Grace Image Photography

I had a terrible experience with Grace Image Photography. This review is a few years overdue, but given all the positive reviews this outfit has received (which is what led me to come here to begin with), I thought I should share my experience.
The 30-​second takeaway is that Jeni Fong is quick, eager, and will say whatever she thinks you need to hear to get in you in the door, but once she’s taken your money, her attitude will completely change and she’ll treat you like dirt, as Unilocal reviewer «LH J.» also described in her review from 6÷8÷2011.
I called and spoke with Jeni Fong about coming in to take a head shot for an identification card. I specifically asked over the phone whether I could have a copy of the original digital image after we were done and Jeni agreed.
When I came in, Jeni persuaded me to do an outdoor shoot instead of a seated profile headshot, to which I reluctantly agreed. We then took a series of full and half length shots in the area around her studio (but no head shots from what I can remember). I wanted to smile in my pictures, but for some reason, instead of listening to me, Jeni and her assistant insisted that I look serious.
So, even though I came in and had specifically stated that I needed a head shot for an identification card, I ended up with a selection of half– and full-​length pictures of me being serious, with virtually all of them unsuitable for what I ultimately needed — a head shot for an identification card.
Since I had agreed to an outdoor shoot, and since I was able to find a picture I liked from the selection (even though it didn’t exactly fit my need), I sucked it up and paid $ 150 for it (which was a lot more than what I would have paid had I just gotten a passport-​style head shot).
What happened after, however, was disappointing to see the least:
(1) Jeni refused to give me the original file. She claimed after the fact that she only agreed to provide me with one web sized file (to which I never would have agreed or come into her studio for).
(2) In her touch up process, Jeni neglected to do one common and minor adjustment and gave me a hard time when I asked her for it.
(3) Jeni illegally charged me sales tax when no sales tax was due. When I asked about the sales tax, she referred me to this publication by the CA Board of Equalization:
. That publication, however, specfically states that there is no sales tax on digital photos, per this excerpt:
«Tax applies to your sale of tangible, physical products, including photographs. However, if you transfer a photograph electronically and do not include any physical product in your sale, tax does not apply. This is true whether you transfer a photograph by the „load and leave“ method described below or remotely (for example, by email or file transfer protocol [FTP]).»
When I tried to resolve these issues with Jeni, she was condescending and extremely rude, writing in her email:
— «…I will grant you this one last request» as if I had made excessive requests. I had merely asked for what she had already previously agreed to do and for her to refund her erroneous (and probably illegal) sales tax charge.
— «I agreed only to provide you with one web size file and again I explained in explicit detail
that I hold all copyright to my images, and therefore, I will not release the original file to you» which was an outright lie.
— «I want to reiterate that with this final act, our business is concluded.»
To sum up, if you need a photo taken, look elsewhere.

Came here for passport pictures.
— Fast
— Professional
— Friendly
Quality of the pictures are good and price is okay. But I rather pay a bit extra and have a decent picture.
If I need another passport picture, I definitely come back to this place.

Fast, professional, friendly service for passport photos. Wish the price was a bit more affordable but they delivered. I tried to go to another passport photo place nearby that was cheaper and had high reviews too, but it had closed earlier than stated. I’m glad that Grace Image Photography was open as promised!

Jeni and her team took some great professional shots of me. They also included some very helpful post-​production cleanup in the price. I’m very, very happy with the result.

I am a fan! I came with a bit of a pit in my stomach as I don’t like to have my photo taken, i usually freeze up and end up with an unnatural smile. I left feeling elated. As I had been made to feel so comfortable by Kevin he ended up taking really, really great photos of me! So good actually that I am thinking of returning to have my LinkedIn profile photo taken there as well! Really 5 Star!

I have gone to Grace Photo for a quality professional photo to be used on my media page, as well as the restoration and enlargement of photo of a recently deceased loved one that will be used at her service. I cannot convey the efficiency, professionalism and dedication that the owners operate with.

very professional. U.S. passport photos $ 18, Canada $ 25 — and they actually know about the peculiarities of Canadian specs.

Can I tell you how much I hate having my picture taken? Well, it’s a lot. I hate it a whole lot. I am launching a new website for my business so I need photos of me as well as the other folks on my team. We tried another photographer a few months back — nice guy, but awful results. After asking around we decided to give Jeni a try.
I’m so glad she took our photos. Jeni made the process relatively quick (without feeling rushed) and painless. We looked like ourselves in the pics, but the best of ourselves. It was casual and almost fun. Plus her prices are SO reasonable!!!
I cannot sing Jeni’s praises highly enough. She should get at least 6 starts.

