In honor of International Women’s Day, which fell on March 8, 2020, I’m highlighting several successful women business owners in the Mobile, AL area. Today I’m sharing my interview with Elizabeth Gelineau of Elizabeth Gelineau Photography.

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Something I’ve learned in my interviews so far is that life has a way of imprinting ideas on our minds long before our choices lead us to our current destinations. 

It’s also funny in the way life places people in our vicinities with whom we end up connecting years later.

Case in point: my Sunday afternoon coffee with the warm, knowledgeable, and exceptionally talented Elizabeth Gelineau and the gradual pursuit of her own photography business.

Elizabeth and I graduated in the same class at Spring Hill College, were raised in Mobile, and shared some mutual friends, yet we didn’t connect until recently—thanks to social media.

I’ve been following Elizabeth Gelineau Photography for a while, now, and I’m genuinely astonished by her talent and the diversity of her portfolio.

Elizabeth splits her time between wedding and portrait photography and editorial/commercial content. In fact, if you regularly read Mobile Bay magazine, you’ve probably seen her work. 

Raised by a hobbyist photographer father and a stay-at-home mother who consistently preserved family memories by photographing school field trips and parties, family gatherings, and annual holidays, Elizabeth never saw herself owning her own photography business. 

“I always said I was never going to have my own business […] but I’ve learned that you should never say never,” (a phrase that came up several times during our conversation).

Though Elizabeth’s interest in learning more about photography developed during an introductory photography class at Spring Hill College, it wasn’t until several years (and much practice and investment) later that she even considered herself a professional photographer.

“I didn’t really anticipate that it would put me on a trajectory of doing this professionally,” she said, “but I loved it from that first day.”

As Elizabeth continued honing her hobby and working for her father’s business, she dabbled in food photography. In fact, what began as a routine visit to her favorite bakery—Bake My Day—evolved into a regular routine of photographing baked goods that she’d deliver to her grandparents when visiting them in a nursing home.

After becoming a regular, recognizable customer, one day Elizabeth told an employee, “I would love to photograph your food.” This moment became the catalyst for taking the legal steps to start her own business. 

“It was like all of a sudden a lightbulb went off, and I was like, ‘I’m going to do this!’” Bake My Day became her first commercial client, and with a few years, photography became her fulltime gig.

It wasn’t until years later—after turning away potential opportunities while building a portfolio and polishing her technical skills as a second shooter to a more experienced photographer—that she delved into wedding photography.

When we discussed wedding and engagement photography, I could sense how much Elizabeth truly enjoys preserving these sentimental and irreplaceable moments for her clients and how important it is to her to operate her business with integrity and a client-centered focus.

When I asked her about the qualities she finds essential for a good businesswoman, she looked back on her Jesuit education at Spring Hill.

“I really think about that quote all the time, that quote from St. Ignatius of Loyola and Spring Hill’s mission of educating students to become responsible leaders in service to others. […] I’m in a service-based industry, and if I’m in business to serve others, it can’t be about me and what I want. It has to be about them always.”

Noting how important it is to build relationships with her clients, she adds, “it’s not just about the product, and so I try to put a lot of emphasis on the whole experience.”

When I asked Elizabeth to highlight some of her most memorable jobs, I was amazed at the opportunities she’s had! 

Whether photographing former First Lady Laura Bush at a Junior League of Mobile luncheon, capturing images at the VIP “meet and greet” at one of President Donald Trump’s campaign rallies prior to the 2016 election, highlighting the charming, historic homes of Mobile in the current issue of HGTV magazine, or proudly remembering the first wedding she shot on her own, Elizabeth is well aware of both her fortune to have had such remarkable opportunities and the hard work, investment, and wise decision-making it took to get there.

If she could give fledgling photographers advice, it would be to get as much education as possible (even through free resources like Creative Live or YouTube), to “shoot as much as you can before you actually start charging” and to always remember, “you get back what you give.”

Be sure to follow Elizabeth’s portrait and wedding photography on Instagram; she can also be found on Facebook. To inquire about services, visit her website.

Women in business: Elizabeth Gelineau Photography Share on X