★★★★★
"Ryan is truly a talented photographer! I'm convinced he could get the same shots he did for our wedding with a disposable camera! He has an eye for creativity and light and he really knows what he's doing. He's extremely laid back, easy to work with, easy to communicate with, and very professional. We felt like we were hanging out with one of our friends the entire time! As a makeup artist, I have worked with hundreds of photographers but when it came to picking our wedding photographer, I was super picky. We would hire Ryan a million times over again! I can truly say that he is worth every penny and the only downfall?? You'll have a hard time choosing which photos to frame for your house because they are all just beautiful!" - Meredith
★★★★★
"We found out about Ryan through a different photographer that we loved but she was already booked on our wedding date. I’m so glad we found him. Ryan was just wonderful and everything we were looking for in a photographer. Deciding to opt out of the engagement session, my husband and I went on a bike ride with Ryan instead to scope out possible wedding photo locations and get to know him better. This was Ryan’s suggestion, and from this experience we truly feel we found not just a wedding vendor, but a friend. He made the day of the wedding fun and easy. He worked a full 12 hours with no complaints and captured amazing photos from beginning to end. Every time I look at our wedding photos, I feel myself living the day all over again. Ryan has a vision that is so unique, and he knows Detroit front to back! I can’t say anything but great things. If we could do it all over, we would choose Ryan again." - Lena
★★★★★
"My fiancé and I first encountered Ryan's work at an extended family members wedding. We were floored by the incorporation of architecture in their engagement and wedding photos. In our search for a photographer we always held others to that standard, and were hard pressed to find anyone who executed it as well as Ryan. Not only is he talented, but he is easy to work with, is willing to plan around your hectic schedule, and goes above and beyond to make sure you are comfortable. As a guy who is terrible at smiling on command, he made my life easier with a little charm, a little positivity, and possibly some mockery at my own expense. He is knowledgeable, flexible, and amazingly talented. My wife and I couldn't be happier with our choice of photographer. Thanks, Ryan... I'll work on the smiling for when it comes time for family pictures with the kids." - Andrew
★★★★★
"Ryan Southen is the best there is! Ryan is not only amazingly talented but he's an overall great guy. Aside from our candid and formal photos, he captured the historical elements and architectural design of our Detroit engagement and wedding, elements that were important to us. He was easy to communicate with and extremely professional the day of. He has an amazing eye and a big heart. I would recommend him to my family, friends and the stranger sitting next to me. Look forward to working with Ryan again soon." - Courtney
★★★★★
"Ryan is the cream of the crop. I don't want to give too much away because he is the ultimate package in a photographer (engagement/wedding were the services he provided for us, but we saw his work with kids too A+++++). Looking over the ceremony/reception pictures we were pleasantly surprised at how he was able to capture each special moment and emotion, Ryan is a true ninja. With all of the planning stress that comes with a wedding, Ryan's high level communication and laid back nature are a rare combination. If you need a photographer and Ryan's available, do it." - Steve
★★★★★
"Ryan was incredible to work with. He is open with communication and we talked a lot leading up to the big day. I sent him a photo list with time schedule and he was perceptive to my wants and open to my direction, which I really appreciated. We had so much fun together the day of our wedding. His work speaks for itself - artistic, beautiful, delicate, capturing ever moment perfectly. We are so happy with how our photos turned out and I would highly recommend Ryan as a wedding photographer, or for any other kind of photo session for that matter!" - Ashlie
★★★★★
"Ryan is so talented and has an incredible eye for unique shots. He is down to earth and instantly puts you at ease. We were so glad that we had him to film our engagement photos before the wedding day as he helped us figure out how to avoid awkward smiles and poses, while letting things happen naturally. He patiently handled all of our demanding family members and friends. Ryan was super flexible with our packed wedding schedule and scouted out perfect photo backdrops/lighting beforehand. We love his style and cannot wait to see all of our finished wedding prints!" - Sumir
★★★★★
"What can I say about Ryan? He's the BEST!!! He makes you feel so important and beautiful! The reason I chose him over many others, is his organic photos. No fake posing; and constant intrusions, he hangs in the back. You barely know he's there; but he doesn't miss a thing, no opportunity slips by him! He's so easy going; and a blast! More importantly he's right from the city, so he knows where to go; and knows great photo opportunities! He's the best; and I would highly recommend him!" - Sherri
