How to Pitch Yourself as More Than a Photographer
The brief that changed my career in 2024 never would have found me if I had kept calling myself just a photographer.
That sounds simple. It is not. Most photographers spend their entire careers describing themselves by the tool they use. I am a photographer. I shoot landscapes. I do commercial work. The camera is the identity. Everything else is secondary.
But the market does not buy tools. It buys solutions. And the photographers who are landing the most interesting work right now are the ones who figured out how to describe themselves by what they solve, not what they shoot with.
Here is how I learned that, and what it actually looks like to make the shift.
This project for Crazy Creek I was the producer and photographer.
The identity problem.
Six years into my commercial photography career I hit a wall. Work was still coming in but I could feel the industry shifting underneath me. Brands were asking for more than images. Digital publications were hungry for content that came packaged with visuals already built in. The market was rewarding people who could deliver a complete campaign, not just a folder of selects.
I was standing in a kitchen at my grandma’s eightieth birthday, talking to my mom, confessing out loud that I was not sure the photography career was going to hold the way I had built it.
The problem was not my photography. My photography was good. The problem was that I had built my entire professional identity around a single skill in a market that was increasingly looking for combinations.
I had been a storyteller my whole life. As a kid I wrote stories for my dad as father day presents. In college I gravitated toward anything that involved words, almost completing a minor in creative writing (yet my major was math). But when I started my photography career I buried all of that. Told myself a photographer's job was to take pictures. That writing was a hobby. Something for later.
After that conversation in the kitchen I stopped waiting for later.
Adding the skill is only half of it.
I started writing. Consistently and seriously, like it actually mattered to the business, because eventually it would. I pitched magazines. Editors said yes. The clips started building.
But here is what most photographers miss when they add a new skill: adding the skill does not automatically change how people see you. You have to actively pitch the combination.
Nobody was going to look at my photography portfolio and assume I could write. Nobody was going to call me for a hybrid brief just because I had started writing on the side. The market does not guess at what you can do. It responds to what you tell it you can do.
Pitching yourself as more than a photographer means leading with the combination, not burying it.
This image comes from a project where I was the photographer and writer covering cruise travel aboard clipper cruises in the Greek Island... dream job to say the least, am I right?!
What that pitch actually looks like.
When I started positioning myself as a photographer who could also write the story, everything about my outreach changed.
Instead of sending a portfolio and saying here are my images, I started sending case studies. Here is a project where I photographed the location and wrote the article. Here is the reach it generated. Here is what the client got that they could not have gotten from hiring a photographer and a writer separately.
That framing does something specific. It removes the mental work from the client's side. They do not have to imagine what it would look like to hire you for a hybrid brief. You have already shown them exactly what it looks like.
The Rivian project at the end of 2024 is the clearest example I have. A PR agency reached out needing someone to take a week-long road trip through Northern California, stop at the newly opened Groveland Outpost, document the adventure, and write the story for a digital publication.
That brief only landed with me because I had been pitching myself as both for eighteen months. The agency knew what they needed. They searched for someone who could deliver it all. My positioning put me in their path.
One week of shooting. One written article placed in a digital publication. Behind the scenes UGC clips across social media. Over a million trackable views across the campaign.
That result is not possible if I show up as just a photographer.
CASE STUDY: Rivian Motors Road Trips Northern California
Why photographers resist this.
There are two things that hold photographers back from pitching themselves as more than photographers.
The first is imposter syndrome. You have been a photographer for years. You have one skill you feel genuinely confident in. Adding a second skill and leading with it publicly feels presumptuous. What if someone asks you to prove it and you cannot?
The answer is: you build the proof before you lead with the claim. You do not pitch yourself as a photographer and writer the day you decide to start writing. You spend six months writing, building clips, publishing work. Then you pitch the combination with evidence behind it.
The second thing is fear of confusion. You have spent years training the market to think of you in a specific way. Introducing a second skill feels like it might muddy the water. What if people stop taking your photography seriously because they think you are now trying to do too many things?
This fear has it backwards. Adding a complementary skill does not dilute your photography. It makes your photography more valuable by giving clients more reasons to hire you and fewer reasons to look elsewhere. The combination is harder to replace than either skill alone.
How to start pitching the combination.
You do not need to overhaul your entire brand overnight. You need to start showing up as the combination in specific contexts.
Update how you describe yourself in your bio. Not just photographer. Something like: photographer and writer covering adventure travel, or photographer and storyteller working with outdoor brands. The words matter. They tell the market what to call you when they refer you to someone else.
Build one case study that shows both skills working together. A shoot where you also wrote the article. A project where you delivered images and a newsletter. Something concrete that a prospective client can point to when they are deciding whether to take a chance on a hybrid brief.
Then lead with that case study in your outreach. Not your portfolio. Not a list of clients. The case study that shows exactly what it looks like when you do both.
The first time you pitch yourself this way it will feel uncomfortable. That discomfort is not a sign you are doing it wrong. It is a sign you are doing something new.
Because I can write, I’ve landed projects far greater than just photos. Prime example was this project in Venice for Tamron which included photos and video.
What it compounds into.
When I look back at the trajectory of my career, the decision to add writing and pitch the combination is the single clearest inflection point I can identify.
The work got more interesting. The briefs got more specific. The clients who reached out were the ones who valued the full package and were willing to pay for it. The referrals started coming from people who described me as a photographer who could also write the story, which is a much more specific and memorable description than just a good photographer.
The market rewards specificity. It rewards people who solve a complete problem instead of just contributing a piece of one. And it rewards people who tell it clearly, early, and often exactly what they are capable of.
You are more than a photographer. The question is whether you are pitching yourself that way.
Reflection questions:
How are you currently describing yourself to prospective clients? Does that description reflect everything you actually bring to a project?
What skill do you already have alongside photography that you have been treating as secondary?
What would one case study that showed both skills working together look like for you?
Who in your current network would hire you for a hybrid brief if they knew you could deliver one?
This lesson comes from my ebook The Adventure Photographer's Playbook and it costs $10. Why so cheap? The goal is to help as many new to mid level photographers as possible go from nothing to getting booked in 18 months:
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
Read More From The Photographer’s Playbook
How to Pitch Yourself as a Writer Before You Feel Ready
Nobody feels ready.
That is the thing nobody tells you when you are sitting on the edge of something new. You are waiting for a signal that you have done enough, learned enough, practiced enough. That the work is good enough to show someone. That you are legitimate enough to call yourself the thing you want to be called.
The signal does not come.
I spent years wanting to write. I had been a storyteller my whole life. As a kid I wrote stories for my dad. In college I gravitated toward anything that involved putting words together. When I started my photography career I was drawn to the narrative behind every image, not just the image itself.
But I did not pitch myself as a writer for a long time. Because I did not feel ready. Because I told myself that writing was something other people did. People with journalism degrees. People with clips. People who had already been published somewhere that mattered.
What I did not understand then is that the clips come from pitching. The legitimacy comes from doing the work. The readiness never arrives on its own. You manufacture it by moving anyway.
Here is what I learned from finally doing it.
The moment I stopped waiting.
Six years into my commercial photography career I hit a wall. Work was still coming in but the industry was shifting underneath me. Brands were asking for more than images. Digital publications were hungry for content. The market was rewarding people who could deliver a complete package, not just a folder of selects.
I was standing in my grandma's kitchen at her eightieth birthday, talking to my mom, confessing out loud that I was not sure the photography career was going to hold the way I had built it. That conversation cracked something open.
After that night I started writing. Not for anyone yet. Just writing. Getting the muscle moving. Learning what my voice actually sounded like on the page versus what I assumed it sounded like. There is a difference, and it takes time to close the gap.
A few months in I decided to pitch a magazine. Not because I felt ready. Because waiting was not working.
What a pitch actually is.
A lot of photographers overcomplicate this.
A pitch is not a resume. It is not a portfolio review. It is not an application. A pitch is a short, specific proposal for a story you want to tell. It answers three questions: what is the story, why does it matter to the readers of this publication, and why are you the right person to tell it.
That last part is where photographers have a built-in advantage that most writers do not.
You have already been to the places. You have already met the people. You have already lived the stories that publications want to tell. You are not pitching something you researched from your desk. You are pitching something you experienced with a camera in your hand.
That is not a small thing. Editors want writers who can show up and produce both the story and the visuals. Finding someone who does both well is genuinely difficult. If you are a photographer who can write competently, you are already ahead of most of the writers in their inbox.
The pitch I sent that changed things.
I will not pretend my first pitch was polished. It was not. It was too long and tried to explain too much. But it had a real story at the center of it, a place I had actually been to, people I had actually met, images I had already taken. The editor could see the whole thing in her head because I gave her something concrete to look at.
She said yes.
That first yes did not mean I was a writer. It meant I had one clip. One clip is enough to get the next pitch read with more attention. The second yes comes faster than the first. The third faster than the second. The legitimacy you were waiting to feel before you started is built in the doing, not the waiting.
What to pitch and where to start.
