The entire collection of video software programs, educational tutorials, video music, and LUTs would run you around $1,800 if purchased separately. But for the next five days only, the bundle can be had for a remarkable 95% off, costing just $89. Do I make a small commission if you purchase from my links here? You betcha. But that doesn’t mean that this isn’t a phenomenal deal on video tutorials, tools and resources. I myself will be buying this and taking advantage of all of the resources included. But, these are the five I am most excited about.

The post Seven Video Creator Tools I Am Excited About That Won’t Break the Bank appeared first on Resource Travel.

On Rustad’s website, he describes the incredible about of work that went into developing the nearly eight minutes of jaw dropping scenes from some of South America’s most pristine locations. 

One year of travel, nine countries, countless hours on buses, motorbikes, and cars. Hundreds of thousands of images taken. 30TB of data used, 5 months of editing. The time-lapse film features South America like it has never been before with images from Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.

And Rustad is right. We have never seen South America quite like this. We sat down with the filmmaker to talk briefly about the process of making a film of this magnitude. 

“The sheer amount of work that goes into these films, and this one in particular, is staggering. What was the most challenging aspect of creating this film?”

I think being in a completely new country where everything is different from home was the most difficult thing about this project. I didn’t know the language, any people, and most importantly I didn’t know how the nature behaved. As time went by I got more experience and things got easier, and I got more confidence that I could handle the conditions.

“Most of your scenes involve remote sections of nature. Is so much solitude challenging when creating your films? Do you ever feel the need to stay in a town for a couple of days to find some human interaction?”

I enjoy spending time with only nature and myself, so that was never really a problem. A book or a podcast can make me feel a little less lonely if needed.

“Can you tell us a little about your next project? How about your ultimate ‘dream’ film?”

I’m aiming for a trip to Pakistan this summer if everything goes as planed. A big dream for me would be to do a sequel in Africa, but that would require extensive planning and funding.

After watching Rustad’s vision of South America, it’s easy to get excited for his trip and film from Pakistan, as well as his other future adventures. We will undoubtedly be sharing his future work here on Resource Travel, but in the meantime, Follow Morten Rustad on his website, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

The post Beaches, Mountains, and Deserts: See The Diverse Beauty of South America appeared first on Resource Travel.

Filmmaker Martin Heck’s from TimeStorm’s Films latest offering seems to abide by Chatwin’s observation.

Though the images captured by Heck  are no doubt beautiful, the jagged, looming snow capped mountains, smothered by the transient clouds in the ever-changing light reveal a wild and unpredictable place. That being said, the images are amazingly stunning and if the film doesn’t invoke feelings of pulling a Walter Mitty right now, then I don’t know what will.

We have written about Heck’s work before with his awesome timelapse video of the Atacama Desert in Chile.  His other videos are worth checking out as well. He explores New Zealand, Norway, and offers mind numbing images of an Volcano Calbuco (also in chili) erupting in 2015. We have done you a favor and just put them all in one place. Get ready to slip off into a daydream of pure remote wanderlust.   

See more from Timestorm Films on their website, Vimeo, Facebook, and Twitter.

The post Experience the Ever-Changing Spring Weather In Torres del Paine, Patagonia appeared first on Resource Travel.

Listen, I know it could be worse, I know. But I’m just speaking for New York’s consciousness right now so don’t kill the messenger.

The point is that it’s moments like this where scouring the internet for travel stories becomes a necessity. It’s not even that I sit here pretending to be somewhere with warm weather, because I know I’m just as happy to look at a perfect wave in Tahiti as I am studying the Northern lights painting an Artic sky. It’s just the sense of escapism and wonder that these images will convey that will counteract the reality of being hunkered down in my apartments as the world turns white outside.

This film from Timefocus Films is helping fuel my wanderlust, however.

The film showcases the landscapes of New Zealand in 8K, which is way above the resolution most of us can view. But even watching this splendid film in 4k, you will be blown away by the sharp, vibrant visuals.  Using timelapse cinematography, as well as steller lighting and composition, the video showcases New Zealand’s gorgeous and stunning scenery. The cinematic music overlays the imagery enhances the experience, making everything feel even more incredible than the stunning visuals already do. And yes, the video description pays tribute to Lord Of The Rings, so they already know you’ve made the connection.

TimeFocus Fims, based in Czech Republic, specializes in time-lapse videos. And if you enjoyed this, they have videos of Iceland and Jeseniky (Czech Republic) as well, both of which are definitely worth watching.

But wait, I know you don’t want to go back to reality quite yet. Here are some awesome still shots from TimeFocus for your viewing pleasure.

See more on the Timefocus Film’s YouTube-page, Facebook page, Instagram and timefocusfilms.com

The post Time-lapse Film Shows the Stunning and Diverse Landscapes of New Zealand appeared first on Resource Travel.

When both returned home, the talked about different ideas that they could collaborate on to tell an adventure story. Woodward  doesn’t remember when the idea of running across Iceland came up, but once it did, there was no turning back. There was only one problem. Whittle was not much of a runner. In his life, he had finished a couple 5k and 10k runs, and even a marathon five years earlier, but by no means was he a ultra runner. But once the idea was hatched, they couldn’t get their minds off it. To make it even more interesting, the team applied to make this a Guinness World Record attempt.