★★★★★
"When it came to choosing a photographer for our wedding, Ryan was an easy choice for us! I looked for months on end and when I came across his profile on The Knot for Grand Rapids, the style of his photography really caught my eye as super artistic. When we met him in Detroit where we live, we hit it off immediately and he offered to travel to Grand Rapids to shoot our wedding day. Not only was he fun to work with, he was able to capture so many special candid moments throughout the day when we didn't even notice he was taking photos. We received so many compliments from people who noticed him in the background, and not in our face, documenting the highlights of our day. The finished photos were returned to us very quickly and we are so happy with the way they all turned out. I would easily recommend him to anyone!" - Aniela
★★★★★
"This may be my favorite review to write, or memory to revisit really. We looked extensively at the different photographers and their work, but Ryan and his talent stood out to us the most. We saw his work online and had friends who were working with him on their recent wedding. He has a gift. Not only does his talent speak for itself, but he is SO great to work with. He has a great eye, of course, but he puts you at ease during a potentially stressful time. Nervous brides who are camera shy: hire Ryan. Brides (& Grooms) who want something more unique and beautiful than the standard wedding photo: hire Ryan. Thank you, Mr. Southen, for being such a joy to work with on our special day." - Felicia
★★★★★
“When it came time to pick a photographer, we chose a couple that we were going to meet with. We met with Ryan and instantly knew he was the photographer we wanted so we cancelled our other meetings. We got to do engagement photos and really got in sync with Ryan. When it came time to the wedding, we felt like we were on the same page. He got every photo we could have wanted. His editing was amazing as well. We are so happy with Ryan and would recommend him to everyone!” - Derek
★★★★★
“We loved working with Ryan!! From the moment we met Ryan, we felt like we were just spending time with an old friend. He was great at communicating with us leading up to the wedding and helping us to decide where we wanted to go for pictures after the ceremony. He was amazing at incorporating our love for the city of Detroit, the skyline, architecture and the grit of the city, while keeping our pictures beautiful and classy. We couldn’t have asked for a better photographer for our wedding.” - Nicole
★★★★★
“Ryan was fantastic to work with. Honestly, he was the only photographer we met with prior to our wedding and we have absolutely no regrets about not shopping around. Our initial meeting with Ryan was such a pleasure. We booked him right away and our photos are absolutely amazing. I am still in awe of how much he captured; It was like he was 4 places at once! Looking at our wedding photos brings back all the joy and excitement of the day and it shines through to everyone who has viewed our photos. Ryan's expertise as wedding photographer and his professionalism made the entire experience fun and enjoyable. Our photos are beautiful, unique, yet classic and modern. I can't rave enough about Ryan's work. Definitely worthy of 5 stars!” - Sonya
★★★★★
“Ryan's work is incredible and the cherry on top is his wonderful personality! Before my wife and I had our first look, my heart felt like it was in my throat but Ryan had a way of eliminating the nerves and making the entire process, truly special. He knew the city very well so his recommendations fit the style my wife and I wanted. He also handled my hyper groomsmen with precision and class, all while keeping everyone on a tight schedule. HIGHLY recommended!” - Hunter
★★★★★
“Other than getting married, having Ryan Southen be our photographer was the best decision on we made on our wedding day. When planning our wedding we heard a lot of "We can't do that's" and "I don't know if that will work", but those phrases were never in Ryan's vocabulary. With every idea of where and how we wanted our photos, Ryan's attitude was "Yes, before no" in that he looked for ways to make it work instead of reasons it wouldn't. From the first day that we met with him and talked about what we were looking for to getting our final wedding photos Ryan exceeding anything else we could have hoped for. Both my wife and I live, work, and play in the city so it was important to us to have a photographer that was familiar with Detroit and the locations we wanted to take pictures. We did a winter engagement session on Belle Isle and the River Front (highly recommend an engagement session), and did our wedding pictures in Midtown, The Dequindre Cut, and Brush Park...finishing up with our wedding at The Whitney. Ryan's knowledge and familiarity with the locations didn't disappoint. He was extremely professional, friendly, and accommodating. Your photographer is probably the person you will see the most at your wedding, I'd pick Ryan again in a heart beat.” -Ron (and Katie)
