Not Just Another Pretty Blog...

Fantasy Series

2009-07-11T13:43:00.001-07:00

I have a wonderful client who wanted me to create a fantasy series for her son. "I'm not a graphic designer," I responded. "That's really not my forte."

"You can do it, Cherie, I just KNOW you can!" was Loriann's response.

I drug my feet and drug my feet. It really ISN'T my area of expertise, you know. But I finally sat down today, and with the help of some stock images (thank you to the photographers who make these backgrounds available) I created my first fantasy series.

It was fun! My client was right. I COULD do it. Sometimes we just need to be pushed out of our comfort zone. But don't tell Loriann - who knows what she'll dream up next!

Fabulous Fourth!

2009-07-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is having a fabulous Fourth of July! I am grateful that in 1776 AND today, people have the courage to dream new dreams and to take action to see them realized! I am reminded that the birth of new ideas arises out of unflagging work and sacrifice...

But on a lighter note, here's what one photographer does on a holiday:

Video Insights

2009-07-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

I bought a Flip MinoHD, and immediately put a video up on Facebook of me in my studio. Hey, it’s a business deduction, so I’d better be using it for business, right?

I was surprised by the strong response I received. Not about the fact that I stay current with technology (although I pat myself on the back for that. I may be over 50, but I’m as groovy as ever. Oops. Did I just say “groovy”?)

The observations that really caught my attention were from high school classmates whom I haven’t seen for 30 years. They commented on how beautiful I was and that, seeing my personality on the video, they could understand why I was such a popular photographer.

Wow. You see, I was not a ‘popular’ teenager. Not by a long shot. I think it was because my self-esteem, in every category except academic achievement, registered in the negative scale.

It made me think. What changed between geeky 17 and today? What caused me to turn from an insecure teenager into a confident adult? I know that I struggled through my 20’s and beyond. When did it change?

Two things come to mind. One is life’s challenges. When tribulation comes our way, we can either grow, or we can shrink. Through the grace of God, I have grown with the sorrows (as well as the joys!)

The second is photography. My passion for what I do, the response I get from my clients and my friends, the joy of CREATING, brings a deep sense of centeredness. When I am photographing, I know who I am. I feel a sense of where I belong in the universe. Photography both grounds me and allows me to fly. And I think that’s what my old classmates (and current friends) saw in my short movie.

Funny how it takes an amateurish video to bring that all to light, huh?

PS: Here's the video:

Even When it isn't Like I Dreamed...

2009-07-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

In a photographer's magazine, I saw an article with some BREATHTAKING newborn portrait art. Babies suspended in fabric, cradled in Daddy's hands, etc. All sleeping peacefully, of course.

What the article didn't tell us is the photographer's secret to getting those serene babies. I'm thinking it must involve hard liquor and baby bottles. But perhaps I'm just feeling jaded.

I had a newborn session scheduled for today, and I couldn't WAIT. Those images had inspired me to try even more creative poses, and I was ready with gauzy fabric, a beautiful soft baby basket, and other props to create show-stopping images.

But little Brayden had other ideas. He did not fall into a blissful sleep. He did not think my soft bed (away from warm humans) was enticing. He did not think that being suspended in thin air with gauzy fabric was a good idea. AT ALL.

So, after quite a bit of time spent trying to convince him that great art was worth his cooperation, his parents & I did it Brayden's way. And you know what? It was magic all the same.

Model Kaila

2009-05-27T16:59:00.001-07:00

I didn't get ALL of my models into my blog - they came fast & furious, and I couldn't keep up! But I want to be sure to feature Kaila (since she doesn't have Facebook) - my final model of the season. Watch my website - there will be cool new pics come June 1! Thank you to Kaila for modeling for me...
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I love my clients!

2009-05-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I send out a questionnaire after every session, asking what I did well and where I can improve. I recently received one of these completed questionnaires in the mail, and it made my day.

They said, "The photographic experience was enjoyable, pleasant and timed just right - you are very intuitive and know just when to finish. We were very pleased with the quality of the prints - they were very personal, natural & fresh! We loved the personal touches, the welcome & warm feeling, the very chic atmosphere - we fell in love with the style right away. We have absolutely never had an experience like this before - it was thoroughly enjoyable! Cherie, you are a blessing."

Thank you, Sobieski family! You brought tears of gratitude to this photographer's eyes. I have the best clients in the world!

Michael - class of 2009

2009-05-19T06:43:00.001-07:00

Michael was originally going to graduate in 2010, but he completed his requirements early, and decided to join the class of 2009. Congratulations, Michael!

His family are wonderful clients of mine - I've also photographed his sister Natalie for her graduation portraits (class of 2008? 2007? I'm getting old...) and we enjoyed a wonderful, whimsical family portrait session.
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Talisa - Class of 2009!

2009-05-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

I don't want to slight my class of 2009 clients! Talisa came into my studio a couple of weeks ago. We had a lot of fun together - and I love her family!

And the beat goes on....

