Ellen Stern began her career in photography as a black and white landscape photographer, becoming well versed in the Ansel Adams School of the Zone System. Upon graduation from Clark University, she was awarded a job as an assistant photographer to a fashion photographer in Milan, Italy. Subsequently, during the next three years she worked for and photographed for the most successful Italian model agency. For the next nine years, Stern worked as a freelance fashion photographer in New York and the mid- Atlantic states shooting for fashion designers, advertising and public relations agencies, boutiques, magazines, and newspapers. Stern also designed an exclusive line of handmade, couture handbags made from rare and unique silk flowers and leaves. She exhibited and sold her designs in the most prestigious fine craft and fashion shows in the United States and Europe. Stern was invited to participate in various museum shows and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Winfrey commissioned Stern to create custom handbag designs for various events that she attended.
Stern taught Photography at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Md. and created, directed and taught the Paris Photography Program for MICA for four summers. Stern has taught for the past 13 years at Lynn University in Florida as Associate Professor.