Whittle didn’t want to do this just for himself though. The 28-year old and his family suffered a devastating loss when Whittle’s nephew Sonny lost his battle to a rare form of cancer at just one year old. Whittle was determined to accomplish this challenging feat in Sonny’s name and to help raise awareness and donations for CLIC Sargent, a UK-based organization that supports families of children with cancer.

With all of the high level work done, the team started planning the details of the run. They would cover 450 miles of roads (both paved and dirt) as well as hiking trails. The Dyrhólaey lighthouse in the south was the desired starting point and the Hraunhafnartangi lighthouse in the north was where the team wanted to end their adventure.

When they arrived in Iceland, the typical Arctic weather already began to throw a wrench in their plans. Heavy rain had washed out a bridge just 80 miles from the starting point at the Dyrhólaey lighthouse that, if not repaired by the time the team got there, would end their quest for the Guinness World Record. Once the clock starts, there is no stopping it, even if your route is blocked. Making a last minute decision, they decided to flip the route and start at the Hraunhafnartangi lighthouse in the north and work their way south, which should give them enough time to arrive at the bridge after it was reopened. Once in the north, the team started the stopwatch and Tom Whittle began his run across the desolate Icelandic landscape.

The film is a beautiful look into the journey, and Woodward wrote an exceptional blog post about the details of the run over on the Backcountry website, who sponsored their ambassador’s bold attempt to run across Iceland on foot. The film is painful to watch at times, as us viewers can literally see the athlete’s body giving out throughout the course of the run. Even though they had brought multiple pairs of shoes for Whittle, they didn’t anticipate that his feet would grow over a full size throughout the journey due to the extensive swelling that running 40-50 miles a day would cause. But that wasn’t the only challenge the team faced, as the film shows, but they endured. Ten days, 13 hours, and 11 minutes after they started, Whittle channeled enough energy to jog across the final couple hundred feet to the Dyrhólaey lighthouse.

It is hard to put into words how inspiring this feat was, and especially for the reason why Whittle was compelled to achieve it. Eager to know more about the challenging journey, we sat down with Woodward to talk about this amazing accomplishment and his stunning film and photos that brought us along for the ride.

This story is truly remarkable. You have done some pretty cool stuff on your travels. Where does this adventure stack up?

This adventure was one of the most unique that I’ve been on. While many have an objective, few have had the cumulative number of moving pieces that we had to manage each day that this proved to challenge us with. This trip was also amazingly special in the goal, not just crossing Iceland, but honoring the passing of Sonny, Tom’s nephew.

At any point were you fearful that Tom wouldn’t be able to finish the route?

Absolutely. The first days were by far the hardest. The night before we were meant to start, the rain flooded the field we camped in, and continued on into the morning as we headed to our starting point. Whipping winds and cold rain chased us the entire first day, and by day three we were almost a full day behind our schedule. As Tom’s body adjusted slowly, the third day we were concerned that his knees wouldn’t hold out for the remainder. But each day we started he hobbled from his tent, ate breakfast in the truck, and began slowly down the path.

We can see in the film what the hardest parts for Tom was, but, as the filmmaker, what was the most challenging aspect of this record attempt?

We all shared many roles on this attempt. Mandy was in charge of logistics, Jason handled driving and most meal prep, and my main focus was filming and shooting, but that quickly changed to assisting during the transitions where Tom would need to change shoes or socks, as well as restocking food and water in his pack. We quickly realized that his feet would need medical attention each day, and that landed on my shoulders as well. As much as we wanted to document the journey, I was torn between the tasks that would help us towards the finish line and those that would allow us to do more than just write the story when it was finished.

What inspires you most about what Tom, and the team behind him, accomplished?

I think the most inspiring thing for me is how willing the team was to jump into the unknown. Tom wasn’t a long distance runner, we weren’t a trained support team. We all braved a lot during the trip that tested our limits to act at the edge of our comfort zones. It taught me to never assume that just because you may not have all the answers ahead of time, that it doesn’t mean that the risk isn’t worth taking. We learn the most about ourselves when we take a chance to find the limits to what we can accomplish.

The story is remarkable, and we applaud Whittle, Woodward and the addition team members Mandy Marr and Jason Sivyer for fighting off weather, pain, fatigue, and doubt to complete this challenge. And most importantly, to help raise awareness about childhood cancer and help support the families affected.

See the rest of the incredible photo essay below. 

See more from William Woodward on his website, Instagram and Facebook. 

The post Running 450 Miles Across Iceland For A Good Cause appeared first on Resource Travel.

The couple spent three weeks in the country last October and November, hitting such hot spots like Phuket, Phi Phi Island, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Elephant Nature Park, a place we hold very dear to our hearts.

Filmmaker Justin Majeczky brought his unique style of fast moving filmmaking to Thailand and the results are impressive. Even though we have been there plenty of times ourselves, the Majeczkys show us that Thailand is one of those time-less locations that you can never visit enough.

The post See This Couple’s Incredible 3-Week Journey Through Thailand appeared first on Resource Travel.

