Chris Burkard is a world-renowned photographer, filmmaker, and storyteller whose work captures the beauty and rawness of some of the earth’s wildest places. Whether documenting iconic climbs in Yosemite or frigid surf trips deep in the Arctic Circle, Chris has established himself as a committed artist who is willing to suffer extensively to get the perfect shot. And because of his love and respect for these wild places, Chris is also a committed conservationist, using his artistic skills to showcase the importance of endangered places and effect positive policy changes.
Born and raised on the Central Coast of California, Chris spent much of his youth exploring the mountains and coastline of his home state. During high school, he fell in love with photography and eventually left college to pursue it as a full-time career. After several years of working to establish himself in the business, Chris’s commitment and hard work paid off—he’s now one of the most sought after photographers for a wide range of clients, from corporations like Apple to independent publications such as Surfers Journal or Modern Huntsman. Chris’s career is a testament to the power of hard work, positivity, boundless energy, and laser-like focus.
I’ve been a fan of Chris’s for years, so it was a real pleasure to have the chance to chat with him. We both took a break from our respective quarantines and kid-wrangling duties to meet up via Skype for a fun and wide-ranging conversation. The specifics of Chris’s photography career have been documented extensively in audio and print, so I wanted to learn more about what makes Chris tick—why he chooses to suffer in dangerous environments, how he and his wife engrain grit in their two sons, and how he manages to muster positivity during tough times. We also talked a lot about his commitment to conservation, as well as his commitment to working with smaller, independent outdoor publications. And as usual, we discuss favorite books, places in the West, and Chris offers some timely words of wisdom. Links to everything are in the episode notes.
A huge thanks to Chris for taking the time to chat during such a crazy time. I hope you all enjoy this conversation—it’s a much-need burst of energy and optimism during this challenging time!
Photos courtesy of Chris Burkard
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EPISODE NOTES
Topics Discussed:
- 3:30 – “Pain is a shortcut to mindfulness”
- 7:15 – The process of learning to appreciate pain
- 10:00 – Growing up in California
- 14:00- When photography entered Chris’s life
- 16:00 – Deciding to leave school to pursue photography
- 18:30 – Choosing to be positive
- 22:30 – Thoughts on cultivating grit in children
- 25:00 – Striving to live up to one’s full potential
- 27:15 – Outdoor adventure as a parenting tool
- 29:30 – Re-evaluating risk as a parent
- 36:00 – Training for mental stress
- 37:30- Ultra-endurance bike riding
- 42:00 – Meditation training
- 43:00 – Dealing with the stress of COVID-19
- 46:30 – Work in the conservation world
- 53:45 – Commitment to working with smaller outdoor publications
- 58:30 – Favorite books
- 1:02:30 – Favorite places in the West
- 1:04:45 – Parting words of wisdom
Information Referenced:
- Chris Burkard
- Chris on Instagram
- Chris’s books
- Chris’s TED talk
- SURFER Magazine
- Big Sur
- Yosemite
- Zion
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
- Under An Arctic Sky film
- Yvon Chouinard
- Surfers Journal
- Modern Huntsman
- Adventure Journal
- The Boy Who Spoke to the Earth by Chris Burkard
- The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko
- Edward Abbey
- Essentialism by Greg McKeown
- Ansel Adam: An Autobiography by Ansel Adams
- Chris’s interview with Chase Jarvis
- Creative Calling by Chase Jarvis
- Bears Ears
- Valley of the Gods
- Canyonlands
- Paul Nicklen
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these as well:
- Pete McBride – A Passion for Water & Wild Places
- Hampton Sides – Live at the Aspen Institute
- Brendan Leonard – Grinding It Out
- Jessica Lewis – Doing More With Less
- Heather Hansman – Demystifying Water in the West
- Peter Heller – Chasing the Flow
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