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Kristen Leigh Photography Reviews

Kristen Leigh Photography

Kristen Leigh Photography

Gaithersburg, MD
4.8 out of 5 rating, 20 Reviews
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Reviews

4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8 out of 5 rating
20 Reviews
96% recommend it
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  • Quality of service
    4.9 out of 5 rating
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Awards

20
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2011 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2010 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2009 Winner
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    Corinne S. Sent on 09/12/2021
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    Magic Maker

    Kristen has been in the wedding industry for over 14 years and I’ve wanted her to be my wedding photographer for just as long. Kristen is a true magic maker. Her eye for beauty and her ability to tell a story with every photo she takes is truly a work of art. She has magic in her fingertips. Kristen took a grey and rainy day and made it look warm, colorful and bright. I had a VERY long list of photos I wanted to have taken of people, groups, and details and Kristen and her team got every single one. She kept us on schedule, she eased worries, she made me and my party feel beautiful and she kept us laughing the whole time which resulted in happy, natural photos. Kristen is truly a magic maker and will help capture your day in the most incredible way.
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    Katelyn Sent on 10/10/2016
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    Kristen is THE BEST! From the very first moment my husband were introduced to her and met her, we were impressed and grew eager to work with her. Throughout the entire process, planning for months, from start to finish, Kristen was always accessible, she was very knowledgable and extremely helpful in the process of preparing for our big day. From the moment we met by phone, to the last second of her hard work at the wedding, she was one of the most approachable, friendly, creative, understanding, thoughtful, thorough, personable, professional and encouraging professionals we were most fortunate to encounter. We both felt that we could trust her, and through the process of planning she proved that we could, time and time again! She's the absolute BEST! Her work is the physical proof! I would and will recommend Kristen Leigh photography to anyone and everyone!!!
    The Jacksons from 9/4/16 LOVE your work!!!!
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    Brielle Sent on 02/06/2013
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    I'm SO GLAD Kristen was my wedding photographer. She made me feel at ease and natural while prompting me for different "candid" shots.

    She got lots of beautiful detail shots, and so many fun shots of everyone interacting. She made our photos look BEAUTIFUL even in front of a drab building. I'm so excited to get different photos printed, and to have these shots for the rest of my life.

    While we drove out of the venue after our send-off, we saw her husband pulling around to light the area with his car headlights. While he didn't make it in time, the photos of that moment actually still look fabulous. And moreover, we were just blessed to know that she was willing to put extra effort into capturing every moment as well as she could.

    Would and do recommend as my #1 suggestion!
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  • skywalker07
    Kara Sent on 05/12/2010
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    Kristen was AMAZING. She came to my house where my girls & I were getting ready and immediately started shooting. She captured so many details that I didn't even know she caught. She was extremely professional but at the same time super fun. As a bride, you spend almost all day with your photographer, and it is so important that the 2 of you get along. Kristen was so easy to work with and was constantly joking and making us laugh. She put everyone instantly at ease, and definitely felt like an old friend with an expensive camera who was just hanging out with us that day. Highly would recommend her !!

    Kristen Leigh Photography's reply:

    Aw, thanks Kara! You were a deeeelight!
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    Tiffany Sent on 06/08/2009
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    The moment I met Kristen I knew that she would be the photographer for my wedding. Her bubbly personality and sweet demeanor was infectious. How I found her was quite the story... I was looking at different types of bouquets but what caught my eye was her photo's. I had my aunt track her information down and arrange the meeting. I think I was more intrigued that this cute petite young lady had such an eye for beauty. I immediately booked her. Kristen has such a talent that it is hard to capture with words but I bet she could take a picture of it. My husband and I loved the engagement photo's and the wedding pics. Hands down this young lady has talent. Do not let the young face fool you, she is far beyond her years!

    She is highly recommend in my book. I plan on having her capture the biggest moments in my life from now on! For those who are looking for a photographer to capture those intimate moments when you think no one is looking she is the one.
    I hope your experience will be as great as ours...

    The Simon's
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    Naomi Sent on 01/15/2009
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    I LOVE Kristen's photography skills. She is very gifted in this business and captures all the special and funny moments. I would highly recommend her to anyone!
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    Brooke Sent on 02/09/2009
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    If you manage to get Kristen to photograph your wedding you are one very lucky gal!!! Seriously, she can (and does) make ANYTHING look beautiful -- and has an incredible knack for capturing the essence of your wedding. One of the best things about her is that she is truly excited to share in the joy of your special day, so she's working WITH you (without getting in the way at all) to ensure you get the best representation of your wedding. I was thrilled with my pics (if you want to see them, they're on her blog under Brooke and Nathan).
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    Colleen Sent on 01/14/2009
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    We couldn't have found a better photographer than Kristen!! She took the time to get to know us & what we want for our pictures. Kristen is really gifted when it comes to photography, we had few ideas that we shared with her, but otherwise we just let her do her own thing & our pictures turned out AWESOME. We recommend her to anyone that we know is getting married or just wants pictures taken of their family. When it comes to doing your budget for your wedding - it is well worth it to spend a little more on your photographer, because you are going to look at your pictures all the time. Kristen Leigh is worth every penny :)
    Josh & Colleen
    October 08

