4.9 out of 5 stars and 99 reviews
4.9
(99)San Antonio, Austin, all surrounding hill country area
About this vendor
Welcome to Expose the Heart, where we capture love stories in the heart of San Antonio, TX. We are David and Irene Castillo, a husband-and-wife duo who believe that every love story deserves to be told in its most genuine form. With every click of our camera, we aim to reveal the authentic emotions that make your moments truly unforgettable.
We met over two decades ago and have shared more than half our lives together, constantly creating and exploring new passions. From taking photos and writing scripts to building arcade machines, our journey has been one of creativity and connection. This shared passion led us to realize that we wanted to capture not just our own story, but the beautiful stories of others, and thus, Expose the Heart was born.
With over 20 years of experience in wedding photography, we’ve seen it all—and captured it all, starting back in the days when film was the only option. Yes, we’re that ancient! Our journey from film to digital has only deepened our appreciation for the timeless moments we capture. We even have our own darkroom where we still practice the art of film photography.
Understanding that each couple is unique, we offer fully customizable wedding packages tailored to fit your specific needs, preferences, and budgets. Whether it's an intimate elopement, a weekday wedding, or a Sunday celebration, we provide special rates to accommodate your special day. We invite you to connect with us and begin planning the stunning photography that will forever commemorate your momentous occasion.
Let us help you expose the heart of your love story.
Details
Business Attributes
- Hispanic or Latinx-owned Business
- Native American-owned Business
- Woman-owned Business
Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Packages
Photo Shoot Types
- Bridal Portraits
- Day After Session
- Engagement
- Trash The Dress
Photo & Video
- Digital Files
- Drone
- Film Photography
- Online Proofing
- Photo
- Printed Enlargements
Photo & Video Styles
- Artistic
- Classic
- Documentary
- Dramatic
- Lifestyle
- Modern
Wedding Activities
- Getting Engaged
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Wedding
- After Party
Awards and Affiliations
9-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2023.2022.2021.+6 more.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
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Reviews
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4.9
out of 5.099 reviews
My wife and I have used Expose The Heart for our engagement, wedding and 10 year anniversary. Expose The Heart has always been so easy to work with. They are always easy to reach, ...
respond very quickly through out the whole process. They are the kindest, good hearted people I’ve ever met, they made us feel so comfortable as if they were our family. Expose The Heart has earned my business and respect for a lifetime.
Expose The Heart did our first wedding 10 years ago. We loved their work so much we decided to hire them for the Sacrament of Marriage. Irene is such a pleasure to work with. She m...
akes you feel like family. We love the way our pictures came out!
Irene was super amazing to work with! Not only were the photos spectacular, she was super kind as well. When I changed my mind about pretty much everything (location and date) she ...
was more than happy to accommodate the new changes.
We hiked to the top of enchanted rock for our elopement, it was magical and perfect and we couldn’t have asked for a better photographer.
I worked with Irene for our wedding. She was awesome. Early, professional and personable. She helped make the photo "session" fun and easy.
Irene was our wedding photographer and we have nothing but good things to say about her! She was very patient, especially with our big families, and was very sweet to work with. We...
had some photos taken right after our ceremonies and they were taken outdoor in the heat of Texas summer...however, she made it easy and quick but still very professional. She noticed little details and made sure to capture every single moment of us throughout the wedding, even when we didn't notice it. We have gotten to see a few previews and have loved them all. I'd recommend her to anyone!
I can’t recommend Irene enough - she is simply amazing and did an outstanding job as photographer at our wedding! In addition to taking great pictures, she had excellent communicat...
ion, provided guidance on the schedule of our wedding day, and was very flexible with how we used our ‘paid for’ hours and deliverables. Just a wonderful experience from beginning to end and I will asking her to take photos of our newborn and a professional headshot for myself!
Great photographer, happy with the amount of photos we got back, and the moments captured we hadn’t seen. Worked with us during covid.
Punctual, Professional and Precise. Irene was very well coordinated , had a well planned vision and communication was spot on. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for great di...
rection, amazing photos and overall A+ Professionalism.
