Heather Ahrens - Orlando Wedding Photographer - Photography for Happy People » Life! http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog HA! Photography - Photography that will make you smile Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:44:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 SXSW. Street Portraits. http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2011/03/sxsw-street-portraits/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2011/03/sxsw-street-portraits/#comments Sat, 19 Mar 2011 18:11:16 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=2453 Portraits taken on the street in Austin on Friday, March 18th.

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Sharon Van Etten.

Local Natives.

Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr.

Owen Pallett.

Friends:

me.

Street musicians:

]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2011/03/sxsw-1/feed/ 0 Film – Portraits http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/08/film-portraits/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/08/film-portraits/#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:03:42 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=2280

]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/08/film-portraits/feed/ 0 Bacon Party http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/07/bacon-party/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/07/bacon-party/#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:35:10 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=2268 We had a party. There was lots of bacon.

Menu: pasta with veggies and bacon, bacon wrapped dates, potato soup and pancetta, salad with mozzarella and prosciutto, loaded potatoes (with bacon), bacon maple ice cream

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Hi friends! I got a new camera to play with last week! Here are a few photos from the test roll from the new camera, Contax 645 with an 80mm 2.0 lens. These photos were taken by Ian and I in the office. Oh yes, by the way this camera takes film. Not digital.  Enjoy!

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I would like to think that my silliness comes across in the photos that I take. Thanks Ian for capturing my silly side while we were working in the new office the other day!

Woohoo! If you haven’t heard already, HA! Photography has an office space! A few months ago a good friend of mine sent an email out to several creative people in Orlando asking if we would like to share an office/meeting/coworking space with her company. After a few months of planning, I am excited to announce that it is done! I am so excited to have a space to meet our friends and clients in.

Prospective clients: Looking for a photographer for your wedding or portrait session in Orlando? Send me an email and let me know if you would like to set up a meeting in our new space.

Current clients: Would you like to come in and order that canvas print that you’ve been wanting to hang in your house? Send me an email and we can set up a time for you to see our new sample albums and canvas prints.

]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/04/office/feed/ 2 A Walk Around Key West http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/02/a-walk-around-key-west/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/02/a-walk-around-key-west/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:22:00 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=1835 Key West has turned into my favorite travel destination for weddings. I am so thrilled that my company, HA! Photography is starting to travel down there more and more for weddings. It is the perfect little spot to get married. While down in Key West a few weeks ago for Jayson and Lisa’s wedding my assistant and I were able to take some time and just walk around and take some photos. Every time I go down to Key West we end up having the most fabulous couples! There is something about getting married in Key West that just attracts adventurous laid back people.

One of the people that I met down there was Kevin May. Stefanie and I met Kevin last May when we were photographing Leslie and Andrew’s Key West wedding. Kevin is an amazing writer. I am currently halfway through his book, Eden, and I am super excited to read a copy of his next manuscript that he slipped me when we met up this past trip. I find it fascinating to meet new people and keep in touch with them when I travel. I try to stay in touch but I’m not always the best at it. If you are traveling to Orlando and want to meet up, feel free to drop me an email, I’m always looking for new people to meet!

]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/02/a-walk-around-key-west/feed/ 1 Inspiration: Travel http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/02/inspirationtravel/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/02/inspirationtravel/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:08:31 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=1828 In case you haven’t figured this out already. I love to travel. It is absolutely ridiculous how much time and effort I put into my next travel plans. Usually while on a trip somewhere I will be inspired to plan my next trip the minute I get home.

Does anyone know of any really good travel blogs? I am looking for inspiration for my next adventure. One of my favorite travel blogs is about a young woman’s travel around the world, called, Me-Go. I poured over her blog in early 2007 longing to travel like she does. One thing that I hadn’t made a priority in my life is travel. That changed this year. This summer I embarked on my first adventure out of the country in over 5 years. After that trip I was hooked! Another adventure presented itself this winter which lead me to the most memorable night of 2009. The night I got lost in Madrid.

