2011
New York
Since founding the company in 2011, ex-paparazzo James Ambler has quickly become the leading expert in secret proposal planning and surprise engagement photography.
About · since 2011
From chasing celebrities to catching yeses.
Founder James Ambler was inspired by his years of experience as a paparazzo to create a one-of-a-kind approach to proposal photography.
2011the year it started
40+cities worldwide
10,000+proposals since 2011
James Ambler, founder
The founder
Meet James Ambler.
Inspired by his years as a paparazzo, James developed a star-quality service that helps people plan their proposals and discreetly capture it all without being detected by your partner.
Since starting the company in 2011, he has trained a nationwide staff of photographers in the art of secretly capturing the most important elements of an engagement: the exact moment of the proposal, and the priceless reaction!
With 10,000+ proposals captured across the U.S. and beyond, there’s no idea we haven’t heard of, or proposal we haven’t photographed. His unique approach has not gone unnoticed.
See us in the press →The road so far
Making headlines since 2011.
2013
Shark Tank
He was a finalist, striking up a deal with two Sharks who were inspired by his ingenuity and recognized the tremendous potential of the unique business.
2015
Coast to coast
Professional photographers in every major city who have been trained in the art of secretly photographing that once-in-a-lifetime moment.
2016
First flight
Paris
If romance was a country, Paris would be the capital (sorry France).
And if romance was a country, then Paparazzi Proposals is running for president.
2017
Hawaii
Whether local or tourist, Hawaii is the picture-perfect place to get down on one knee, especially with Paparazzi Proposals behind the lens.
2025
Mexico
Our sneaky Cancun photographer was positioned on the stairs across, discreetly capturing every moment.
2026
Today
Beyond the camera
So when the day comes, all you have to do is arrive- and keep it a secret!
With our team of experts ready to help you plan your perfect proposal, we can provide you with everything from initial ideas, to thorough logistics.
See all locations →The craft
Paparazzi-style photography.
The concept of surprise proposal photography is capturing the proposal and the reaction without intruding in on that moment.
1
Local knowledge
With our photographers, we recommend meeting the client at the same location, day of the week and time as the scheduled proposal to see what the area looks like.
2
Maps and diagrams
You will receive maps, diagrams and directions for the exact location of your proposal and will be notified of where our photographer will be hiding out.
3
From a distance
Our talented photographer will be sure to capture all the moments discreetly from a distance.
4
Blissfully unaware
Your significant other’s reaction will be completely genuine, since they remain blissfully unaware that they are being photographed.
5
Telephoto lens
Using a telephoto lens, we have the ability to remain unseen, capturing every second of this magical moment in your relationship.
6
A backup plan
It is important to have a backup plan if you’re planning to propose outside in case of the rain or other unexpected issues.
Contact us today.
Have a free consultation with one of our proposal experts to brainstorm proposal ideas and plans.