Emma Summerton was born in Wollongong, Australia. Life in Sydney called in and she left for her first adventure out of home. She attended The National Art school in Darlinghurst studying Fine Art with a major in Photography and Printmaking.

Self Portrait work began in this time through the need for privacy while ‘working it out’. A coffee shop conversation lead to assisting a Fashion Photographer right out of Art School for the next 7 years. She learned more than she imagined about Photography, the magic, technique and the discipline of making your imagination into images.

During this time she saw Italian Vogue for the first time which made her realize Fashion Photography could be Art. The path was set with the dream to shoot Italian Vogue one day.

London called in 1998. A new Love inspired new Self Portraits on Polaroid in along with a desire to return to a voice she had found in the late 80’s.

New Polaroid Self Portraits shot for Terry de Havilland’s relaunch in 2006 emerged into the world. Fashion noticed, work began in a new way... Dazed & Confused and Self Service. Paths opened from there with the guidance and support of Edward Enninful who she collaborated with for many years shooting i-D, Italian Vogue and W Magazine.

During this time shooting for most Vogue titles through the years and hitting just over 50 Vogue covers up till now. In 2019 Summerton had her first Exhibition of the Polaroid Self Portraits presented as large format prints. Her last show in 2023, 14 Spells ( to save your life ), explored once again the Self Portrait along with painting. Summerton’s Self Portrait and Fashion Prints live in many Art Collections around the globe. She was chosen to shoot the 49th Pirelli Calendar being the 5th Woman in it’s history to do so. Editorial Clients include: Italian, British, German, Australian, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese Vogue’s, W Magazine, i-D, Self Service, Dazed & Confused, Harpers Bazaar, CR, V Magazine, Garage, Violet, The Last magazine, 10 and Big Magazine. Pan & The Dream. Commercial Clients: Dior, Estee Lauder, Loreal, Paul & Joe, Kate Spade, Miu Miu, Prada, River Island, Anna Sui, Burberry, Diane von Furstenburg, H&M, Jaeger, Max & Co, Topshop, Orla Kiely, Adeam, Agent Provocateur, Terry de Havilland, Yves Saint Laurent, No7.