Start with publications that already cover the subjects you shoot.
If you shoot adventure travel, pitch adventure travel publications. If you shoot outdoor gear, pitch outdoor lifestyle magazines. If you shoot hospitality, pitch travel and food publications. You are not starting from zero on these subjects. You have been living inside this world professionally. You know the brands, the locations, the people, and the stories that readers of these publications actually want to read.
The pitch does not have to be complex. It can be as simple as: I just spent a week photographing a road trip through Northern California and came back with a story about what it actually feels like to travel sustainably through landscapes most people only see in photos. Here is my angle. Here are two or three images. I can deliver both the text and the visuals.
That is a pitch. Short. Specific. Concrete. With a built-in visual component that most writers cannot offer.
The worst they can say is no. Most of the time they do not even say that. They just do not respond. And that is fine. You move to the next one.
How the clips build on each other.
Once you have one published piece, your next pitch is not starting from scratch. You are not just a photographer who wants to write. You are a photographer who has written for a publication. That distinction matters more than it should, but it does matter.
Every clip makes the next pitch more credible. Every published piece trains your voice. Every editor relationship is a door that can open to another door. The publication you pitch today might refer you to a brand that needs a writer. The brand that needs a writer might refer you to a PR agency. The PR agency might call you for a job that only exists because you are the complete package.
That is exactly how the Rivian project came to me at the end of 2024. A PR agency reached out needing someone who could photograph a week-long road trip through Northern California and write the story for a digital publication. That brief only landed with me because I had spent eighteen months pitching magazines and building clips that proved I could do both.
The brief found me. I did not find the brief. That is what building the body of work does over time.
The practical steps.
Make a list of ten publications that cover the subjects you shoot. Do not aim for the biggest ones first. Aim for the ones where your specific experience is most directly relevant.
Read three to five issues of each one. Understand the tone, the length, the kinds of stories they tell, and the kinds they do not. A pitch that shows you understand the publication gets read differently than a generic story idea.
Write a pitch for each one. One paragraph describing the story. One paragraph explaining why it fits their readers. One sentence about who you are and why you have access to this story. Two or three images that show what the visual component looks like.
Send them. All ten.
Some will not respond. Some will say no. One or two might say yes. One yes is enough to start.
You will not feel ready when you send them. That is not a signal to wait. That is just what pitching feels like before you have done it enough times to be used to the rejection.
The photographers who are writing for publications, landing hybrid briefs, and building careers that compound over time are not more talented than you. They are not more credentialed. They just sent the pitch before they felt ready.
Send the pitch.
If this resonated, subscribe below for more on building a photography career that compounds over time.
Reflection questions:
What story from your last six months of shooting could you pitch to a publication today?
Which ten publications cover the subjects you already shoot? Have you ever actually read them cover to cover?
What is the real reason you have not pitched yet? Is it skill, or is it the feeling of not being ready?
If you landed one writing clip in the next 90 days, what door would that open that is currently closed?
This lesson comes from my ebook The Adventure Photographer's Playbook and it costs $10. Why so cheap? The goal is to help as many new to mid level photographers as possible go from nothing to getting booked in 18 months:
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
Read More From The Photographer’s Playbook
Climbing and Skiing Lassen & Shasta: Day 7 of 7
Day 7: Shasta Summit Push
as always, the full gallery is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words
Three AM came early. I had a quick breakfast of oats, packed my bag the night before, and I was still excited despite the early hour. I set up my camera on a tripod before heading out, thinking about that shot—tent lit up with the mountain glowing behind it in the moonlight. That was going to be rad. I got that set up, enjoyed the quiet morning for a bit, and then it was time to move.
I grabbed my camera gear, packed only what I needed for the climb, and left the rest at camp. No skis today. I was here to photograph mountaineering for Big Agnes, not to ski. So I had on my boots, my crampons, my ice axe. I was ready to climb. The snow was perfect that morning. Super crusty. The kind of snow that makes movement feel fast and efficient.
About thirty to forty-five minutes in, I realized I had forgotten my helmet. I just stopped and stared for a second. I had literally told myself the night before to pack it on the outside of my backpack. Instead I left it in the tent. So I turned around, hiked all the way back to camp, grabbed it, and started the whole climb over again. An hour and a half lost to a simple mistake. That is what happens when you rush and cut corners. You live and you learn.
The rest of the climb was relentless. Avalanche Bulge is a grind. One step after another in the dark with only your headlamp showing what is directly in front of you. Then slowly the sun starts to peek out. Blues and yellows start to paint the sky. The day breaks and you can finally see where you are going. But Avalanche Bulge sits in the shade through the morning so you are cold the whole time. You want a puffy jacket but you are moving too hard to wear one. So it is fleece layers, gloves on, gloves off, beanie on, beanie off. Constant adjustments as your body temperature swings up and down.
The whole thing reminded me of my days as a swimmer. That love of suffering. Type two fun. You choose to be here so you might as well enjoy the misery of it.
I made it to the Thumb, this feature that marks the end of the steepest climbing. Still two and a half to three hours to the summit but the hard work is mostly done. I sat down to eat and warm up in the sun. That is when someone walked over and asked if I had an InReach device. They needed to call SOS. Their friend was in trouble.
Camera Gear I Packed For The Shasta & Lassen Project:
Tamron 16-30; probably my favorite lens right now
Tamron 28-75; I think this is the best all around focal length
Tamron 70-180; I don’t use this a ton, but it’s a great lens
Peak Design Lite strap (I was lucky enough to get the camo version from the Sitka collab that sold out in less than 24 hours and feel cool about that)
I am a Wilderness First Responder. So I asked what was going on and got the details. One of their friends had gotten into trouble on the mountain and they needed help. I had the most experience so I ended up spending about two hours on that ridge helping coordinate a rescue. We got search and rescue involved. The sheriff's department. Eventually a helicopter came and picked the person up. It was nerve wracking and sobering and also a reminder that when you go into the mountains, this is part of the risk.
Once the person was airlifted off the mountain, I talked to the guy who had asked for help. I offered to walk down with him. He told me to go ahead and summit. He was fine going down on his own. So I kept pushing.
On the way up I met the owner of Shasta Mountain Guides. We talked about Epic Bill Bradley because I made a documentary about him and this guy knows Epic Bill. We laughed and chatted and hiked together for a bit. When you are climbing alone, sometimes that connection with another person is exactly what you need to break up the monotony.
I pushed harder after that. Made it up Heartbreak Hill and suddenly the summit was close. Really close. I could see it. I summited Mount Shasta at just over fourteen thousand feet. The day was beautiful. The views were perfect. I sat up there, ate two bars, and just took it all in. I was halfway done. Still had to get all the way back down.
The descent was so much faster. I glissaded down the mountain on my butt, using my ice axe to control my speed the whole way. Think of it as the world's largest slip and slide at fourteen thousand feet. What took several hours going up took a fraction of that coming down. I got back to camp around noon or one o'clock. Just lunchtime even though I had been awake since three in the morning.
I went through all the photos, made sure I had quality shots that told the story of the climb. Then I texted Kristin back home. That is when it hit me. I had work waiting in Tahoe. I had things that needed my attention. I needed to pack out today if I was going to drive home tomorrow.
I can carry a bag or two LOL
So with about forty-five minutes to an hour before sunset, I packed everything up. Both backpacks and my skis were waiting at camp from the day before. I strapped one backpack to my front, one to my back, grabbed my skis, and headed out. I was absolutely cooked but also somehow chipper. Tired does weird things to your brain.
I skied as far as I could from camp and then walked the rest of the way out. By the time I got back to the van it was dark. I unloaded everything, organized it all so it would dry out properly overnight, and fell asleep in my van. What a day. What a week. I was done.
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dj@dalton-johnson.com
✌️
The Day’s Gallery
Read More From This Adventure
About Dalton:
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.
Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.
His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.
Why One Shoot Should Never Just Be One Deliverable
Most photographers hand over a gallery link and call the job done.
I used to do the same thing. Shoot the job, edit the images, deliver the files, move on. That was the workflow. That was what the client asked for. That was the whole transaction.
It took me years to realize how much I was leaving on the table. Not just money. Reach. Impact. The kind of results that make a client call you back and refer you to someone else.
The Rivian project at the end of 2024 was the clearest proof I have seen of what changes when you stop treating a shoot like a single deliverable and start treating it like the raw material for an entire campaign.
If you are a photographer still handing over a gallery and walking away, this is for you.
Quick Note: If you find this article helpful, the idea come from my ebook, The Adventure Photographer's Playbook, and it costs $10. Why so cheap? The goal is to help as many new to mid level photographers as possible go from nothing to getting booked in 18 months. If that is you, check it out.
One shoot contains multitudes.
Think about what actually happens on a commercial shoot. You show up with your camera. You spend hours, sometimes days, in a location with a subject, a product, a vehicle, a landscape. You capture thousands of frames. You see things from angles no one else will see. You experience the story firsthand.
And then you deliver 50 selects and disappear.