After several days of roaming around Madrid with my travel partner, we were ready to head our separate ways. I had an amazing evening planned of tapas, beer and flamenco. I made reservations for a flamenco show later in the evening that was rather expensive. I had a feeling that this evening would be a memorable one, though it wasn’t the flamenco show that did it. I ended up at a tapas bar on the way to the show knowing that I had an hour and a half to kill before start time. This evening was the first I’ve had drinking and dining alone in a foreign country, and I was a bit nervous about it. I went to the tapas bar and ordered their beer on tap. With each drink that you order at a tapas bar they bring you a small dish of basically whatever they would like to give you. I don’t remember exactly what I had that evening, it’s not pertinent. The bartender and I didn’t speak the same language but that didn’t stop him from flirting with me. When I closed my tab he even brought me another beer and tapas. I must say, it is definitely fun to be a single woman in Spain.

Saying goodbye to the young bartender, I headed out to find the flamenco show. I had seen a flamenco show in Puerto Rico a year earlier when I traveled with my friend Abby to photograph a wedding in San Juan. I knew that I was in for a treat. It might have been the 3 small glasses of beer and the fact that the flamenco show was in the most confusing part of Madrid, but of course I got lost. After about 30 minutes of not finding the flamenco show, I noticed that I was walking through apparently the hip young downtown area of Madrid. I found a local bar that looked like a small dive bar that maybe would fit 20 people max.

After ordering a drink from the crowded small bar a guy next to me asked me a question in Spanish. I told him that I only spoke English. He got excited and started speaking to me in English and introducing me to all of his friends who were with him at the bar. I learned over the course of the night that this bar was one that only locals go to, and by locals, people who lived on the street where the bar was located. Once one group of my new friends left another new group was introduced. Everyone knew everyone else! It turned into such a great night of laughs and talking about life, culture and values. It was so unexpected and unplanned. The best planning that night would have never led to great conversation with people who were open and friendly.

You never know where life will take you and the people you might meet along the way. I’m thinking my next trip is going to be done solo as I have found that the most enriching experiences have come when I fully immerse myself in the culture. For me it is extremely easy to meet new people, so being alone on my next journey won’t be an issue. I’ll just be more open to strike up a conversation with the person next to me!

Please excuse the I phone Polaroid photos. Sometimes a girl just needs to leave her real camera at home and go out for the night.

Some of my new friends dancing and singing along to the music. They even played the Cure at one point.

yes. That is a dog in the bar.

]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/02/inspirationtravel/feed/ 0 Inspiration: Music http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/02/inspiration-music/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/02/inspiration-music/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:34:45 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=1778 Music that has been inspiring me this week:

1. Fanfarlo – I am a huge fan of the radio show on NPR, All Song’s Considered. On NPR’s website in the All Songs Considered section they have this feature called Tiny Desk Concerts. These concerts are short 3 song concerts that are played in the offices of All Songs Considered. After spending time looking through different concerts I stumbled upon Fanfarlo. I was grinning the whole 3 song set. Take a listen to them in the video below:

2. Dark Was the Night – This album is was a compilation album made for the Red Hot Organization produced by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the National. The song below is by Yeasayer called Tightrope.

3. The XX – This record has been growing on me. It is a great album to listen to at 3 am when the photo editing process is just winding down. I’ve become a night owl.

]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2010/02/inspiration-music/feed/ 0 Madrid at Night http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/12/madrid-at-night/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/12/madrid-at-night/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:19:43 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=1649 Hello Madrid, you are very pretty at night.

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]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/12/madrid-at-night/feed/ 1 Toledo, Spain – Snow! http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/12/toledo-spain-snow/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/12/toledo-spain-snow/#comments Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:50:49 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=1645 We woke up at 6am to this:
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Apparently it only snows about once a year in Toledo, if that. We were really lucky to stumble upon snow on this trip. Bob and I woke up at 6 am not for any reason but the fact that we couldn’t sleep anymore. It was nice to be up before it was light out and catch some photos of the snow during the night. Snow makes everything magical. Snow also makes everything a bit harder to get around. We tried to take a cab up to this beautiful view of the town of Toledo, only to find midway up that we were unable to make it because of traffic.

