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
Capturing Motion Blur on Purpose
A professional photographer explains how to use intentional motion blur as a deliberate creative technique for conveying speed and energy in adventure photography.
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.
Reading Weather Before It Ruins a Shoot Day
A working adventure photographer explains how he reads weather forecasts and builds contingency planning to protect shoot days from being ruined by weather.
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.
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.
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.
Photographing Gear in the Field Instead of a Studio
A professional photographer explains the technical challenges and creative benefits of photographing outdoor gear in real field conditions rather than a controlled studio.
What Changes When You Shoot at Altitude
A working adventure photographer explains how altitude affects the photographer, the gear, and shoot day planning, not just physical stamina.
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.
How I Build a Shot List Before an Adventure Trip
A working adventure photographer explains how he builds and uses a shot list before a trip, balancing real planning with genuine flexibility in the field.
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.
Working With Non-Professional Models in the Outdoors
A professional photographer explains how to direct non-professional subjects in outdoor settings, favoring genuine activity and comfort-building over explicit posing instructions.
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.