That experience you just had? It was a magazine article. It was a newsletter. It was a series of behind the scenes social clips. It was a short film. It was a blog post. It was a quote card. It was a YouTube video. It was a podcast episode waiting to happen.
None of that requires going back to the location. None of it requires a second shoot day. All of it lives inside the work you already did.
The shoot is not the deliverable. The shoot is the source.
Exploring Tioga Pass with Rivian. Photo by Dalton Johnson
What the Rivian project actually produced.
The brief was straightforward on the surface: take a week-long road trip through Northern California in the fall, stop at the newly opened Groveland Outpost, document the adventure on a sustainable electric vehicle, and write the story for a digital publication.
One week. One vehicle. One location.
But here is what that actually became.
The professional photos went to Rivian for press use, PR campaigns, and marketing materials. High resolution. Polished. Exactly what a brand needs when they are launching a new outpost and want visuals that hold up in a magazine spread or a billboard.
The written article was placed in a digital publication. That article told the story of the road trip, highlighted the fall colors in Yosemite and around Lake Tahoe, introduced readers to weird little towns scattered through Northern California that most people have never heard of, and documented what it felt like to charge an EV at a brand new outpost and be among the first people to use those chargers. The article was not a press release. It was an actual story. People read it because they wanted to, not because they had to.
The behind the scenes iPhone footage became UGC clips for social media. Raw. Unpolished. Real. The kind of content that performs on Instagram and TikTok precisely because it does not look like an ad.
The combination of all three — professional photography, longform writing, and social UGC — generated just over a million trackable views. Not from a single platform. Across all of them, each format feeding the others.
That is what one shoot looks like when you stop treating it like one deliverable.
CASE STUDY: Rivian Motors Road Trips Northern California
Why photographers leave this on the table.
There are a few reasons this does not happen more often.
The first is scope. Most photographers are hired to shoot. The brief says photography. The contract says photography. So they show up and shoot and deliver photography and go home. Nothing in the engagement asked for anything more.
But here is what I have learned: the brief is almost never the full opportunity. It is just the thing the client knew how to ask for. If you can show up with more, most clients will be thrilled. They did not ask because they did not know it was possible from a single hire.
The second reason is skill. Writing is a skill. Editing video is a skill. Building a distribution strategy is a skill. If you only have one of those skills, you can only produce one of those outputs. This is exactly why skill stacking matters. Every skill you add does not just open a new revenue stream. It multiplies the value of every shoot you ever do.
The third reason is habit. Photographers are trained to think in images. The frame is the unit of work. But a frame without context is a beautiful file sitting in a folder. Context is what makes it travel. And context requires words, narrative, and distribution.
Road-side pit stop because it was just so pretty! Photo by Dalton Johnson
How to start thinking differently about your next shoot.
Before your next job, ask yourself this question: if this shoot were the source material for a four-week content campaign, what would that campaign look like?
Map it out. The hero images go here. The behind the scenes clips go here. The written story goes here. The short-form social content goes here. The email newsletter goes here. You do not have to produce all of it on every job. But knowing what is possible changes how you show up on set.
You start capturing differently. You think about the behind the scenes moments that will make sense as a clip. You keep a voice memo running in your pocket so you can capture your thoughts in real time for the article you will write later. You ask yourself what the emotional arc of the story is, not just what the shot list says.
None of this adds significant time on set. It adds intention.
The compounding effect.
Here is what most photographers do not see until it is already happening: when you deliver more than images, your clients start talking about you differently.
You stop being the photographer they hired for that one job. You start being the person who made that campaign work. The distinction matters enormously when the next brief lands on a desk and someone asks who they should call.
Clients do not just come back to photographers who delivered good images. They come back to photographers who made their jobs easier, their campaigns stronger, and their results measurable. A gallery of 50 selects is a deliverable. A million views is a result.
The Rivian project opened doors not because the photography was exceptional in isolation. It opened doors because the photography was part of something bigger than itself.
That is the shift. One shoot, treated as source material, becomes a campaign. One campaign becomes a case study. One case study becomes the reason the next brief lands with you instead of someone else.
Stop handing over the gallery and walking away.
The shoot is just the beginning.
If this resonated, subscribe below for more on building a photography career that compounds over time.
Reflection questions:
Think about your last three shoots. What other formats were hiding inside that work that you never produced?
If you had to turn your next shoot into four different types of content, what would they be and where would each one live?
What skill are you missing right now that is limiting what you can pull out of a single shoot?
What would it mean for your client relationships if you started delivering results instead of just deliverables?
This lesson comes from my ebook The Adventure Photographer's Playbook and it costs $10. Why so cheap? The goal is to help as many new to mid level photographers as possible go from nothing to getting booked in 18 months:
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
Read More From The Photographer’s Playbook
Climbing and Skiing Lassen & Shasta: Day 6 of 7
Day 6: Setting Up Camp on Mount Shasta
as always, the full gallery is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words
Nobody tells you about the unglamorous days. The ones where you are hauling gear up a mountain for hours, making mistakes you should have avoided, and wondering why you chose this life. Day six was that day. And somehow it was also one of the most beautiful days of the entire trip.
I started the approach around noon. Not early, not rushed. I had talked to a few people who mentioned that bringing my skis would actually make the approach to horse camp faster. The ski route cuts a more direct line than the hiking trail. So I packed my skis, threw everything together, and headed up feeling pretty smart about the whole plan.
I was not smart about the whole plan.
For reasons I still cannot fully explain, I stayed on the hiking trail almost the entire way up. Everyone had told me the ski route starts about a quarter mile in. I hiked over three miles holding my skis. Three miles. On a steep approach. With skis on my back like a complete bozo. By the time I got to horse camp my legs were cooked and my pride was bruised. Sometimes you just make a dumb call and you live with it.
But then I set up my tent and everything changed. Horse camp on Mount Shasta is stunning. Like genuinely take your breath away stunning. I stood there exhausted and sweaty and just looked around at this incredible place and felt grateful to be there. That is the thing about adventure. The suffering and the beauty often show up at exactly the same time.
And then I realized I still had to go back down for a second load.
Camera Gear I Packed For The Shasta & Lassen Project:
Tamron 16-30; probably my favorite lens right now
Tamron 28-75; I think this is the best all around focal length
Tamron 70-180; I don’t use this a ton, but it’s a great lens
Peak Design Lite strap (I was lucky enough to get the camo version from the Sitka collab that sold out in less than 24 hours and feel cool about that)
Here is the part they do not show you in the highlight reel. I was up there creating content for real brands. Crazy Creek, Out There, and others. That means a tripod, a full camera kit, and all the products I needed to photograph. None of that fits in one load when you are also carrying a tent, sleeping gear, food, and climbing equipment for two nights out. So I put my skis on, skied all the way back down to the van, grabbed everything I had left behind, and headed back up. This time I took the ski route. It was dramatically faster. Of course it was.
That second load was the hardest part of the day. My legs were already tired from the first carry and now I was doing it all over again with more weight. That is the unglamorous reality of being a solo adventure photographer. Nobody is carrying your gear for you. Nobody is setting up your shots while you rest. You are the photographer, the producer, the pack mule, and the creative director all at once. It is a lot of work. But it is your work and that means something.
By the time I got back to camp and got settled, the sky was putting on a show. I set up a time lapse and watched the last light of the day move slowly across the face of Mount Shasta. Golden hour on a fourteen thousand foot volcano is something I will not forget anytime soon. I cooked a big dinner, sat with the mountain, and just let the day wash over me.
By nine o'clock the sun was down and I was in my sleeping bag with every piece of gear packed and ready to go. Three AM wake up. Summit day tomorrow. The weather looked perfect. Low wind. Clear skies. Everything I had been hoping for since I left Lake Tahoe a week ago. I closed my eyes and told myself to sleep fast.
The mountain was not going anywhere. But morning would come quick.
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dj@dalton-johnson.com
✌️
The Day’s Gallery
Read More From This Adventure
About Dalton:
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.
Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.
His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.
Climbing and Skiing Lassen & Shasta: Day 5 of 7
Day 5: The Quiet Day Before Shasta
as always, the full gallery is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words
Not every day on a seven day alpine project looks like a ski descent or a summit push. Some days look like sleeping in, running errands, and eating enough food to prepare your body for what is coming next. Day five was that day. And honestly, after everything Mount Lassen had put me through, I needed it.
I let myself sleep. No four AM alarm. No rushing out the door in the dark. I just rested until my body was ready to get up and that felt like a small luxury after the previous few days. When you are deep in a solo project like this, rest is not laziness. Rest is strategy. A tired body makes bad decisions in the mountains and I had a big mountain ahead of me.
Once I was up I drove down into the town of Mount Shasta. I needed to pick up a few things I had not been able to find earlier in the trip. Odds and ends. The kind of stuff you do not think about until you are in the middle of nowhere and realize you forgot it. I also needed to get my permit for the climb. Mount Shasta requires a summit pass and getting that sorted ahead of time is just part of the process. It is one of those behind the scenes logistical pieces that nobody really sees but every successful project depends on.