★★★★★
“My husband and I can not say enough great things about Ryan Southen! He was a pleasure to work with and made us feel very relaxed during our engagement session and on the big day. We wanted someone who could direct our pictures but also capture our day naturally without looking posed. Our pictures are so beautiful and truly tell the story of our day. He is such an artist and will leave you with pictures that take your breath away with unique lighting incorporating the surrounding architecture and/or settings. For all the hard work and planning for the wedding we are so happy we picked someone who gave us pictures to love for years to come. Highly recommended!” - Karin
★★★★★
“Ryan is the most creative and professional photographer! Photography was a big decision for our wedding. We are from Michigan and got married in Jamaica, meaning we needed to find a photographer to take engagement pictures here who was also willing to fly across the country for our wedding. Combine that with being picky about the quality and style of photography, and you can imagine the difficulty! Well, Ryan was our guy. He was flexible and responsive from the first inquiry - we are so happy to have had Ryan as our wedding photographer! For our engagement pictures, Ryan was able to capture the love between my husband and I as well as capturing the beauty of Detroit’s architecture and life. Our wedding took place in Jamaica and Ryan’s art work shined as he was not only able to capture our wedding but the memorable surroundings. If you’ve ever been a bride, groom, or guest in a destination wedding, you know how much time you end up spending with the photographer, and how crucial it is for the photographer to “mesh” with your family and friends. Ryan fit right in, like one of the family! Finally, the actual pictures: they were INCREDIBLE! Not only that, we received them within 2 weeks of returning from our trip! My husband and I were in awe to see our photograph shipment come in the mail a few weeks later with specialized packaging and presentation. From the initial meeting in which Ryan was able to grasp all of our desires to the final presentation of his photos, everything was done with such attention to detail. Ryan was not only able capture our moments but tell a story from the beginning to the end. The passion he has for photography shows in his work. I would recommend Ryan Southen to anyone who is looking for quality photography to capture important moments in your life. We look forward to our continued friendship with Ryan.” - Valerie
★★★★★
“As we had a Detroit themed wedding, we knew the vendors we hired had to embody the Detroit spirit we know and love; hard working, creative, and down to earth. Ryan was the perfect fit for our big day. He was recommended by a friend of mine and once we saw his portfolio, we were sold. As a photography student in college, and previous 2nd photographer for weddings, I knew I was going to be picky and a little uncomfortable being in front of the camera. Ryan put me at ease instantly, and we could not be happier with the gorgeous photos. I cannot wait to share our photos with our family and friends!” - Cristina
★★★★★
“Ryan was a better photographer than we could’ve ever imagined or asked for on our wedding day. He was a dream to work with— punctual, kind, creative, passionate, energetic, flexible, hardworking, and determined to get the best shots! Ryan captured so, so many incredible moments, did a stellar job with the posed group shots, and everyone who has seen our beautiful wedding photos is extremely impressed. We feel *really* lucky we got to work with Ryan and would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone who wants the best of the best when it comes to photographers.” - Megan
★★★★★
“Working with Ryan was a dream! Our wedding and engagement photos are gorgeous and creative and still felt like us. Ryan made us feel very comfortable in front of the camera, time flew by and we had fun! He was super organized and communicative for every session. He delivered the final albums of our wedding and engagement photos very quickly, and we would recommend him to anyone for any occasion!” - Sarah
★★★★★
“Ryan is without a doubt the most talented photographer, ever. He goes above & beyond just taking the photograph. Because of this, my husband & I both feel as if we have known Ryan for so much longer than we actually have. He takes any nerves you thought that you had away. Not only this but his knowledge of lighting, composition, movement, etc. is out of this world. He truly is so highly skilled & one of a kind! There was not a single image we were disappointed in. The amount of images we received back as well was just jaw-dropping. We could not have imagined better photographs to remember this special day by! Ryan commands the room and will make certain that time is not wasted & that every magical shot is taken. We will always recommend Ryan because in our opinion any other photographer's work simply cannot compare!” - Clare
★★★★★