    Kristen Leigh Photography's reply:

    Thanks Colleen! Your wedding was seriously a highlight of my year and I just love you so so much!
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    Nia Sent on 12/23/2008
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    What can I say, but I had the best photographer out there. Kristen is young, creative, professional, and just takes some of the most beautiful wedding photos I have ever seen. I know you may think I'm biased because she took my photos, but I came across other wedding photos of hers, and that's how I chose her. My coordinator has used our photos in magazine ads, and other photos that I know she's taken. They are really that good. I HIGHLY recommend her service.
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    Beth Sent on 12/30/2008
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    Kristen was such a joy to work with! She did such an amazing job on our engagment shoot, and an even more beautiful job on our wedding! I could not have asked for better photos. She captured every moment so perfectly. She has such a bubbly, fun personality and enjoys what she does, and that was such a relief for me, having someone who really loves photographing weddings and cares about how the pictures come out. My husband even had a blast at our engagment shoot, and he was not really looking forward to it since he's not big on photo shoots. :) But he wasn't ready to quit when we had finished. She made it so fun and easy to be photographed and I would hire her again in a second!

    Kristen Leigh Photography's reply:

    Thanks Beth :D You are the beessst and I have loved every second of being your friend AND your photographer. And someday I will come over and see your house!
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    Amy Sent on 12/30/2008
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    AMAZING!!! Beautifully artistic pictures. Listened to what I wanted. Sweet, sweet young lady who didn't feel like an intruder on my special-est of days! Highly Recommend her! :-)
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    Connie Sent on 08/20/2010
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    Kristen's style captures fun. She relishes fun herself and it shows through in her work. Kristen has a clear voice in her photos, obvious to any of her loyal blog readers. And I'm pretty sure she has a lot of loyal blog readers. :)

    I like how casual her photos are. They're not stiff, because she's really good at giving prompts and directions that get the couple loosened up and enjoying themselves. I'm really glad we did the engagement photos first, as it gave us some practice. And I'm grateful that Kristen was so open to my input and preferences.

    I couldn't be happier with our photos, even now a year later.

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    Jennifer Sent on 01/01/2009
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    Kristen was AMAZING! All of our friends raved about her pictures. I have recommended her to many many people!!
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    Kaitlyn Sent on 02/05/2017
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    Kristen was the FIRST and BEST decision we made while wedding planning. Her photography captured our day perfectly and we could not have asked for better photos. She knew our venue well, which was AMAZINGLY helpful. She was also super accommodating with our hectic wedding day schedule and assisted with keeping things moving by helping to organize our guests for group photos and coordinate with our venue's day of planner for the "big" moments of the day. Her website went down the day before our wedding, but she was quick at responding to us via email. She is most active on her Instagram pages: https://www.instagram.com/imkristenphotography/ and https://www.instagram.com/imkristen_/ and blog: http://wearethefamilymorris.com/

    PS: I think she recently moved away from the Maryland area, and the website posted on WeddingWire is out of date.
  • Leah
    Leah Sent on 12/06/2010
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    Seriously, you've got be kidding me. Kristen Leigh is wonderful. Wonderful. WONDERFUL. She has very casual approach and is so relaxful to be around. It's like having one of your high school best friends photograph your wedding. On top of that, the photos (that we've seen) are gorgeous as well. She has such an interesting and imaginitive eye. (We have only seen a few photos but do expect to see the full album soon.) I think the best part of working with Kristen was the sincerity and genuine enthusiasm she has for not only her work but the celebration and wedding itself that she is there to capture. This young woman has such a beautiful pure heart. After I think every wedding she shoots, she blogs a little pictorial review of that wedding. (These would be the only pictures we've seen so far). She not only includes pictures but also little sweet comments detailing that day. I assure you that you will treasure her blog post from your wedding day. Here is ours: www.imkristensblog.com/2010/10/kevin-leah-washington-dc-wedding.html
    Some warnings: 1. Her response time is a little slow. If it is a pressing detail she will respond to you in a timely manner though. 2. You may be concerned about her age. She is I believe 21 years old but has been photographing weddings since I think she was 15 or 16. Don't be fooled. She is a professional and will absolutely see to it that your wedding day and the details are covered.
    Bottom line: Kristen Leigh is naturally talented, sincere, and I would say pretty affordable for the quality that you receive. (Again, do not have the final pictures yet). I am beyond happy to have worked with her.
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    Hannah Sent on 03/30/2009
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    Keen eye for photography! Very good at what she does. Also very fun to work with!
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    Megan Sent on 07/21/2015
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    [Now branded as I'm Kristen Photography]

