Kind Words
Read what couples and clients have shared about their experience with Tone Photography Studio. From Oahu weddings and elopements to proposals, family sessions, and events, I’m incredibly grateful to photograph these moments.
“We highly recommend Tone Studio for both photography and videography. It will be the best wedding investment you will ever make. He much more than just a photographer/videographer: he is a passionate artist with undeniable talent who creates spectacular content.
We hired Tone Studio to produce our wedding highlight video and we couldn’t be happier with this decision. They have surpassed, by far, every single one of our very high expectations. He has an eye for detail and he is able to use his creativity and imagination to tell a story and stir up emotions, all the while maintaining perfect lighting and composition. The finished product was perfect — a stunning video that is harmoniously edited and encapsulates everything about a wedding: beautiful, lovely, romantic, sophisticated, touching, elegant, and sweet.
He made such a favorable impression on us the day he filmed our wedding that we asked him to do a separate photoshoot the following week. Needless to say, the photos came out just as breathtaking as the video.
We are so glad that he was part of our special day. Thank you for commemorating the most important day of our lives and for creating this piece of art that we will cherish forever.”— Thomas & Ziv
“Our wedding was held at the Kaneohe Sandbar and our photos are absolutely stunning! Mike was so great to work with. Their team was so patient, reliable, professional and they gave us direction when needed. The turnaround time was so fast and the images turned out absolutely gorgeous. Truly an artist! ”
— Eric & Megan
I worked with Mike for months leading up to my surprise proposal, he was able to put me at ease with multiple options, a game plan, and being flexible! My now fiancée was convinced I wasn’t going to propose because of how relaxed I was and that was thanks to Mike! Highly recommend Mike for your photography needs!
— Andy 
When “Tone Studio” company was first recommended to me by the events team at Kualoa Ranch, I was honestly a little skeptical because there weren’t many reviews on google. BUT, trust me when I tell you this, after being a bridesmaid like 10 times and attending countless weddings by now, I can truly say Shelby and Mike were one of the best decisions we made.
Finding the right coordinator was a nightmare since I was planning everything from out of state for about two months. BUT When I finally spoke with Shelby, she immediately put me at ease. From our first phone call to meeting in person, she made me feel like she had everything under control and that all I needed to do was show up with my vows ready, and her partner Mike was the best photographer with a great eye to detail (he’d even tell me minimal things like to fix a single strand of hair, and I’m so thankful he did because those little things made all the difference in our photos).
Their patience, kindness, and talent made our day feel so effortless, but even before our big day, I knew they had everything handled and that alone took so much stress off our shoulders. The photos are beyond beautiful, and the wedding recap video still has people talking, and I honestly can’t imagine our wedding without them. I would book them again in a heartbeat and hope they’re still around for our 5-year vow renewal.-Brian and Karolina
We hired Mike Vidales of Tone Studio for our wedding at The Pacific Club, and looking back at our gallery, it's pretty amazing at what he captured that day.
Our formals at Liliuokalani Botanical Gardens were completely unplanned with him. We hadn't walked the space together beforehand, so we were all figuring it out on the fly. He was unphased. He found the light, moved us naturally through the landscaping, rocks and the monkeypod canopy, and the results look like we spent weeks planning them. The wide shot with the waterfall in the background alone was worth it.
What sets Mike apart, is what he does when nobody's posing. We asked for more candid, raw, cinematic moments. He shoots from inside the room, not from the edges and he’s seriously stealth about it. Several guests said afterward they barely noticed him. He was just there, and then the photos came. He caught people mid-laugh, mid-tear, mid-chant, mid-everything. There's an emotional shot of one of our guests clasping her hands to her chest during the ceremony that we didn't even notice happen in real time. He got it. He's a pro who can handle the action of a lion dance in low light without losing the chaos or the joy of the moment.
His editing style is warm and cinematic, with soft tones in outdoor shots and a moodier, intimate feel for the evening ceremony. It leaned more dreamy than the editorial look we originally had in mind, but for a small, Hawaiian wedding with 35 people, it was perfect for what we wanted. Just tell him what you want early and be specific. He's easy to talk to and gets it.
One thing I'd do differently: build more time into the day and tell him upfront what you want more of. We could've easily spent another hour at the gardens alone. No regrets, just good info for you to think about.
Book Tone Studio and talk to Mike about your vision. You'll be happy and in the end really thrilled, like us.-Peter and Curtis