Ellie Seif's first exposure to film and imaging was as the daughter of a motion picture projectionist in a local movie theater in Brooklyn, New York.  Ellie spent many days in her early childhood in the projection booth with her father.  Her interest in still photography began with Brownie cameras, which lead to many different and more sophisticated camera models, and now Ellie has made the transition to digital photography.

In 1972, Ellie began her creative and professional work as a children's photographer, photographing children in their home environment.  In 1975, Ellie began to teach in the gifted program in the Philadelphia School District, where her curriculum included teaching her students photography and darkroom skills.

During Ellie's years as a teacher and an elementary school principal, she continued to photograph children and families, and began an exploration into other forms of photography. Ellie has honed her skills through years of photographing many different environments and by participating in photography seminars and workshops.  Ellie  exhibited her nature and landscape photography in Philadelphia at the Sedgwick Cultural Center, at InFusion Coffee and Tea Gallery, and with the Friends of the Wissahickon in 2004 and 2005.  In October, 2005, she had a solo exhibit at International House at the University of Pennsylvania, featuring thirty-four images taken in Vietnam in February of 2004, and the same photographs were exhibited at InFusion Coffee and Tea Gallery in September, 2006.  Ellie’s most recent work is of Awbury Arboretum in Germantown, Philadelphia. This exhibit was completed for the annual Awbury Cope Award Ceremony.

Ellie’s current work and creative challenges emanate from her varied interests in people, nature, and diverse environments throughout the world.  Her nature photography features close-up images and landscapes.  The images capture a specific moment in time, recording nature’s beauty that sometimes eludes us as we go about our everyday lives.  Her photographs of people evolve from her desire to understand and communicate cultural similarities and differences and her hope that these understandings will break down barriers to cooperation and peace.