Although our wedding plans changed (many times) Irene was very understanding and willing to work with us. Maintained professionalism throughout it all and she was a listening ear w...
hen I needed it most. I think the photography speaks for itself. Stop reading my review and book her.
Irene was very easy to work with, punctual, friendly, and accommodating. Can we say Pandemic proof? She was so understanding and went above and beyond to ensure we felt safe and co...
mfortable.
Irene was great! She was on time and shot a lot great photos! Extremely happy with her
Irene & David were such a joy to work with. They made our wedding day & previous shoots very memorable. We are so glad to have chosen ETH for our photographers as their work is jus...
t perfect. The quality is amazing and Irene really knows how to make her clients feel comfortable during shoots. Being a same sex couple, we felt very unsure about photographers but Irene changed all that for us! Their customer service is one of a kind- always so helpful and very prompt with getting pictures back to clients. We got SO many compliments on our wedding photos thanks to Irene & David. They have earned lifetime clients with my wife and I.
Irene & David at Expose the Heart made our day so perfect. They made us feel so comfortable during shoots leading up to the wedding. The quality of their work and customer service ...
is AMAZING. I’m so glad we picked them as our photographers as I know these products will last a lifetime. Thank you so much for capturing these memories for us. (And so beautifully!!)
Definitely the greatest service I've ever had. Very punctual was with me throughout the whole day on what I needed definitely captured every moment we have 5 baby boys and was able...
to get a picture with all of our kids looking and smiling at the camera was very professional and worked great on such a tight timeline and was very flexible on getting all of our photos in a crunch time matter! 10/10 would recommend her!
I can't say enough good things about these two. The pictures and video came out amazing. They are very professional, but at the same time very down to earth.
Very attentive to detail. Can give positioning without being bossy. Can work under pressure and little time frames. Overall professional, punctual and overall delight. Expose the h...
eart was an absolute treasure to work with. The pictures are amazing quality with such a amazing eye to detail. The price point for what you get is the best deal in San Antonio! Will be recommending to everyone!
Irene's response time was great. She really helped us to put together our last minute elopement. She was also very helpful on our wedding day, going above and beyond to make our da...
y special.
I loved the style and quality of work. Very easy going and has such a relaxed way about her that kept me relaxed. Loved that I could see them in action on youtube before booking. ...
Best decision and a no brainer hire her.
Had a small wedding courthouse nothing too big but still sweet. I was surprised how hard it would be to find a photographer who would accommodate a “smaller” event. We didn’t need ...
a lot of hours and still were planning for a weekend deal. Expose The Heart had amazing packages that were affordable and just what we needed. Irene always responded to me and was quick to offer referrals for some of my other vendors. Great experience and quality work.
Expose The Heart was awesome and very professional when my husband and I renewed our vows. I would definitely recommend them to anyone that is in need of a photographer!
Very open about process and informative the entire way through. Even our other vendors spoke highly about them. I loved that they were very considerate of our elder family members....
Very sweet couple and an overall great experience.
So good. My husband even asked on our wedding day how we can plan another session because he couldn't get enough. Ya’ll he hates taking photos! We already have our first holiday ph...
otos booked with them and he is the one who scheduled them. They are so fun and down to earth. They have no problem suggesting a flattering pose but not making you feel insecure. I’m in love.
I’ve heard so many scary stories from girlfriends about choosing an amateur photographer. I was scared really scared that I would have a hard time finding a professional. Expose Th...
e Heart, you were professional yet down to earth, put my heart at ease, and the photos were exactly the look I wanted. I never felt uncomfortable sharing my ideas and preferences.
Very professional,fun,and very easy going. You know how chaotic a wedding can be,they made the photo experience so enjoyable. We have used their services for other events as well.
Irene and David were instrumental in capturing our iconic day. With so much going on during our special day, Expose the Heart anticipated every moment captured and effortless on ou...
r part to enjoy the evening. We are thankful for their technical expertise and how they went above and beyond their craft to help in so many other ways.