“Working with Ryan was one of the best and earliest decisions that we made as we began to plan our wedding. I feel like all wedding photos have sort of started to look the same these days and something that I loved about Ryan right off the bat is that his work was so visually interesting. Every couple’s portfolio on his website was different, and we knew that his work would be unique to my husband and I and suited to our personalities. We’ve never been professionally photographed together so my husband and I took advantage of the engagement shoot he offered to get comfortable and experience was incredible. I know I’m biased but I mean it when I say I have never seen anything like our engagement photos. And on our wedding day he was extremely efficient, helping us to maximize our time taking photos so that we could ultimately relax and enjoy our wedding. Our wedding photos look stunning thus far and I highly highly recommend Ryan to anyone looking to think outside of the box for their wedding photography!” - Samantha
★★★★★
“Your search for a photographer should end here. I am so happy we went with Ryan! He is such a kind person and of course amazingly talented. Not only is he very easy to work with but I felt he truly had our best interest at heart throughout the whole process. The groom wasn't feeling well on our wedding day and he was a key factor in keeping me calm. Despite the challenge of the groom not being able to spend much time for pictures, Ryan captured beautiful photographs of us. As for reception pictures, I asked Ryan to try to get as many candid and unposed pictures as possible...and boy did he deliver! We got some INCREDIBLE shots of our dances, guests, and even a break-dance moment I missed! We could not be more pleased, thank you for everything, Ryan. :)” - Ania
★★★★★
“Ryan was so great to work with on my husband and I’s wedding day. He was on time, calm but helpful and really made us feel like ourselves the whole day. He did a great job with interacting with us enough to give direction as needed while also not being too intrusive or demanding. We received our previews just over a week after our wedding and we were blown away from those (as well as how quick he sent them over) - we can’t wait to get the rest!! From the pictures that we received so far, he captured our day and our love together perfectly. He is enjoyable to work with and has a great eye! We would definitely recommend Ryan for anyone looking for a photographer.” - Amber
★★★★★
“Ryan was super down to earth and easy to work with from the very beginning. He got some great pictures that really captured the feeling of the day and so many special moments. We knew we wanted someone that could blend in and not be too disruptive while still doing great work, and Ryan was absolutely that. Everyone enjoyed working with him, he was great with communication, and of course we love the pictures. We did our engagement session with him too and were so appreciative of his time and effort.” - Christina
★★★★★
“When it came time to pick a photographer, we chose a couple that we were going to meet with. We met with Ryan and instantly knew he was the photographer we wanted so we cancelled our other meetings. We got to do engagement photos and really got in synch with Ryan. When it came time to the wedding, we felt like we were on the same page. He got every photo we could have wanted. His editing was amazing as well. We are so happy with Ryan and would recommend him to everyone!” - Derek
★★★★★
“Ryan is a total professional and just an overall great person. We were very happy with the beautiful shots he got of our wedding, especially the sunset ones. Do not hesitate to hire him!” - Shannon
★★★★★
“We loved our experience with Ryan from the first meeting. We got together in Downtown Detroit and he just wanted to learn about myself and my husband to be. He was prompt with responses and really met every requirement I gave. The pictures were better than we imagined, artistic styling and quality. The turn around was within the 2 month period as discussed. Overall we were delighted with the experience and have recommended him to everyone we come across looking for a photographer.” - Emily
★★★★★
“Ryan is the BEST!! We met with a lot of photographers before we picked Ryan. I wanted to make sure we had the best person to capture our special day and Ryan did not disappoint. He did an AMAZING job on our engagement photos and so far we have Loved all the pictures he has given us from our wedding. My husband and I agree we would choose him all over again and would love to use him in the future!” - Carly
★★★★★
“Ryan is awesome. He isn't pushy, he's easy to get ahold of, very flexible with scheduling, super patient and fun to be around. His work is incredible, we are in love with all of our pictures. I have recommended him to every newly engaged couple I meet!! We met with several other photographers and decided to go with Ryan because 1) his work is amazing, 2) he is down-to-earth and personable, and 3) his pricing structure is SIMPLE. He doesn't tack on fees for location changes, extra time on the wedding day, etc. He understands that your wedding day is hectic and the last thing a bride and groom should be worried about is the countdown until the photographer has to leave, or how many pictures you're allotted, all of that stuff. Ryan is top notch.” - Amanda
