Passionate photographer develops the big picture with her family
Her passion pays the bills.
It’s a dream come true for Cherilyn Nocera, a Cape Coral professional photographer who has dreamt for many years of making a living from her shutter-happy art.
On Aug. 25, the eight-year board member with the Florida Professional Photographers was declared the organization’s president. Nocera is the youngest female president in the history of the organization.
“It means a tremendous amount of gratitude,” Nocera said. “I’m honored to be leading it into the next year. I’m really at a loss for words.”
About 480 photographers are members with the Florida Professional Photographers, sharing knowledge, competing for awards and encouraging one another.
“To be a member is the best thing you could do in this field,” Nocera said.
Nocera’s eyes are as focused on her craft as her lens is on her subjects, a result of hard work, education and an inspiring mother, Cathy Nocera.
Cathy Nocera is the portrait artist for Nocera Photographic, the family run Cape business where Cherilyn, Cathy, Cherilyn’s older sister Phoebe and cousin Christy Lack work together to bring a professional product to their clients.
“It’s truly a dream come true,” Cathy said. “For myself, I always dreamed of working with my two daughters.”
Cathy has an eye for photography as well, though her schooling led her on a different path — Cathy was an ultrasound technician for 20 years in the Cape and Miami.
But she always encouraged her daughters to capture the world on film, or as may be the future of the field, a computer screen.
Cherilyn needed little encouragement.
“She knew she wanted to be a photographer since she was 14,” Cathy said. “I knew she had an eye that was much better than mine. I’m really proud of her.”
Cherilyn took photography classes in high school and attended Daytona Beach Community College to study photography.
Then came hard work, dedication and building relationships with the community for Cherilyn and her family.
“It was difficult because we didn’t really make enough to make salaries,” Cathy said about Nocera Photographic’s humble beginnings. “It was challenging, but eventually we had a lot of clients coming from word of mouth.”
Cathy said a lot of the family’s success with the business came from building lasting relationships with clients and advertising with as many local businesses as they could.
Fifteen years later, their hard work payed off: at 419 Santa Barbara Boulevard sits a corner-lot home turned art studio, each room a different set, the back and front yards a photographic wonderland complete with a beach, a junkyard and elegant exterior walls covered in plant life.
The house/studio even has a kid’s room for children to spend their time during sessions, a hang-out spot for Cherilyn’s 10-year-old son, Keller.
The now-bustling business offers a wide variety of picture opportunities, including family portraits, painted portraits, maternity, newborn children and others.
Nocera Photographic is grateful to the community that helped foster their business, and shows it by donating to organizations such as private schools and battered women facilities.
“It’s always been a great deal of accomplishment to give back to our community,” Cherilyn said. “It’s a sense of fulfilment.”
Nocera Photographic also produces the annual Cape Coral firefighter calendar for donations to their benevolent fund and a Cape Coral SWAT team calendar as well.
“She’s the best,” said Cape firefighter Jim Newland, featured in the 2009 calendar. “They just do phenomenal work. We wouldn’t have the kind of success we have without her.”
To donate to the benevolent fund by purchasing a calendar, visit http://www.capefirefighters.net.
Cherilyn and her sister Phoebe travel across Florida to speak to their fellow photographers about how to be successful in the business.
Cherilyn has received numerous awards for her work, including the Fuji Film Masterpiece Award, first place in the Florida Professional Photographers Photographic Competition. She has been named photographer of the year by the Professional Photographers of Southwest Florida 11 years in a row.
For Cherilyn and her family, dreams apparently do come true.
“I pinch myself every morning,” she said.
To learn more about Nocera Photographic visit http://www.noceraphotographic.com/ or call 458-5100.