Angela with 2x NHRA Funny Car Champion Robert Hight (Left) and 16x NHRA Funny Car Champion John Force at 2017 Night Under Fire in Norwalk OH
Photo taken by Mary Lendzion
Photo by David Reinking Photography
About Me
Angela Hollen is a Portrait & Event Photographer based out of Northeastern Ohio.
I was born in San Diego California in 1996 and moved to Ohio at age 7. I was home-schooled from preschool all the way through High School.
At age 12 I began practicing Martial Arts and started competing at age 13. I earned my Black Belt at age 15. I also started teaching Martial Arts at age 13 and still teach it. I am best known as being a 5-time U.S. Karate Federation Nationals Kumite Champion 5 years in a row.
At age 16 I signed up and became a U.S. Navel Sea Cadet and by age 18 achieved the rank of Petty officer 2nd Class, the second highest rank in Sea Cadets. I was a mentor to struggling cadets and was awarded many awards. I completed training's such as ROTC (Boot Camp) Seabee's, Culinary, and POLA (Petty Officer Leadership Academy) I also staffed League Cadet ROTC. I was honorably discharged at age 18 after High School Graduation.
I was a photographer before I even knew it. At an early age I would go to the zoo a lot and would not go unless I had a camera to take photos of the animals (Which explains my love of Pet Photography) As a kid I was always in front of the camera and when I had a Kodak was always photographing something. I didn't get seriously into photography until age 14. I borrowed my dads camera and went outside to follow a baby robin bird, I found it in a bush and started snapping photos and in middle of one the bird squawked at me and I ended up with a beautiful photo of the baby bird with its mouth wide open. I've been hooked ever since.
After that shot I began taking photography seriously and spent most of my free time going to parks and trails photographing landscapes, dogs playing in the parks, and people fishing and riding in boats. After being discharged from the Sea Cadets I decided that I did not want to go into the Navy and wanted to be a photographer instead. I didn't have any money so I took a part time job at Kmart where I worked for 1 year while looking at photography colleges.
In 2015 I decided to attend the Hallmark Institute of Photography in Turners Falls MA.
I went to Hallmark with my eyes set on becoming a landscape and wildlife photographer but decided I wanted to be a portrait photographer instead. About halfway through the program I rediscovered my love of photographing animals after doing my first pet session with my bunny Shiba. (The white and gray bunny shown in the gallery)
I graduated Hallmark on June 24th, 2016 and now own my own business doing Portraits (yes, pets too!), Events, Weddings, and Architecture. I still live in Ohio and provide service all over Ohio and am open to doing business outside of Ohio as well.
I am also aspiring to photograph NHRA Drag Racing and to one day shoot for National Dragster Magazine. I am currently building a Drag Racing Portfolio. I am a current Media Member at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk Ohio. I am also a former contributor for Nostalgia Drag World Magazine. I am currently working for Moto Lenz Photos, the Official Photographers of Summit Motorsports Park.
Sanchez Family Photo Session
Sanchez Family Photo Session is a Behind the Scenes promo video directed and edited by Angela Hollen that was shot in Turners Falls, MA in June 2016 as part of a Halllmark Institute of Photography project.