★★★★★
“Ryan was completely lovely to work with. He was flexible with my husband and I-- it rained on our wedding day and he offered to schedule another day to take our wedding portraits outside! The photographs from our wedding day and that couples portrait session are lovely-- architectural and atmospheric, but genuine and natural. Ryan has a great compositional eye, and captured all the love and magic of our wedding day perfectly. My husband and I are both artists and work in creative fields, and wouldn't have chosen anyone but the best to work with!” - Viki
★★★★★
“Ryan was sensational. He began the day with us at 9 am and left a little after midnight. He was excited, he listened to us, and he captured every moment that mattered, even the ones I would never have thought to photograph. He was calm but not relaxed, and I as a bride appreciated that on a day when I was most anxious. The photo albums we've made from his photos are exquisite, and we are eternally grateful.” - Anna
★★★★★
“Ryan captured the feeling of our day perfectly. He was friendly and professional during the entire day. The images we have of our wedding have a gorgeous photojournalistic quality that is exactly what we were were looking for. We picked a unique, rustic venue and Ryan's photos really honored the space. The framed images are showstoppers in our home. Thanks Ryan!” - Tiffany
★★★★★
“We just recently got married, and one of the best decisions we made was to hire Ryan Southen as our photographer. We instantly fell in love with his work before hiring him, and after working with him, we couldn't have been happier. Ryan is a professional through and through, but he is also so friendly, warm and down-to-earth. He made us feel comfortable throughout the entire day, and was extremely responsive and wonderful with all of the various shots we wanted to capture from morning until late evening. We can't wait to get our pictures back and we know that they're going to be beautiful. Ryan has a fantastic eye for wedding and for capturing those gorgeous moments throughout your special day, and I would recommend him to anyone in a heartbeat!” - Christie
★★★★★
“Ryan was the only choice we considered when hiring a wedding photographer. I've been following his work for a few years and consistently been blown away by his talent. Aside from natural talent, Ryan is unique in simultaneously capturing both landscapes and portraits. My husband and I have an affinity for architecture and Detroit is home to many stunning structures. Ryan shares the same affinity and has a keen eye for capturing lighting, perspective, and detail. I absolutely love the way he juxtaposes architectural landscapes with people and he did just that on our wedding day. Our photos look natural, not posed, and convey our love, humor, quirkiness, and raw emotion against an urban landscape . I'm so thankful to have a visual reminder of wedding day that tells our story beautifully, intimately, and artistically. As a person, Ryan is delightful to work with. He's enthusiastic, friendly, playful, patient, and honest. He took care to make us feel comfortable and built a relationship with us leading up to our wedding day; we met on several occasions for coffee, lunch, and to scout potential locations. He was flexible, confident, and personable. I'm grateful for his professional skills and happy to know him as a person! Thanks, Ryan! You're the best :)” - Nicola
★★★★★
“Working with Ryan Southen for our wedding photographs was a wonderful experience! My husband and I normally do not spend a lot of time in front of the camera lens, so we were apprehensive in our preparedness for posing in front of a photographer who we just met. Although engagement photos were not part of our original plan, we accepted Ryan’s recommendation to meet for an engagement session. This activity turned out to be the best wedding-stress-reducing decision we made! It gave us the opportunity to get to know Ryan (very professional & super easy to get along with), feel comfortable in front of the camera (his natural directions calmed our nerves & made it seem effortless), and obtain a strong sense of each other’s personal styles and preferences (the photos felt like us, were well composed, and not cliché). With so many things on our minds the day of our wedding, it was comforting knowing that we did not have to worry about our photographer. Ryan and his co-photographer showed up on time and were ready to capture every moment of our special day. Thousands of photos were taken during the ceremony and reception, and yet we never felt like there was a photographer in the way; Ryan’s presence was pleasantly inconspicuous. As we look back on our wedding photos, we are extremely happy with how Ryan was able to capture each memorable moment, as well as details we missed amidst all of the excitement. We were able to enjoy ourselves on that day, and continue to enjoy the memories captured by Ryan. We highly recommend Ryan Southen as a photographer – he is highly skilled, has an eye for creative & classic image compositions, and is considerate toward all that goes into preparing for your special day!!” - Jessica
