Riya Kataria Photography

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Joshua Tree, CA
Riya Kataria Photography

international adventure elopement & wedding photographer based in california & london She provides luxury photography for adventurous couples.

Riya Kataria is a California-based adventure elopement and wedding photographer. Focusing on personality over perfection, Riya captures candid moments and real memories, all while making sure you get the gorgeous epic shots of a day to remember! Riya also photographs portraits and lifestyle, including family photos, individual portraits, and more. She is also a concert and event photographer.

02/09/2025

there is still so much from the last year to share—starting with this couples shoot from new year’s eve. so grateful to e+e for meeting me in joshua tree national park to create some magic as we watched the sun rise on 2024 one last time ☼
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tags:
california bay area big sur wedding adventure elopement photography cinematic photographer

10/23/2024

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a Big Sur enthusiast at my very core. I’ve been going there since I was a baby, and it truly is my happy place.

That being said… Mendocino and the Northern California coast have my heart.

Taking Y+R’s photos back in March was such a joy. Living in London half the year means that sometimes, I get caught up in the bustling city life and forget the things about California that make it so beautiful.

But wandering around the Northern California cliffside on this chilly March morning just reminded me how much I love the state that I was born and raised in.

We were coming out of a massive storm, and there was some worry that we would end up with an overcast sunrise. But as the sun hit the horizon, the clouds parted and gave us a beautiful view of a foggy coastline painted in golden light.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the flashy, exciting sights. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having your head in the clouds—trust me, I’m there all the time—but things like this remind you that it’s not so bad to ground yourself back to earth, even if it’s just for a moment.

Breathe in the coastal air, watch the calla lilies move with the breeze, and let the golden sun wake up the coastal town in front of you.

This is just the first set of photos from Mendocino. We took so many, and I’m in love with each and every photo I delivered.

Thank you Y+R, not only for trusting me with capturing you on this beautiful day, but also for helping me rediscover how much joy California brings me.
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10/19/2024

Happy wedding day to Z + M!

We did this shoot the morning that I was meant to leave for another country. It was past golden hour, and I had spent the entire night working on the final touches of my dissertation. All the elements were decidedly not in our favor, from the mid-day harsh lighting to the window of time we had—but the moment we met, I knew we would make this work.

Z + M are such a vibrant couple—there’s so much I could say about their absolutely undeniable chemistry and striking personalities… but I’ll save that for the wedding post x

For now, I can’t wait to make some magic with these two today ✨
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03/30/2024

I’ve been putting off posting Kimmie & Carlo’s wedding for some time. Not because I don’t love it—on the contrary, I loved working this wedding SO much.

It’s taken me a month to narrow down over 100 of my favorite photos into a post of 28 photos, and I still don’t feel like it does this wedding enough justice (this is your poorly disguised warning that there may be another post about this wedding soon).

I did Kimmie & Carlo’s engagement photos just about a year ago, and it was such a natural and fun experience, which made it even more exciting when they asked me to shoot their wedding.

The entire day was such a blast. Even though we were braving the August heat for most of it, getting to experience the sheer joy of this entire wedding made the whole thing worth it.

From my second shooter, , teaching the groomsmen how to tie all their bow ties minutes before people began arriving, to the most perfect reaction to their first look amongst the trees, to the clouds parting for the best golden hour I’ve seen at a wedding—there’s so much to say about why this day was so vivacious.

Maybe it’s the gorgeous finishing touches, like the engraved love note on the back of Carlo’s watch, or the edible paper with their wedding logo in every drink. Maybe it’s the matching sneakers with their wedding date on both pairs. Maybe it’s the way that every single speech and toast couldn’t stop mentioning that they were made for each other.

There’s so many explanations for why I had the best time shooting this wedding, but for now, all I have to say is: thanks for trusting me with capturing your special day, Kimmie & Carlo!
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Second shot by the brilliant
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03/14/2024

As spring approaches, I’m doing two things: (1) basking in the sunlight & (2) thinking back to some of my shoots this past winter.