SmugMug Films “The Cold Open”

SmugMug has been known to make a pretty epic film or two in the days since they launched their film division, SmugMug Films. I was lucky enough to travel to Norway to work with their cinematographer Anton Lorimer to make the company’s award winning film on Chris Burkard. And Lorimer loved the way his cold weather adventure films came out, so he was always anxious to get back into a frozen backdrop. He followed Tim Kemple to Iceland to give us a jaw-dropping look at ice climbing on massive glaciers. So it was only natural that Jorgenson’s work as a mountain sports photographer in one of North America’s best snow sport destinations would be Lorimer’s next film. The filmmaker traveled to work with Jorgenson as he captured snowmobiling and skiing during some of Whistler’s notorious snow storms. The film is a beautiful and insightful look into what inspires the Canadian to venture into the remote backcountry when conditions are less than ideal.

Freezing the action with Blake Jorgenson

To accompany the launch of the film, the editorial team at SmugMug published a great interview with Jorgenson about his top ten tips on how to improve your mountain sports photography. In them, he talks about how his first job in Whistler was crictical in helping him establish relationships with local athletes. As a teenager,  Jorgenson worked in the Blackcomb ski shop. He says that the lack of cell phones in those days really made the shop become the hub of the local action, which allowed him to embed himself in the community that has come to be so important to his work.

There’s a strong sense of community in Whistler. You have this combined interest in what you’re shooting, and that leads to developing relationships with the people you photograph. That ski shop and the community that shared my passion for winter sports really helped my career take off. This connection was an important foundation for what I do.

Spending Time in the Outdoors Gives the Most Inspiration

Jorgenson gives great advice as to how he maintains his creative flow and finds new ideas.

I couldn’t do what I do if I didn’t love being out there all the time. It’s challenging, cold, wet, and strenuous — and I still love it. If I’m looking for ideas about skiing, I don’t sit in front of my computer and look at ski photos; I’ll go out skiing by myself. By spending lots of time out there, opportunities arise.

Composition is Key

Us photographers know it like the back of our hands. Composition is key to any dramatic and visually appealing photograph. But, we can never hear it from other successful photographers enough, as in the heat of the moment, it’s easy to often forget to focus on this critical aspect. Jorgenson told SmugMug:

How you set up your shot is incredibly important, and the slightest little movement of your composition, even by mere inches, can change how the viewer perceives what’s happening in that photograph. Ideally, your composition complements how that person is moving. Complementing the speed, the energy, the height, the style that the subject is expressing. Decide what shot you’re trying to create and then figure out how to compose and capture it.

While trying to work out your composition, don’t forget that this is action sports. Jorgenson says you should’t forget to get right in the middle of it all. And don’t get discouraged when you don’t get what you are looking for right away.

For action, get right in there. Get closer, get more dynamic. The energy is really displayed by being in your face. Just because you didn’t get it on the first try doesn’t mean you’re going to get it on the hundredth try, but the hundred and first might be the one.

Finding The Light

For me personally, I love photographing in the dead of winter. I love the drama of the snow, and the bright white fluffy powder makes landscape photos beautiful. But it can also be challenging to find good light during these months. But Jorgensen tells SmugMug what his favorite time is:

The best time of year to shoot is always in December, during the winter solstice, because the days are really short and you have this gorgeous sunset light all day long. There’s something magical about that winter solstice time where light skims the horizon and you have this cold, sparkly snow and air.

You Are Not the Star

Jorgenson gives what is prehaps my favorite advice to date from his excellent sit down interview with SmugMug. You are not the star. Your subject is.

In this day of social media and self-promotion, a lot of photographers are trying to be the star. Their subjects and who they’re shooting for can get lost in translation. I think that’s a mistake. So I stick to the advice of concentrating on what you’re shooting and what the purpose is. By doing a good job with that, you’ll get recognition.

Once again SmugMug hits a home run. The film by Anton Lorimer is beautifully shot, inspiring and makes us feel like we are right in the adventure with Blake, which is prehaps my favorite quality of Lorimer’s films. But on top of that, writer Kerry Ellis was able to find some diamonds in her talk with Jorgenson. We only touched the surface here, so head on over to the SmugMug Blog and read the entire interview and get inspired to get outside this winter and capture some adrenaline-charged snow sports!

Follow Blake Jorgenson’s adventures on his website, Facebook and Instagram.

pemberton meadows sunset british columbia

The post Inside the Dramatic Winter Sports Photography of Blake Jorgenson appeared first on Resource Travel.

When Thueson arrived on a clear and beautiful January day, he was amazed at the banked slopes that jutted out from the desert floor. But then, he saw something moving fast up the steep 100 foot climb. It was a dirt bike rider, seeminly testing fate byflying up the slopes until banking at the last possible minute to coast back down to the desert floor. Thueson had seen photos of riders at this location before, but when he drove through, he wasn’t sure if he would be lucky enough to capture them himself. But sure enough, riders Jesse Gross and Mike Pettingill were out this day, and they put on a great show for Thueson, and thanks to his photos and video, us as well.

Follow Mike Thueson’s adventures on his Instgram, @knowledgeableidiot

The post See An Adrenaline-Charged Dirt Bike Adventure in Factory Butte, Utah appeared first on Resource Travel.