★★★★★
“Ryan was a no-brainer when it came to who my husband and I wanted to photograph our special day. He photographed my best friend's wedding so we already knew he was solid gold at capturing gorgeous pictures. Ryan's pricing is a bargain when you consider he spends the entire day photographing every moment, no annoying time limits here! He is laid-back, hilarious, personable and truly an artist at his craft. Having someone who truly seems invested in not only creating beautiful portraits and candid moments as well as enjoying your day is priceless. There are packages to meet all your needs. If you want to have zero anxiety about anything on your wedding day, Ryan is the way to go! P.S. he actually stayed more in contact with me than I did him during the planning process. :)” - Alina
★★★★★
“Ryan was our photographer, both for our engagement pictures and our wedding day. It's hard to put into words, how pleased and happy we are with all of the photos. Ryan has a unique way of capturing each moment, maximizing whatever setting you are in. He literally captured each and every moment on our wedding day. We went with the 'two' photographer package. Ryan brought his assistant, and she was spectacular as well. Having two photographers, literally captured each and every angle of the wedding day, and gives you a unique perspective on the moments you want to capture forever. All that being said, Ryan is fun to work with, and we laughed, smiled and just had a blast working with him. I think that is very important; to enjoy each moment and like who you are working with. Ryan is easy to get along with, and he makes taking pictures a lot of fun. But at the end of the day, the product is what we all want to be perfect, and Ryan's style, and quality of work are second to none. Not only that, but in my opinion he is reasonably priced, and it is well worth every penny!” - Kelly
★★★★★
“Ryan is a great wedding photographer for two reasons - 1) he takes exceptional pictures and 2) he is a pleasure to work with. As to the pictures, they turned out wonderfully. Our favorite pictures are the candid shots and the more "artsy" pictures. As to his candid shots, Ryan always captures the mood, which makes his pictures more than “just pictures.” Take for example the cake cutting pictures. Many photographers will wait for you to cut the cake then come over and pose you exactly how they think you should look. This leads to pictures that look fake and are, in my opinion, quite dull. By contrast, Ryan is there taking picture after picture as you cut the cake and interact with your significant other in a natural way. Ryan’s method results in pictures that capture you and who you are, not just boring staged pictures. That isn’t to say that Ryan doesn’t pose you and get the staged pictures also. He takes both, so you can decide which you prefer. As to his "artsy" pictures, Ryan's use of light is impeccable and his photographs are very dramatic (in a good way!). His pictures aren’t just hanging in our house because they are our wedding pictures, but also because they are beautiful pictures. In addition to the candid shots and “artsy” pictures, the staged family pictures are also very good. Overall, Ryan’s ability to capture the mood and take very dramatic pictures is what sets him apart from the average photographer. From his pictures, you can tell that Ryan is a true artist. In addition to the fact that Ryan is an excellent photographer, Ryan is a pleasure to work with. Ryan is very easy going and up for anything. If you want a specific picture, Ryan will make sure he gets it. Ryan isn't a photographer that lurks in the corners surreptitiously taking pictures. Rather, he is involved with everyone in the wedding party and has a great time with you and your friends. It is my opinion that Ryan's ability to become part of the wedding leads to great photographs that would otherwise be missed. Ryan also manages to become part of the wedding without missing any pictures. He sent us just under 1,900(!) finalized pictures and captured the entire day wonderfully. Above all, your wedding photographer is someone you are going to spend a lot of time with on your wedding day. Your wedding day can be stressful and people that don’t mesh well with you and your guests can be quite frustrating. Ryan is NOT one of these people. He has a schedule to which he adheres to ensure that he captures the entire day, but he is flexible and works with you to get the pictures that you want. He is always there for the perfect picture, but is never demanding or in the way. Best of all, Ryan doesn’t take himself too seriously, and is honestly there to (in addition to taking pictures) enjoy your day with you. In sum, I would without hesitation recommend Ryan to any of my friends (or anyone else for that matter). With Ryan, you get wonderful pictures and a person that you enjoy having at your wedding.” - Alissa
★★★★★
