Elise Forrest Harleston (February 8, 1891 – 1970) was South Carolina's first black female photographer.

[3] Both Elise and Edwin were graduates of the Avery Normal Institute, a private school for Black youth [2] which was established in 1868.

[2] However, she soon grew tired of the experience and returned to Charleston, where she then worked as a seamstress at the Union Millinery & Notion Company.

[5] When the two of them returned home, Edwin supported Elise in enrolling in photography school despite the advice of their families so the two could marry and open a studio together.

[7] After learning and receiving guidance from Battey, Elise's work became an embodiment of the "New Negro" movement through combatting racial stereotypes and injustice within her art.

[10] The couple operated the studio as a team, Edwin was the painter, and Elise was the photographer, and often collaborated on multiple projects together.

[6] Shortly after their wedding, Edwin and Elise assumed guardianship of their niece, Gussie Harleston after the death of her parents.

[4] Aaron Douglas worked with Edwin to create a set of murals that are displayed at Fisk University.

[12] In 1996, two of Elise's black and white prints were showcased in an exhibition called "A History of Women Photographer", which was held at the New York Public Library.

[1] Not long after Harleston's death in 1970, one of her family members discovered a box of glass-plate negatives that had been saved.