Raves

“Hi Theresa & John, The album arrived yesterday and we opened it after work. It is so beautiful and we are absolutely in love with it. Thank you so much for all your work with us and for doing such and amazing job documenting our wedding. We were reminded as we looked through our album what amazing photographers the two of you are. The quality of the pictures and the emotion you captured was really stunning. It is wonderful! Thanks so very much. Hugs to you both.”   Janna and Daniel“Dear John and Theresa, Thank you! The pictures are absolutely amazing. Honestly, we already knew we’d make the right choice when we first met a year ago. But when we saw the photos we DEFINITELY knew we could not have possibly chosen better than the two of you to record such an amazing day for us. You were so great to work with and you perfectly captured the feel of the day with your photographs–truly, we can’t thank you enough.”     Kate and Per“Dearest John and Theresa. Wow! You guys are amazing! This is one of those crazy late past the year deadline thank you notes. I was just looking at our album and was totally touched by what you captured! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing attention to detail–our day was put together perfectly. There is so much emotion in so many images. You are both amazing. We love it!”     Larry and Jenifer

“Hi Theresa, The album got here last week and it is absolutely amazing. I should have let you know sooner but I’ve spent the last several days trying to clean up after everyone drooling over (but certainly not ON) all the incredible work you and John did for us. You guys are the best, I can’t thank you enough.”   Mallory and Matt

 

Recently, Mallory who you can see above, wrote us a reference to a potential new client. We’re delighted to share what she had to say about working with us:

“I am more than happy to spread the good word about Altura to all who are willing to listen! John and Theresa are the best and I want all the happy couples out there to have the same great experience that my husband and I were fortunate to have on our big day.

As a little background, I’m from Oregon and got married at a family friend’s house in Oregon, but planned the wedding from Maryland. For the most part, this wasn’t a problem, but I knew that it would create some issues when picking out a photographer. My top priority for the day was, obviously, to get married to the best guy I know, but in terms of the “stuff” of the day (i.e. flowers, place settings, etc.), the number one thing on my list was beautiful photography. After looking through the portfolios of several photographers, it was clear that Altura had the best fit for us stylistically. As I’m sure you’ve already seen, their photographs are amazing. With their obvious natural talent and keen eye, they don’t need to rely on trendy filters or awkward staging, but are able to naturally and timelessly document the love between a couple, their families, their friends, and the day as it unfolds.

Although we loved their portfolio, that was only one half of the equation. I am pretty camera shy and feel super awkward having photographs taken, so finding the right fit in terms of the people behind the camera was key. Since I knew that personal connection was so important but since it was impossible to meet face to face, I was really excited when John and Theresa were game for a Skype meeting. After only about 20 minutes and from 3,000 miles away, Matt and I knew that John and Theresa were “the ones.” They were serious about their work, respectful of and excited for our vision of the day, and were not going to just show up and snap some photos but were interested in being true collaborators to ensure that we not only got what we wanted, but that the things we hadn’t thought of or didn’t know enough to ask about were taken care of. Best of all, they were fun and funny and immediately put us at ease. Their hilarious banter and easy demeanor made us feel like friends from the start and helped me put my own anxiety at ease. On the day of our wedding they captured the big moments (like the vows and speeches), little moments (like my best friend sincerely laughing during the cocktail hour), and the details that made the day (like the perfect sunset over the field of Christmas trees). Essentially, through their still photography, they were able to encapsulate all of the feelings of the day. Plus, they made me giggle during the portraits and not feel self-conscious as they were capturing the candid moments.

Once the whirlwind that was our wedding day passed we were off to our honeymoon and before our plane even touched down in Italy, some sneak peak photos were available on the Altura website. They certainly whet our appetite and we were not disappointed when the full gallery became available a short time later. The photos were fantastic, the site was very user friendly, and it was easy to share our gallery with our families. The album process was just as seamless. We got the proof in the mail and loved how the album told the story of our wedding day so clearly. There was a great mix of portraits, detail shots, and candids in our album and in the family albums that were personalized for each set of parents. The only thing we really went back and forth on was the color for the cover and when it came down to it we picked exactly what Theresa had originally suggested. Not only are they super talented behind the camera, but they are very professional and expedient when it comes to delivering a final product.

As I was writing this email I went back and looked at the gallery from our wedding on the Altura website and was totally lost in the day. I remembered details that I’d forgotten, felt the warm glow of the love shared between our families and friends, and felt all of the joy that I felt when I officially joined my life to my husband’s, all at my desk on a dreary Baltimore day. It is a great gift that when I look back on my wedding photographs I not only see beautiful images, but I get to feel the same giddy happiness that I felt when they were taken.  Plus, Theresa is patient with the fact that we still haven’t ordered our prints yet (I promise we’re getting there soon!!) and I’m put at ease by their super duper back up plans both on the day of and in terms of the files themselves.

I definitely understand that choosing the right photographer is a big decision, but I can say with great certainty that John and Theresa will do an outstanding job for you. The day goes by so quickly and there are so many little moments that you don’t have time to stop and savor but through their photography you’ll be able to hold on to those memories forever. If you have any specific questions or concerns you’d like me to address I’d be happy to, just let me know!

Best wishes to you, Shannon, on a beautiful day and a beautiful marriage. Theresa, drinks are still on us next time we’re in town!”