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Wedding Photography By Joseph Kohn Finding a San Francisco wedding photographer is the beginning, but choosing the perfect one is the start of a journey that may take time. It can be one of the best investments to have a fantastic wedding photographer who is not only ready to capture all the intimate moments and details but who can create a beautiful personal story. My name is Josef Kohn, I am the owner and a creative director of iQphoto, a San Francisco wedding photography studio. We are driven by a desire to document experiences and craft a visual legacy in SF Bay Area.
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Thank you for visiting and congratulations on your upcoming life event! Capturing this important and exciting moment by a professional photographer is a smart decision and I would be honored to help you with this. My name is Joseph and I have been a photographer in San Francisco Bay Area for over a decade.
San Francisco City Hall has it all. It's incredibly beautiful and offers an easy way for couples from all around the world to get married. It also holds incredible value in our family. I got married there at a beautiful Rotunda, my brother got married there, two of my friends got married there and I have witnessed and photographed countless weddings and met many unique and interesting people who traveled to tie the knot there from all around the world.Welcome to our San Francisco City Hall wedding photographer page.
If you are interested in engagement photography, stay here. If you are planning a surprise proposal, here is a more relevant page. Let's start with an introduction. My name is Josef Kohn. I am a San Francisco wedding, portrait, and engagement photographer. When it comes to engagement photography, my goal is to capture your love and connection and create candid images.
Probably one of my all-time favorite spots for marriage proposal and engagement photos. We have a precise plan how to capture surprise proposal photos at Sutro Baths without arising any suspicions. This place has lots of hiding spots and limited amount of tourists! And that background! Let's plan your proposal!
Reviews (30)
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Shruti Ramanathan
Jun 25, 2022
Joseph was so understanding with us from the beginning of the process through answering our many questions, offering great suggestions on lighting and how to dress. Our family and friends are overjoyed with the pictures shared with them and we can't wait to use these across our wedding invitations and in front of event entrances at our wedding.
Nel A.
Apr 26, 2022
Honestly where to even begin with my review for this studio? So we've worked with Joseph and his daughter Kate, (his assistant) twice. Once more at our wedding and once for our engagement photos. We also used his brother Alexander's videography services for the wedding. I think the thing that immediately caught our attention at our engagement shoot is that Joseph is someone who seems deeply in love with his work.

I am not sure I have ever seen anyone get so enthusiastic about taking photos. He is truly an artist at work when you hire him and his energy is infectious! My husband and I are always a little nervous when taking photos, (models we are not) but Joseph did an excellent job of making us feel relaxed and giving us a sufficient amount of direction. We were also extremely grateful to him on the day of our wedding.

My bridesmaid, (who are a very goofy and talkative group of girls) all loved him. They appreciated his patience with them, (they all know they can get easily distracted) and how instead of scolding them he used their energy for the pictures. He and his brother always made sure to be aware of the timeline we had provided for them and to keep track of what was next.

Our engagement pictures were stunning. Joseph creates very vibrant shots with epic scenery. I am extremely excited to see our wedding photos and video next! I can't recommend him enough!
Terrie Adams
Mar 18, 2022
Joseph is top notch! He knows City Hall very well and he knew exactly what to do to capture the best images for my shoot. I chose him because of the artistic expression his images captures. He went above and beyond my expectations. I absolutely love my images. I've been in awe ever since I received them. Communication with Joseph and Marina was very easy, laid back yet always professional. I highly recommend!
Louise Fontillas
Jan 28, 2022
Joseph was great at communicating before, during and after the actual session with us and his photos/video look incredible. Instruction during the whole shoot after the surprise engagement was very helpful. His expertise was able to create an incredible moment for us and family to look upon for years to come.
Swagata Chakraborty
Jan 19, 2022
My husband and I had been searching for our pre wedding / engagement photoshoot for a while and looking through several portfolios. When we came across the IQphotos portfolio we knew that was exactly what we wanted because we found it standing out, artistic and unique. Seeing the quality of work by Joseph we were ready to push our photoshoot budget up just because we absolutely wanted his way of capturing moments and details. Seeing the pictures now we are so happy that we came across this portfolio that day and decided on this.

