References

I first became a fan of Erik Jay's photography when I saw some spectacular images of Palos Verdes on social media. 

After connecting, I realized we had many mutual friends and colleagues.  

Erik was fun, friendly, patient, and had good ideas. His professional attitude made our time very easy and fun.

The results of the photography are some of my favorite images.  I would highly recommend Erik Jay.

Jason Buck

RE/MAX Estate Properties 63 Malaga Cove Plaza Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274

Erik Jay's photography is breathtakingly beautiful. He is not only a top notch photographer, he is a top notch professional. Throughout his time as Director of Photography at Palos Verdes Magazine, he has showcased the perfect balance of unrivaled creativity matched equally with a reliable, consistent professionalism. I feel honored to  have had the pleasure of working with him. I believe a huge part of the success and growth of our magazine can be attributed to the gorgeous imagery he has provided to us. Whether it be a stunning vista, a priceless vintage car or family of four, he understands how to capture the beautiful essence of what he is photographing.  

Kristin Borden

Owner & Publisher

Palos Verdes Magazine 

Erik Jay is truly one of a kind. 

Not only is he an amazing photographer, but he sees the world through a lens of love, kindness and appreciation for the beauty and nature and our community. 

Getting to see the world through Erik’s eyes is a truly special experience. 

Laura Hughes

Peninsula Education Foundation 

With his use of light and textures and a keen sense of what’s important now, Erik Jay captures inimitable images that are at once timeless and etched into the fabric of life on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, while honoring the historical perspective of this revered land.

Erik’s photographs seize moments in time, while telling a story entirely his own—through his unique lens. It’s a powerful essay that elicits emotions reflecting the artist community that established themselves here a century ago. Watch this artist emerge and depict the essence of an exceptionally stunning landscape.

Erik brings that same passion and distinctive perspective when he photographs musicians on stage or constructs one of his captivating portraits.

As you view his unrivaled photographs, allow them to light your soul and transcend the boundaries of space and time.

— Merlin David, M Music & Musicians magazine

 I highly recommend Erik Jay as a master photographer, teacher, and mentor. Over the past several years he has consistently helped me and guided my development with image capture and processing. His work in the book "The Great Peninsula," as well as his work for Palos Verdes Magazine and the Terranea Resort, has inspired my own photography. And despite his busy schedule and strong commitment to excellence in his own work, he generously offers help to so many other photographers like me. Erik's advanced skills with capturing and processing high dynamic range images is second to none. And his creativity and diligence with exploration deep into nature's visually spectacular environments-- by land, by sea and by air (via drones)-- inspired me to nickname him "The Jacques Cousteau of Southern California!" Any individual or organization that has an opportunity to work with Erik is fortunate. I look forward to his expansion and continued success in adding value to any operation he is associated with. Sincerely, Bruce B. Gordon Bruce Gordon Media  

Dear Erik, 

Thank you for all of your amazing work with the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy. 

Your remarkable photographs capture the beauty of the natural lands of Palos Verdes Peninsula. From sweeping panoramic landscapes with coastal wildflowers in bloom to close-up shots of Red Tail hawks swooping through the air high above, your photos confirm your beautiful pictures are worth a thousand words. With your strong commitment and dedication to photographing and sharing images of the places you love, you have helped enable the Conservancy to connect people to nature and appreciate the beauty of the coastal lands and wildlife of the area. 

Working with you is a pleasure. In our effort to educate the public about the Peregrine Falcons that live on the coastal bluffs of the Vicente Bluffs Reserve, your dramatic photographs of this beautiful bird of prey opened up the community's eyes to the diversity of wildlife that exists on protected and restored lands in a full-page spread accompanying an article by the Education Director for Peninsula Magazine. Most recently, you brilliantly captured the enjoyment of the guests and the ambience of the al-fresco garden-to-table feeling of our event, Palos Verdes Pastoral Garden-to-Table Dining Experience. 

The gorgeous photos highlighted the essence of our signature event with its emphasis on nature, sustainability and community. We are truly fortunate to be able to rely on your talent to help the Conservancy fulfill its conservation goals and look forward to collaborating with you again very soon. 

Sincerely,  

Louise Olfarnes - Communications Manager 

&

Susan Wilcox  - Development Director

  “Working with Erik Jay is always such a pleasure because he has an eye on the heart of the community and knows how to communicate that profoundness through his lens.” - Stephanie Cartozian 

To Whom it May Concern,

I am writing to emphatically recommend Erik Jay as a photographer. He has dedicated his valuable time as a volunteer to our organization and has created beautiful imagery of the work that we do and the animals we serve.

It has been a privilege to work with Erik. While his work speaks for itself, he is always available to help on a moment’s notice, shows up on time and with the most positive attitude, and his turnaround is extremely prompt. 

We are proud to call him our resident photographer at Marine Mammal Care Center and cannot recommend his photography services enough.

Best wishes,

Amber Becerra

President/CEO

Working with Erik Jay is as easy as it gets. I have worked with him for approximately five years.

He listens, understands and displays levels of professionalism that leaves me knowing I am working with the right person, no matter the task. 

I trust him with my art and I know that his level of ethics will never let me down. 

