Spring - a season of love

I give every wedding couple the gift of an engagement session. The engagement session captures the couple in their casual moments. It gives the couple the opportunity to enjoy portrait art when they are 'looking like themselves', to quote one groom.

As importantly, it gives each couple the opportunity for a 'dry run' before the all-important day. Most people approach portrait sessions with fear and trepidation. Either they are nervous because they've never done it before, or their prior photographic experiences have only reinforced their aversion.

If you've had a session with me, you know that I believe that photography can AND SHOULD be fun! I love to make people laugh, and to watch them relax and enjoy their time with me. When my couples discover that my camera is not a thing of fear, it makes all the difference on their wedding day.

Neil and Angela visited my studio today. We managed to avoid raindrops (for the most part) and to enjoy the fresh green of the budding leaves and the yellow of the daffodils at Deepwoods Estates.
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I also had the pleasure of photographing Megan and Josh's engagement session recently. Again, we were blessed with beautiful weather. Oregon is such a wonderful place to be in the spring!

Wedding Bells for Michelle and Bill

Best wishes to Michelle and Bill. I had the privilege of doing formal portraits in their traditional Russian Orthodox wedding finery on the day of their wedding. Michelle's spark and Bill's quiet confidence showed through in their portraiture. What a fun session!

Swimsuit Contest Begins!

The contest begins! Well, at least, the photography has begun. We are looking for at least 50 people to compete for our "Men & Women of the Willamette Valley" swimsuit calendar. Do you know someone (perhaps yourself?) who would enjoy posing for Cherie's camera? Please help us get the word out. We need more entries for the contest to fly -- There is no cost - no obligation - just a lot of fun.

By the way, the images shown here are not their contest entries - they're just a preview of the fun that we're having. See the website for details, and consider joining the fun!

Cherie Wins at State Convention!

I won Best Portrait of a Man at the annual Professional Photographers of Oregon convention! I can’t tell you how exciting it was to hear my name called. This portrait, commissioned as a commercial piece for Salem Senateaires, is truly an expression of my creativity and passion, and I was so happy to have that passion recognized.

While the accolades of clients are the best (and truest) statement about the quality of portrait art, I have to admit that it is also thrilling to receive the affirmation of peers. And with my success at this convention, I have also earned enough points to receive the Associate Fellow Photographer designation. (Although designations are only awarded annually, so I will have to wait until February 2009 to be officially recognized.)

WARNING: SOAPBOX SPEECH APPROACHING. TURN BACK NOW.

Well, I warned you…

As you know, membership in professional organizations is one of the crucial pieces in growing and developing in our careers, whatever careers we have chosen. Attending classes and seminars keeps us abreast of new developments and new ideas. The feedback and instruction of peers brings us to higher pinnacles than we would achieve alone. Studying and working toward professional designations ensures quality, be it a photographer or a physician or an auto mechanic.

That’s why I belong to the national, state and local associations. I encourage everyone looking for a photographer to ask what associations they are affiliated with, and what designations they have earned. (Or, just save yourself time and come to me...) :)

Would you go to a doctor who wasn’t a member of the AMA? Would you use an attorney who wasn’t a member of the state Bar? Would you pay a hairdresser who’d never graduated from beauty school? It is the same with photography.

Because I can minister to my children’s boo-boos doesn’t mean that I’m qualified to set a bone. Because I can successfully negotiate a lower price on a vehicle doesn’t mean that I can argue a case in court. Because I can snap dozens of photos of my children and come up with a reasonable one now and then doesn’t mean I am a professional. Professionals work at their craft. They associate with other like-minded professionals. They study. They grow.

OK, I’m off my soapbox now.

I just wanted to express exactly WHY the honor I received this past weekend was so meaningful to me, and why it should matter to my current and future clients.

I’m so excited – come visit me and see my trophy!

Mission, Vision, Goal - the first of 4 reflections

I don’t know about you, but I have felt bombarded over the past decade or more with MISSION, VISION, GOAL. We are asked to define these in our personal lives, in our social organizations, and in our jobs. We are assaulted by placards displayed from board rooms to waiting rooms, proudly emblazoning the MVG’s of others.

I always found this exercise to be…well, shallow. Our church recently went through this process, and with much respect and appreciation to those who worked so hard on this project, I really felt that you could stick our new MVG on any church or charitable organization, and it would work just fine. It was pretty generic, as these statements tend to be.

But, as part of my New Year’s resolution, I decided to tackle the job of creating my own MVG statements, if for no other reason than to convince myself of the futility of such exercises. And so I truly pondered: What is it that makes Cherie Renae tick, both personally and professionally?

In my next post, I'll talk about what I learned.

Mission, Vision, Goal - the second of four reflections

As I discussed in my last posting, I decided to tackle my own mission, vision, goal statements. I was skeptical about the process, because I felt that it tended to be unproductive. But to my surprise, it turned out to be a very good exercise. I found that there is a very strong driving force in my life, one that influences virtually every decision I make. Now, is it one that is common? Yes, I'm sure it is. There are probably millions of others who have the same motivation - the same MVG. But I realize that it is in the execution of our vision that we bring our unique strengths to the world and to each other.

And so, here is my mission:

My life’s mission is to love, encourage and uplift others – to share their joys and their burdens, and to dance with all my heart, soul and mind down the footpath of life.

So, what does this mean? I'll talk about both my personal and my professional demonstrations of this in my next two blogs.

Mission, Vision, Goal - the third of four reflections

My life’s mission is to love, encourage and uplift others – to share their joys and their burdens, and to dance with all my heart, soul and mind down the footpath of life.

What does this mean?

In my personal life, it means demonstrating this by generously giving of my time and my resources. I may share an hour of my time to celebrate with others or to cry with others. Or I may share my home with those who need, for a while, a place to grow and to be loved. It certainly means looking, every day and every moment, for the places where a word or a gesture will lift a spirit and give a spark of hope.

It means giving to those charities that touch my heart. I regularly give to my church, which supports local efforts like Habitat for Humanity, Jason Lee Soup Kitchen, Helping Hands (St. Mark Lutheran was one of the founders of this charity) and others. I give to Lutheran World Relief, to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and to the Disabled American Veteran’s association. I believe in putting my money where my mouth is, and my mouth says that I need to be generous, because there are so many who lack.

It also means taking time to nurture myself. I can’t give to others if I let my well run dry. This year, I am taking a Tai Chi class, to nourish both soul and body. I am taking a writing class from a noted local writer, Sara Wiseman, to continue the journey of the written word that began when I was a child. I am traveling in June with my son Gabriel to Scotland and England, to just ‘bum around’ and to spend time at Iona Community – a new adventure for us both!

In my final reflection, I will talk about how my mission drives my business and the decision that I make.