Communication with Joseph and Marina Kohn was very easy and quick. We actually had to do a last moment rescheduling because of covid scenario and they were extremely supportive with working on new dates and even extending the duration of photoshoot. Joseph also got our pictures ready before the promised timeline and surprised us. We would definitely recommend IQphotos to anyone looking for photoshoot of special moments and days! Thanks!
Louise F.
Jan 08, 2022
Joseph is enjoyable to work with. I was able to successfully propose to my now-fiance at SF City Hall thanks to him, and during the engagement photo shoot he helped ease any stress or concerns that we had while providing excellent instructions. I really appreciate his professionalism and passion for photography and creating memorable moments; it clearly showed during my time working with him. Based on my experience I would not hesitate to recommend his service, especially if your event takes place in SF.
Kevin G.
Dec 28, 2021
Joseph is an excellent photographer. I recently proposed to my now fiance and he made the experience so happy and memorable. He made her feel comfortable while also capturing beautiful shots. Highly recommend Joseph. Also City Hall is beautiful if its going to rain
Samantha Poon
Nov 25, 2021
My Fiance proposed to me at the top of Ina Coolbrith park and Joseph was casually taking photos without any suspicion, I thought he was just taking cool pics of the beautiful scenery. Little did I know, he was hired to take AMAZING PHOTOS! to capture a very special day! He was super professional but was also very personable, funny, and made us feel comfortable with taking the pics (although we were obviously awkward).

I would highly recommend him, the turn around time for the images were quick and I couldn't believe how awesome they came out. They are also very responsive to emails and friendly. Thank you so much Jospeh and Marina!
Julian Pulido
Nov 20, 2021
My experience with Joseph at IQ photo was phenomenal. I did extensive research looking for the best photographer in the Bay Area and I was glad I went with IQ. Joseph was super easy to work with and really helpful. My pictures all came out amazing. I highly recommend them!
Jonathan Miller
Oct 24, 2021
From the 1st communication with Joseph, I knew I was getting top notch service. Every step of the way he made the process smooth, easy and user friendly. Planning a proposal shoot from over 1000 miles away can be a little stressful. Joseph removed that stress with above bar professionalism, different location suggestions and insightful collaborative ideas.

We couldn't have asked for a better outcome. Even after multiple emails, edit and change requests Joseph made sure that we got exactly what we wanted. Our photos and video are exactly what we asked for and we are 110% satisfied. I would highly recommend Joseph for capturing any moment you want to live forever. He is a master of his craft and the best in the business.
Rahul Sharodi
Sep 23, 2021
My fiance and I recently commissioned IQ Photos for an engagement shoot, and they were fantastic! Coordination to schedule the shoot was smooth, and Joseph and team were fantastic photographers. He made the experience fun, creative, and special. I would highly recommend them for special shoots like engagements or other occasions. We also have friends who used them as their wedding photographers and similarly felt great about the experience
Jeff Heppert
Sep 01, 2021
I hired Joseph to capture my proposal. I was nervous about the planning part, but Joseph had great advice & put me at ease. The moment went off without a hitch, and the photos he captured were beautiful! My new fiance absolutely loves them! The moment itself goes by so quickly, I felt it was very important to capture it. Mission accomplished!
Jl Mitra
Aug 23, 2021
I had an uncommon, indoor proposal idea that, in many ways, was not ideal for good photo quality. Many photographers cautioned me regarding the lack of good lighting, but I stubbornly insisted the moment happen as planned. Joseph worked with me to make the best of the situation, offering his input every step of the way. Our photos turned out phenomenally well! His expertise and professionalism were top-notch, and I would highly recommend IQphoto to anyone insisting on quality.
Vini M.
Jul 27, 2021
One less thing to worry about in your wedding is booking IQPhoto. Right from the initial phone conversation to the email exchange to the day of the wedding, it is a seamless process. His amazing work on the website motivated me to connect with him, then the process for booking to getting to meet Joseph at the wedding day was a very smooth process.

