Clarification

I'm naturally a high strung person. Anxiety is an every day emotion for me. Sometimes, I don't realize how high strung I really get until after a day like today where I am out with my youngest daughter, taking photos and clearing my mind. After my last post "The Person That I Have Become," I feel that my words might come across as a little cocky to some. I wanted to clarify that in no way do I feel like I have all the answers in life. What I was trying to say is that I can feel myself changing. I feel myself maturing and growing each day. Instead of being this person that felt like she has to be married or having some serious relationship to make her happy, I'm becoming the person that can see that happiness in my life is what I make it. I can't expect anyone in my inner circle to make me happy. I am learning how to make myself happy. Everyone else in my life is just a bonus! How can I expect anyone to make me happy if I don't know myself well enough to determine what does or doesn't make me happy to begin with?  I hope this makes sense.

Until next time! ~Cheri

The Person that I Have Become

I have spent many years of my life beating myself up, fighting self-esteem issues, and dealing with all of those pesky demons in my head...you know...the demons that tell you, "you're not good enough to do what you want," "you're not pretty enough to catch the eye of that good looking man," or "you're not smart enough to hold down that career that you always dreamt about." All of those toxic thoughts and negative feelings have wore down on me over the years. They have made me feel like I don't fit in to certain social groups, even with my own families (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc)

Honestly, the older I get, the more I don't give a crap! Call it maturity. Call it stubbornness, or both. I don't care! If being forty-five years old has taught me anything, it has taught me...that...I am...ME! My life belongs to ME! I am happy. I refuse to fight that never ending battle of trying to make everyone else happy and sacrificing my own happiness. Yes, I have gotten older, I have been on a roller coaster ride of gaining and losing weight, I'm sassy...All of those nice things that come with aging. Of course I have bad days just like everyone else. I have to remind myself all of the time that I have to keep pushing forward when some days seem to be harder to get through than other days.

I could care less about the big fancy house or the flashy sports car. I'm the kind of person that is very down to earth. My house is an older house that I rent from my oldest brother. I bought my car used. I'm the kind of person that as long as my bills are paid and I can feed my family, I could really care less how much money I have in the bank. (Yes, that is the truth!) When my husband and I have extra money, I'm like any woman and I love to go shopping. Sometimes, I admit to shop a little more than I should. I am the type of person that I don't need $10,000 in my bank account to be happy! Money and materialistic items can not truly make a person happy! Through my life, I have been on both sides of the spectrum. Even throughout my marriage with Tim. We have had our low times, our even lower times, and our comfortable times. You know what? Our personality, our behaviors towards others and each other has not changed. The key to happiness is to love the people that surrounds you with love, don't take anyone for granted, and learn to be content with what you have and make goals to improve the areas you are not 100% with, bit by bit.

If only my forty-five year old self could go back and tell my 20-some year old self all of this! Wow! I could have saved myself so much heart ache over the years. Call it an epiphany, I don't know but, I am no longer bothered by those demons telling me I'm not good enough to go for what I want. I know that deep down, I am good enough. I personally don't care if I am noticed by some man down the street that thinks that I'm ugly or over weight. I wasn't put on this earth to excite you! I have a man that loved me enough to step up and be the man that I needed. He's my husband and he's my best friend. We may not have some wild sex life but, we are the happiest laying in bed, talking or listening to our love song. After you settle down, love isn't how many times your partner can get your jollies off. Love is about being comfortable, being able to communicate, and caring about your partner's feelings more than you care about your own. Even if Tim would leave me today, my life would still go on. I would be heartbroken and sad but, the clock wouldn't stop ticking just over a broken heart. Everything that happens in life has a purpose, whether if its good or bad. Life is full of trial and error! Some people have no problem trying to find out what makes them happy. For people like me, I'm forty-five and I'm just now learning to put the pieces of this effed up puzzle together! Some people go through life and are never really happy. Sure, they put a smile on their face and put a facade on that they have this and they have that, money grows on trees for them but, at the end of the day, they have a different love interest every week or every month, they come home to an empty house, their souls are cold because everyone that tries to care for them, they shut them out. I guess for some, it's easier to push people away than try to analyze what it is about you that could actually make a person love you for you.

