Julia Mina Photography

Mayra Pena _{on Google}

Jun 10th, 2023

Review
Julia is absolutely incredible! If you have any doubts about hiring her, toss them out the window because she will surpass all your expectations. Not only is she talented and professional, but she's also kind, funny, and artistic. I had to reschedule my elopement due to health issues, and Julia was incredibly understanding and accommodating. She went above and beyond to ensure everything worked out smoothly. We had FaceTime meetings where we created a detailed game plan for the day, and she was an excellent communicator throughout the process.
Julia is a true master of her craft. She knows the locations like the back of her hand and is always ready to offer ideas for beautiful locations and poses. In the days leading up to the big day, Julia kept us informed about the weather, what to expect, and even shared packing tips. She leverages technology to deliver messages and timelines in a way that is easy and intuitive to use. With Julia, you'll never feel out of the loop or caught off guard.
On the day of the shoot, Julia let us know when she was on her way and arrived punctually. After introductions, she immediately sprang into action. It was amazing to witness her at work, as she was bursting with creative ideas that she executed flawlessly. She effortlessly adjusted the lighting and arranged the environment to bring out the best in our photos. Her attention to detail was remarkable as she carefully posed our rings, clothing, and us, ensuring that every shot looked incredible. Julia doesn't simply ask you to stand there and smile; she ensures that the photo will be amazing and removes any distractions from the frame. Beyond her expertise, Julia is a wonderful human being. She's easy to talk to, cracks jokes, and genuinely cares. I felt a genuine connection with her, which translated into stunning photos because I felt completely at ease being photographed by her.
When we traveled to Yosemite, Julia made sure we knew where we were going. Once we reached the park, she confidently led the way and even came up with spontaneous ideas to enhance the experience. She prioritized our safety and comfort during the hike and was fantastic company throughout.
The best thing about Julia is her artistic vision. She transforms what's in front of her into pure art. She provided clear and enjoyable instructions to bring her creative visions to life and capture perfect photos. Some of our favorite pictures were ideas that originated from her. Additionally, she excels at capturing a couple's unique personality and is open to any ideas you might have. Whenever I asked, "Can we take a picture like this?" her response was always a cheerful "Of course!" followed by instructions to help us capture it beautifully. The entire day felt like a fun-filled date that we wished would never end. We were a bit sad (despite being exhausted) when it was over.
Just recently, we received our sneak peeks (right on time), and they are absolutely AMAZING! We can't wait to see the entire album. Julia captured every moment perfectly. Choosing which pictures to hang up is proving to be a difficult task because they are all incredibly beautiful.
Please, trust me on this, and hire Julia. You won't be disappointed. She truly is the friendly expert .

Adelia Millan _{on Google}

Jun 5th, 2023

Leading up to my elopement, I was feeling really nervous because the day was forecasted to be rainy. However, Julia reassured me that everything would be fine and kindly agreed to move the scheduled time to earlier. I can't express how amazing my experience with Julia on my elopement day turned out to be; it surpassed all my expectations. She truly made the day even more special. The photos she took perfectly captured the adventurous spirit we had, and we absolutely adore each and every one of them. Without a doubt, I highly recommend Julia to anyone in search of a talented photographer to capture their elopement. Thank you so much, Julia!

Ashley Pipkin-Jones _{on Google}

Mar 7th, 2023

We had a wonderful experience with Julia. Coming from Texas but wanting to get married on one of the western national parks, she suggested several locations along with pros and cons. She helped us find an officiant, hair and makeup artist, etc.
On the day of, she was energetic but relaxed and very fun to have around. She was patient with our changing plans (we needed to warm up before going to the second location).
Her photos from the elopement were incredible. Both the Redwood and beach location photos were stunning and she did a great job catching the small, sentimental stuff. I highly recommend her for anyone interested in eloping.

Dona Baybin _{on Google}

Nov 6th, 2022

It was such a pleasure working with Julia up to and on our special day. We first booked her to photograph our elopement in 2021, but like so many others, we had to prepone the ceremony. Luckily, Julia was available on our anniversary date, and we decided to have a vow renewal ceremony.
Booking with her was the best decision we made. She provided invaluable help planning our vow renewal day. She's seriously the sweetest. She made it so much fun for us. She listened to what we were looking for, was very open to ideas. She helped us pick the locations for the pictures and made the whole process super easy.
We did not meet her face-to-face until the morning of our special day, and immediately we felt like we had known her for years. We barely even noticed we were having a photoshoot. We were just having fun! She is a delight to work with and so fun to be around. The day went smoothly and she made us feel comfortable and natural. We had an amazing day!
The turnaround time for sneak peek photos was very quick. Our pictures are all amazing, and we love how she authentically captured the joy of our day. We are in love with every single shot. We are obsessed!
If you are searching for the best elopement/ vow renewal photographer who is kind, talented, and easy to work with, she's your girl. If you want a photographer who cares about you, about documenting your day in a thoughtful way, you cannot go wrong with Julia. She is one of a kind, and you would be lucky to work with her to capture your love story. We're so happy we found Julia, and you will be too!

Morgan Milburn _{on Google}

Aug 12th, 2022

I cannot sing Julia's praises enough!
Wedding planning is incredibly stressful. It feels like you are being pulled in every direction. You want everything to be perfect, ensure everyone has an amazing time and for it to be so memorable for others that you loose sight of the fact that you are choosing to join your life with your favorite human.
This is why we chose to elope just the two of us (with an amazing photographer, Julia) and have a casual reception with friends and family after. I found Julia through Instagram, I told her the vibe I was looking for and that we wanted to be in Northern California and she did the rest! My partner and I had never been to that side of the country so we had no idea where to start. Julia sent us a breakdown of a bunch of places which included shots that she has taken in the past, details about bathrooms, parking, likelihood of people, and so many things I would have never thought of! She broke down how long of a hike it would take for certain places so you could determine how adventurous you were feeling. Once we chose a place, she sent us lodging and restaurant recommendations. She thought of everything! She is not just a photographer but a coordinator too!
The day of was so easy and fun! I wasn't sure how my husband would feel taking pictures and being in front of a camera for hours but Julia made it so easy and comfortable. The day blew by and was so incredibly magical. Best of all, I wasn't stressed at all! Julia guided us but we never felt overly directed or rushed. Our vows were so much more powerful since they were just for us!
There are lot's of reasons to elope, it's less expensive, it makes for a great story/ adventure, it is just for the two of you so you can make it however you want. Julia's work speaks for itself, it's gorgeous and all of her couples look natural and beautiful. What her portfolio doesn't show is how easy she is to work with, how quickly you get your sneak peeks and most importantly all the work she does coordinating all the other aspects.
Hiring Julia was the best decision we could have made!