Camera Gear I Packed For The Shasta & Lassen Project:
Tamron 16-30; probably my favorite lens right now
Tamron 28-75; I think this is the best all around focal length
Tamron 70-180; I don’t use this a ton, but it’s a great lens
Peak Design Lite strap (I was lucky enough to get the camo version from the Sitka collab that sold out in less than 24 hours and feel cool about that)
After town I got back to the van and settled in for a few hours of work. I edited photos, caught up on some of the commercial work that needed attention, and did a rough inventory of everything I was bringing up the mountain. Two nights out means packing smart. Every ounce matters when you are carrying a full mountaineering kit up a fourteen thousand foot volcano. Tent, sleeping gear, food, camera equipment, climbing gear, layers. I went through it all methodically and made sure nothing critical was missing.
The plan for Shasta was straightforward. Pack in on day six, set up camp, rest and enjoy being up there, then wake up early and push for the summit. Come back down to camp, sleep one more night, and pack out the following morning. Clean and simple. Two days on the mountain with a summit in the middle.
By evening I had everything ready. Gear was organized. Food was prepped. Permit was sorted. I ate a big dinner, did a final check of my pack, and got to bed at a reasonable hour. Tomorrow the real work would begin again. Mount Shasta was not going to climb itself.
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dj@dalton-johnson.com
✌️
The Day’s Gallery
Read More From This Adventure
About Dalton:
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.
Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.
His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.
I Stalled For Two Years. Here Is What Pulled Me Out.
Never stop learning. I know that sounds like something you read on a motivational poster. But the connection between growing publicly and landing better clients is one of the most direct things I have experienced in my career.
I stalled for about two years in the middle of my career as a commercial photographer. Not because work dried up. Work was still coming in. I stalled because I saw the writing on the wall. Photography was changing and I was not keeping pace with it. That feeling sat heavy on me for a long time.
Some of my best automotive work has happened along this road and the collision of fall colors and sunset really make this work for Rivian stand out.
So I made a decision. As a kid I always wanted to be a writer. I loved storytelling. I loved words. What if instead of ignoring that, I leaned into it? Not instead of photography, but alongside it. I started writing. Consistently. Seriously. Like it actually mattered to my business, because eventually it would.
Eighteen to twenty months later something clicked. Photography and writing collided in a way I could not have planned. Together they became a tool I could not have accessed with just one skill alone. The combination opened doors that neither could open on its own.
Then Rivian came calling. Inbound through a PR agency. They needed someone to photograph the Groveland Outpost and the surrounding area, then take a five day road trip and write the story using those photos for a digital publication. That job existed because I had become a complete package. A photographer who could also write the narrative. Digital publications do not just want images. They want images with a story wrapped around them. Companies with blogs need both. Social media managers are starting to understand SEO and they need someone who gets the full picture.
This project was more than a road trip, it was an opportunity to push the vehicle both on and off the road.
The moment I stopped treating writing as a side skill and started treating it as core to what I do, everything shifted. The work got better. The briefs got more interesting. The clients who reached out were the ones who valued the full story, not just the photographs hanging in isolation.
Your job is not to be perfect at one thing. Your job is to stay curious and keep adding skills that make you more valuable to the people you actually want to work with. The photographers who are building sustainable careers right now are the ones who refused to stop at the edge of what they already knew.
Getting to do this project with my new puppy and girlfriend was a huge added bonus!
Now, Let’s Make This Article Helpful For You
Sit with these honestly. There are no right answers. Just use them to get unstuck. Grab a coffee, find a quiet spot, and give yourself fifteen minutes with these questions. Do not rush through them. The answers you avoid are usually the most important ones.
When did you last feel genuinely excited about a project? What made that project different from what you are working on now?
What skill have you been curious about but keep putting off because it feels outside your lane?
If a dream client called you tomorrow, would your current skill set be enough to land the job? If not, what is missing?
Are you marketing the work you want to be hired for, or the work you have always done?
What would you do with your career if you knew you could not fail at it?
Who in your industry is doing work that makes you jealous? What do they offer that you do not yet?
What did you love doing as a kid that you have completely abandoned as a professional?
This lesson comes from my ebook "The Adventure Photographer's Playbook" and it costs $10. Why so cheap? The goal is to help as many new to mid level photographers as possible go from nothing to getting booked in 18 months:
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
Read More From The Photographer’s Playbook
Climbing and Skiing Lassen & Shasta: Day 4 of 7
Day 4: Skiing Mount Lassen
as always, the full gallery is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words
I woke up at five in the morning in my van. The goal was simple. Be at the trailhead by six, fully packed and ready to go ski Mount Lassen. That is the kind of early that makes you question your life choices. You are warm in your bed. It is cold outside. Every part of you wants to stay put. But then the excitement kicks in. This is the day. This is what I came here to do.
I stepped outside to pack up and immediately felt the chill bite. I thought about putting on my ski boots for the walk to the trailhead but then reality hit. That mile-plus hike in ski boots would be brutal. They are stiff and awkward and your feet sweat inside them. So I made a call. I grabbed my regular shoes, laced them up, and strapped my ski boots to the outside of my pack. Once I got to the trailhead I would swap them out. It was a small logistical move but it saved me thirty minutes of misery and cost me about thirty minutes of sleep time. Worth it.
The approach started easy enough. I was moving well, cruising up the trail in my regular shoes, feeling good. And then the sun came up and everything changed. By eight in the morning it was already hot. I mean really hot. The kind of heat that makes you question why you signed up for this in the first place. I was getting smoked. Energy was dropping fast. I pulled out my Dermatone and slathered on sunscreen, but it did not matter. The climb was relentless.
About three quarters of the way up, I hit a wall. My legs were tired. My lungs were working hard. I could see the peak but it felt so far away. So I stopped. I sat down. I ate some food and just let myself rest for a bit. Sometimes the best thing you can do on a long climb is give yourself permission to take a break. After twenty minutes I felt better. Stronger. Ready to keep going.
Camera Gear I Packed For The Shasta & Lassen Project:
Tamron 16-30; probably my favorite lens right now
Tamron 28-75; I think this is the best all around focal length
Tamron 70-180; I don’t use this a ton, but it’s a great lens
Peak Design Lite strap (I was lucky enough to get the camo version from the Sitka collab that sold out in less than 24 hours and feel cool about that)
That is when the boot pack started. I took off my regular shoes, pulled them into my backpack, and clicked into my ski boots. The snow changed immediately. It went from normal to soft. Really soft. With each step my foot was sinking deeper. Shin deep. Knee deep. And then waist deep. I was using my arms now, punching into the snow with every step, crawling more than walking. That is when I felt it. That weird feeling in your gut that something is off. The snow did not feel right. It felt sketchy. Unstable. Like it was waiting to move.
I was maybe a couple hundred feet from the summit but I made a decision. I was not going to push it. I was not going to be a hero. I stopped right there and got ready to ski down. Better safe than sorry. Better alive than proud.
I dropped in and made my first turn. The moment I did, I looked back over my shoulder and saw it. I had released a small slough. Just a little avalanche. Nothing massive but enough to remind me why I had made the right call. I made a hard quick turn and booked it in the opposite direction, going straight and fast to get away from it. The slough did not catch me but it did not need to. The message was clear.
I skied down the other side where the snow was more stable. The descent was good. The snow was thick and forgiving. I skied almost all the way back to where I had started, took off my boots, and walked back to the van. By noon I was back.
I was so early that I decided to pack everything up and head straight to Mount Shasta. On my way out I got to meet up with my dad for a quick minute. I stopped at one of the lakes, jumped in, and rinsed off all the sweat and exhaustion. Standing there in that cold water, I started mentally preparing for what was coming next. Mount Shasta was waiting. And after today, I knew I was ready for it.
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dj@dalton-johnson.com
✌️
The Day’s Gallery
Read More From This Adventure
About Dalton:
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.
Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.
His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.
Climbing and Skiing Lassen & Shasta: Day 3 of 7
Day 3: Manzanita Lake and Scouting the Route
as always, the full gallery is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words
I was up before the sun. Four in the morning, pitch dark outside the van, and I had a long drive to the north entrance of Lassen to make before first light hit the lake. That kind of early morning has its own energy. Part exhaustion, part anticipation. You are moving through the dark on pure intention.
As I drove into the north entrance, everything was blue. Not dark, not light, just this deep cool blue that sits between night and morning. It is one of my favorite times to be outside with a camera. The world feels quiet and untouched and entirely yours. I knew I was cutting it close on time so I grabbed my Sony A7R4, one tripod, one lens, threw everything in a backpack and started walking along the northern edge of Manzanita Lake looking for the right composition.