He is very friendly and shoots awesome pictures! He can turn a camera shy person into a camera friendly person. The time passed by so quickly and we did not need to think about poses or anything. He is so accustomed to the SF city Hall, that he got us so many great pictures in about 2 hours of time. We especially love the photographs on the Rotunda.

He clicked multiple stunning shots in about 5-10 mins, as far as I remember. He was on the venue before time and didn't mind staying even after the time of the booking was done. That was a nice gesture. I will definitely love to book IQPhoto for any future events.
Kristy P.
Jun 04, 2021
I am so glad I landed on Josef's photography page on Yelp. The sample pictures on Yelp do not do enough justice to Josef's photography (since Yelp is not a photography platform) and interpersonal skills. He has shot magazine grade pictures and beautifully captured all emotions in the picture. Evening shoots are particularly difficult as light setting play an important role.

Such an amazing photographer and he makes sure your session is filled with humor and fun. Its very easy to connect with Josef and I would forever remember Josef for capturing such amazing pictures which will live forever in my life. In addition to technicalities of photography, there is art in picking colors, angles, light and physical features of people to make a picture worth millions! Josef is that photographer who will click the million dollar picture for you for reasonable pricing!
Evan M.
May 11, 2021
My experience with IQ was awesome. I worked with Jospeh who was very responsive and helpful, considering it was a last minute proposal. Not only is the customer service on point, but Joseph is extremely talented. I wanted my fiance to have no idea she was being photographed and he went above and beyond in making sure she had no idea, while also capturing every moment. Couldn't be happier with the results. Thanks Joseph.
Sarah Tran
Jan 11, 2021
Joseph's work speaks for itself (@kohnbrothers via IG). It's rare to meet someone who is a master at their trade and is not only passionate about their work but also has a genuine appreciation for cultural diversity. This is one of many factors that sets Joseph Kohn apart. During our search, we made it a priority to find a photographer who could capture genuine moments and emotions from our special day in a "photojournalism" style (not too posed/staged).

We were fortunate to be able to book Joseph for both our engagement and wedding in 2016. Almost 5 years later, we can still re-visit those moments/emotions from our special day with our children without too much explanation because the photos simply speak for themselves. The work of a true artist! Our family and friends still, to this day, talk about Joseph's wonderful energy and work ethic that they experienced at our wedding. I give Joseph Kohn/IQ Photo my highest recommendation.
Cedric H.
Dec 30, 2020
Joseph was nothing short of stellar. He is VERY patient, professional and very very good at his craft. His replies are prompt. Always. He is very personable, and at the same time gives you room when you want to be left alone. I don't know how he does it. He is very good with people who generally does not like to get their pictures taken. Weird right?

How do people exist in the selfie era? I digress. He works with you to get the best shot possible. When I use professional service that charges by the hour, they try to get every thing in to nickel and dime you. Not Joseph. He takes his time to get the best results. I never saw him look at his watch or his phone. The product naturally came out great. Please.

For whatever event your wish to photograph. Use his service. His prices are cheap for the quality of work he does. But be aware, I don't think his prices will stay this low after the whole pandemic thing blows over. Thanks again Joseph, you made one of the most stressful event (taking/posing for picture, not the even itself!) so so painless and extraordinary.
Shweta P.
Dec 15, 2020
Joseph did an amazing job for wedding pictures. He met us a local park for our first-look pics, and was enthusiastic with many ideas for posed and casual shots at a location he was unfamiliar with. The wedding pics were beautiful, with many candid snaps and captured many of the key moments perfectly. Our newly-wed pictures around SF were some of our absolute favorites and he was clearly in his element in a location he loved, knowing the best spots for the most romantic and memorable pictures. Joseph was great to work with, very professional and courteous, and clearly loves what he does. Will definitely be hiring him for our family pictures for years to come.
Nandu A.
Oct 07, 2020
Joseph was excellent to work with for proposal photography. The service was very transparent with respect to pricing and it was easy to schedule a time for the shoot. The day of the proposal, Joseph got there early and made sure that I knew where to be and where he was despite my confusion. Despite some foggy weather, Joseph framed the pictures really well and they came out perfect. He turned around the photo edits really quickly and was easy to communicate with throughout the process and shoot. Highly recommend for your special events!
Nick M.
Dec 29, 2019
Used Joseph for FAMILY PHOTOS and the results were amazing. We have a 7-month old and the shoot was outside in Golden Gate Park. He understood the need to be on-time, efficient with the shoot, and sensitive to the needs of a baby. On top of that the customer service was really great. Prompt responses on everything and a definite feel of going above and beyond.

