The first thing we noticed about new APW sponsor Justin Kunimoto Photography was whoa: This guy is incredibly talented. The second thing? His clients really, really love working with him. And then Justin said this, and we immediately knew why:
I think for me as a business, as a person, as a photographer, I want to provide the best customer service to my couple. I consistently hear from past couples, “We liked you as a person; your photos are beautiful, you’re passionate, and your work ethic is amazing, but at the end of the day, you really cared about us and paid attention to every detail of our wedding so it could go smoothly.” I really believe that is key in this industry.
That kind of ethos is what APW is all about, and so we are so excited to introduce Justin Kunimoto to you guys. While he’s based in DC-Maryland-Virginia (with rates beginning at $500 for elopements and $3,300 for weddings), Justin will travel anywhere (and everywhere) for your wedding day… and apparently he’s got better moves than Mick Jagger.
Justin Kunimoto is so loved by his clients that we decided to let them speak for themselves. Guys, I’m not sure it gets much better than this:
We are so happy that we picked Justin to be our destination wedding photographer. Justin was flexible in working with our schedule and our ideas for the wedding, so much so that although he already had a scheduled wedding event on a Saturday, he was willing to take the earliest flight out on Sunday morning to make it in time for our Sunday wedding (ridiculous, and amazing!). Even more so, he made contingency plans in case his flight was delayed and worked with us on the budget to ensure we would be firing on all cylinders come wedding day, with or without him. Luckily, he was released from that obligation later on and we had no issues at all. But the fact that he was trying to find a way for it to work for us left a deep and lasting impression on us.
In Hawaii, Justin joined us for several other events and activities that he did not need to come and photograph. He took time out of his trip to Hawaii to join us and take awesome photos, even going on a ridiculous hike with us! On the day of the wedding, he followed our wedding timeline and was where he needed to be, when he needed to be there.
Don’t let his nice-guy demeanor fool you—he’s got moves like Mick Jagger and will tear up that dance floor if you so desire. We are happy to consider him more than just our wedding photographer, but a great dancer, an adventurer, and someone we can call a friend.
And this:
Justin worked with the videographers on-site to capture all aspects of the preparation, from my garments and accessories to the traditional Kenyan hymn performance occurring in my living room as the bridesmaids and I got dressed upstairs. At the ceremony, photo site, and reception, he carefully planned his shots with the videographers to assure that all bases were covered.
Overall, I must say that Justin far exceeded our expectations for wedding photography. Coming from a meticulous customer like myself, I must say that’s a pretty big deal. I would recommend Justin to anyone seeking a good photographer, and I will be calling Justin for all my future events requiring professional photography.
Aaaaaaaaaand this:
Since hiring Justin to photograph that magical evening when I proposed to my (now) wife, he’s been our guy. First and foremost, Justin is the consummate professional. If you need him at 1 p.m., guaranteed he’ll be at your designated site at 12 p.m., taking pics of the surrounding architecture and scouting great locations for picturesque group photos so you can roll through those quickly. Second, he’s got a plethora of photography styles. I’d say his signature style could be called “modern romance” because it looks/feels like a high-end fragrance advertisement (hard to describe, but check out his website; that’s what sold me to begin with). He can also shoot those uber-chic, magazine-quality shots. I’m not a photogenic man, but Justin made me look like one. And since he comes from a photojournalism background, I’d say that he crafts his photos to tell a story. For our wedding we didn’t coach him or anything. We just gave him a list of obligatory groupings (bride-groom, bride-bridesmaids, groom-groomsmen, parents, etc.). But throughout the night he took pics that told the story of the night. They weren’t just “smile for the camera” poses.
Third, I think Justin’s best quality is that he’s a true romantic, and it clearly shows in his photography. His style, his attention to the details of the day, and his care for the couple all come to bear in how he executes his craft. My experience on the wedding day was pretty easy-breezy. All I had to do was get dressed and smile for the camera. So my “getting ready” photos with Justin went really smoothly. My wife, on the other hand, had a lot of chaos going on in her suite with an entourage of bridesmaids and others, so she was understandably on edge when Justin came to take her pictures. From my wife’s account, when Justin went to take their in-room pics, he not only was photographer, but he was also substitute bridesmaid, carrying her purse and shoes and whatever else he needed to in order to help. Despite the distraction, he still managed to take plenty of pictures that morning and throughout the day and night (1200+).
Finally, Justin is like family. His humility, patience, and easy-going personality will put anyone at ease when working with him. He’s a pleasure to be around, be it the wedding day or anytime. And yes, he can Whip and Nae Nae too!
You already love him, right? Well, y’all, it’s about to get even sweeter. When it comes to wedding packages and rates, Justin has created four client-friendly scenarios—and we’re pretty sure one of them is bound to be what you’re looking for:
elopements/small events: $500 per hour
- Photography service
- USB of full-size images
- Printing rights
- Password-protected online gallery
8-hour wedding coverage: $3,300
- 8 hours of coverage
- USB of full-size images
- Printing rights
- Password-protected online gallery
full-day wedding coverage: $3,700
- Full day of photography
- USB of full-size images
- Printing rights
- Password-protected online gallery
Full-day wedding coverage with perks: $4,500
- Full day of photography
- USB of full-size images
- Printing rights
- Password-protected online gallery
- 40-page 10×10 album (fabric or leather)
Justin also offers standalone engagement sessions, which begin at $500. While there is no time limit on the session, most last about an hour and a half. You’ll also receive a USB of the full-size images, printing rights, and a password-protected gallery.
When you get down to it, it comes to this: More than anything, Justin Kunimoto wants to hear your story. He wants to know about your passions, your ideas, and your bucket list. He wants to know all about your wedding plans, and then he wants to photograph them in all their glory. And you know what? I’m pretty sure he’ll do exactly that.
are you totally in love? CHECK OUT more of Justin’s work here and get in touch with him TO CAPTURE your OWN wedding MAGIC!