From the moment I met with Irene, I knew it was going to be an easy choice. The whole gang was so laid back and friendly. Made us feel totally relaxed the entire day and our famili...
es even raved about them after the wedding. Our wedding was so magical and looking back on the photos and writing this review brings me to tears. Thank you for capturing our day so perfectly. Book them I promise you wont regret!
We did our research and looked at a lot of photographers. We just kept coming back to Expose The Heart. They were the complete package. Wonderful photography packages and we couldn...
’t get enough of their Youtube channel. Looking back a year after our wedding, I am still in awe over what they were able to capture. Sooo glad we when with them.
I loved working with Expose the Heart! I highly recommend them for all your photography needs.
Imagine having a close friend follow you around on your wedding day taking amazing pictures of you. Well that’s what it feels like to have Irene and her crew take care of you for y...
our wedding. It was really easy to choose them as our photographers because of all their years in business and great reviews. They have been around this long for a reason. Book them and find out for yourself.
Don’t think twice! You NEED to book Expose The Heart. They were the easiest wedding vendors to work with. The only thing I really regret was not booking there video services too. O...
ur families had nothing but good things to say about them on the day of the wedding as well. Irene was such a pleasure to work with and was very patient and willing to go that extra mile for us.
We LOVED how our pictures turned out! Irene and her crew were awesome to work with; very friendly and made sure we had a blast. She customized a package for our courthouse wedding ...
and reception, so we have pictures from both events. She was very professional and organized the day of especially, making sure we got all the family photos and rolling with the changes. The pictures are excellent and we’ll cherish them forever! I send all my friends to Expose the Heart. You won’t regret the pictures you get from this company!
Had a blast with expose the heart easy to work with and kept us laughing during the engagement session and didn’t mind some of the crazy requests we asked for the day of the weddin...
g.
I can't begin to express how grateful I am to Irene and her team. From the engagement photos to the wedding photos they captured the very essence of our love. I replay the video ov...
er and over and just gush over the photos. I was so nervous from the start and they "handled me with care!" Expose The Heart goes above and beyond for their clients. Our time together was easy and fun. They are more than I ever expected and I will treasure the beauty of that day that they captured on film. They are the RIGHT CHOICE.
Expose the Heart was amazing! Irene was patient and super helpful! She went above and beyond during my bridal photos, helping get in the dress and fixing my hair. The sneak peak...
of our video was Amazing! I was very apprehensive about getting a video, only because of the cost; but now I am beyond happy that I did!
I’m naturally awkward when it comes to taking pictures and i know everyone says this but i’m just awkward in general so taking photos for our wedding wasn’t something I really want...
ed to do. My family (mom) convinced me I needed photos and well Irene and David made me feel at ease about the whole experience when they said that I didn’t even have to pose. What?!!? I thought for sure they were just trying to book me but it was true. I didn’t have to pose they captured genuine moments and honestly I didn’t hate any of it. So if you’re like me and hate photos book these guys because they won’t shame you for it or make you do something you don’t feel comfortable doing.
Irene was wonderful to work with and we absolutely loved how our engagement pictures came out! All communication was through email and she was able to quickly respond and made us f...
eel very comfortable while taking our pictures. This was our first time for both my fiancé and I to take any kind of professional pictures with a photographer and I would recommend her to anyone.
The team was great! Communication was usually done through Irene, but between all the sessions I spent quality time with all three of them and it honestly ran smoothly. Loved being...
able to check up on them and what they were currently working on via all their social media (you will love their Youtube channel). Always had planning to talk about and the day of the wedding they really did feel like old pals. Book them you will enjoy every minute and won’t regret it. Was such a smooth simplified process.
Text messages, email, facebook, you name it I would get the response. I work late hours as a nurse and late night meetings didn’t scare Irene away. So thankful for the willingness ...
to meet on location and the smooth process the day of wedding. Photos were beautiful, but if you’ve seen their website or insta that is a given!
