Michael Soo of Cupertino, California is an internationally respected photographer and guru of digital imaging. His collection of fine art and commercial photography includes executive portraits, lifestyle, products and food have been featured in numerous international magazine covers, newspapers i.e. New York Times as well as exhibits.
Reviews (18)
Katie F.
Jul 09, 2019
Michael Soo is UNETHICAL! We used him for engagement and wedding photos back in 2013 and told him he cannot post our photos and videos online (my husband works in law enforcement and it's not safe for us to show our identity online). He agreed, took our photos, and then posted them online. This caused us immense problems! We fired him from photographing our wedding.
We were so upset and could not imagine using him on our special day. He was awful and difficult about giving us our money back for work he hadn't even done? We also gave plenty of notice for for our 'off season' wedding so no excuse to be difficult getting out of the contract. Well fast forward to 2019, we are told by an acquaintance OUR PHOTOS ARE STILL ON HIS WEBSITE!
And we are in a promotion video he pressured us to be in for him back in 2013. Michael: we will gladly remove these bad reviews once you take our photos down once and for all! Please do the right thing and respect our safety and privacy! Our photos are from 2013, surely you have more current ones you can use?
We were so upset and could not imagine using him on our special day. He was awful and difficult about giving us our money back for work he hadn't even done? We also gave plenty of notice for for our 'off season' wedding so no excuse to be difficult getting out of the contract. Well fast forward to 2019, we are told by an acquaintance OUR PHOTOS ARE STILL ON HIS WEBSITE!
And we are in a promotion video he pressured us to be in for him back in 2013. Michael: we will gladly remove these bad reviews once you take our photos down once and for all! Please do the right thing and respect our safety and privacy! Our photos are from 2013, surely you have more current ones you can use?
Edward G.
Dec 16, 2018
Overpriced and does not try hard at all. I had my wedding photos and engagement photos taken with Michael, and the photos by our amateur friends were better. I'm not sure if he just doesn't care about photography anymore, because his portfolio looks great, but his effort is severely lacking these days.
Steven B.
Sep 01, 2018
Nina L.
Mar 26, 2018
I'm elated to say that Michael was available for our wedding day! Apparently we have a very popular wedding date and finding the perfect match was proving to be difficult. After researching many different photographers/videographers and speaking to countless ones over the phone we decided to make an appointment with Michael. We loved his website and fell in love with the videos and images we'd seen and we were super hopeful everything would go as we planned. Needless to say, our consultation exceeded our expectations.
His presentation was beautiful and professional. He made us feel comfortable, excited and really helped us envision how he will be able to capture our special day to cherish for ever and ever. We can't wait to work with you Michael! Nina & Jac
His presentation was beautiful and professional. He made us feel comfortable, excited and really helped us envision how he will be able to capture our special day to cherish for ever and ever. We can't wait to work with you Michael! Nina & Jac
Jen H.
Nov 15, 2017
Echoing my friend Cindy L, yes, this team is FABULOUSSSSSSSS and FASTTTTTTTT! I met Michael in 2009, and I knew he and his team would be my wedding photographer and cinematographer one day when I tie the knot. In 2010, I introduced my start-up company in Redwood City to Michael and his team to do an IoT video and they loved his work. The animation was pure genius and story line was so easy to comprehend.
In 2014, I introduced my best friend, Cindy L, to Michael and his team, for her wedding, and she and her husband absolutely fell in love with Capture the Love photos and cinematography. Fast forward to 2016. When my NOW husband and I booked Nestldown for our wedding venue in 2016, I knew IMMEDIATELY who I would have as my photographer and cinematographer--the wonderful Capture the Love team!
I did not even shop around. Right after we signed the contract with Nestldown, I immediately called Michael Soo and made sure we reserve him for Fall 2017 before another couple snatch him from us. Michael and his team come at a price, but you SERIOUSLY pay for what you get. I honestly don't know any team who work as fast as this team. We took our engagement photos and finished around 5pm and within 3 hours, we received sneak previews, and by 9pm, we received all our photos!