My shoot with J+K hits both of those marks—the sunset that we got to experience at The Bulb was unbelievably gorgeous, and really let us take advantage of those golden tones and sun flares that we all know I love. But the stunning views aren’t the only reason I adored this shoot.

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how we love—how we show it to each other, how we share with the world when we love someone, and how much we allow others to have an insight in the ways we choose to love a person.

I had a fantastic time working with J+K—they were both incredibly fun to talk to, and so easygoing in front of the camera. But the main reason I enjoyed this shoot so much was how naturally they seemed to show love for each other.

Every action they would take—whether it was walking hand in hand, staring out into the distance at the waves, or just taking the time to look at each other—was so marked with love that it seemed intrinsic to everything they did. But it never seemed like a performance; rather, it was just a fundamental truth: the light was golden, the air was slightly chilly, and J+K love each other.

Every time I get the privilege of working with a couple like J+K, I remember what I love about this side of my photography work. It feels like the best possible goal to be able to capture these dynamics on a camera, and facing that challenge head-on has allowed me to work with some of the loveliest couples out there.

So grateful for for trusting me as the associate photographer for this shoot, and for J+K for allowing me to document their engagement. I had the best time, and I’m wishing them all the best for their upcoming wedding ☀️❤️
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03/05/2024

Justine & Cory’s wedding was… wow. I like to think that I’m fairly articulate, but I truly have no words for how beautiful it was.

I’m always grateful to be trusted to do this type of work, but there are times that truly remind me of what I fundamentally love about this job.

I flew in for a single weekend for this wedding. An 11-hour international flight on Friday, shooting this wedding on Saturday, and another 11-hour flight on Sunday.

I don’t regret a single moment of it.

There are moments where you can really understand how much a couple loves each other—where you get this however small insight on the true depth of their connection. You realize exactly how intrinsically intertwined their lives are.

This wedding was one of my favorites to shoot, not just because of how beautiful it was, but because the simple honesty with which C & J loved each other.

It was raw. Honest. And such a deep privilege to experience.

I have never delivered this many photos for a wedding before, and it’s all because of the sheer amount of gorgeous moments throughout the day. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing my favorite moments throughout C & J’s wedding, starting with their getting ready photos. I love taking getting ready photos because of the way that they can truly set the scene for a fantastic day, and these were no different—you can feel the excitement radiating from these photos.

Cory & Justine, thanks for trusting me to shoot your wedding, and I’m so excited to share more photos soon!
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Second shot by the brilliant
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01/31/2024

Meeting Eddie & Anthony in Big Sur last year was such a pleasure. I feel so fortunate that I get to share stories like these, and that too, in such gorgeous places. It’s one thing to get to witness love like this; it’s a whole other thing to be trusted enough to capture it.

There was so much from this shoot I want to share, so keep an eye out for another post soon with more photos from this gorgeous day.
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12/11/2023

Thinking about this beautiful evening in Big Sur last December. Decided to revisit these photos as I continue to push through the editing of busy season—but god, I love Big Sur. Nothing like looking through the gorgeous pictures to lift your spirits.

If you’re ever looking for a Big Sur elopement photographer, give me a shout!
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08/22/2023

Alisha and Rhiannon’s wedding was truly something special. I know you can say that about any wedding, but it’s hard to think of a wedding that was so viscerally honest about the love that the two had for each other. From their gorgeous vows, to the beautiful ceremony tying them to each other whilst still emphasizing their independence as people, to drinking from cups filled with the well wishes of their friends and family (symbolizing the tarot Two of Cups)—I could not be more honored to have been the one to capture it all. Alisha & Rhiannon: thank you for having me there.
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07/20/2023

Thinking about Salwa and CJ’s gorgeous San Francisco City Hall elopement back in March. If you’re thinking of eloping at City Hall, reach out!
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07/02/2023

With Christina and Eric’s wedding coming up in exactly a week, I wanted to share some of these photos from what was probably one of my favorite engagement shoots of all time. Rainy Muir Woods felt ethereal, and both Christina and Eric were super enthusiastic to make the most of it. Super excited for their wedding!

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Address

Joshua Tree, CA

Website

http://riyakphoto.com/

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