The Wilder Interview: Chris Burkard

Chris Burkard is an accomplished photographer, creative director, speaker and author. He spends the majority of his time travelling around the world’s wild spaces, photographing untamed and powerful landscapes. Wilder’s Editor, Jan Fox, recently asked Chris about his past adventures, his motivations to shoot, and what advice he would give to aspiring photographers in this digital age.

Thanks for your time, Chris. I understand you’re currently on an epic 900 km bike trip across Iceland’s interior. You’ve said before that Iceland is a favourite destination of yours – what is it that draws you to this Nordic island in the North Atlantic?

Yes, a team and I are currently doing a bike route through the interior of Iceland. It is amazing to see the country I’ve been to so many times in a different and unique manner. I have travelled to Iceland dozens of times, but I am usually there for commercial photography, and getting to experience the country by biking through it gives me a whole different perspective. Although the route has proved more difficult than I originally imagined … I truly believe that Iceland is one of the most beautiful locations in the world. It is by far my favourite place in the world. It holds so much opportunity for adventure and surf. Every time I shoot there it is like walking on another planet. The geography, along with the people of Iceland, keep you coming back. Breanne (my wife) and I joke about living in Iceland when our boys get a little older for six-months at a time. I’ve been 40 times and have no intentions of stopping.

This is one of many incredible adventures that you’ve been on in recent years. Are there any trips that stand out to you in particular, and why?

One of my favourite trips of all time was a trip to the Aleutian Islands in 2013 for Surfer Magazine. This trip was one of the most raw and intense trips I’ve ever been on and was pivotal in my career. We had no idea whether we would score any waves on our trip or not but we left hoping for the best. Ultimately, everything came together and we lucked out with waves. I got one image that I will remember forever on the trip — it has a monumental snow covered volcano in the background with a rolling hill below it, and a surfer slashing a wave in the foreground. After I captured this once-in-a-lifetime moment, I couldn’t help but smile and take a moment to soak it all in. I had left the well-known, warm waves in search of cold, remote places that had been unseen but was unsure if it would pay off. In this moment, it did. 

The gear that you use naturally changes with the assignment and location, but what are some of the things that you always take with you?

This list is long but I will try to pair it down:

• Sony A7RIV with a 24-70mm and a 16-35mm lenses;

• Mountainsmith kit cube;

• Goal zero charger;

• Sleep kit — ear plugs, neck pillow, eye cover;

• Iphone — the new camera is incredible;

• Medterra CBD;

• Gummies ... of course.

Your ‘mission statement’ as a photographer, and more broadly as a storyteller, has inevitably evolved with time. What are your key motivations to shoot today, and how has this changed from your first forays into photography?

Overall, my main goal is very simple — I hope to inspire others to explore this beautiful earth and to see how much can be enjoyed when getting out of your comfort zone! However, my motivations have in fact changed over the years, especially recently as a storyteller. To be honest, when I first started I was 19 years old and in the beginning it was just about travelling, seeing new places and filling pages of my passport. However, now I think it’s really evolved into telling stories about places that can’t necessarily speak for themselves. The wild places of our planet are at stake and I think the most meaningful thing I can do these days is lend my voice to them.

A lot of the adventures that you undertake involve a high level of physical exertion, and your current biking trip in Iceland is a good example. How much of a motivation is the physical challenge of these trips for you?

I’ve learned that there is nothing in life worth pursuing that isn’t going to require us to suffer, just a little bit. I like to photograph things that require you to be a part of the action — mountain biking, surfing, skiing. Anything really that requires you to go out and work to get the shot. When I have to put in more effort and lose a bit of skin. Those times are the times I feel most alive. 

You have a global audience of millions, including over 3.6 million followers on Instagram. What sort of example do you aim to set with your lifestyle?

First and foremost I try not to pretend to be anything I’m not. It’s my personal belief that people come to your channels to get a piece of who you are just as much as they come to see inspiring imagery. I try and give people that in all my social channels. In terms of what sort of example I try to set, I think the world just needs more kindness and that is most important to me. I also hope to show people how to live a life that cares for the environment and the planet, by exploring it, appreciating it, and taking measures to reduce your personal carbon footprint. Anything, no matter how big or small, is a step in the right direction when it comes to helping our planet and I hope to show this.

You chose at an early age to follow your passion of landscape and action sports photography, but it hasn’t always been a smooth journey — living in your car for a period, for example. What would you say to others looking to pursue what they love as a career?

I think the best advice I can leave those hoping to explore a career like mine is to love what you shoot. I spent a ton of time early in my career serving the needs of editors, magazines, etc. Once I finally tuned into what actually made me happy and brought me joy my career skyrocketed. I also realised what I was good at and stopped trying to convince others that I could do everything. That is REALLY important. Don’t try to show an editor tons and tons of images that reflect this broad variety of work. Focus on what is most important, the best stuff. The stuff that shows what you specialise in. It will help you become a better curator and editor for your own work. The worst thing you can do is try to tell people you can shoot everything well. You’re hired because you are a specialist in a certain area so the sooner you realise that the better. 

With the rise of social media, and the improvement and accessibility of camera technology, young photographers have plenty of tools at their disposal to showcase their work. But it is also increasingly difficult for their work to stand out. What advice would you give to aspiring photographers in this digital age?

The best thing that you can do as an aspiring photographer is to identify a style that represents you well, develop within that style, and keep shooting to perfect it. It’s super important to have your images be recognisable by editors and others who are looking at your work. With the large number of photographers that are out there now, you must find ways to stand out. The best compliment I can ever receive is when people know my photography work instantly when they see it.

Your platforms as a storyteller continue to diversify — something that you’ve said you actively try to do to grow. In addition to your photography, you’ve done plenty of public speaking, published a children’s book, and you’re now writing a memoir, called ‘The Hard Way Home’. How’s that going?

It’s going well, but to be honest it has been an incredibly difficult process. It is unlike anything I have ever done. Shooting photos has always come naturally to me, and pushing into storytelling was a natural progression, as was public speaking. It isn’t too hard for me to tell stories about other people, the planet, and places that mean a lot to me. However, it is quite hard to dive deep into your past and write a story about yourself. It forces you to examine yourself, your past, all your decisions etc. quite thoroughly, and then on top of that you have to convey how you felt to an audience. It has been a tough but rewarding process and I cannot wait to share the final product of all the hard work with everyone. 

You’re clearly drawn to very remote (and usually very cold) wild spaces. Have you thought about exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations in Africa?

Absolutely! I have been drawn to cold places like Iceland but overall my goal and passion is to get out and experience all the amazing wild places on this planet. Africa is full of extraordinary places and I’d consider myself lucky if I get to see and photograph them. Hopefully one day!

Click here to follow Chris on Instagram, and to purchase his latest book, At Glacier’s End, his prints or online business of photography workshop, head to chrisburkardshop.com.

Photo credit: Chris Burkard // Cypress Peak Productions