I could not find it. The angles felt off and nothing was grabbing me the way I wanted. So I doubled back and walked all the way around the lake instead. That decision changed everything. As I made my way along the southern side, the sun started to hit Lassen Peak. That first touch of golden light on the mountain was breathtaking. Below it, a thin layer of mist and steam hung just above the surface of the lake, glowing in the early morning light. I found a small man made dam on the southern side, sat down, and just looked at it for a moment. Lassen Peak fully lit, the lake perfectly still, fog drifting just above the water. It was one of those moments where you almost forget to pick up the camera because you are just trying to absorb it.
Camera Gear I Packed For The Shasta & Lassen Project:
Tamron 16-30; probably my favorite lens right now
Tamron 28-75; I think this is the best all around focal length
Tamron 70-180; I don’t use this a ton, but it’s a great lens
Peak Design Lite strap (I was lucky enough to get the camo version from the Sitka collab that sold out in less than 24 hours and feel cool about that)
I spent a few hours there. Shooting landscapes, shooting product work for the brands I was working with, testing compositions, and just enjoying being in that place. There is something about a morning like that which reminds you why you chose this life. No client on the phone. No deadlines screaming at you. Just you, a camera, and a mountain doing something extraordinary with the light.
Eventually I headed back to the van, ate some breakfast, and started doing a quick edit on the morning's images. I always like to do a rough pass early just to see what I actually captured, what is working, and what adjustments I need to make going forward. The Manzanita shots were strong. I felt good about what I had.
Then I looked over at my ski gear and made a decision. It was time to go check out the actual route. I grabbed everything, drove up toward Lassen Peak, and started hiking the approach just to get a feel for what I would be dealing with the next morning. Once I hit snow I clicked into my skis and skinned up to the base of the route, skiing just a few hundred feet of vertical to test the snow conditions and feel out the line. It was a quick look but it told me what I needed to know.
By the time I got back to the van the sun was getting low. I ate, organized my gear, and got to bed as early as I could. Tomorrow was the real day. I was going to ski Mount Lassen and I wanted every possible advantage that a good night of sleep could give me.
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dj@dalton-johnson.com
✌️
The Day’s Gallery
Read More From This Adventure
About Dalton:
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.
Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.
His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.
The Photography Business Is Changing. Here Is What I See Working Long Term.
I have been a commercial photographer for the last decade. Patagonia, Ford, Rivian, Four Seasons, and over a hundred and sixty other brands. Every single year the game changes. Some years I adapted well. Other years I did not. That is just the honest truth about this industry.
This year I spent a long time rethinking my business model from the ground up. What I found surprised me in some ways and confirmed what I already suspected in others. If you are a photographer trying to build something sustainable, this is what I want you to hear.
1) Be More Than A Photographer
If you are only taking photographs, you are going to become obsolete. That sounds harsh but it is the reality. The photographers who are winning right now are the ones who bring more to the table. That means being a producer and a photographer. It means being someone who can not only create a campaign but actually distribute it to a real audience. It means picking up a video camera and learning how to tell stories in motion. The more you can offer, the harder you are to replace.
2) Small Productions Might Have Higher ROI
Big productions do not always mean big payouts. I learned this the hard way. A massive shoot with a giant crew and a long logistics chain does not automatically mean more money in your pocket. Sometimes the leanest, most focused projects are the most profitable ones.
I photographed the release of the Groveland outpost for Rivian, which included taking a Rivian for a week long road trip through Northern California and visiting Yosemite National Park
3) Use AI To Your Advantage
AI is a real tool and you should be using it. I know some photographers feel weird about this but I am not one of them. AI has genuinely sped up my workflow and helped me work smarter. Get familiar with it and use it to your advantage before someone else does.
4) Market Yourself
Marketing matters but not all reach is created equal. A million views from people who will never hire you means very little. Focus your energy on building an audience that actually makes sense for your business. Quality of attention beats quantity every single time.
Some brand work for Solo Stove for their release of the cookwear… hard not to enjoy a good breakfast while camping when you bring this along.
5) Build A Brand That Helps Others
Info products can make you money but do not expect overnight results. My ebook sells a few copies every month. We are talking twenty to fifty dollars. That is not going to change my life but over a year that is two to six hundred dollars that buys Christmas presents or funds a spec project. Small passive income stacks over time.
6) Never Stop Learning
The last one is the most important and I know it sounds cliche. Never stop learning, asking questions, and growing. I stalled for about two years because I stopped pushing my creative knowledge forward on social media. The moment I refocused on that, work started coming in fast. The connection between showing up, growing publicly, and landing clients is real and it is direct.
Hopefully this helps somebody out there figuring out their next move. If it does, drop a comment or send me a message. And if you have questions, ask away.
This lesson comes from my ebook "The Adventure Photographer's Playbook" and it costs $10. Why so cheap? The goal is to help as many new to mid level photographers as possible go from nothing to getting booked in 18 months:
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
Read More From The Photographer’s Playbook
Climbing and Skiing Lassen & Shasta: Day 2 of 8
Day 2: Getting My Bearings at Mount Lassen
as always, the full gallery is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words
I woke up at four in the morning with big plans. Sunrise photography at Mount Lassen. Epic light. The whole adventure photographer dream. I dragged myself out of bed, looked outside the van, and immediately knew those plans were dead. The fog was thick. The clouds were heavy. Everything was gray and soupy and there was zero chance of anything epic happening before sunrise. So I made the smart call. I went back to bed.
A few more hours of sleep made a huge difference. When I finally got up and had some coffee, the world felt a bit more manageable. I took my time that morning because I knew this day was about getting my bearings, not making magic happen. I wasn't going to rush into this project half awake and exhausted.
Once the van was rolling, I backtracked a bit because I'd spotted something from the road the night before that looked promising. I flew my drone and shot from the ground, but honestly, it was so foggy and gross that nothing really came together. That's adventure though. Sometimes you try something and it doesn't work out. You learn and you move on.
As I kept driving, I made a stop at Mill Creek because the roadside view just grabbed me. I took a bunch of photographs there. The light was still terrible, but the landscape had character and I wanted to document it. Then I headed toward the south entrance of the park, thinking that would be my main access point. When I got there, I realized the road was closed. Just like that, my plan changed. I walked around, took some photos, talked to a ranger, and accepted that this entrance wasn't happening.
Camera Gear I Packed For The Shasta & Lassen Project:
Tamron 16-30; probably my favorite lens right now
Tamron 28-75; I think this is the best all around focal length
Tamron 70-180; I don’t use this a ton, but it’s a great lens
Peak Design Lite strap (I was lucky enough to get the camo version from the Sitka collab that sold out in less than 24 hours and feel cool about that)
So I did what any reasonable person would do. I drove an hour and a half all the way around the outside of the park to the north entrance where Manzanita Lake sits. When I finally got there, it was still rainy and foggy. Not ideal. But I made the most of it. I shot some product work for the brands I was working with, explored the area, and drove as far up the road as I could go to see what was around the next bend.
I thought about hiking the approach to scope out my ski line, but then I looked at the time and reality hit me. I still had commercial work to finish for the day, work that actually paid the bills and kept these brand partnerships alive. So instead of hiking, I grabbed my binoculars, looked at the route from a distance, and made a mental note of what I'd see. The day was slipping away and I needed to be smart about it.
By late afternoon, I knew it was time to head out. I had no cell service most of the day, so I wanted to check in with Kristin and let her know I was okay. Then I found a spot to sleep for the night, knowing exactly what tomorrow would bring. I was going to wake up early, really early, and hit Manzanita Lake at first light. I'd do a preliminary ski to scout the base of the route and get eyes on exactly what I'd be dealing with when I went for the real ski attempt on day four.
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dj@dalton-johnson.com
✌️
The Day’s Gallery
Read More From This Adventure
About Dalton:
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.
Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.
His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.
Climbing and Skiing Lassen & Shasta: Day 1 of 7
Day 1: Leaving Lake Tahoe
as always, the full gallery is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words
Packing for a seven day solo alpine adventure is equal parts exciting and terrifying. I stood in my van that morning running through my checklist one more time, double checking that my camera gear was there, my climbing equipment was secure, and my food was packed properly. There's always this voice in the back of your head that whispers you messed something up or forgot something critical. The truth is, you can only prepare so much. You do your best, check your lists, and then you have to trust yourself and move forward. So I did exactly that. I loaded up the van, grabbed some food from town, filled the tank with gas, and pointed myself toward Mount Lassen.
The drive from Lake Tahoe to Lassen is long. Really long. Hours of road stretched out in front of me and I knew I needed to make the most of that time mentally. Good podcasts and music became my companions for the road. There's something powerful about driving alone for hours. Your mind wanders. You process things. You think about the project ahead, the brands you're working with, what you want to capture, and honestly, whether you're ready for it. I stopped a few times to stretch, grab coffee, and take a few phone calls. I wasn't trying to photograph everything I saw on that drive. The goal wasn't to slow down and hunt for shots. Instead, I focused on bringing people along for the ride itself. A few phone selfies here and there, some behind the scenes moments of the van and the road, simple stuff I could share on Instagram and LinkedIn to show folks what this journey actually looked like.
