how to make sure everybody was happy. She was also great about finding ways to work around our needs and schedules for the entire course of the relationship - we met with her every way and everywhere! A coffee shop, video chat, phone call - she was always willing to work around us even with her crazy work, school and travel schedule. And of course, was always early to our meetings.
3) Fun: SHANG IS SO GREAT! She's just the perfect person to be behind the camera and make you feel at ease. We definitely were not used to being in front of the camera and it took all of 10 minutes before we started settling in and taking direction from her about poses and whatnot. This is SO important because our photos were only going to be as good as how comfortable we were.
4) Experience: During the entire process of working with Shang, from the first meeting, to the contract, to the engagement shoot, to the wedding, to the album design, it was extraordinarily clear how seasoned Shang is as a wedding photographer. Our officiant remarked that he'd NEVER seen such "invisible" photographers during a wedding ceremony; we didn't even notice them there, yet the photos are incredible. How she manages to already be so.. mature? experienced? advanced?... in this business at such a young age is really remarkable. From poses to schedule of the wedding to space to walking us through different parts of the wedding day, I always felt like I was in good, confident hands. And the photos prove it to be true. Which brings me to...
3) THE PHOTOS. Oh, the photos. The photos! Sigh. These speak for themselves on Shang's website and blog, but oh my - we were just blown away by the result. We stressed to Shang the first time we met her how important it was to us to capture the emotion of the occasion above anything else, and she delivered. I can't stop looking at how gorgeous our album is (granted, I got it today, but still...) and how it really expresses all the love, beauty, joy, and happiness we felt on such a special day.
Stop thinking about it. Just hire her. -
Review from jennifer p.
Pittsburg, CA
6/13/2011
My now husband found Shang on Yelp and we thought that it would only be appropriate if he wrote the review but i wanted to give my opinion first, it's much shorter and simpler:
Shang is awesome. Her work speaks for itself. When I look at my pictures I can feel what I felt in that moment. From the first time we spoke I felt an instant connection to her and I hope that she doesn't think I'm a stalker when I continue to track her now that my wedding is over :)
And now for my husband's review:
This is yet another rave review for Shang Chen Photography. My wife and I have nothing but the highest praise and acclaim for her work. She has given us a precious remembrance of a very special time in our lives. Choosing Shang was not taken lightly. Wedding photography is a wise investment in documenting a life event. The wedding photographer must be a specialist in knowing what makes a good wedding photograph; Shang possesses "the eye" for the correct wedding aesthetic and the ability to take a good picture. She has the knowledge and the skill sets to accomplish this mission, both on the artistic side and business side. Correspondence was easy. Shang works with you and for you. E-mails were responded to in a prompt and timely manner. Her preparation paid off in her process, which was fast & efficient. During the wedding, her process was almost transparent. Nothing felt forced. All went according to plan. She was organized. Customer service was excellent. She is a professional and an artist. Her pictures are contemporary, modern, tasteful, and classy, truly timeless. The final product did not look like experimental art student photography. The pictures are easily accessible to the widest possible audience and generation gaps. Within the wedding photography genre, which can be as formulaic as the associated rituals, she has a style that does not overpower her subjects. She showcases the feeling of love and romance in lots of subtle shades & light, and the pictures were spontaneous, animated and angled. The pieces were very "Impressionist".
My wife and I are very happy and satisfied for going with Shang Chen for our wedding photography. She makes you look good while making it look easy. From the earliest stages we've had the utmost confidence in her to get the desired results. The whole experience was as worry-free as you can get. And she delivered the goods! Shang Chen Photography has our highest recommendation and our gratitude. She is the wedding photographer par excellence. Bravo! -
Review from Danielle H.
Cambridge, MA
8/22/2010
I've been looking forward to writing this review for a while, and now that we've gotten our wedding proofs, I can finally tell the yelp world how pleased we are with our photographer Shang and with our pictures! When we first started planning our wedding, we were deciding whether or not to hire a photographer and if professional pics were something we could cut out of our budget. We are SO glad we didn't. And since I love making lists, I'd like to make a list of the top 5 reasons why Shang is a fabulous wedding photographer (in no particular order):
1. She is superfast with processing our pictures! In my opinion, after a wedding, the thing you most look forward to, besides the honeymoon and opening the presents, is looking at wedding photos! Our wedding was on a Sat evening, and by Sunday morning 10am, Shang had posted 11 beautiful sneak peek photos. 2 weeks later, we had proofs of all the photos online with a handy link to share with our friends. Talk about speedy!
