My wedding photography style embraces natural, authentic moments that tell the story of your wedding day. Having a documentary style means I look to capture those fleeting candid moments between you and your loved ones. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sonya photographs weddings throughout California, including the Napa and Sonoma Wine Country region, Lake Tahoe, and Santa Cruz, and destinations.
Contact Sonya if you would like photos to celebrate your engagement, document your family, or have some fresh portraits for your business. Sonya is a true artist. Although she is capable of doing the standard wedding photo shots (bride's family, groom's family, etc.), I wanted to work with a photographer who could capture the life and the spirit of my wedding day.
Contact Sonya if you would like photos to celebrate your engagement, document your family, or have some fresh portraits for your business. Sonya is a true artist. Although she is capable of doing the standard wedding photo shots (bride's family, groom's family, etc.), I wanted to work with a photographer who could capture the life and the spirit of my wedding day.
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With a photojournalistic style and 15 years of professional photography experience, my passion is capturing authentic moments, finding beautiful light, vibrant colors, and creating images that tell your story. I work in digital but also love the art of film photography.
My approach to wedding and portrait photography is simple; the day of the wedding is about two people coming together to celebrate their marriage with loved ones, and portraits are about connection and trust.My goal is to have your photographs remind you of how you felt that day and bring back lots of those small and meaningful moments.
My approach to wedding and portrait photography is simple; the day of the wedding is about two people coming together to celebrate their marriage with loved ones, and portraits are about connection and trust.My goal is to have your photographs remind you of how you felt that day and bring back lots of those small and meaningful moments.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sonya travels to weddings in the Bay, Wine Country, Lake Tahoe, and your destination wedding. Capturing and creating photos throughout your wedding day engages different styles of photography that I have learned and developed over the years. My style is a blend of traditional/classic, photojournalistic, and modern.
A vintage style train ticket invitation suite for this Oakland 16th Street Station wedding. Finished with getting ready, the bride and groom are all smiles after their "First Look" in their home in San Francisco. The bride takes a moment to enjoy the lounge furniture at her 16th Street Station, Orient Express themed wedding in Oakland.
A bride and groom share a kiss in Walnut Creek. The couple wed at Scott's Restaurant, and we took bridal party photos at a nearby regional park. Surrounded by lush green foliage and midcentury architecture, these newly weds embrace at the Marin Civic Center, just after getting married. An elopement at the Marin Civic Center, the couple rides the escalator up this Frank Lloyd Wright midcentury modern building.
Reviews (25)
Alicia Garcia-Romero
Apr 16, 2021
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Sonya has the perfect mix of insane talent mixed with kindness and an easy demeanor that make having her as a photographer so special. She made us feel so comfortable that our smiles and gestures for the camera were easy and real. She was creative with her shots, making every place feel interesting. She is incredibly responsive, timely, professional, an all star photographer in all facets of the experience. We worked with Sonya for our engagement photos and then chose her again for our wedding. We wouldn't have trusted anyone more for these once in a lifetime occasions. She is who I refer everyone
Elsa S.
Apr 05, 2021
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Sonya has magic in her photography! If I were to describe it in three words: authentic, playful, intimate. Sonya did both of our maternity and newborn photo sessions. My husband and I literally couldn't stop smiling when we look at our photos. We love the way she created the space for us to relax and be ourselves. Both photo sessions felt so intimate. These photos represent so authentically this avalanche of love that we feel towards our baby. We couldn't describe this feeling in words, and yet Sonya captured it in pictures. We're so grateful Sonya helped us create memories for such a big milestone
Joanna Parker
Jan 28, 2021
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Sonya, photographed my maternity session and my newborn baby session. The pictures from both sessions turned out WONDERFUL…..better than I imagined they could! The maternity session was tricky because it was on the beach in San Francisco with our hyper golden retriever and lots of people around. She picked all the best views and made the wind and waves part of the livelihood of the photos. I will treasure my maternity photos forever. The newborn session was tricky because, well there was a newborn! Again, she went above and beyond…. She truly captured the soul and spirit of our little guy.
Noah Flower
Oct 18, 2020
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Tiffany I.
May 16, 2020
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Sonya was truly a pleasure to work with and we are extremely glad we went with her over all the other photographers out there. We were first interested in her when we saw her online portfolio and liked her style. Afterwards, we met her in-person to ask questions and go over the whole process. Sonya was extremely pleasant to talk to with her warm and professional demeanor. She answered all our questions and went over the contract with us in great detail.
After deciding to go with her, Sonya reached out to set an engagement shoot date. The engagement shoot went smoothly and Sonya never rushed us
After deciding to go with her, Sonya reached out to set an engagement shoot date. The engagement shoot went smoothly and Sonya never rushed us
Donna L.
