Elena Cruz obtained a BFA majoring in photography from Parsons The New School for Design in New York City in May of 2008. Later that year she moved to Puerto Rico to reconnect with her roots and pursue her career as a photographer. She lived in the San Juan area for 2 years and then moved to the west coast. Before moving to Puerto Rico, her main subject was portraiture. However, the move to the west coast brought a new found awareness of the surroundings and while engaging in surf photography she began to develop a passion for landscape photography. The west coast always held a special place in Elena’s heart. She felt a sense of peace whenever she visited that part of the island. That is one of the main reasons why she finally decided to move there. This, she understood, represented a move forward in her career. She was also well aware that this shift would have a positive effect on her spiritual and artistic growth. Elena feels that since she was a child a special connection with the island and its diverse landscape had developed. And even though this connection was interrupted by the years lived in the U.S, by moving back she has been able to reclaim it through her passion which is photography.