Let me put this out there. I'm not by any means a hippie. I don't get into that whole free love shit. I don't drink. I don't do drugs. I don't even smoke. As you can tell from my photo, I am not a skinny mini, I rarely wear make-up. My daily wardrobe usually consists of tee-shirts, shorts, or yoga pants. Today, I'm actually wearing blue jeans and a blue jean jacket because it's 31 degrees in Hickory right now. I don't do well with cold weather. I am down to earth and simple. I am a woman that has learned to love and appreciate who I am and what I have in my life. I have learned to love myself. I love ME!

Until next time! ~Cheri

How Christmas-sy Are You This Season?

I am sitting at my desk, waiting for my oldest daughter, her boyfriend, grandson, and my step-son to arrive for Christmas dinner. I have no decorations this year. I don't even have a Christmas tree up! My husband's business phone just went off for him to go tow a vehicle. I have to admit that I am not in the Christmas spirit at all! Don't get me wrong...my faith is Christian...Lutheran to be exact. I was raised Baptist and converted to Lutheran after I had gotten married. So, I believe in God. I believe that Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary. I'm just not feeling Christmas at all this year! Of course I practically went broke after purchasing gifts for the family but, when I have been asked what I wanted...nothing. I don't want anything. My family is healthy, I'm able to wake up every morning. I don't want anything materialistic, which I'm always like that...even for my birthday, Mother's Day...Anniversary. All I want is to hold the people I love closer to my heart, if that makes sense.

I think after you lose a parent, Christmas just doesn't feel the same anymore. I lost my father in 2005, during my last year of art school. Christmas was always our holiday. He worked all of the time as a long distance truck driver for a furniture company in Valdese. He had worked there before I was born and it was basically his life. I really didn't see much of my dad when I was growing up. He was gone all week, came in on Saturday and left again on Sunday night. After my parents split, I saw even less of him. However, he always made Christmas feel special. My step-father loved Christmas too. After my mom and step-dad got married, my step-father instilled into me that it was a time for family. Every Christmas it was my mom, step-dad, my brother, my two step-sisters, step-brother, me, my oldest, and ALL of siblings family! Needless to say, our house was full of laughter and chitter chattering. We lost my step-father in December, 2008 due to traumatic head injury. My youngest, Ticia was 8 months old at the time. Our family is now scattered. We don't see each other like we used to. It's depressing! We all grow. We all get older. Eventually, we pass on but, knowing this, doesn't make it any easier. Being a Cancer sign, that emotional crab...I am a selfish person and I love holding the people I love dearly close to my heart!

To be honest, there has been a lot of occurrences to hinder my mood this past year. 2017 has been an emotional roller coaster for me for personal reasons that I don't wish to make public. All I can say is that my heart has been through a tough journey by someone I love with all of my being! But, what can one do? I just keep pushing forward by taking care of my family, throwing myself into work, and hoping for the best. Maybe next Christmas will be better. I'm not giving up. I'll continue to learn my life lessons that fate wants to throw at me and continue down my path.

I'm sorry if this blog is so gloomy. Life isn't always cupcakes and rainbows. I'm a normal person just like everyone else. I breathe, I bleed, I fall in love, I get my heart broken, and cry like anyone else. Even though, I'm not the most festive person I could have been this year, I will gather around the people who love me, that I love and cherish them. Until next time! ~Cheri

Getting Personal

In my marketing courses in college, my instructors told us students over and over that the best way for clients to "trust" you is for them to get on a "personal" level with you. Clients need to know who they are dealing with and the best way I feel is to let them see me in a different light other than a person who is into photography or art in general. By reading my biography page on my website, you can see that I am married, I have children, and a grandson. Also, obviously I am a photographer. So, here are five facts about who I am. Let's get personal, shall we?

1. I Love CARS!!! The faster, the better! My step-father had a passion for muscle cars. So naturally, my first car was a 1977 Trans Am just like the Smokey and the Bandit car...minus the t-tops. This car was all black on black with the original gold decals, including the eagle on the hood. It had a 400 small block engine. The first time I drove this car, I was pulling out of my driveway and pressed the gas a little too hard. The hood of the car was raising up. It was so badass! I was screaming with excitement and my step-dad put his head down and said, "you have to slow this thing down". (Typical Glenn Christopher!) That moment was what probably fueled my love for cars. I always tell my husband that God will probably not ever allow me to win the lottery because my garage would be bigger than my house. That is not an over exaggeration! My top list of cars I would own would be every single year and model of Mustangs, Maserati, Ferrari, 1958 Plymouth Fury, 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, 1971 AMC Javelin, 1967 Chevrolet Camaro...I could spend all day naming off my favorite muscle cars off the top of my head and that's not getting into the different colors!

