Elyse Patten has been behind the lens for 20 years and worked all over the world telling the stories of minority language communities. Elyse has also explored careers in theology, social work, linguistics and journalism. This occupational buffet embodies a desire to understand, document and communicate the human experience. A non-fiction lover, she believes that life is art.

Elyse lives with her husband and two blonde children among trees, birds and chainsaw-wielding neighbours in Noosa Heads, Australia. Elyse spends her Friday nights alone plotting world domination and adores gingerbread biscuits of all shapes and gender identities.

Elyse’s work brings the enduring power of photojournalism into your personal history book.

Elyse is available to help you visually document and remember the emotions of any part of life: a wedding day, the day you bring your newborn baby home, a family reunion, a big birthday, a holiday, a funeral day – any significant event – loud or quiet.

Elyse creates timeless images that reveal what it felt like to be there.

Contact Elyse on + 61 425 291 914 or hello @ elysepatten.com

Twelve years ago I married a sweet young man with bright green eyes that I barely knew. We made a life-long commitment standing in an apple orchard on a rainy summer day.

I have two small children: 4-year-old Susannah and 2-year-old Samuel. They are cheeky, thoughtful, capable, messy and demanding. They are wonderful and ridiculous. They are everything.

I write constantly in my head, occasionally on my phone late at night, and previously on feature stories and communications pieces for an international NGO.

This isn’t a contradiction in terms. When I’m with people I lavish them with my attention and energy. But I need to be alone to recharge. I love people and I love to be alone. I’m completely content with my own company. I’m content with silence when in the company of others. It’s a good balance. I’ll never talk your ear off, and I’ll never shy away from conversation.

I spent the first three years of my life travelling the countryside in a caravan with my bohemian parents. I love seeing new things, and I also love the act of moving. I love long plane rides. I feel restless if I don’t get a road trip at least once a year. I’ve been to 6 continents and every Australian state except the vast western one.

I want to do everything. Here is a shortened list of things that interest me. If you do one of these things I want to be your best friend. (Seriously. Maybe we could trade photos for lessons?)
Playing rock or jazz drums, sailing, beekeeping, swing dancing, painting with watercolour, performance singing, piano playing, long distance running, speaking Spanish, ultralight overnight hiking, mountain biking, truck driving, paragliding, orienteering, expedition kayaking, etc.

At some point in my mid-20s, I began to admit that I had a sugar problem. It was a problem because I couldn’t control it. I couldn’t say no to sugar for a whole day. If without I would pace the house, and eventually go out to get my hit.
I’ve been off the white stuff almost a year now. I’m not a perfect adherent but my life is far better and I can’t, I won’t, go back. Ironically, life is sweeter without sugar added to everything.

My strong imagination creates a beautiful reality for me to live in. But it has a down side. Fairly tame movies have made me leave the cinema and vomit in the street gutter. So do cafe newspaper article about the struggles of some African women. I don’t enjoy slapstick comedy where people get hurt. Please don’t tell me the plot lines of any CSI show. I’m just highly sensitive to human suffering and my imagination is excruciatingly vivid.

I love to read anything about how the human brain works. People are fascinating creatures. I also genuinely want to understand my own impulses in order to become a more aware and compassionate person. I came very close to giving up photography to become a sociologist. Until I fell in love with Family Photojournalism.