"Andrea V. Telfair (née Haynes) is a classically trained fine art photographer known for her artistic vision and creative approach to composition. Raised in San Francisco's diverse cultural environment, her passion for photography emerged in middle school. She began her formal training during high school, where she served as yearbook photo editor for two consecutive years and as president of the Photography Club. She continued her studies in photojournalism at City College of San Francisco. As a student of the rigorous photography program, she became an expert in darkroom processes and the use of 35mm, medium and large format cameras.

After transferring to Howard University in Washington, DC, she shifted her focus to study the classical arts; painting, drawing, sculpture, design, ceramics and Art History with an emphasis in Photography. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography in 1985. It was at Howard that she developed a lifelong appreciation of "art for art's sake."