Chris Burkard - The Joy of Surfing in Ice-Cold Water

There is no denying that surf and adventure photographer Chris Burkard has influenced an entire generation of young adventure photographers, including myself (minus the young part). My Instagram feed is filled with epic adventure photos from all over the globe, and the Burkard influence in these photos is obvious. Gone are the days of wide open and empty landscapes. Most of the landscape photos I see in my feed add a human element that gives the landscape a sense of scale, and more importantly, a feeling of adventure. Burkard, while not the forefather of the idea, has undeniably made it more mainstream in this Instagram age.

Throughout a short but accomplished career, the 28 year old from San Luis Obispo, California is probably best known for his surf photography. Most of these images are from remote locations, and the photos document snow, ice, and hurricane force winds, adding to the adventure feeling that Burkard likes to convey to his audience.

Recently, Burkard gave a short, but incredibly inspiring TED Talk about how he found his love for these frozen landscapes. Burkard even says the painful cold helps keep his mind sharp and focused.

 

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Below is a collection of behind the scenes images of Burkard that I took during our trip to the Arctic. See more photos at Bonocore Visual Studios.