Roxanne Elise Photography

09/01/2026

I'm finally back at editing sessions, so here is a quick preview for Graham, Class of 2027!

08/27/2026

I'll be out of the office for the next few days, as Friday is my wedding day! (Hence why I've been quiet on social media this week.) Editing and responses to inquiries/emails will resume next week.

Photo credit: Jenna Walker Photography

08/22/2026

Rest in peace K9 Ace. It wasn't too long ago when Ace and Sgt. Kohlmann came to my studio for these photos.

In Memory of K9 Ace

It is with profound sadness that the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office announces the unexpected passing of K9 Ace following medical complications.

Ace arrived here in August 2020, and since then, faithfully served the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Fond du Lac County alongside his handler, Sergeant Andrew Kohlmann. In these last six years, Ace demonstrated an extraordinary level of dedication, courage, and commitment to the community he served.

Together, Sgt. Kohlmann and K9 Ace were deployed 479 times, resulting in 496 arrests and countless instances in which Ace’s skills helped keep our deputies and community safe.

Throughout his career, Ace was responsible for helping locate and seize significant amounts of illegal drugs and other evidence, including:

• 1,347 grams of co***ne
• 1,080 grams of he**in
• 2,657 grams of methamphetamine
• 2,070 M**A pills
• More than 1,500 scheduled narcotics pills and prescription medications
• 236 paraphernalia arrests and citations
• 35 illegally possessed fi****ms seized
• More than $100,000 in drug-related cash seized

While these numbers demonstrate the tremendous impact Ace had on law enforcement and community safety, they do not tell the whole story.

K9 Ace was more than a law enforcement tool. He was a partner, a protector, and a beloved member of the Sheriff’s Office family. Behind every deployment was a dedicated dog who relied on his training and instincts, and a handler who trusted him completely. Together, Ace and Sgt. Kohlmann formed a partnership that made a lasting difference in Fond du Lac County and to our Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit. The duo’s work was an integral factor in driving the growth of our K9 program to the size it is today.

Ace worked when called upon, stood beside his fellow deputies, and served our community without hesitation. His contributions will continue to be felt through the people he helped protect, the dangerous substances and weapons he helped remove from our streets, and the countless situations in which his service made a difference.

Today, we ask the citizens of Fond du Lac County to join us in remembering K9 Ace and honoring the six years of faithful service he gave to our community.

To Sgt. Kohlmann: We recognize the tremendous bond between you and Ace and the loss that comes with saying goodbye to a trusted partner and friend. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens you served together are grateful for everything you both gave to this community.

Rest easy, Ace. Your watch is over, and your six other four-legged partners will take it from here.

08/16/2026

Is anyone else feeling AI fatigue? Because I am.

Real art and creativity have been replaced by busy AI flyers, unusable AI logos, robotic-sounding social media posts, and fake images and videos.

While some of it’s lazy and unoriginal but relatively harmless, AI is frequently being used to dupe or scam people. This is a major issue in the professional photography industry; there is now an epidemic of photographers using AI-generated images in their portfolio and advertising. I called one out last week and, after some protest, he eventually removed all the fake images from his website and social media. His actual photography was far different from the images he was advertising. (Those who know my history know I feel strongly inclined to prevent people from getting scammed by an unscrupulous business owner.) There was another photographer going viral in a bad way recently after she was found to be fabricating entire weddings using AI images and making up stories to go along with them. Now, this issue isn’t exclusive to photography. For example, I recently discovered an Instagram account that was comprised entirely of AI-generated videos being used to sell a diet supplement. That one was NOT easy to spot, but something appeared “off” in the first video, which led me to scrutinize the rest. AI scams are happening across many industries and people are not automatically in tune to recognizing the clues.

I am not completely against AI. I know it’s helpful for many things, and I use it in different ways both personally and professionally. However, I believe that it needs to be used responsibly and kept in check. Like most photographers, I use professional editing software that has some AI tools to help speed up some of the more tedious tasks. Even when I do use AI in my workflow, it’s only part of the process and my images are still individually reviewed and hand-retouched. I advertise only real photos of real people and I have no desire to fake anything about my portfolio or my business.

I also take pride in the fact that I write my own posts. As a solo business owner in a creative field (key word: CREATIVE), I want my human voice to be heard, because my business is an extension of me. One reason people hire a particular business over another is because they connect well with the individual behind the business. There’s no way to truly connect like this when everything written is AI. At the most, I occasionally use AI to help me expand on an idea, condense something that was too wordy, or refine a sentence or two. But the majority of my social media posts (including this one) are 100% written by me. I'm a capable writer and have always excelled in spelling and grammar. I don’t want my marketing to sound exactly like everyone else. I’m pretty intentional about what I write, and will typically type something up and then re-write/re-organize/edit it before publishing it.

PLEASE… I’d rather see AUTHENTIC over perfect! AI-generated work is a turnoff to me and makes me question whether I would receive personal attention if I were a client or customer of a business that’s using AI in this way. And I definitely don’t want to be duped by fake images.

Let’s get back to valuing creativity and individuality!

(Photo of my original photographic artwork printed on wood, hanging in my home. Not AI.)

08/11/2026

My clients know I love experimenting with lighting and other in-camera techniques to get unique images. It's all about creating art together! 🖤
I can't wait to show Maggie the rest of her images.

