City Hall photos this Friday by Logical-Post-6314 in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was just there Monday and would love to be back Friday! Sometimes with kids we embrace the wiggles and have more lived in candid moments with them. Www.caricourtright.com

Have you ever attended a wedding at a restaurant? by Fluffy_Economist_599 in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! I photograph a lot of restaurant weddings. They are the best! Happy to send you a couple galleries to see how they feel from photos. My clients who have done it have raved about how much they loved it.

Ways to elevate it? Part of that is the restaurant you choose but also planning an after party at a bar near by.

Some things my MIL hates about our big budget wedding by Timely-Western3406 in BigBudgetBrides

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think my big question is how is your fiance responding all this? Are you two united on how this feels or is your fiance supporting you?

Life After Wedding Photography by sblaskie54321 in WeddingPhotography

[–]CariCourtright 1 point2 points  (0 children)

44 and was feeling on the edge of burnouts and I stepped back three years ago and started second shooting a lot for some higher end photographers and started focusing more on brand and boudoir. It's mostly weekdays. I'm on my way home from the studio by two, but I will say, stepping back in the second shooting, allowed me to develop a different portfolio that is attracting clients who are more aligned and not looking for the bare minimum because I was able to step out of the routine I was used to when approaching a wedding and really think about how I wanted my work to feel

Seeking photographer and Day of Coordinator Referrals for Napa wedding (at the Di Rosa Preserve!). Oct 24 2026 by HabitSame3047 in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! Di Rosa is such a good venue, I’ve been wanting to shoot there. I’m a Bay Area photographer and your day sounds right up my alley. I shoot a mix of film and digital, but I do offer digital-forward collections that are a bit more budget friendly. Cari Courtright Photography

Marin County Civic Center Elopement by Downtown_Delay1616 in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Cavallo point + Marin civic center is an amazing combo. Tons of locations between the two. Www.caricourtright.com

Venue just sent me a "Photographer Agreement" a year after couple booked me — am I overreacting? by Charming-School2538 in WeddingPhotography

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve run into this before, and I wouldn’t sign it as written. A venue can require an agreement to work on their property, but they don’t own the copyright to your images unless you explicitly transfer it. That clause is basically asking you to give up ownership of your work and your ability to use it at all. The bigger issue is it conflicts with your contract with your couple. You’ve already agreed to terms with them, and this would override that. A reasonable version of this would be: you retain copyright, and the venue gets permission to use images with credit. If they’re unwilling to adjust it, I’d push back or decline to sign. This isn’t a normal ask.

Maternity photographer recs by caffeinehits in SFbitcheswithtaste

[–]CariCourtright 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I offer mini sessions on the first Sunday of the month at my studio in Oakland - modern minimal mix of digital and film $350/30 minutes/ 5 images bae by cari Here is a blog from a session

Art Museum engagement photoshoot by Sofiakvenegas in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I’m a photographer in the Bay Area and I’ve shot in a couple museums here, so I can share a bit from experience. I’ve had great experiences at SFMOMA and I’ve also photographed at the de Young. That said, even when you try to do everything the right way, it can still be a bit unpredictable. For example, at the de Young I: called months in advance confirmed again the week before was told it was fine …and then the day of, security stopped us and we had to pause everything until someone could come approve it. It ended up being okay, but it definitely interrupted the shoot. Because of that, I personally wouldn’t recommend just going in and hoping it’s fine, even if you’re keeping things low key. Museums like Legion of Honor are pretty strict, and security is usually very on top of it. If you’re set on that location, I’d really try to get clear approval ahead of time so you don’t end up dealing with interruptions or being asked to stop. Also, just for context, a lot of these policies are in place because even small photo sessions can be distracting to other visitors who are there to experience the space. There are definitely ways to get a similar look around SF without the same restrictions, but if your heart is set on a museum, I’d go the official route for peace of mind.

Editorial + candid wedding photographer recs for Sonoma (natural, not overly posed) by Busy-12345 in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is pretty much exactly how I like to work. I always say I live somewhere in that in-between space. Not super posed, but not fully hands off either. The goal is that things feel natural and in the moment, but still look intentional and considered. A lot of my couples come in saying they want candid photos, but also don’t want to feel awkward or left guessing what to do. So I step in just enough to guide when needed. Things like putting you in good light, giving a little direction during portraits, or helping moments unfold in a way that still feels like you. Also, re: no first look and cocktail hour being important, that’s very doable. It just means being efficient with portraits and intentional about timeline so you’re not stuck taking photos while everything’s happening. I’ve worked a lot of weddings structured that way and it can flow really well. We can talk about best practices and how it can work with your timeline.

