“Seriously, if you’re at ALL thinking about a wedding photographer, I cannot recommend Deric highly enough.

He has not only an exceptional eye but is SO nice... he LOVES meeting people, family, friends, getting to know them and talk with them. So many of my family members have commented about how much they LIKED Deric - which made it feel like a friend was shooting our wedding, and not just “some guy.” And honestly, after having worked with him, he really is a friend.”

“Deric took the time to understand our vision and style, and he helped us put together a thorough shot list for the big day so we were all on the same page. I really love candid, captured moments in wedding photos, but was worried I wouldn’t feel comfortable really being open and myself with a photographer right there.

He made all those worries disappear—he was so easy to be with and he instantly made me feel comfortable. He was the perfect combination of falling into the background to capture everything, and then being right there when I needed him—whether that meant corralling my family or popping up with a plate of food when he noticed I hadn’t eaten yet.

He’s a good person and an incredibly talented photographer — what else could you ask for?”

“Deric shot my wedding in July 2016 and I cannot recommend him enough! I wanted editorial style photography that was unique and contemporary. Deric was able to capture my vintage-inspired DIY wedding with candid moments throughout the day. Deric is just an all around nice and professional person. He made everyone at ease and was tremendously thoughtful.”

“Hiring a photographer for my wedding was a daunting task for me. I’m a very low-key person and not very photogenic; I’m awkward and make funny faces that are not pretty or sexy. Having said that, Deric Mendes made me look beautiful, he took some of the best photographs of me of my entire life.
I cried buckets. He got every amazing moment!”

“Deric became both friend and family while photographing our groom’s dinner, ceremony, and reception. His work speaks for itself (I mean, come on. Look at it!), but know that the man behind the camera is definitely someone you want by your side at your wedding. We were drawn to his vivid, journalistic style, and got exactly what we hoped for. He took the time to get to know our guests, and captured candid portraits with personality, ephemeral and pivotal moments, and all the joy and love of our family and friends on that special day.

Deric arrived early to our groom’s dinner to photograph our families meeting for the first time, which was priceless foresight. He was accommodating and patient the morning of our wedding as our schedules constantly changed and managed to be in 2 or 3 places at once. Deric was attentive to photographing our families, wedding party, and our ‘dog of honor’. He even offered to drive me and my husband-to-be into the desert for the landscape portraits we wanted, shooting in the 110-degree sun, and keeping us smiling and enjoying every second. He was nearly invisible during the ceremony, maneuvering professionally. As the celebration turned from banquet to dance, to pool party, Deric never missed a beat saving our memories - and some he even helped to create.

He delivered all the photos to us within a few weeks on a beautiful custom USB drive, which made them super easy to share with family and friends. Deric also makes the process of ordering prints and books very simple, although we haven’t yet chosen which of them we want to print — there are just so many we love!

Deric is the most friendly, intuitive, and professional photographer to have by your side on your special day. He comes with my highest recommendations. Hire him and you’ll get more than photographs - he’ll tell your story.”

“Deric is hands down the best photographer I have ever had the privilege of working with. The first time we met he was responding to a last minute request from the Moxi Skate Team. Our original photographer bailed, but thank goodness because the pictures Deric took turned out incredible. He was such a trooper, spending an entire Saturday with a group of crazy girls dragging him to locations all over Long Beach. Indoor, outdoor, day, night, candid, action, group, individual... He quickly adapted to the environment and made each girl shine.The personality and spirit he was able to capture resulted in an exciting, dynamic, and genuine photo set.  He was very personable, his direction and critique was always well received.  Everybody liked him so much that we brought him with us to skate camp!  

He spent the weekend with an even bigger group of crazy girls, and did just as incredible of a job.  It was the first time our entire national team was meeting, the weekend was jam-packed with activities, and he still got great shots of everybody despite the havoc.  He fits right in and we all enjoy having him as part of our team. We look forward to working with him again very soon!”

“He was incredibly nimble and responsive to our needs, and he made himself perfectly available to us. Being married to an actor and working for an elected official, I’ve had a lot of experience around photographers and know that some can take up a lot of energy in the room. Deric knew exactly how to hang back and let us have our private moments, but still capture them appropriately. He’s such a warm, caring person and he was an incredibly calming influence on what can be an overwhelming and sometimes stressful day.”

“Deric shot our wedding and it was a wonderful experience from beginning to end! He took all the photos we asked for as well as captured some unforgettable candid moments. Unlike other photographers who just stage photos, Deric tries to capture your personality then reflect that in the photos. He was probably the hardest working person at our wedding. He never stopped snapping shots but was completely unobtrusive.”

“Having Deric shoot our wedding was the best decision we made in all of our wedding planning. It was important to us that the feeling of the day was captured in our photos and he delivered! Deric was able to make us, and our guests, feel at ease and it shows in the photos. The pictures show personalities in a way that I don’t think we would have had with another photographer.

Deric took the time to get to know us and our guests. He understood our style and he honored that AND elevated it.

I cannot recommend Deric highly enough. We feel truly fortunate to have worked with him. You feel like Deric is your teammate and there is no one else we would rather have on our team.”

“Deric shot my daughter’s senior photos in November, 2016. They are AMAZING! An absolutely sensational experience working with Deric. He was very professional and extremely easy to work with. We couldn’t be happier with the senior photos. I would highly recommend Deric for all of your photography needs.”

“I did my head shots with him back in May and I had a BLAST. I get a bit nervous when I take professional pictures and he made me feel really comfortable. He is flexible and caters to what you want. He has a great eye for capturing the perfect moments. 

A really professional person in every way of the word, he drove up to my neighborhood to make it easier for me.  After the pictures were complete he asked me if I was happy with them and if I wanted any changes. Not every photographer does that!”