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Cheyenne Ellis is a California native, and just what you would expect to meet from a girl who grew up half her life in the mountains of Mammoth Lakes and the other half at the beaches in Malibu. "The ocean and the mountains are a huge inspiration to my work. I find myself using the natural elements and the lifestyle involved with them, as much as possible." After receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree from Westmont College in Fine Art, she moved on to study at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara. It was shortly thereafter, that she would have an opportunity to move to New York, and study under the legendary photographer Irving Penn. After two years of city life and an amazing apprenticeship, Cheyenne set back for her roots in California and began her own career.

Since moving back to Los Angeles, she has shot for such clients as O'Neill, Billabong, Gravis Footwear, Paul Mitchell, and Volcom. Her editorial work has appeared in Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, FOAM, More Magazine, and Yogi Times. She continues to capture the lifestyle of youth culture and present intimate portraits of the subjects in front of her lens.

When did you first start taking pictures?
My mom was a photographer and my dad is film director, so I guess you could say cameras have been in my life for a long time. I always thought I would be a painter or sculptor, or even a teacher of the arts, but when I picked up my first professional camera and saw what I was capable of I knew that would become my path. That was around the age of 18.

You moved back to California to start your career, why not stay in New York?
Mainly because California is home. I love to shoot outdoors and the weather in New York made that impossible for over half the year. I also wanted to push my portraiture, and a lot of the talent I capture is in L.A. I love New York and the time I spent there, but my work lends itself to California, the lifestyle, and the clients I have established here.

How would you define your style?
My photography is very real. Most of the moments happen in real time and are things I am truely experiencing. I've been told that my work is very "ethereal", but I think that's just because I shoot into the sun a lot. I love to play with natural light and all its possibilities, there's nothing more beautiful to me.

Who are some of your greatest influences?
I've been really lucky to work for great photographers in the past, when I was assisting. I never had to deal with any of the horror stories you hear circling around out there. Irving Penn was a huge influence on me, for his honesty and integrity. I learned so much more than just photography working for him. I learned an appreciation for light, my subjects, the interaction, and the entire process of making a picture. After Penn I worked for Norman Jean Roy and Cliff Watts for a short time. They are two photographers that I respect greatly and have both taught me so much. They have all been incredibly supportive of my career, and continue to push me. Outside of photography most of my influences come from painters, Rauschenberg and Giacometti are two of the greats in my mind.

I find myself incredibly fortunate to get to travel the world taking pictures and call it a job. Some times I ask my assistants to "pinch me" when I look around and we're in the middle of Hawaii or on some desolate mountain top. I love the collaboration process that happens in making pictures, with both the talent and the clients. I've been fortunate to work with really great people and just hope to continue to meet and work with more.