Irene and David were amazing to work with and they offered some great packages that fit exactly what we needed. Completely customizable and the payment process was so easy to use I...
wish all my vendors were as easy to get ahold of!
My photos were perfect!
I found Expose the Heart photography at a bridal extravaganza. We went there with the purpose of finding a photographer and I’m so glad I did. We spoke with...
every photographer there and what impressed me the most about them is they were able to multi task with all that was going in around us but also remain completely in tune with me. I can be a bit of a control freak, especially surrounding my wedding plans. The photos are gorgeous and their work speaks for itself but to have a photographer on my wedding day make me feel completely at ease like they have everything under control is priceless.
Irene and David are the best photographers I have ever seen! Their ability to capture the emotion and moments so perfectly is absolutely amazing. Having them capture those moments ...
for us for our wedding was the BEST decision in vendors that we could have made! And on top of being incredibly talented, they are some of the greatest humans ever! Super kind and funny and great to work with! Hire them. You won't regret it!
Irene is absolutely hands-down the best photographer I have ever dealt with! She works so well with people and was especially kind with my family, husband and I. She knows just the...
right angles and just the right positioning in her photography as well as perfect timing of the right light needed in photos. It was nothing but a positive experience with Irene and I highly recommend you to use her for your photos as well! It was overall an outstanding experience and I loved all the wedding day photos.
From the moment we met this couple, we knew we wanted them to be our photographers. My husband & I instantly felt so comfortable with them. The communication was perfect through ou...
t the whole process. Our wedding photos came out great. I would definitely recommend them for your special day.
Love love loved our photographers, they did an amazing job with our video and capturing some beautiful photos of our wedding. Their prices made it an easy decision from the get go....
The husband and wife couple we’re super accommodating and easy to connect with and made it a decision we didn't regret!
I'm very glad Expose the Heart was their for our wedding.
The photos look amazing!!!
We received our photos in a timely manner.
Irene definitely went above and beyond on our weddi...
ng day. I cannot thank her enough.
If and when I need a photographer, I will definitely be using Expose the Heart again.
We received beautiful wedding pictures!!! I also used expose the heart for my bridal portraits which turned out beautiful as well!! Irene and her husband were a pleasure to work wi...
th.
The quality of the album is exceptional and is a great way to document your wedding day. Highly recommend ordering the leather bound photo album.
Irene helped me with so many things on my wedding day. Bustling my crazy bustle because my MOH couldn’t remember how to. Making sure the portraits didn’t take too long (it was so h...
ot out) and I didn’t realize how tired I would be by the time the wedding even started! I was a ball of nerves. I thought for sure my photos would show that written all over my face. I was so wrong. I cannot look at my photos without crying tears of joy. They captured the day just as I envisioned it. David and Victor were so polite and captured the wedding beautifully. They were like part of the family blended in perfectly without losing professionalism, and making everyone feel comfortable. So glad we picked Expose The Heart!
Easy to work with, hilarious bunch, caught some good stuff and had a package that we couldn’t live without. We searched through a ton of photographers and they were the best all th...
e way around. You guys did a wonderful job. Oh and my parents loved them too! (lol that isn’t easy to do!)
Expose The Heart you were a life saver! Long story short, we booked another photographer initially and we never heard back from them after deposit. I was scared I wouldn’t be able ...
to find another photographer and a friend recommended Irene and David. I was so amazed that they had the date available .They said they were planning to go on vacation that week, but had a change of plans. (Sorry y’all didn’t get a vacation guys, but the Lord new I would need you!) Irene, David, and Victor stepped right in and saved the day. Literally. They were so easy to get a hold of, easy going the day of wedding, I didn’t even know they were taking photos at times and everything came out perfectly. You all saved my day and I cannot express how thankful I am. So happy to have met y’all and cannot wait to work with you again!
Expose the Heart is a must have at your wedding. The whole team did a great job. Artists are what they should be labeled as. So much raw emotion was captured and that was exactly w...
hat we were looking for.
Contact
San Antonio, Austin, all surrounding hill country area
Expose The Heart's photos