about me

About Me 

My name is Elise Ferrer, and I am a freelance photographer based in Birmingham, AL. At my core, I am a visual storyteller. While I accept a variety of work, from weddings to branding sessions to events, a narrative-based focus is the central tenet of my photography style. I am addicted to candid and authentic moments, and I strive to preserve the rhythm and vivacity of a session in the final gallery.

I have been freelancing since 2016, though I can trace my love of photography to adolescent memories. And too, photography has been with me through most of my recent travels. While I now call Alabama home, I truly am a resident of the road. In the past 6 years, I have lived or worked in Honduras, New Zealand, San Francisco, New Orleans, Tuscaloosa, and Charlotte, with other adventures sprinkled in both around the United States and abroad. My love of people and of their stories (I hope) shines through in my work.

When I’m not photographing, you can find me reading, spending time with my incredible partner, drinking lots of coffee, exploring Birmingham’s parks and breweries, hosting dinner parties, or watching cooking documentaries on Netflix.

My Values

At the time of this writing, the summer of 2020, we are living in a time of political, social, and environmental unrest, and now, more than ever, brands are held accountable for their values, both stated and acted.

As a freelancer, my identity as an individual is inevitably intertwined with my identity as a professional photographer. Because of this, my personal values reflect my professional values as well. I list these because you have a right to know what kind of vendor you are booking and also to provide context why I might accept or deny potential projects: 

• I believe in an unwavering love of all humans, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, sexuality, sex, nationality, religion, class, immigration status, age, or ability. It’s because of this belief that I also allow for intolerance of intolerance and will not work on projects that minimize in any way someone’s right to full humanity.

• I believe that each body, regardless of ability, size, or alignment with beauty norms, is beautiful and valuable and worthy of love.

• I believe that, as an American, our country needs to reckon with our history of oppression and do so through an intersectional lens.

• I believe, specifically in the context of our current moment, that Black Lives Matter and that, as a white person, white people have a moral obligation to undo centuries of discrimination and violence perpetrated against communities of color.

• I believe that love is not isolated to cis and heteronormative relationships and welcome all representations of love.

• I believe in using one’s platform, no matter how small, to elevate the voices of the unheard and to speak for justice and equity.

I also recognize that there are ways in which my body of work does not reflect a wide breadth of people, and I am actively working to make my portfolio align with my stated values.