THE ARTE SOCIETY envisions a world where creativity is nurtured with intention. Read more about the world we want to create with OUR VISION.

Each month in THE ARTE SOCIETY, we gather and connect over LIVE ZOOMS. We often discuss the MONTHLY THEME, critique and discuss community members work, and also have occasional guests. If you are ever unable to make it to the live event, we have all of the replays for you to rewatch at anytime. Take a look at our archive of incredible conversations throughout the year.

In this FIELD GUIDE, learn some classic concepts about composition & a few of things Elizabeth Messina thinks about and looks for when she looks through her view finder & makes photographs. Explore how framing, balance, perspective, negative space, and small visual details can help you thoughtfully compose the photographs you create.

In this Photoshop demonstration, expert retoucher Tyler Johnson shares her approach to skin retouching, revealing how to refine and enhance a portrait while preserving the natural texture and character of the skin. Follow along as Tyler walks through techniques, and subtle adjustments for creating beautifully polished images that still feel authentic and real.

Each month in THE ARTE SOCIETY, we focus on a subject or concept, and create meaningful photographs centered around that theme. September’s theme is FILM PHOTOGRAPHY. Elizabeth Messina built her career being known as a film photographer, and has a deep love for the practice and process of shooting film. This month we will explore how you can incorporate film photography into your current photographic practice or career. Join us.

We love to see the images you create. We at THE ARTE SOCIETY believe that sharing your work in a supportive & artful environment can be transformative. The MONTHLY THEME for AUGUST 2026 is FLORAL ARTE. More than simply posting photographs, this is an opportunity to witness how different artists interpret the same subject matter. If you are in the SOCIETY please share your work in OUR PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP : anything inspired by this month’s theme, FLORAL ARTE. ELIZABETH MESSINA personally spends time reviewing member submissions, offering encouragement, artistic observations & insight into the emotional and visual nuances that make an image resonate. This shared experience is designed to foster growth, inspiration & creative confidence within our community. If you aren’t part of the SOCIETY, we’d love to see your photos, please share on instagram with the tag #SOCIETYPICTURES

Join Elizabeth Messina & Kelle Ramsey for a lively discussion and critique of your work centered around August’s monthly theme : FLORAL ARTE. If you are a member of THE SOCIETY - please submit any images you made inspired by our monthly theme, or any pervious work that you want to share with the group, via a link in our private Facebook group. Come get inspired by seeing other members work, and see all the incredible possibilities that adding florals to your can images can offer, from simplistic to opulent. If you are not a member of THE SOCIETY, we would still LOVE to see your images. You can share them on Instagram with the #societypictures.

Join Kelle Ramsey for an in-depth Photoshop tutorial exploring the arte of dodging and burning. Through subtle enhancements to highlights and shadows, you'll learn how to create greater depth, shape, and visual impact while preserving the authenticity of your imagery.

Writer, singer, and yoga teacher ULRICA HANNA shares a guided introduction to the ancient practice of mantra. Rooted in the Hindu tradition, this meditation invites you to slow down, quiet the mind, and reconnect with your innate creativity through the repetition of sacred sound. Whether practiced before a photo session, during a season of creative fatigue, or simply as part of a daily ritual, this is a beautiful way to cultivate presence, inspiration, and inner calm. Watch HERE.

The experience of receiving photographs should feel just as meaningful as creating them. In this video, Elizabeth Messina shares her process for selecting, wrapping, framing, and presenting finished artwork to her clients. From elegant packaging to carefully curated prints, discover how tangible deliverables can transform the way your work is experienced and remembered. Watch HERE.

Art is rarely meant to be made in isolation. Our private Facebook Group and private Instagram are an extension of The Arte Society. Connect with fellow photographers from around the world, share your work, exchange ideas, ask questions, and enjoy meaningful interaction with Elizabeth Messina as she offers encouragement, insights, and inspiration throughout your journey. It is a welcoming, supportive community created to help you grow both artistically and personally.