“Of all the decisions we made for the wedding, deciding on using Ryan as our photographer was pretty much the easiest & first decision we made (aside from setting a date). From the engagements photos to the wedding day, Ryan made us feel extremely comfortable and was able to capture some wonderful moments between my husband and myself. Needless to say, all of our photos were excellent! If we were to get married again, this is one vendor I would definitely choose all over again with no hesitation! Thanks Ryan for capturing so many great memories of such a special day in our lives :)” - Ashley
★★★★★
“Ryan was great to work with during our wedding. He arrived on time and had everything going smoothly. He's a very friendly person and instantly made everyone feel comfortable. He is very professional and cares about his work. This was obvious to us when he suggested we meet up prior to working together to get a feel for each other. He asked us what sort of shots we were looking for and more than delivered a great product. During our wedding he was a great asset to us and helped us out more than you would expect of any photographer.We had paid for wedding coordinators who at vital parts of the wedding were missing, Ryan jumped right in a helped out letting my wife know what was going on with the rest of the party and helped move things along. We opted out of too many posed pictures and were worried about having anything look awkward or staged. I can say that without a doubt all of our pictures look natural and capture the day perfectly. If you're looking for someone who can put you and your wedding party at ease in front of the camera, get all the shots you want, achieve the "look" you're going for, and finally provide a great product then Ryan is absolutely the guy you're looking for.” - Alicia
★★★★★
“What makes Ryan such a great photographer isn't just his beautiful photos or his style, but his laid back personality and flexibility. Two weeks prior to my wedding, I had a major nervous breakdown and thank goodness I could rely on him--I don't think I would have made it through that by myself. He's makes you feel at ease and encourages your personality to shine. He listens to what you want and knows how to direct without being bossy. It seems a little silly to review his personality moreso than his photos, but remember that your photographer is going to be part of your special day. A poor attitude or clashing personality could easily ruin such an emotional day. Book Ryan for your wedding--you will thank me!” - Aiman
★★★★★
“Ryan Southen is not only an amazing photographer but SO easy to work with! He's super fun and creative and takes extraordinary photos. He likes to think outside the box and not always take the most traditional of photos. He listens to your wants and desires for your big day and does just that! As a bride, it's hard to remember every.single.detail, but thankfully Ryan did! We had some special things in our wedding like a Charity table for the orphanage we are active in, my "in memory of" photo of my grandmother around my bouquet, our rings, special moments with friends and family, all the centerpiece and décor details, etc. and Ryan didn't miss a single one. We love our photos and greatly enjoyed working with Ryan. He's fun, easy going, and professional in all he does. I would recommend him to anyone!” - Erika
★★★★★
“Photography was the one decision my husband & I went back and forth on for a while before decided to go with Ryan Southen Photography and we could not be happier that we did. We heard about Ryan from a co-worker and as soon as we met him we knew we had to go with him. We were so comfortable with him and he is the ONLY person I know that can get my husband to pose & smile for a photograph. We had so much fun during our subzero engagement session and even more fun together during our wedding. We joke often that Ryan was basically another part of our wedding party rather than a vendor. He stayed much longer than we asked him to and captured every little detail of our day. Many people especially those closest to us compliment us on our photographs saying 'they can see US in them' or 'they can hear our laughs' which to me shows what an amazing photographer he is. Another GREAT thing about Ryan is he knows Detroit! As a fellow Detroit lover he was able to make our Detroit wedding stand out from the rest. He NEVER takes a duplicate shot that you would see during some one else's photo sessions. Everything is tailored to the couple! After all the wedding buzz wore off we realized we had a friend in Ryan. I will not stop recommending his work and often joke that I want another big event so we can have him there to capture it.” - April
★★★★★
“When I was looking for a photographer for our wedding I could picture the style I wanted but didn't know of anyone through word of mouth. I found Ryan Southen Photography on theknot and I was so glad that I did! He does excellent work and has a unique style. He was great at putting me at ease during a stressful time the day of our wedding. We loved the end result of our wedding photos and engagement photos too! Even down to the packaging the pictures were sent in. I highly recommend him. He is a true artist, easy to work with, and is reasonably priced for the style and high quality.” - Kelly
★★★★★
