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MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – (August 22, 2022) – Photography management and sales platform SmugMug just launched a new entry in their award-winning SmugMug Films series. Titled Where the Fire Is, the film features extreme nature photographer Mike Mezeul II as he attempts to document one of the world’s most active volcanoes—Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala.

As a self-described “extreme nature photographer,” Mezeul has built his life and career around daring to capture the shots that others won’t. From supercell storms to active volcanoes, his photography puts him in risky and sometimes downright dangerous positions in order to capture the power of nature at its most volatile.

Mezeul found photography at a young age, discovering an early love of the sky and all it had to offer. “As I began to capture the sky with my photography, I wanted to see and experience more of it,” he says. “Not just the pretty sunsets. I wanted to feel the power that was above my head.”

Soon he was right at home in front of some of the most powerful storms on earth, and braving danger became second nature. It was only a matter of time until volcanoes were calling his name. 

In his SmugMug Films debut, Mezeul packs up with a hardy crew of Guatemalan locals to document Volcán de Fuego, a volcano that has been regularly erupting since 2002. Combatting elevation, the weather, and unpredictable eruptions, he braves it all to capture images unlike any other.

“Besides having a deep and understanding knowledge of your subject, you’ve gotta be willing and able to put yourself and keep yourself in some of the most uncomfortable positions ever,” Mezeul says of his work. “When others are running and seeking shelter, your feet are firmly planted on the ground, and your mind and camera are ready to tell a story.”

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About SmugMug

Photographers across the globe trust SmugMug with more than just their photos. They trust SmugMug with their memories, their passion, and their businesses. SmugMug provides passionate photographers at every level of experience a place to store, share, and sell high-quality photos. At SmugMug, we love your photos as much as you do—and we’re focused on helping you celebrate and preserve all of life’s important moments.

Andy Best grew up with art in his blood; his grandmother was a successful oil painter, and he followed in her creative footsteps, sketching and drawing. His love for sharing emotion through visual mediums expanded into filmmaking and eventually photography, both of which led him to his outdoor adventure lifestyle. We caught up with Andy and his family on the road to learn more about what inspires him and how he decides where his next adventure lies.

Tip #1: Look for the ah-ha moments.‍

I grew up playing outdoors all the time, and I kept finding moments that would stop me in my tracks. I always found that a pretty compelling reason to stop and take a photo. But then there’s the challenge of using your tools the best you can to share a 2D image of what you’re seeing that can evoke the same emotion that made you stop. If you’re able to keep your radar up and witness those moments, really feel them, then capture them in stills or in motion, you’re kind of a wizard in a way — a magician.

Tip #2: Take time to enjoy the moment.‍

The greatest picture I didn’t take is always the one when I first get to a location. Instead of jumping right in to getting my gear ready, I tell myself I’ll ease into it the next day. For the initial day or evening, the “image” is only for my own eyes. I take a moment to enjoy the setting for myself without worrying about capturing it for anybody else. You know the film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, when Sean Penn is sitting up on the cliff edge getting a photo of a snow leopard? Ben Stiller asks him why he didn’t take the shot he was waiting for, and Penn basically says, “This one’s for me.” Those are probably the images that mean the most to me.

I have a friend I reached out to once for advice and he said, “I don’t really know if I can give you any advice but this: Just remember to put your camera down from time to time, and enjoy where you are.” I’ve taken that with me everywhere.

Tip #3: Do what you love and the rest will follow.‍

My career in adventure-lifestyle photography was a complete accident. I love filmmaking, and I love telling a visual story through images. I’ve also always felt very protective of landscapes. It wasn’t until a commercial-video client saw my side work that they approached me and asked me to do some fly-fishing photography work. I tried explaining that that wasn’t what I did, and I didn’t even own a good still camera. But he challenged me. Told me to try it. Next thing you know, I was shooting all these brochures. Then, more people started calling me a photographer because I was building a stills portfolio simply to start conversations with brands like Patagonia. I really wanted to wow them, start a conversation with photos, and then mention, “Hey, I do video work as my specialty. I’d love to do any video work you might have.” But next thing you know, everyone wanted my photo work.