Dec 23, 2019
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It was so wonderful to have the opportunity to work with Sonya. From the beginning of reaching out to her to receiving the photos, Sonya has been responsive and professional. I cannot recommend her enough! She was able to not only capture the city hall ceremony and pictures with our guests, but also stunning couples photos at city hall. Thanks Sonya!
Alex Porter
Dec 06, 2019
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Recreating intimate moments that typically don't have three people isn't easy, but Sonya's ability to work with us was a breeze. While she knows what she's doing, she also lets the experience play out naturally so that my fiancee and I still felt as if this was our day. The pictures that she delivered are really great, and we highly recommend her.
Madeleine Storelli
Oct 29, 2019
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Sonya took our engagement photos and we were blown away with the final results!! The pictures are stunning and she made the whole experience an enjoyable one. Sonya is super friendly, accommodating, and she made us feel very comfortable while being photographed. She is very easy to get a hold of and we received the final pictures quickly.
Highly recommend for any photography needs!
Highly recommend for any photography needs!
Doreeteebee Toft Bleich
Oct 20, 2019
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Sonya has been shooting our family photos since 2011. She is an amazing find and talent. She shows up with a great attitude that is equaled with a great eye. I have never felt rushed or hurried - on the contrary, it is always about taking our time to get the best shot. She comes prepared with great ideas and is also open to any new ones. She is a marvelous photographer, our life has been gloriously documented, thanks to Sonya Yruel. Can't recommend highly enough...
Amy Fukuizumi
Jun 18, 2019
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Faten K.
Aug 16, 2018
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Sonya is the best. I have been working with her for a few years now. I recently hired her for my wedding in August. The pictures are so beautiful they exceeded my expectations. She knows how to capture those special moments. I even had her make me an album and it's something that I will cherish forever. I would definitely recommend Sonya for any special event. Especially if you are a picky girl like me. Thank you for making my wedding so memorable
Catherine Nguyen
Jul 06, 2018
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Sonya is a very talented and wonderful wedding photographer. She shot both our City Hall wedding and then our big wedding two years later in Monte Rio. I’m a little camera shy, but she made me feel so comfortable, I just enjoyed both days instead of worrying about how I looked or how the photos would turn out. She is the ultimate professional and is always striving to get unique and beautiful photos for her clients. We absolutely love our photos from both events and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a great wedding or portrait photographer.
Dayna P.
Jun 04, 2018
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Sonya was really great as our engagement and wedding photographer. She came recommended by our reception venue Mavericks Event Center because her previous work at the venue was featured in a magazine! Sonya was very prompt with communication and closely kept track of our day-of timeline and shot lists. We are so happy with our wedding photos by Sonya and will cherish them forever. I think her photos speak for themselves better than I could. We really feel she captured our emotions that day and the true beauty of the locations.
Karen Merino
May 08, 2017
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Sonya has photographed 2 of my friends weddings and the photos were BEAUTIFUL!! The photos really capture the intimate moments of a wedding. I was SO crushed that she wasn't available the weekend of my wedding. However she was the first person I thought of for our newborn photos! And I just love love LOVE our photos.
As a first time mom with a newborn I was so nervous and not sure what to expect. Feeding time, crying and bathroom breaks were totally unpredictable. Sonya was so patient and made me feel comfortable throughout the shoot. We took some standard newborn pics which turned out great
As a first time mom with a newborn I was so nervous and not sure what to expect. Feeding time, crying and bathroom breaks were totally unpredictable. Sonya was so patient and made me feel comfortable throughout the shoot. We took some standard newborn pics which turned out great
Goober M.
Jan 24, 2017
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She really got us, our theme and captured the day with 1000 great photos. She touched up our blemishes in post and mixed up her lenses for the mood. Her ability to wrangle our family my was impressive, it may be her brilliant smile. Look at her work and you'll know, she is the goods. Also, it's not often someone perfectly mesh being sweet and a pro. Thank you, Sonya. Our wedding album made us feel like movies stars for the day.
Francisco C.
Jun 06, 2016
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Sonya's photos of our wedding perfectly captured every moment of the day. She has an eye for occasion, composition, and lighting. We could not be happier with the photos that she captured. Part of our package included a slideshow, and Sonya set the slideshow to our processional songs and to our first dance song. The result is both touching and magical. Sonya is easy to work with, flexible, and reliable. My husband and I give Sonya the highest recommendation possible. If we could give more than 5 stars, we would.
Ariana R.
Feb 27, 2016
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Sonya is a true artist. Although she is capable of doing the standard wedding photo shots (bride's family, groom's family, etc.), I wanted to work with a photographer who could capture the life and the spirit of my wedding day. She has the talent you hope for in a photographer: someone who knows the exact right time, angle, light, exposure... Before she even took my photos, I looked through her portfolio and could see she had this talent. It's a rare photographer who can capture spirit and dimension. On top of that, she's a technical pro, and all of her photos look super
Matthew O.
