Elsa Florência - Artist

Elsa Florência is a biologist with a postgraduate degree in Science Communication and certified in Permaculture Design and Outdoor Learning. She teaches Society, Technology & Science (STS) in adult education programmes and trains educators in sustainability and permaculture gardening.

Passionate about photography and the natural world, she has long engaged students in creating herbaria, but discovered a whole new dimension through 19th-century alternative photographic techniques. Working with anthotypes and especially cyanotypes, she creates plant images at a slow, deliberate pace, producing truly unique photographs.

Every step of her process is hands-on — from harvesting and preparing the plants, to printing on paper, fabric, or other surfaces, and finally developing the image — resulting in works that celebrate the rhythm and beauty of nature.