2. I have a crazy mixed up blend of heritage. My maternal grandfather was full blooded Cherokee Indian. My maternal grandmother was half Irish and half German. My paternal grandparent's families originated from England. I have naturally dark hair and eyes from my Cherokee side and pale olive-ish toned skin from being English, Irish, and German.

3. Even though I am a photographer, my college degree is in Advertising & Graphic Design. My certificates are in web development and marketing. I love to illustrate on my Apple computers but, I despise drawing anything out by hand. I always tell people that I can draw stick people to a perfection but, that is the limit of my hand illustration capabilities. Now days, that is probably pretty accurate since I am no longer in college and not forced to draw.

4. I hate cooking but, I'm darn good at it! I was born and raised in the south. So, that means I have to know how to cook and cook great, right? My ex-husband and his mother thought so! The only thing nice I can say about my ex-husband, other than we have two beautiful daughters together is that when food was prepared, no matter what meal it was, he was always in the kitchen helping me! It was never a determined chore for either of us. He always helped no matter if I asked or not.

5. My dream job is to become a REALTOR. Other than a love for cars, photography, and a loathing for cooking; I have always loved houses! I really get into the whole package of what it entails to sell a house...taking photos of the incredible features, describing the house and property in full detail, listing, showings, open houses, all of it! I worked for RE/Max for awhile as an office administrative and it was probably one of my favorite places to work at. I have every intention to later on when Ticia gets a little older and my grandson, Alikai starts school, get my license and becoming a REALTOR one day!

So, this wraps up five random facts about me. I hope this helps future clients to get to know me more on a personal level. If you are reading this blog and have any questions or would like for me to write about a certain topic, leave me a comment! Until next time, ~Cheri

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

I don't know about other photographers but, for me the winter months are my slow time. I use this downtime to work on my marketing projects for my freelance business until I either get called out for a photo session or hired for a graphic design project such as a logo or brochure for some random company. I try not to take on too much during the winter now that I'm not using my house as a studio.  I'm not a fan of cold weather by any means! I love watching snow fall but, I despise it afterwards when it becomes a slushy mess that leaves the roads slippery from ice...especially black ice! If you do choose to schedule a photo session in the cold months, dress appropriately and always check to see what the weather conditions are.

I have had so many people throughout the years ask me why I don't shoot many sessions during the winter and if I am not worried about losing clients. Let me address these two issues! 1. I choose not to shoot much during the winter months because it's cold. I don't like cold weather. I don't seek out extra work since I am now a full time outdoors photographer. If you want to hire me to take photographs of your family, including your young child, so be it! Personally, I'm cautious about letting my child go outside in the cold since she is the type of child that gets sick if you breathe on her. Two years in public school beat her immune system to pieces, resulting from pneumonia in kindergarten and first grade...and I am a very over protective mother. 2. I'm not worried about losing clients. My clients have been with me for a long time. I can honestly say that they love me, they love my personality, and they love the work I provide for them. However, I do encourage my clients to try out different photographers. Yes, I just said that! :) I am confident in my own work that I am not worried about another photographer swooping in and stealing my clients. (Not trying to sound arrogant. I believe in personal connections.) Each photographer has their own distinct style. I can take a shot and edit it of Susie Homemaker down the street but, my cousin Amanda who is also a photographer (and a pretty good one!) can take a photo of the same subject and it look completely different. Each photographer has their own distinct style! Until next time! ~Cheri

A Mommy-To-Be and Her Little Princes

Introducing mom-to-be, Ashley and her two adorable sons, (to be Internet safe, we will call them: "J", who is eight, and "N", who is four.) We shot at Murray's Mill Historic District, nestled in the small town of Catawba, NC; which ironically is located in Catawba County. These precious boys were bursting with energy and loved tossing rocks and sticks into the icy, cold water. All of the running around, playing, decorating their Christmas tree prop, not to mention the cute little giggles made this photo session amazing! It's nice to just stop in the middle of life's chaos and remember what it was like to be a child and be carefree. "J" and "N" were the sweetest boys. The amount of hugs given to their mommy and kissing her baby bump was truly a precious site to see. Ashley is so blessed to have such sweet and loving little boys.

To view more photos from this photo session, please go to www.CheriHokePhotography.com. Subscribe to stay updated on future promotions and events.

