Dave Donovan Photography

We’ve now been married for a few months and I am so grateful to be able to pore over beautiful, priceless pictures from that special day that Dave captured for my husband and me. We hired Dave for our wedding and an engagement shoot. He’s an amazing photographer with a keen eye. I loved the naturalness of our photos that made them feel genuine and not overdone, especially the candids at our wedding. I really appreciated his manner: he was responsive to all of our questions in a timely way and on top of deadlines and planning which eased our burden at having to manage many details. He was also adept at working with my husband’s evident dislike of being photographed in a it’s-not-a-big-deal way and he was kind, warm, and funny. We had a backyard wedding at our home and Dave was also great in helping me think about the particulars of photographing in that setting and was clearly comfortable navigating a, perhaps, less typical setting as well as being responsive to our unique needs and situation. I can’t recommend him highly enough.

Dave is the definition of an artist, need I say more? Amazing eye for detail and those special moments. His use of lighting is definitely one of the best for wedding photographers. He also knows how to make you relax when you’re super stressed!

I have used Unilocal for really long time but this is my FIRST review on Unilocal.I guess I had never felt the burning desire to write a review till my husband and I found Dave:) Dave is our Engagement & Wedding photographer. He went way above and beyond our expectation for a photographer.
When I found Dave on wedding wire, I really liked his portfolio and was really surprised by his reasonable prices. Brides-​to-​be and grooms-​to-​be, if you are reading my review now, RUN, DON’T WALK, before Dave gets booked out.
After our engagement session with Dave, we already knew we were in good hands. Dave is super fun, easy going, dedicated and professional. He made us feel at ease and provided us with a little bit of coaching, and I’m so glad he did! He also managed to send us our best engagement pictures in 3 days because I told him we needed some nice pictures for the slideshow at our wedding reception.
During the whole wedding planning process, I always got quick replies from Dave whenever I had questions. Just by reading his wedding questionnaire, I know I don’t need to worry about missing any details on our wedding day. Dave also took time to check on us when we were two weeks and one week before our wedding and worked with us to finalize the timeline.
On our wedding day, everything went smoothly. Dave did a fantastic job! He never got in the way or in our faces, and yet he took some of the most incredible, up-​close and intimate pictures I’ve ever seen. He was like having another great friend at the wedding and who managed to capture every moment with even more beauty that you thought possible. His photos came out absolutely beautifully and we could all not be happier. All my guests, friends and coworkers were amazed by my wedding pictures.
My husband and I felt so blessed to have Dave as our Engagement& Wedding photographer! Thank you, Dave!

I had a chance to work with Super Dave the Photographer over at Kirigan Cellars in Gilroy. He was easy to talk too and was on point with getting his pictures at the right time. I know because I was one of those guys following him and taking pictures from just behind him. I hope to work with again.

Dave is amazing. He did my engagement shoot and wedding and was above and beyond our expectation for a photographer. When my fiancé and I originally met with him I was not sure because his prices were so reasonable. Aren’t I suppose to pay and arm and a leg for a photographer? Does price equate with quality?
But we really liked his portfolio and he was super cool during our consultation and we decided to follow through. Boy was that a smart decision. Dave’s prices are extremely fair AND he’s a great photographer!
He met us in Muir Woods for our engagement photoshoot and we had a great time. Dave makes it easy to be comfortable around and made the shoot relaxing and enjoyable. And our pictures turned out awesome! We’ve received an endless amount of compliments to our engagement pictures.
Our wedding was yesterday (yay!) so we don’t have those photos yet but I know and trust Dave did them well.
He worked well with my other vendors and everything went smoothly. Not to mention he was available for meetings, was down to visit our wedding venue with us and was super communicative with us throughout the whole process.
I definitely recommend Dave for your photo needs. He’s awesome!

Dave Donovan is a fantastic photographer I would highly recommend. I do a lot of photo shoots, so I can say with discernment that Dave has an exceptional eye for composition and light. He is good at coaching you into flattering poses and he has a knack for capturing you at your best. Dave is a very friendly and easy going guy that made me feel very relaxed so it helped our pics turn out natural and beautiful. I am so thankful to have shot with him and I would love to work with him again.

I’ve had the pleasure of shooting with Dave as well as assisting him in model shoots, so I know his work and friendly creative demeanor extremely well. I can honestly say that his sessions are fun, easy, and he really knows how to capture the moment. Anybody hiring him won’t regret their choice! I wish I would have known Dave when my daughter got married years ago. He would have been our photographer.

Dave recently photographed for my sister’s wedding, and he did an amazing job! He was professional but personable and super friendly, and his assistant was also great. They were very patient with the bride, and he took notice of very special angles to accentuate my sister’s beauty. The photos came out GREAT. There was a wide variety of shots — he took A TON. A great guy, I definitely recommend. Five stars for his professionalism, skill, and attitude. He’s got an amazing talent — not one to pass up!

I’ve shot with Dave on more than one occasion. Not only did he chose great locations to shoot, he was super fun and easy going. I never once felt uncomfortable or awkward which can be a feat in itself since «your every move is being photographed.» I have recommend him to friends and would myself shoot with with him again.

Dave has such a talent for many types of photography and is the consummate professional! I’ve shot with him multiple times; he’s photographed several of my sporting events, as well as taken prom pictures, and senior portraits of me and my friends. He specializes in weddings and fashion, but has an eye for all different types of photography. He is a very laid-​back, has a great sense of humor, and is overall fun to be around. He takes great pride in his photos, and his passion shows in his work. I highly recommend Dave Donovan Photography.