Natural light is one of the most expressive tools a photographer can learn to understand. In this thoughtful PDF, you'll explore how to recognize beautiful light, work with its ever-changing qualities, and create photographs that feel luminous, timeless, and full of atmosphere. Drawing from a career built upon a masterful understanding of natural light, Elizabeth Messina shares the principles and observations that have defined her work for decades. Read it HERE.

The MONTHLY THEME for August 2026 is FLORAL ARTE : a thoughtful study of the beauty, symbolism, and artistic possibilities of flowers in photography. We will explore composition, light, color, texture, seasonality, still life, portraiture, and the many ways florals can enrich and elevate your visual storytelling. From botanical studies to lush arrangements and the thoughtful use of flowers within portraiture, this theme invites you to create imagery that feels intentional. Together, we will examine the enduring language of flowers through a creative and thoughtful lens.

Each month we encourage members to share the images they make focused around our Monthly Theme. The MONTHLY THEME for JULY 2026 is SILENCE. A time to reflect and pause. Maybe that pause inspired you to make images around this concept, or you decided to set your camera down and explore your internal world. If you did create images and are in THE SOCIETY, please share in our PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP. ELIZABETH MESSINA personally spends time reviewing member submissions, offering encouragement, artistic observations & insight into the emotional and visual nuances that make an image resonate. This shared experience is designed to foster growth, inspiration & creative confidence within our community. If you aren’t part of the SOCIETY, we’d love to see your photos, please share on instagram with the tag #SOCIETYPICTURES

Day 3 - CREATE. Immersive encaustics with Leah Macdonald. Learn the ancient ARTE of encaustic techniques. Leah will guide participants through the fundamentals of working with organic beeswax & photographic prints, including layering, fusing, painting, surface manipulation, and image integration. Artists will learn how wax alters light, depth, and texture, allowing photographs to evolve into tactile, luminous works of ARTE that bridge photography & painting. Reserve your seat HERE.

Day 2 - CAPTURE. The female portrait with Elizabeth Messina. Participants will participate in an immersive PHOTO SHOOT with a  model (under Elizabeth’s guidance & support). Emphasis will be placed on THE FEMALE PORTRAIT  in natural light, composition, gesture, and emotional narrative. This session offers insight into Elizabeth’s refined approach to portraiture. Attendees will not only observe first hand how Elizabeth poses, interacts with and creates artistic natural portraiture, but will also capture their own unique images to add to their portfolios.  Reserve your seat HERE.

Day 1 - GATHER. An intimate evening relaxing with Elizabeth & Leah while connecting with fellow attendees, at Elizabeth Messina’s natural light studio & garden in Southern California. This is a relaxed welcome gathering and is an opportunity to settle in and step into the creative spirit of the weekend. Reserve your seat HERE.

Inside THE ARTE SOCIETY, you’ll discover our ARTIST’S ANTHOLOGY : a thoughtfully curated collection of inspirational words designed to nourish the creative spirit and awaken the artist within. Featuring words, quotes, poetry, and passages from artists, philosophers, writers, and visionaries throughout history, the ANTHOLOGY is paired with ELIZABETH MESSINA’s evocative imagery to create an experience that feels both visually and emotionally inspiring. These are words to return to during moments of uncertainty, creative fatigue, longing, hope, reinvention, or quiet reflection. Gentle reminders that creativity is not only about productivity, but also about feeling deeply, observing closely, and remaining connected to your inner world. A beautiful space inside THE ARTE SOCIETY to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the language of inspiration.

Inside the SOCIETY VIDEO LIBRARY, members are invited into the creative process through VOYEURISTIC, a series of behind the scenes films capturing ELIZABETH MESSINA during real photo sessions and workshops. This particular VOYEURISTIC video was filmed during an intimate in person workshop in SPAIN, offering a candid look into the rhythm, atmosphere, and unfolding artistry of a live shoot. From subtle direction, movement, light, composition, styling, and connection. Members are able to quietly observe the many layers that go into making an image, both the external moments of Elizabeth photographing and creative directing in real time, as well as glimpses into her own point of view : seeing what she is seeing and what she is capturing through the camera itself. These films are a rare glimpse, intentionally observational rather than overly polished, preserving the honesty, instinct, pauses, and creative decisions that often cannot be fully explained through words alone.