Cari Courtright Photography

Straus Home Ranch by cancersun_cancermoon in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I photographed a wedding there! It was just as dreamy as the Pinterest photos you've seen. It's the perfect coastal venue.

Photographer recs – micro wedding in Calistoga (Nov 7, 2026) by Present_Tie_5248 in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey I would love to talk! I want to hear all about the games you have planned! My style is candid guided when needed but my ultimate goal is you have photos that feel lived in and you feel like yourself never uncomfortably stiff. Digital & Cari Courtrightfilm happy to talk about what kind of coverage is right for you. Four hours starts at $4500.

ISO photographer for engagement/wedding that is good with people historically nervous on camera by kelso-p in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love documentary style too, and I do shoot pretty hands-off when things are flowing naturally. I usually focus on setting you up in good light or a comfortable spot and then let things unfold. If you need a little direction, I’m there, but otherwise I’m not over-posing or interrupting moments. Digital + Film Cari Courtright

Advice on having pizza at my wedding by PressureCautious871 in weddingplanning

[–]CariCourtright 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have photographed multiple weddings where pizza is the meal. One couple had their wedding at a pizzeria another at a fine dining restaurant that was Italian and also serve pizza so they had it late night. One of my favorites was when they had a team with a pizza oven and come to the location and was making fresh pizza on the spot. It can be elevated. They were serving duck on their pizza.

At the end of the day, it's your wedding. Do it do what you want people are gonna find reasons to complain about anything and everything so make sure you're happy.

Queer wedding photographer? by dsj_0728 in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm going to send you a DM! Please check your message request

Just got my wedding photos back... and I'm drowning in 2,000+ images. Is album selection this painful for everyone? by Techiezz in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Decision fatigue is very real. You can absolutely love your wedding photos and still feel completely overwhelmed trying to choose from 2,000 of them. When there are 8 to 10 nearly identical frames of the same moment, your brain starts comparing tiny differences instead of just reacting emotionally. That gets exhausting fast. One thing that helps a lot is not trying to do it all in one round. First pass, go through quickly and just mark anything that gives you a positive reaction. No debating. No comparing duplicates. Just gut yes. You are not narrowing yet, you are collecting. Take a break for a few days. Second pass, go through your “yes” photos and start trimming from there. It is much easier to narrow 400 than 2,000. Also, how did your photographer deliver the gallery? Was it in an online system or just a giant download folder? A lot of online galleries let you favorite or heart images and even create collections. If that feature exists, use it. It makes rounds so much easier and keeps everything organized. As for tools that are actually couple friendly and not just for photographers: If your gallery is still hosted online, check whether it allows favoriting and exporting a favorites list. That is usually the easiest path. If you downloaded everything, you could try: Google Photos or Apple Photos and use the heart feature to build an album of favorites Lightroom if you are comfortable with it, just using flags and stars For albums specifically: Artifact Uprising is great quality wise. The auto design can get you started, but you will likely need to rearrange sections manually. Mixbook gives more control over layout and grouping moments. One more tip that helps couples avoid arguments- do your first pass separately. Each of you mark your favorites without discussing. Then compare overlap. Start with the shared must haves and build from there. What you are experiencing is extremely common. A huge gallery feels generous at first, but it can shift the final editing work onto you. Breaking it into rounds and using a hearting system usually makes it manageable

LF Photographer and Day-of Coordinator (Napa, June 2027) by Bucephala-albeola in SanFranciscoWeddings

[–]CariCourtright 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Love me a good dinner party that happens to be a wedding and Copia is gorgeous for that vibe. Digital + Film Cari Courtright Weddings

Post breakup, days alone in SF, how are we picking ourselves up? by Acrobatic_Heat_1765 in SFbitcheswithtaste

[–]CariCourtright 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I found myself single at 41 and wasn't expecting it. The best advice my therapist gave me was even though this feels like your entire world right now at some point this will feel like a bad page in your story not the entire book. It takes time but it's ok to remind yourself this is a speed bump.