Why Did I Become a Photographer?

Since, I was a little girl, I loved looking at photographs! My mom always kept photo albums filled with family pictures and snapshots. I have spent countless hours throughout my life flipping those pages. My biological father's family is from Virginia. Growing up, I didn't get to see that side of the family often because we always lived in North Carolina and my dad was always working. Looking through my mom's photo albums in some way, helped me feel connected to that side of my family.

On the weekends, my mom, brother, and I would always go and spend time with my Aunt Judy, one of my mother's younger sisters. I always loved going over there because Aunt Judy had a formal living room that no children were ever allowed to go into but, I would always ask her nicely if we could go look at the pictures and she would always take me in there so I could walk around the room and look at the portraits of her, my Uncle Jerry, and my three cousins Jerry Wayne, Jeffrey, and Jeanette. That was one of my favorite pastimes when I would go visit her, hanging out in Jeanette's bedroom when she was gone and holding her doll Tabitha but, that is an entirely different chapter! ;) 

It wasn't until my mother re-married, when I was 15, that I was able to learn how to operate a camera. My step-father, Glenn Christopher loved photography too. My step-dad wasn't big into photography, but he appreciated a good camera to capture memories of his family, closest friends, and of course his plants. He taught me the basics on using a camera. I learned in a hurry that it wasn't appropriate to cut people's heads off. 

I was in my mid-twenties when the first digital camera broke out into the market. At the time, I was teaching myself HTML. A digital camera made photos so much brighter and cleaner in my opinion for websites, which was before I learned PhotoShop. One of my first websites I built and used digital photography was for a friend of my parent's, who owns a radio station. Even though, I loved taking photos with my point and shoot digital camera, I really didn't consider myself a photographer. During this time, I had taken more photos for a couple of different websites I had built and even took photos for my cousin's wedding. 

I was in my first year of design school when I purchased my first SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera. In case you are confused, it's one of those fancy cameras that you can take one lens off and replace it with another. That is how I explained it to my mother. I figured the SLR would help in projects for school. It was a good call! I still didn't consider myself as a photographer even though, I took photos as much as I could; 35 mm was a little expensive for me as a college student, wife, and mother.  I was given the opportunity to travel to White Plains, NY and NYC in 2005 to show my portfolio with a prestigious company. I used my SLR the entire time I was there! I took photos in Chinatown, Little Italy, Time Square, and even the gigantic hole that was left in the earth from the Twin Towers during 9/11. Even to this day, when I think of what I saw, my heart breaks for the innocent people that died and their families. 

It wasn't until 2012 when I first bought my first DSLR, (Digital Single Lens Reflex) that the photography bug really bit me...hard! I bought a cheap Canon Rebel T3i, I think... It was to create projects for my marketing courses at Full Sail University. In order to learn this camera, I began taking photos of anything and everyone. Like anything you are studying, the more you learn, the more you practice, the better you get. Once I felt secure enough to share my photos online, more and more people began liking my photos. Then people on my friends list began sharing them. It wasn't long until my viewers began asking me how much I would charge to take photos for them. The rest is history. My career as a photographer has been stressful at times, as it is anytime you worry about what one can do to build their clientele. Most in all, photography has been an outrageously fun, outlet for me. I can't say it enough that I have met some very interesting people and made some awesome friends over the years because of photography! I still get as nervous today when I am arriving on location to shoot a session as I did my first paid gig but, it isn't long after I flip the on switch and lift the camera to my face that feeling of nervousness fades away. No matter what kind of mood I am in, as soon as I start shooting photos, I become relaxed and I let my anxieties of every day life fade away. 

Thomas the Gentleman Tattooer

Thomas the Gentleman Tattooer

I have known Thomas since we were in the 7th grade at Catawba Middle School, in Catawba, NC... many moons ago! I think we were instant friends. Over the years, we have had a lifetime of laughs, conversations, and memories. Because Thomas has always been a little more special than most of my guy friends over the years is probably why I chose him to tattoo me with a tattoo gun. (I was always terrified of needles of any sort!) Thomas has always been an excellent artist. Even before tattooing, I don't think there are many times that he doesn't have a pencil in his hand, illustrating something. Thomas currently is employed at Lightside Tattoo and Piercing, located in Statesville, NC. He calls himself the Gentleman Tattooer on Facebook, which is where I snagged the headline. :) He truly is a gentleman, especially when it comes to tattoos. Even though my tattoos hurt to some degree, he made the event as painless as he possibly could. I refer him to everyone I know that is seeking tattoo work!