2. She goes out of her way to get to know her clients and her location. My husband and I deeply appreciated the fact that Shang really wanted to understand what would work best for us in terms of wedding pictures. She demonstrates this through a thorough spreadsheet with all the details, meeting with us for dinner as well as a walk-through of our location well before the day of the wedding, as well as multiple phone calls.
3. She is fun and personable! Several of my bridesmaids commented that Shang "definitely has the personality a photographer should have." That is, she is able to make her subjects feel instantly comfortable, on and off the camera. Even some of the groomsmen who usually hate being in pictures said they had a lot of fun, which I can definitely tell from the hilarious poses in some of the pictures!
4. She is flexible. We were running a little late for our portraits before the ceremony, and Shang was able to roll with it and shift our schedule around a bit in order to accommodate everyone. AND she was pleasant through it! This was greatly appreciated :)
5. She is a true artist. Her pictures and eye for great photos is unparalleled. Her pictures captured the joy and love we felt that day perfectly. Admittedly, there were a few poses Shang suggested during the portrait session that I was a bit skeptical of, but of course, these very pictures are among my favorites.
We feel lucky to have found Shang while planning our wedding, and she has our highest recommendations. We would give her 6 stars if we could! -
Review from Jacob B.
Medford, MA
3/3/2010
Shang was the wedding photographer for our Cambridge, MA wedding in July 2007. She was fabulous!
Every one of our favorite pictures from the day are shots that Shang took (we also had another photographer). She makes her subjects - bridal party, family, guests - feel very relaxed, which always makes for the best photos.
She also doesn't waste a minute - at every point through the day, she was capturing what was going on, even things my (now) wife and I didn't get to see - guests socializing, kids napping, etc. I particularly liked some of the photos Shang took of the details of our wedding - food, flowers, and other things -- that it wouldn't have occurred to me to capture. Looking back through our album, the day comes alive in its full detail and splendor. I'm so thankful to Shang and would recommend her to anyone. -
Review from Elizabeth M.
Boston, MA
7/28/2009
If you want a truly talented photographer for your engagement photos, wedding photos, lifestyle photos, etc... you definitely want Shang Chen. Her artistic eye, talent, and easygoing nature makes her a blast to work with. Our engagement session was not only super fun, it was like meeting a new friend! When my fiance and I saw the photos from the shoot, we were speechless. She was able to capture the true essence of our relationship, our love for one another, and our quirky personalities perfectly.
Her professionalism is second-to-none, and she is quick to answer questions, and communicate every step of the way. Her prices are so reasonable that I felt like I was stealing with the quality of work she produced. Big Boston photo giants have nothing on this incredible photographer. I mean it. -
Review from Kimberly M.
Roslindale, MA
Updated - 8/2/2010
Holy cow, I'm speechless at the quality of our wedding photos. I can't even believe how wonderful they are. Truly amazing.
Shang was once again her phenomenal self on our wedding day. So helpful, attentive, hilarious, friendly and intent on gettng her images! She directed everyone through the portrait sessions so quickly and got SO many amazing shots that I've already selected well over 300 images that I'm in love with! She is just awesome, and I shudder to think about how different my wedding experience would have been without her. She made a huge, huge difference.
I know she's booking a really long time in advance now, so I urge all brides-to-be to get in touch with her as soon as you can. You really don't want to miss out on her talent... she is truly one in a million.
I never thought at the end of all of this that I would have a new friend in my wedding photographer, but Shang is like part of our family now! All of my relatives and friends were obsessed with her and her assistant at the wedding and want them to be honorary members of the family! Just one big ball of happiness, all captured exquisitely by Shang!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/18/2010
Wow, what can I even begin to say about Shang? She is fiercly talented, caring, driven,… Read more »
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Review from Ariadne M.
Mid-Cambridge, MA
6/16/2010
I've thought long and hard about what to say about Shang in this review. The fact is is that there is no way that I could include details of all of the effort and care she put into our wedding in this tiny text box. Shang is an incredibly talented and personable photographer. She puts people at ease and is a genuine professional. Following her blog over this past year, I can say that her work is always artistic and beautiful and frankly, keeps getting better and better. It is just wonderful to witness someone who truly enjoys what she is doing.
From the moment we met Shang, we felt at ease and knew we could trust her. Ever since that day, we haven't had to - for a moment - think about our wedding photography. We totally trust that she'll take care of it.
We were married only a few days ago, and we can't wait to see Shang's shots. (She showed us a few on her camera and I can tell you that I've never looked better in a photograph before!) My suggestion? Take a look at her blog (take my word for it - this woman cannot take a bad photograph!) and once you have a date, book her! -
Review from Karen S.
