I have filmed over 100 weddings.
I am drawn to weddings because each is an opportunity to capture once in a lifetime memories and create authentic, emotional stories that matter to the family.
I love collaborating with other creative teams, my strengths include: passion for the filming, putting people at ease, optimistic team player, creative problem-solver, and excellent communicator. I bring positive energy and a collaborative spirit to every project I work on.
With love,
Shai
Wedding Client Testimonials
Shaina and Mike are two truly incredible people! Not only are they two of the most talented, hard working people in the industry, they are also so warm and kind to be around - I didn't want them to leave our wedding! From our initial email to our actual wedding day, we have felt like we were hanging around old friends. They took such great care of us throughout the whole process, and especially on our wedding day. They really went above and beyond anything we expected from a videographer. You want to be at ease, comfortable and relaxed, like it's just you and your best friend getting married with some really awesome friends capturing it all for you. When the wedding day finally arrived, they really amazed us! They were everywhere, capturing every special moment, yet totally out of the way the whole time, I don't even know how they managed to do that but they are pros. They took such unique and spontaneous footage that I'm sure we'll look back on for years to come. But beyond that, they were always right nearby to help us with anything we needed! We had spent months prior talking to other potential videographers but once we met Shaina and Mike, we felt like no one else could compare. Their service was truly unmatched.
I was not completely on board with having a Wedding Videographer at first because I was worried that they would be in the way on the day of the wedding and wasn't sure what a video would add on top of photos but my mother in law insisted and I am SO glad that she did and that we picked Shaina Koren. They were lovely to work with and faded completely into the background during the rehearsal dinner and the day of our wedding but still managed to capture our day perfectly. My husband and I have very high standards and Shaina Koren more than met them. We will cherish our video forever.
Of all of the vendors we chose for our wedding, this is the vendor we are most proud of! Shaina created THE MOST BEAUTIFUL wedding film for us! Her and Mike captured our day perfectly, and created a wedding film that was so us, and so magical. They were so attentive to everything we wanted highlighted in the video and were just such awesome people to work with! We knew they were excellent cinematographers, but we didn't realize how BLOWN AWAY we would be by our film! They truly are masters of their craft, and are the best at what they do. This memory of our favorite day is one that we will cherish forever, and can't thank them enough for giving us the best gift; their talent.
We were on the fence about a videographer for a long time, and ultimately decided to go for it - we wanted to remember the little moments from our big day that just couldn't be caught on still film. We debated between a higher-priced team that was stretching our budget, and a couple others that were less expensive, but lower quality/skill level. I am SO glad we went with Shaina and her team. They were professional and courteous from the moment they arrived, and made me feel completely at ease. They needed ZERO direction or help from us, blended perfectly into the background and worked seamlessly with our photographer. When we got our film back, WOW. They were everywhere. I'm so glad we trusted them as artists to come in and do their thing, because the final project was simply amazing. They are also kind, wonderful people - the sort of people you feel really good about supporting as artists and small business owners. Book them now!
When deciding on the budget for my daughter’s wedding, my daughter and her fiancé suggested we cut cost by not having a videographer. As I was talking to friends I continued hearing, “Don’t cut cost there!” After viewing highlights on her website I fell in love with Shaina's work immediately! The day of the wedding Shaina and Mike were extremely professional and captured every special moment! By the end of the day, I felt like they were part of our family! A week after the wedding the highlights were ready and the full length video was finished within a month! Our family watched the videos together and we were amazed that Shaina was able to capture the wedding weekend and tell their love story so beautifully! We laughed and cried tears of joy as we relived the special day! Shaina is extremely talented and has a unique gift for creating amazing and magical wedding videos. We are so grateful that Shaina and Mike were part of our celebration and I would recommend them to couples looking for someone to tell their unique love story. You will love them and their work as much as we do!
As the MOB, I was dead set against having a videographer at my daughter's wedding because from my experience the video person(s) are always in the way at both the wedding and the reception. I must say that this was not the case at all with Shaina & Mike. They spent the entire day with us and were a total delight to have around. When I saw the ``teaser`` video that they posted this week, I cried, because it was so beautiful and fun to watch! Not often do I admit that I am so happy that I was proven wrong!
