Sonoma County Portrait Photographer
My name is Jason Guy and I’m a Sonoma County portrait photographer serving Sonoma, Napa, and Marin counties. My goal is to create authentic, high quality portraits for everyone I photograph. If you like the portraits that I show on this page, you can contact me by tapping the button below and I’d love to discuss your intended photo shoot with you!
My Approach As a Sonoma County Portrait Photographer
As a Sonoma County portrait photographer, my priority is always connecting with the person in front of the lens—capturing something honest, expressive, and flattering—photos that feel like the best version of you. I believe a great portrait starts with a genuine relationship: a warm hello, a shared laugh, or even a quiet moment where you simply feel seen. That connection translates into every frame.
From there, I build on five essential elements that form the backbone of my work—location, lighting, composition, emotion, and technical settings. These aren’t just buzzwords; they’re the foundation of my work. I go into more detail in my blog post, What Makes a Good Portrait, but here’s a quick overview:
- Location – Whether it’s vineyards in Napa Valley, your home here in Sonoma County, or a overlook in Marin County, the right setting frames your portrait beautifully and supports your personality.
- Lighting – I favor natural light, sometimes by itself and sometimes enhanced with studio strobes. It’s about shaping light to bring out the best in you for the scene and the look we’re going for.
- Composition – How to pose, what to do with your hands all coached by me—framed intentionally so you’re captured at your best angles.
- Technical Settings – Behind the scenes, I’m tweaking aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and lens choices and focus modes for what I think will look best stylistically.
- Emotion – The key piece missing from most portraits, my goal is to help you feel comfortable enough to stop thinking about the photo and just be yourself. This communicates authentic emotion you can see in expressive facial clusters.
When all five elements come together, that’s when the magic happens. If any of them are missing, the portrait can’t be great. With every client I photograph, I aim to get these right—because that’s how we create the best portraits possible.
Kind Words From My Clients
Maxfield Bala
“Jason Guy did a wonderful job capturing photos for me and my wife. Although he’s usually a Sonoma wedding photographer, I asked if he’d be willing to travel to our destination wedding in the Eastern Sierras, and I’m so glad I did! The whole wedding process can be overwhelming, especially for a destination wedding, but Jason helped us design a timeline that made our day stress-free and allowed time to capture dream photos of us. The photos look amazing, and I literally can’t imagine having my wedding captured by anyone else. Thank you, Jason!”
Lisa Guderian
“Jason really made the whole experience fun and comfortable and my photos turned out perfect! I highly recommend him for professional headshots!!”
Jaan Whitehead
“Jason came to my home with a wonderful make-up artist and, together, they created a warm and welcoming environment for me to have a headshot done. The results were terrific, and I could not be more pleased. So thank you Jason!!!”
Raymond Giomi
“Jason makes the process very easy and efficient. Responds quickly and makes you feel comfortable when posing. Phenomenal quality of work”
Sonoma County Portrait Photographer Jason Guy
As a Sonoma County portrait photographer, I focus on creating portraits that feel genuine and thoughtfully made. Whether you’re leaning toward a studio look or want to use a meaningful location as your backdrop, the process starts with understanding what you’re looking for. I’ve outlined how that process works in my Portrait Photo Shoot Overview.
If the portraits on this page speak to you, reach out. I’d love to hear what kind of images you want to create—and talk through how we can make them happen.
Portrait Photo Shoot FAQ
Curious about what it’s like to book a portrait session with me? Below are answers to the most common questions I get about my process and the types of sessions I offer. For more information you can check out my portrait photo shoot faq here.
What Type Of Portrait Sessions Do You Offer?
I offer many types portrait sessions, all of which take place on location. I photograph traditional portraits using studio-style backgrounds as well as environmental portraits that incorporate the surrounding scene into the image. This includes, but is not limited to: couple’s portraits, engagement photos, family portraits, professional portraits, online dating profile photos, formal wedding portraits, boudoir portraits, maternity photos, senior portraits, personal branding sessions, fitness portraits, pet photography, and creative portraits.
What Does a Portrait Session Look Like From Start to Finish?
First, contact me to tell me a bit about your intended session. I’ll follow up within 24 hours to schedule a phone consultation so I can learn more about the photos you want.
During that call, we’ll go over your ideas, talk through locations and styling, and I’ll offer suggestions to help you get the best results. If you’re ready to move forward, you’ll submit your deposit to reserve your shoot date.
On the day of your session, ladies will receive professional hair and makeup prior to their photo shoot.
Within a few days of your photo shoot I’ll provide you with a watermarked proofing gallery where you can purchase your favorite images from your session.
How Much Does a Portrait Session Cost?
Stylized portrait sessions start at $500 and include professional hair and makeup before your session, your photo shoot, and help selecting your images.
Images are purchased separately and can be delivered as prints, albums, or digital-only collections based on your preference. The final cost depends on how many images you decide to keep:
6–9 images: $242 each ($1,452–$1,936)
10–19 images: $215 each ($2,150–$3,655)
20+ images: $185 each ($3,700+)
You’ll only pay for the images you love, so there’s no need to decide how many until after the shoot. You can find more pricing details in my price menu here.
Special pricing is available for headshots and family photography, including digital-only packages billed hourly with no retouching. These sessions are ideal if you’re looking for a simpler set of portraits that don’t need Photoshop.