About Elise

Elise Bufton Personal Travel Photography was conceived on a bus in Chile in January 2013. Inspired by numerous travelers she met in South America who ‘tele commute’ from their laptops in far away lands, Elise wanted to find a career that would allow her to pursue her love of travel. She had previously been inspired by a You Tube video (it changed her life, perhaps it will change yours? http://tinyurl.com/ouzovd4) narrated by the late Alan Watts. The video urges viewers to follow their dreams, to find their passion and turn it into a career.

After years of working extended hours sitting at a desk in advertising agencies in Melbourne and London, Elise had forgotten what her passions were. Whilst on a bus to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, her travel companion Ken, a crazy Norweigen she had met in Santiago, pointed out her passion and gift for photography. He suggested she become a travel photographer. She pondered on the concept for a day or two, wondering how she could carve a niche in such a competitive environment. Could this be her dream job?

Just 24 hours later inspiration struck while on a tour of the Valle de Luna. The tour guide pulled up to the first location and announced ‘ok, you have 5 mins to jump out and take photos.’ Perplexed, Elise and Ken looked at each other and wondered why the guide hadn’t said ‘get out and EXPERIENCE THE LOCATION’. Everyone on the bus diligently took their photos and sat back in the bus, barely stopping for a moment to take in the genuine beauty around them. DING – An idea was forming. Later that evening Ken and Elise were comparing photos and Ken commented that from now on he would leave Elise to do the photography. He couldn’t understand how, despite the fact they were using similar equipment and standing right next to each other, her photos were simply so much better.

This day of traveling had illuminated the idea of a personal travel photographer – her mind began to race. How often do travelers return home to browse hundreds of amateur photos of locations they dimly remember? How often are travelers so focused on capturing the digital record rather than building and experiencing a fond, life-long memory? How often travelers get stressed out about chargers, memory cards, and backpacks full of equipment? The answer is: ALL THE TIME! But it doesn’t need to be this way. Instead, travelers should travel, enjoy the tour, enjoy the road, the visit, the scenery and food, the strangers they meet and the sites they visit. Elise can capture the images, candid and real, the vistas and scenery that made the trip wonderful and worth remembering. And, she can do it with an expert eye and experienced approach to both landscape and portrait photography.

Elise has…

  • 2 x passports (Australian and European Union)
  • Full Drivers License (Automatic and Manual)
  • No criminal record

Elise is…

Hard working / Passionate / Adventurous / Lover of travel / Creative / Sees things others miss / Always looking for new opportunities / Flexible / Easy to get along with / Loves meeting new people from all walks of life / Honest / Trustworthy / and of course, WELL TRAVELLED.

Elise has traveled to over 30 countries (*many multiple times)…

PACIFIC

  • Australia
  • New Zeland*

ASIA

  • China*
  • Singapore*
  • Malaysia*
  • Hong Kong*
  • Indonesia

EUROPE

  • United Kingdom*
  • Sweden*
  • Germany*
  • Poland
  • Czech Republic
  • Spain*
  • France *
  • Turkey
  • Belgium*
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Portugal
  • Denmark
  • Switzerland
  • Italy
  • Norway *

AMERICAS

  • United States of America*
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
  • Peru
  • Chile

MIDDLE EAST

  • United Arab Emirates*