Hey,
I'm Ella!
I'm the photographer, location scout, editor, admin department and occasional professional child negotiator behind Elara Photography.
I'm based in Hampshire, usually have an iced coffee somewhere nearby, and I'm the sort of photographer who will happily lie in wet grass, climb over something I probably shouldn't or make a complete idiot of myself if it means we get the shot!
I've worked professionally in photography for more than 5 years, and Elara is where I have come into my own. It's where I get to photograph people in a way that really feels like them.
Perfect behavior isn't required here!
Why Photography?
I don't think photographs become important the day they're taken.
They become important later.
When your toddler suddenly looks grown up, when school uniform suddenly doesn't fit anymore, when your dogs nose starts getting little grey specks on it, when everyone's lives get busy and it becomes harder and harder to get the whole family in the same place at the same time.
That's the bit I care about most.
I love taking beautiful photographs, obviously! But I'm much more interested in creating something that becomes part of your families history, than making everything look perfectly posed for social media.
Why accessibility matters to me.
Photography shouldn't only work for people who can sit still, follow instructions to a tee, tolerate unfamiliar places or feel naturally comfortable in front of a camera.
That has never made sense to me.
Children are different, dogs are different, adults are different. Some people need more time, some people need less talking, some need movement, breaks, or just to know exactly what's going to happen before we start.
I would much rather adapt the session around you, than expect someone to change who they are for my camera.
There's no embarrassing questions, no judgement, and absolutely no need to apologise for advocating for what you or your family need.
You're allowed to tell me what you need.
Fun doesn't mean winging it.
The session might feel relaxed, but there's a lot going on in my head behind the camera.
I'm watching the light, backgrounds, expressions, body language, little details, what the children are doing, whether the dog needs some space and what we still need to photograph.
I've worked professionally in photography for more than 5 years, so I know when to guide, when to change something and when to stop interfering because the moment happening naturally is better than anything I could pose.
I plan a lot so that you don't have to think about much at all.
Outside of Photography. . .
AKA fun facts about me. . .
Pickle is my 6 year old Romanian Rescue, and my whole world.
My coffee order is a white chocolate iced mocha. Every time.
I feel most at home at the beach, or completely lost somewhere in the New Forest.
I collect hobbies like it's a hobby. Crochet, knitting, needle felting, pottery, the list goes on.
When I was little I wanted to be a vet or a geography teacher, so apparently I was always going to be working with animals and children somehow.
I absolutely love pigeons, they are so misunderstood and I will defend them forever.
I will climb a tree, kneel in a puddle, or sit in a bush to get the photo I want.
What I want you to feel
Before
Like you know exactly what's happening and don't need to worry about whether your family will 'behave'.
During
Comfortable enough to forget about the camera every now and then.
After
Like the photographs actually look like the people you know.