The Phoenix, Arizona based photographer’s latest film, ‘Breathe’ was an idea born on a song. When Olbinski first heard Ex Makina’s song ‘Breathe’ on MusicBed, he immediately pictured the soundtrack playing behind a dramatic black and white storm time-lapse film.

The moment I heard the opening thump of bass…I knew I would be using this song for my film. But then those haunting vocals hit my ears…and blew my mind. It was like a punch deep in my soul. It’s hard to explain that feeling when you first hear a song and you immediately fall in love with it. Almost like you’ve known it all along.

And Olbinski was right. The visuals are stunning, as we are well used to from the photographer, but the heart pounding soundtrack adds a dramatic vibe to the scenes. For a film he didn’t even know he was going to make, Olbinksi hits another home run.

See more from Olbinski on his website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Blu-Ray discs available here: mikeolbinski.com/shop/</em

The post Monochrome Time-Lapse Film Shows the Dramatic Nature of Storms appeared first on Resource Travel.

Winter is settling in across the land and as many of us bring our snowboards and skis out of the attic for another season of powder shredding, we can watch the new film ‘Tsirku’ and realize that we are nothing but amateurs in this world.

‘Tsirku’ is a three-part big-mountain adventure ski series from Sherpas Cinema
and The North Face. Three North Face Athletes set out to locate and ski and snowboard down the fabled Corrugated spine lines of the Tsirku Glacier.

The Tsirku Glacier is situated in the remote Saint Elias mountains where Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon converge. Being that this is one of the most remote, challenging, and dangerous locations to ride in the world, only a small handful of athletes had done it before. But snowboarder Ralph Backstrom and skiers Hadley
Hammer and Sam Anthamatten were excited, and slightly nervous, for the challenges that lay ahead.

Reaching the spines was no easy task, however. On April 1, 2016, the team left Haines Pass in the Yukon and started the sixty-kilometer trek on snowmobiles across the massive glacier. While this may sound easy, it is not. The route is littered with crevasses, seracs, severe wind and avalanche zones. It took nearly two weeks to move all of the gear and get set up at the Corrugated basecamp due to inclement weather. But once we first lay eyes on the prize, we understand why the team went through the challenges.

The spine lines that the athletes plan to conquer are intimidating to say the least. The spines appear to be almost at a perfect 90-degree angle downward, with a massive amount of snow packed on top. Even if the athlete’s team was able to somehow navigate downward, the scene looks like an avalanche waiting to happen, yet the team moves forward.

We found ourselves transfixed on this brilliant piece of filmmaking for all of its 20-minute run time. The visuals are spectacular, and the action and adventure that is conveyed had us feeling as if we were right there on the ledge with them, feeling the snow give way below our skis. Chances are, none of us will ever conquer the Corrugated spine lines of the Tsirku Glacier. But with masterful filmmakers like Sherpas Cinema and skilled and brave athletes like Backstrom, Hammer and Anthamatten, we can live the heart racing experience in 4k from our warm and safe couches.

Follow Sherpa Cinemas on their website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photos and quotes kindly provided to Resource Travel by Sherpas Cinema.

The post Skiing the Remote and Dangerous Spines of the Tsirku Glacier appeared first on Resource Travel.

The film is a beautiful look at this remote southern wilderness and gives viewers the feeling of being in the passenger seat along for the adventure with Hill. But if that wasn’t enough to convince you that Patagonia should be on your bucket list, the photographer also provided us with his favorite photos from the region.

So sit back, relax, and take a journey through Patagonia with Jason Charles Hill.

Follow Jason Charles Hill on his Instagram, Facebook, and website.

Follow Kalum Ko on his Instagram and website.

The post A Two-Week Adventure Through Patagonia With Jason Charles Hill appeared first on Resource Travel.

This interview originally appeared in the Fall issue of Resource Magazine. Purchase a copy or a subscription today.

By Michael Bonocore
Photos By Chris Burkard

Read Burkard’s exclusive article for Resource Travel, “Adventure is My Inspiration”

As our DHC-8 twin-engine noisily descends from a short flight across the Vestfjorden, the scene outside the window begins to resemble what I had always envisioned to be ‘the Arctic.’ Snow covered farms and cottages become larger as we break through the thick clouds. Our small plane begins to toss like a rag doll, leading even experienced fliers like us to grip our armrests as our stomachs churn. After what felt like an hour, the prop plane touches down and almost instantly the door is open and we are on the tiny airport’s tarmac. This harrowing endeavor marked the moment I first realized I had just entered the infamous Arctic with famed adventure photographer Chris Burkard. At the time, I did not know what these frigid locations meant to Burkard or how the cold, arctic environments had shaped his career and his personality. And most of all, little did I know what he had in store for us all just three short years later.

Arctic Swell

While Chris Burkard’s work today can be best described as ‘adventure’, there was a period in the California native’s younger years when his primary focus was mainly on surfing and the loose, frantic culture that surrounds the sport. His love of the outdoors and willingness to do anything to get a great photo began to resonate with the people who flocked to his Instagram for their daily fix of wanderlust. Today, that Instagram is approaching three million followers who hang on to his every word, as Burkard is a master at finding the right inspirational caption for his photos. Some of the most popular images on his Instagram come from the Arctic, the same place I found myself with Burkard back in 2014. I was there to help film a short documentary for SmugMug called ‘Arctic Swell,’ which followed Burkard as he documented three pro surfers battling the extremes at the 68th parallel. This is where I saw Burkard at his finest: “Having cold fingers, brittle skin and chapped lips. Really putting yourself out there in the elements. That’s when it feels like you are paying the price, but the greatest rewards come from it.” And he was right. Burkard’s shots from this expedition, as well as his other cold-weather surf adventures, are legendary, and I got to experience his passion firsthand. We were indeed frozen and our skin brittle, but it was one of the most exciting and educational weeks of my life.