Mar 19, 2015
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To put it simply (and if you don't want to read an entire review), Sonya Yruel is easy as can be to work with and delivers amazing photographs at very competitive prices.
A friend recommended Sonya to us and we could not have been happier. We started by having her do our engagement photos and they were so well done we had her shoot our rehearsal dinner and our wedding. My words won't do justice to her photographs so I recommend you look at her website as her work definitely speaks for itself.
The photos aside, I really just enjoyed working with Sonya. Honestly, I don't like taking
A friend recommended Sonya to us and we could not have been happier. We started by having her do our engagement photos and they were so well done we had her shoot our rehearsal dinner and our wedding. My words won't do justice to her photographs so I recommend you look at her website as her work definitely speaks for itself.
The photos aside, I really just enjoyed working with Sonya. Honestly, I don't like taking
Julie P.
Mar 12, 2015
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Sonya photographed my daughter's baptism and did an amazing job! She really captured the event so well, I was very pleased. She was well prepared and asked me in advance what types of shots i'd like and who specifically, so she really understood exactly what I was looking to have. I love her work and will definitely use her again!
J. M.
Sep 04, 2014
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We could not have had a better photographer for our engagement and wedding photos. We met with Sonya and went over our thoughts for engagement photos (we didn't have much to go on) and she suggested great ideas for our day. She spent so much time with us making sure to get great shots in the city. We cherish those photos now and always will.
For our wedding she was even better - we are still going over the wonderful shots she took - so many have been blown up and printed out and framed by family and loved ones because there are so many great shots. We got so much more than the usual
For our wedding she was even better - we are still going over the wonderful shots she took - so many have been blown up and printed out and framed by family and loved ones because there are so many great shots. We got so much more than the usual
Shannon B.
Aug 20, 2013
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Sonya is all kinds of awesome! My husband and I found her photo blog after some online searches and loved her beautiful wedding candid shots. We emailed her for a quote and immediately got a response. Her price was very reasonable, considering the quality and quantity of shots she offered in her wedding packages.
One thing that I did not expect in hiring Sonya was how helpful she would be in our planning process. She had been to our venue before, and so we bugged her with a few questions somewhat unrelated to photography. She provided great suggestions that we ultimately followed.
Sonya is professional
One thing that I did not expect in hiring Sonya was how helpful she would be in our planning process. She had been to our venue before, and so we bugged her with a few questions somewhat unrelated to photography. She provided great suggestions that we ultimately followed.
Sonya is professional
Cat N.
Nov 23, 2011
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Sonya is an amazing person and wonderful photographer. As a photographer myself, I knew I wanted someone whose work I admire and Sonya definitely fits the bill. She is professional, sensitive, and creative. She makes you feel completely at ease so you can focus on just having fun and enjoying your wedding day instead of worrying about how the pictures will look. I am even happier with the images than I thought I would be! Thank you so much - it means a lot to be able to share such beautiful images with our family and friends who weren't able to show up on such short notice. Thanks!
Simeon P.
Sep 24, 2010
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Choosing a photographer to capture those special moments in your life is never easy. Fortunately I was referred to Sonya by one of my good friends and my wife and I had an engagement session with her. She was extremely pleasant to work with from the first moment we spoke on the phone. She gave us numerous location ideas based on the information we gave her which made the process that much easier for us. On the day of the shoot, we were super nervous and a little uncomfortable but it only lasted a few minutes as Sonya calmed us down and made us feel completely at ease with everything. I think
Tira F.
Aug 11, 2010
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Wow, I'm so happy a friend of mine referred us to Sonya. We hired her to take new photos of the spa and our services, and we couldn't be happier. From our first conversation over the phone, to the email communication, the initial walk through, the photo shoot, photo reviews, and the final product, Sonya is a true professional.
Sonya asked all the right questions. She was flexible when the models were late/unavailable/etc. (as models sometimes are). She was prepared for different scenarios and was able to adjust accordingly. All the photo shoots went smoothly, and of course, the
Sonya asked all the right questions. She was flexible when the models were late/unavailable/etc. (as models sometimes are). She was prepared for different scenarios and was able to adjust accordingly. All the photo shoots went smoothly, and of course, the
Jonathan H.
Jun 09, 2009
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Sonya is an outstanding photographer - I've worked with many over the years and she really stands out. I've used her for in-studio shots of merchandise and for outdoor events, I only have outstanding things to say about both. What's great about her...
- professional, but light-hearted and fun
- has a natural gift of seeing great shots and angles
- truly passionate about photography, she works knowing that she must put her name to her work... it truly shows
- professional, but light-hearted and fun
- has a natural gift of seeing great shots and angles
- truly passionate about photography, she works knowing that she must put her name to her work... it truly shows