As adults, I don't get to see my dear friend as much as I would like. Life always gets in the way when you grow up. So, you can imagine my excitement to shoot this session! No matter how much time has passed since I have seen him last, he is always the same sweet Thomas as he was when we were kids. The entire time I shot his photos, I kept watching the way he walked and talked and instantly was swept back in time when were were teenagers. Thomas has always had such a sweet personality and for some reason, we have always clicked with each other. He is the kind of person that I can totally be myself around and we can talk about anything. Which, it was so much fun catching up with him and reminiscing about the "good ole days". Prior to this session, he was worried about posing for me but, I think he is very photogenic! I hope to photograph him in the future. 

Want to Save Money on Photography?

I think we are all in agreement that photography is expensive, whether you are a photographer or a client! Between the equipment and the costs that a knowledgeable and reputable photographer charges can be outlandish. I should know. I'm a photographer and a client! ;) 

One program I will be adding in 2018 is a rewards system. If you subscribe to my website, you will be offered some type of discount or special promotion in the future. (I.E. 10% off of a wedding). If I have already done photography work for you, plus you subscribe to my website, you get an extra discount on top of the discount you are already offered! There is NO expiration date and you can use your discount on every session or event that you hire me to photograph. This discount program can be applied to any type of photo session and wedding package! 

Please keep in mind, that the reward system are not offered to everyone. 1). You have to be a subscriber to www.CheriHokePhotography.com and 2). In order to get a bigger discount, you have to also be a prior client. Once I do photography work for you, you will start earning a bigger discount on future projects. Before you hesitate and click out of this blog, I know what you are thinking...You are worrying that I will bog your e-mail down with spam mail? Uhm, no! To be honest, I'm too lazy for all that! LOL! If you know me personally or have been my client for a long time, you will know that I am married with children. I take care of a household on the daily, I homeschool my daughter, I babysit my grandson, and I'm running my own business. You may receive one "shout-out" a month from me and that is if I'm not feeling as crazy as a one armed coat hanger! :)

So, how do you sign up? Go to my homepage at www.CheriHokePhotography.com and when you see a small window pop up, type in your e-mail, hit enter, and start saving! It's pretty simple! If I am unfamiliar with your e-mail address, I may send you a message asking your name and location. 

Thank you in advance! I'm looking forward to photographing you!

~Cheri

Greetings and Salutations!

Greetings and Salutations!

This is my first blog for my new website. However, blogging isn't something new for me. I used to have to blog while I was attending college at Full Sail University under a marketing program. Of course it's been awhile but, I'm sure blogging is like riding a bicycle, right? ;)

My name is Cheri, as you can probably tell and I am a photographer. I'm located in Hickory, North Carolina; which is a medium sized town nestled in the foothills 45 minutes away from Asheville and Blowing Rock. I've dabbled in photography most of my life. I have only worked as a professional photographer since 2010. I started my creative career in 2004 when I was in design school for Graphic Design & Advertising.

Although, I still have a deep love for commercial art, photography has sparked a passion in me like no other form of art. Photography has given me the honor of meeting many different and fascinating people that I may have not had the opportunity to do so if I had not bought my first DSLR. When I purchased my first DSLR, I bought it to improve my projects I had when I was a student at Full Sail. I  was taught in design school that in order to get to know your equipment, programs, etc; you must first play around with it...learn what this button does, what that button does and so on. So, as a mother, you can guess who became my victims...Yes! My family!

After many months of photographing my three daughters, step-son, husband, mom, nieces, cousins, and so on random people started wanting me to photograph them and their families. Before I knew it, I became a professional photographer. I have photographed everything from newborns, cake smashes, to weddings and birthday parties. These days, I focus more on weddings and events. I like to keep busy. I like to keep moving and I like to travel. Shooting weddings and other events allow me those luxuries.

Does this mean I know everything about photography or am I the best around? No, of course not! With any career, you never stop learning your craft, no matter if you are an artist, nurse, doctor, teacher, police officer, EMT...When you stop learning, your career is over and it's time to move on to the next phase in your life. Like with any artistic profession, there are always new trends, new tricks of the trade, and new editing techniques. One of my biggest hobbies is to read, research, and experiment with my craft.

Until next time,
Cheri