We had our wedding on Saturday, which ended at 10pm, and by midnight, we received 2 sneak previews! On Tuesday (yes less than 72 hours later), we received another 20 photos! He informed us that all the photos will be ready by Friday afternoon (less than 7 days from our wedding!)! AMAZING! SERIOUSLY, no one works this fast, except this fabulous team.
I keep looking at the 20+ photos and I am still floating on cloud 9 and reliving every moment of our wedding day. On the day of our wedding, the team showed up early, which was SOOOO MUCH appreciative, so they could ensure they were able to capture every little minute detail. They always had a smile on their faces, even when they have to deal with crazy family members and vendors who get in the way of the shots.
I looked in the corner of my eye and I was personally annoyed certain ppl/kids were in the shot, but the team was very professional and never yelled or had a frown on their faces. This definitely helps keep the bride calm. I never doubted this team and trusted them whenever they told us to go here and there, and do this and that pose. I told them, "tell us what to do and we will do it!" I can't wait to see all the photos and the cinematography so I can relive one of the best days of my life!
When you ask former brides and grooms for wedding planning tips, they always say, "spend money on your photography and cinematography!" Best advice ever since you get to keep these photos and videos forever compared to florals which will last no more than a few days! Thank you so much Capture the Love! Money well spent! I highly recommend if you're in the market for photography or/and cinematography!
In 2014, I introduced my best friend, Cindy L, to Michael and his team, for her wedding, and she and her husband absolutely fell in love with Capture the Love photos and cinematography. Fast forward to 2016. When my NOW husband and I booked Nestldown for our wedding venue in 2016, I knew IMMEDIATELY who I would have as my photographer and cinematographer--the wonderful Capture the Love team!
I did not even shop around. Right after we signed the contract with Nestldown, I immediately called Michael Soo and made sure we reserve him for Fall 2017 before another couple snatch him from us. Michael and his team come at a price, but you SERIOUSLY pay for what you get. I honestly don't know any team who work as fast as this team. We took our engagement photos and finished around 5pm and within 3 hours, we received sneak previews, and by 9pm, we received all our photos!
We had our wedding on Saturday, which ended at 10pm, and by midnight, we received 2 sneak previews! On Tuesday (yes less than 72 hours later), we received another 20 photos! He informed us that all the photos will be ready by Friday afternoon (less than 7 days from our wedding!)! AMAZING! SERIOUSLY, no one works this fast, except this fabulous team.
I keep looking at the 20+ photos and I am still floating on cloud 9 and reliving every moment of our wedding day. On the day of our wedding, the team showed up early, which was SOOOO MUCH appreciative, so they could ensure they were able to capture every little minute detail. They always had a smile on their faces, even when they have to deal with crazy family members and vendors who get in the way of the shots.
I looked in the corner of my eye and I was personally annoyed certain ppl/kids were in the shot, but the team was very professional and never yelled or had a frown on their faces. This definitely helps keep the bride calm. I never doubted this team and trusted them whenever they told us to go here and there, and do this and that pose. I told them, "tell us what to do and we will do it!" I can't wait to see all the photos and the cinematography so I can relive one of the best days of my life!
When you ask former brides and grooms for wedding planning tips, they always say, "spend money on your photography and cinematography!" Best advice ever since you get to keep these photos and videos forever compared to florals which will last no more than a few days! Thank you so much Capture the Love! Money well spent! I highly recommend if you're in the market for photography or/and cinematography!
Katy K.
Oct 12, 2017
Michael Soo is a true artist and photography genius! My friend hired him for her wedding photos and they turned out amazing. So, I decided to check him out and saw that he did product photos as well. I reached out to him to help me with some product photos for my Amazon business and the experience was out of this world! He has so much attention to detail, even made sure the dust particles were gone, the angles were perfect and staged the shoot for me.
He turned around the photos to me, same day! I think many times, people focus on the dollar amount spent and not enough on the value. I posted some photos from another photographer that were not retouched properly and it wasn't selling. The moment I got them retouched and edited, they started selling, so I know the power of high quality photos when selling a product.