Under An Arctic Sky

When we heard Burkard was in Iceland making a film with the production studio Sweatpants Media, we knew he must have something incredible up his sleeve. Sure enough, he did. ‘Under an Arctic Sky’ follows Burkard and surfers Justin Quintal, Timmy Reyes and Sam Hammer along with local surfers and guides Heidar Logi, Elli Thor Magnusson and Ingo Olsen as they travel through Iceland in search of rideable waves in the remote Westfjords. Their plan is to meet up with a sailboat captain who seems to be the only one willing to take the risk that the expedition involves. Almost immediately after landing in this nation of 334,000, the team finds themselves battling what would become the country’s worst winter storm in over 20 years. The filmmakers perfectly capture the terrifying scenes unfolding in front of them, making the audience’s heart race as the surfer’s SUVs battle through a blizzard, trying to get to their destination before they’re stranded, a situation with potentially deadly consequences.

It’s impossible to describe more of the film without giving too much away, but it’s safe to say that Burkard and his team made it through unscathed. Not, however, before finding what they were looking for, along with an unexpected surprise that truly made this trip a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for both Burkard and his crew of surfers.

A Conversation With Chris Burkard

After watching the film, the team here at Resource Magazine was ecstatic. Inspired and eager to hear more about its production, we reached out to Burkard, who graciously agreed to sit for an interview. We asked the husband and father of two about his zany projects, his buddy trips, and how he gets back into a work/life balance after returning home from one of his expeditions.

No matter what the project, it seems like the thing you get most excited about is team camaraderie; it’s like your favorite movie genre is buddy-comedy or buddy-adventure. What inspires you to keep making these crazy ideas come to life along with your pals?

The reality is, I find that the closer you are to failure and the closer you are to not getting what you came for, there’s more risk involved. And I think that when you have a group of people that are all engaged in that same activity, it just becomes so much more raw, and your relationships become so much more real. You’re experiencing something where you have to rely on each other and I feel like I’ve fostered the best relationships on experiences like that, so I guess that’s the reason I’ve always aimed to have people along for the ride. It’s not always about me, it’s really never about me, it’s more about the relationships with the people you’re with.

“Regardless of how much you plan, Mother Nature is always in charge”: wise words from your boat captain. Is not being able to surf that break in the Westfjords something that will stick with you forever? A “what if” moment? Do you think there was a time in your life, maybe in your younger years, where you would have fought the advice of the seasoned captain in order to get the shot you had envisioned, no matter the cost?

I definitely think about it quite a bit. There were a lot of sleepless nights and I was pretty bummed and stressed out about it. I didn’t want to come back empty-handed to my editors. But what I realized (and it took me a while, I’m not gonna lie), was that in the end,  the reality is that we made the film and the whole point of the film was about uncertainty. So I think if I’m really gonna follow my own advice and believe in this uncertainty then I needed to realize that. “Hey, we embraced uncertainty and this amazing thing happened”. I think what ended up happening with the film, where we ended up finding northern lights and being able to surf beneath them, that’s greater than any weird wave in some random bay in the world, and that’s what’s so beautiful. The best trips, they answer questions that in the beginning you didn’t think to ask and that’s a really special scenario to be in, where you go for one thing and you’re given something completely different. Definitely, at one point in my life when I was younger, I probably was a little more bull-headed and maybe I wouldn’t have heard that advice as loudly.

There are some points in the film where the discussion of actually cutting your losses was brought up. Knowing you, I never thought I would hear you even entertain such a thought. How close were you really to giving up on this idea because of the hardships you endured?

You know we probably over dramatized that. We always really did want to stay but at the same time, we had to ask the guys because what ended up happening is we were about a 6-hour drive from Reykjavik and in the winter time that’s more like a 12-hour drive. We all had flights we had to catch and so we all had to extend those flights, so it was kind of this group decision. If somebody had to go back to the airport, or if somebody wanted to leave, we would have all had to leave because we’d have to get them to the airport. So it was kind of this thing where it was like either we all stay or we all go and as much as for myself I would have stayed 100%, I knew that I needed to make this a group decision. I feel like that’s one thing about being a trip leader or a group expedition leader, you learn to include other people’s opinions. It can’t always be about you, which is really critical.

You’ve done a lot of pretty cool adventures, including filming ‘Arctic Swell’, that awesome 10 day trip with me. Out of every crazy adventure you have done, where does “Under an Arctic Sky” rank?

 

Oh yeah, that Norway trip was easily one of the best ones I have ever done! Well, I would say that it’s an interesting question because ‘Under an Arctic Sky’ probably had the most peril, the most risk, as well as the most success in the end. I guess the reality is I would put it near the top, because I’ve never been in an experience where the risk has been so high and the chance of failure so high that you just feel like your hearts on your sleeve and your entire body and mind and all your creativity is really out there, exposed. That’s kind of critical. That’s a really important aspect, just to be willing to give everything to a project and I feel like that’s why this adventure was most meaningful to me.

