iWink Studios

I really hate to leave bad reviews but the customer service I received has been horrible. Months ago I took a crash course via groupon. The class was ok I got a lot of information and knowledge and was eager to learn more. I signed up for the 2^nd class and months later I’m still waiting to take the course, they have gave me the run around every time I’ve sent emails. At this point hopefully the company will refund as 199.00 is a lot of money to miss out on !

I bought the Groupon deal for 40 $ to do the crash course with my sisters. Honestly, the experience was okay… I thought it would be more hands on. Most of the class was lectures and powerpoint slides. I felt that it was like my college lecture (yawn). I was falling asleep. Just a heads up for anyone who brought the Groupon thinking you will be learning something new. It’s basic stuff you can just youtube. The instructor was very nice tho. I wish he showed some more of his work and actually do like sample photo shots to show how the different settings work.

Words can’t express the excitement I experienced while going through my photos. They were absolutely stunning! Sammy Zargaran is ridiculously talented and extraordinarily creative. His passion for photography shines through his finished products!

Where do I even start with IWINK studios? They have done SO much for me personally & for the company I work for. They really go above and beyond. I started by taking Sammy’s photography classes that were extremely helpful, education and easy to follow! Way better than spending months taking courses at a college ;) Sammy & Sienna «know it all» in a good way. They are also very friendly, approachable and just kind hearted people. They don’t make you feel stupid or like an idiot (some studios/​photographers can be really pretentious) but Sammy & Sienna are great communicators and business owners. Sammy films & edits videos for us (we are very particular about this) and he caters to all our needs + wants. It is very time consuming but he really cares about what he’s doing and that it’s done very well. I’ve also had last minute photoshoots and issues come up and they are SUPER flexible and available all the time. Sometimes I text them just to ask a question and they answer right away. I don’t know any other studio or photographers that are this accessible! I feel very grateful to have found them & know them. I appreciate all the handwork they do, not just for me but for all their cliental. Thank you Sammy & Sienna ! I heart IWINK!

If I could give Iwink studios seventeen stars I would. Sammy & Sienna are by far the sweetest people especially in a rather hard industry. They are so incredibly knowledgable about the industry. I’ve shot with lots of photographers but there is something to be said about Iwink. They are very accommodating and easy to work with. I get camera shy but I don’t feel uncomfortable with Sammy at all. He makes it so easy and the process is quick. I love Iwink studios. If you are thinking about coming here, think no more. You will be happy with the outcome!

I wanted to take a professional picture and was referred by my friend to IWINK. Sammy did a great job taking and editing the picture. It took less than 10 minutes for him to capture my best smile. The price is a little bit high but I think it’s worth the money. Do prepare a suit jacket and light-​color shirt beforehand to make the process smooth.

I took the Basic Digital Photography crash course based on all of the positive reviews. To be honest, I was disappointed. The instructor spent the entire first hour talking about what you would learn if you took his 12 week course. I was there to learn and I felt that was a complete waste of my time. If i wanted that information, a simple end note with where to find it on his website would have sufficed. I don’t feel like I got any real useful information until the second part of the course. Another very disappointing part of this class was paying $ 40 for a «course book» that ended up being a binder with a printed out Power Point of discussion topics, not actual instruction. Take my advice, if you take the class– take your own notes!

Had a session with Sammy for the first time to update my headshots and get a few more specific types of shots. He was very prepared, patient, committed, collaborative and great overall. He knew I needed some of the shots quickly and went out of his way to provide them in time.
Love all of the shots and will definitely be coming back for more in the future!

I’ve taken two photography classes with Sammy and both were excellent. I even recruited another photographer to take a class with me. The pace of the class was easy to follow. I learned a lot enabling me to take better pictures and edit my pictures. In general I feel much more confident taking my camera out of auto mode. Sammy was also very good about staying after class to answer questions for anyone who needed it.

Bought this class as a Groupon, so that part was a good deal. Then we get a confirmation email mentioning that it is a very good idea to purchase the companion book for the class, for $ 39. The class was great. The instructor was enjoyable and helpful and I learned a lot about using my new camera.
The staff at iWink was friendly and able to answer the multitude of questions I came up with. I would have enjoyed taking the other classes, but time and money are short. I guess I will just have to figure it out on my own! Maybe sometime further down the line.
Thanks iWink. Great class!

The one day digital photography class was great. I learned a lot when I didn’t know much going in. Sammy was very professional and a good teacher. I would recommend this class and his others to anyone interested.

Can’t rave enough about this studio!
Had a fantastic shoot at iWink yesterday. The space is great. They also have every kind of gear you would need. Lovely owner, knowledgeable, accommodating and passionate. Helpful staff too. And great rates.
They also have amazing photography courses that I highly recommend.
There’s no shortage of great studios in LA, but I would much rather make the extra drive to Newport Beach and use iWink Studios.
Thank you iWink! You rock!