For this project, I wanted the best photographer I could find and Michael Soo is the BEST.ever. I highly recommend him for personal and business purposes. He'll get it done, and better than anyone else! I'm sure you'll be happy you hired him and feel that he is worth every penny!
He turned around the photos to me, same day! I think many times, people focus on the dollar amount spent and not enough on the value. I posted some photos from another photographer that were not retouched properly and it wasn't selling. The moment I got them retouched and edited, they started selling, so I know the power of high quality photos when selling a product.
For this project, I wanted the best photographer I could find and Michael Soo is the BEST.ever. I highly recommend him for personal and business purposes. He'll get it done, and better than anyone else! I'm sure you'll be happy you hired him and feel that he is worth every penny!
Jim Y.
Jun 28, 2017
Ashley N.
Apr 16, 2017
So glad we found Michael! My fiancee and I recently had our engagement photoshoot with Michael, I loved everything about it! The photoshoot was easy, fun and the photos came out looking so natural and wonderful. Michael takes beautiful photos! I also enjoyed working with Tiffany, my hair and makeup artist. She made me look pretty and youthful. I did a few makeup trials with other artists but after the session, I chose her for my wedding day. I highly recommend them to everyone!
Genyfer S.
Apr 14, 2017
BUYER BEWARE! I've used Yelp for many years and this is the worst experience to date. Please note that Michael will never admit to any error, that he is extremely arrogant if there is any issue with photos is always the customer's fault never his, you will never get a resolution you will have to sue or take the loss. I should have read the reviews of others who experienced exactly this.
There are times when customer service is not up to standard, when this occurs you try to resolve the issues. This is impossible with Michael which I discovered after I read low rating reviews more closely. I after reading the good reviews and Michael stating he had the skills to photograph art pieces I took a chance and hired him to photograph a collection.
After receiving the photos I noticed various defects: the photos were grayish where it was white, they were blurry and spotty in every picture taken. I had pointed the defects out to Michael and he said, he would do a retouch. After he retouched the photos they were still unprofessional quality no amount of retouching would solve the problem because the photos themselves were horribly taken.
His use of light was horrible there is glare throughout all the pictures. I said, to Michael, "I could not use the photos in the condition they were that I would need to have them redone." Michael told me "the photos are as good as they get, it was a problem with my computer screen and that it was my problem, not his." I went a step further and had an additional three photographers state the problems with his photos.
He was unwilling to compromise and resolve the bad photos. I then told him I would have no other alternative but to hire another photographer and if he didn't refund me I would need to take legal action. He then replied if you sue me, "I'll have my attorneys sue you for $20,000. I did hire another photographer via Yelp Kenny Kaneshiro he was brilliant, not arrogant like Michael, after the photo shoot, Kenny wasn't happy unless I was satisfied.
See his photos against Michaels. It's day versus night. It was a smooth and easy transaction with Kenny Kaneshiro. I filed an action against Michael Soo for a refund. Why would I hire lose time and go through all this hell if Michaels photos were quality? It's because they're not you be the judge. Michael charged me $2535.00 for crappy pictures.
A picture is worth 1000 words see attached comparisons and action. The court sided even though he was extremely deceptive even in court. How the judge didn't see this is shocking he tried to change from an individual Michael Soo to a corporation. He also mentioned in the hearing he does photography work for the court. He also showed the space he photographed stating it limited the quality of pictures but the second photographer used the same space.
He did have his lawyer with him I didn't so be prepared that he will use every trick in the book. If you do have to file an action against him be more prepared than me and get an attorney I truly believed it would be a slam dunk. I will be making a complaint to the Superior head judge of the court to review the commissioner who heard the case as the images are just so evident in terms of bad quality.
I believe even though I got ripped off from Michael Soo. Karma will return back to him as I have already provided the full resolution images attached the zip drive with Michael's signature of the pictures he delivered to me and so far I know of 3 people who were considering his services have gone elsewhere if you require this I will gladly supply it to you just contact me via Yelp.
