Mr Bonja's uncle, Tom Diskin, was friends with Elvis' manager Colonel Tom Parker. The connection meant Mr Bonja was given a job working as a secretary for Presley in 1964 during the shooting of the movie, Girl Happy. "A few weeks after the movie finished, Elvis came by one night to the Colonel's apartment and we spoke for about 20 minutes," Mr Bonja said.
When Elvis and the Colonel made the decision to start doing live concert tours again in 1970, Colonel asked Mr Bonja, his brother and cousin to help out anyway they could. During this time he became Elvis Presley's official photographer from 1971 until 1977. During his time working with Elvis, he was able to capture him both on and off stage in thousands of beautiful photographs that ended up on album and single covers, merchandise and several books by various authors and some written by Ed Bonja himself. 
"It was real easy to photograph him because he was so good looking, so emotive, he had such strong expressions when he sang, he was so easy to photograph because he was just so darn good-looking."
Mr Bonja clocked off the Elvis Show in May of 1977 after being physically and mentally drained. "I could see it in him (Elvis) as well, as everyone else could and when I heard the news (of his death) I was home in LA," Mr Bonja said. "I don't think there will ever be another person like Elvis, ever, in my lifetime or anybody elses' lifetime and he's going to live on forever," Mr Bonja said.
Books by Ed Bonja:
"Elvis Shot By Ed Bonja" Elvis Unlimited Productions, 2000.
"Viva Elvis" Yamaha Music Media Corporation, 2010.
"Spotlight On Elvis" Snowmens Publications, 2013.
"We'll Remember You" Finn Fan Productions, 2014.
He leaves an archive of about 9000 photos of Elvis Presley.
(Source: UEPS / FECC / ElvisMatters / Daily Telegraph)