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

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always taken pictures, even before I had a camera in my hand. I remember reading a book when I was younger and the heroine would say “CLICK” in order to remember what she was seeing. I would literally do that! I travelled to Costa Rica in 1998 and took some of my first real nature and landscape photos with a horrible old camera but I was (and still am) so proud of those photos. I started out taking pictures of wildlife, stalking moose while we lived in Alaska, taking photos of the northern lights, and began to realize that I was pretty good at this whole photography thing! It wasn’t until 2013 that I began portrait photography. It was so completely different from what I had been doing! More challenging with having to make kids smile or husbands not roll their eyes! I’m a people person. This fed that side of me and it made me strive to want to perfect my craft. When I started out, I hadn’t taken any sort of photography classes. It was just me and the camera… and trial and error!! I never had a mentor so I did my best with what I had. It’s taken me 8 long years to get where I am today. I am so proud of the blood, sweat, and tears that I’ve put into my business and am always surprised when I get recognition. I hope I never lose that humility. I want to always give God the glory for the gift that He has given me! It hasn’t been an easy road but I wouldn’t trade the lessons I’ve learned along the way for anything! I think the photographers nowadays that watch the YouTube tutorials and figure it out that way are both lucky and unlucky. I sometimes wish it had come that easy to me. But then, would I be who I am today in my profession, had I not travelled the road that I did?? I think not. I am blessed beyond measure and I pray that I never lose sight of Whose I am, no matter the recognition I get or don’t get.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We live in a small town in southern Arizona. We love the small town life! Having said that, there aren’t a ton of things to do here. However, we’ve had friends and family visit over the years and we always take them to Bisbee to eat at the Bisbee Breakfast Club or The Bisbee Table or The Screaming Banshee for amazing, unique pizza. Tombstone is always a fun trip as well, watching the shootout at the OK Corral or perusing the souvenir shops, buying local artisan jewelry or pottery.
My husband’s and my favorite place to go in Arizona is Sedona!! We love staying in Oak Creek, having our morning coffee and pastry from Oak Creek Espresso, lunch at Tara Thai for some amazing curry, and dinner at Rotten Johnny’s Wood-fired Pizza Pie. We could literally spend all day wandering around Tlaquepaque in Sedona – an amazing mini village full of coffee shops, restaurants, and galleries of local artwork. That just may be my ‘happy place’. Depending on the day, you may even have live music to listen to under the stars.
We also love hiking and Sedona is one of the most picturesque places for it! From the Devil’s Bridge to Cathedral Rock to playing in the creek at Crescent Moon, you won’t regret packing your hiking shoes for a bit of adventure!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shoutout to my husband, Adam. He is my constant support. The one who makes me dinner when I’m out doing shoots or weddings all day. The one who drives me to sessions on weekends just to spend time with me. The one that rubs my feet or draws me a bath during my busy holiday season. I love you and am so very thankful for you!!

Instagram: @cmiraclephotography

Facebook: C. Miracle Photography LLC

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.