Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ellen Manilova. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Ellen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The idea of becoming a photographer came to me when I had my own child. Every day I watched him discover the world in new ways, laughing, being curious, trying something new. Very quickly I realized that these simple, fleeting moments can never be recreated. Even then, I understood that in 20 years, these would be the images I would value the most.

At first, I experimented with different approaches, from posed studio sessions to more natural, unstructured photography. But it didn’t take long to understand that children and posing rarely go well together. The moment a child tries to smile “correctly” or stand the “right” way, something important disappears, their true personality.

When children are given the freedom to be themselves, the camera captures what cannot be staged: real emotions, character, movement, and those small, unique details that make each child who they are.

That’s when I fell in love with lifestyle photography. For me, it is the most honest and meaningful way to capture families. During my sessions, I create a space where people can feel at ease and simply be themselves, while I gently guide the process so the images feel natural, warm, and alive.

Today, I am certain that these unposed photographs are the ones people return to years later. They don’t just show how a child looked, they remind you who they were.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I came into photography very naturally through my own life. It started with simply photographing my child and printing those images for myself. I would often carry them with me, and they naturally caught the attention of other moms. Through simple conversations and connections, my name began to spread from one family to another.

In the beginning, I photographed families for free. It wasn’t about business yet , it was a genuine desire to preserve meaningful moments. Even then, I approached it with a deep sense of responsibility. I understood that I wasn’t just creating beautiful images, but memories that families would return to years later.

Over time, I realized that something that brought me true joy was also bringing real value to others. At that point, it became clear that photography could grow into more than just a hobby , it could become my life’s work.

Today, I work with families and see a very common fear: many people feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. They worry they don’t know how to pose, that they might look awkward or “not right.” Because of this, families often postpone photo sessions for years.

My role is to remove that fear and completely change the experience. I create an environment where there is no need to perform or try to look perfect. During the session, families are simply invited to be themselves to talk, laugh, play with their children, and live their everyday moments.

I gently guide the process without interrupting the natural dynamic of the family. That’s why the images feel authentic, warm, and alive.

I work with a wide range of families, including children with special needs, and I’m able to connect not only with kids but also with adults , even those who feel skeptical about photography. This is especially true for dads who may have had negative experiences with posed sessions in the past. For me, it’s important that by the end of the session, they feel not relief that it’s over, but genuine enjoyment of the time they spent together.

One of the most meaningful moments for me is when a family hugs me after the session and tells me it was so much better than they expected. That tells me I didn’t just take photos , I changed how they feel about the experience itself.

I don’t work with templates. Every family is different, and my goal is to see and reveal what makes each of them unique. On my sessions, there are no “clients” in the traditional sense. There are people for whom I create a space where they can feel comfortable, relaxed, and truly themselves.

And it is in that space that the kind of photographs are created , the ones that become truly priceless over time.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There was a period in my life that completely transformed me and showed me how resilient a person can be, even when everything familiar is taken away.

In 2022, I had an established photography business in Ukraine, a loyal client base, and a life I truly loved. But in a single moment, everything changed when Russia began bombing Ukraine, and it was no longer safe to live in my country.

I had to make a decision that was anything but easy. I chose to take my son and leave everything behind, in search of one thing safety and life.

We carried very little with us. Only essential documents. My son had a backpack with basic clothing, and I made a conscious decision to fill mine with my camera equipment. In that moment, I understood that I couldn’t take my past life with me, but I could take the possibility of starting again.

My camera became more than just a tool it became a point of stability in the unknown.

My son and I moved from country to country, from one temporary home to another, relying on the kindness of people who opened their doors to Ukrainians. It was a time of deep uncertainty: no stability, no work, no clear understanding of what the future would hold or even who you are in a new reality.

And in that space, I realized how important it is not to lose yourself.

At some point, I understood that I could not remain in a state of waiting or rely endlessly on support. I needed to stand on my own again and begin rebuilding my life.

Even though I barely spoke English, I asked myself a simple question: what do I truly know how to do well?

The answer was clear photography.

I started from zero. I searched for families, shared my work, and communicated as best as I could. I didn’t have a fixed pricing structure or system. I simply offered sessions and allowed people to decide what it was worth to them.

Slowly, the first families came. Then referrals. People began sharing my name with friends and neighbors. Step by step, I started rebuilding what I had once lost.

And in that process, I realized that photography was bringing me back to life. Through people, through families, through their trust and warmth, I found meaning again.

Today, three years later, I live and work in California. I have families who return to me again and again, trusting me with their most important moments, becoming part of my story just as I become part of theirs.

This experience changed not only my life, but also the way I see photography.

When you lose your home and your reality in a single day, you begin to understand how fragile life truly is, and how little is guaranteed.

That is why the moments we live today matter so much.

Photography is no longer just about beautiful images. It becomes a way to preserve life as it is right now real, honest, and irreplaceable.

And that is where I find the true meaning of my work.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Over the past three years, my audience has completely changed. Today, most of my clients and followers are families in the United States, and I had to rebuild my audience from the ground up.

However, the experience I gained in Ukraine helped me approach this process with clarity. I never tried to appeal to everyone.

From the very beginning, I chose to share only the kind of images that truly reflect my style and my vision. This is a conscious decision. I don’t aim to create universal content that resonates with the widest possible audience.

In fact, my work naturally filters people.

Some families connect deeply with candid, unposed images where children are free to move, laugh, get messy during breakfast, and simply be themselves. Others may not resonate with that at all and that’s completely okay.

For me, it’s important to work with families who truly value these real, unscripted moments.

That’s why I believe social media is not only a tool for attracting clients, but also a tool for refining your audience.

What you share defines who comes to you.

My main advice to photographers who are just starting out or looking to grow is this: don’t try to adapt to everyone.

Instead, start by asking yourself an honest question what do you genuinely love to create? What kind of images feel true to you? What process brings you real satisfaction?

That is what you should be showing.

Your style is not something you invent for your audience. It is something you discover within yourself. And the more honestly you express it, the more naturally the right people will find you.

Today, my audience may not be the largest, but it is very aligned.

These are people who already understand what they are coming for. They see my work, connect with it, and trust me even before the session begins.

And that changes everything.

I don’t question whether my work will be liked. I know they chose me for exactly this. That freedom allows me to create images that are more honest, emotional, and alive.

And in the end, it benefits everyone both me as an artist and the families who receive exactly what they were looking for.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://manilova.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenphoto.sandiego?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellen.manilova.2025?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/hU2XoeixOB

Image Credits

These photographs are mine. I am the author