    I have seen Kristen's work for years, and always known she was my dream photographer. And she didn't disappoint! While it can take her a little while to respond (understandable, as a mother to a toddler and constantly-traveling photographer), the talent and joy she brings is so worth it. In my view, two things set her apart: Her use of light and her ability to storytell through the lens and take incredible candid shots, which is what I really wanted. She does a really good job of making a couple at ease when doing "couple shots" (we didn't do an engagement shoot with her), and is simply fun to be around. She also took the time to meet us (in Pennsylvania!) and talk over the phone as I wanted to get to know her a bit and be comfortable before the big day, but we weren't able to squeeze in the engagement shoot.

    On the day of, she was early, super attentive to details and the moments that were happening, and was able to easily direct family and bridal party for photos. We love the way our photos came out, and I would absolutely recommend her.
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    Pamela Sent on 01/02/2009
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    Amazing eye for details, sweet personality, and loves what she does - which is why I trust she will take beautiful pictures. Very good about asking what emphasis and look you want. I was very happy with her work.
  • User2355088 Sent on 10/07/2015
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    [As a note, this page is very outdated – Kristen's business now goes by "I'm Kristen Photography" and her website can be found here: http://imkristenphotography.com/ ]

    I've been following Kristen's photography for a while now and was thrilled that she was free for our wedding day! We communicated over email and facebook messages up to the big day and she was so incredibly friendly and excited for us (even remembering my dress hunt and specifically asking how it was going!). She was awesome on the big day, too – super friendly and excited for the day. She helped the day run according to schedule and got along super well with our bridal party and large families – seamlessly organizing and blowing through what felt like a million family portraits (even one with about 30+ people in it!). We received so many compliments after our wedding about her interactions with guests and how she handled the group portraits. She made us feel super comfortable in front of the camera and we're so incredibly happy with all the (1000+!!!) images that she captured on our day. :)

    Our only criticism is that she can take a while to respond to emails. If it's urgent, she usually responds quickly though. In addition, it took 9 weeks to get our photos back. Not sure if that's the norm because she was super booked and busy at the beginning of the summer. We have them now and are really happy with how they turned out!
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    Pamela Sent on 11/02/2010
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    Kristen is a wonderful photographer who takes stunning pictures. Many people have told me "your pictures are so beautiful, they look like they came straight out of a magazine." Kristen is a very talented photographer and, overall, I’m glad that she shot my wedding.

    That being said, Kristen is very difficult to contact, especially after the wedding was over. She rarely responded to email (yes, I did check my Spam folder), and her phone service was unreliable on occasion; I found the best way to contact her was through Facebook messages.

    I paid extra money to have a second shooter there on the wedding day and I expected her to be able to take pictures as good as Kristen's, or at least half as good. After the wedding I found out from the groomsmen, that were hitting on her (unfortunately), that she wasn't even 18 yet. When I finally received the on-line album of pictures, I noticed right away that there weren't many pictures from 2nd shooter’s perspective. So I asked Kristen to put up some of the photos she took since those pictures included all of the "guys getting ready shots," and she only added about 100 pictures (100 pictures, for 8 hrs of photographing seems low to me). I was very disappointed in the 2nd shooter and the quality of her photos, I expected more than a high schooler with an interest in photography.

    Prior to the wedding Kristen asked for a list of specific wedding and reception pictures that I wanted. I recommend that you assign someone (a relative) to round up the subjects and set up the shots because Kristen won’t remind you on the wedding day. I was also extremely disappointed at the small number of pictures taken at the wedding reception. I expected Kristen and the 2nd photographer to take a lot of random pictures that would capture most reception guests. This was not done. However, we did get some nice pictures of the 2nd photographer dancing during the reception, which might be the reason that we did not get more reception pictures.

    If you decide to use Kristen as your photographer, I recommend that you adjust the contract so that she does not get paid in-full until the final album arrives. I found Kristen was not as responsive after the wedding because I did not get a full on-line-album of photos until about 4 months after the wedding. I didn’t get digital copies of the pictures on CD until almost a year after the wedding. I am writing this review now, over a year after my wedding, because I just received my final album (book of pictures) 2 days ago. I also recommend that you get with one of Kristen’s smaller “packages” because the best part of her service is her photos, the albums are nothing to rave about, and the 2nd shooter option is not reliable.

    In conclusion, I would recommend Kristen as a good, budget friendly photographer, with a lot of potential. If you want a photographer that can provide extras like a second shooter, albums, etc. keep looking.
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