While I won't promise the same for everyone, as circumstance would allow, Joseph managed to edit and turn around my photos within 24 hours. He sat down, started working, and couldn't stop. The work of someone who truly appreciates their profession. Appreciative that I ended up going with Joseph as I requested proposals from several different bay area photographers.

His prices are competitive, and definitely not the most expensive that I've seen. Given the customer service and results, I am happy. I see that most of the reviews are for wedding photos. One last shout out that he's great for family photos as well.
Laurel M.
Dec 28, 2019
Joseph not only took astonishingly beautiful photographs of our SF City Hall Wedding but he nurtured us through the entire process. He captured our emotions and put what we were experiencing into photographs. Joseph is well-known to the entire SF City Hall staff and clearly liked and appreciated. This is your man if you want to have photos that help you cherish your memories for a lifetime!
Rick Balwani
Jul 03, 2019
Joseph was an incredible part of our wedding. Joseph and his crew were very friendly and kept us laughing all along the way. We really enjoyed their company and professionalism. Photos were amazing and delivered quickly. Couldn't have asked for more on our wedding day. Thanks!
Wyn W.
Feb 17, 2019
Loved all our photos! Thank you! They turned out more beautiful than I imagined; made me feel so happy to make the decision to capture our day. There were a variety of photos from closeups to large (wide shots) and many different poses and backgrounds. Our families don't live in SF, so these pictures is all that we have to share with our families and so far it's been tons of compliments and we are just so happy that they got to spend the day with us through the photos. Thank you again Joseph, you are awesome!
Samantha K.
Oct 24, 2018
Joseph is so talented and so professional. There are very few people that can make myself and my now husband not look awkward, he is one of those limited few. The pictures came out beautifully and we will always have very happy memories to look back on. Thank you Joseph!
Douglas K.
Apr 04, 2018
I recently hired Joseph to shoot my proposal to my girlfriend of 5 years. Words can't fully describe how amazing the experience has been from start to finish. Folks, if you need someone to capture a moment as precious and (hopefully) one-time as a proposal, Joseph is THE person for the job. Specifically, Joseph and IQphoto demonstrated their professionalism and expertise through the following: - I was stressed out over the logistics of the day. Joseph was a thoughtful and patient partner from start to finish.

When I realized I had booked our appointment before daylight savings, he was flexible and we moved our time up an hour to capture the golden hour. - Pricing was never a point of friction. All questions were handled professionally and Joseph did a good job in making the payments easy. - The quality of the proposal photos is amazing! I opted for unedited photos, and in them you can see the care and attention Joseph put into the composition of each shot. - Finally, Joseph was flexible and attentive during the actual proposal.

There were a couple of curveballs (e.g. unexpected hordes of tourists getting into the frame!), but Joseph was alert and adapted to a changing setting. All-in-all, I highly recommend Joseph and IQphoto not only because of their skill as photographers, but also for the care they put into making the proposal shoot a truly delightful experience. Thank you again Joseph!
Sabrina L.
Feb 01, 2018
This review is so long overdue that it pains me.nevertheless, without a doubt, the BEST investment my husband and I made on our wedding was booking Jospeh and IQPhoto for our San Francisco City Hall Wedding in November 2015. At the time, we made the financial stretch (on our otherwise cost-conscious wedding) for the Two-Hour City Hall Package and I've never been happier with such an investment. Joseph and Alex know SF City Hall intimately, and captured hundreds upon hundreds of every imaginable shot we could have hoped for.