Do you think you will ever get tired of the frigid Arctic?

 

To be honest, the Arctic is such a critical place for me. I’ve learned to love it, I’ve learned how to speak its language, and I’ve learned how to be a steward for this place and try to speak about it and that’s been a really important thing. It’s given me much more than I’ve given it and I really want to spend the rest of my life trying to figure out how to pay it back.

What were you using to light up the wave under the Northern Lights?

That’s a question that a lot of people ask. We ended up using a flashlight! It was a 50,000 candlepower flashlight on the beach, and the funny thing is we didn’t even bring it there to light up the wave. We actually brought it there to shoot some of those scenes at night of the guys driving. We knew there were 18 hours of darkness in Iceland at this time, and we wanted something to light up some of those scenes. And then, as everything started to come together and we were there surfing under the northern lights, we realized the guys couldn’t even see the waves breaking in front of them, so we used the light to basically illuminate the waves as they started coming in. Lo and behold, we realized this was actually a really, really incredible source of light in the footage and it’s creating contrast and allowing the viewer to see what’s going on, so it ended up being this blessing in disguise.

No doubt this project was intense. After such a mental and physical challenge, how do you re-balance yourself once you get home?

I put the camera down. I find it’s critical for me to be with my family in the places that I love. That helps me to become inspired again. It’s really hard on these trips to be continuously inspired because you’re running on empty. You’re giving so much of yourself that you have to kind of fill up this reservoir of inspiration,  and usually, for me, that happens when I’m at home. I’m surrounded by people I care about and I’m filling up that reservoir and that’s a really critical thing I’ve had to learn over the years. It took me a long time to learn that you can’t always ‘go, go, go’ or the quality is going to suffer and you’re going to suffer if you don’t find the time to rebalance yourself. For me, that usually involves being in the ocean, doing yoga and climbing. But most of all, being with my family.

Follow Burkard’s adventures on his website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Read Burkard’s exclusive article for Resource Travel, “Adventure is My Inspiration”

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Their newest video “ROCKY MOUNTAIN 8K” is a work that took several years to film in the rugged mountains of Colorado. Rocky Mountain National Park sits in the heart of Colorado’s Front Range and spans more than 415 square miles—nearly every inch of it is pure beauty.

We sat down with Jim to talk about the process of making this film, and what makes Rocky Mountain National Park so special to him.

This video features absolutely stunning shots that range through all 4 seasons. How the shooting conditions varied from season to season?

Rocky Mountain National park showcases some of the very best scenery the Rockies have to offer and that our national parks have to offer. Being nestled in the Rockies, the weather can change pretty drastically from season to season. Shooting in the summer we were able to get just about anywhere in the park and were able to film some of the park’s incredible alpine lakes and streams and the wildlife that depend on them. As you get into the Fall you have this incredible backdrop of vibrant color from the aspens that are so abundant throughout the park. Fall also provides an incredible time view wildlife, especially Elk as it’s rutting season. Winter was the most challenging for obvious reasons, but it was amazing to be able to come back to the same lakes we had filmed in the summer and see them frozen over, and to hike the same trails we had in the summer and see the park interpretive signs and benches and trail markers buried in 5-6 feet of snow!

 

When did you find to be the optimal time of year for visiting the Rocky Mountains?

I think Fall is easily the best time of year to visit Rocky Mountain. The summer crowds are mostly gone. The aspens are ablaze with brilliant yellows and oranges along the hillsides and forests. And the wildlife is seemingly ever-present with the Elk bugling, marmots scurrying, bears getting ready for hibernation, and bighorn sheep making there way into the valleys.

 

You get up close and personal with some animals in this video, giving a bit of insight into the wildlife of the terrain. Was this intimidating at all? Did you ever feel like you were impeding on unsafe animal territory?

It’s always an incredible experience to get up close and personal with animals and nature in our national parks and our public lands. Rocky Mountain National Park has many of the largest land mammals found in North America. It’s important to give these animals their space and respect that this is their home and you are simply visiting. I try to always keep that in mind when I’m out hiking and enjoying our public lands and I find that as long as you keep that respect for these animals and give them their space they’ll go on about their business.

You have a lot of shots that feature the sun setting or rising, changing the colors in the frame drastically. What time of day do you find to be the best in capturing the true beauty of these mountains?

This is a great question as this varies from park to park. We found that sunrise was the best time to capture the changing light and colors in Rocky Mountain. A nice early wake up call by a placid mountain lake or a sweeping view of the valleys and peaks can afford some incredible views.

 

 

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So when my director buddy Eric Becker contacted me about doing an autumn road trip through Idaho in order to film a field test of the Canon 6d Mark II for DPReview, it didn’t take me long to pack up my favorite thrift shop flannels and head on over to his house. Becker informed me that we were going big time for this production. Since fall in Idaho can get rather chilly, the director Becker and producer Zach Voss got us a sweet adventure camper from Boise-based Wandervans.  That loaded house on wheels would become our home for the next five days as we drove over 800 miles chasing fall colors in a state so remote, we had almost no cell service the entire five days.

