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Elle Kaiser
@ellekaiser
Landscape photographer based in the US
As a young girl growing up in the Midwest, my family didn’t travel a lot, but I was always curious about life outside of my home state of lowa and I was eager to explore new places. I remember the few times we did go on a family trip (usually a 10+ hour road trip); my dad would always buy me a disposable camera that I could use to document our memories. As I got older, I found I enjoyed using a digital camera to capture candid moments with my friends.
"In high school, before Instagram, I would print photos and create scrapbooks so that my friends and I could look back and enjoy our shared memories."
"While the seeds of an interest in photography and travel were sown early in my life, I didn’t really pursue either until I moved to San Francisco in 2015."
As a newbie to SF I didn’t know a single person in the city. So, when I initially picked up a camera, I figured it would just be a way to fill my free time and a means of sharing my experiences with my family in the Midwest. Luckily for me, it ended up being so much more. At first, I struggled with imposter syndrome. I remember feeling extremely nervous to post my photos publicly and I was terrified to introduce myself to other photographers. With a little encouragement from my family and friends, however, I eventually started attending photography meetups and connecting with other photographers in the Bay Area. And as someone who has never studied photography or taken a photography class, the fact that I had others who I could lean on and learn from was invaluable. Your tribe matters.
"I feel like my first year in San Francisco was spent chasing an endless number of sunrises and sunsets, accompanied by other photographers who became friends and helped me to integrate photography into my lifestyle."
From weekend road trips to Big Sur to last minute trips to Zion and Yosemite, I was hooked and I couldn’t get enough. I would even pack my camera in my work bag and would go for “photo walks” over my lunch break. San Francisco is a hub of photography for good reason — not only is the city incredibly picturesque and historic, but the surrounding Bay Area and renowned locations like Big Sur, Muir Woods, and Mount Tam are easily accessible as day trips. Personally, I like making my way to places in the city where there aren’t a lot of tourists and people. I don’t have a car so that generally means walking everywhere – which has given me the opportunity to discover new places in the city that I otherwise wouldn’t have seen. SF also has a ton of green space given that it’s only 7×7 square miles, and in those landscapes you can feel really connected to the pace of nature within a busy city. In addition, SF’s “microclimates” make for a ton of different photo lighting and composition opportunities. I’ve once captured low fog at the Golden Gate Bridge, and I’d love to do that again. Capturing the fog on Mount Tam is another favorite of mine. Although it is hard to predict when there will be low fog, I think that catching low fog on Mount Tam is a must-do for anyone who has the means.
"I truly don’t have the words to describe how magical it is to watch the fog flow over the blanketed city."
"Talking about magic, I remember Firefall at Yosemite in 2019."
That trip required a lot of research, advance planning, snowshoeing, and standing outside in the freezing cold for hours – but it was so worth it. For those who don’t know what Firefall is, once a year, usually around the second week of February, the sun hits Horsetail Falls in Yosemite at an angle that illuminates the top portion of the waterfall. And when the conditions are just right, the waterfall glows red and orange, creating the illusion of burning embers. Firefall is truly one of Earth’s most amazing spectacles and I feel so fortunate to have witnessed it on a day when the conditions were immaculate. Unfortunately, because Firefall has attracted so many visitors and attention, Yosemite was forced to implement new viewing guidelines to protect against damage to the park’s natural vegetation.
"So while I encourage everyone to visit Yosemite for Firefall, it’s important to think about how we can leave no trace and minimize our impact in parks."
"I try to have as little of an impact as possible when hiking, backpacking, or generally visiting someplace new, and even try to have a positive impact."
Similarly, I am mindful about the impact of publishing photos of my travels, because Instagram has played a big role in spreading awareness about the existence of certain locations. Alain de Botton once said, “we are inundated with advice on where to travel to, but we hear little of why and how we should go.” In modern society, I think the rise of the geotag has heightened this. I often receive questions or requests asking for the specific location of a photo. And while I’m happy to share that information under the right circumstances, I think the question misses the mark. It is easy to get lost in the fantasy of a photograph of a location, the idea that visiting this one place or seeing this one thing will transform your life, but do you have the curiosity and the passion to get yourself there? Do you understand the work encompassed in the journey? And is it work that you’re prepared to undertake? Is it work that you’re actually interested in doing?
My favorite hikes and photography moments are “earned” — meaning I most enjoy places that require a lot of research and are off the beaten path. There are obviously a lot of amazing spots that are heavily trafficked and well known but there’s something so rewarding about finding a new frame or visiting a less tracked location. The photo that I’m most proud of is a photo of Burg Hohenzollern framed through the trees. Though the photo is several years old, I’m most proud of that photo for a few reasons. First, it involved a LOT of research – including translating various blog sites from German to English. Second, it was a tough hike at the end of a long drive and the end of an even longer trip. When my friend and I reached the peak of the climb, I remember my jaw nearly hit the ground in awe as we joined a group of elderly locals gathered at the top. After enjoying the view from various vantage points, one of the locals approached my friend and I. He communicated that he had never seen any tourists up where we were, and he asked us how we found his favorite spot. After chatting for a few moments, he proceeded to share a secret spot where you could photograph the castle through some tree foliage.
"Without him, I never would have found that spot, because I wasn’t looking for it. The entire experience was incredibly rewarding — opportunity and preparation were perfectly aligned."
When I initially started photography, I think I was pretty focused on getting “the shot” at each location I visited, and I found I would get disappointed when something didn’t work out or go as planned. Nowadays, while I still hope to get a good picture, I find that I’m less focused on the destination and am more able to enjoy the journey. While I always hope that my research and planning will pay off – especially when a long hike is involved – to me it’s more about spending time outdoors in nature with good friends. And appreciating the beauty of it all. I feel most myself when I am in nature. Particularly early in the morning, before others are on the trail.
"There’s been a change in my mindset that I now travel with: I really appreciate the journey over the destination."
I personally feel that to travel “well” is an art that is highly dependent not upon the destination you travel to but upon the mindset you travel with. Photography has had a significant contribution in here; it has drastically changed my appreciation for light and shadows, it’s changed my appreciation for sunrises, and it’s helped me to feel more connected to the world at large. It also acts as a counter balance to my 9-to-5 job. As a tax attorney, my day job is really complex, analytical, and structured. It is also very demanding and fast-paced, and photography is a way to stay active and to spend time in nature, both of which are great stress relievers after a busy day at the office. It is an opportunity for me to slow down, to enjoy the present moment, to think more creatively, and above all it is a chance for me to tell my own story.
"Although each of my images stand on their own, they also tell a story about my life, the places I’ve been, and the people in it."
I’m a big proponent of taking positive risks. As I mentioned earlier, when I moved to San Francisco, I didn’t know a single person. In fact, aside from flying in for my job interview, I had never even been to San Francisco or California. But the opportunity – though terrifying – felt right. I felt a similar sense of excited terror when I finally worked up the nerve to purchase my first DSLR. And when I posted my first “real” photograph to Instagram. I also remember my dad had to stay on the phone with me for the entire 35-minute ride to my first photography meetup because I was so nervous that without his positive encouragement, I might have just gone home instead.
Through photography, and positive risk-taking, I’ve learned that we as humans have access to the things that we want as long as we are willing to put ourselves out there and ask for them. You’re supposed to play big. When you’re in a position of comfort, you’re playing not to lose. Instead, go and do the things that scare you and celebrate the small wins along the way.
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