Meet Elizabeth Cox | Photographer

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

Hi Elizabeth, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
I think the most important lesson is that communication is key! I have learned that when entering into any job/contract, it is vital to have honest talks about what your client is expecting from you, and what you can deliver. A client may have an idea they want executed, and the creator may see something completely different. That is why there needs to be open dialog about everything! This includes ideas, colors, specific movements, and even photos of inspiration that client can use to help guide the creator so that both parties are on the same page. When reflecting, most issues or misunderstandings originate from a lack of communication. Therefore, I try to compensate by over communication.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a photographer, I shoot a wide range of genres from families and events, to real estate and even baby deliveries, but my focus is sports/movement and my passion is shooting CrossFit. While I have been a photographer for 16 years, I have shot CrossFit for 11 of those years. I was always drawn to trying to capture movement, but I was instantly hooked when I took my camera to a CrossFit gym back in 2012.

For many years, photography was a part time gig and eventually I took the scary step of leaving my full time job working for a company that offered insurance and benefits to pursue photography as a full time career. Was it scary? Yes, but so was the thought of staying at a job where I was unfulfilled and I lacked the ability to express myself creatively.

In 2017 I started learning underwater photography with the intention of being able to shoot athletes at CrossFit competitions because at the time there weren’t many people shooting underwater at these events. Living in Florida, I had many opportunities to practice shooting underwater and eventually got jobs shooting couples, engagements, maternities and products for various brands. It wasn’t until 2021 that I was hired to shoot a competition called Wheel WOD that had a swim portion where I was able to use this skill.

You ask if this has been easy? No. There have been a lot of ups, a lot of downs, and many times I certainly have thought about throwing in the towel. One of the things that I didn’t anticipate was having to do a lot of “cold calling”. I used to get a lot of anxiety reaching out to people/companies as rejection can be hard to swallow, but now its one of those things that when I hear no, I just keep trying. It may sound cliché, but setting goals has been vital to help with the process. Every success needs to be celebrated and every failure requires introspection.

In the past two years, I began learning video and looking forward, this year I am planning to really dig into that world and spend a lot of time learning.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate a shout out to my husband and my mom and dad for always being supportive of me. My dad, who passed away in 2017 was the person that initially got me into photography. I know he would be very proud of me.

I would also like to acknowledge the roll that CrossFit has played in my life. Not just for changing my life as far as my health and supplying me with a lot of meaningful friendships, but also inspiring me to make photography a full time career.

Website: www.elizabethcoxphoto.com

Instagram: @elizabethcoxphoto

Facebook: Elizabeth Cox Photography

Image Credits
Charlotte Foerschler-Photo of me sitting by water with camera. Bruce William B.A.W -Photo of me shooting. Donovan Klem -Photo of me in pool shooting.