Pro-Tips: 10 Survival Tricks to Help New Adventure Photographers Get the Shot

Image via Complex Original

“You’re always looking for something new,” says Burkard of the elusive quest to shoot the perfect photo. But for Burkard, it’s typically only after the fact that he realizes when he has captured something extraordinarily beautiful. “Even some of my best photos, I didn’t even take a second glance at them when I first shot them. They’re always the ones that pop out later. Maybe you just realize later that, ‘Wow, this was a great moment.’”

Though spontaneous actions are the cornerstone of great adventure photography, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be prepared for them. “One thing that’s difficult about adventure photography is that if you just wait for something to happen, it never does,” laughs Burkard. “But I think that if you have a concept or idea and plan to execute that, then in the meantime things just happen… You’re trying to keep yourself ready for the unexpected; you’re also trying to keep yourself available for new experiences—things that might change you, and things that might make you see things differently. It’s kind of an open-ended experience.”

Though the final destination may be a photographer’s endgame, don’t ignore the importance of actually reaching it. “I’m really trying to evoke a certain emotion or passion,” Burkard says about the feeling that he attempts to create with his work. “And a big part of that is trying to create photographs that are accessible and that adventurers would feel like are attainable. For me it’s not really about shooting guys on the top of Mount Everest; [it’s about] what it’s like to be en route to those amazing adventures. The journey to those places is just as important as the end location.”

“I like to travel and I like to go places, and the last thing I want to do is be weighed down by film and to worry about processing,” Burkard says of his penchant for digital cameras. “And also, sharing my work is really important to me; if I can’t share my work, it feels like it inhibits the experience. So digital allows me to do that. It’s a platform that’s really set up for that.”

When it comes to cameras, the smaller the better for Burkard. “There are so many moments that pass us by because we’re not willing to take out our cameras,” he says. “We’re overwhelmed by the moment and we’re overwhelmed by what we have to do, so the best camera is really the one that you have with you. And I find that the smaller it is, the more moments I’m going to get.” As for his preferred camera model? “The Sony a7S is my absolute go-to… I shoot all mirror-less cameras because they’re small, they’re light, they’re super efficient, and the quality is just as good—if not better—than a lot of the larger DLSRs because they have amazing dynamic range and all these functions that make it so awesome for traveling.” 

“To me, size and weight are everything,” says Burkard of what he looks for in a camera. “Also, I want to be able to shoot a fast frame rate. I love being able to shoot someone jumping into an icy lake or something like that. One of the reasons I love the Sony a7S is because it has an articulating screen, which means that I could be looking down at my screen while the camera’s in my lap, not up by my eye making my subjects feel nervous or whatever. So having small, unobtrusive cameras makes the feeling feel much more intimate.”

Natural light is an adventure photographer’s best friend. But not all photos are taken when the sun is shining brightly. “I love to shoot in adverse conditions,” says Burkard. “I love to shoot when there’s a storm moving over or there’s absolutely howling wind. So I find that being able to shoot photos when the conditions get really harsh is absolutely crucial. And the Sony has amazing low light; it’s got amazing functionality for just shooting in crappy weather… And its direct manual focus allows you to zoom way in on the viewfinder so that when you shoot your photo you’re not hunting around.” When it comes to lenses, Burkard “likes using the Sony kit lenses. They’re really sharp, they’re really fast, and the quality is really awesome… Sony’s ZEISS line is really good.”

“To me, a perfect camera kit goes way beyond the camera gear. It’s also the jacket you have on,” laughs Burkard. “Photography for me has never been a fashion show, which sometimes is a bummer. But the goal is to be out there and come home with the shot. And know that you need to get that moment. I love ultra-light Induro tripods; I use Kenti F-Stop bags, which are made more in line with mountaineering. I tend to be out on the road a lot so I need to be able to be gone at a moment’s notice. So if that means carrying camping gear with me, then I’ll bring camping gear… I use a lot of Goal Zero solar charges, which really help when I’m in the field.”

Burkard relates the best piece of advice that he’s ever been given about becoming an adventure photographer, which he has determined to be true: “Be willing to suffer, because that’s the ultimate thing you’ll have to do,” he laughs. “When I say ‘suffer,’ I mean you have to be willing to give something up for your craft. You have to be willing to endure. And I think that’s a big part of it, whether you’re staying up late or shooting in harsh conditions.”

Photography offers a key into the past. And with how rapidly our landscapes are changing, Burkard understands the great responsibility that comes with capturing the world at a specific moment in time. “Any time you have the opportunity to document something historical—something that might not be there in 10 years—it’s special,” he says. “I realize that there’s an importance to that, too. That’s why nature has such a huge role in my work, because there are a lot of places I’ll shoot that might not be there in the future. Maybe it’s a classic windmill on some road with a perfect wave behind it. I don’t know, but I seek out those locations.”