We recently connected with Cherie Sutton and have shared our conversation below.

Cherie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

As a portrait photographer, I want to do more than take pretty pictures. I want to do more than take photos that make people happy. I want people to feel things when looking at my photos, especially my art photos. But more than any of that I want people to have what they need to document their lives and their legacy for future generations.

I wholeheartedly believe we all need photos to hold, and touch, and feel. With everything being on a screen now, its harder to recognize ourselves in our people, and see the connections between ourselves and past generations because it’s just another photo on a screen. But when you can hold it in your hand and examine it closely and feel what it must have been like to see that photo for first the time, its magical. Whether someone dear to you only had two photos of themselves in their entire lifetime, or you inherit albums and boxes of photos, it’s a treasure to behold, and something I feel very strongly everyone needs in their lives.

It’s the story of where we come from, who we come from. How we lived and loved, how we made it in the world. Where we lived and traveled to, and what we saw along the way. It’s the story of us. And in my opinion, it should be shared, not just on Instagram, but in real life where it will live on.

Studies have shown that kids who grow up seeing themselves in family photos displayed in the home have greater confidence and feeling of belonging. It makes them feel valued and gives them a strong understanding of where they come from. And the amount of photos they see around their home growing up influences how they are likely to display photos of their own children later in life.

When I was a young mom, and even as I got older and had more kids, I had a feeling of guilt because they don’t have proper baby books. I tried to get into scrapbooking and making special albums for all the things, but I failed. I didn’t make the time to complete them, I was just in love with the IDEA of the perfectly done, captioned illustrations of life. Done is better than perfect. If all the photos of my family just end up in a Shoebox on the closet shelf, I will have accomplished what I set out to do.

I hope my legacy is that I have inspired my clients and others to print their photos to fill up their Shoeboxes.

Cherie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I always enjoyed taking pictures, but I didn’t get into it until I was asked to photograph my brother’s wedding. I encouraged them to hire a pro but they wanted me. I obliged and fell in love with it and immediately enrolled in classes.

I have photographed a great number of genres in the past, and experimented with several business models from digital only, to prints only, and everything in between. These days my focus is on seniors and families, beauty and branding. I keep it simple with packages that include the session, some digitals and some printed products to meet the needs..

There are a million photographers out there to choose from. I try to set myself apart by including both digital images and printed products, so people don’t have to choose. I do my best to make the process of getting professional photos as easy as possible.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I think one of the most effective strategies for growing your clientele, especially if you serve other businesses in any capacity, is to join a networking group. It’s possible to find networking groups that are about much more than numbers of referrals passed. It has been so worthwhile and a rewarding to foster these new relationships, and find new creative ways to share what I have to offer.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Mainly I do portrait photography, which in itself I find very rewarding. I love to see the reaction of people viewing their photos for the first time, and I enjoy the collaboration involved in creating custom photos for my clients. But I think the thing that has made me feel the most “seen” in recent memory was taking the risk to put my work on display in shows. Artwork that I create for me is very different than what I generally create for my clients. I currently have one piece on display in a show. I went to the opening of the show, and happened to witness several couples, or groups viewing and engaged in conversation about my art. They were pointing out various aspects to each other and talking about its meaning. I had a couple people share with me that my art moved them and they got the message. That was a good feeling, and an incredible experience to be featured among so many talented artists.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cheriesuttonphotography.com
• Instagram: @cherie_sutton_photography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CherieSuttonPhotography

Image Credits
Cherie Sutton