We’ll be in Joshua Tree this time and you can follow our shenanigans over at the Traveling Hearts blog!

Thanks to Ala for this collage of all the girls! See you ladies soon! xoxo

A few months ago I received an email from a lovely editor at Claudia Noivas Magazine, a wedding magazine out of Brazil. They saw Desiree and Rich‘s wedding on Style Me Pretty and loved it. They were doing a feature on wedding fashion for groom’s and wanted to feature a shoot showcasing Rich’s awesome bow tie and tux. I was happy to oblige and they were kind enough to send me a hard copy, which I received a couple of weeks ago.

I can’t understand a word of what’s written inside, but I’m honored to have one of my images showcased among amazingly beautiful photography by some of my favorite photographers. Check it out!

Justine and Steve‘s awesome wedding got lots of well-deserved attention online, so I wasn’t surprised when the lovely editors over at The Knot asked if they could feature it in their winter issue. I loved shooting Justine and Steve’s wedding day and I’m so glad so many others appreciate the hard work that they put into it.

Hopefully 2012 will bring new print features my way – it’s one of my goals for the year, so I’m going to do my best to make it happen!

I hope you all are reading this and know how much I appreciate you and how grateful I am to have been included in your wedding days. I look forward to capturing many more of life’s amazing moments for you in the years to come!

I’ve put together a slideshow of some of my favorite images from the past year’s weddings and engagement sessions. Hope you enjoy.

Happy New Year! Here’s to a great 2012…

I’ll be out of the office until the 29th, at which point I will answer all of the emails I’ve received while away. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season! Here’s a couple of awesome family photos that my friend Mary took of us for our holiday cards this year. I just love them so much!!

To make this post more pretty, here’s a shot from the most recent Traveling Hearts trip to Santa Cruz. I miss it there.

I wanted to talk a little bit about the process, but I can’t for the life of me find the original inspiration board I created. I’m kicking myself right now! I think it’s really fun to see a starting point of design and see how it all ended up. Truth be told, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted when I hired Ashley, but I’m not so sure that I did. My old branding was great while I had it but as my own style began to take shape, I decided that the look of my brand was too cute. I wanted something more sophisticated, without being too stuffy. It still had to be “me.”

Because Ashley is great at what she does, she was able to ask me all the right questions and help me put a name on my aesthetic. I knew I liked the clean lines and ‘form follows function’ approach to mid-century modern design, but I also loved natural woods and nature.  And, I had to keep the owl, he just needed to grow up a little.  I explained all of this to Ashley and she said, “Oh, you like organic modern.”  And, with that, I had a name for the look I was into. Fantastic!

There is still one more very cool element being designed, but here are some photos of all of the other elements I’m using  for packaging and promotional materials. I love the way the kraft paper brings in the natural elements I love to the clean and modern design. It’s perfect! Some current clients have already seen some of this stuff and I’m looking forward to using it for my new clients, too!

Here’s a shot of the entire spread: From left: DVD case, letterpressed note card, envelope with custom liner and label, owl-stamped kraft box which contains the custom-engraved wooden USB thumb drive, which is sitting next to my letterpress business cards.

A closer look at my business cards. My custom pattern and branch design were letterpressed on a beautiful, thick cotton card stock. Kraft paper labels were letterpressed with my logo and contact information and each label was hand placed onto each card. I love them.

The DVD cases also feature my custom pattern and are personalized for each client’s wedding.

My note cards were letterpressed on the same card stock as my business cards and feature my logo on the front and the custom pattern in one color on the back. I use kraft envelopes with a custom envelope liner, where the pattern makes an appearance again. That pattern is definitely my favorite part of the entire brand.

Here’s a closer look at my wooden USB flash drives. I deliver my clients’ engagement photos on these and I think it’s always a nice little surprise. The best part is, they’re re-usable!

I’d like to give Ashley a big virtual hug for being so awesome and patient with me. The re-branding process is not easy, but she never made me feel like I was crazy or too indecisive. Thanks, Ashley!

This past week Jennifer and Joe’s Maravilla Gardens wedding was featured on Every Last Detail in a two-part post! Be sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2.

And then earlier this week Tracy and Jim’s adorable Pasadena engagement session was featured on Oh Lovely Day! Their wedding is coming up next month and I can’t wait!

I am in need of a part-time intern one day a week. I can confirm internship hours with your university for credit, if you’re a student. The ideal candidate is a budding photographer with a flexible schedule and a willingness to learn.

Must be familiar with recent versions of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Familiarity with InDesign is a plus, but not required. You’ll be working by my side at all times and I will be available to answer any and all questions you may have about the business and share any wisdom I have. I am an open book! I learned a lot during my internships and I’m thrilled to be able to do the same for others.

Possible intern tasks include:

• Processing client print orders and placing said orders with the lab
• Burning and packaging client discs
• Compiling and organizing photos for submission to publications
• Organizing and sending photos to vendors
• Prepping and scheduling blog posts
• Updating website with images from recent shoots

Lunch will be provided on every work day over 4 hours. During our lunch break I would ideally love to use that time as an opportunity for us to have a discourse about business, answer questions and share ideas so that you’re getting as much out of this experience as possible. There is a standing invitation to the chosen intern to assist me on wedding and/or portrait shoots, if desired. Assisting me on a shoot puts you in charge of my gear, anticipating my lens needs as I shoot. Shadowing me on a shoot is a great opportunity to learn directing and shooting techniques. You will not be allowed to shoot while I am photographing clients but I would be happy to spend one-on-one time in a casual non-client shoot.

You choose the ONE day of the week you’d like to intern, Monday through Thursday, but please be able to commit to that schedule almost every week.

WHO I AM:

• A wedding and portrait photographer who spends her weekdays working away in her home studio in Los Angeles and many weekends shooting awesomely fun weddings for super awesome couples.
• Lover of music, robots, owls and sushi. Despite these interests I am not a hipster. Go figure.
• Wife to a nerdy husband, mom to two furry pugs.
• A believer in love, which helps in my line of work.
• A self-starter who turned my love of photography into a thriving business and is willing to share what I’ve learned along the way.

WHO YOU ARE:

• Passionate about photography and looking to learn the business side of running a successful photography studio.
• Have a love for, or at least an interest in, wedding photography.
• A quick learner who can work independently, but isn’t afraid to ask questions.
• A dog lover. “Must Love Dogs” isn’t just a lame romantic comedy staring John Cusack, it’s a rule to live by in our home office and you’ll be surrounded by two loving pugs, so you must be able to love them back.
• A fan of lists and organization.
• Comfortable with the idea of working in close quarters with me and my dogs in my home studio (read: a room in my North Hollywood apartment).
• Conscientious and trustworthy with your own reliable transportation.

If the above description sounds like you and you think you can hang with a person like me, please email your resume, a photo (don’t worry, I don’t care what you look like, just like to put a face to a name), and a little bit about yourself to heidi@heidiryder.com. If you’re feeling adventurous, I’d love to know your answers to the following questions, but participating in my little survey isn’t required to apply:

1. Show me a favorite image. Can be by anyone and of anyone or anything. Show me a photo that speaks to you.
2. Your five favorite songs, at the moment.
3. Your two favorite TV shows (or movies, your pick), at the moment.
4. You have three hours to kill in your favorite place on Earth. Where are you and what do you do with that time?
5. Your favorite word.
6. Your least favorite word.

I’ll be scheduling interviews in the next two weeks, so please reply soon if you’re interested! I’m looking forward to hearing from you!