Day 1: Riggins & Sevin Devil Mountains

Five guys, one van. Let the adventure begin. After getting a late start (we are creatives…we don’t do anything quickly), Becker, Voss, DPReview’s resident on camera hunk Carey Rose, videographer Lou Karsen and yours truley settled in for the three hour drive north to Riggins, a small town of 400 residents nestled up against the Salmon River. The town is especially popular among outdoor adventure enthusiasts in the spring and summer, as rafting, fishing, hiking and horseback riding are easily available, all in front of a stunning backdrop. Being that we arrived in autumn, the town was exceptionally quiet, perfect for the solitude we were seeking. But we didn’t have time to stop in town, as we wanted to make it to the Heaven’s Gate Lookout to catch the sunset on the Sevin Devil Mountains. Being that the lookout is at 8,400 feet above sea level, we greatly underestimated the amount of snow that would be on the road, as well as the cold tempuratures that awaited us up top. We had to park the Wandervan and pile into Becker’s 4WD drive pickup truck to navigate the treacherous road to the top. But once we did, the reward was worth the cuddle party we had to endure in the cramped truck.

After the sunset, we made our way down the mountain, looking for a repurposed church camp that we would call home for the night. We set up our fire and cooked some fantastic meat. The Idaho night sky never disappoints, and the camp like scene made for some great astro photos.

The next morning, I was rudely awakened in my corner of the van by Rose, who promised me on camera to deliver me coffee. To this day I am still waiting for that coffee. So after getting my own coffee, Rose and I went to make friends with the local horses, who played nice as I tried to photograph them in the hopes of making the cover of Horse & Stable magazine.

Day 2: White Bird & Nez Perce National Forest

We left Riggins and drove north along Highway 95 to one of my favorite overlooks in all of Idaho, White Bird. This area is near the point in the Salmon River that Lewis and Clark crossed on their expedition west. But the history isn’t all happy, as this is also the location of the Battle of White Bird Canyon, the first battle of the Nez Perce War. In that battle, Chief White Bird and the Nez Perce tribe famously defeated the U.S. Army before making their escape. The overlook includes historical plaques that document the event and the view is so captivating, you can find yourself just staring off and getting lost in your mind, imagining the history that took place here.

From White Bird, we headed east on Highway 12, a remote road that winds along the often fog covered Lochsa River. At the town of Lowell, we took a right and followed the Selway River until we reached the Fenn Ranger Station, which was filled with helpful people who helped us devise an itinerary for our short time in the Nez Perce National Forest.

On the advice of the rangers, we headed to the Split Creek Trailhead, which led us up a nicely maintained trail to a great overlook of Highway 12, where the fall colors started to expose themselves.

Having gotten our excericise for the day in, we headed back towards the Fenn Ranger Station where we found a perfect campground nearby. The camp was perfect for our weary bodies as it was right along the Selway River, which meant we didn’t have to walk far to photograph the sunrise the next morning.

Sitting beside the campfire that night, Karsten brought out his guitar and started jamming. Soon, seemingly, all the other guys started playing too. “Am I the only one here who sounds like a fighting cat when I sing?” I wondered. Yes, most likely. But in this moment, I was reminded why I love Idaho so much. There wasn’t another soul for miles, but yet, here we were. Laughing, cooking, drinking and enjoying the fire all while looking up at the night sky. This is what no-plan roadtrips were all about.

Day 3: Selway Falls & The Drive to Fernwood

Another morning, another broken promise of coffee delivery by Carey Rose. I awoke wondering when our technology would advance enough to change sunrise to 9am. But once I stopped day dreaming, I threw on my favorite Guns and Roses t-shirt and walked down to the river bank where I was greated with dramtic fog hanging over the forest trees as the early morning light lit up the scene. The sounds of the flowing Selway River and the chirps of the birds awaking for a brand new day reminded me that, even though tough to get up for, sunrise is indeed my favorite time of day.

After a killer breakfast by Chef Becker, we packed up the van and began to make the long drive north to the town of Fernwood. We had heard of a pretty cool woman who had a pretty rad project going on up there that we were excited to see, but more on that below. But before we left, we drove to Selway Falls, a small group of cascading waterfalls at the end of Selway Road. After getting lost (as five guys in a van would typically do), we found the falls and disembarked and walked down to the river. While not the biggest waterfalls in the world, the falls have a certain charm to be experienced among the quiet landscape. And also, they photograph very well.

And so began our rainy drive to Fernwood. Having lived off campfire dinners for the last couple of days, we were anxious to have someone else cook for us. When we arrived in Fernwood during the late afternoon, we found Cookie’s Chuck Wagon. I mean, come on. Can you really think of a better place to get a burger and a beer than a place called Cookie’s Chuck Wagon? Upon our walk in the door, an older local gentleman seemed surprised to see five dudes in his small town that hasn’t changed a bit in the last 50 years. His greeting? With a hearty laugh and a smile he said “Good day fellas…why are you boys not with any women?” Good question sir, good question.