Tip #4: Get out of your comfort zone.‍

We live on the road in our camper van nearly 100% of the time, and I really like the discovery aspect of going to a new place: it’s fresh, and you see things in a new way. When you’re constantly moving, you’re constantly challenging your senses to see something new, fresh, and different. I’m about to head somewhere more tropical, which is totally different from what I normally do. Getting out into the grasslands, like Nebraska, is so different to me because I grew up in the mountains. When I get to these places that are so different to me, all my senses are firing, and I’m super excited. If you grew up somewhere, you might get complacent. So I think the process of roaming around invigorates creativity and creates a sense of wonder that helps me feel and capture a frame.

Tip #5: Plan ahead.‍

When we get a location or a direction in mind, I’m usually using a lot of different apps to plan for everything I can. One of the apps, Windy, has a lot of layers and filters you can put on a map so you can watch what the weather is doing — because that’s huge when you’re living on the road full time. It allows me to plan a route based on smoke, fog, temperatures, or anything else to ensure the trip works not just for the shoot but for us as a whole family. We’re mapping out where water is, groceries, gas, propane, things like that. Also, depending on what I’m shooting — such as stars — I’m also looking for what features are in the landscape. So geography is also important. And other apps help me track moon phases, the Milky Way’s visibility, sunset/sunrise times, and things like that. All that gives us a clear map of when we’re supposed to be at a location and how quickly we need to travel.

Tip #6: Go where the story takes you.‍

Each shoot offers me a different challenge, and that’s why I select them: to help open myself up as a storyteller, a craftsman, and a creator. But there are a lot of times you set out with a specific goal. You feel like you learned so much from previous shoots that you’re going to go into a project and do it the best you’ve ever done it. But then circumstances change — like weather or talent — and the expectations you set for yourself can go awry. You get back from the shoot and you wish you coulda, woulda, shoulda. But you can’t let that stop you. You plan one movie, and you end up shooting a whole other one. Then, when you get to the editing process, you create a whole different one still. When you make a movie or build a shot, you really end up creating three, and you’ve got to roll with it, especially in the outdoor space.

Tip #7: Organize ahead of time so you can grab the shot.‍

For this particular lifestyle, I have really stout backup drives, a very capable but size-efficient laptop, multiple battery sources with solar, multiple tripods, a wide range of variable lenses, a whole bag of prime lenses for video and for when I want faster glass for a certain shot, a gimbal, and a few different drones. I also have a time-lapse system that I take with me everywhere just in case. As well as a really good audio setup so I can go full production mode and kind of do it all. There’s a lot of time if I’m doing personal projects — so as long as I have a tight kit — I can replicate a lot of cinema. But a good camera pack allows me to stay organized. If you’re not organized, you’re never ready for the shot.

You have to have a checklist. I always keep the same routines no matter what I’m doing, whether it’s a billion-dollar commercial film project or my own. It’s important to continually use those best practices or else you’ll find yourself in rookie positions like, “Oh, I forgot to charge the battery,” or the SD card’s full up.

Tip #8: Composition is key.‍

I like to talk about motivated design: principles of visual communication by way of controlling the eye. It’s really big when you’re sketching or painting, and a frame is the same way. It takes 30 frames to create one second of video — or a single frame — so you better get it right. I’ve always been taught to look for elements — be it a value or features in the shot — that lead the eye because you want to control the eye to stay on the image. It’s important to think about those things, because that’s the way you can manipulate the viewer to get lost in an image and feel intrigued by it. In motivated design, you’re designing with motivation, rather than just snapping a photo because it looks pretty. If it looks pretty, then you start getting into those principles and looking for those obstacles and values in light, dark, and color theory so you can craft a nice image.

Tip #9: Change your perspective.‍

We’re all in the height range of about four and a half feet to six and a half feet. That’s where we all walk around. The easiest way to get creative is to get yourself away from that perspective. Get a ladder. Lie on the ground. Get high. Get low. Get away from that standard perspective and instantly, no matter what you’re doing, you’re going to capture something that’s a little bit different.

Tip #10: Do the work but don’t lose the love.‍

Photography is a lot of sacrifice and a lot of hard work. If you’re not willing to do either of those, and you’re looking for instant gratification, I don’t feel like this industry is cut out for that. There’s a lot of romance in a nomadic filmmaker/photographer lifestyle in general. Now more than ever, young people are getting inspired by a movement that took place via social media, and it looks a certain way. But it’s a highlight reel. I’ve seen a lot of people fail because they leave high school or college, buy a van, and emulate what’s being done. They find they might not have all the tools to be doing it and get into really bad situations. You have to open one door at a time, and you never know where the next door will open, but you can never open the end door at the beginning.

