We had the good fortune of connecting with Elisa Ferrari and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elisa, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
Being an artist has taught me that life is an ebb and flow and that I should not take things for granted. One of my favorite sayings, which my husband, who is composer, often says is “it isn’t always like this:”. This holds true in many ways, including when running your own business. For instance, in March I had the busiest year of my career planned and then it all vanished just about overnight. But, I know that it won’t always be like this and that things will get better again and I can be grateful for what I do have now.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I arrived at photography in a rather circuitous way. First I studied music at UC Berkeley, then ethnomusicology at UT Austin, where I focused on Brazilian music. During grad school I fell in love with the visual storytelling and ended up going back to school for photography. I studied at the wonderful photo program at Austin Community College. Before completing the program I ended up moving to Sweden for a year with my husband and began a project based on indigenous Sami reindeer herders and climate change. Most recently, I returned to Sweden thanks to a National Geographic Explorer grant to continue the project.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Attending the Women Photograph workshop several years ago and then being invited to join the initiative has been one of the most inspiring and empowering experiences I’ve had as a photographer. This international group of amazing women photographers keeps me going by helping me believe in myself and constantly inspiring me to push further with my work. The support, encouragement and mentorship of the Women Photograph community is something I value very much.

Website: www.elisaferrari.com
Instagram: elisaferrariphoto
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisa-ferrari-40b03a40/

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