Jennifer Elizabeth
Jennifer Elizabeth
How did you get started in photography?
While I don't consider myself a photographer, I have always appreciated the beauty, emotion and stories that can be told through a photo, and have always used photography as a way to document my own existence and life journey.
What role has your iPhone and Instagram played in it?
Instagram has literally changed the way I view things; both visually and relationally.I notice small beauties and joys now more; the way light falls on a wall, the rich golden hues of a wooden floor, the deep colors of roadside flowers.
I now look, and look again, and am able to capture that moment I see and the feeling I have in experiencing it.
How has London influenced your perspective?
Moving to London from Ontario has been the best decision I have ever made. I have fallen completely head over heels in love with this wild and crazy adopted city of mine! London has a way of testing you, pushing and stretching you, but also showing you a million small things to be thankful for. I see more of the world in this one city than I could ever hope to see in a lifetime. There is so
much joy, so much sorrow, so many happy faces and just as many miserable ones, but through this all I am still reminded that there is so much life to live while we are here on this earth, and I am so lucky to be spending some of mine in London.
How does it compare to Canada for you?
Canada is different from the UK in so many ways. I miss the wide open spaces of Ontario, the endless roads to drive and fields of corn and cows
stretching for miles, the quiet night skies where you can see the stars and no city lights are in sight. Canada is home to me, it's my heart and always will be. But sometimes we need to experience somewhere new to appreciate where we've come from, and to decide where we want to go.
Where are your favorite places to go in London?
London is full of hidden gems! Each borough has something special and unique to offer. I have always loved Shoreditch for its arty shops and graffiti-lined streets, Brixton for its vibrant culture and amazing village market, Clapham Common for its weekly farmers market and lovely park space, and Hampstead for its old-world small English village feel. I've also always had a soft spot for the pastel colors of Notting Hill and the liveliness that is Portobello Road. There is something beautiful to be found no matter where you go in this city!
What are your favorite coffee shops? What is your favorite type of coffee and/or tea?
My favorite cafe changes all the time, choosing just one would be impossible! I am currently loving White Mulberries in St. Katharine’s Docks for flawless coffee; Brickwood in Clapham Common for their toasted banana bread with espresso butter, an absolute favorite; Leila's Shop in Shoreditch or M1lk in Balham for a gorgeous brunch; and I never get tired of Monmouth in Borough Market. Close runner-ups are Nude, Birdhouse, All Press, Prufrocks, Workshop, and Federation!
Do you ever get strange looks when taking all your great table shots? Any particular instances stand out?
All the time! I've learned not to be bothered by funny looks and just carry on getting my on-the-table shots. (I've also learned to be really quick
with taking them so that my friends don't have to sit and have their coffee get cold while I snap away!)
What are you inspired by?
Music. Poetry and words. The sky and the shoreline. My family. Love and loneliness. Warmth, light, color. The beauty of God's creation.
What are some of your favorite shots you’ve taken?
I've always loved all my "early Instagram days" shots. The photos I have at the beginning of my feed make me remember so many things, and flood me with nostalgia. There is one shot that I have of my sister running through a forest of trees, with her arms outstretched, and I have always loved the pure freedom and inhibition that it portrays; the story of letting go.
You have a very warm, softly muted color consistency to your photos - why do you go with this approach? Is it, or did it start out, as a conscious or subconscious element?
It is very conscious! I have always tried to keep a certain warmth and flow to my feed, and I love to play up golden tones and highlights. I like
my feed to feel warm and cozy, bright and full of hope. I hope others feel the same way when they visit it!
Interview by Jack Sommer