ARIZONA WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

Hi, I’m Santiago — originally from Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico, now based in Phoenix, Arizona — and I’m a wedding photographer specializing in South Asian celebrations across Arizona and beyond, with extensive experience capturing weddings of various cultures, religions, and traditions.

Since I can remember, I’ve always had a camera in hand. As a child, I took my little point-and-shoot film camera on every school trip. Summers were spent in Guadalajara with my mom’s side of the family from the state of Jalisco, where my aunt would lend me her camcorder to direct homemade music videos and document our vacations. Each year, we’d return from the beaches of Manzanillo and gather to watch those recordings together — moments that still live on in treasured photos and videos. That’s when I realized how powerful it is to preserve memories.

I also found creative expression through music. I picked up the guitar in junior high and loved the collaborative process of learning songs with my friends. When they formed bands, I was there photographing their shows, feeling like I was part of the experience by capturing it. That passion followed me when I moved to Arizona and started high school, eventually forming my own band — and creating content for it became just as fulfilling as making music.

My journey to photography wasn’t a straight line. While helping support my family during my mother’s battle with cancer — a battle she bravely won — I took a community college photography class, and it changed my life. That spark led me to earn a degree in Multimedia Communications with an emphasis in photography, and even study abroad in England.

Before weddings, my love for photography was fueled by traveling, capturing landscapes, and chasing sunsets. Exploring the world through my lens taught me to appreciate the technical side of photography — understanding light, composition, and timing to tell a visual story. Today, weddings have beautifully merged my passion for people and my love for travel. I’m incredibly grateful that my clients have trusted me to document their celebrations not just in Arizona, but across the U.S. and around the world, including Mexico, France, and Spain. That sense of adventure and connection continues to inspire my work every day.

Today, what drives my work isn’t just creating beautiful images — it’s honoring the people and emotions behind them. Having had a wedding of my own, and now as a parent of two, I understand how rare and meaningful it is to have everyone you love in one place. Your wedding day isn’t just about you — it’s about your whole community, from childhood friends to distant relatives, coming together to celebrate.

My style is rooted in storytelling. I focus on emotional moments, unexpected reactions, and candid connections — throughout the entire wedding day, where emotions run deep and every moment tells a part of a larger story. From the nervous excitement before the ceremony to the heartfelt embraces and spontaneous laughter during the celebration, I love using light creatively to capture the atmosphere as it truly felt. One of my favorite moments is when I catch the pure joy of a parent seeing their child walk down the aisle, or the tearful smiles shared during heartfelt speeches.

If you’re looking for photography that honors your people, your culture, and your once-in-a-lifetime moments — and want someone who will treat your wedding like it’s their own family’s celebration — I’d be honored to tell your story.