WE BELIEVE THAT…

everything is worth celebrating
collaboration > competition
everyone has a little Beyonce in them
building relationships is a perk of the biz
people are beautiful
there are moments that demand creative imagery
relationships > social media likes
good photos are the product of careful cultivation
the greatest memories are made out of one simple moment at a time
good photos should be timeless

let's hang out

Let’s be honest, we don’t like writing about ourselves. It seems boastful or overly assertive and we’re way better at just having you over to our house and chatting. But we get it. You need to get some overall impression to start with. So here goes…

Heyyyyo!
I’m Chadwick

Chief Happiness Officer // Photographer // Closet Perfectionist // Professional Friend

Chadwick studied graphic design at PLNU and came from a family of artists and social butterflies. He enjoys all things social: coffee, wine, hosting/bartending (same thing), connecting people across communities, and making people feel just pretty darn great. He has the creative edge of a panther and can dance harder than Justin Timberlake. He recently went on a cray cray health journey and will be your #1 health encourager/coach/guru. Chadwick loves new friends and he loves taking photos.

hiiiii!!!!
I’m Jenika

Email warrior // Photographer // Achieve-aholic // Studio Manager

Jenika is obsessed with learning and progress. Though Chadwick may have taught her the ropes, she brings the balance and ups the ante. Jenika IS empathy in its purest form. She feels deeply and has the energy levels of a crazy 5-year-old. One day she’ll chase her passion of starting a ranch full of rescue/adopted animals with a brood full of kids, but until then she’s the other half to Gantes.Co and a damn good half.

Ruff! Ruff!
I’m Frank

Intern // Morale Booster // Full-Time Cuddler // Personal Trainer

Frank is Gantes.Co’s biggest fan. Since adopting him, our little hearts have tiny explosions every time he greets us after a shoot. He’s the life of every party yet also can be known to enjoy a quiet talk by the couch, just the two of you. He helps keep us balanced with his strict regiment of morning walks, lunch break cuddle sessions, and evening strolls. He claims it’s good for us to get outside and helps us stay creative…He is so wise.

WE LOVE OUR CLIENTS.
OUR CLIENTS LOVE US.

FAQ's

We want you to get to know us. Here’s a good spot to start.
These are some commonly asked questions and corresponding answers.
If you’ve got more, drop us a line in the contact box below and let’s chat!

How do we know if you’re a good match for us?

Yesssss! Collaboration is key to making good photos so we want to make sure you’d have fun hanging out with us. Start by taking a look at our site and past shoots. There’s tons of different styles out there and we want to make sure you’re into ours before you book. Good there? Okay – Do you like to have fun? Are good photos important to you? Are you willing to get a little silly and let your personality shine through? Do you like any of the following: good food, good coffee, good wine/beer, good books, pups, the Lakers, the outdoors, good design, clean design? If you answered yes to at least one of the above, things look promising. Let’s hang out.

How do I get a quote?

Fill out the snazzy “Contact Us” form below or email us at [email protected] We can’t wait to hear from ya!

I hate having my photo taken.

Not a question, but we admire your honesty! Let’s be real though, unless you have some superpower that let’s you love everything about yourself, having your photo taken can be intimidating. We know this. We’ve experienced this. And we’d like to think that there is a better way. Having your photo taken shouldn’t feel like a test where you’re expected to perform. We will help you. We will make it more fun. We’ll give you ideas. It’s a collaboration.

What kind of equipment do you shoot on?

We primarily use Canon bodies and lenses. If gear is your thing, reach out to Chadwick directly as he can nerd out on this stuff for hours. Our typical bag is filled with 2 Canon 5DmkIV, 2 Canon 35mm f/1.4L, Canon 85mm f/1.2L, Canon 50mm f/1.2L,  and the Canon 135mm f/2L with some fun tricks we toss in here and there. We have a few other film cameras if you feel like letting us get all old school on ya.

How long have you been doing this?

Chadwick shot his first wedding on a Canon Rebel in 2008. No, we are not going to show you those photos.

Jenika shot her first wedding with Chadwick in 2012. He created some elaborate “lessons” to test her photography mettle and decided she had some pretty dang complimentary skills to balance his own.

Little old Gantes.Co was founded in Jan. 2014.

But we’ve been doing “this” – getting to know, understand people/clients, dream up grander imagery options, tell stories, and document life from what feels like forever. It’s a skill we feel we’ve been made to cultivate from the time we were littles.

Do You Always Shoot Together?

Always sometimes. We love shooting together but it’s not always in the cards. Jenika has returned to her love of littles and is teaching full time. AND We hope to welcome our own kiddos at some point…Kids are hard to plan around. THUS you will always be booking one of us and an awesome teammate. Feel free to reach out if you want to talk this through more.

Do I really need to do an engagement shoot?