Camera Gear I Packed For The Shasta & Lassen Project:
Tamron 16-30; probably my favorite lens right now
Tamron 28-75; I think this is the best all around focal length
Tamron 70-180; I don’t use this a ton, but it’s a great lens
Peak Design Lite strap (I was lucky enough to get the camo version from the Sitka collab that sold out in less than 24 hours and feel cool about that)
I didn't make it all the way to Lassen on day one. The drive was longer than I expected and I wanted to arrive rested and ready. So I found some public land off the highway, pulled over, and slept under the stars. It was quiet and simple and exactly what I needed. When I woke up the next morning, fog rolled thick across the landscape. It wasn't the clear alpine morning I was hoping for. The light was flat and gray and honestly, kind of depressing. But that's adventure. You don't always get perfect conditions. You work with what you have and you make the most of it.
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dj@dalton-johnson.com
✌️
The Day’s Gallery
Read More From This Adventure
About Dalton:
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.
Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.
His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.
The 50-Day Marketing Challenge That Will Change Your Photography Business
Every photographer I know goes through the same cycle.
You get busy. Work comes in. You stop marketing because you don't have time.
Then the work dries up. And you panic.
I've done this more times than I want to admit. The fix is always the same: stop waiting for work to find you and start putting yourself back in front of people every single day.
I call it the 50-Day Marketing Challenge. And it has pulled me out of every slow period I've ever hit.
Before I get into it — I put the full breakdown of how I market my photography business inside a $10 ebook called The Adventure Photographer's Playbook. If you want the whole system, check it out here.
Why 50 days?
30 days is too short. You won't see results in 30 days because the sales cycle in this industry is long. I've connected with a brand in January and not made money with them until April. That's normal.
90 days is the real cycle for pitching and landing work. But 50 is the entry point — long enough to build momentum, short enough to commit to without burning out.
What the challenge actually looks like:
Every day for 50 days you do all of the following:
Send at least one pitch. Email, Instagram DM, LinkedIn message, cold call if you can find a number. It doesn't matter. Send something to someone who could hire you.
Post something. A photo, a behind the scenes, a story, a lesson. Show up somewhere publicly.
Follow up on something. An old lead, a past client, someone who went quiet. One touch per day.
That's it. It sounds simple because it is. The hard part is doing it every single day when you're tired, busy, or convinced it isn't working.
The most important thing I learned:
The work rarely comes from where you expect.
You'll pitch 50 brands and hear nothing. Then someone you emailed three months ago will reply out of nowhere. Or a brand will find you through a post you forgot you made. Or a past client will refer you to someone you've never heard of.
You don't know where the yes is coming from. You just have to be in enough conversations for it to find you.
That's the whole game.
How to start:
Make a list of 50 brands you want to work with. Not dream brands — realistic ones. Brands whose aesthetic matches your work and who are actively creating content.
Day one: pitch five of them.
Then pitch, post, and follow up every day for the next 49.
Track everything. Who you contacted, when, what you sent, what they said. Most will say nothing. Some will say no. A few will say yes.
And some of those yeses will come from places you never saw coming.
One last thing:
I still do this today. Every time I can see a slow period coming — when I know I've been heads down on a project and let my marketing slide — I start the clock again.
50 days. Every day. All of the above.
It has never not worked.
Reflection Questions
When did you last actively market yourself every single day for more than two weeks? What happened when you stopped?
Write down 10 brands right now that you could pitch this week. Not someday — this week. What's stopping you from sending those pitches today?
What does your follow-up system look like? Do you have one, or do you rely on memory?
If you committed to 50 days of daily marketing starting tomorrow, what would success look like at the end of it?
This lesson comes from my ebook "The Adventure Photographer's Playbook" and it costs $10. Why so cheap? The goal is to help as many new to mid level photographers as possible go from nothing to getting booked in 18 months:
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
Read More From The Photographer’s Playbook
Marketers Are Missing the Opportunity In Video Right Now
With the rise of so many distribution platforms videos are getting the head nod they have desperately wanted for years. From low end UGC clips to polished commercials, if you are not using video like the three amigos, you’re doing it wrong. If I offend you, I’m sorry, but let me mans-plain this to you with a recent example:
I have a hot take for you all: Marketers are missing the opportunity in video.
With the rise of so many distribution platforms videos are getting the head nod they have desperately wanted for years. From low end UGC clips to polished commercials, if you are not using video like the three amigos, you’re doing it wrong. If I offend you, I’m sorry, but let me mans-plain this to you with a recent example:
If we look at the growing landscape of video in marketing, the growing trend is that people want more of it. As visual learners, we want to see it, not read about it. That is were the trifecta of video marketing comes into play and I will use the examples from the episodic work I have been shooting to showcase the importance of leveraging these three forms of video:
Amigo Numero Uno: UGC Videos
Before you go rolling your eyes about UGC video, take a deep breath and accept there is a place for UGC videos in your marketing. A MASSIVE place for these videos. The reality is most people spend their time on social media and that is where these videos shine. They are a low lift and can yield massive brand awareness if/when you use them correctly.
How to get UGC videos:
These are the cut downs and “trailers” to signal to your audience you have created or participated in something rad. These short vertical videos don’t have to sell anything, but they can. These videos don’t have to answer a question, but they can. These videos don’t have to go viral to be worth while, but that is always a plus side.
In the end, these vertical videos are about brand awareness. Showcasing and connecting with your audience. But, you already know that so I’m not going to tell you how to do your job. Below is how you get these videos, because that is my job:
The key here is to look at the overall story your brand is telling and make cut downs from the longer form content. In the case above, that is a BTS walk through of L’Auberge de Sedona is meant not meant to go viral, but showcase the hotel. They participated in the video series and these short cut downs have been spread across all social accounts bringing awareness to the brand. In the end, this is an added bonus for them, as their main focus was getting high-end photography from us while we were in Sedona shooting this project.
What type of UGC videos are worth while:
Educational
Aspirations
Viral Trends
Amigo Numero Dos: High-End Commercial Spots
High-end commercial spots showcase the polished side of your brand at select locations that you pick and choose
Amigo Numero Tres: Sponsored Documentaries / Episodic Videos
Sponsorship in documentaries and episodic videos showcase what you stand for by supporting the projects you believe in
So, why are marketers not leaning into projects that can deliver on all three forms of video?
I think marketers are missing the mark when they don't opt into documentaries that will gain them access to all three video formats.
Shoot the doc
Pull stellar clips to create a high end commercial
Cut shorts of BTS, phone clips, b-roll, etc., to engage and bring your following along
If you are a marketer and want to dive deeper into this, give me a shout. I have the track record to prove this works aka three seasons slotted on a streaming platform, over 100 cut downs into UGC vertical videos from those episodic series, an award-winning documentary... do I need to keep listing my social proof?
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The Photography Career Is a Numbers Game. Here's What That Actually Means.
I used to think the best photographers got the most work.
They don't.
I learned this the hard way — as a substitute teacher editing photos in the back of a classroom, pitching 100 brands a day just to keep the lights on.
Not 10. Not 20. 100.
Instagram DMs. Emails. Cold calls when I could find a number. LinkedIn messages. I sent images, ideas, spec shoots, trip concepts — every single day to anyone who might say yes.
Almost nobody responded.
If I got a no, I was happy. At least someone opened it.
One person a week said yes. One out of 700.
That ratio sounds brutal. But here's what I learned: it's not rejection. It's math.
I wrote down everything I figured out over the last decade in a $10 ebook — The Adventure Photographer's Playbook. If you're trying to go from nothing to booked, it's the fastest shortcut I can offer.
Here's the part nobody tells you upfront:
If one out of 700 says yes, you don't need to get better at photography. You need to send more pitches.
The photographers who make it aren't necessarily the most talented. They're the ones who stayed in the game long enough for the numbers to work in their favor.
Here's what that looked like in practice:
Early career: Every yes was a kit deal. A brand would send gear, buy a few photos, and call it done. Not glamorous. But each one was a relationship. And relationships compound.
Mid career: The ratio got better. Not because I got lucky — because I got known. People started recognizing my name before I pitched them. The 1 in 700 became 1 in 200. Then 1 in 50.
Now: Most of my work is inbound. Brands reach out because they've seen what I build. But I never stopped pitching. I still create projects and bring brands into them. The model hasn't changed — just the conversion rate.
Three things that actually move the needle:
1. Volume beats perfection. Send the imperfect pitch. The brand who never sees your work can't hire you.
2. Spec work is your proof. Don't wait to be hired to create. Go make something worth sponsoring then ask brands to be part of it.
3. Play the long game. I connected with one brand in 2023. Didn't make money with them until 2025. That's normal. Stay in touch.
The numbers game never ends. It just gets more efficient.
This lesson comes from my ebook "The Adventure Photographer's Playbook" and it costs $10. Why so cheap? The goal is to help as many new to mid level photographers as possible go from nothing to getting booked in 18 months:
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
Read More From The Photographer’s Playbook
Why Your Hotel's Content Isn't Working (And What Story-Driven Marketing Actually Fixes)
You have great photos. A solid Instagram presence. Maybe even a short brand video that came out well. And yet — bookings aren't where they should be, and you can't quite figure out why your content isn't moving the needle. Here's the honest answer: you probably don't have a content problem. You have a story problem.