Remember where you came from and why you got into this in the first place, whether it’s video or photo. I’ve seen people imprison themselves because they’ve done something that worked online, and then they’re in fear of doing anything else because it doesn’t get the likes. People then are afraid to share what they truly love to share, and what got them to success in the first place. Make sure you’re always comfortable and happy with what you’re shooting. Don’t shoot for any other reason.

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Find Andy online:
Portfolio
Flickr
Instagram

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Subscribe to the SmugMug Films channel to see future installments as soon as they’re released.

SmugMug Films is excited to present Where the Fire Is, featuring Mike Mezeul II. Keep reading to get to know Mike and his tips for photographing the power of nature.

Photographer Mike Mezeul II doesn’t like to take it easy. In fact, he pursues some of the most challenging and dangerous situations to photograph, resulting in images that astound and awe with the power of nature. During a rare, calm moment, Mike shared with us, in his own words, his top tips on what it takes to capture nature at its wildest.

Tip #1: Look beyond the surface.

I look for a scene that is more than just “pretty” — finding a frame that tells a story, conveys an emotion, and brings someone into that moment as if they were the one looking through the viewfinder. I’m stubborn, so if I don’t come across that scene right away, I’ll wait and wait and wait for it to happen, even if that means coming back a dozen times.

Tip #2: Patience is your friend.

The biggest challenge in my work honestly comes down to being patient. I have a laundry list of images that I’ve wanted to capture for years but they haven’t come to fruition just yet. It does test my patience, but I know it’ll eventually happen. And that will make me appreciate it that much more when it does. You also have to be persistent. It takes time, hard work, and many failures, but it’s absolutely possible.

Tip #3: Be ready to go at a moment’s notice.

I plan my travel very spontaneously. In terms of severe weather, I take every spring off from documenting anything else but severe weather. That provides me with the best opportunities to travel across America in search of the worst, yet best, weather to photograph. When it comes to volcanoes, I have a bag of gear ready to always go in hopes of being able to get on a flight as quickly as possible if there’s an eruption I want to document. If there’s a volcano that’s more consistently erupting, like Fuego, I primarily plan around moon phases and weather conditions. But things can always change in an instant, like with the 2018 Kilauea Volcano eruption in the Lower East Rift Zone.

It was such an extremely dynamic event that provided incredible visuals among horrible devastation. It was challenging to document as each day was quite different from the previous. Roads that were there the day prior no longer existed. New fissures were opening each day, providing amazing visuals but an extremely uncomfortable environment to be in. And the hazards weren’t just from the lava but copious amounts of sulphur dioxide gasses, septic tanks exploding, emotional residents, and more.

Tip #4: Have the right gear for the job.

I always carry my Nikon cameras and lenses, especially the Nikkor Z 14–24mm, a ton of lens cloths, and a tripod that can withstand being thrown into a volcano. But the best camera is the one in your hand. It doesn’t matter what camera it is, brand, or how new or old. Someone, somewhere in the world, is creating amazing content with less than what you have.

Tip #5: Get uncomfortable.

Besides having a deep and understanding knowledge for the subject you are photographing, it’s a must to be able to put yourself and keep yourself in some uncomfortable positions. Where others are running and seeking shelter, your feet are firmly planted on the ground, and your mind and camera are ready to tell a story.

Tip #6: Keep it real.

I’m not one to fake skies, color, or warp a scene into one that’s more dramatic than what I saw. I think it’s a lie to the audience to do so, and nature is already amazing, so why is there a need to exaggerate it? I want my audience to see and feel what I saw, not what I wanted to feel. I also think back to those who laid the foundation for photography, like Ansel Adams. How hard he worked to create a single frame. The patience, persistence, the grueling techniques of capturing and developing his images. It would be a slap in the face to guys like him if I faked a scene in post [sic].

Tip #7: Take advantage of every situation.

