Meet Cherrymae Monrose | Southern California Lifestyle & Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cherrymae Monrose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cherrymae, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My photography business would definitely not be where it is today if it had not been for the support from my husband, sister, and best friend who encouraged me to start my business. I’ve always loved being creative and have always loved photography. My mom supported my love for photography at a very young age by purchasing my very first camera which I took almost everywhere. This was way before taking photos on your phone was a thing.

So when I started my photography business, I knew my mission would not only be to create and capture beautiful photos but to build meaningful relationships with each of my clients and/or vendors that I encounter. My thought process before starting my business which will continue on, was to trust that God will align everything and that the success of my business will be driven by faith, determination, and relationships.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
The creative drive behind my photography business is to retell one’s story through their photos. So I love to ask about their love story, how they met, and just their overall story in general. Capturing candids, creating that trust and client relationship, as well as creating double exposures that retell their story are the highlights of my business. It’s also what I believe sets me apart from other photographers. There is so much emotion creating the double exposure photos as well as capturing those in between moments during sessions.

I’m still working towards where I want to be with my business and it definitely has its challenges especially being a stay at home mom. But I love it. I know that the hard work I’m putting in now will eventually pay off. Not just as an entrepreneur but as a mom as well. Finding a balance was definitely a struggle in the beginning as well as saying yes to every opportunity or every inquiry that came my way. However, I learned that in order for my business to be successful I also needed to take care of myself. My husband plays a huge role in reminding me to take time for myself and helps give me the time I need to just relax when I need to. I learned that it is ok to say no especially when my schedule is already full and to not take in so many bookings where I’d feel burnt out. Balance is key. Although it took me awhile to find that balance and it’s still a work in progress, I’m learning how to balance work, family, and my social life.

If there’s one thing I want the world to know about my brand and my business is that it is driven by faith, determination, and relationships. I also want people to know and see my work based on the emotion, creativity, and hard work they see behind the photos. I love adding more to the photos whether that’s adding some props or creating a whole studio like setup to get that creative aspect in the photos.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
San Diego is such a beautiful city and there is so much to do! A week in San Diego is definitely not enough lol. But I would recommend some of my favorite spots which are:

Cannonball – amazing food and rooftop view of the ocean
Coasterra – great food and amazing view of downtown San Diego
C Level lounge – great food and drinks and my favorite view of San Diego
Jaunt Coffee in Mira Mesa – love their coffee and empanadas
Lolita’s and Salud – best mexican food
Hash House – best brunch place in San Diego
Hob Coffee in Downtown or Poway
Seaport Village
Old Poway Park
Coronado Beach
Windansea Beach

Also, recommend having a picnic either in Mission Bay, any local parks, or the beach!

I mean there is so much more I could recommend but these are just a few of my favorite spots.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Cherrymae Photography would like to shoutout the following individuals:

Louis Monrose Jr.
Jaylen and Jadon
Cindy Saldivar
The Villena Family
Ramon Gamez Jr.
My mom and step dad
All my clients that have trusted me to capture their photos

Website: www.cherrymaephotography.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/cherrymae.photography

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cherrymae.photography

Other: I like to share my personal lifestyle instagram to allow my clients or inquiring clients to see my life outside of my photography business and to get a glimpse of who I am and who they’d possibly be working with www.instagram.com/cherrymaes