Ready to build a content strategy that actually converts? Book a discovery call →
The Ameswell Hotel in Mount View, CA has a free bike rental program for all it's guests.
Most Hotel Marketing Is Built Around the Wrong Question
The question most hotel marketing teams ask is: what do we need to show people? The rooms. The pool. The restaurant. The views. And so the content becomes a catalog — beautiful, polished, and completely forgettable.
The right question is: why would someone choose us over every other hotel within a hundred miles?
For most hotels competing on amenities, that question is almost impossible to answer through photos of a well-made bed. But if you're an experiential hotel — one where the experience you offer is genuinely different from what's down the road — that question is the beginning of a story. And stories are what actually sell.
Stillpoint Lodge is a luxury adventure lodge in Alaska offering daily adventures you can’t do anywhere else in the world, like kayaking with iceburgs.
The Experience Is the Story. Most Hotels Just Aren't Telling It.
Think about what makes your property worth choosing. Maybe it's the guided backcountry ski tours you run in winter. The chef who sources everything within thirty miles and takes guests foraging on Tuesday mornings. The location on a stretch of coastline that only a handful of people in the world actually know how to navigate by sea kayak.
That's not an amenity. That's a story.
The problem is that most hotels treat these experiences as bullet points in a features list rather than narratives worth following. And there's a massive difference between listing an experience and showing someone what it feels like to live it.
Story-driven content starts with the experience itself — not the photography brief, not the shot list, not the social calendar. It starts with: what is actually happening here that is worth documenting? What is the moment, the person, the place that someone would genuinely want to witness?
When you build content from that starting point, something different happens. People don't just see your hotel. They imagine themselves there.
Story-Driven Content Works Because It Moves People Through a Decision
Here's something that most hotel marketing teams don't think about explicitly but feel all the time: content does different jobs at different stages of a guest's decision.
At the very top of the funnel — social media, short-form video, quick imagery — the job is simple. Get someone to stop scrolling and think that looks incredible. This content can be fast, visceral, emotional. It doesn't need to explain anything. It just needs to create a feeling.
The next layer is where the story deepens. Someone has seen your content, followed your account, maybe signed up for your newsletter. Now they want to understand who you are. This is where longer-form content lives — a short film about your guided experiences, a written essay about the place itself, a photo series that follows one guest's journey from arrival to departure. The job here isn't to go viral. It's to build a relationship.
And then there's the moment that actually matters — when someone is sitting at their laptop, comparing you to three other properties, and trying to make a decision. At this stage, the story you've told determines everything. If they've spent the last three weeks encountering your content and it's made them feel something — made them feel like your place is the one that gets them — the decision is already made before they hit book.
That's what story-driven content actually does. It doesn't just fill a content calendar. It builds the kind of familiarity and trust that makes a booking feel inevitable.
Castle Hot Springs literally has a hot spring on property!
The Mistake Most Hotels Make Once They Have Great Content
Even hotels that invest in quality content often leave most of its value on the table. Here's why: a single well-produced shoot generates far more usable material than most teams realize, and if you don't have a strategy for deploying it across every layer of your funnel over time, you're essentially getting a fraction of the return on what you spent.
One shoot — even a single day in the field — can produce short-form social clips, longer YouTube or website videos, newsletter photography, website hero imagery, ad creative, and editorial pieces. But only if the work was captured and edited with distribution in mind from the beginning.
This is what separates a content partner from a photographer. A photographer gives you files. A content partner thinks about where those files are going to live, how they're going to be deployed, and what story they're going to tell across every touchpoint — from the first scroll to the final booking confirmation.
Rancho Santana, a surf retreat, has 7 beaches on property and two of which are iconic surf breaks in Nicaragua.
What This Looks Like in Practice
The hotels I work with best aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets. They're the ones who are willing to start with the story — to sit down and ask honestly: what is the experience we actually offer, and why does it matter to the person we're trying to reach?
From that conversation, everything else follows. The visual language. The narrative arc. The distribution strategy. The content that lives at the top of the funnel and the content that closes the deal.
If you're running a hotel where the experience is genuinely worth documenting — and you suspect your current content isn't doing it justice — that's the exact conversation I want to have.
A Not-So-Quick Stop To Photograph California’s Emerald Bay
As a South Lake Tahoe “local” I don’t often come to Emerald Bay because it is always packed with people and finding parking feels impossible unless it is midnight or 2am (yes, that is an exaggeration, but that’s how I feel). However, today, I was headed out of town at the perfect timing and along my drive I saw that Emerald Bay was going to look special at sunset.
As always, the gallery of images is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words
How did I know Emerald Bay was going to be worth photographing? There was an inversion layer building, but one that wasn’t too dense, so I could still see Fannette Island. Which meant, staying to watch sunset and photograph Emerald Bay was well worth waiting for a parking spot.
Parked at “the perfect pull out” of Emerald Bay on my way out of town. Follow Dalton on your favorite platform: @storiesbydalton
Much to my surprise, the “best parking spot” was totally empty! So, I whipped the van in place, grabbed my camera, and started playing around with a few different compositions.
Whenever the area is not packed, I like to scramble up the opposite side of the parking area to photograph my van and bay to give a perspective not often captured. When you do this, be careful not to knock down any rocks on passing cars or fall off the cliff. You would get seriously messed up!
What I Brought On Today’s Photo Walk:
As the evening unfolded, I flew my drone and watched the clouds ebb and flow as if they were an ocean tide sloshing on the shore. Poetic huh?! Maybe, but let’s get back to this for you all.
On evening that are cold with strong winds, flying a drone is challenging as the battery life is shortened. I think each flight I had was roughly 10-12 minutes, in comparison to the traditional 28 minutes under perfect conditions. So, I made quick work of what I could with the drone.
As the sun was setting, I couldn’t quite get everything I wanted from this single spot, so I wandered around to create a few more compositions.
Lake Tahoe’s only island, Fannette Island, cloaked in a rare, pink inversion layer. If you look closely, you can see the tea house atop the island. Did you find it? If so, take a step back and look at how the reflection of the pink inversion layer gives this illusion that the island is floating. Hence the name.
Additional Information:
Please allow 5-10 days for printing and shipping.
I have the ability to print custom sizes and material (like wood, gatorboard, etc.). If this interests you, please reach out to dj@dalton-johnson.com for a free quote with the size and material you desire.
Mostly, those meant using the van to create a “frame” around the island. All in all, I’m happy with how this unexpected stop pushed my creativity and gave me the opportunity to create something new in a spot that I have visiting maybe 100+ times.
P.S. at the bottom is a FAQ for anyone curious about Emerald Bay.
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dalton@dalton-johnson.com
✌️
The Day’s Gallery
FAQ: Visiting Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe
1. Where is Emerald Bay located?
Emerald Bay is located on the southwest shore of Lake Tahoe in Emerald Bay State Park, along Highway 89 (California) between South Lake Tahoe and Tahoma. It’s one of the most photographed viewpoints in Lake Tahoe.
2. Why is Emerald Bay so famous?
Emerald Bay is famous for its deep turquoise water, dramatic granite cliffs, and Fannette Island, the only island in Lake Tahoe. The bay is also home to Vikingsholm Castle, a historic Scandinavian-style mansion built in 1929.
3. Is there an entrance fee for Emerald Bay State Park?
Yes. Parking lots within Emerald Bay State Park typically charge a day-use fee, especially at the Eagle Falls Parking Area and nearby trailheads.
4. What is the best time of day to visit Emerald Bay?
Early morning is usually the best time to visit Emerald Bay. Sunrise offers soft light for photography and fewer crowds, while midday tends to be the busiest with limited parking.
5. What is the best time of year to visit Emerald Bay?
Late spring through fall is the most accessible time to visit Emerald Bay. Summer offers warm weather and full access to trails, while fall provides fewer crowds and beautiful color around Lake Tahoe.
6. Can you hike down to Emerald Bay?
Yes. One of the most popular hikes is the Vikingsholm Trail, which descends about one mile from the overlook down to the shoreline and Vikingsholm Castle.
7. How difficult is the hike to Vikingsholm?
The hike to Vikingsholm is relatively short but moderately steep. The trail drops about 400 feet in elevation, meaning the return hike back to the parking lot is uphill.
8. Can you visit Vikingsholm Castle?
Yes. Vikingsholm Castle is open for guided tours during the summer season, typically from late May through September.
9. Can you kayak to Emerald Bay?
Yes. Many visitors paddle to Emerald Bay from nearby beaches like Baldwin Beach or Camp Richardson Marina. Kayaking is a popular way to explore the bay and reach Fannette Island.
10. Can you visit Fannette Island?
Yes, but only by kayak or paddleboard. Fannette Island is the only island in Lake Tahoe and features the ruins of a small stone tea house built for the owner of Vikingsholm.