The burger and cold beer did not disapoint. We fueled up our bodies and headed back into the van and up the mountain  into the heart of the St. Joe National Forest, where we found a cozy turn off on a bumpy dirt road to call home for the night. No campfire here, but for the first time since we left Boise, we got a sliver of 3G cell service, which, when working, allowed us to tell our loved ones we were not only alive and well, but having an adventourous good time.

Day 4: Kristie Wolfe and her Crystal Peak Lookout

Another morning, another empty promise of coffee delivery. But hey, we are walking up to a place with a stove! We had parked on the road below a place now known as Crystal Peak Lookout. This old fire lookout had been purchased by Boise-based entrepreneur Kristie Wolfe with the idea of repurposing the structure to be a completely unique AirBnb. And was it ever! We walked up the steep driveway and met Wolfe outside the tower. Immediatly, I was amazed by her energy, even at such an ungodly hour. “Did she already drink her coffee? Did she have some already made?” I wondered, most likely aloud, and most likely to the annoyance of my compadres.

I quickly come to learn that this isn’t Wolfe’s first foray into a tiny home project. In fact, this isn’t just her passion, it’s also her career. Wolfe is best known for her ‘Hobbit Hole’ themed rental in Eastern Washington and her ‘Dreamy Tropical Treehouse’ in Hawaii. So when Wolfe found this abandon fire tower in a remote Idaho forest, she knew she had something special.

Upon purchasing the property, Wolfe discovered the old call logs from the watchers intact. Probobly our favorite was a call from over 50 years ago, where a woman was going into labor. Without a hospital for miles, the response from the lookout was etched into the call log like it was just another day in the office “Passenger having labor pains. Told the lady she must calm down and stop if she wants assitance”. I think even in this day in age, it would be hard to remain calm in such a desolate section of backcountry while going into labor.

The charming lookout was beyond photogenic, both inside and out. Wolfe hopes to have the listing on Air B&B soon, but in the harsh Idaho winters, the tower will only be accesible via snowmobile. But as soon as it is ready to live in, you can bet that I will be first in line.

Day 5: Snowy RZR Rides in McCall

After leaving Fernwood, we made our way back to Boise, but not before spending the night in McCall, a beautiful tourism driven town on the shores of the Payette Lake. The town is booming mostly year round, as the summer months bring boaters and hikers who enjoy catching some sun while wakesurfing and the winter months bring skiiers and snowboarders to ride the snow-filled mountains of Brundage Mountain Resort and Tamarack Resort. But no matter the time of year, I can always count on my buddy Cody Monroe from CM Backcountry Rentals to show me a wild good time. As we awoke from our awesome last minute house rental at Bear Creek Lodge, we were greeted with never ending snow fall. Just another autumn day in Idaho! Since the snow wasn’t too deep, Monroe suggested we take the Polaris RZRs out for a spin. We headed up the mountains, sliding out and yelping like school kids on a school canceled snow day. After photographing mainly static landscapes for the previous five days, I couldn’t think of a better way to end an incredible week with good friends. After four exciting, yet freezing hours, we headed back to Monroe’s shop before we made the long and tired drive home back to Boise.

Having to ‘work’ as a photographer, I often lose sight of what made me pick up a camera in the first place. I wanted a medium where I could bring people along for the ride on my adventures. But always having to think about the work aspect prevents me from seeing the trees through the forest, so to speak. But this trip reminded me of what I too often take for granted. Photography is STILL DAMN FUN. And here, in an Idaho full of crisp temperatures and autumn colors, the fun is not because of the images I am taking. It’s the crazy adventures and the connections with fellow creatives that makes photography damn fun. Road tripping with friends. Not having a plan or a care in the world for that matter. THAT is what is fun about photography.

So please, as we enter the holiday season, sit back, relax and really enjoy life’s moments. Those REAL moments that are never to be recreated. Be thankful for not only your creativity, but also be thankful for the friends who help you fuel that creativity by doing any absurd, spontaneous idea that you throw at them.

You only get one life. Try not to take it too seriously.

The post Living the Van Life: An Autumn Road Trip Through Idaho appeared first on Resource Travel.

Farrell knew that 1,000 frames per second could yield incredible slow motion, so he decided to start putting the $150,000 camera to the test. Over a period of 30 days, Farrell drove 20,000 miles, accumulating into what he called, ‘one of the most difficult projects I have ever attempted in my career.’

In the description on his Vimeo page, Farrell talks about the wild swings between the highs and lows he experienced during this project.

Chasing storms with a Phantom Flex4K is stressful even when things are going well. There were at least 10 days where I returned home with my tail between my legs and nothing to show after a ten hour chase and 500 miles. There were also a couple of days that I drove home with an ear to ear smile that lasted for hours.

But the difficulties weren’t just in the field. Farrell learned that lightning isn’t always as it seems, and even after the fact can be difficult to translate into a video.

Lightning is like a snowflake. Every bolt is different. I learned that lightning varies greatly in speed. There are some incredible looking bolts that I captured that didn’t make the cut because even at 1000fps they only lasted for one frame during playback. I also captured some lightning that appear computer generated it lasted so long on the screen.

With all of the trials and difficulties, it’s obvious that this project was a great success, as Farrell has captured the beauty of lightning in a way not many had before. We can only hope that his inspiration to show us the dramatic side of lightning lasts through the 2018 storm season.

See more from Farrell on his website, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

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