Last year around this time I headed to Las Vegas for WPPI, a photography tradeshow and convention for wedding and portrait photographers. I had a blast and I am excited to do it again this year! I expect to learn much, laugh much and WALK much! Me and 10,000 of my peers will be invading Sin City with cameras in tow. It’s bound to get intersting!
I will be back in the office responding to all emails and inquiries on Thursday, March 11th. Thanks for your patience.
Here’s an image from a shoot I did at the Neon Boneyard last year. You can see more here: Neon Boneyard Photos Part 1, Neon Boneyard Photos Part 2. I’m participating in another group shoot this time and I’m looking forward to sharing those images with you, too!
I can’t believe 2009 has come to an end. This has been quite a year for me, personally and business-wise, and when I sit and think about all I’ve had the privilege to see and do, I’m quite pleased. 2009 was the year I decided to focus solely on weddings. This time last year I wasn’t sure where this year would take me, but I was ready to hang on and enjoy the ride. And, oh, what a ride it’s been.
2010 already promises to be an even more exciting year and I honestly can’t wait. There’s something so refreshing about the start of a new year. I know technically nothing really changes, but there’s just something about seeing Jan. 1st on a calendar that sparks something inside me. I love feeling like I can change anything I put my mind to. Make things happen. Kick A$$ and take names. You know the drill.
I’ve already set wheels in motion for things that are sure to make my business better than ever, which means an even better experience for my clients. I am so looking forward to the weddings I have the honor of photographing next year and I can’t wait to share them all here.
In the spirit of reflection, I’ve chosen some of my favorite images, from both engagement sessions and weddings, from 2009. It’s been a VERY long time since I’ve posted a slideshow, but I figured why not let 2009 go out with a bang? Hope you enjoy.
A big, HUGE thank you to all of my clients – past and future – who chose me to capture their wedding day memories. I would also like to thank my photographer friends who have invited me along to shoot weddings with them and have also joined me at my clients’ weddings. The friendships I’ve made this year have proven invaluable.
Happy New Year, everyone! Here’s to a FANTASTIC 2010!
>>If you’re reading this post via an RSS feed or on Facebook, you’ll have to click through to my actual site to view the fun slideshow!<<
Several months ago I received an email that was so positive and encouraging that it made me smile from ear to ear. It was from Mekala at Tie That Binds, a wedding design studio that does the most amazing stationery products—everything from invitation suites to personalized labels and custom wedding favors. She even does photo book design! I’m telling you, there seems to be no limit to Mekala’s creativeness.
Some of my favorite of her items includes these cute candy bags for personalizing your wedding candy buffet, and these unbelievable love story books – can you just imagine using favorite shots from your engagement session for this wedding favor, accompanied by the story of your love? I just wish I had known about Mekala and Tie That Binds when Chris and I got married!
But without a doubt, Mekala’s talent truly shines with her glorious invitation suites. This design is called “Garden Love” and I think it’s got a romantic and timeless feel to it:
And I adore this design, called “Our Lucky Day.” The colors are refreshing and vibrant and the design had a darling vintage quality that I just love.
When Mekala asked if she could use some of my photos in the Color Inspiration section of her website, I was thrilled and honored! She paired up my photos with her designs seamlessly and I love seeing my work matched up with her design elements. Here are a couple of screen shots, click either one below to see the whole set:
If you’re in the market for wonderful stationery products, wedding favors or photo books – or if you just enjoy looking at pretty things for inspiration, do yourself a favor and head over to Tie That Binds and take in all of Mekala’s beautiful designs.
There are so many ways for people to give to those in need: Food drives, toy drives, monetary donations – you name it, someone has thought of a way to help other people. One of the great things about this world we live in is there is no shortage of ways to give back.
That’s why I’m pleased to announce my participation in this year’s Giving Is Awesome campaign. I chose Giving Is Awesome as my catalyst for giving back this season because it allows me to bring joy to a family’s life in the best way I know how – through beautiful images of their shining faces.
So, this year I am giving away a portrait session (a $450 value) to one deserving person, couple or family. At first I thought of limiting the contest to families only, but then I realized that whether or not a person has family should not make them less than deserving. Same goes for couples. The point is, no one is immune to hard times, so I’m not excluding anyone.
You likely know someone who’s experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can’t afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family’s spirit, love and beauty.
I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography. It is in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season.
Here’s the deal:
To enter, fill out the form below and tell me WHY this person, couple or family deserves this photo session. The more you tell me, the better, as helping me understand what they have or are going through will increase their chances of winning. Those nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a two-million-dollar-vacation-home in Paris does not qualify as sincere financial need.)
You cannot nominate yourself.
