Ckim Sent on 05/23/2019

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Excellent experience, would recommend to anyone

We initially found Chip because we were searching for photographers in Florida where we were married. Although he no longer lives in Florida he travels all over for weddings. We loved the example wedding portfolios available on his website...the fact that the pictures were candid and seemed to be unique to each couple and location. Our wedding was small (~50 people), but he mentioned he has photographed weddings of up to ~1,000.

I only communicated with Chip via email prior to the wedding and he was always very prompt and direct with his responses. We told him the date/location, he gave us an estimate, he sent an online contract for us to sign, we put down a deposit at the time of signing the contract, and we paid the remaining balance closer to the wedding date. He sent us a detailed survey in advance asking what we wanted in terms of pictures and asking a few other questions.

The day of the wedding he was punctual, friendly, and very easy going. He was happy to accommodate all of our requests for photos and he offered some great suggestions as well (he had clearly scoped out the area a bit on his own). He did not push his idea of what he thought we should do on us at all. He was happy to take the usual wedding photographs of family, walking down the aisle, etc. in addition to his own unique shots. We were married in a Catholic church and he took it upon himself to introduce himself to the priest beforehand and to respect the priest's rules for pictures in the church. Our reception was on a boat and later one of the guests told us they noticed he seemed seasick (apparently looking through a camera lens on a boat causes this), but not once did he mention this to us or even seem anything except pleasant and professional. Only ~48 hours after the ceremony he posted ~20-25 gorgeous preview photographs to an album on his FB page for us to see and share (btw check out his facebook page for additional examples of his work at weddings).

I really cannot recommend Chip enough. He was up front from the beginning of the process, easy to communicate with, prompt and professional the day of the ceremony, and took more beautiful and unique wedding photos than we could have imagined. I would reach out to him sooner rather than later if you are interested, as he only does ~11 weddings per year.

Liz Sent on 08/04/2014

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Chip was a wonderful photographer. His pictures of our wedding were beautiful and he was very professional. Highly recommend him!

Carrie Sent on 04/21/2014

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I always heard that if you are going to splurge on anything for your wedding, splurge on your photographer. I was ready pay a hefty price for quality pictures but when I saw Chip’s portfolio, I never thought that I would be able to afford a photographer of his caliber. I sent him an e-mail for a quote and I was shocked that his price was fairly proportionate to the mediocre photographers I was considering. We immediately booked Chip for our 4/13/14 wedding at Cross Creek Ranch. Because we never met Chip in advance, I was nervous that it would be awkward or uncomfortable but it was anything but. Chip was awesome to work with! He provided the perfect amount of direction and he managed to capture the real emotions in every photo. We were married on a Sunday and received a preview of our photos on Tuesday. I still can’t believe how great they turned out and I can’t wait to see the rest! Chip will be my photographer for every major event from now forward!

Kelsey Sent on 11/11/2012

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Amazing! First, a pleasure to be around, but most importantly, his photographs are amazing. I feel like he gave just the right amount of direction to be sure we got great pictures, but for the most part he just knew exactly where to be when. He was a bit higher than the other 5-6 photographers I interviewed, but just head and tails more skilled. SUCH a great experience with Chip. I'm already trying to think of another excuse to hire him.

Jennifer Sent on 05/13/2012

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WOW!!! I don't even know where to start! Chip is all the things you want in a photographer: professional, courteous, punctual, energetic but sooooooo much more! He was able to tell the exact story of our wedding day without so much as having a conversation about it. From the moment he walked in the door, he was observing and paying attention. Honestly, I forgot he was there. I never felt like I had a camera in my face, however, he managed to capture ALL of the intimate, unplanned moments I wanted documented!

We had a sunset wedding, not a lot of room for error. He took all the photos we had planned and then some. We had time left over! It was unreal! His creative eye is one I have never seen before. It's a true work of art! I really had no idea some of the angles were going to come out so great! When I thought he was shooting close, he was shooting far and vice versa! When I saw the pics, my mouth hit the floor! And I'm not easily impressed!!

I wanted some for my eyes only boudoir pics done. It was completely spur of the moment, not planned. Chip knew exactly where to place me to get all the right curves and it was effortless. He made me comfortable and calm and the pics came out PERFECT! Just from the dress, shoes, hair, and makeup he knew exactly what I was after and nailed it! The pictures are super cute and gorgeous at the same time.

If you are wanting to tell a timeless story with your wedding photos, look no further! Chip is your man. If you are looking for an artsy touch, Chip is your man! If you want perfection without having to plan it, Chip is your man! You want to work smarter, not harder, on your big day! Having people who know what they're doing is well worth any dollar amount! Go for it! Good luck!

Lauren Sent on 06/07/2012

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Chip was one of our favorite vendors. Not only are his pictures AMAZING (we're still getting compliments on them!) but he has a gift for making even the most awkward people look great in front of the camera. He was so easy to work with and went with the flow even when plans changed. He truly captured the spirit of our day and the wedding itself in the best possible light. We would hire him again in a heartbeat and recommend him to anyone-he's the BEST! I wish we had more excuses to have photos taken by him :)

Phil Sent on 06/08/2012

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Chiip was more than what we could have asked for. He was prompt, showing up to the venue in the morning, and scouted out some great spots where we could take photos. I think he was there from about 10:30 AM until midnight when the party ended. He has such a unique and amazing perspective on taking photos that goes beyond the typical 'staged' wedding photos. While he was only one person, Chip was able to catch all the important moments at the wedding and reception. It just seemed like he was everywhere. He also assisted in kicking out some wedding crashers. He was so great that he also shot my sister's wedding as well.

