The Photographer’s Playbook
Your resource to becoming an adventure photographer
The Adventure Photographer’s Playbook is an e-book created by full-time photographer Dalton Johnson to help new photographers go from nothing to booked in the adventure photography space.
This adventure photography e-book goes over the business and what “making it” as a photographer in the outdoor space requires. Covering topics such as pricing, marketing, building a body of work, reflection questions, and everything you need to know to make a career out of adventure photography.
Updated: June 2025
Shooting From a Moving Vehicle Without Wasting the Shot
A working adventure photographer breaks down the technical settings, safety considerations, and creative choices behind shooting effectively from a moving vehicle.
Why I Still Shoot Some Trips on One Lens Only
A working adventure photographer explains why deliberately shooting entire projects on a single lens sharpens creative instincts and produces more visually coherent work.
How I Shoot Into Direct Sun Without Blowing the Highlights
A working adventure photographer breaks down the manual exposure, composition, and post-production techniques used to shoot into direct sun without losing critical highlight detail.
What Seven Continents Taught Me About Packing a Kit
A working adventure photographer explains how shooting across seven continents reshaped his approach to kit planning, redundancy, and environmental risk.
How I Think About B-Roll Before I Even Book the Trip
A working adventure photographer explains why planning supporting b-roll footage before a trip, rather than gathering it opportunistically, produces significantly stronger final deliverables.
Shooting for Vertical and Social Formats Without Ruining the Frame
A working adventure photographer explains why dedicated native vertical capture, planned deliberately from the start, consistently outperforms cropping horizontal images for social and vertical deliverables.
Composing for Scale When the Landscape Is the Point
A working adventure photographer explains the deliberate compositional techniques used to communicate true scale in large landscape photography.
Shooting Swimming and Water Sports Without Ruining Gear
A working adventure photographer breaks down the equipment choices and care routines needed to shoot water sports without sacrificing camera gear to moisture damage.
Working With Limited Daylight on Winter Shoots
A working adventure photographer explains how dramatically compressed winter daylight reshapes shot list planning, logistics, and client expectations, and how to make the most of extended twilight windows.
The Difference Between a Hero Shot and a Story Shot
A working adventure photographer explains the distinct planning and shooting approach for a campaign's single hero image versus its supporting story coverage.
What I Do When the Light Doesn't Cooperate
A working adventure photographer explains practical, tested techniques for working creatively with flat overcast light, harsh midday sun, and shifting weather conditions.
How I Scout a Location I've Never Been To
A working adventure photographer breaks down the remote scouting process, digital research combined with direct local conversations, used to prepare for shoots in unfamiliar locations.
Why I Shoot Alone More Often Than With a Crew
A working adventure photographer explains the deliberate reasoning behind shooting alone on many adventure projects, and when a crew is genuinely the better call.
When to Use a Drone and When It Ruins the Story
A working adventure photographer explains the editorial judgment behind deciding when aerial drone coverage serves a story and when it flattens its emotional core.
Photographing Athletes vs. Everyday Adventurers
A working adventure photographer explains how planning, direction, and shot lists differ meaningfully when working with professional athletes versus everyday adventure enthusiasts.