2009-05-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

The interest in modeling this year has been stellar! As most of you know, I only accept 50 high school students a year for senior portraiture. At this rate, my models will take most of those spots! (Just kidding - there's plenty of spaces left. Well, not PLENTY, but if you call early, you shouldn't have a problem.) Here are two more of my fabulous models, Ashlyn & Allie!

Class of 2010!

2009-05-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

Oh, my gosh. We've just started our model shoots for class of 2010, and if Sarah & Madison are any indication, it's going to be FABULOUS! Check out more pics on my Facebook & MySpace pages, but here are just a couple of my favs:

Ants

2009-03-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

I love in a section of town affectionately dubbed by the exterminators as "Ant Hill". It's a pretty upscale neighborhood (I live in one of the smallest homes in the area, BTW) so you wouldn't expect critters here. But ants are no respecter of property - especially not mine.

They're back. After a winter of ant-free bliss, they have arrived in full force. The first couple of years that I lived in this neighborhood, I tried to avoid pesticides. I'm sort of a natural greenie, you see. I was an 'organic gardener' before it was trendy. (Yep, clear back then.) It just never occurred to me to put chemicals on the food I was going to eat. But the ants took over - EVERYTHING.

Now when it comes to ants, I stock up from the chemical store shelves - bring on the insecticides! My little traps are everywhere, ready to lure the unsuspecting ants. They take the poison back to their homes, and....the dirty deed is done. It takes several bouts before I really wipe out the nest, but then I can count on a relatively ant-free summer, fall and winter.

Thus I am a killer. It's antithetical to my nature, really - but so is being covered in crawling ants. The killer part of me wins. Welcome, Spring!

My Photo Mentor

2009-03-03T10:54:00.001-08:00

We've unveiled it at last! Do you love picking up your camera? Do you look at some of your images and secretly think, “Hey, that’s pretty good!” Would you like to learn more, but:

1. You feel overwhelmed by the technical jargon in many magazines and articles;
2. You wonder if you’re creative enough;
3. You worry about the cost of pursuing your photography passion.

What if there was a place where you could gather with people just like you?
What if you could learn without feeling anxious about the technical aspects?
What if you could pursue your passion in an affordable and fun way?

Well, now that place exists! Check out our short (about 4 minute) movie and get a free article here:

I Am A Photographer

I would really value your feedback on this. I want to know what you think!

And then check out the website itself:

MyPhotoMentor

I'll be eagerly awaiting your opinion!

Women in Red!

2009-03-02T10:32:00.000-08:00

I've become known for my images of women in Red.
In doing so, I'm breaking a cardinal rule of portrait photographers. As a professional, I'm supposed to prefer that my clients wear blue, green, white, tan - colors that supposedly draw attention to the client's face, not their clothing.

But I've never like that rule. I love red! And I think that red shows off a client in a way no other color can.

So that's how I started becoming known for my women in Red. A couple of my images have become iconic, and people immediately know it's me when they see them.

This year, I started an annual tradition. Every February, I invite women to come into my studio for a complimentary (FREE) portrait session. I ask that they wear something red and fabulous! I will use these portraits all year long for my marketing. Here are more images from my sessions:
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The Celebration Continues!

2009-01-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

January's celebration of women continues. Karen is the lady with the purple business card. (Can you tell she likes purple? I LOVE her hair!) She is a health insurance agent who specializes in helping the self-employed. I highly recommend her. (You can contact her for your health insurance needs at: 503.623.6381.)

Karen visited my studio today because she needed to update her publicity portrait. We did that, of course, and lots more. Here are a couple of images from her session. Thank you, Karen!

In Celebration of Women

2009-01-18T15:20:00.001-08:00

January is Romanza month here at the studio. Our Romanza sessions in Celebration of Women are half-price. This week, Terri visited the studio. We talked and laughed and created some wonderful artwork.

In deference to her modesty, I've only displayed here some images taken as potential publicity portraits. But let me tell you, I'd LOVE to show some of the more romantic art, because she looks like a million dollars!

As women, we are finally realizing that we are beautiful at all times and in all stages of our life. It's wonderful to see so many of you this month - it's a great time to reconnect & have girl time. Thanks for coming in, Terri!

The madness of the artist

2009-01-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

I had a client recently request the raw files from a publicity session, because her book is soon to be published, and the publisher requires unretouched images. She obviously compared the image I initially presented her with the raw file, because she commented on how much more she appreciated what I did in my digital darkroom. Here was my response to her:

In the camera, I capture the physical. In the digital darkroom, I capture the spirit. Together, I capture the person. An artist shows what mere medium cannot.

But that's why I hate to have people see their images unretouched, because they mistakenly think that's the 'real' them.

But that’s not true, anymore than a corpse is the 'real' person. If you've ever seen someone who's just passed, you know how NOT true that is. It is our spirit that gives animation and life to our corporeal fluff.

And it’s the artist’s job to capture that that magical combination of body and spirit. We work in two dimensions to capture what exists in three-four-more? dimensions (for in how many dimensions resides the spirit?) It is an unattainable undertaking. Perhaps that’s why artists are often perceived as half-mad. We have to be, to be so driven to attempt the impossible.

