Cheryl Friedman is a native mid-westerner. In 1963, her parents gave her a Kodak Instamatic camera to use on a trip to Israel. It was during that trip that she saw the power of recording images. Today, the memories of that trip, in 1963, are still real because she was able to document them on film.

Prior to moving to California in 1988, she practiced law in Des Moines, Iowa for 10 years. Eventually, she settled in Orange County, California in 1992. She integrates her life experiences, perceptive and insightful abilities to read people into her creating her images. Although she is firmly grounded in Jewish ritual and tradition, her assignments are not limited to Judaic-related events.

Regardless of the assignment -- portraiture, life-cycle celebrations, weddings, B’nai Mitzvah -- her goal – her passion - is always to capture the excitement and underlying meaning of relationships between people captured through her lens. Capturing the beauty and wonder of nature is also a passion. Every family, every situation is new. She has no formula or template that she places over an assignment.

Cheryl has had the privilege of photographing weddings in synagogues, churches and natural settings. Each environment and each couple receives the personal attention that they deserve to make their wedding day special and unique. The resulting photographs reflect that personal attention – capturing the sheer exhilaration and joy of the day. She focuses on the truly awesome nature of the joining of lives of the bride and groom and their family and friends.

She has done countless B’nai Mitzvah in the synagogues of the greater Orange County area, San Diego and Los Angeles, California. As a Jewish woman, her appreciation of, and commitment to her Heritage allows her to see the meaning of the day with a depth unique to one who lives the experience.

Over the past 7 years, beginning in 1997, Cheryl has taken courses in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and other digital software programs required to turn her computer into her modern darkroom. She continues to take courses, as software programs evolve. She continually reads textbooks and training information. In that way, she stays current with the state of the art methods of providing her clients with the most real and beautiful images possible.

Her life experience, combined with her technical expertise result in a finished product -- a collection of images -- that brings back the spirit of the day for years after every event. That is always her goal. One very important component contributing to her success is her goal to create an informal and relaxed atmosphere. The informality inevitably results in images that capture the real personalities of family and friends.

Her portfolio includes commissioned fine-art pieces. These images tend to center around Jewish ritual objects. Her digital work consists of scenic images, ritual objects, greeting cards, posters and more. She has an extensive library of natural, outdoor and travel photography.

Her photographic technique includes the use of the latest digital photography equipment. She avoids on-site problems by carrying back-up cameras, lenses, flashes, cables, etc. She does not have a preset limit on the number of images she will photograph. Good candid photography, her specialty, requires that many more photographs be taken than with more traditionally posed photography. Cheryl gives the extra time, effort and materials to document assignments completely and properly.

As an added service, Cheryl will provide a website that will be open to family and friends. The site will contain all of the images that will be in your proof book. Generally, she offers approximately 250 to 300 images from a ceremony and reception-type assignment. The number of images will vary for other types of events or portraiture assignments. You will receive an estimate of the number of images at the time you discuss your contract terms.

Cheryl invites any questions or comments regarding her work, or any other matter. She would consider it a privilege to provide her photographic skills to document your special day or event -- to capture your once-in-a-lifetime moments.