Rotarski Photography

We could not have been happier with Sebastian and Dominika as our wedding photographers. They were simply amazing. I was a little hesitant about taking engagement pictures because I thought we would look awkward. Quite the opposite. We took them on a rainy day (theme of our wedding) at Starved Rock. There was nothing we could do about the weather, and we all went with the flow. On the car ride home my finance and I laughed about how horrible they would turn out. We both felt like drowned rats. We were happily surprised with the outcome. I’m sure many horrible pictures fell on the editing floor, but the ones we were given are quite beautiful. Our wedding ceremony was held in a church and our reception at the Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook. I was very clear from the beginning that I was anti bridal party jumping up and down or making silly faces– I hate those pictures! They agreed and produced very creative, but classic pictures. Our church pictures are gorgeous and they did not miss a minute of the action. The grounds at the Lodge are so beautiful and we were anticipating having our wedding party pictures and cocktail hour outside. Mother Nature had other plans! Our wedding date (7÷11÷15) was hot, rainy, and muggy. Sebastian and Dominika had previously taken the time to scout out locations for the off chance it would rain or be muddy. I am so grateful they went the extra mile! They found a covered bridge/​walkway and our pictures turned out great! It was uncomfortably humid and I was convinced that I looked like a sweaty mess and our pictures would be terrible– totally the opposite! They remained cheerful and good humored throughout all of the complaining! They were very patient when trying to coordinate different poses and made the best of a very hot and uncomfortable situation! We had a short break in the rain and they arranged us in a creative way around a lake. As soon as my husband and I began to take our pictures alone, the rain began again. It was fairly close to the start of our cocktail hour, so we went inside to freshen up. Sebastian followed us (without us knowing!) and took some of my favorite pictures of the day. They really capture the memories and not just the moments. Later in the evening, they insisted on taking a few more pictures of «just us» to be sure we had a variety of portraits to choose from. I was a little hesitant to take them up on it because I knew that their time was up with us and because I was looking forward to enjoying our reception. I am so glad that we did! They are both so talented at capturing light in unique ways. Our pictures are truly gorgeous. I cannot recommend them enough and hope to work with Rotarski Photography again in the future.

I can’t say enough good things about Sebastian and Dominika! Their photos are beautiful — they don’t post a ton on their blog but if they did, I bet they would be inundated with requests because they do such a great job. And compared to other photographers, they were such a great deal — we feel like they really could charge a lot more. They’re not big into giving posing directions, they just are there while you interact with your fiancé (e), which worked well for us, but if you want really hands on posing instructions, then that might not work for you. But when it came time to do formal photos with our families, they did give direction (like telling people where to stand and how close to get) so for us, it was the best of both worlds, direction when we needed it (family photos were like herding cats!) and not too much intrusion when we didn’t want it. And even when they would get close up to take photos, it wasn’t bothersome and during the ceremony, they were very respectful. I noticed them out of the corner of my eye, but they did not get too close. They were also super thoughtful about everything — they scoped out the space, really found great spots and had great ideas of where to take pictures. Our engagement pictures were beautiful (they have a really great eye for composition and framing shots), and I really can’t wait for our wedding pictures to come back. And they are both just such great people — we loved having them at our wedding, by the end of the night, we felt like they were friends! (Also, we had our wedding at the Logan Center for the Arts on the University of Chicago campus, so if you’re considering having your wedding there, know that Sebastian and Dominika now have a lot of familiarity with this venue, as well as the campus where we had our photos taken beforehand, as well as Ping Tom Park where we had our engagement photos).

