Elster Photography
I was born in Chicago, 1971. In my old life, I was the manager of my brother’s food distribution business on the west side of Chicago. A few years ago, my wife and I took a leap of faith. We quit our jobs, sold our home and hit the road. While Patty took a job as a travel nurse, I pursued a dream career in wildlife photography. After a few years of nomadic living, we now call Ashland, Oregon home.
While I’ve always loved wildlife, I never had much interest in photography growing up. I’m completely self taught. My subjects are completely wild (no captive or “staged” ...

Elster Photography
I was born in Chicago, 1971. In my old life, I was the manager of my brother’s food distribution business on the west side of Chicago. A few years ago, my wife and I took a leap of faith. We quit our jobs, sold our home and hit the road. While Patty took a job as a travel nurse, I pursued a dream career in wildlife photography. After a few years of nomadic living, we now call Ashland, Oregon home.
While I’ve always loved wildlife, I never had much interest in photography growing up. I’m completely self taught. My subjects are completely wild (no captive or “staged” shots) and it’s important to me that people know that. Capturing behavior and the inclusion of habitat also helps to define my style.
It’s the drama in nature that inspires me. In the wild, every day is a struggle, just to survive. This is the story I aim to tell. I also hope my work serves as a reminder that we don’t own the earth, we share it.