When a lot of clients come into the studio and finally meet us for their experience, there is a lot of asking about who we are and “What’s our story!” So I thought, since I am bringing my website up to date and giving it a facelift, I would tell our story before you get into the studio so you feel like you already know us.
Here’s a few old photos and some highlights of our lives together. And I tell ya, this is what some call a great story for all! Because it truly is.
We have always done Boudoir photography and photographed women right back to the beginning of meeting each other in Toronto in 1976 (Yes, way before many of you all were born!).
We were total 70’s kids, having the time of our life! Don’t be jealous, but I can see how you might be. The days of Studio 54, Ibiza back in the day, Goa India, being a radio DJ and first woman photographer at a major Toronto newspaper was all part of the story! Not only that, but Hedley brought a lot of very cool music to Toronto back in the day and I started at the paper doing a column called, “The Sunshine Boy” where I ran all over the city finding cute boys to photograph for the feature to compete with the Sunshine Girl column! I am no dummy. 😉
It starts when I had been dating a now, very-famous journalist but. it was getting too serious for me and so we broke up. I decided I needed a break so Jamaica became the place and I went and let loose as well as swallowed my tears. Hahaha! Not. i had a ball. My partner David in the photography business had moved the studio while I was gone to a new and very cool location; yes in an old warehouse, the places movies are made. You know the place. As I walked up the stairs to our new home away from home, and new studio, I heard “OMG” Reggae music! Could I be hearing things? I followed the Bob Marley song to a steel door, which I opened and passed through to say hello. Well how could I not?
There sitting looking confused and adorable was Mr. Hedley Jones. I was young and talkative. Let’s just say it that way! And as a result, I blurted out that I had just come back from this amazing vacay to Jamaica and OMG, “Are you Jamaican?” I said. Well, it was fast and furious! because then, I left for my studio, which was miraculously next door. It was the beginning of a great friendship. Well, after all, we were both blessed with press passes and were very busy people, but it did not stop us from talking everyday, almost always about what we did the night before. And, Hedley honestly was not able to keep his hands to himself. BUT!All in total fun and shear joy!
After three years of this fun and getting to know a lot about each other, we did it! We had a date, but i stood him up. LOL. Too long for a blog. But after we saw each other again, we started dating for the year of our lives. The most fun anyone should have. We dated until I had a dream come true of traveling the world. Yes, I applied for and got an arts grant to be able to travel and photograph. I jumped at this opportunity and left Toronto and was on the road for 7 years! My life took many turns over the next 25 years, but Hedley was never forgotten and I finally went back to get him. Yup, it happened and we kind of picked up where we left off.
Photographing women was always “our thing” and being together was too. It was the thing that made us the happiest. Thus, The Boudoir Café and our life in LA. was born. We got married finally in 2014 at Burning Man and now live for our art and the chance to make women feel so very good about themselves, one girl at a time!
Below is a bunch of pics I gathered from our newspapaer/radio days till today! I hope you enjoy this blog.
Cherie & Hedley