Those nominated must live in Southern California, or at least planning to visit before February 2010.
Prize is non-transferable.
The lucky winner will be chosen by me and my panel of judges (ie. my husband).
The deadline for entries is December 20th.
The winner will be announced here on the blog on Christmas Eve!
Open your heart to someone this holiday season – and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.
Now that wedding season is winding down, I am excited to finally have time to jump right into family portrait sessions, just in time for the holidays! Personalize your family’s holiday cards with beautiful photographs that will bring joy throughout the holidays- and well beyond.
Mini-sessions must be scheduled between now and November 21st to ensure delivery by December 1st – leaving plenty of time to get your holiday cards addressed, stamped and mailed off! Check out the adorable designs I’m offering below. Love them!
Holiday cards are also available to my 2009 wedding and portrait clients. If you’re interested in ordering, just pick your favorite design, the photos you’d like to include in the design, and email me at heidi@heidiryder.com to place your order!
Just a quick post to let you know that for the next 24 hours I will be walking against cancer as a part of Relay for Life. My team has raised over $1,800 in online and offline donations and we hope to make even more during the event. Our team is called FIGHT FOR LIFE and we’ll have a booth set up with some fundraising opportunities, one of which may be of interest to some of you!
Stop by our booth any time before 8am tomorrow morning (serious, any time – we’ll be up for 24 hours) and purchase raffle tickets to enter yourself in the drawing for a free portait session! The tickets are seriously super cheap so you can buy a ton of them to increase your odds, and all proceeds go towards the American Cancer Society.
If you aren’t in the area or can’t make it to the booth, I will also enter anyone into the drawing who donates $50 or more ONLINE in the next 24 hours. Go here to donate to our team and make sure that you put the word RAFFLE in the message box when you donate.
If you are in town, please stop by! The relay takes place at Robert Gross Park in Burbank, 2814 W Empire Ave. Hope to see you there!
I’ve never really thought of myself as an entrepreneur. In my mind entrepreneurs are men and women in business suits who do grand things with their time and money. They are Very Important People with ultra bright smiles and perfectly-coiffed hair.
Me? I spend my time taking pretty photos and hanging out with awesome people on their wedding day, then I sit in my office and edit those photographs by the light of the robot lamp on my desk and to the sounds of my iTunes playlist. Also, I’m often in my pajamas.
So, it’s a little surprising to me that a website for women entrepreneurs called Start Up Princess wanted to know about my business. I don’t wear business suits! My hair is usually a total mess! But, they didn’t care. And so it seems my idea of what an entrepreneur was is totally wrong (no surprise there) and I am in fact one!
All kidding aside, I have worked very hard to start this modest photography business of mine and to be recognized for it is very, very nice. I’ve received a lot of help and encouragement from my peers, friends and family and I’m hoping that someone who is thinking about starting their own business will read my interview and walk away with something that will encourage them to go for it!
You can read my interview here, and if you’re a woman entrepreneur I encourage you to poke around the rest of the site. There are some great articles and interviews to read and learn from!
It really makes my day when a wedding blogger loves a wedding I’ve photographed so much that they blog about it. Today, Amanda and Oliver’s wedding was featured on Vintage Glam Weddings! Here’s a screen cap of the post, but be sure to visit Vintage Glam because it is one awesome wedding blog.
I woke up this morning to discover that one of my images was featured on a fabulous wedding blog, Green Wedding Shoes. What a treat! Apparently someone likes bow ties as much as I do, becasue the bow tie shot from Amanda and Oliver’s wedding was the photo that got used. I’m so glad bow ties are “in” these days…they’re so quirky and fun!
Here’s a screen capture of the feature, but be sure to go visit Green Wedding Shoes for tons of fantastic wedding inspiration!
As a wedding photographer I consider it part of my job to stay up-to-date with wedding trends. Because of this I spend quite a bit of time looking at the same resources that brides and grooms use when planning their weddings. This was one of the funnest parts for me when I was planning my own wedding, so I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am that my job is such that I’m still allowed to do this type of thing!
The other day I came across a wedding resource site that I hadn’t seen before. Elizabeth Anne Designs is a blog, vendor directory and online community that covers just about every aspect of a wedding you can think of. They even have a “Living” section that just showcases fabulous everyday finds that have nothing to do with weddings. This is important because it is so easy to get wedding burnout when you’re in planning mode!
Yesterday Ami & Rebekah over at EAD asked me if they could use one of my photos in one of their “wedding details” features and of course I happily allowed them. When I went to visit their blog today, there was my image from Anna and Lönngren’s wedding staring back at me. Fun!
Here’s a screenshot from their site, but do yourself a favor and go spend some time over there, especially if you’re planning a wedding!