Limited senior session availability remaining!
Roxanne Elise Photography
Fond du Lac, WI
Distinctively you | Designed to stand out
www.roxanneelisephotography.com

08/03/2026

Another one of Maggie, Class of 2027! That yellow dress was perfect for a peaceful blue hour at the beach. We have such a great variety from her session and I can't wait to show more.

I still have some openings for senior sessions this summer for you procrastinators!

07/31/2026

Maggie was completely in her element at her senior session at Road America. I love when I envision an idea and can make it happen using locations that are meaningful to these seniors! (And can we also give a shout-out to the guy driving the gator who was kind enough to give us a speedy ride not once, but twice that evening?)

07/27/2026

Up until a few years ago, I assumed that everyone could visualize things in their mind. My mental images are extremely vivid and detailed, and I can plan out scenes, manipulate objects, and dictate movement all in my mind. My visualizations often also include sound or other senses, like mini movies playing out in my head.

Then I heard about something called aphantasia. There is a small percentage of the population who cannot mentally visualize things. They say they understand things more as concepts and thought that it was metaphorical when someone would say “picture this in your mind.”

While I’ve never had a formal evaluation, I think I might have hyperphantasia (according to my internet research only of course). This is the end of the spectrum of mental visualization ability where a person sees things in extreme detail.

This helps me as a photographer because I can look at an outfit my client plans to wear for their session and then decide what background it will look best in by imagining how it will fit into the scene. This is also probably why I can arrive at a location and quickly scan the area, and subsequently plan out how I want a photo to look. I’m sure several of my clients could recall hearing me say “Yesssss! This turned out exactly like my vision.” Working as a photographer has probably helped me develop this skill further, but it was definitely there for my entire life.

And on a different but related note, I also have that “internal monologue” going on. My mind is never quiet, and I’m constantly analyzing, planning conversations, reviewing past conversations, and silently talking through anticipated scenarios. These aren’t voices in my head telling me to do things, but rather internalized conversations with myself. It's actually somewhat exhausting, but I also couldn't imagine not having this.

Now I wonder how many photographers or other artists/creative individuals see and plan out scenes in their mind like me. I’m sure there is a high percentage of visual thinkers who end up in art and creative careers or hobbies. But... are there any successful photographers or artists with aphantasia? I’m wondering how those individuals operate and manage the need for visual output! Do you compensate somehow? Does your brain have a strong “other” sense? I am very interested in hearing about this because I can’t even wrap my brain around the concept of NOT mentally visualizing images.

07/19/2026

I talk quite a bit about custom senior photography. What I do is different than most, and it creates an elevated overall experience. I believe that your senior photo session should be a memory in itself instead of just something to check off of a list.

So, what is custom senior photography? 📸

At the heart of it, this means that you and your wishes are the main focus, while the photographer is there for expert guidance along the way.

1. We begin the process by meeting for a consultation at my studio. In my experience working with teens, I have found that the consultation is essential for creating familiarity and better photos as a result. This time allows us to get to know each other so you feel comfortable by the time you’re actually in front of my camera, instead of feeling awkward like you might with a stranger. It allows you to let me know of any concerns or questions you may have, and allows me to see your genuine smiles. The consultation is also where we begin to collaborate on creative ideas for your session to make it unique and personal.

2. You get to choose the locations or backgrounds that fit your style and interests. Do you like fields of wildflowers? The beach? The ice rink? The football field? A downtown alley? Your grandparents’ farm? Or maybe a creative studio session? I don’t force you to go to specific places that may not be of interest to you, because it’s not about me. These are YOUR images. And choosing your locations makes the entire experience feel more personal. Of course, if you don’t have any locations in mind, I can suggest options that fit your style.

3. We plan out all of your outfits before the session. I discuss what photographs well (and what does not) for each type of location or background. I even have a handful of versatile pieces you can borrow from my client closet. Once you decide on your wardrobe selection, I help you coordinate each piece to each location so that everything looks very intentional. We always go into your session with a plan!

4. When you’re finally in front of my camera, I'll guide you into poses that flatter YOU and help you feel confident throughout the session. My posing style is more guided instead of rigid, and we incorporate plenty of movement (and laughter) to get the most natural looks and authentic expressions. Plus, I will constantly hype you up by telling you how amazing you look! (And I mean it- I genuinely want you to feel like a celebrity during your session.)

5. I review your images one by one, narrowing down all the best shots to show you, and then during the editing process everything is given a hand-edited touch. I do not simply add a preset or run them through some sketchy AI app that changes how you look, and I do not outsource my editing to anyone else. I have received many compliments in the past about how I don’t over-edit the images to the point they look airbrushed or fake. Authenticity is in, and I want to ensure the final images look like you (on your best hair and skin day) and that the details are taken care of.

6. You’ll be treated to your own personal ordering appointment. This is designed to be an exciting event where you can see your image proofs on a larger screen, and I’m there to guide you into choosing if you need assistance. And not only that, you'll have the freedom to order exactly what images and products you want, without any rigid package requirements.

You deserve a special senior experience, rather than a cookie-cutter session!

www.roxanneelisephotography.com/seniors
Class of 2027 dates still available!

07/16/2026

What an amazing session at the du Lac County Fair last night! And Maggie definitely was a natural, despite the air quality alert.
Maggie, SMSA Class of 2027

www.roxanneelisephotography.com/seniors
Summer & fall senior sessions available!