My father, grandfather and I.

Meet The Artist: Sasha Yevelev

Thank you for taking the time to get acquainted. When you’re finished, please make sure to read my vows to you.

My name is Sasha Yevelev. Photography is deeply embedded in my past. Almost 30 years ago, my family and I came to the United States from the former Soviet Union. After heroically surviving World War 2, my grandfather had been a professional portrait photographer for over 50 years. To support our family in America, my father, who had apprenticed in my grandfather’s studio, picked up a heavy JVC video camera and worked as a videographer at weddings, spending countless nights editing footage. I would often stay up late and watch my dad work, so I saw hundreds of weddings before I ever picked up a camera myself.

Given such a family history, it seemed inevitable that I would be drawn down the same path. I started photographing in high school, as a photojournalist for my school paper, and continued taking pictures in college, at UC Berkeley, always the designated photographer in my group of friends. After college, I invested in my first professional digital camera (DSLR). While working in the business world, I started shooting weddings as an assistant to a prominent Bay Area photographer, and quickly went on to do my own professional wedding work.

I have over 16 years of professional wedding photography experience, and several years ago, inspired by my love for films and by amazing changes in technology, I added wedding videography to my studio offerings.

I am drawn to light and color, and I pride myself on being able to capture ‘the decisive moment’. I am always seeking out or creating the best possible lighting, and I work with a wide range of professional lenses to provide diverse perspectives on the day. My extensive wedding experience gives me a keen sense of anticipation and understanding of how the day will flow. I bring positive energy to connect with and delight your guests and vendors.

I have photographed in destinations as distant as India, Paris, London, Aspen, Mexico, New York, Los Angeles, North Carolina, even a wedding on a cruise ship! But, San Francisco is the city I know like the back of my hand – a city that I believe is the best photo studio in the world. I am an expert San Francisco City Hall wedding photographer. I love to explore interesting locations and themes while connecting with my couples during engagement shoots.

I have a podcast, where I connect with my couples and wedding industry vendors.

I have a blog, where I feature wedding related things and personal musings. Check it out!

I speak fluent Russian and decent Spanish, and I’m available for wedding bookings worldwide.

I live in San Francisco with my wife and son. We love sunsets at the beach, Burning Man (that’s where we met), and CrossFit. You can usually find us working out at Crossfit Potrero Hill. We take every opportunity to create some original family photographs.