UnBound
Travel Stories, Photography Tips, & Reviews
What Almost Losing My Paddling Partner Halfway Through Taught Me About Flexibility
How a near-miss change of plans mid-expedition changed the emotional shape of a five-day Lake Tahoe SUP circumnavigation.
How I Turned Five Days on the Water Into Months of Brand Content
The content multiplication strategy behind a single multi-day expedition, based on the 72 Miles of Blue Lake Tahoe circumnavigation.
The Timing Mistake That Ruins Most Paragliding Shots
Dalton Johnson on the timing mistake that ruins most paragliding photography, and how to anticipate the moment instead.
What to Do When a Headwind Stops Your Progress on a Paddleboard
What the right call is when a headwind stops your forward progress on a paddleboard, based on a real moment from a Lake Tahoe SUP circumnavigation.
What Changes Shooting From a Canoe Instead of a Kayak
Dalton Johnson breaks down what changes photographically when shooting canoeing instead of kayaking or SUP.
How to Pack a Paddleboard for a Multi-Day Camping Trip
What a loaded SUP setup actually looks like for a multi-day expedition, based on a real five-day Lake Tahoe circumnavigation.
Composing for Fatigue and Scale on a Multi-Day Trip
Dalton Johnson on photographing multi-day backpacking trips so the images show real fatigue and scale, not just scenery.
The Best Beaches to Stop at While Paddleboarding Emerald Bay
The best beaches worth a stop while paddleboarding through Emerald Bay, based on a real Lake Tahoe SUP circumnavigation.
Composing Trail Running Shots That Show Effort, Not Just Motion
Dalton Johnson on composing trail running photography that shows genuine effort, not just generic motion blur.
Safety Considerations Every Photographer Should Know Before a Climbing Shoot
Dalton Johnson walks through the safety fundamentals every photographer should know before shooting a rock climbing session.
How Long Does It Take to Paddleboard Around Lake Tahoe
How many days to plan for a full SUP circumnavigation of Lake Tahoe, based on a real five-day, seventy-two-mile expedition.
Personal Desire vs Brand Deliverable: Why I Did Not Ski Mount Shasta Even Though Conditions Were Perfect
Why I left my skis at camp on Mount Shasta summit day, and how I think about the gap between what I want and what the job needs.
Why I Give Away Some Content for Free and Charge for the Rest
Dalton Johnson on how he decides what photography business knowledge to give away for free versus charge for.
Why I Track My Platform Numbers Every Single Week
Dalton Johnson explains why he checks his platform numbers every single week, and what that habit has changed about his business.
How to Shoot a Time Lapse at High Altitude: Lessons from Mount Shasta Horse Camp
What it actually takes to run a sunset time lapse at Horse Camp on Mount Shasta after a day of hauling loads up the mountain.
How to Glissade Down a Fourteen Thousand Foot Volcano and Photograph It
What glissading down Mount Shasta on an ice axe actually feels like, and how you document it when you are the only one there.
The LinkedIn DM That Actually Gets a Response
Dalton Johnson on what makes a cold LinkedIn DM to a brand actually get a response, instead of getting ignored.
How I Used My Drone on a Multi Day Alpine Project and When I Chose Not To
The real decision process behind flying a drone on a seven day solo ski and mountaineering project in Northern California.
Why I Guarantee Results on Some Projects and Not Others
Dalton Johnson breaks down which photography projects actually deserve a guarantee, and why overpromising costs more than it saves.