about ME
for starters, i'm totally hyped that you're here.
ERBAN
LAST NAME:
FIRST NAME: LIZ
HEIGHT: 5'3" (ON A GOOD DAY)
CURRENT PLACE OF RESIDENCE: ORANGE COUNTY, CA
LIKES: ICE CREAM STRAIGHT FROM THE PINT, CLIMBING ROCKS, really dry hard ciders, ski season, every wes anderson film, a good pair of wide leg pants, bribing my friends to go backpacking with me (+ the actual backpacking part is pretty fun, too)
DISLIKES: THE SOUND OF CARDBOARD RUBBING AGAINST CARDBOARD, RACISTS, HOMOPHOBES, transphobes, NOVELS WITH OBSCENELY LONG + BORING INTROS, white wine
she/her
PRONOUNS:
who i am
The short version:
I decided to stop being a scared lil b****, quit my restaurant job, and dove head first into the photography world. Now here we are.
The longer version:
I was 19 years old, working a job that I didn't like and majoring in something I didn't want to study. I was in that miserable half-adult, half-teenager stage where you have zero life direction (anyone else?). Then, one day in November I was on a climbing trip in Joshua Tree with my then-boyfriend, Justus. After a long afternoon of bouldering in the desert, Justus turned to me as we were walking back to the car and and said, "You've gotta figure out what you want to do with your life. Like soon. Like, I'm giving you until New Years". I'll be honest, this was kinda harsh. I mean, 6 weeks to figure out what to do with my life?? Geez, Justus. To give him credit, I had been talking his ear off complaining all afternoon about work, college, everything under the sun (he was probably really fed up with me). But, I guess I just needed a little push 'cause, two hours later, I told him that photography was all that I wanted. And he was like, "Yeah, I know. It's pretty obvious". A few months later, I quit my restaurant job, changed my major, and went full-time with this crazy, wild career. HEY LOOK MA, I MADE IT.*
how i got here
*If you got that P!ATD reference, let's be friends
I believe in love. I believe in inclusivity. And, I want you to know that you are welcome here.
I welcome people of all sexualities, orientations, colors, sizes, abilities, backgrounds, & religions.
There is only ONE (literally one) group of people that I do not welcome, and that group is hateful people (racists, homophobes, etc.). So, if you fall into that category, please know that I'm just not the photographer for you! It's not me...it's you.
I want to be upfront about all of this because it's important to me that I and the people I work with are on the same page. I love love (I guess that's one of the reasons I'm a wedding photographer, yeah?). And, I want to always be working and growing to be a more loving and supportive human. So, it's important to me that I surround myself with people who are on a similar journey — not an opposite one. If you have any questions about this, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm an open book!
what i believe
questions i get asked a lot
"is your last name really erban?"
"will you shoot my wedding?"
"is your hair naturally curly?"
100%. I promise I wasn't just trying to be cool and do a play on the word 'urban'.
I wouldn't have the patience to curl it like this every day. So, yes.
Duh.
