If you’ve already proposed, and looking for engagement / wedding info, Start Here.
If you’re looking for someone to help plan and capture your surprise marriage proposal, scroll on…
I’m Chris, your proposal-planning partner.
I’ve worked with hundreds of clients over the years, and I still absolutely love helping plan and ultimately capture this amazing moment in your lives together. Everything you need to help make a decision to hire me is on this page, so I’ll be completely candid here.
[ Keep scrolling to see Testimonials, Availability, Pricing, FAQ and more amazing photos!]
Our focus is epic photography, but we work with some pretty amazing partners that specialize in elaborate decor (separate pricing from our packages).
I promise not to let this happen…again.
If you choose me, I promise to:
🧭 Help you plan the logistics: time and place (including satellite image screenshots with drawn directions). Most proposals are in the Santa Cruz area, but I go as far north as Napa Valley and as far south as Big Sur (and everything in-between). Please review the location options in each package below.
✅ Provide tons of tips to ensure everything runs smoothly, based on my past experience
⏳ Be incredibly responsive in all communications, while making every effort to not spoil the surprise
📸 Effortlessly guide / direct the two of you after the proposal with a quick, fun and easy couples’ portrait (engagement) session
🖼️ Provide an online gallery of the edited results within 24 hours of the proposal, so you can share the love (weekend proposals are done by Monday EOD)
Book a 10 Minute Chat with Chris:
Note: If it looks like I’m booked, reach out anyways as one of my team members is usually available!
[ Keep scrolling to see Testimonials, Availability, Pricing, FAQ and more amazing photos!]
“Chris, why should we work with you, though?”
Fair question! I’ve had the honor of shooting proposals, engagements, elopements and weddings for almost two decades, so I’ve learned a thing or two along the way.
First, I must earn your trust. This comes through responsive, clear and quick communications – before, during and after our shoot.
Next, I am an open book when it comes to showing full shoots AND all my prices (see below). If my style / pricing isn’t what you’re looking for, I don’t want to waste your time.
Last, please don’t take my word for it – simply consider the hundreds of reviews past clients have left for me on Yelp. Here’s just a handful:
Satya + Asha
Chris is excellent at what he does. We loved our proposal photo shoot with him! Initially, I had no idea what to expect as I never had my photos taken by a professional photographer before. But we didn't have to do any thinking at all. We just followed the instructions Chris gave us and the album turned out excellent! The whole photoshoot session felt natural and comfortable. Would 100% recommend GoodEye Photography for any event.
Elizabeth + Daniel
Chris with GoodEye photography was wonderful from start to finish! I planned to propose to my girlfriend in Santa Cruz (2.5 hours away from our home) and Chris was extremely helpful in planning/tips/advice as well as flexible with last minute changes due to weather. The pictures he took during and after the proposal are absolutely stunning and he worked really well with our dog too! He got our pictures back to us that evening which is great since we of course can't wait to share them with family/friends! I highly recommended GoodEye for all your photography needs!
Jina + Kevin
Today is one month since our wedding. This review is long overdue. When we think back to the big day, Chris is top of mind. It almost feels like if we didn't hire Chris, we didn't have a wedding.
Last year, my then boyfriend hired Chris as his partner in crime to surprise me with a proposal in Santa Cruz. On our walk to the surprise spot I spot a man with two extremely large cameras and the poise of an endearing dad, and I joked to my partner that the waves being photographed could be on National Geographics one day and we witnessed the moment. How cool! Little did I know that he was there for me, for us.
Our engagement photos turned out to be exactly National Geographics level amazing. I barely dressed up that day, and I hate taking photos, but Chris made the experience fun and enjoyable. His camera doesn't have a loud clicking noise when photos are taken, so as our session progressed I sort of forgot that I was being photographed. He was our tour guide for the hour and we simply enjoyed the nice scenery while looking into each other's gaze.
Fast forward to wedding day, Chris came early and spoke to the coordinator directly without any help from us. He is assertive and takes care of the details without adding anything extra to us. Throughout the day, he completed all my wishes (I wanted certain portraits done) AND did a bunch more that he thought would add to our memories. He commanded the crowd nicely and zipped between everyone like a ninja. We didn't notice him, but he was everywhere.
The wedding was a blast, and when we received the photos only 4 days later (your email response to your boss probably takes longer), we were blown away. There were moments we missed that he captured, moments we cherished that he captured, and moments we thought were probably embarrassing to be captured that he captured in the most loving way.