11. Is Emerald Bay good for photography?
Emerald Bay is considered one of the most iconic photography locations in Lake Tahoe. The Emerald Bay Overlook provides a classic panoramic view of the bay, Fannette Island, and surrounding Sierra Nevada peaks.
12. Where is the best viewpoint of Emerald Bay?
The most famous viewpoint is the Emerald Bay Overlook along Highway 89. Several roadside pullouts offer slightly different perspectives of the bay.
13. Is parking difficult at Emerald Bay?
Parking can be very limited, especially during summer weekends. Arriving early in the morning or visiting during shoulder seasons can make finding parking much easier.
14. Can you swim in Emerald Bay?
Yes, swimming is allowed in Emerald Bay. The water is extremely cold year-round, even in summer, so most swimmers only stay in briefly.
15. Is Emerald Bay open in winter?
Yes, Emerald Bay is open year-round. However, winter storms can temporarily close Highway 89 (California), and trails may be snowy or icy.
16. Are dogs allowed at Emerald Bay?
Dogs are allowed in some areas of Emerald Bay State Park but are generally not permitted on certain trails leading down to Vikingsholm or the beach.
17. How long should you spend at Emerald Bay?
Most visitors spend 1–3 hours at Emerald Bay depending on activities. A quick viewpoint stop takes about 15–30 minutes, while hiking down to Vikingsholm or kayaking can turn it into a half-day adventure.
18. Are there restrooms at Emerald Bay?
Yes, restrooms are available near the main parking areas and trailheads, including the Eagle Falls Parking Area.
19. What else is nearby to see?
Popular nearby stops include Eagle Falls, Eagle Lake, and scenic drives along Highway 89 (California).
20. Is Emerald Bay worth visiting?
Yes. Emerald Bay is widely considered the most beautiful location in Lake Tahoe and is a must-see stop whether you’re hiking, kayaking, photographing the landscape, or simply enjoying the view.
About Dalton:
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.
Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.
His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.
Staring Into The Yellow Eyes of a Short Eared Owl
By no means do I consider myself a wildlife photographer, but, yesterday, I had the chance to "chase" this owl around for about an hour.
Zipping past the bird on a fence post, I said to Kristin, "hey look, an owl."
"Wait, where? I didn't see it." She responded in disappointment.
So, I flipped the van around and checked out the owl.
as always, the full gallery is at the bottom, so skip there if you don’t care about the words
Zipping past the bird on a fence post, I said to Kristin, "hey look, an owl."
"Wait, where? I didn't see it." She responded in disappointment.
So, I flipped the van around and checked out the owl.
Then, it dawned on me. I packed my Tarmon 150-500 lens and should put it to use. So, I swapped lenses and attempted to walk towards the owl to take some photos.
It flew away.
Watching the owl hunt, I was a bit disappointed I didn't get a shot, but alas, that happens.
Loading back into the van, I drove off.
Almost back to the highway, "do you want to go back and find the owl?" I asked Kristin.
"If that is you asking for permission to do so, yes, go ahead and turn around." She knows me :-) and with the permission I flipped the van around and drove back to find the owl.
Scaring it away not one, not twice, not thrice, I new I needed to change up the approach.
What I Brought On Today’s Photo Walk:
No more walking up to the bird, I needed to stay in the van.
If somebody else would have saw this, they would be laughing and call me an idiot, but it worked.
Hanging outside of the the driver window, I inched forward in the van. Snapping photos every chance I could get just in case it flew away.
Snap. Snap. Move. Snap. Snap. Move.
Until, finally, I got close enough to capture this image with the 150-500mm lens. Now, the waiting game for the owl to turn its head.
Then, snap, snap, snap.
I got it!
Again, thank you to anyone and everyone reading this. If you have enjoyed this journal entry, shoot me an email to say hey: dalton@dalton-johnson.com
✌️
The Day’s Gallery
FAQ About Photographing Owls:
1. What is the best time of day to photograph owls?
Most owls are crepuscular or nocturnal, meaning they’re most active at dawn and dusk. During breeding season, you may also see daytime activity. Great horned owls and burrowing owls are often visible in early morning light, while barred owls may hunt just before sunset.
2. What time of year is best for photographing owls?
Late winter through early summer is ideal. During breeding season, owls are more vocal and active as they defend territory and feed young. Spring also offers better light and cleaner backgrounds before dense foliage fills in.
3. What lens do I need to photograph owls?
A telephoto lens between 400mm and 600mm is ideal. Owls are sensitive to disturbance, so longer focal lengths allow you to keep a respectful distance while still filling the frame. I use the Tamron 150-500mm, however a 70-200mm with a 2x converter would also serve you well.
4. What camera settings work best for owl photography?
Start with:
Shutter speed: 1/1000 or faster for flight
Aperture: f/4–f/6.3
ISO: Adjust for available light (don’t be afraid of higher ISO at dawn or dusk)
Continuous autofocus (AI Servo / AF-C)
Burst mode for action
5. How do I find owls to photograph?
Listen first. Many owls announce themselves before you see them. Research local species and habitat preferences. For example:
Great Horned Owl prefer wooded areas and open edges.
Burrowing Owl live in open grasslands and desert flats.
Barred Owl favor wetlands and dense forests.
6. How close can I get to an owl?
As a rule: if the owl changes behavior because of you, you’re too close. Use long lenses and let the owl remain relaxed. Ethical distance ensures natural behavior and protects nesting birds.
7. Is it ethical to use owl calls or playback?
Playback can stress owls, especially during breeding season. Many wildlife photographers avoid it entirely. If you use it, keep it minimal and stop immediately if the owl shows signs of agitation.
8. Can I use flash when photographing owls?
It’s strongly discouraged. Flash can disorient nocturnal birds and disrupt hunting behavior. Natural light or high-ISO performance is a better choice.
9. What shutter speed do I need for owls in flight?
Aim for 1/1600–1/2500 for sharp wing detail. Owls fly silently and smoothly, but wings still move fast, especially during takeoff or hunting dives.
10. How do I photograph owls at night?
Use:
A wide aperture (f/2.8–f/4)
High ISO
Silent shooting mode
A stable tripod or monopod
Focus on backlit silhouettes at dusk rather than full darkness whenever possible.
11. Why are my owl photos soft?
Common causes:
Too slow shutter speed
Missed focus on the eyes
Heat distortion over long distances
Shooting wide open at too close a focus distance
Always prioritize eye sharpness.
12. What is the best autofocus mode for owls?
Continuous autofocus (AF-C / AI Servo) with animal eye detection (if available) works extremely well, especially for perched birds that may suddenly take flight.
13. How do I photograph owls without disturbing them?
Move slowly. Avoid direct eye contact. Stay low. Don’t approach nests. If an owl is repeatedly looking at you, puffing up, or shifting position, back up.
14. Are owls protected by law?
Yes. In the United States, owls are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which makes it illegal to harm, harass, or disturb them — especially during nesting.
15. How do I photograph burrowing owls responsibly?
Stay far from burrow entrances. Never block access paths. Shoot from your vehicle when possible. These small owls are particularly sensitive to disturbance.
16. What weather conditions are best for owl photography?
Cold, clear mornings are excellent. Owls often perch visibly to sun themselves after cold nights. Light snow can also create beautiful contrast against darker plumage.
17. How do I photograph white owls without blowing highlights?
If photographing a snowy owl, slightly underexpose (-0.3 to -0.7 EV) and protect highlights. Use your histogram rather than relying on the LCD preview.
18. What’s the biggest mistake beginner owl photographers make?
Getting too close. Ethical distance should always outweigh getting the shot. A calm owl is a photogenic owl.
19. How do I compose better owl photos?
Look for:
Clean backgrounds
Eye-level perspective
Catchlight in the eyes
Natural perches (avoid distracting manmade elements)
Leave space in the frame for the direction the owl is looking or flying.
20. How do I photograph owls in snowy environments?
Use exposure compensation to prevent gray snow. Watch for white balance shifts. Shoot in RAW to recover highlights and maintain feather detail.
21. Do owls return to the same perch?
Often, yes. Owls are creatures of habit and may use the same hunting perches repeatedly. Observe patterns rather than chasing them.
22. Is it better to shoot handheld or with a tripod?
For perched owls at low light, a tripod helps. For flight, handheld shooting provides more flexibility and tracking ability.
23. How do I tell if an owl is stressed?
Signs include:
Head bobbing
Feather puffing
Repeated scanning of you
Flying off repeatedly
If you notice these behaviors, give the bird more space.
24. What’s the best way to improve at owl photography?
Spend time observing before shooting. Learn their behavior. Scout locations without your camera. The more you understand the owl, the better your images will become.
About Dalton:
Dalton Johnson is a photographer, filmmaker, and writer.
Over the last 10 years, Dalton’s creative work has taken him to every continent, above the arctic circle, and below the antarctic circle.
His travels are documented in a free, weekly newsletter called UnBound, which is written for those daring to build their dream life.