Cambridge, MA
10/14/2010
Hrm, I have started this review a few times now, but have never been able to finish because I feel like words can't describe how amazing and talented Shang Chen is. But I will try my best!!!
My husband and I hired Shang for a 10-hour shoot for our September 2010 Boston wedding which included an engagement shoot, which we did at the beginning of August. She had an assistant for the wedding (and she was supposed to have one for our engagement shoot but the assistant bailed last minute because of other commitments - but no matter, we still got amazing photographs!)
Anyway, here are my top 4 reasons why you should hire Shang Chen for your wedding photography needs!
1. Shang is a tiny ball of fun, energy, and creativity!
I actually met Shang through my husband who worked at a consulting company with her. And my first impression was "Wow she's so energetic for someone who gets so little sleep." haha (I know how much consulting people have to work. =P) Turns out, that's just who she is. Her love of life and passion for beauty just oozes out of her and you can't help but absorb some of her excitement too. When she's actually taking photos, she's very good at directing and giving instructions and even though I'm sometimes thinking "What is she trying to get at?!" the pictures look amazing afterwards. She works quickly and efficiently. She finished the "family portrait" session part of the wedding (about 50 combinations of family members) in 36 minutes (she was timing herself). During the wedding, she was on her feet and working the whole day and then at the dancing portion of the reception, she just let loose and danced with the guests. Everyone loved her! :) And the next morning, she already had some sneak peeks up on facebook! We got so many compliments about how awesome our photographer was. Take a look at her blog and website and you'll see how great her photos are. Lots of color, love it ;)
2. Shang is available all the time.
This is particularly important because you will have tons of stuff to do and people to keep in contact with, especially the few days leading up to the wedding. Shang was always available for any question I had, whether big or small. She's on GChat 24/7 and has a 24-hour response time policy for emails, although in my experience she's always responded within the hour or two. When a family emergency came up a few weeks before the engagement shoot, we were able to reschedule the shoot even though Shang was super booked for the rest of the summer. She actually helped with a lot of the wedding planning as well, giving me opinions on what color flowers would go best with our bridesmaids dress color, when we should have the tea ceremony (depending on the flow of the wedding day, whether it'd be easy to have it after the ceremony or during the reception). Anyway, I'm rambling, but the point is, she is dependable and won't flake out on you.
3. Shang has the world's fastest turnaround time for photos.
We got all our proofs (all 1000 or so images) online 9 days after the wedding. I think the typical turnaround time for wedding photos is like 2-3 months or something. We had 2-3 weeks to pick a few photos to retouch, and then she will mail us all the images on a CD (as I'm writing this, she is working on retouching our picks). For our engagement shoot, the turnaround time from the actual shoot to having the CD in our hands was like 2.5 weeks. Super fast!! :) Photos are the one thing you're looking forward to see after your wedding and Shang Chen delivers and you won't be disappointed. :)
4. Shang is a professional.
She uses contracts, she has policies, back-up policies in case some disaster happens, etc. I didn't actually work with many vendors that used real contracts and paperwork, so it was kinda refreshing to see someone take our wedding seriously. Haha. On the day of our wedding, she took charge, showed up on time, went out of her way to make sure that all the elements were right in the photos (fixed my hair, fixed my train, etc), she also speaks Mandarin, which was really helpful in the family portrait session where many of my family members' first language is Mandarin. She helped us prepare for our engagement shoot (choose outfits, pick props, etc) and just made everything run so smoothly. She makes people feel very comfortable in front of the camera. Mobilizing a wedding party of 10 people is no easy feat and Shang did it amazingly well.
Hire Shang. You won't regret it! -
Review from Sayaka T.
Boston, MA
2/11/2010
I've followed Shang's wedding photography for awhile now and am super excited about a new line she's launched called inSCpiration. The shoots are lifestyle shoots focused on some element that inspires you (i.e. fashion, music, a certain color scheme, the weather...anything at all); a very interesting unfilled niche in the east coast photography world IMHO.
Shang is a delight to work with - she's absolutely brilliant at capturing tasteful angles, moods, and fleeting/candid moments - but also brings a whimsical feel to many of the shots which add a wonderful realism to her lifestyle shoots. The extra time she dedicates outside the shoot and meticulousness in planning and executing is a true sign that she loves what she does and is darn good at it. And, of course, doesn't hurt that the pictures turn out gorgeous :)
I think if you're in need for a wedding photog Shang's a no-brainer (her reputation as a wedding photog is already fairly established) - but if you're looking to treat yourself to a lifestyle shoot for an upcoming birthday/anniversary/engagement, definitely consider doing your shoot with Shang. You won't regret it! -
Review from Christina L.