Have you ever been curious about creating a MILK BATH portrait? Inside THE ARTE SOCIETY, members can explore the MILK BATH FIELD GUIDE, an in depth educational resource sharing ELIZABETH MESSINA’S personal approach to creating luminous and artful milk bath portraiture. This FIELD GUIDE shares clear practical considerations as well as creative intention : from light, styling, florals, wardrobe, posing, and composition to creating an atmosphere that feels calm, safe, and visually beautiful for your subject. Elizabeth also shares thoughtful tips, artistic insight, and the subtle details that help transform a simple concept into evocative portraiture. Our FIELD GUIDES are beautiful resources for photographers interested in creating soft, intimate, and visually immersive imagery.

Good vibes only : Inside THE ARTE SOCIETY, you’ll find a growing collection of CURATED PLAYLISTS thoughtfully created to accompany and inspire your creative life. Whether you are editing late into the evening, preparing for a photo shoot, driving to a session, journaling, creating personal work, or simply need to dance alone in your kitchen, these playlists are designed to help set the atmosphere and support your creative rhythm. Music has a powerful way of connecting experiences and emotions. Whether you are in search of energy, or stillness, or something else, music is a powerful creative resource, both in life and in the artistic process. From calm and reflective to soulful and uplifting, these playlists offer a soundtrack for creating, dreaming, working or nothing at all.

Join ELIZABETH MESSINA & KELLE RAMSEY for a deeper exploration of our current MONTHLY THEME : MOTHER & CHILD. Together, we will explore one of the most profound relationships we can photograph: a mother and child. FRIENDLY REMINDER, our LIVE ZOOMS are exclusively for SOCIETY MEMBERS and are designed to inspire conversation, creativity, and artistic growth within our community. All LIVE ZOOMS are archived inside THE ARTE SOCIETY so you can return to them anytime to watch and rewatch at your own pace. SOCIETY members are invited to share their STILL LIFE images for a critique intended to illicit creative growth & self reflection.

The MONTHLY THEME for JULY 2026 is SILENCE, an exploration into life stillness and simple being : both as artists and as human beings navigating the complexities of life. As visual artists, we have likely danced with the SILENCE. The pauses between inspiration. The uncertainty. The inquiries that never arrive. The jobs we hoped to book. The waiting. The comparison. The feeling of creating deeply personal work, wondering if anyone truly sees it, if what we create matters. The SILENCE can feel heavy. This month inside THE ARTE SOCIETY, we will explore the emotional landscape of creative life through photography, reflection, conversation, and artistic practice. We will create imagery inspired by stillness, solitude, atmosphere, restraint, and observation while also making space for honest dialogue about the vulnerability of pursuing a creative career. We will embrace SILENCE and focus on how a pause can make space for clarity, resilience, and a stronger sense of self.

JULY 2026 marked one of THE ARTE SOCIETY’s membership enrollment periods, welcoming a new group of photographers and creatives into our growing community.

THE ARTE SOCIETY is an online photography education membership founded by world-renowned photographer and New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Messina. Members have access to an ever-growing library of educational videos, field guides, creative resources, monthly themes, critiques, behind-the-scenes content, and a private community designed to support both artistic growth and a sustainable creative practice.

Membership is now open year-round. We invite you to explore THE ARTE SOCIETY and join us whenever the time feels right.

