Allison Michael Orenstein's love of photography dates back to age thirteen, when she used her hard-earned babysitting income to buy her first camera. An Olympus point-and-shoot, just for the record.



Her passion for the form inspired her higher education, and she earned her BFA in photography from the University of Delaware, in 1998. Thereafter she relocated to New York, and began her career in the studio of the architectural photographer Chun Lai.



Allison worked as a studio manager and photo assistant for seven years, all the while continuing to work exhaustively on personal projects. In 2005, she began shooting professionally. Her editorial clients include Fortune Small Business, Real Simple, Smart Money, Fitness, and Bust. Her work has also appeared in New York Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, Elle, and Time Out New York.



In addition to her editorial work, Allison continues to experiment, whether it's documenting her travels around the globe (especially on the high seas) or pursuing various long-term photo projects.