Steve Shriver 

Owner and Artist

 To whom it may concern; I have had the pleasure of knowing Erik for about 5 years. We first met when I was looking for a photographer to help us with our new office wall art. Since that time Erik and I enjoy both a professional and personal relationship. The quality and style of Erik’s photography has always impressed me and I have enjoyed watching his body of work grow, improve, and change over the years. Erik and I are both life long residents of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. His work, I believe, captures not just the beauty of this special place, but also the harder to grasp and explain etherial elements of the area. Many photographers can capture beautiful images, but Erik’s ability to combine style, light, composition, depth, and most importantly feeling is what what truly separates him from the rest. Erik has also always impressed me with his ability to openly communicate. I have found this to be a foundational piece of any kind of business (and personal) relationship. Erik’s communication style is open, direct, and empathetic. It is my absolute pleasure to whole heartedly recommend Erik, not just as an exceptional photographer, but also as an incredible person. Sincerely, Michael H. Towle CRPC  

Erik was amazing to us! He went above and beyond to make our pictures look incredible. Even when something wasn’t suppose to look good he captured just the right angles and made sure every image looks special. Erik has a great artistic eye, warm and easy going personality and he is super professional. We are so pleased with the results!

Larysa Akhavan

I have known Erik for several years.   Professionally, I have had several opportunities to offer consultation services in support of the development of his photography business.  I find him to be creative, open to suggestions and always with the best interests of his clients as a core principle.  He is committed to spending whatever amount of time is necessary (and beyond) to create the optimum finished product.

Erik's artistry and ability to capture a feeling, a story, an imaginative experience in his photographs sets him apart and on par with the most highly sought after photographers.  Whether Landscape, wildlife, gardens and museums or people he creates magic.  The Great Peninsula book is a superior example of his contribution to the fine art of photography.

My highest recommendation.  

Judith Schuler-Pollard
Management Consultant 

We are in the process of highlighting the 100 year history of Miraleste, one of the original four neighborhoods that formed PV Estates in the early 1920s. 

We reached out to Erik to help us document, the rich history of our community visually after seeing his beautiful work in the Peninsula coffee table book. He has an eye for quality, captured the essence of our community over a multi week project, and we couldn't be happier with the outcome. He really became intimately involved in the project and has been instrumental in revitalizing the rich history of our neighborhood. His work is stunning.

David Gutierrez

Miraleste Homeowners Association

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 

 I am very pleased to recommend Erik Jay’s website. He is truly a very creative and highly skillful photographer of nature’s beauty and did an excellent job of photographing my art for juried exhibitions which are critical to my business. Thanks to Erik, a really nice, talented and reliable man.
Don Crocker  Rolling Hills artis  

I have had the pleasure of working with Erik Jay at Palos Verdes Beach & Athletic Club. He provided outstanding photos and video footage for our new website. Erik’s passion and talent is clearly evidenced by the beautiful photography that he creates. His generous personality and demeanor make working with him a very pleasant experience. I would strongly recommend any business or individual to utilize Erik’s services as he will definitely exceed any expectations you may have for your project.

Chris Manos

Club Director, Palos Verdes Beach & Athletic Club

  I am lucky enough to have worked with Erik Jay on a variety of projects over the last 10 years.  Erik is the best photographer I know. Not only does the quality of his work speak for itself, he is very easy to work with. He guides you so the best possible pictures are produced. He is fast, efficient, and always is calm with a smile on his face. I will use Erik for anything I ever need photography wise for the rest of my life. When you find someone that does the job great from A to Z it is a no brainer!  George Wissa, Owner 

Erik Jay is an incredible multifaceted photographer. His photographs of nature are absolutely stunning, but his creative eye is evident in every style of photography. 

I reached out to him with a fun challenge to photograph a greenhouse in Rancho Palos Verdes. He was able to capture the details of the structure while incorporating the essence of the surrounding landscape. 

It was quite a challenge, and he went above and beyond. I highly recommend Erik Jay for any of your photography projects. 

Natalie York, Dir of Design

Denver, Colorado

I have enjoyed having Erik Jay as our guest speaker and instructor for various classes along with always contributing much of his time to judging contests and working with students. 

He is an effective teacher and keeps the atmosphere lighthearted while making sure they remember what he says. Erik Jay is always welcome here and we love having him. 

Erick Miseroy, Teacher - Port of Los Angeles High School 

 Erik has produced some beautiful images for us. His attention to detail, as well as his ideas made him the perfect choice for our needs. He communicates clearly and we were very pleased with the finished product. Felt very comfortable and 100 impressed and satisfied with the entire process.
He has an amazing attention to detail, a true artist.  His images are a work of art. Would definitely recommend him and hire again for upcoming projects. 

Scott Hunter,

Raymond James Financial

 Erik has helped me immeasurably with a project for a recent client of mine.  He is a master of his craft and has equally superb customer service skills.  

His photography, level of service and ability to interact with my clients directly proved to be valuable.

His Marketing prowess and business strategy background coupled with his artistic skillset is rare and puts him in a category all of his own. 

L'Mar Kojani, Keller Williams Commercial

Dear Erik,

On behalf of the City of Palos Verdes Estates, it is our pleasure to express the city's gratitude. 

Your investment in preserving the photographic history of our city and concessions is unparalleled. 

We are particularly appreciative of your recent contributions that are displaying throughout City Hall. 

Working with you and supporting your efforts is an absolute pleasure. 

We look forward to continuing our partnership in support of our tremendous community. 

Sincerely,

Michael Kemps, Mayor

Erik Jay creates art even through documentation of other people's work.

Erik was charged with the honor and responsibility of documenting my late mother's creations.  Gemma Taccogna was an artist who created masterpieces known all over the world. 

Erik took the time to study her work, understand her philosophy of creation and put his effort toward respecting the artist in his endeavor. 

The final outcome left me in tears of joy, seeing photography that finally matched the beauty she left behind. Erik succeeded in many ways and he showed himself to be a force of heart and mind. 

Gemma Del Rio, Artist and Daughter of Gemma Taccogna