INSTRUCTOR PROFILE

ABOUT ALESSANDRA

Alessandra Cave is a photographer, writer, teacher, and mama, who is passionate about that sweet spot where art, soul, and business intersect. She is the author of Shooting with Soul: 44 Photography Exercises in Life, Beauty, and Self-Expression. Alessandra currently lives in San Francisco, where she splits her time between photo assignments, penning books, teaching at creative retreats, and raising her 3 year old daughter, who is her biggest creative achievement to date. Her work has been featured extensively around the World-Wide-Web, as well as in national and international publications, such as: UPPERCASE, The New Artisans Book Sequel, The Beauty of Different, Nine to Five, Artful Blogging, Somerset Studio, and Mingle.

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FAVORITE QUOTE

"To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place…I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them."

—ELLIOT ERWITT

ALESSANDRA ANSWERS THE FIVE W's

Who are you?

I'm Alessandra Cave. I'm a photographer, writer, teacher, adventurer, sometimes poet, and above all, mother. Ultimately, I'm a hopeless romantic, a soul-searching-stargazing dreamer, who is all about helping people pick up the camera, and find more beauty, love, and light in their lives.

What do you believe with all of your heart?

That we all have the power to make our dreams come true.

When did you know that this was your path?

It was when I decided to give up my job of 10+ years as a producer for major feature films to pursue photography. That was a wonderful and creative job, but I literally felt in my bones that I wanted to dedicate myself to photography for the rest of my days. Quitting was a scary, bold move, and the challenges persist even 5 years later. But I still believe that was a good choice, and that this is the life I am meant to live.

Where is your favorite place on earth?

It is a close tie between Bahia in Brazil and South East Asia. I am completely in love with all the colors, the smells, the nature, and the people, in both of these places.

Why do you love your life?

Because it is a beautiful and an exciting adventure, and because I am lucky to be surrounded by the most inspiring and amazing people on the planet!

How do you do everything you do?

A In about two or three focused hours a day, late at night, during my daughter's naps, sometimes in airports, often in cafes, but ideally, in long chunks of time, in complete silence in my studio. While I am not always as efficient or as precise, fast, and consistent, as I wish I was…I can say with conviction that I do everything I do-with all my heart. Always.