Welcome To Island Management Group

About Adria

About Adria

Adria Ellis has been a leader in the iPhoneography community since 2010. She was a featured artists in the L.A. Mobile Art festival in 2012, and her work has been  repeatedly celebrated in  the Mobile Photography awards, The MIRA Photography awards as well as the iPhone Photography Awards. Most recently Adria received the 2023 Critics Choice award from Lens Culture.  

Adria graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography in 1996. It is this foundation that set her apart as she moved from shooting with a SLR to becoming an iPhone devotee, and master. 

 In 2015 Ellis opened a small gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico and curated an exclusive exhibition of iPhone Photography at Evoke Gallery. Since 2017 Adria has been taking small groups to Havana Cuba on photography excursions. “I have tried on many different hats over the last 20 years. Introducing people to Havana, Cuba and teaching photography is certainly my favorite.”  

In 1994 I attended Brooks Institute of Photography. Brooks was strictly a school of photography and science. The timing  was unique, these years ended up being the last few years before digital cameras had a presence in the photography world. I used every format camera available, processed all my film, and printed both color and black and white. There was extensive work done, not only in the labs but also in the studios.  My education that was second to none, and an interregnal stepping stone to getting me where I am today.

Since 2011 I have been shooting exclusively with my iPhone. Once I let go of my larger cameras and excessive gear I discovered a new level of creativity and passion.  My camera is always in my hand, I enjoy the instant gratification, and I appreciate the ability to quickly manipulate and edit my images. What I have learned is that people rarely pay any attention to a women on the street with an iPhone, it’s a bit like being invisible. I find people are more receptive, less intimidated, and more natural. 

CUBA

Cuba was a game changer for me. I fell in love with the people, the culture, the streets and the architecture. I have committed to photographing Havana for ten years, and I’m half way there. What I thought I would be documenting has changed in some ways. I imagined Cuba becoming more modernized, I imagined seeing more of a Western presence, I assumed the architecture would continue to deteriorate and I hoped that life for Cubans would continue on the upswing that I had been witnessing since 2016. Here we are in 2023 and life in Cuba is more difficult than it has been in 75 years. Cuba is back to longer food lines, fuel shortages and un-manageable inflation. The government continues to promote tourism, but life in Cuba is difficult. It changes a bit every time I’m there and you never know quite what to expect. 

Employment & Formal photographic education:

2019 Tourism Board of Ireland & Steller Stories: A Digital Day in the Life of Ireland.
2017 Havana Now: Leading custom tours in Havana, Cuba.
2017  Apple : Launch of Apple’s official Instagram feed.
2016 Inspirato: Provide social content for blog and Instagram.
2014-15  Wholefoods:  Brand Embassedor, provide social media content.
1997 Graduated from Brooks institute of photography with honors in commercial photography and illustration.
1990 at Parsons School of Design in Paris.

AWARDS

2023 Lens Culture Critics choice Award2019 Short list MIRA Mobile Prize

2018 Exhibition Fabriqua Des Atre in Havana Cuba.

2016 Mobile Photography Awards: Water & Photojournalism

2015 Mobile Photography Awards: Travel & Transportation & Silhouettes & Landscapes & Architecture

2015 Mobile Photo Now. Columbus Museum of Art

2015 MPLS Juried Show: Still Lives.

2014 MPA Pocket Vistas – Ontario Exhibit: Winter Landscape.

2014 MPA Shadow Stories: Two portraits.

2014 MPLS Juried Show. Two still lives.

2013 Mobile Photography Awards: Plants & Flowers

2013 iPhone Photography Awards. Honorable Mention:  Flowers

2013 iPhone Photography Awards. Honorable Mention:  Flowers

2013 American Aperture Awards. Honorable Mentions: Fashion

2013 American Aperture Awards. Honorable Mentions: Nudes

2013 American Aperture Awards. Honorable Mentions: Street Life

2013 Published  “The Art of iPhone photography.” A collaboration of the worlds 45 leading iPhone photographers.

2012 La Mobile Arts Festival. Featured: Botanica Illuminati2012 La Mobile Arts Festival. Featured: Portrait Series

2012 La Mobile Arts Festival. Featured: Winter Series

2012 Mobile Photography awards. Flowers

2012 Mobile Photography awards. Travel Plants

2012 iPhone Photography Awards.  First Place: Botanicals
2012 iPhone Photography Awards.  First Place: Animals
2012 iPhone Photography Awards.  First Place: Still Life
2012 iPhone Photography Awards.  Honorable Mention: Life Style
2012 iPhone Photography Awards.  Honorable Mention: Seasons
2012 iPhone Photography Awards.  Honorable Mention: Still Life