“Shooting surf photography from the water takes a certain demand. The physical challenges paired with the technical make for a fun adventure. I tend to spend many nights on the beach at Fire Island National Seashore in order to photograph first light. The light show that is produced at sunrise is truly incredible and when Mother Nature is giving me her full attention, it makes it all worth it.”
"Most do going away parties at bars and clubs. Thankfully, the people I surround myself with would rather listen to the wind in the trees than a drunk DJ, so on my friend's last night in town we headed into the woods. After a grueling hike over Arapaho Pass and down a thousand vertical feet to Caribou Lake we were treated to one of the most spectacular campsites I've ever been to. We filled our last night together not with drunken stumbling, but with fresh trout, a little wine and hours of smiles and stories.
"These falls are the forest’s secret, tucked away in the dense foliage of the Columbia River Gorge, just outside of Portland. You hear them long before you see them. Standing over the roaring waters, you can feel the mist rise from below. I think having a person in this photo helps the viewer feel that too. It gives the scene immediacy and scale.”
“This trail is rated as one of the most beautiful yet dangerous trails in the world, and I had to see it for myself. It hugs the coastal mountains, cuts through the jungle of Kauai and crosses a few creeks and rivers. One must pay close attention to the weather, as it completely affects trail conditions. The 22 mile round-trip hike accumulates to over 10,000 feet of elevation changes. Even with the challenges of getting to the beach, I can see why some people live here indefinitely. I can talk about how stunning this place is but there's no substitute for getting out here and seeing it for yourself. What are you waiting for?”
“I've seen a million pictures of this place and I knew I wanted to experience it for myself one day. I hit the road with my buddy Dave and went on a spontaneous cross country trip, hitting some famous national parks as we're both avid photographers. It was exhausting to say the least. Horseshoe was actually a replacement location as we originally wanted to go see The Wave, but we couldn't get access to it in time. We were definitely not disappointed by the bend.”
“As a Bay Area native, I’ve had many opportunities to venture around the Golden Gate Bridge and shoot its iconic footprint from my own perspective. On this particular evening, I made my way up Slackers Hill with the same goal: capture the Golden Gate. I try to get on location about an hour before sunset to give myself time to get set up for the shot I want. So there I was, set up to snap my shot of the bridge at sunset, when I turned around to check the position of the sun and saw this frame. I just couldn’t help myself – I yanked the camera from the tripod and jogged over to the ridge and snapped a few pictures. I selected this one in particular because of those hairline sun rays that I just can’t resist.”
“After a long day exploring in the sun we hiked up to the top of Rough Tor to catch the last few rays of sunlight and find somewhere to pitch the tent. The summit is dotted with outcrops of weathered rock from which you can see beautiful views in all directions. In this shot @andrea_is_out_there is taking in the vista. All in all a magical place that reminds me how much I love the outdoors.”
“Taken on the best hike I’ve ever done, the Laugavegur hiking trail. It’s a four day hike in the central tablelands of Iceland. This rewarding view is hard earned on the first day, after trekking up nearly 500 vertical meters over 12kms of volcanic fields and snow covered mountain paths. An unforgettable and rewarding experience!”
“Fly fishing takes you to the wildest places on earth. I'm fortunate enough to have made it my career. As a guide for FlyCastaway, I can say it doesn't get any wilder than St. Brandon's Atoll in the Indian Ocean. The biomass of this place is incredible. Tropical water and big hungry Bonefish, life doesn't get any better than this.” - @milliegerm (IG)
"I wanted a hiking buddy for years before finally settling on a Vizsla. Whiskey has been the perfect partner for both my photography and our adventures together. We took her on her first hike at 11 weeks, her first scramble at 4 months and now she poses on mountains like a pro! This was my first solo overnight adventure with Whiskey. She's just gotten old enough to carry her own fully loaded backpack and we had the best time at Joffre Lakes, just 3 hours north of Vancouver. We are soon heading on a road-trip up to Alaska, so follow us for more adventures!” Photo: @mywhiskeygirl (IG) Joffre Lakes, BC
“After a year and a half of long distance dating, I married my adventure partner, Nick. For our honeymoon, we spent 10 days exploring Alaska, capturing this atop the summit of Lazy Mountain. The flag was already there, but the wind had twisted it around the pole. Nick said, "Let's fix those colors," and I shot this when he climbed up to unwrap it."
“Lucy and I have been a backpacking duo ever since I adopted her through Redwood Pals Rescue. I've made it a priority to get outside and into the backcountry with her as much as possible. During the late spring/early summer most Pacific Northwest trails are still under snow, so we head south for our backpacking fix! You can follow our adventures on our IG @luseatosky.”
"After our first night of sleeping in the car we awoke to a light dusting of snow that covered the trees all around us, lending our surroundings a cool, crisp look. For only half an hour or so, Lake Louise was perfectly calm allowing the lake to become glass and reflect the tall mountains in the background.”
“Photography has led me on many diverse and interesting paths. From heavy metal concerts to sunrise hikes, the experiences have been unforgettable. The lack of sleep and effort are worth it when you get to do something like sit on the edge of sheer cliff, watching the sun’s golden light warm up the landscape around you.”
