Shelby Rayne Welte (b. 1999) is an experimental photographer, papermaker, and bookmaker from the Chicagoland area of Illinois. She earned her B.A. in Film & Photography from Montana State University, where alternative photographic processes, experimental chromogenic printing, and handmade book structures became central to her practice. While in Montana, Welte’s work investigated ecological disasters that have remained largely obscured within the state, and she continues to expand access to this knowledge through interdisciplinary collaborations with scientists. Shelby became an instructor at Montana State University from 2021-2024, additionally working as the Photography Coordinator during that time, overseeing the use of photographic chemistry, darkrooms, computer labs, and studios.

Her current work explores the responsibility of inheriting a family archive and how memory and personal histories are preserved and carried through the labor of craft. Through hand papermaking, bookbinding, and photographic processes, she approaches the archive as an author, reconsidering both the desire to collect and the practice of letting go.

Welte is currently pursuing an MFA in Photography and a Certificate in Book Arts through the Center for the Book at the University of Iowa.

Email: shelbyraynestudios@gmail.com

Instagram: @shelbywelte