Response to Michael soo comment: you are a compulsive liar you did not offer 1/2 refund of work done you offered 800 of 2535.00. Right now the commissioner Lisa steingart who heard the case is being investigated. She has numerous complaints of being prejudice. The fact remains your pictures are horrible and are not a true and correct copy of what they are in actual reality. May all the lies you say be on your own head.
There are times when customer service is not up to standard, when this occurs you try to resolve the issues. This is impossible with Michael which I discovered after I read low rating reviews more closely. I after reading the good reviews and Michael stating he had the skills to photograph art pieces I took a chance and hired him to photograph a collection.
After receiving the photos I noticed various defects: the photos were grayish where it was white, they were blurry and spotty in every picture taken. I had pointed the defects out to Michael and he said, he would do a retouch. After he retouched the photos they were still unprofessional quality no amount of retouching would solve the problem because the photos themselves were horribly taken.
His use of light was horrible there is glare throughout all the pictures. I said, to Michael, "I could not use the photos in the condition they were that I would need to have them redone." Michael told me "the photos are as good as they get, it was a problem with my computer screen and that it was my problem, not his." I went a step further and had an additional three photographers state the problems with his photos.
He was unwilling to compromise and resolve the bad photos. I then told him I would have no other alternative but to hire another photographer and if he didn't refund me I would need to take legal action. He then replied if you sue me, "I'll have my attorneys sue you for $20,000. I did hire another photographer via Yelp Kenny Kaneshiro he was brilliant, not arrogant like Michael, after the photo shoot, Kenny wasn't happy unless I was satisfied.
See his photos against Michaels. It's day versus night. It was a smooth and easy transaction with Kenny Kaneshiro. I filed an action against Michael Soo for a refund. Why would I hire lose time and go through all this hell if Michaels photos were quality? It's because they're not you be the judge. Michael charged me $2535.00 for crappy pictures.
A picture is worth 1000 words see attached comparisons and action. The court sided even though he was extremely deceptive even in court. How the judge didn't see this is shocking he tried to change from an individual Michael Soo to a corporation. He also mentioned in the hearing he does photography work for the court. He also showed the space he photographed stating it limited the quality of pictures but the second photographer used the same space.
He did have his lawyer with him I didn't so be prepared that he will use every trick in the book. If you do have to file an action against him be more prepared than me and get an attorney I truly believed it would be a slam dunk. I will be making a complaint to the Superior head judge of the court to review the commissioner who heard the case as the images are just so evident in terms of bad quality.
I believe even though I got ripped off from Michael Soo. Karma will return back to him as I have already provided the full resolution images attached the zip drive with Michael's signature of the pictures he delivered to me and so far I know of 3 people who were considering his services have gone elsewhere if you require this I will gladly supply it to you just contact me via Yelp.
Response to Michael soo comment: you are a compulsive liar you did not offer 1/2 refund of work done you offered 800 of 2535.00. Right now the commissioner Lisa steingart who heard the case is being investigated. She has numerous complaints of being prejudice. The fact remains your pictures are horrible and are not a true and correct copy of what they are in actual reality. May all the lies you say be on your own head.
Joel O.
Aug 11, 2016
Michael Soo is a perfect combination of professionalism, charisma, and originality. He's the best of the best. When sending him text messages or emails, he usually replies within the hour, even when he's outside of the country! My fiancee and I recently had our engagement session with Michael, and we couldn't be happier. We had chosen three sites for the session, and he was happy to accommodate.
At each of the locations, he worked efficiently and captured some amazing images. My fiancee and I definitely appreciated his instructions on positioning ourselves for the best shots. Our photographs are a testament to his creativity and mastery of his craft. We hired Michael and his crew as our photographers and videographers for our wedding in October. I know they'll be excellent, and I can't wait to see their work.
At each of the locations, he worked efficiently and captured some amazing images. My fiancee and I definitely appreciated his instructions on positioning ourselves for the best shots. Our photographs are a testament to his creativity and mastery of his craft. We hired Michael and his crew as our photographers and videographers for our wedding in October. I know they'll be excellent, and I can't wait to see their work.