I know, I know. Budgets are rough, schedules get crazy, cutting it can seem like the easy call. But honestly, this session is one thing we’re pretty big believers in. Much of our style is built around getting to know each other. We want you to get comfortable with us, find what makes you guys YOU GUYS, and get you ready for what to expect on the big day. It’s like a double date basically. No pressure, just get some photos of you guys in your element. Where ever that may be – your home, favorite local spot, shooting in a place you feel comfortable and that sounds fun. We’ll walk, we’ll chat, we’ll get to know each other and snap some photos while we’re at it. Wedding photos are awesome, but it’s these quiet, little moments that can be some of the most special to look back on. We’ll work with you to create some authenticity and get you used to our style. Then by the wedding, you’ll be pros!!!

So to recap:
1. Most people don’t LOVE getting their photo taken. The eng. session gives you guys a chance to get comfortable with us in front of our cameras. We try to make it fun! We get to know you guys. See how you interact and find your best moments/cuddles/laughing faces/what makes you YOU!
2. We DO NOT do matching khaki/awkward seductive photos like here or here (no offense to them! Some people like this stuff. We don’t. If you don’t. That’s a good sign)
3. We do very relaxed sessions that hopefully allow your personalities to come out. We will give you suggestions of what do so you don’t feel awkward standing in front of us trying to think of something to do.
4. These are the photos that are often more timeless. Your wedding photos will be amazing and oh so special but these ones, in your “normal” clothes. These are usually the faves.

We are doing a session with you! Now what??

Yay! We can’t wait to hang. Often couples email us asking for tips/tricks to be “ready” for the shoot but this will look different for everyone. Here are some basics to make you feel more at ease:

1) Just show up. Really. We can work with that. If you’re feeling generous, read on.
2) Wear something you feel good in! You want to feel comfortable and as much like yourself as possible as that confidence will radiate through your images. Don’t worry about trying to match and have fun with it! Wear something you know love or buy something fancy and werk it. You’re welcome to bring a change of outfits too if you want to switch halfway. It’ll give you some more variety in your images and sneakily make it look like you had your photos taken 2 different days aka magic
3) It’s going to feel funny for the first few minutes. Fact. Most of us don’t have photographers following us around every day. We will help you! We’re not expecting you to pose or model for us. We want to create an atmosphere where you can try to forget about us being there and have fun with the day. We’ll give you ideas of things to do to get you to interact in a more normal/authentic way. We’ll keep it moving and try to trick you into having fun! Don’t overthink it, we’re here to help 🙂
4. Be excited. Seriously? Yep. Go in to this shoot prepared for awesomeness to ensue. Positive thinking is a real deal people and you’re about to spend the day with the person you’re going to spend forever with. So make a day out of it. Spend the morning together. Get coffee or a shot or both (it’s happened, we support it) together and there you go – instant adventure date day.
5. Forget we’re there if necessary. You don’t even have to look at our cameras for most of it. We’ll ask you to look at us for some (parents love those frozen smile-at-the-camera photos, so we’ll definitely get a few 😉 but in general, we want to just document you two having fun, doing your thing, oh and cuddling. When in doubt, cuddle up. You don’t have to perform for us, focus on each other. Laugh at them, smile at them, nuzzle them, enjoy each other, whatever you do, do that.

 

What are your spirit animals?

Chadwick – The baby of a unicorn and a sloth

Jenika – Well, Frank is pretty much me in dog form but otherwise a horsey.

 

Can you help with a timeline?

YESSSS! Jenika loves this. We’ve obviously been to an event or two and know when the lighting is at its best. Hit us up and we’ll dream up the most efficient, smooth-sailing, picture perfect plan.

How do I get my finished photos from you?

The second they’re ready we’ll shoot you an email with a link to a lovely little online gallery. From there you can view, download, share, favorite, and even order prints. We’ll keep it live for a few months so you have time to swoon, download and then back ’em up real nice so you’re set. Most of our packages additionally include a USB of all your hi-res images for quick + easy viewing/saving. With both, you’ll have full personal printing rights meaning you can print them wherever your heart desires. No need to print through us (though we have that as an option if you want some real, nice ones).

How long does it take to get the photos?

Since we personally hand-edit and are also perfectionists…these things take time. Weddings take about 8-12 weeks. Engagement/portrait sessions take 6-8 weeks. Commercial work depends on the deliverables/shot list.

What is the AmigoBooth?

The Amigobooth is:

– A fun, techy twist on the old-school photobooth

– An easy-to-use, get your guests excited about the party, instant way to create professional-grade images from your event

– An open-air “booth” that encourages freedom of expression, creativity, and all-around good times

– A smarter booth that sends all your images to “the cloud” via wifi and instantly loads them to a gallery your guests can view, email themselves, and share

– Find more info here or view past events…

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We call San Diego Home

But we LOVE to travel & work all over the globe

Contact Us

Drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you.
Don’t be shy... we love new friends.