Not many people are house cleaners before becoming studio-owning photographers. But then again, not everyone is Elaine Freitas.
A dual citizen of Brazil and the United States, Freitas, 45, opened Elaine Freitas Photography on Main Street on April 1, and described opening the space as a “dream.” She had initially worked from her home before closing on the studio.
“The time finally came,” she said. “This new studio is a big accomplishment.”
Initially doing photography as a hobby while she worked as a house cleaner, Freitas has been a full-time photographer for the past 14 years, specializing in photographing newborns and their mothers. She designed the space, which is bright and calming, accordingly.
“My style is very bright and light and calm, and that’s why I looked for a place that had windows, that would have this warm feeling,” she said, adding that she wanted to develop a feeling of “home.”
“Everything is the way I envisioned,” she said.
Freitas said she even controls the temperature and humidity levels, which helps the young mothers and their babies to feel “comfortable and safe.”
Freitas said her goal as a photographer is “to serve families so they can come and feel good about themselves.” She pointed out that with our image-based culture, many people, especially women, see themselves and don’t feel beautiful, so one of her goals is to boost the self-esteem of her subjects by showing their true selves.
“I have a passion for working with women at any phase of their life,” she said, adding that she wants them to see that they are beautiful. “So – girls to older ages. Because, with photography, it’s not just an image. It’s about the experience.”
Ultimately, with her photography, Freitas said she wants “to impact people’s lives,” also noting she would like to teach photography here, something she did when she lived in Brazil.
“I want to teach teenagers, especially girls,” she said, adding that she would like to influence girls to become photographers. She said she would also like to work with senior citizens.
For Freitas, photography is about storytelling and experiences. She said she wants her clients to “have a good memory of that (photographed) moment” and to “leave a legacy” for families.
“When you do newborn photography, it reminds you a few years later how that moment was just magical,” she said. “So that is what I like to do.”
She said people have been receptive of her work.
“I’ve been very fortunate to work with a lot of families around here—and repeating clients,” she said. “They all come back every year. When I work with people, I try to make the true you.”
A Chamber of Commerce-sponsored ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on June 13 at her studio.
For more information about Elaine Freitas and her work, visit https://elainefreitas.com/.
