Behind the Lens

Let’s get to know each other!

My full name is Elizabeth Joy Frere, and I am the founder of Joy in Photos. The people who know and love me most describe me as energetic, determined, and wholly authentic, and I hope to embody those qualities in my everyday life! 

As a kid, my interests really spanned the gamut -- I took private sewing lessons every week from ages 8-18, but I also grew up racing Go Karts at breakneck speeds. Born and raised in Ohio, I proudly attended The Ohio State University and majored in Family & Consumer Sciences. Prior to founding Joy in Photos, I was a home economics teacher at Hilliard Davidson High School for 13 years.

Let’s talk about my tribe:

Evan, Benson, and Genevieve. I’m probably biased, but they’re the best one a girl could ask for! I met my husband, Evan, at Lifepoint Church, where he was the church band’s drummer. We were married July 9, 2016 after just six weeks of being engaged! Our son Benson was born in August of 2020, which is also when I decided to transition away from teaching and stay at home instead. Then our daughter Genevieve was born in May of 2022, and we became a lively, goofy, joyful family of four.

I started photography as a hobby in 2017, primarily to capture pictures of my dog Braxton, who was pretty much my child! I soon started taking photos of anything and everything once my (human) kids were born, as I wanted to preserve every fleeting moment of their milestones. My camera currently has its home on my countertop, within easy reaching distance… which is perfect, because I pick it up at least once a day!