Elise Forrest Harleston

Elise Forrest Harleston (February 8, 1891 – 1970) was South Carolina's first black female photographer. After graduating, she worked as a teacher in rural South Carolina, this was due to the fact that at this time it was illegal for African Americans to become teachers in Charleston's public schools. When the two of them returned home, Edwin supported Elise in enrolling in photography school so the two could marry and open a studio together. Their studio lasted from 1922 to 1931. There she produced and sold a series of portraits of Charleston's black street vendors. The couple operated the studio as a team, Edwin was the painter, and Elise was the photographer, and often collaborated on multiple projects together. Elise would take photographs of the subjects, while Edwin would paint from the photos for his portraits, such as the subject of his prize-winning drawing A Colored Grand Army Man.

In 1996, two of Elise's black and white prints were showcased in an exhibition called "A History of Women Photographers", which was held at the New York Public Library. Until then, her work had been never in an exhibition outside of the state of South Carolina.