I took the Basic Digital Photography crash course at iWink and it was awesome. Sammy is an impressive instructor with a vast array of photography experience. In just one day he explained the fundamentals of photography in a way that not only got me to understand, but I walked away actually able to apply them.
I am so excited about all that I’ve learned in a single day I decided to sign up for Sammy’s 8 week Photography Fundamentals course.

My girlfriend and I took a day long intro course last Saturday (1÷3÷15). Our seats were purchased through GroupOn. No administrative difficulties at all, smooth sailing from «on line in our living room» to being seated in the class.
Our instructor, Sammy, was really great. 1. He kept the class on track: answered all relavent questions clearly, and deferred tangents and off topic questions politely. 2. He knows his subject matter & is able to teach it: While photography is an art form, so is conveying knowledge. Sammy really did a great job presenting information and checking our understanding before proceeding.
It was great to learn what amazing things can be done with digital photography. The modes on my camera, that until Saturday were a mystery, are now within my reach. Now I get to go play (practice sounds like work… whatever this is fun). I was shown some amazing ways to get creative, and get better photos. I highly recommend iWink, for classes, and will go back for the post processing and other courses when I can.
We have a trip to DC comming up, and I can’t wait to get my shutter rolling!

Sammy is a pro.
I’m in sales and having a good headshot for professional profile is very important. In and out in 30 min, and 2 days turn around in providing the images to me.
Exceeded all my expectations. Will come again.

Love iWink Studios!
I’ve worked with Sammy twice now for two separate projects. The first was a photo shoot with a photographer from LA. Sammy’s assistant was super friendly and helpful and was able to answer all of our questions throughout the shoot.
For my second project I hired Sammy to shoot a model I hired for images I needed. Sammy made her feel right at home from beginning to end. We got all of the shots we needed within the hour and and very excited with the finished product!
The entire studio is very large and clean which is always nice if you’re a photographer looking to shoot your clients here.

I just completed Sammy’s eight session Fundamentals of Digital Photography class. Sammy is a terrific teacher. He takes you through the material in a logical and progressive way, building on every lesson. His explanations are clear with great examples. He is friendly, funny and approachable and clearly has a passion for teaching and sharing information. Sammy’s studio is also a cool place to take classes. I very strongly recommend Sammy’s classes and will take more!

I was fortunate enough to be able to take Sammy’s Basic Digital Photography Crash Course. The course taught all the basics about photography.
As a student, I’ve always wondered the difference between high fstop vs. aperture vs. depth of field and AUTO mode vs. Program mode. I also never quite understood the interplay between ISO, Shutter-​speed, and Aperture. Sammy helped to clear all that mess.
I especially liked how he taught us how to use manual mode so you can make adjustments to get the effects that you want.
He went over the basics in a methodical fashion to help with understanding the concepts. He went through very basic things that make up a camera to where some good places to buy equipment are. I liked this style because it gives you an appreciation of the machinery while also walking you through theory and then practice.
Sometimes reading books and your manual can seem overwhelming but just spending one day through this crash course can help you get through all the clutter quickly.
If you are ever curious about why some of your pictures are too dark, how to get bokeh, or just the different modes on your camera, this class is for you.

I rented the studio for 3 hours for my brand new clothing line. It was my first photo shoot ever and the first impression I got at Iwink was AMAZING customer service. Upon making an initial phone call to inquire about their services, they offered to give me a tour of the studio if I’d like. I quickly came down and Sammy showed me around. When I came to book my photo shoot they helped set up all the lighting and answered all my questions as I had no experience at all with the lighting equipment (for an affordable price). All my pictures turned out better than expected. I will definitely be using Iwink for all my photo shoots in the future :) Great job Iwink studios! (I wish I could remember the ladies name that helped me book the appointment and with all the lighting as she was so very sweet and helpful!)

Just finished competing at the 2014 GNC NPC California State Physique Championships this Memorial Day Weekend and was looking for a Fitness Photographer in the area that was available for a quick Fitness shoot before my Muscle Beach Men’s Physique Contest the next day. After reading all the positive reviews and seeing some pretty cool Fitness Shots on the website, I contacted Sammy and scheduled a 1 hour Basic Photo shoot at iWink Studios.
I couldn’t have been more impressed with the quality of the fitness photos he shot and keen eye when it came to the different variations of poses to really capture to the max all of the hard work I put into my physique in preparation for my Physique Competitions. Having never done a professional photo shoot before, Sammy made this a seamless no hassle experience for a newbie like me and provided EVERYTHING from the studio, posing coaching, shooting, and post photo enhancements. Sammy went above and behind the agreed upon Basic Package that I purchased and spent well over the 1 hour to ensure he had captured some really stunning photos.
I would highly recommend Sammy to anyone looking to captures some high quality photos (especially those in the super competitive world of Fitness Modeling) and will be back soon to hire Sammy for some more awesome fitness photo shoots.