Sherry Friel: Fine Art Photographer

It’s just about the flowers.

For Virginia Beach photographer Sherry Friel, photography means more than just decoration on a wall. The emotional involvement she has with her subjects really shows in the end result. 

After years as a journalist, teacher, and marketing specialist with her focus being on people, the natural world called her attention.

“Honestly, for me, it’s a form of meditation…it’s just so calming and relaxing to spend time with a flower.” 

The emotional connection that people form from one of her photographs is why she continues the work she does. She hopes to have more of her floral-focused work hung in hospitals as she firmly believes the power of beauty can heal.

The idea of the healing properties of art and the natural world is close to her heart. During the difficult losses of both her mother and her mother-in-law, Sherry turned to nature.

“I immersed myself in nature photography as a way to heal and grieve. This involved trips to Norfolk Botanical Garden, various greenhouses, parks and trails through First Landing State Park and Back Bay.”

These moments of reflection resulted in many photographs, but more importantly a sense of peace and purpose for Sherry.

“I’ve taken thousands of photographs in an effort to keep reliving my initial excitement. It’s also my way of, in the words of Anais Nin, '…to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospection.' ”

To see more of Sherry’s photography, visit her website.