We didn't have a wedding planner or coordinator, and it was the first time my family was meeting my husband's family. Joseph and Alex swept my husband and I off to capture some of the most iconic images of our wedding while our families got to know one another pre-ceremony. Joseph even knew our officiant, and she kindly allowed our group of 9 guests to standby.

All in all, Jospeh and Alex's mastery made our wedding look like a million dollars, and some of the shots they captured made it look as if we had rented out the entire City Hall for ourselves. Over two years later, I still look back upon my wedding images and thank the good Lord that we had the good sense to use IQphoto services for our wedding.

Even if, like us, you're doing a "wedding on a budget", I guarantee you that you will not regret a dime that you invest in your photo package with IQphoto because they will capture every moment you'd imagine you would want and it saves you the disappointment of having a friend/family member giving you "free images" of potentially subpar quality. Thank you, a hundred thousand times over, to Joseph & Team for immortalizing my wedding for my husband and our respective families!
Amber Kani
Oct 29, 2017
Joseph and the IQ photo team were fantastic at navigating City Hall, wranging family members for difficult shots, and making our ceremony memorable. His photos were unlike other wedding photos' I've seen before, and our photos were straight out of a pinterest board. He was funny, worked well with family members and guests of all ages, and his ability to take beautifully lit architectural shots were astounding.

For our ceremony, Joseph used multiple areas of City Hall, including those I didn't know existed, to take interesting photos, play off of the available sunlight, and produce great shots. More importantly, we received our photos in a week and the process was absolutely painless. It is clear Joseph and his team are passionate about what they do, absolutely talented photographers, and genuinely enjoy what they do. The proof is in the amazing photos you'll receive.
Yulia S.
Sep 29, 2016
I just wanted to share my amazing experiences during my pregnancy photo shoot! My photographer name was Boris and from the first moment we met I felt completely comfortable and at ease! The pictures turned out to be AMAZiNG! Our photographer was full of energy, extremely professional and creative. I am absolutely looking forward to other events and an opportunity to book Boris as our photographer:)))) Absolutely The Best photography service we have ever used!
Irene C.
Sep 05, 2016
Everything about working with Joseph was fabulous! Communications were prompt and even though we never spoke in person once before the day of the wedding. everything went super smooth without a hitch! We decided 2 months before our wedding day to get married at San Francisco City Hall. BEST DECISION EVER! Our wedding day was the most relaxed and fun wedding!

Me as the bride got to eat all the things that I love without starving and we were able to wing parts of the day, making it a super memorable day! (ANYWAYS ENOUGH ABOUT MY WEDDING DAY. more about Joseph) We got the Photo and Video Package. This includes Joseph and Alex for two hours. Joseph and Alex showed up on time to the Airbnb home to capture photos of us getting ready, photos in the garden, photos in the living room, in the limo. etc.

They both handled my MOH very well. She was being a little more opinionated than we all would have liked and had moments where she was not taking instructions well. They used humor to direct her and the rest of the two hours was led by Joseph. Joseph's professionalism is much to be praised - many of the men in our group noticed his precision.

They can see Joseph working on his timing for every shot, checking for shadows on the ground, people in the background - his eyes darting vigorously to ensure a perfect and intimate shot in a very public forum. You'd look at the photos and think that we were the only ones in the building. He is a well oiled machine. He uses his own body as a tripod! :D You can tell he's worked many City Hall weddings because all the employees there chat with him like an old friend.

I had a blast working with both Joseph and Alex - he's right on his website. I won't ever forget them. They are THAT GOOD. Next time if we have an anniversary event or anything. I would love to work with them again! We are about to travel for a few months and the husband wanted to get the photos earlier so we can admire them! He had worked with Joseph to make it happen and it happened! The photos are gorgeous! YAY! Thank you Joseph and Alex. the both of you are amazing!