I quit my job a few months ago, and as I finish all the post wedding work I am hit with the question - "what's next?". I can't help but look up to Chris - the man is so good at his craft, and that's where I want to be too one day. An excellent photographer and an even better human being.
April + Justin
**BEST PHOTOGRAPHER EVER!**
I wasn't sure if I wanted to get engagement photos until discovered GoodEye! The reviews caught my eye and the website is quality, awesome, real & funny. Truly a breath of fresh air to send an inquiry and receive information right away followed by a phone appointment with an actual human!! Communication was stellar, start to finish!
I was hesitant as my partner and I are awkward in front of cameras and not models by any definition of the word. Chris listened to my vision and made it a reality! We felt immediately at ease and were directed every step of the way.
Our photos were edited and ready for review so quickly! Chris even edited people and other unwanted items out of all of our favorites! A great experience all around and at fair prices!! I would recommend Chris 1000 times over, especially for the shy people like me! Thank you for giving us beautiful photos and memories that will last forever!
Nicole + Elliot
I had the most unbelievable proposal at Panther Beach, California. There's nothing like that moment that means so much to you, and all you can hope for when a moment passes is you'll have something to vividly remember that day rather than solely rely on memory. Well, Chris being right by our side from before, during, and after the proposal helped provide me with the best souvenirs from our trip that I could ask for.
Chris was so professional and you could tell from the second he started snapping pictures of us that he really knew what he was doing. I was so shocked and overwhelmed by what was happening, not to mention the wind was driving my hair crazy. My (now) fiancé and I joked how awful we were at following Chris' directions since we've never done a photoshoot, so we didn't expect the pictures to come out as amazing as they did. Chris really knew how to position the camera, what angles/scenery to capture, and how to direct us to ensure we looked our best.
As if I wasn't impressed enough by the actual photoshoot, Chris' quick return of the photos to us was unbelievable. We had a sneak peek of the pictures the night of the shoot (hours after it occurred), and when we finally selected the photos we wanted to order, he had them back to us within a day or 2. We were so anxious to see them, and his quick reply made us so relieved and happy to get them so quickly. Looking through the photos brought me to tears, and it was surreal to even think that it was me in these photos.
Beautiful photos that I will look back on forever. Thank you to Chris!!
Tiffani + Karlee
So many good things to say about Chris, where shall I begin?! First I think it's important to mention my partner and I are a queer couple, and it can be challenging to find someone who is going to celebrate our love the way we do. We're SOOO glad and grateful we found Chris. Chris was incredible from the planning of the proposal right to the delivery of the final photos. He made us laugh and encouraged us with so many poses and placements and options to ensure we had a variety to choose from. I'm not one to be comfortable in front of the camera but Chris makes it fun. He really cares about you and your experience and that meant a lot to us. He made a special day something we can look back on forever. HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHRIS FOR ALL YOUR PHOTO NEEDS!! Especially the LGBTQ community - I see you I am you and Chris is who you want. Thanks for everything Chris :)
“Ok Chris, you seem legit. Where do we start?”
The two critical questions I always get up front are 1) are you available, and 2) what does it cost?
Availability
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Availability 〰️
I try to encourage my clients to pick a weekday (you can see my schedule here) as it gives us more privacy in public spaces than weekends, but I understand this isn’t always doable. Because weekends are in higher demand, the pricing is a little different (see below). Either way, you can see my availability and book the shoot on your own. Most of my proposal shoots happen in the Santa Cruz / Carmel / Big Sur region, but I travel as far north as San Francisco and even Napa Valley on a regular basis.
Pricing
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Pricing 〰️
My weekday proposal packages range in price from $650 to $1,350 (see below for details) – there’s a lot of planning leading up to the big day, and I also need to be on-site early for the actual shoot so everything is in place. I understand this is no small investment, but my clients are always thrilled and honestly surprised with how much I can do in such a short amount of time, not to mention the quality of the photos and the experience itself. Below are the packages, showing how many photos you would keep with each:
Surprise Proposal / Engagement Packages:
Screenshot your package as we raise our prices as we get into the busy season, and want to honor the price when you booked!