Drea P.
May 24, 2016
The photos on their Yelp account looked so great that I was willing to drive the estimated 1.5 hours to San Jose to get my headshots taken by Michael. Good news is there wasn't that much traffic, and the photos were among the best I've ever taken! The Upsides: Very responsive (he responded to my inquiry within an hour) & flexible (I set up an appointment 2 days in advance). Michael has an eye for highlighting your best features. He's great at making you feel comfortable & his lighting skills really speak for themselves.
The raw images somehow looked photoshopped! The Catch: None! Tip: Westfield Valley Fair Mall is less than 10 min away. I ended up doing my hair and makeup in the Macy's bathroom haha! Although I'm sure Michael would have been accommodating if I had asked =)
The raw images somehow looked photoshopped! The Catch: None! Tip: Westfield Valley Fair Mall is less than 10 min away. I ended up doing my hair and makeup in the Macy's bathroom haha! Although I'm sure Michael would have been accommodating if I had asked =)
Hilary N.
Jan 23, 2016
I needed to have a professional Headshot for marketing materials and Michael delivered. Three reason why you I loved this experience 1) his place is BEAUTIFUL! (And I want his furniture). 2) he made me feel so comfortable and 3) my picture came out amazing! I'm so thankful to have yelped him and picked him out of all the others. I will definitely come to him for my photographer needs. And that pretty much says it all right?
Kirsten A.
Dec 07, 2015
What an amazing photoshoot today! For the past few hours I have been looking over the proofs, and I seriously cannot decided which ones I like best! Each one is just amazing! I was really last minute in the request for photos, and Michael was extremely accommodating. For the assignment, I wanted photos that represented me: fun, outgoing, light-hearted and outdoors.
I love nature; it is a huge part of my life, so it was extremely important to me to have the photos be outside in natural light. Michael is super fun and easy to work with. He is professional, experienced and full of great ideas for locations and poses that look natural and not staged. He really has an eye for bringing out the best in people. When I saw my proofs, I saw myself as I really am (but better!).
I looked happy, natural and well a lot better than I think I do. I received the proofs really quickly (same day - within hours of the shoot!), and was really amazed at how wonderful they were. The last outdoor photoshoot I had with another photographer, I only liked about 5. With Michael's, I liked them all! I am really excited to see how they look when they are edited, as in my mind they are perfect now!
Bottom line: If you would like some amazing, high-quality photos that bring out your best features, go to Michael at Capture the Look. You will be amazed at how easy, relaxed and fun the photoshoot is, and how wonderful the finished products are afterwards. I will definitely use him again, and recommend him highly! Thank you for the amazing photos and fun shoot!
I love nature; it is a huge part of my life, so it was extremely important to me to have the photos be outside in natural light. Michael is super fun and easy to work with. He is professional, experienced and full of great ideas for locations and poses that look natural and not staged. He really has an eye for bringing out the best in people. When I saw my proofs, I saw myself as I really am (but better!).
I looked happy, natural and well a lot better than I think I do. I received the proofs really quickly (same day - within hours of the shoot!), and was really amazed at how wonderful they were. The last outdoor photoshoot I had with another photographer, I only liked about 5. With Michael's, I liked them all! I am really excited to see how they look when they are edited, as in my mind they are perfect now!
Bottom line: If you would like some amazing, high-quality photos that bring out your best features, go to Michael at Capture the Look. You will be amazed at how easy, relaxed and fun the photoshoot is, and how wonderful the finished products are afterwards. I will definitely use him again, and recommend him highly! Thank you for the amazing photos and fun shoot!
Sarah M.
Aug 30, 2015
WOW! I mean, we knew the photography is great with these guys from their Yelp! reviews, but to experience it for ourselves was shocking and amazing. Michael Soo was so easy going with my family of 5 (including two teen girls and our dog), that I didn't feel like we were in a photo shoot.it was so easy. We hired him for one hour, in the Rose Garden.