I have been a professional freelance model for 8 years and have shot with Dave 3 times.
Working with Dave is always such a treat. He has a very keen eye for capturing endearing and authentic emotions and is always able to deliver me high-​quality photos that truly capture what I am feeling.
His turn-​around time is above average. He quickly assesses which photos he’d like to edit and gets to work on them right away.
What I appreciate most about Dave’s shooting style is his ability to effectively capture what is already presented in front of him, yet also, be imaginative enough to suggest alternate posses or more flattering angles when possible. He has never been over-​directive and his interaction has always felt pleasantly enthused.
Professional, very fun, easy-​going attitude, and original. Dave is a go-​to photographer.
He offers keen suggestions and priceless tips on individual shoots and he would be a blessing at events, like weddings. His observance and quick captures of genuine moments are sure to become timeless. There’s no faking genuine emotion and Dave is above-​par in quickly getting them on camera.

What makes a great photographer? The intuitive recognition of the personality of the subject (s). That’s what I think of when considering Dave’s photography work. He has a keen eye, which most photographers do, but he also possesses the ability to photograph the inner workings of the moment.
It’s that ability that takes his work to a much higher level.

Dave just did a photo shoot for me. It was my first photo shoot and I was initially self-​conscious and uncomfortable, but Dave quickly made it fun and easy. He knows just what to say and how to get his subjects to relax and enjoy themselves so their photos turn out great. I highly recommend Dave Donovan Photography.

I participated as a volunteer model for a photo shoot workshop in San Francisco last month and was pleasantly surprised with how Dave’s photos turned out! He has a really unique perspective that sets him apart from other photographers. I remember Dave wanting to try out some different ideas (you want to what!?) that none of the other photographers thought about. As a result, I got some really cool shots that I must say are some of my favorites! Dave was also really great about giving specific instructions about what to do was not afraid of showing me how to pose. As someone who is shy and has little experience posing in front of the camera, I really needed someone to guide me and tell me what to do. Dave did just that. He was friendly and professional and just overall really great to work with!

Dave Donovan is an amazingly talented photographer! He is able to capture life’s special moments in a unique manner and is truly happy to share your occasion with you and your family. After viewing several of his albums, I can honestly say every single shot was beautiful. On a personal level, Dave is very kind, professional and willing to go above and beyond to make sure you’re happy.
Highly recommend!

We could not have asked for a better photographer than Dave for our wedding! He was responsive, flexible, and so friendly. He made everyone feel so comfortable and fit in perfectly with our friends and family, moving seamlessly, catching amazing photos all throughout the day and night.

I have seen Dave firsthand photographing a wedding and the results thereof in which every shot taken built the romance, warmth, fun and endearing moments that unfolded throughout the day– from the bride and groom getting ready, the first look and of course the ceremony and reception; all captured with traditional, yet creative composition that truly relived the events on that day in ways no one person attending could ever have experienced alone.
I recently was photographed by Dave for a creative shoot in which I wanted lifestyle images of me on my motorcycle to capture this time in my life with this hobby and he made the shoot creative and fun by integrating interesting composition and structural elements into the shoot that really made the images pop. His shooting and communication style made me feel confident in myself, which in turn allowed me to relax and throw some great authentic expressions which really made the images complete. Thanks Dave for great images that I will always look back on in life to remind me of some amazing moments in time!

We were very fortunate to have such a great photographer shoot our wedding. Dave was great from the moment we got in touch with him until the end of our wedding. When we had questions, he was always quick to respond, and we had a really good feel for how things would play out on our special day based on our conversations.
When the day came, Dave was awesome. We felt comfortable with him right away, like a friend we have known for years. He made it easy for my wife and I to just enjoy everything while he captured those amazing moments. When it came to family photos after the ceremony, Dave was on top of things, and made the whole process go smooth and efficiently.
Dave was a pleasure to work with, and someone that you can tell really cares about their craft from his amazing shots. He comes highly recommend!

I can’t say enough good things about Dave Donovan, who took our engagement photos, then our wedding photos. He takes all the shots you want and then some. He captures all the juicy moments that you will want to remember always, as well as the subtly of that moment — the emotion, the thought, a little gesture. We keep going back to the photos to revisit our special day.
Also, we really appreciated him for who he was. You do not want to have someone taking photos that you don’t connect with… at least that is how we felt. Dave is a very friendly and warm human being, who would make anyone feel comfortable. I think that is one special thing he has that gives him an advantage over others. All of the pictures he took were very natural and everyone was relaxed looking into the lens. You can tell he loves what he does, is passionate about capturing authentic moments, and is masterful at it!
It is so nice to be able to look back on a special time like a wedding and then have a record of it — confirmation that it was indeed stunningly beautiful.

We are very lucky and grateful that Dave shoot our engagement and wedding pictures. They are all More than I asked for. He is very professional and talented also very easygoing, calm, warm and fun! make my most important day go smooth and ease. Special event picture is very important for our life event and I can say enough great thing about Dave. We have a daughter who I wanted to him take natural pictures, and he is so good with kids as well. He is my life time photographer and anyone who is looking for photographer, he is the one!!! Pls see our wedding pics, you will see the proof how wonderful he is!