Rayann Elzein

I am a French nature photographer and aurora chaser. I am based in Utsjoki, Finnish Lapland, and travel worldwide for assignments or workshops.

I started taking photos 15 years ago, when as a hobby I wanted to bring back home some souvenirs of the concerts that I visited. Digital cameras barely existed at the time so I started with my father’s film camera! Over the years, the hobby of photography grew to a passion, and became a major part of my life.

The sky and space have also always fascinated me so travelling years ago to Finnish Lapland to observe and photograph the Northern Lights happened naturally. I vividly remember the first displays that I witnessed as they are still some of the best I have ever seen. I have seen the Aurora countless nights, but they never cease to amaze me year after year. I share now this natural beauty by leading Aurora chasing tours in Inari, Lapland.

The far north is beautiful and my travels to Greenland, Svalbard and Lapland taught me how fragile the Arctic is. More than anywhere else in the world, there are clear signs of climate change, which affects both the wildlife and the local populations. I have made it one of my goals to contribute raising awareness about the dangers of global warming through my photography.