Mark Krancer has a passion for capturing light and appreciating beauty. Starting from a cell phone on a bicycle commute to his job at a newspaper mailroom, Mark quickly blossomed into a full blown photography enthusiast. Mark established Kram Kran Photo in 2016. The name comes from Mark’s first name backwards, and the first four letters of his last name, just to have something different and make people think a little creatively.

With a passion for photography, Mark’s creative visions came to life. In 2017, Hurricane Irma hit Jacksonville, FL and Mark was in the Olmsted-brothers designed Memorial Park, a community favorite that unfortunately suffered terrible damage. He captured an image titled “Life In The River” which showed the spirit of victory over life’s storms. The image seemed to have a life of it’s own. It went viral on social media, as well as went on to be nominated for a Pulitzer prize, and was featured in National Geographic’s “Your Shot: Climate Change in Action” campaign. He then had his work related to the hurricane and Florida life published in many magazines, blogs, and media publications. Once winning “Best Photographer” in the Bold City Best awards in 2018, he finally took the plunge to become a full time photographer to support his newly-wed family.

While Mark enjoys capturing many types of photography, his favorite is landscapes. His love of landscapes and cityscapes has led to many adventures, exhibits, and awards. Mark’s photography adorns many public and private exhibits throughout Jacksonville, the South, nationally, and internationally as far away as Beijing, London, Madrid, and Milan. Mark has won numerous photography competitions. Among his various awards, he has won the 2023 Scenic America “America the Beautiful” national photo competition for best cityscape, as well as “The Art of Giving” award in 2020 from the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville for his philanthropic works.

Mark is also the author of His Guidance through Life’s Storms: Mark’s Journey from Addiction to Salvation and won the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation’s Book of the Year award in 2023 for his architectural photography in Dr. Wayne Wood’s Book Jacksonville’s Architectural Heritage: Landmarks for the Future (Bicentennial Edition).

When Mark isn’t roaming the South, he calls the mountains of western North Carolina home with his wife, Kristin, and his two step sons. They love the seasons, great food, cats, cozy fires, and a good hike.