Alister Benn was born and raised in Scotland and coming from an outdoor family grew up with a profound interest and respect for the natural world and the environments around him. He purchased his first camera, a little Olympus OM10, as a teenager and carried it with him during his mountain adventures. He was always drawn to the remote and the abstract, making intimate images of puddle reflections, moving colors and grand vistas.

A international corporate career led him to China in 2000, where by pure chance he met his wife Juanli Sun. Since then she has joined Alister in their extensive travels. For 7 years, they lived and worked in the Tibetan Region and dedicated the majority of their time to extensive exploration of the Himalaya. Returning to Europe in 2011 to live on the north coast of Spain, they finally moved to Scotland in 2013 and now live full-time on the Isle of Skye. From here they run Available Light Images Ltd, which provides both private and Fixed Date Tours & Workshops in the North-West Highlands of Scotland, Iceland, Tibet and Spain.