“Our wedding photos were something that I always knew were going to be near and dear to our heart. I didn't care about many of the other services that I was going to pay that much attention about... except photography. Ryan Southen has an amazing way of capturing your day, and doing it in such a nice a laid back way, that you never even notice he's there. We had a few demands that we 'had to have' for our wedding... and he was able to pull these photos off and capture exactly just what we wanted. Every time I go through our photos, its like telling the story of that day, and replaying it back over and over again. If I was ever to go back and do this over, I would have no problem hiring Ryan again. The product he delivers, the style of photography, and just how he is able to present it to you. My summary? Simply amazing.” - Ken
★★★★★
“There are 2 things I should tell you about myself to help solidify this endorsement. I am a perfectionist (I know a lot of people think they are but I’m truly a textbook definition of a perfectionist) and I live by 2 mantras… (1), to always under promise and over deliver and (2), to leave it better than I found it. And I always secretly hope that those I work with and or those that I hire to work with me…have similar philosophies. With that being said, Ryan never under promised but he did 100% over deliver! He left my wedding capturing the day better than I had remembered it. My husband and I are incredibly fortunate that because of Ryan’s talents we are able to go back to that special day and relive it as if time never passed. And that’s what I wanted (and assume most brides want)…timeless photos that no matter when you go back to look at them, tomorrow, a month from now, 25 years from now…those pictures would bring you back as if it just happened. Ryan was sweet, funny, attentive, on time (if not early), calm (which is good to have on your big day) and brilliantly, brilliantly talented! He has a way of looking through those camera lens and not just see a bride and groom but a story...a shared moment…a love between 2 people. If you want a photographer who can beautifully illustrate a Celebration of LOVE…than he is definitely the ONE. Lastly, I will say this…when it comes to Ryan Southen, he shouldn’t be an option…he should be a bride’s only choice.” - Jackie
★★★★★
“Ryan has an excellent eye for composing and capturing great photographs. We were very happy with the final photos. While photographing he has a candid but professional demeanor that allows his subjects to feel comfortable in front of the camera.” - Lisa
★★★★★
“Ryan is more than a photographer-He is a true artist. When I was looking for someone to photograph my wedding, I was looking for a creative thinker who would capture authentic wedding memories. So many photographers focus on creating a staged set of pictures. Ryan approached our wedding as an artist documenting our day. We truly love our photographs and would recommend him to anyone.” - Julie
★★★★★
“We couldn't have been happier selecting Ryan Southen to shoot our wedding for us. The unique, creative style Ryan offered was priceless. (And not to mention affordable, for the thousands of beautiful photos). He shot our engagement session, wedding day and post-wedding shoot in Royal Oak and East Lansing, MI. He was in it for the long haul.. no added cost for the time, which was so valuable to us. Ryan is attentive, punctual and an all around great guy to work with. He's extremely professional and represents himself well. We'd recommend him to any one of our friends, family and acquaintances... and we have!” - Kim
★★★★★
“Ryan is a talented and creative photographer. His pictures are so much more than just traditional wedding photos. He is really able to capture the emotion of the day. In addition to his talent, Ryan is also a wonderful person who helps make the process calm and fun. I would definitely recommend him!” - Lisa
★★★★★
“Ryan is simply the best. He made the whole process from engagement pictures to the last hour at the reception effortless. My husband is a bit camera shy and self-conscious and Ryan put him to ease. I highly recommend Ryan to anyone, and hope we can continue to work with him through the years!” - Amanda
★★★★★
“Ryan is absolutely amazing!!! I honestly can't say enough good things about him!!! Not only is he a great guy, he is an amazing photographer. He has an eye for catching you not just looking your best but looking like you. He made my husband who hates pictures feel comfortable and even enjoy doing both the engagement and wedding sessions! He is totally reliable and professional and his eye for photography is just unparalleled! He is worth every penny!!! Ryan is the type of photographer you end up friends with when everything is all said and done. I couldn't recommend him more highly! I honestly could go on and on, if you are looking around and unsure, definitely contact him, you will be glad you did!” - Melanie
★★★★★
“Ryan was an amazing photographer and I couldn't be happier with my pictures! He has an extremely creative eye and captured our wedding day beautifully. He is flexible, friendly, and takes pride in his work which results in breathtaking photographs. Pictures were one of my biggest priorities for me and he came through in every way.” - Liz