Friday, January 20, 2012

[Featured] Oh, You Fancy?

We've gotten a couple of blog features this month and wanted to brag share!


Robyn & Matt by Pam First, our second feature on the amazing Offbeat Bride went live last week. Robyn & Matt have now been made "blog famous"! Check out the feature here and the original blog post here. As always, thanks OBB!


Robyn & Matt - Performance by Lolli Hoops Second, one of Pam's photos of the beautiful and talented Lolli Hoops (of Boston Hoop Troop fame) performing at Robyn & Matt's wedding (See? Blog famous!)is up as Hooping.org's photo of the day! Yay! Thanks for featuring our work!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

[Round-Up] Best of 2011, James' Picks

I couldn't agree more with Pam in saying that 2011 was an amazing year for us! We really started shaping Altared Visions with a clear vision and loved all of our clients. 2012 is going to be huge and we have made some big changes and put together some really great ideas.. Shh you'll have to wait for the Blog post to find out ;)

There were so many great photos and trying to go through and pick just one from each wedding was so HARD. So Pam and I collectively decided to do a slideshow of our favorites and then showcase the top ten.

Slideshow:


Top ten! Again these are also in no particular order, trying to choose is impossible!


Michelle & Rich: James

Mellissa & Matt: James

Kat & Rick: James

Megan & J.C: James

Mellissa & Marc:James

E-Session Laura & Ian: James

Erin & Cody: James

Lauren & Ben: James

Sarah & Joe: James

I would have to say, if I were to pick my absolute favorite image from 2011.. Its this one!
Laura & Ian: James

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

[Round-Up] Best of 2011, Pam's Picks

2011 was an amazing year for Altared Visions. It was our second year in business together and the first year we were really shooting AV clients instead of those grandfathered in from my solo work. It was the year we got registered with city and official-ized with a real bank account and everything. It was the year we knew we made the right choice!

It was also a year we learned a lot of hard lessons and got a first-hand look at all the things we need and want to improve on. We've got so much in store for 2012, but that is another blog post! For now, I've put together some of my favorite photographs from this past year's weddings and portrait sessions in a top 10 and a slideshow with ALL the favorites!

Which one is your favorite? I'd love to hear in the comments!

Slideshow:

 

TOP 10! This was hard, these in NO PARTICULAR ORDER...that was just TOO hard.

Julie & John by Pam
Erin & Cody by Pam
Kat & Rick by Pam
Laura & Ian by Pam
Robyn & Matt by Pam
Beth & Jack Maternity by Pam
Sarah & Joe by Pam
Finn & Norah by Pam

Lauren & Ben by Pam

And while mostly this is not order, I won't lie...this is my favorite image from 2011...
Lynch Family Session

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

2011 Resolution: Refresh Your Wall Space!

In this digital age we are living in, not enough photos make it from the computer screen to the wall display! This year, make a resolution to show off your photographic memories. I plan to replace a lot of my already hanged photos and add a lot more! One thing helping in a huge way is Pinterest. If you haven't gotten on Pinterest yet, probably better that you don't, lest you lose yourself to hours and hours of obsessive pinning.

For more on Pinterest, click here. Need an invite? Let me know!

I have a "Hang Those Photos" board on Pinterest where I keep all kinds of amazing gallery wall examples and tips on hanging photos hassle-free (or as close as you're getting to it, anyway.) Here's some of my favorite finds!

Amazing tips for hanging photos using wax paper and awesome layouts for gallery walls from
roost-home.blogspot.com


Here's another amazingly helpful post with another method and awesome ideas from Simcoe Street.


Love these gallery walls...

Your photo? Please email me so I can add a link. Found via Pinterest.


From Pottery Barn, found via Pinterest

Want to see more? I've got a brazillion links on my Hang Those Photos pin board.
For more Altared Visions pins, follow our AV board!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

[Rockstar Wedding] Sarah & Joe's Harry Potter/Autumn Themed Wedding [Westport, MA]

 Sarah & Joe
Sarah and Joe met James and I at Panera Bread (our favorite portable office) one cold February evening in 2010. Over an hour later we were all full of coffee and still talking about books, knitting, movie adaptions of books (let's just say Hunger Games casting opinions were voiced) and having babies. (Sarah had recently had Joey, their adorable son).

