Elena Maria Canavese was born in 1989 in Milan, Italy. 

She received a B.A. in Sculpture from Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan, studying with the artist Gianni Caravaggio. After 2012, she began researching in the area of history of photography. She holds a master's degree in Photography from Academy of Brera working on a thesis in history of 19th century French photography. She has a master's degree in Histoiry of Art from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. 

Now she is working towards a PhD in History of Art at the University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté. Her thesis is focusing on amateur photographers in the late 19th century.

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