There are no words to express how much we loved what Shaina Koren created for us. Our wedding film was worth every penny. They captured every special moment, detail, and feeling of our wedding day. My husband and I watch our wedding film all the time, and every time it is as if we are watching it for the first time. It brings us so much happiness to be able to relive the emotions we felt that day. Shaina Koren does more than just film your wedding day, they tell a story.
Shaina and Mike were an absolute blessing. I was having trouble finding a videographer who shot cleanly, with no artistic graphics/shading, to take away from the purity of the film, but did not look like a family friend was shooting home footage either. I found Shaina Koren through my photographer, Katelyn James' blog. Shaina and Mike were so sweet and it was like seeing old friends when we met for the first time! (Perhaps because they are fellow JMU Dukes!) They handled the day of with pure grace and produced the most beautiful work; we could not wait for more after our highlight reel! Our full length film went far beyond our expectations, as they produced it like a short film. We've spent many hours watching it on repeat. The end result clearly showed the countless hours they poured into our piece. We could not have selected better vendors for the day; Shaina and Mike included. You will not be disappointed in these two or your film.
I could not ask for a better person to capture our wedding day! Not only is Shaina the kindest person, she is incredibly talented, hard working, and she genuinely cares about her work! Her and Mike are an amazing team and I could not be happier with the two of them and their work!! They are amazing!!
Worth every penny! Shaina and Mike were awesome throughout the planning period and the wedding and our video turned out amazing! They have a wonderful story telling ability that makes watching the video so much fun. Its not just a boring documentary, it captures all the best parts that you want to remember from your wedding day. Shaina was with the girls getting ready and she is so sweet and makes you feel amazing and Mike was with the boys and it was like he was just hanging out and made them feel comfortable to be on camera. We've watched both our full length and highlight videos more times than we can count and every time they put a huge smile on our faces because we are brought back to one of the most special days of our lives. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Working with Shaina and Mike was an absolute pleasure. They were super responsive and charming. They were creative with their cinematography and editing yet they still carved out room in the video to incorporate our suggestions. What's more is that Shaina and Mike's presence was relaxing on a day that was filled with pressure and stress. I would highly recommend working with Shaina and Mike for all of these reasons - not to mention the final product was an amazing film that perfectly captured my wedding day! 🙂
I can't praise Shaina and Michael enough for our wedding video. We flew out from the UK to Miami for my sisters wedding and they did her video we were all blown away and I feel so lucky that Shaina and Mike were able to film or wedding in Portugal last year. They make you feel so at ease on the day and have produced such a stunning video that everyone loves and I watch it over and over. Best money well spent from our entire wedding as watching the film takes me right back. Thank you for your amazing work.
I have one word to describe our experience with Shaina---AMAZING. I can't even put into words how great she is and how wonderful our videos turned out. They were everything that we ever dreamed of and more. I cannot believe that we almost did not have videography for our wedding. I found Shaina online and her work blew me away and was the ONLY reason I considered videography. She was the best decision that we made for our wedding. I would recommend her to anyone! We will treasure our videos forever! Thank you Shaina! We love you!
From the second you meet Shaina and Mike you will know what a GREAT decision you have made! Not only are they friendly and open, but their professionalism and reliability are visible in every step of the process. I truly enjoyed having them both there on my wedding day. Their ability to make you feel comfortable and secure during very raw, emotional moments is what makes their videos so incredible. It is truly priceless to see your wedding through their eyes. I cannot say enough great things about this amazing vendor and you will quickly realize how special they are. They gave us a gift that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. All of our friends and family can't stop talking about how amazing our video is! Thank you Shaina and Mike!!
I was most impressed with the professional and enthusiastic manner in which this couple unobtrusively got terrific footage of my son's wedding. The finished product is a 'story' that is more engaging with the way it is put together than running clips in a purely sequential manner. You never know what is going to come next and the 'story' is totally captivating. They did an awesome job splicing the same speaker at different times of the day. Not only did they get great shots, they did it without affecting our own enjoyment of the day and were never in the way or obstructed our own views. Kudos to Shaina and company! Highly recommended.
Shaina Koren cinematography brought such a beautiful and creative look at our wedding day. We can go back to the best parts of that day. Every moment of our video flowed and the music selections were fantastic. I would highly recommend working with Shaina Koren because she brings something very special and unique to the whole experience.
