Craig Elson is an American photographer based in Los Angeles who has traveled to more than 60 countries throughout Africa, Asia, South America, Europe, and the Caribbean over the past 30 years. He is focused primarily on wildlife, landscape, and aerial photography, and is happiest when shooting in the golden light of Africa.

Craig first fell in love with photography during an around-the-world boat adventure while in college on an experiential learning program called Semester at Sea. Borrowing his father’s Nikon N2020 film camera and a pair of zoom lenses, he set sail in the autumn of 1988 determined to document his journey on film. After graduating from university, he spent the summer of 1990 traveling independently throughout eastern and southern Africa, mostly on safari, this time with newer Nikon N4004s.

He later embarked upon a career in international media, and then moved to private equity and venture capital investing, which afforded him more opportunities to travel the world for business and for adventure. His wanderlust grew and his camera was always by his side. But the realities of a busy professional and family life eventually set in, and serious photography became mostly a fond memory for nearly fifteen years.

But like many before him, Craig found that Africa and its wildlife had become deeply embedded in his soul; a day doesn’t go by without his thoughts turning to memories or thoughts of future experiences in Africa.

Craig’s love for photography reawakened in the summer of 2016 during his first trip to Africa in nearly twenty years. The siren song of safari, coupled with the new wonders of digital photography and some upgraded Canon gear, ignited a newfound passion for the craft. Photography has been part of Craig’s life every day since then.

He recently switched over to shooting with Sony equipment and loves the incredible autofocus system in the α9 II and the details brought out by the 61 megapixels of the α7R IV. In the past few years, Craig has taught himself Lightroom and Photoshop for post processing and is currently enamored with the wizardry of Topaz Labs as well.

Craig’s partnership with Eye Candy Safaris is a perfect fit. Eye Candy’s tours across the globe provide a blend of the aerial, wildlife, and landscape subjects he loves with small groups of passionate photographers and travelers who are eager to learn and share their knowledge and experiences.

“I love photography because it is the perfect marriage of art and science, the creative and the technical. It forces me to use both sides of my brain while in the world’s most interesting and beautiful places, to capture both fleeting and timeless moments. What could be more fun or more challenging?”