Basic Package: (15) Digital Files
Weekdays (M-F) $650 / Weekends & Holidays $850
The Proposal + engagement session @ same location
Location options: Santa Cruz area only – Davenport, Santa Cruz, Capitola, Aptos, Watsonville; NOT Carmel, Half Moon Bay, San Francisco
I’ll present you with 50 to 80+ edited proofs to choose from
You keep your favorite (15) edited photos of choice (additional files $75/ea or $800 additional for the full collection)
Standard Package: (50) Digital Files
Weekdays (M-F) $950 / Weekends & Holidays $1,250
The Proposal + engagement session @ 1-2 locations
Location options: within 60-80 miles of Santa Cruz (Carmel / Big Sur to San Francisco – Basically anywhere in the greater Bay Area / Monterey Coast, but NOT Napa Valley)
I’ll present you with 75 to 100+ edited proofs to choose from
You keep your favorite (50) edited photos of choice (additional files $75/ea or $700 additional for the full collection)
Premium Package: ALL (200+) Digital Files
Weekdays (M-F) $1,350 / Weekends & Holidays $1,650
The Proposal + engagement session @ 1-3 locations
Post-sunset dramatic backlit portraits like this (optional)
Location options: within 80-130 miles of Santa Cruz (Big Sur to Napa Valley / Sausalito / Yountville / Sonoma – Basically anywhere in the greater Bay Area / Monterey Coast)
You keep ALL edited photos from the session (often over 200)
Yes, we can capture video of your surprise proposal!
Alright Chris, let’s do this! What’s Next?
Here’s the Process / What to Expect:
1. Book a phone call so we can chat:
Book a phone call with me to get any questions answered that aren’t already on this page. Consider me your local, on-the-ground expert (lots of you are planning this from out of state or even out of country – hello Canadian friends!!). I’m here to tell you all the things you’re not thinking about, and put your mind to ease on the stuff you’re stressing on (hi weather!). I can help with all the logistics, and refer you to vendors that specialize in elaborate setups if that’s your vibe (my focus is always on capturing this once-in-a-lifetime moment, not props).
2. Picking the location to propose:
If you’re not sure about where to propose, we can discuss it on our call. If you want to browse recent proposal shoots for location inspiration, click here. If you want to browse even more past shoots, click here. Want still more options, browse hundreds of engagement shoots (not proposals), that are organized by location type here.
3. book the shoot on my calendar:
Assuming you want to move forward, book the proposal time on my calendar so it’s reserved and no-one else gets it. While I recommend weekday dates as we’ll have more privacy in public spaces, I understand some people are only able to make weekends work. You can see both my weekend and weekday availability and book your 1hr slot. If it looks like we’re already booked, please reach out anyways as we have a team of talented photographers for those days when we have 5 or 6 proposals happening all over the Bay Area . There is NO cost to making a reservation and NO PENALTY to changing or even canceling it. After booking it, please tell me which package you’re considering (each package describes how far from Santa Cruz we’re willing to travel from, and how many photos you keep); even though you don’t pay up front, your intended package choice will roughly guide how long the post-proposal engagement session will last.
4. text me anytime, I’ll send you all the logistical details:
Leading up to the date, feel free to text me anytime with questions / concerns / logistics. If we need to adjust the time / date that’s always doable (provided we’re free). Sometimes we need to change things up due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. If the location we decided on has low/no cell signal, I will send you much more detailed instructions in advance, including direct map links for where to park, where to walk to from your car, plus satellite images with notations describing where I recommend you go, and where we’ll be.
5. send me your pic / share your location:
On proposal day, please send me a selfie of you both so I know what you look like and what you’re wearing. If you have an iPhone, please use the Find My app to temporarily share your location with me @ 408-431-4808. If you have signal, text me when you park so I’m on alert (I’m usually on-site at least 30 minutes early). If you’re on android, we’ll switch to WhatsApp for communications as that allows for easy location sharing.
6. post-proposal engagement session:
After the proposal, I’ll guide you both through a photo session together, anywhere from 10 to 45 mins is typical, depending on the package you told me you likely wanted. You don’t need to know how to pose or anything. I will talk you through it and make it fun and easy, even if you’re not super-comfortable in front of the camera.