My dog is a diva and won’t pee on anything but grass, so when we got backcountry permits at White Sands, I tried to get her to use the bathroom before we went to bed. It was a complete fail. At around 2AM, she’s crying at the tent door, and I knew if I didn’t take her out I’d be waking up in a puddle. So we hopped out for her to go pee and, of course, she wouldn’t. I refused to go back in the tent until she did, then I noticed a flash of lightning off in the distance. I also noticed the Milky Way was out above the storm so I thought I could get lucky with another strike while waiting. I set up my camera and tripod and a big bolt landed under the storm, but I was so excited I must have moved the sand under the tripod as it happened. The frame was a complete blur. I repositioned the tripod and shot again, and again, and again. I was about to give up on both the image and my pup going to the bathroom, but then it happened: two beautiful bolts came out from the bottom of the storm with the moon setting behind the clouds, Milky Way shining above, and the stunning white sand dunes reflecting the ambient light. I remember cheering and looking over at my dog Joplin right as she was peeing. It was a win all around.

Tip #8: Pursue your passion.

I love that I see a career I pursued because I was passionate about it, when so many people told me I shouldn’t. I had people tell me I was making a mistake, that the photography industry is too competitive, or I would never last. Now, when I look at my work, I love that I see my passion reflected in my work and that I didn’t take no for an answer. Think about what you’re truly passionate about and let your creativity fly. It may take time to get that yes, but if you take no as an answer, you’ll never get that yes.

Tip #9: “Bob Ross” it.

If you don’t know who Bob Ross is, hop on YouTube and watch one of his shows. I refer to him in every workshop I teach. He was an amazing painter, and he would tell you exactly what he was going to paint, what the landscape would look like, where the light would be, and, of course, about the happy trees as well. He would then talk about some of the colors he would use. All of this before a single drop of paint hit the canvas. The point of this was he had a vision for what he wanted to create. So I always teach my workshop students to “Bob Ross it.”

Watch Mike in action in the latest SmugMug Film, Where the Fire Is. Mike takes us along on his journey to photograph Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala. See if you can spot where he’s applied his own photography tips.

Visit https://prints.mikemezphotography.com/ to purchase his prints and follow @MikeMezPhoto on Facebook, Instagram, and Flickr.

And then, tell us what you think! Did you learn something new? What do you think of the SmugMug Film? Leave a comment on our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Climber, world traveler, photographer, and author of Alaska Rock Climbing Guide Kelsey Gray is well-known for doing heart-pounding stunts like cliff jumping—stunts that most of us will only ever enjoy in his photographs. So we had to ask the burning question: Why do you bring the camera, and is it really worth the risk?

My first foray into climbing was back sometime around 2002, when I took an indoor rock-climbing course at the Alaska Rock Gym through the University of Anchorage Alaska. Before that time, I was purely a gaming nerd who had gained almost 65 lbs. after high school, eating cheeseburgers and pizza. With the occasional challenge of who can drink the most ketchup or eat the most salt packets, those were some very unhealthy years. 

During a routine doctor visit (also partially due to the emotional issues that come with being overweight and with an astronomical blood pressure), my doctor said that if I didn’t get off the computer and fix my blood pressure, I would probably have a stroke by 30. I was 20, and that didn’t leave me much time.

After the indoor course, I enrolled in the outdoor course and found that to be even better. Soon after, I began climbing outdoors with a friend from Era Aviation, where we both worked. Later that year, I began climbing with John Borland, who would introduce me to many areas around Hatcher Pass and become a great climbing partner and friend.

Enter: Photography.

Sometime during my first few years of climbing, I became more interested in hiking peaks. My uncle, Dano Michaud, had dragged me unwillingly up a peak called Harp Mountain and the 1,000+ ft. glissade (natural slide down the snow) hooked me. That summer I climbed peak after peak and soon realized that explaining the beauty of the areas was simply not enough. I needed to show it.

My very first camera was a small point-and-shoot with no screen and not enough megapixels to warrant labeling it on the front. I’m pretty sure it came free with a printer, which was also terrible. After a few trips, I realized I needed a better camera. I upgraded to a Fuji Finepix F700, which worked for me for a long time. I then moved on to a Fuji Finepix S9000 before finally making the jump to SLR with the Canon 20D. After the 20D, I moved on to the Canon 50D (which was later stolen from my car), and finally to my current camera: the Canon 7D.

During my years of climbing, I have learned some important lessons about myself, and how I view life. I am never more comfortable than when dangling from a cliff with the sun setting and the wilderness expanding in my view. I’ve often said that the journey is not the summit but in the adventure, which I’m pretty sure is a mashup of others’ quotes, but I can’t discount the great feeling of having made it as high as I can go without actually flying into the air. When I reach the top of a peak or climb and look out over the expanse, I have a ritual that I try to do as often as possible.