We love to see the images you create. We at THE ARTE SOCIETY believe that sharing your work in a supportive & artful environment can be transformative. The MONTHLY THEME for JUNE 2026 is MOTHER & CHILD. More than simply posting photographs, this is an opportunity to witness how different artists interpret the same subject matter. From photojournalistic everyday moments to beautifully composed portraits, each of our perspectives become part of a larger conversation about motherhood, closeness, identity & the fleeting nature of childhood. If you are in the SOCIETY please share your work in OUR PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP : anything inspired by this month’s theme, MOTHER & CHILD. ELIZABETH MESSINA personally spends time reviewing member submissions, offering encouragement, artistic observations & insight into the emotional and visual nuances that make an image resonate. This shared experience is designed to foster growth, inspiration & creative confidence within our community. If you aren’t part of the SOCIETY, we’d love to see your photos, please share on instagram with the tag #SOCIETYPICTURES

Take a closer look inside THE SOCIETY LIBRARY, the growing collection of educational content and creative resources available to members of THE ARTE SOCIETY. Explore videos, printable guides, monthly themes, critiques, editing tutorials, artistic conversations, studio insights and more.

There are still a few spots open for ENCAUSTIC ARTE : A 3 day immersive IN PERSON WORKSHOP hosted in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA by ELIZABETH MESSINA & LEAH MACDONALD. Created through our sister company, THE ARTE DEPT., this workshop reflects the same thoughtful, in depth approach that defines our ONLINE MASTERCLASSES & educational offerings rooted in artistry, experimentation, creative growth & meaningful connection. Explore the intersection of photography & the ANCIENT ARTE of ENCAUSTICS through a thoughtful, hands on creative experience. Participants will create original photographs during a full day FEMALE PORTRAIT SESSION, curated, styled & guided by ELIZABETH MESSINA. Attendees will also have a full day learning the process encaustic master, LEAH MACDONALD. Learn foundational techniques & photograph with intention in a deeply creative environment alongside fellow artists. This intimate workshop is for creatives who are longing to reconnect with storytelling & the tactile beauty of handmade work.

The MONTHLY THEME for June 2026 is MOTHER & CHILD : an exploration into the deeply emotional & enduring genre of motherhood photography. Throughout the month, we will explore connection, tenderness, intimacy, movement, storytelling, light, styling & the subtle ways photographs can preserve the bond between a mother & child. From quiet everyday moments to more artfully composed portraits, this theme invites you to create images that feel honest, timeless, and emotionally resonant. Together, we will study the beauty of motherhood through a creative and thoughtful lens, examining not only how to photograph mothers and children, but how to create imagery that holds feeling, memory & meaning for years to come. Inside THE ARTE SOCIETY, as part of each MONTHLY THEME you will also find “REFLECTIONS”, an in depth, printable PDF exploring the artistry, emotion & creative considerations behind motherhood photography, along with a companion “ASSIGNMENT” PDF filled with thoughtful prompts, suggested exercises & photo assignments designed to strengthen & deepen your MOTHER & CHILD portraiture.

Learn some of our favorite LIGHTROOM shortcuts designed to help streamline your editing workflow and save valuable time while navigating your images. In this practical WATCH & LEARN video, expert editor KELLE RAMSEY works in real time inside LIGHTROOM, sharing the shortcuts, tools, and small efficiency habits she uses throughout her editing process. From faster image culling and navigation to workflow organization and editing techniques, this session is designed to help you work more fluidly and confidently allowing more space for creativity and less time spent searching through menus and repetitive tasks. You’ll have a unique opportunity to see how KELLE edits ELIZABETH MESSINA’s photographs in real time. This video lives in THE FLOW : THE ARTE SOCIETY’s workflow video archive..

This LIVE ZOOM is an thoughtful conversation & deep dive. Join ELIZABETH MESSINA & KELLE RAMSEY for a deeper exploration of our current MONTHLY THEME : STILL LIFE photographs. Together, we will explore the power of storytelling through objects and atmosphere, the role of light and composition, creating emotion through detail, and how still life imagery can enrich your portrait, motherhood, and wedding work. FRIENDLY REMINDER : our LIVE ZOOMS are exclusively for SOCIETY MEMBERS and are designed to inspire conversation, creativity, and artistic growth within our community. All LIVE ZOOMS are archived inside THE ARTE SOCIETY so you can return to them anytime to watch and rewatch at your own pace. SOCIETY members are invited to share their STILL LIFE images for a critique intended to illicit creative growth & self reflection.