The first 20 minutes was for our family photo, and the remaining hour was for my oldest daughter's senior portraits. Michael knows how to capture people in their natural state, but as your BEST SELF, relaxed, laughing, and smiling.the, "I didn't know I could look that good!" kind of state.we are all very impressed and plan to hire him again in the future.
It looks like he took hours and hours and hours to capture these shots, but each one was so candid and quick, it's truly amazing. And the biggest surprise? As if the beautiful photographs weren't enough, was that he had them uploaded the same day of our photo shoot so we could start pouring over them within hours. Wow! Wow! Wow! Thank you, Michael!
The first 20 minutes was for our family photo, and the remaining hour was for my oldest daughter's senior portraits. Michael knows how to capture people in their natural state, but as your BEST SELF, relaxed, laughing, and smiling.the, "I didn't know I could look that good!" kind of state.we are all very impressed and plan to hire him again in the future.
It looks like he took hours and hours and hours to capture these shots, but each one was so candid and quick, it's truly amazing. And the biggest surprise? As if the beautiful photographs weren't enough, was that he had them uploaded the same day of our photo shoot so we could start pouring over them within hours. Wow! Wow! Wow! Thank you, Michael!
David W.
Aug 16, 2015
I highly recommend Michael Soo at Capture the Look Photography. I used Michael to take my executive headshots for my new business. Michael was professional, easy to work with, experienced, and provided to me the headshots (including both the original and cleaned up/final version) the very same day I took the photos. Plus, his rates are very reasonable compared to other headshot photographers I researched in the Bay Area. Michael clearly has a talent for bringing out the best in individuals for photos and I would definitely use him again!
Ha V. N.
Feb 03, 2015
Michael is absolutely the number one photographer in the entire Bay Area. He did a great job with my first professional headshot photo, and was extremely helpful, courteous, relaxing to be around. His directions were very easy to follow to get the best angle, which is a huge plus! I was very shy at first, but my photo turned out great because he made me feel comfortable and gave good feed back on posing. Overall, I was beyond impressed by Michael Soo's incredible talent, his professionalism, and his ability to bring out a very natural look. We will definitely come back for other services. Highly recommended!
Mariah M.
Oct 01, 2014
Michael is amazing! A few years ago he did the photos for my best friend's wedding that I was in and they were just gorgeous! Fast forward 2 years and I needed some new business head shots done for my LinkedIn profile and just in general. Michael was my first and last pick! It should be noted that I absolutely HATE being in photos, and just hate photos of myself in general. Hats off to professional models, it's just all around an uncomfortable experience for me.
I arrived to his studio feeling a little anxious (again, since I hate being in photos, let alone one totally by myself!), but shortly after arriving I was as comfortable as can be! His studio is warm and welcoming, with fun music playing to relax the mood. He made me feel comfortable right away, helping me pick out my different outfits and getting me into position.
The entire experience was quick, easy, and comfortable. He took a bunch of photos and we settled on 3 great images that I am really happy with! He made me look fabulous! Business head shots are an important investment, and I am VERY satisfied with the shots Michael got. I already have a few people who are interested in getting some after they saw mine! Thank You Michael!
I arrived to his studio feeling a little anxious (again, since I hate being in photos, let alone one totally by myself!), but shortly after arriving I was as comfortable as can be! His studio is warm and welcoming, with fun music playing to relax the mood. He made me feel comfortable right away, helping me pick out my different outfits and getting me into position.
The entire experience was quick, easy, and comfortable. He took a bunch of photos and we settled on 3 great images that I am really happy with! He made me look fabulous! Business head shots are an important investment, and I am VERY satisfied with the shots Michael got. I already have a few people who are interested in getting some after they saw mine! Thank You Michael!
Hamid A.
Oct 24, 2013
Michael Soo is by far one of the best photographers I've seen. His creativity, preciseness, and skill will amuse you. We had him for an all day engagement session in SF and couldn't be happier with the way the pics turned out. Also, Tiffany did a great Job with make up. Yes I know he's a bit pricey but all worth it after you see the photos.