W Sent on 06/14/2012

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My wife and I decided to hire a photojournalist for our wedding instead of a traditional wedding photographer, because we believed that we could find an especially excellent and experienced photographer at a relatively attractive price, i.e., more bang for the buck!

Fortunately for us, our very high expectations were exceeded. I searched Google for "Florida photojournalists" and quickly came across Chip Litherland's website. His portfolios speak for themselves, and we quickly got in touch with him, worked out the details, and looked forward to the wedding. Several months later, we had the pleasure of meeting Chip in person, and he photographed our rehearsal dinner and wedding. He also sent beautiful prints and a book after the wedding.

Anyway, to make a long story short, most people who get married will be satisfied with their wedding photographer and his/her services. Additionally, since most people who provide online reviews of wedding photographers have probably only gotten married once, it's hard to offer a sense of *relative* strengths, as one has little in the way of comparative metrics! However, I'll go ahead and take a stab at what I believe sets Chip Litherland's Eleven Weddings apart from the rest:

- As a photojournalist who with extensive experience covering sports, arts, performances, and other events, Chip is relatively more capable of capturing moments - special light, brief expressions...things that just happen once and can't be posed or repeated. It's likely that a couple's favorite photographs from after a wedding aren't the staged shots of the bridal party or different family members, but instead the handful of unexpected, funny, and special things that happen at YOUR wedding and set it apart from everyone else's. As an example, I accidentally leaned in twice to kiss the bride at different points in the service, and Chip captured a really funny moment of my wife smiling and rolling her eyes at me - that lasted 1/8 of a second, and we thought that nobody saw it but ourselves, but Chip got it. I'm not sure that wedding photographers who DON'T have Chip's journalism background could have captured that.

- Chip pays special attention to light, which is probably the quality (IMHO) that distinguishes prosumers and advanced amateurs from true professionals and artists. This is abundantly clear on his website. He's also good in terms of vibrant colors, which I appreciated, because we had overcast and dark skies on our wedding day, but in all of the photos, all the dresses and colors and grass and ocean, etc....they all pop and look great, and I was amazed at the photos that Chip made despite the flat, dreary light. Clearly all these wedding photographers have great equipment, but Chip's eye for light means that he can use that equipment more successfully than can other wedding photographers.

- value proposition. If memory serves, Chip was in the bottom third in terms of pricing of the 15-20 photographers whom we considered. I think that his output is probably in the top 10%, so that's a great opportunity to maximize your value. Remember, this is a guy whose work appears in top level publications around the country, e.g., the NYTimes, so you're getting a top-shelf photojournalist rather than some carbon copy wedding photographer who's yet another leech in the wedding-industrial complex!

So, those are relative strengths. In terms of absolute strengths, while I can't guarantee that Chip is the friendliest photographer in the country, it's hard to imagine someone cooler, more laid back, or friendlier. The last thing we wanted was an annoying photographer who made our guests uncomfortable. Just the opposite. It wasn't that Chip had to "disappear" or hide in the corner to be the unseen fly on the wall. He's cool enough and charismatic enough that he basically "fits in" with all your wedding guests, regardless of their personalities. This is because Chip is dynamic and experienced, as well as being generally friendly.

Additionally, Chip is fair and honest in terms of pricing and services, which isn't always the case when it comes to wedding planning. I'm particularly cynical about the "wedding industry," because I think it preys on inexperienced, young couples who are eager to make the most of a very important day in their lives...consequently, they get cajoled and bullied at every step in the process into spending more money than they can or should. Chip was a breath of fresh air: he's straightforward and direct...these are his services, these are his prices, everything's transparent, and he's not going to "upsell" you along the way or trick you into paying for stuff you don't need, etc.

My wife and I have been pleased to recommend his services to a few other young friends who have been married, and we hope that he can become the "go-to" for weddings all over Florida and elsewhere!

Lindsey Sent on 06/11/2012

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Chip was the reason our florida wedding was so great! We had the best time being followed around by Chip all weekend with his documentary style photography, no stupid posed shots, all shots capturing real moments of my husband and I just enjoying the heck out of our wedding weekend. I have recommended Chip to everyone I know and would definitely fly him to Chicago if I had another occasion that I needed an expert for.

Jenny Sent on 06/20/2012

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A good friend of mine got married the year before me. She posted some pictures on facebook and they blew me away. The photos were so creative and I loved how they captured the emotions of the day. The joy, laughter, love, and affection beamed through the pictures. I was looking for a photo journalist and I immediately called my friend and got Chip's contact information. Chip was great from the start. I was getting married in New York and asked Chip if he would be willing to fly up. He was so flexible with everything and quoted a very reasonable price. He makes everyone feel comfortable. Our family and guests could not stop talking about Chip and his partner Brian after the wedding. Chip sent us the pictures 2 weeks after the wedding! I was amazed by how fast we received our pictures. We were more than pleased with the photos. He also blew up a picture for us to hang in our home. I recommend Chip to all our friends. He was awesome! We can't thank him enough :)

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