How San Diego Photographer Craig Meyer Captures the Southern California Vibe
For local San Diego photographer Craig Meyer, looking through the lens is one of the best ways to connect with the place he calls home.
An award-winning fine art photographer with an eye and passion for nature, Meyer captures beautiful images of San Diego, Southern California, and other locales in the American West. Here’s how he got his start and how you can own one of his amazing art pieces.
From Advertising to Photography
Although a natural behind the camera, Meyer’s first career wasn’t actually in photography. Instead, he worked in marketing for the property management and real estate industry in Arizona. A small moment of chance united Meyer with his future passion.
“One day, one of the guys who was supposed to take pictures didn’t show up,” Meyer said. “So I was like, ‘OK, I know a little bit about cameras. Let me shoot it.’ And so that’s what I did.”
The serendipitous moment led Meyer to take a risk, pick up a camera, and hone his craft. He started taking photographs for other real estate companies, and eventually decided to make it a business after moving to California with his wife.
He worked with property management companies up and down the coast, doing photoshoots and drone sessions. All the while, Meyer was also putting effort into building his skills as a fine art photographer. He spent thousands of hours learning, refining his technique, and getting practice behind the lens.
After working as both a commercial and fine arts photographer for five years, the pandemic shut everything down, giving Meyer the time to travel, create new techniques , and readjust his priorities.
“My wife and I took off, and we traveled the country for five months in our RV,” he said. “And so that really gave me an opportunity to go out, get a lot of photography done, and really fine-tune my craft. So, when I came back, I completely dropped the real estate. I decided, ‘I really want to do this.’”
In the time since, Meyer has focused entirely on fine art photography. Along with traveling and managing his business, he has shown his work in galleries and fine art events. The hard work and dedication have paid off, since Meyer has won numerous awards for his work in both local and national art shows.
Salt, Rock & Steel
Meyer specializes in photographs that capture the true spirit and vibe of both San Diego and Southern California more generally.
Craig Meyer Photography separates its images into three distinct categories: Salt, Rock, and Steel. Each section represents a different aspect of Meyer’s eye and passion.
Salt, of course, represents beach scenes, and the bulk of Meyer’s work. From San Diego beaches to other Southern California locales, capturing the ocean takes a good amount of planning, timing, and luck.
“You’re looking at the weather, you’re looking at surf apps, what the waves are going to look like, PhotoPills [an app that lets photographers track lighting conditions, along with other factors], all these things,” he said.
“At times, it’s just being in the right place at the right time”, Meyer said. “Sometimes, some of your best shots are if you’re just sitting at home and liking the way the clouds are starting to line up. So, I think that’s what inspires me,not just the creative side of it, but the chase.”
Rock is more geared toward national parks, mountains, and beautiful nature shots. Meyer said he loves shooting Yosemite and other national parks in the West, adding that it’s likely one of the toughest categories to shoot because it’s hard to capture the sense and awe of beautiful locations with a camera. Sometimes, however, you’re rewarded, he said.
“Two years ago, I was there when a big snowstorm hit. My friend and I were actually one of about 12 people in the whole park because they were going to shut it down,” he said. “And it was just incredible.”
Lastly, there’s Steel, which Meyer said might be his favorite category. According to him, these images capture classic Americana through the lens of time.
“You start traveling around the world, and you realize that the U.S. is a very young country,” he said, adding that there are fewer ancient buildings and historical structures. “We don’t have as much of that here, especially on the West Coast, so I think there’s so much Americana in these planes, trains, cars, and old gas stations.”
Where to Find Craig’s Work – Now and in the Future
If you spend enough time in San Diego County, you might just run into Meyer’s photography. Dozens of rental properties, local businesses, and residents have his art on their walls. The photographer is also a fixture at many local art shows, markets, and events.
Meyer’s fine art photography is available to order on his website, but you can also find him and some of his prints in person at various art shows and markets throughout San Diego County. Every Thursday, you can find Meyer at the Oceanside Farmers Market, and you can also catch him at an art show at the Carlsbad Village and Beach Resort some weekends.
In the future, Meyer plans to grow as both an artist and a business. For example, he’s planning on incorporating film photography into his work. He’s also pushing to showcase his work at bigger art shows and fairs this year and looks forward to seeing you there.
“I really enjoy meeting people and talking to people and just hearing their story,” he said. “That’s important to me.”
You can check out Craig’s website for upcoming events.
Media credit: All images courtesy of craigameyerphotography.com
Mike Peterson is a writer, editor, and strategist based in San Diego. When he’s not writing and editing the La Jolla news, you can often find him practicing yoga, rock climbing, or exploring the outdoors with his wife and dog.
