Welcome,
I'm so glad you stopped by!
I'm Elizabeth.
My name is Elizabeth O'Guin, and I am a freelance photographer.
At my core, I am a biophile--- a lover of life, of living things. That love is something I want to share with and spread to others, and photography is my way of doing so.
Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, I moved to Chattanooga in 2017 to pursue photography--- an art form I had been passionate about from a young age. In 2021, I graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a BFA in Photography and Media Art. During my four years there, I was consistently working towards a thesis project that I cared for deeply: the relationship humans have with nature, though I centered mostly on my own relationships with outdoor spaces.
I spent my childhood traveling with family as often as we could, exploring in nature, and constantly craving new experiences (this is all still true well into my young adult life). Nostalgia for an adventure-filled childhood is something I held onto when making work in college. During my junior and senior years, I began to gain experience in photojournalism by working as a staff photographer for the school newspaper and taking photojournalism classes. This was crucial, because taking those classes while working on my fine art thesis helped me to better understand the type of photographer I want(ed) to be.
Because of that background in both fine art photography and photojournalism, I strive for an honest convergence of art and documentary-style imagery. Not just in photos I make for myself, but also in ones produced for clients. I want emotion and a love for life to be at the forefront of the images I make; I want those things to shine through the lens, for any and every viewer to see and understand the love held there.
After the realization of my personal intent to produce life-loving imagery, then came graduation. I spent a few more months in Chattanooga as a Photography and Social Media Intern for a local brewery, WanderLinger Brewing Company. I was able to gain experience in product and live music photography.
Upon moving back home to Memphis, I began working for a portrait studio, Lasting Expressions Portraits, where I have since learned so much from the people I work for and with, and have been fortunate enough to be able to meet countless new people while producing life-loving portraiture for those people.
Recently, I moved to San Diego, California in August of 2023 to continue to explore and gain new experiences, just as I always did growing up.
Maybe it all sounds pretty cheesy, but I value honesty. And to be honest, while there will always be hardships and difficulties to face, life is a gift, and there is so much to discover on this planet. I'd love to help you remember that, and let the biophilia shine through what we create.
All the love,
Elizabeth ♡