Jeni and Howard are awesome. They have been taking my head shots for about 8 years now, starting with formal corporate shots, to less formal start up photos, and most recently, casual head shots. They are professional and produce extremely flattering photos. At the same time, they are very easy going, hilariously funny, and wonderful at making people feel at ease for relaxed photos. They took everyone’s photo at my last firm and made all fifteen of us look great with quick turnaround and very reasonable cost. Highly recommended!

Awesome service, friendly and comfortable place where you can have a professional photo shoot. I recommend them for visa/​pass photos because they care about the requirements, details and the quality.

Jeni and Howard are true professionals. I am totally excited by my two LinkedIn headshots that Jeni took and edited within a hour’s time. The touch-​ups made me look more awake and vibrant without being glamour shots. There’s a site called
where you can post your headshot and get feedback. Mine has been terrific! The price was also very reasonable for these photos that I plan to use for many years. Highly recommend.

Expert foreign passport photo (Canadian) services. Was in and out in less than 10 minutes. Fast, friendly, professional service. Highly recommend.

Excellent is the best way to describe Grace Image. They talk you through the photo shoot, asking direct questions about the reason for the pucture and direct you through the poses. It was a pleasure working with them and a delight to get exactly what I expected.

Awesome place if you want a great passport photo, since you have to keep it for 10 years, it might as well be a good picture. I got a set from Walgreens initially and it looked like I was being processed for jail or something, horrible.
Grace Image Photography actually had lighting set-​up, so my passport photos that were taken here looked great. Doreen was efficient and was in and out in about 5 minutes. I’m so thankful I found this place!
Make sure to call and make an appointment before heading over there.

I have been going to Grace Image for years for passport and visa photos. They are always friendly and I have never had an application returned because of the photo so they clearly know what they’re doing! I would not hesitate to recommend them for passport/​visa photos (I have never used them for anything else so I can’t comment on their other services).

Jeni and Howard did a great job with my head shot for a website photo. I couldn’t be happier with the result. My shoot was an outdoor shoot and both Jeni and Howard braved the frigid winds of SF to get me the perfect shot. I highly recommend Grace Image if you’re a professional looking for a high quality photograph for your website or social media.
For 2 pictures and almost 2 hours of their time, it was $ 250. Not Walgreens prices but worth every cent.

May or may not be open. Their hours are 10am to 6pm, but I stopped by three times during those hours and it was closed.
Gave up and went elsewhere.

As LinkedIn becomes a daily destination point where people get their news and keep up on new events, your professional image is essential to how much credibility your words have.
So I decided it was time to hire a professional photographer and I spent a lot of time looking at online portrait photographs for many of the local San Francisco studios. I selected Grace Image because their portraits fit with the professional look I wanted to present on my LinkedIn page.
After scheduling the session, I decided to update both my LinkedIn & Facebook pictures at the same time. For Facebook, I wanted a more casual, but also a professional image that was a notch above the everyday headshot.
Jeni Fong shot both and they turned out perfect far above my expectations. The results were truly stunning.
After swapping out the old pictures for the ones Jeni did, I received a deluge of likes from people I hadn’t spoken to in years and a universal thumbs up. I couldn’t be more pleased with Jeni’s work and I highly recommend GraceImage for anyone looking to boost their online image.
My advice is to schedule now before it becomes impossible to get an appointment.

Thank you Unilocalers for directing me to Grace Photography. I will throw another happy log on the fire. So here’s my story… I work for a tech company that still believes in wearing blazers for corporate photographs. I had been putting this off for years despite the fact that my current photo was ugly and sweaty looking. I tend to put myself together nicely for work so I must have had a mental block on it or something.
When I arrived Howard was there. I asked «where is Jeni» and he said she had an emergency. I hadn’t met her before but still thought «who is this guy?» Have to say I really dug Howard. He made the whole experience fun… I was so tense as I hate having photos taken of me, but we had a good laugh about it and that made me feel much more comfortable. Howard was also very enthusiastic and focused on getting a great photo of me (which he did.) When I had some questions afterward he was very responsive. Just a fantastic guy to work with. Now my new photo is up on the directory and I am so relieved! First impression is everything and when my boss posted the org chart, my pretty professional picture was on there. Such an improvement! Only wish I had gone in sooner.
Thank you Howard!!!

I DO NOT recommend this place at all.
Frankly, I’m shocked at the number of good reviews for this place. But I do tend to look at how many reviews people have done and if it’s just 1 review and its 5 stars for the Co. it’s most likely just their friend reviewing for them.
I went here to take passport photos and the photographer was really rude. She was nice up until the photos were taken but afterwards when I needed to pay she was really impatient like I was wasting her time being there. The prices charged were pretty high and when I inquired about having taking a second picture because I didn’t like the first I was told I had to pay full price again. It doesn’t take that much effort and cost to snap another picture. Poor business etiquette in my opinion.
I regret not just waiting for the weekend and going to my local place and rushing here to take the pictures.