Arken Studios Fine Art Photography

Ron and Nancy did an absolutely amazing job for our wedding. My wife has a degree in photography and having good photographers was really important to her. After looking around quite a bit, she decided on Arken Studios, and we couldn’t have been happier.
They made my wife and I feel incredibly comfortable through the whole process. We started with an engagement photo session which really helped us get comfortable with each other, so that when we got to the wedding day everything felt so natural.
We were blown away once we got the photos back from Ron and Nancy. They far surpassed anything we could have wanted. If you want your wedding photos done right choose Arken Studios!
–Matt

Well… if you’re anything like my Wife and I were, your head may be spinning as you search for the perfect photographer for your Wedding (or any occasion for that matter). Even when someone did talk about how amaaaaazing their photographer was, I got the feeling they were just riding their post-​wedding high and would have recommended their photograper even if he/​she had just walked around with a disposable camera all night. Well fear not fellow Unilocalers — my wedding was only a week ago so I have not even received my wedding photos yet. So why reveiw you ask? Well not only were our Engagement photos the most amazing shots of us we had ever seen — but I wanted to leave a review about the EXPERIENCE you will have with Nancy and Ron as well as the photos you will receive. With Nancy and Ron, it is NOT just about taking pictures.
Your initial consultation will take place at their beutiful home/​studio in Sebastopol. We were nervous and anxious when we met them for the first time, we planned on meeting with several photograhers before making a decision. Not only did we immediately take to Nancy and Ron but we realized right away that when you hire them, you get BOTH of them. This would prove incredibly important as they (being husband and wife) work seamlessly and each bring their own perspective, experience and energy whenever they are working. I can’t say enough about their dynamic, it’s very difficult to imagine having a single photographer with a single perspective after working with them. After a lengthly consultation with them and having ALL of our questions answered and nerves calmed, we hired them and didn’t look back.
Our engagement photo session was amazing. They spent almost THREE hours with us on their beautiful property which is an incredible backdrop for any photos but especially engagement. Nancy was constantly checking my wife’s hair, jewelery and outfit, adjusting my stance, etc. etc. all in between shooting. Meanwhile, Ron is checking the lighting, suggesting poses and ideas for the scene and also shooting in between. Seeing them work (espeically when you are the subject) is incredible — the service they provide is much more than just snapping the pictures.
When we received our Engagement photos (they have you back to their studio and you view your photos on a huge screen TV, selecting the ones you like) we were blown away. Can we say «cover of a magazine»?? Well that’s how I felt the photos looked and I’m someone who HATES being photographed. I simply could not believe how we both appeared in each shot, what we received was truly remarkable work.
A couple weeks before our wedding, we were invited back for some pre-​wedding planning. Nancy and Ron had us go through our plans for the big day and they literally broke THEIR planning into 15 minute increments for th entire day. And here’s the thing — Nancy and Ron are not only Photographers, they are wedding advisors. They helped us avoid some common wedding day mistakes, gave us advice (not only related to photography) and REALLY helped us feel like we were prepared and organized for the day.
The day of the wedding was amazing with Nancy and Ron. Not only did they buzz around seamlessly (as my Wife got ready with her bridesmaids, Nancy photographed them — meanwhile, I was hanging out with my Dad and Best Man and Ron photographed us getting ready and playing guitar. It was SO awesome having a photographer with each of us!) but they HAVE FUN! I mean they are clearly enjoying themselves, interacting with guests, and not skipping a beat. Seriously, they must be the hardest working photographers I’ve ever seen but yet they are really enjoying themselves in the process.
At one point when it was time to cut the cake, our site coordinator was nowhere to be found. My Wife and I had no idea how to start cutting the cake or what to do and started frantically looking around for our coordinator. Ron immediately noticed, walked up to us and thecake and handed us the cake knife while showing us where to start cutting on the cake (all while Nancy continued shooting). Saved by the photographer! That’s the kind of little stuff that their experience and awareness really makes possible.
I’ll end with this — I thought the pricing structures were reasonable from the start — but once I saw the work they do and the effort and enthusiasm they invest, I would consider their rates a downright BARGAIN. Most importantly when it comes to the money part is they have MANY different packages to fit any budget.
I took the time to type all of this because I am truly grateful for the quality of services we received from Nancy and Ron and I hope this helps someone else make the same «best ever» type decision we did!