They told us about how they met, with the same almost embarrassed face that all couples who met at a bar have before admitting "YES, I totally dated the bartender!" It's really common, allow me to assure you bar-made couples out there of this!

Seems like that was months ago and here we were waiting to start shooting their wedding! Crazy!

Sarah, who'd make a divine art director with her location eye, took us to Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery for the first look and formals on the big day. Sarah arrived as the sun was setting and skillfully picked her way down the path, to her awaiting groom hanging around in the vines with his brothers.
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Joe said her dress wasn't what he pictured she'd choose, but I think it might have been better by his expression.
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
These are my favorite of my first look shots...how cute are they?
Sarah & Joe Sarah & Joe Sarah & Joe
I'm also in love with this photo...what a beautiful family in a beautiful setting.
Sarah & Joe
We had a great time shooting at the Westport Rivers Vineyard. They allow brides to pay a fee and use their beautiful land for wedding formals and engagement sessions. They gave Sarah and Joe a yummy looking bottle of bubbly, too! I'd love to shoot there again.
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
This is where I out Sarah and Joe (Mainly Joe) as gigantic Harry Potter nerds. We grabbed a quick shot of the wedding party rocking their not-at-all-forcibly-given Hogwarts scarves.
Sarah & Joe
Then it was off to the yarn store. Yes. The yarn store. Lauren was a knitter and so is Sarah! Love it!
Sarah & Joe
We invaded (after asking, of course) Sisters of the Wool in Westport, MA just before they closed for the evening. The staff there was wonderful and let us roam the store being silly.
Sarah & Joe
Altared Visions: We MAY ask you to model for our own immature delight. You've been warned.
Sarah & Joe
oooooo soft!
Sarah & Joe
000_0112
The flower girl was a cutie pie.
Sarah & Joe
The reception details were fabulous and all the products of Sarah's talented, crafty hands! Check out the Harry Potter book flowers and table cards. So cute!
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Did I mention she made the cake? Yeah...she made the cake.
It was a full moon on 11.11.11, it looked beautiful rising behind our detail shots!
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
The ceremony was short and sweet, upstairs in the lofts of Bittersweet Farms. The venue is beautiful, this was third time shooting there but the first time at night. It's quite dark, photographers...be warned!
000_0148
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Joey wasn't having any part of not being included in the ceremony and helped the officiant read her script.
Sarah & Joe
I see you James!
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
The glow sticks came out at the reception and were a hit!
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Aside from the Harry Potter theme, this is Joe's other contribution to the wedding!
Sarah & Joe
Momma dancing with Joey.
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Joey was ready for bed, can you tell?
Sarah & Joe
Love wedding kids...
Sarah & Joe
Sarah & Joe
Congratulations Sarah & Joe! Here's to many more happy years for the knitter and the bartender. :)
Sarah & Joe

VENUE: (First Look)Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery Westport, MA
VENUE: (Ceremony/Reception) Bittersweet Farms Wesport, MA 
DRESS: Anjolique Bridal
SHRUG: Fabulous Furs Sarah says "Best(!) faux fur site I found in my searching after falling in love with a real fur in a Martha Stewart mag that was $5k!"
HAIR & MAKEUP: Nuance Salon 
Sarah says "This is my friend, Jen Oliveira's, salon - she uses Bare Minerals.
DJ: DJ Wyatt Kelley
FLOWERS: Jayne's Flowers
Sarah Says "She doesn't have a website, she has a small kiosk on the corner of Federal & Milk in Boston [and] she does weddings through word-of-mouth only." 
CAKE: Sarah made it, as well as the pumpkin butter favors!
GAME TRUCK: Games2U Mobile Entertainment
Sarah says: "So much fun!"