Meet Elise: Photographer, Stylist, and Creative at Heart
Meet Elise: Photographer, Stylist, and Creative at Heart
Elise is wearing The Ultra Wide Leg Jean in Dark Denim
Tell us more about who you are and what you do!
My name is Elise, and I work as a freelance photographer, prop stylist, and content creator in Palm Springs, CA. I have a lovely network of clients (and friends) out here, but I also go into LA once or twice a month for work. I live in a comfy home with my husband, 5-year-old son, and Aussie. Being home and having time to just live and be is my ultimate goal in life, so even though I really enjoy my work, it’s all in service of that. Reading in my backyard in the sunshine is all I aspire to.
Elise is wearing The Barrel Jean Twist in Optic White
What inspired you to become a photographer and prop stylist?
I graduated college with a semi-useless degree (not in the arts), and almost immediately regretted not going to art school. I worked retail and had an office job for a while, but I’m one of those people who, for better or worse, has to be creating. Because I didn’t have any experience or education in the arts, my friend and I started a lifestyle blog in 2013 to showcase our photography and styling, in the hopes of using it as an online résumé to get work in the real world. And it actually worked! Little by little, I met people, tried new things, kept reaching out, said “yes” to scary new opportunities, and eventually pieced together enough to work full-time as a freelancer.
Elise is wearing The Button Down Slim Wide Leg in Rinse
What other artists and creatives inspire your work?
First and always, my friend and creative partner Katie Marble. We started that blog together (shout-out to The Happy Hunters), and we still get to work together fairly often, which is a dream. She is so committed to her craft and brings a level of professionalism to her art that I’m always learning from. I’m also inspired by people, in any space, who know what they like and create from a place of enthusiasm. I love seeing people work on their art outside of the hamster wheel of monetization. Art, entertainment, and branding are often conflated these days, and I always appreciate when creative people approach their art as their own, not worrying about how it will perform in the world. They only ask themselves, “Did I enjoy making this?”
You have a lot of brand experience, what do you think makes a brand stand out in this saturated market?
I’ve worked with so many brands over the years, from small local businesses to Disney and a lot in between. It sounds cliché, but the two big ones for me are: know yourself and know your audience. “Standing out” as a singular goal will probably fail in the long run. As a brand, you don’t have to be the most aesthetic, the most on-the-pulse, or the most of anything. You have to be true to your brand voice, be honest about who your current audience is, and be curious about what they’re resonating with within that voice. Once you find that core of what you offer and the group of customers who identify with it, stay consistent and true to that core.
Elise is wearing The Button Down Slim Wide Leg in Rinse
What is your number one piece of advice for freelancers?
You will get lucky breaks from time to time, but 99% of the time there won’t be a magic vending machine giving you opportunities. You have to be the one putting yourself and your work into the universe, even if it’s in small ways. Email people and brands. Post. Write. Make. Practice. Share. You have to sow seeds to see any harvest. Sow often and in all places—you never know what will pop back up, even years later.
How do you balance motherhood and working for yourself?
Sometimes I don’t. Sometimes it feels balanced, but sometimes I have to consciously sacrifice precious kid-time to send off a gallery on time. Other times, I’m late to respond to an email or have to push back a deadline because I decided it was more important to take care of my family in that moment. And you know what? It’s always fine. Nothing has ever burned down because of those decisions. Therein lies the balance, I suppose—being okay with things not always feeling balanced.
Elise is wearing The Ultra Wide Leg Jean in Dark Denim
How do you like to style your Just Black Denim jeans?
As a Southern California native, I really do love a great pair of jeans. I’m a casual dresser in general, so for me, denim is all about keeping it simple and low-key. But if I want it to feel more like a look, I’ll go monochromatic—denim on denim, white on white, or black on black. It’s a great canvas and makes any other layers or accessories instantly pop!