Meet Elliott R. Hefner | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elliott R. Hefner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elliott, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
Nature makes me happy. This is why I chose to find success and happiness in nature, wilderness, and landscape photography. Happiness, to me, is using photography to capture the little things that people take for granted within a given moment. Happiness is living in the moment. Happiness is going “Wow!” to something and capturing it. Happiness is sharing a shot with the public.  Happiness is Photography.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have loved photography since I was little. I think I was amazed by the way a moment in time could be captured and preserved forever. I picked up my first camera when I was in the seventh grade for a two week surfing/photography class at High Tech Middle Media Arts. My first camera was a Canon Powershot S1 IS (my mothers old camera). I would capture everything, everymoment, from playing outside with my brothers to random animals, and plants in the yard. It wasn’t until my second camera, a Canon Powerrshot sx500 IS, when I began to experiment in manual mode, learning what each thing did and why they were important. Learning the importance of the the shutter speed, appeture, and ISO. Then moving on to learning compositional aspects like the rule of thirds, framing, leading lines, etc. I experimented with different types of photography. When I got my first DSLR (Canon Rebel T6i) in 2017, I began to hone my skills and focus on more nature, wildness, and landscape photography. In 2021, I began taking photography classes at San Diego State University. In my first photography class I learned to shoot with intent. This was my biggest peice of advice. This helped my focus on everyshot and make sure each photograph had an intent behind it. This new found purpose and guidence, I began to put purpose behind my shots. I now try to bring the things people take for granted to life and bring them to thier screens, reminding them to go outside and give the little things attention. Get outside and embrace nature, even if that is taking a break from work and going on a walk in a community park.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a couple days to show a buddy San Deigo, especially a photographer buddy, I have a few places I would bring them. In the morning, I would first take them to the laguna mountains. In the morning, especially on a foggy day the mountains are incredible. Lake Cuyamaca is a great place to go and spend a few days there. I would show them the lake, especially the pier nears Chambers. We would probably wait until lunch to eat, which we would have sandwiches prepared at home the night before. Next stop on the first day treck would have to be the Borrego Springs. My favorite spot in San Diego County is a little whole with a waterfall along the Palm Canyon trail (1/4 of a mile until the end). After spending sometime there, we would finish the hike and go to the little mexican food shop in the town of borrego. We would drive over to fonts point, where the earth wrickles and these large canyons open up. camp out there the night, watching the stars and taking some astrophotography while we were out there. In the moring we would drive through Ocotillo Wells and up the grade to start heading west to San Deigo. We would stop for coffee at the Chevron in Jacumba and backtrack the 3 miles to the desert tower to watch the sun come up over El Centro and the Salton Sea. After that, we would travel west to Descanso, Ca (about 40 miles from the coast). Where we would get brunch and the Descanso Junction. After brunch, we would head to Lake Murray, where we can take photos of a egrit there, that is almost domesticated by the shop employees). The egrit often grooms herself in the tree by the shop and it is a treat to watch. After a few hours photographing Sushi (the egrit at the lake) and other things at the lake, we would go to La Jolla Coves. There we could see the seals and after go to Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Peir to watch the sunset, and take photos. This is my absolute favorite place to take photos. The contrast of the concrete “man-made” pier and the natural seascape is breath taking. Aftert that we would get take out Fillippi’s Pizza Grotto, sausage and mushroom pizzas and go Coronado where we could get night cityscapes of downtown San Diego. This would be my two day plan if a buddy comes to San Deigo.

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?
First of all, I want to give a HUGE shoutout to my parents. They have stood next to me my whole photography journey. Next a shout out to my siblings who were always good subjects when I want to practice portrait photography. Professor Robin North also deserves a shoutout. He was my first San Diego State University photography professor who pushed me to pursue a career in photography. Without these people I would be applying for a master’s in photography at the end of this year.

Website: https://elliottrhefnersphotography.myportfolio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliott_hefner/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliott.hefner