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Bob snapped this photo of me… I really like it.

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This is the street right behind our hotel, CASONA DE LA REYNA, which for under 50 EUR a night it’s a steal!

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Snowman!

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This was taken in the cathedral, where I guess you aren’t supposed to take photos? whoops?

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Bob and I stumbled upon this really cool antique bookstore right across from the Cathedral in Toledo. I am starting to gain a fascination with used book stores. It all started on my trip to DC 2 months ago when I bought 6 books for under $20. This store I spent 20 EUR on one book, but it was worth it. (Someone is getting a book for christmas!)

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Here you go KP, this one is for you.

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2 naps later, we made it to the other side. Sunset instead of sunrise this time.

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Toledo is known for it’s ham. We happened upon this small ham shop in the center of town. I love how they display their ham in the open air, it gives Spain a natural, earthy feel.

]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/12/toledo-spain-snow/feed/ 7 Toledo, Spain http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/12/toledo-spain/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/12/toledo-spain/#comments Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:26:22 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=1623 We just arrived in Spain early this morning at 7 am. After an eventful flight (those are never good) where a woman passed out, and a man punched another man, we were ready to get on our way. My travel partner, Bob, and I headed on the first train out of Madrid to a small city about a half an hour south called Toledo. Today, Bob and I roamed around for Toledo for awhile taking photos, eating tapas, and drinking cerveca. I am way to tired to actually write any words, so here are some photos:

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]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/12/toledo-spain/feed/ 5 Leaves and the U.S. Capitol http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/11/leaves-and-the-u-s-capitol/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/11/leaves-and-the-u-s-capitol/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:24:15 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=1501 Fall is my favorite time of year. I love traveling up north during this time to see the leaves change colors. Here are some photos of the beautiful leaves and the U. S. Capitol:

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]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/11/leaves-and-the-u-s-capitol/feed/ 2 Washington D.C. & Cupcakes http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/11/washington-d-c-cupcakes/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/11/washington-d-c-cupcakes/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:33:18 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=1496 D.C. was wonderful! I spent the past weekend visiting my friend Amy who lives in DC.
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Don’t these cupcakes look delish? I stumbled onto Georgetown Cupcake on my first afternoon in DC. I headed out into Washington D.C. by myself after a brief lunch with Amy where we caught up on each others lives. One of my favorites things to do while I travel is just spend the afternoon walking around the city. I headed over to Georgetown, which actually predates Washington D.C. being built in 1751. Georgetown is now considered part of Washington and is a good shopping district in the town.

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The line out the door is what clued me into the fact that Georgetown Cupcake had to be good. I waited in the line, which surprisingly only took about 10 minutes and grabbed two cupcakes. Amy and I ate our cupcakes the next morning and boy, were they heavenly!

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My normal state of being… sad but true.

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Amy and I have been friends since we were 12! That is over 13 years of being friends. I am truly blessed to have her as a friend. Everywhere we would go in DC, Amy would run into at least one person she knows and if she didn’t know anyone she would make conversation with the stranger next to her. Traversing the city with her was such a fun experience. She could start up a conversation with anyone! It was such a unique experience that I had not been privy to witness until now. Amy, you bring happiness into the world!

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]]> http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/11/washington-d-c-cupcakes/feed/ 5 Preview: Sam and Brett http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/10/preview-sam-and-brett/ http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/2009/10/preview-sam-and-brett/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:09:37 +0000 Heather http://www.heatherahrens.com/blog/?p=1426 sb081

Stefanie took these wonderful photos of Sam and Brett’s wedding in West Palm Beach this past Saturday. More photos to come soon :)

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On another note, I have been super busy photographing weddings and meeting with clients (yay 2010 weddings!). I will be posting way too much in the next couple of months, so get ready for the regular 3-4 times a week postings coming up shortly here.

The travel bug has officially hit! I have several trips planned this fall and one or two more in the works. In the next few weeks I will be traveling to:

Macon, GA

Amelia Island, FL

Washington D.C.
If you are located in one of these cities, let me know. I would love to meet up with you!

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