7. pay for the shoot:
Payment is due the day of the proposal shoot. Here are my current payment options, in order of preference: cash > check > Zelle (408-431-4808) > Venmo (@goodeyephoto) > PayPal (chris@goodeyephotography.com). Yes, you have to decide on your package before you see the results (I promise you’ll almost certainly want more photos than you think!) . Most clients have a pretty good idea of how it went, how many photos we took, and how many settings we explored by the end of the shoot. At some point that evening (like after dinner), you can pay me for the package you want. It’s totally OK if you went into the shoot planning on the Basic, and ultimately deciding the Standard is the best package for you. I tend to over shoot regardless of the package, so you are unlikely to not have enough photos to choose from. I typically have the photos ready for you within 24hrs for review/download, but I’ll let you know at the end of the shoot what to expect. Most weekend shoots are done by EOD Monday. Any edits you want done after you see the photos are almost always doable, I don’t charge for that.
Scroll down to the FAQ if you have more questions…
So, what are you waiting for?
Feeling phone-shy?
We can email, like old pen-pals.
FAQ:
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Most of our shoots are in the Carmel / Monterey / Santa Cruz area, but we are often up in San Francisco and even go up to Napa Valley on a regular basis. If you want coverage outside this area, like Yosemite, Hawaii or beyond, just ask us for a custom quote for your once in a lifetime adventure!
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I don’t have specific time requirements for these shoots, it’s entirely dependent on each unique situation. Sometimes it’s 20 minutes, sometimes an hour. A mini session is almost always going to be on the shorter side, and vice versa.
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Nope, schedules can change - weather could screw things up. I don’t want you to pay a thing until the successful shoot is over.
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Absolutely! Consider me your on-the-ground local expert on all the cool places to do propose to your partner. From Big Sur to San Francisco, there’s so much to pick from – redwood forest, rocky cliffs, amazing beaches, stunning architecture. We really have it all in the Greater Bay Area.
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Then we’ll attempt to reschedule, no biggie. One reason I don’t take deposits.
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I personally don't deal with props as my primary focus is capturing excellent photos of this momentous moment in your lives – but once you book your proposal session with me, I'll send you my preferred vendor contact info for amazing floral setups like this: https://clients.goodeyephotography.com/gallery/25606468/
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While I *can* shoot video, people generally hire me for my stellar still photography and award-winning editing skills. HOWEVER, one workaround I’ve come up with goes something like this: at the pre-agreed-upon proposal spot, I’ll be nearby pretending to take photos of something else. You come up to me, hand me your phone, asking if I can take a picture of you both real quick. I oblige, except you hand me the phone ready to go in video mode. I pretend to start taking a photo but the video is rolling… you immediately get down on one knee and voila, it’s all captured and I didn’t even have to hide or anything. We can absolutely recreate the scene with still photos as well, so it’s really the best of both worlds.
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I highly suggest planning a nice dinner, or some other evening event she’ll want to get a little dressed up for.
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99% of the time, no. We’re generally in a public space, and typically somewhere that is beautiful and a photographer taking photos of the scenery would not appear strange. I will pretend to ignore you, but will be on-the-ready since you’ll have texted me that you’ve parked and sent me a photo of you both ahead of time. Once I see you in my peripheral getting down on one knee, I’ll start actively capturing everything – and all your partner’s attention will be on you.
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A totally alternate approach to the proposal can go as follows: tell your partner you hired a photographer to capture your small family at a cool location. You both go into it knowing you need to look your best, and a photographer is involved. At some point during the shoot, I’ll give you the nod (or you to me), and you can get down on one knee and do your thing. It’s a great method, takes a lot of the cloak-and-dagger out of the logistics, and is a lot of fun. Oh, and this works great even if you don’t have kids - people hire me all the time for couples’ sessions. The main reason clients don’t opt for this is because they’re worried it will be too out of character to have hired a photographer, and it will give the game up. You know your partner best, but it’s good to have options!
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Hasn’t. Happened. Yet.
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Yes!
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Before the shoot, please let me know which package you’re most strongly considering, so I spend the appropriate amount of time with you day-of.
You don’t have to ultimately decide (or pay) until the end of the session. At that point you’ll know exactly how it went and all the settings we explored for photos.
When you review the results in the online gallery, you have the option to purchase additional individual files for $75/ea, or to purchase the entire collection of photos (often 150+) for the amount listed under that package in the pricing section.
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I absolutely love capturing your love story - this is just the beginning. I have many clients that started with a proposal, then an engagement, then wedding, and over the years maternity, newborn and family photos. Obviously this works best for Bay Area local clients, but I do travel all over for weddings, so please consider me for your big day once you set the date. You can read all about what I do for weddings here: http://www.BayAreaWedding.Photography
Oh, you want to see more Bay Area Proposal / Engagement Photos?
Scroll on, friend…scroll on.
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