It is as follows:

1. Close your eyes and wait for at least 30 seconds. Let all the emotions, feelings, failures, and successes wash into you. Reject nothing.
2. Open your eyes and stare directly ahead. Everything washes away, and I can’t help but feel that I was not meant to have a wall in front of me. Cubicles were not meant for us.

Help or hinder?

There are times when I won't bring my camera climbing, and I usually regret it. The hairy times when the sheep dung really hits the fan are when the camera seems to really come into use, if not for just recording the trip for my own memory. The worst time to have a camera attached to you is when jammed into an off-width. This is the climber term for anything that you can’t wedge your body into but is too big to use a single hand or fist to climb. It’s probably the most uncomfortable situation most humans will ever find themselves in. A 60m off-width can feel like you’ve just run a marathon, sprinting, while holding a log over your head. (If you’re curious about just what an off-width has to offer, then Google for the video, Boogie Til You Poop.) Add climbing gear to your harness, and it becomes worse; add a camera, and you’ll pray it doesn’t shatter.

It is not easy to bring a camera as large as a Canon 7D up a climb, especially with consideration of the lens size. I usually stick with the kit lens that comes with the 7D: the 18–135mm. It’s not the best lens, but it is light and easy to carry. I would upgrade to a better lens, except I’m always spending all my money on traveling. I like to carry it in a waist pack that I often clip to my harness, just in case it comes off. I know others who use backpacks, but I don’t like having to take it off to get my camera out. That is my general kit for all adventures. Not much, but just enough so I don’t feel burdened by it. 

The camera is there for my use to record everything I wish to keep for myself or show to others, so I’ve had to take a rather lenient stance on its value. If I consider it gold, then I’ll never bring it to the truly dangerous adventures. There are times I almost have to convince myself that my camera is already gone before I bring it, then I just try and make sure it stays in one piece. This allows me to continue to bring it to the most dangerous situations.

Worth the risk?

There are others in climbing who are much more advanced in climbing photography than I. I’ve often marveled at their ability to get paid to do the things I’m paying for! But with everything comes risks, such as the photographer who was with Johnny Copp and Micah Dash, two amazing alpinists who died in an avalanche, their photographer (Wade Johnson) by their side. 

I’ve often had to decide just what it is I want to do; how far do I take this hobby that has become a driving force in life? I’m still figuring that part out. I have found that half the reason I travel is to take photographs. If I were to lose my camera today, it would probably take quite a lot of self-reflection to pull myself from the loss, even if I have the illusion that the loss is already imminent.

Like many other climbers, I am driven too heavily by emotions. I would love to say that most of my traveling began as a desire to see the world and experience new things. The truth is that many of my travels have been fueled by escape, the desire to escape the emotions that come with a loss, whether it is a relationship or the death of a loved one. Over time it has had to change as those emotions were hidden, or in my current case I found someone who truly makes me happy in life. Previously, I spent much of the time traveling the world alone, a few of the trips included others. Now I try to share it with others, those who I travel with and those who I get to show through the photographs I take.

Chris Dahl-Bredine isn’t your average aerial photographer — if there even is such a thing. Driven by a desire to connect with the world around him with as few barriers as possible, Chris straps himself into an ultralight aircraft and takes to the skies. Steering with one hand and shooting with the other, he captures stunning images of the American Southwest from above.

In our latest One Day, One Artist film, we accompany Chris into the high desert and mountains of New Mexico to see things from a bird’s-eye view. Watch the film below, and read on for a few of his tips about flight, photography, and elevating your perspective.

Tip #1: Go slow. Confidence, familiarity, and comfort are your friends.

One of the biggest hurdles I ran into when I started flying was people thinking, “You’re nuts! You’re going to kill yourself!” They basically tried to scare me out of it. But anything is possible if you really put your mind to it and do it safely. Aerial photography is something you want to take step by step and really build your skills — piloting, learning the weather, knowing your camera, knowing your aircraft — so when you get up in the sky, you feel comfortable and can relax.

If you’re up there and you’re terrified, then you did something out of order. The most important thing is you feel safe up there before you even worry about photography. From there, that’s where magic happens.

Tip #2: Look for your unique perspective.

