Meet Elsa Krieg | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elsa Krieg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elsa, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I didn’t know I wanted to start my own business, let alone be a photographer, until after I attended a business retreat. I had never really explored that path of business previously and wasn’t sure I was in the right place. Being surrounded by some incredible women entrepreneurs had me realize that I am a business minded person. Learning about running a business and being successful at it rejuvenated a fire in me to explore that path. With some help I was able to explore different opportunities and realized that the opportunities to have your business are endless. It wasn’t until about a month later that something about photography had always been calling my name. I took a chance that it was the right path and haven’t looked back since.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think was sets me apart is that I love capturing and preserving the essence of the western lifestyle in many different forms. However you want to define “western,” the term encompasses so many aspects. I love being able to share the authenticity of cowboys and cowgirls ranching and the rugged way of life. Then the next day I get to capture some high fashion western outfits or a widely in love couple, and that’s just as fun and exciting for me.

Just over a year ago I began my journey of Lonesome Dove Photography and it’s one of the best decisions I have ever made. It my no means has been easy. Everything I was learning, I was learning for the first time with no experience, including operating my camera. It took a lot of patience and time to learn every aspect of owning a business, and I still feel like I have only scratched the surface. It was discovering new territory, which is what inspired the name of my business. If you know the mini-series Lonesome Dove, two former Texas Rangers rejuvenate their sense of adventure and drive a herd of cattle from the dusty town of Lonesome Dove, TX to the undiscovered mountain ranges of Montana. Along the way they experience the hardships of the Wild West and face challenges head on. The movie has inspired and taught me some valuable lessons and I want to carry that with me through this journey.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Definitely I would take them to my hometown of Granby first and show them the mountains. We would walk the Boardwalk in Grand Lake and do some shopping. We would eat dinner at the historic Rapid’s Restaurant in town. After I would show them around Colorado Springs. I would take them to breakfast at the best mom and pop breakfast spot, Wade’s Cafe. After we would do a drive or hike through Garden of the God’s. For lunch we would stop in Manitou Springs at Border Burger Bar. For dinner I would take them for the best Mexican food and margaritas at Crystal Park Cantina. The next day we we would grab coffee and a breakfast sandwich at Kairos Coffee House and take a day trip up the Pike’s Peak Cog Railway for some breath taking views from the summit. That night we would head down town and have some drinks and dinner at the hopping spot called Coati. I would also love to take them for a day trip down to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. It’s impossible to do everything in a week in Colorado but these are definitely some of my favorite spots!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am so grateful to have so many people standing in my corner and helping me on this journey. I want to first thank Anna Frentress who provided me the opportunity to attend the business retreat that changed my life and really encouraged me to explore something new. I was also connected with an amazing photography mentor Tony Clapp. He allowed me to shadow and assist him on his shoots and taught me so much about photography and making it into a successful business.

Website: https://www.lonesomedovephotography.com

Instagram: lonesomedove.photography

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lonesomedovephoto

Image Credits
Just on my headshot it was taken by Emily Nicole Photography. All other photos I took