But it is in our striving that we create art that lifts the soul and brings hope and healing to the body, which gives people the emotional fortitude to face the challenges of every day.

Artists gift to people the vision of their true selves, and there is no more potent medicine nor more powerful talisman than that.

Studio Redecorate

2009-01-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

OK, this isn't news for many of you, who have visited my studio in the past 6 months. Still, I thought it would be fun for everyone to see the makeover, ala my business consultant, Ariel. (See her profile here.)

Gone is the pool table :( but the newly decorated studio definitely captures the boutique-style that matches the photography you love!

Sunny Solstice

2008-12-21T22:36:00.000-08:00

Aloha from Kaua'i! The wedding was beautiful. The weather was rainy at times, but turned gorgeous on the day we were leaving. It figures, huh? Except that the Portland airport was shut down due to inclement weather (guess there's a whale of a snow and ice storm going on in the PNW), so we were stuck here for three more days.

I'm guessing that no one is feeling sorry for us, huh? Congratulations to Dannielle & Nels!

And if you're looking for a fabulous destination wedding site, check out Smith Family Gardens.

And remember to bring your favorite photographer!

Aloha!

2008-12-07T05:11:00.000-08:00

I leave on Saturday to photograph a destination wedding in...Hawaii! Nels & Dannielle originally hoped to marry in Salem this summer, but Nels is a nuclear engineer on the USS Abraham Lincoln, and summer found him deployed in the Gulf. The wedding was delayed until December, and they decided upon a tropical location.

Nels & Dannielle highly value photography (Nels is the son of renowned photographers Neil & Miriam Haugen) so they asked me to consider going to Hawaii to photograph the wedding. I considered for a good 2 or 3 seconds before I said - yes!

So, the house sitter is in place, the bags are almost packed, the camera equipment checked and checked again. Aloha!

Please Call Me Back!

2008-11-15T10:08:00.000-08:00

In August, I had the privilege of judging Youth and Student prints at the State Fair. I was so pleased to see the depth of talent exhibited by these young people.

After the awards ceremony, I got to talk with several of the entrants. I provided my telephone number and encouraged them to call me for further photography chatting.

A couple of weeks ago, one of the young women called me. I was in a session, so she left a message on my answering machine. I was so excited to hear from her. Since it was after hours, I saved the message, intending to call the next day.

Except that when I went to call her, I discovered that I'd accidentally DELETED her message, rather than saving it! I've been hoping she would call me back, but I haven't heard from her.

If you are the young woman who called me, PLEASE call me again. I promise I won't lose your message this time! :)

The Company that Saved Me

2008-10-11T14:14:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while a business takes such good care of its customers that it makes us all sit up and take notice.

Willamette Technical is one of those businesses. In September, I had a rotten, awful, no-good, really-bad day. On that day, all THREE of my computers decided to misbehave, all with unrelated issues. It was a busy client day, and I desperately needed my computers to run.

Brian and Brent of Willamette Technical came to my rescue! At one point, both of them were at my studio, busily working to restore my computers. They got them up and running before my first client arrived.

Here's the thing: They actually LOVE working on that blasted hardware. And it shows. They are competent and caring, and they saved me that day. I brought them back out to correct a couple of long-standing issues, and again, they were able to quickly make my computers run more smoothly than ever.

If you ever need computer assistance, call Willamette Technical at (5030 485-2801. They will take care of you!

Em makes the news!

2008-10-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

Emily and her family are part of the 'Cherie Renae' family. We first met in 2008 for a family portrait session, and this summer I photographed her older sister, Kelsie - class of 2009.

Emily is a talented soccer player, and is in the Statesman-Journal today. Note that she is taking the ball from two opponents! Click here for the full story.

image (c)2008 Statesman-Journal

Harris returns

2008-09-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

Harris was one of my models this spring. We recently completed his senior portrait session - and wow, was it fun! Harris has one of those faces that lends itself perfectly to that serious and brooding look. Yes, we got big smiles from him, too - here's a sneak preview of his session -
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Bill & Tina

2008-08-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

I met Tina in person only a day before her wedding. I was a little nervous about this, because I usually enjoy a long relationship with my couples before the Big Day. However, Tina lived in California, and it wasn't possible for us to meet face-to-face until Friday.

We hit it off immediately. On the wedding day, she turned to the members of the wedding party and said, "Do whatever she says. The pictures will turn out terrific - I've seen her website!"
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That's how so many of my couples find me - my website. (www.cherierenae.com) I am complimented over and over about the look and the ease of use of my site. (I'll be changing the look of it in the next few months, but it will still be easy to navigate.)

Thank you to all of you for your kind comments, and THANK YOU to Bill and Tina for inviting me to be part of their wedding!

Weddings, weddings, weddings!

2008-07-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

I know that people get married all year round, but photographers seems to be busiest in the summer season. (Sometimes I feel like running a newspaper ad that says, "It's OK to call photographers for weddings during the winter months!" Help me get the word out, will you?)
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I love weddings. I always cry. I usually manage to get clear images, though... :)