Boston, MA
2/18/2010
There are two parts to a being a great photographer: 1) the actual photography and 2) the photography experience
Shang's photography speaks for itself. She's very creative and artistic. We were very impressed with our engagement photos, and had her photos showcased throughout our wedding day. During the wedding, we were delighted to receive compliments on the photos - particularly given that we are not photogenic!
In addition, Shang is great to work with. She really listened to what we wanted in our engagement photos. She recommended what sites around Boston would be ideal for capturing our special day, and was willing to go slightly over the allotted time in order to capture the best photos possible. We received our photos exactly when she promised, and we look forward to working with Shang for our upcoming 1 year anniversary. -
Review from Ellen C.
Somerville, MA
2/4/2010
I contacted Shang about my upcoming wedding - turns out she isn't available for my date, BUT - she responded promptly, and recommended four other photographers in the same price range, complete with descriptions of their styles. Incredibly helpful!
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Review from L S.
Boston, MA
6/14/2009
Holy cow - I found this hidden gem on Craigslist and feel like the luckiest bride ever!!! Shang Chen is one of Boston's most talented photographers! She shot both our engagement and wedding photo's this past May/June 2009. She is breaking in to the wedding photography business so her rates were amazingly reasonable. That was the initial reason we hired her! We were planning a wedding on a shoe string budget and we're shocked by the price most Boston wedding photographers were charging (upwards to $5000 for 3-4 hours). Luckily we found Shang on Craigslist and discovered this 5'2'' photo genius! Her work on her website speaks for itself. Not only did she amaze us and all of our friends and family with her phenomenal work and artistic talent, but she was also incredibly professional and a true pleasure to work with! I would recommend her to anyone without hesitation. She will be our "personal photographer" for the rest of our lives and hopefully document some of our future momentous occasions (she also does photo shoots for pregnancies, babies, family photo's, etc etc).
Shang will always remain an integral part of our wedding experience. We are so lucky to have found her when we did!!! I have a feeling that she will be one of Boston's most sough after photographer's in no time!! -
Review from Edlyn Y.
Foster City, CA
7/15/2009
Shang Chen is one of the most amazing photographers in Boston! She came out to Wellesley twice to take my senior portraits, and I loved the final results. All the pictures were artistic, colorful and in my opinion, captured my personality very well. I recommended her to several of my friends at school, and while all of our photo shoots took place at Wellesley, every single session reflected her subjects' individualities. No two pictures are alike! She's also incredibly professional with the way she runs her business - Shang is reliable and always emails to confirm appointments. If you're looking for non-generic photographs that you will frame and keep for the rest of your life, Shang's definitely the person for the job.
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Review from Jannie T.
Chicago, IL
4/10/2010
Shang and I have known each other since college. When she came to Chicago a month ago, she carved time out of her busy schedule to do a lifestyle photoshoot for me and my then-boyfriend/now-fiance.
Shang is bubbly, energetic, has a strong point of view on what looks good but also goes with the flow. We did a fight sequence that turned out to look... odd... but she just went with it and made us feel very comfortable. He laughed the whole time because she was just great to be around.
Everybody who has seen our photos have commented on how happy we look, how beautifully they're composed, and how wonderfully colorful they are - and Shang really pulled all that together for us! -
Review from Diane C.
Philadelphia, PA
11/25/2009
My fiance and I didn't really know what to expect during an engagement session, let alone what to do. Shang was great! She knew how to guide us and stay true to the ambience and tone that we wanted. We had a great time!
Shang was WONDERFUL to work with.....thanks for making it special, girl! -
Review from H L.
Boston, MA
6/21/2009
One of the best upcoming photographers out there. She's incredibly skillful and versatile, having taken photos for weddings, engagements, fashion shows, head shots, and personal pictures! And she always makes her clients feel comfortable and relaxed, which leads to them having lots of fun and getting great, natural photos!
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Review from Kunle O.
New York, NY
7/14/2009
Can only say great things about Shang's skills as a photographer. And her knowledge in the field is only surpassed by her work ethic to make every photo perfect. She took some headshots for me, and I couldn't have been happier with the outcome. Definitely would recommend her for anyone seeking quality photography.
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Review from Nicole G.
Somerville, MA
7/19/2009
Shang Chen is an absolutely FANTASTIC photographer. She did our engagement photoshoot and we love it. It was everything we had hoped for and now all our friends who are getting engaged want to do the same thing. She is creative with her angles, the poses and the backgrounds as well as super patient and warm. The turnaround time was very quick and the cost very reasonable! We strongly recommend her - she is truly a rising star!