I was always interested in photography, but I would only dabble in it. I never got that into it until I started flying. That’s when I realized what I was seeing was special and something not many people get to see. This was long before drones existed — almost 20 years ago — so especially then, not many people saw what I saw. Once I started flying, it was a natural progression to want to share what I was seeing through photography.

The main thing is capturing an image when you’re inspired by something — something that moves you when you see it. If it means something to you, it’s probably going to mean something to someone else as well.

Tip #3: Don’t be afraid to think big.

When I first started photographing, I had a tiny, 35mm point-and-shoot Olympus camera. Then I met a guy where I live in Taos who was a printer and a photographer, and I wanted to print my images bigger. When you print them big, they just come to life; they’re more dramatic. But I realized I was limited by my little camera. So I tried digital for a little while, which was even worse at the time — at least what I could afford. Then I went to medium-format film, and that started getting me the quality and resolution I wanted for big prints. You could stand in front of a big print and feel like you’re looking out a window and actually seeing the scene in front of you. It just comes to life.

Shooting medium format while flying was challenging, but it also made me want to make each shot count, so it was good training for me. And when I could afford a really nice digital camera and shoot a thousand frames in one flight, that changed things.

Tip #4: Stay flexible in your photography…

Photographically, I try to be flexible and open to learning new things. It’s easy to get into one way of doing things and stay in that rut of process. I try to keep an open mind when I’m up there with the camera because I know there’s a lot I don’t know. There’s always a new way to see things and a new way to capture things. Everyone can find their own way that’s going to be different from someone else. The story is an important part of the photo, too, so I think finding and taking photos that have a story is a good thing to have in mind when you shoot.

Tip #5: …but plan ahead with your gear.

In general, I make sure my camera gear is charged, I have plenty of room on my memory cards, and I have an extra battery. Then there’s the gear I wear: electric socks, electric gloves, long underwear, down pants, a down jacket, and a down suit over all that. It’s mostly having all the right layers so you can stay up there a while. If you forget one thing — say, your neck gaiter that keeps your face warm — then you have to land early because it’s so cold. Any bit of gear that fails or that you forget can basically end the flight earlier than you want to.

Tip #6: Hang on tight.

For my lens I usually use something pretty flexible, like a 24–70mm or 27–105mm, but I’ll sometimes change lenses. It’s totally possible to change lenses up there, but you have to be pretty cautious and aware of what you’re doing. I’ve seen a $2,500 lens fall out of a trike. A friend of mine didn’t get it on the camera right and we never found it. That was a big loss, but the biggest danger of shooting while flying is if anything falls and goes into the propeller…then you’re looking at more problems than your gear.

Tip #7: Watch the weather and follow the light.

I really love flying when there are clouds. There are so many variations of what could happen when there’s clouds in the sky, it changes everything. I wait for weather events that could have spectacular clouds: a particular kind of lighting, really clear air after rain or snow, new snow on the mountains or on the deserts — that gets me up early, too.

I’m always drawn toward the light whenever I’m up there. When you follow your gut feeling, you can find something even greater than you imagined below the clouds. Once I saw golden shafts of light coming through a hole in the clouds up in the mountains. It was all grey and drab down below, so I made my way toward this light. After probably 30 minutes, I finally got up to the hole and popped through. On the other side was the most beautiful, golden cloudscape. Trees and peaks were poking up out of the clouds, everything was glittering and wet, the golden light was shining down on everything below me as I went above the clouds. It was such an exhilarating moment.

Tip #8: Follow your passion, and use it to connect with the world around you.

The best advice I have come across is to follow your truest passion — whatever moves you to a place of feeling alive, happy, and grateful. Seeing the world with wonder and gratitude keeps you open to other people and experiences, which is so important.

Much of photography can be a self-centered, “look at the shot I got” kind of thing. Which is fine — there’s nothing wrong with that — but how can we make photography a contribution to the whole that makes us better as a culture and as a world? I hope to inspire people to see the wonder of this world that we live in and be moved to a place of “I want to take care of this” or “how can I make the world better for future generations?” instead of “how can I go get this shot and call it mine?”

Building connections between people and the natural world — promoting a cleaner, better, more sustainable future — is an important thing people often overlook. If you can find some way to make connections with the natural world and with other people through your photography, I think that’s really what’s needed these days.

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Find Chris Dahl-Bredine online:
Portfolio
Facebook
Instagram

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