“Engagement and wedding photographers aren't usually something you need too many times in a lifetime. Sometimes you aren't sure where to begin or who to book, but you take your chances and hope for the best.
That was me, pre meeting Justin Kunimoto. I found Justin through a google search. His website and portfolio were beautiful. His about me/philosophy page came through as warm and genuine, and I reached out to him via Instagram about an engagement shoot with the DC cherry blossoms.
Justin responded quickly and professionally. Once we had a plan, he sent follow ups about construction and road closures near the tidal basin. He gave us suggestions on where to park and how long it would take to walk over. He arrived early that morning to do a walkthrough of the area. We had also arrived early, but he told us to stay in the car where it's warmer until it was closer to sunrise.
Once we met up with him and were about to get started, I realized I never paid for parking. I tried paying for it on my phone, but naturally, it wasn't working. We didn't have our credit cards on us, so Justin offered to pay in order to save us a trip. I thought, "Whoa, this guy's really trusting. He's reaching for his wallet for us and we met him just five minutes ago." It turned out ParkMobile really was down, so my fiancé ended up running back to the car and paid at the meter. I apologized for the mix-up and he assured me it was okay. He said he's not in any rush and we have as long as we need. It made me feel at ease knowing he wasn't charging me for his time, but rather, the photoshoot/project as a whole.
Justin did a great job planning and communicating ahead of the shoot. We felt loose and carefree the entire time. It was fun! Our photos turned out beautifully and for the ones that didn't, it was because of us as models and not his artistic composition. I could tell that he fixed up my stray hairs and removed some visible dress straps. He also brought us hand warmers to use. In so many ways, his thoughtfulness shined through and through. What a wonderful person, all around. It was a pleasure to meet him and to work with him.”