My husband, family, & friends were all so pleased with the work of Shaina Koren on our special wedding day, we are still receiving glowing reviews! The finished products of the Wedding Film & Highlight were not only beautifully poignant but encompassed all we wanted: conveying the reverent ceremony, our relationships & love story, to our high-energy reception. The whole process of working together with Shaina & Mike was extremely pleasant, we were especially blessed by their flexibility and willingness to accommodate our needs from time frames, customizing our package, & budget. After the wedding was over, we were delighted at the promptness in social media coverage of our wedding & shortly after we received our DVD's in the mail (the packaging is like we are starring in our own movie, very creative!!) Overall I was so at ease the whole day & throughout the process knowing Shaina's team was of utmost professionalism & class while having such a personal touch. Many thanks & we look forward to all your success in the future!
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Learn more about Shai
I am a bold, heart-centered Independent Filmmaker and freelance Director, Producer, DP, and Editor. With my partner Mike, I co-founded of Evergrain Studios, an intentional creative studio harnessing the power of character-driven stories and immersive experiences to bridge perspectives and create impact. We also founded Shaina Koren Cinematography, an acclaimed wedding and lifestyle cinematography company.
My work has been licensed by Netflix, NBC, and Delta Airlines and utilized in campaigns for Google, Major League Baseball, Toyota, Spaulding Rehab Hospital, the Basketball Hall of Fame, Per4max, the National Wheelchair Softball Association, Heroic Voice Academy, among others. I am most proud of the impact our projects have on real humans.
Serving as the Director, DP, and Editor for our first independent film THE REBOUND, our team received 8 awards among 20+ film festivals including the Kaiser Permanente Thrive Award, Best Documentary, Audience Choice Award, Best Cinematography, Best Directing, and more. It has been enjoyed at over 120+ U.S. and international screenings, premiered on NETFLIX (2019), is being utilized as a tool in academic research studies at James Madison University, and was featured on Delta Airlines (2020).
I’m a proud Duke – graduating cum laude from James Madison University with a degree in Media Arts & Design with a Digital Video & Cinema focus and minors in Film Studies and Anthropology.
Outside of the projects that I spearhead at Evergrain Studios, I am available for freelance and contract collaborations locally in Virginia, DC and available to travel worldwide.






What values are most important?
An incredible leader and mentor, Anthony Lee at Heroic Voice Academy has taught our team the building blocks of using our Heroic Voices. Vision, values and vows. My core values lead me through the inevitable challenges and road blocks, they are presence, bold, community, growth, impact, and sustainability. My vision is to create a better world through stories that bridge perspectives.
What/who inspires you?
So many things, 1. Stories – they are everywhere and even the little ones have depth and nuance to explore. 2. The incredibly creative, spiritual, magical humans and mentors in my life. Some whom I haven’t met yet – looking at you Ava. 3. Life in general – nature, the way the light falls, little moments – isn’t it beautiful to be present and alive?
Where are you located?
I am currently living on the side of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central Virginia and can work locally in the Charlottesville area, Richmond and the greater Washington, DC area. Able to travel with proper protocols.
Testimonial from Peabody-award winning Director Hilary Linder

Shaina served as the Director of Photography for Superminority, a documentary series I directed in North Carolina in 2018. Shaina was a joy to work with and I can’t recommend her services enough. She has a true passion for shooting and is constantly looking to capture the story in the most beautiful and effective way possible. In addition to her commitment to her craft, her positive attitude was a huge contributor to the success of the project.
Superminority follows first-time, female candidates for the N.C. House of Representatives and required a dynamic and ever-changing shooting environment. During our three months together in North Carolina, seemingly nothing could dampen Shaina’s enthusiasm for and commitment to this project, not even our grueling shooting schedule, a hurricane, extremely hot and humid weather, or bedbugs. Some days involved 15+ hours of practically non-stop verite shooting, where Shaina performed tirelessly and flawlessly. On days where we could take the time to capture establishing shots and b-roll, Shaina was an endless source of creativity and shooting ideas. She was always game to try new things and more than willing to spend her little time off researching equipment or shooting techniques that could enhance the project. While Shaina takes direction extremely well, she also doesn’t hesitate to make shooting suggestions that she thinks would better serve the project, for which I am grateful.
Very quickly into the shoot, I felt that we had established a strong partnership and I knew I could count on her make our stories truly shine. I am so thankful that Shaina served as DP on this project, and I am always looking for more opportunities to work with her.