If you are debating about whether or not to book with the Rotarskis, stop hesitating and just book them. They are AMAZING, talented, kind, beautiful people who will leave you with wedding photos that you’ll treasure forever.
My husband and I were hesitant to take engagement photos; we’re both shy in front of the camera and didn’t think they were necessary for the surprise wedding we were planning. However, the Rotarskis include engagement photos in their photography package, and when they delivered the photos we were instantly overcome with emotion. Sebastian and Dominika caught us in our very best light — our personalities shone through those photos, and our love for each other was obvious. They know how to catch the tiny, little moments when you don’t even realize they’re watching (or photographing!). Their candid, journalistic photography means your photos don’t feel forced or trendy; they are timeless and beautiful. It made us so excited for our wedding day.
The day of the wedding, our biggest fear was realized — it was FREEZING and it RAINED. We had planned for beautiful photos outdoors at Humboldt Park. Well, the Rotarskis captured those images despite the weather, and even gave us a free bonus photo shoot after the wedding on a warm and sunny day. These two are truly in this business to create stunning photos and to celebrate love. They are 100% committed to your satisfaction, and they delivered completely. Our photos are unreal; they are us; they are perfect. The emotion from that day oozes from the pictures, and we couldn’t be happier.
FINALLY it’s worth noting that both Sebastian and Dominika are just fantastic people. I was in stress mode major on the day of my wedding, and they both stayed cool and calm the entire time. They are very communicative (and reply quickly!) through the whole wedding planning process, and on the day of your wedding they’ll stand on chairs to help with decorations, or set up tents outside. By the end of it all, you want them as guests at your wedding instead of just photographers. Book them. You will not be disappointed.

We chose Sebastian who, along with his wife, shot our engagement pics, wedding and reception. Couldn’t be more pleased with their skills and professionalism. They were friendly and responsive all throughout and we trusted them to take our few ideas and run with them. At the reception, they captured all the moments we were hoping for and we’re really happy we chose them.

My wife found Rotarski Photography in Pinterest when we were planning our wedding and both inmediately agreed that those pictures are the pictures we would like for our wedding.
Our experience couldn’t have been more satisfactory! We got engagement and wedding pictures as stunning as you can see in
Me and my wife both agree that choosing this photographer was the best decision we ever had. Marriage is the second one ;)

Wedding — August 2014, 170 people, Chicago suburbs
After our engagement photos, I was excited to see Sebastian and Dominika on our wedding day. They blended into the background, never posing us or interrupting the flow of the day. They offered a calm presence and also privacy, giving me time to spend with my girls and mom without a camera in our faces. Sebastian took it upon himself to contact areas he was interested in shooting. This gave us assurance that he was dedicated to providing the best pictures possible. As always, both Sebastian and Dominika were very complimentary throughout the day and shared in our joy the whole day. It was as if they were another set of friends, just with a camera.
We are itching for an excuse to shoot with them again. I would recommend them over and over.

Wedding — August 2014, 160 people, Chicago
If you are reading this review BOOK THEM. Sebastian and Dominika are amazing and priced exceptionally well. In addition to an artistic eye, they really listened to what we were looking for instead of dictating what we should do. I wish that I could give more than five stars.

In awe. Forever grateful. Stunning work.
Help me find the words! While writing a review seems simple, I still find myself speechless and in awe of the moments captured by Rotarski Photography. Truly.
We are forever grateful for Sebastian and Dominika Rotarski. Because of them, we are able to relive the emotion, love and joy of our wedding day.
Their work is stunning. In the field of photojournalism, they are artists of their craft.

Wedding-​October 2013 (Farm wedding-​90 people) outside ceremony/​inside reception
Sebastian and Dominka are the the best! Sebastian has an excellent eye for detail. They were both very professional and so friendly, it was like they were a part of the family. They did a great job getting to know us and within no time at all they had a great sense of who we were and did an absolutely amazing job of capturing every moment of what made our day so special. Sebastian and Dominka were by far the best vendor we had. We did not have a wedding planner and did a lot of the vendor searching on our own, we are so thankful we found Sebastian as he was excellent about keeping us informed and reaching out to us. This is not a vendor you feel like you have to chase around. He is excellent about checking in with you which relives a lot of stress. I would recommend this dynamic duo to anyone and can not say enough of how happy we are with both their work and their personalities. One hundred times over, thank you Sebastian and Dominika!!!