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Inside Alex Honnold’s Tricked-Out New Adventure Van

Back in 2014, pro climber Alex Honnold gave us a tour of the 2002 Ford Econoline E150 he used as his mobile base camp. That van served him...

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Saturday, December 1, 2018

Jimmy Chin’s Nine Tips for Adventure Photography

Jimmy Chin hardly needs an introduction. The National Geographic contributor and co-director of Meru and Free Solo is one of the most recognizable photographers in the world (he has, for example, 1.9 million Instagram followers). He’s also a world-class athlete. Not only does he keep up with the best climbers, skiers, and mountaineers, he does so carrying the extra weight of camera gear while constantly repositioning to capture the perfect shot. So it’s fitting that when we caught up with Chin to hear his adventure-photography tips, his first piece of advice had nothing do with photography, but with proficiency in the mountains.

Know Your Way Around

“Be really good at the activity you want to shoot, whether that’s skiing, climbing, or mountaineering. If you want to shoot with the best athletes or want to get out and get after it, you need to be able to keep up. And you certainly want to be dialed in. No one wants to shoot with someone who’s a liability in the mountains.”

Go Light

“If I’m really on the move, I usually carry my camera in a super-minimalist shoulder bag so it’s always accessible. Most photography bags have a ton of padding, but I’ve found that’s usually overkill. If the going gets really technical or it’s nuking out, you can always put the smaller bag in your pack until you need to shoot.”

Get Up Early and Stay Out Late

“Light is such an important aspect of photography, especially outdoors. The Golden Hour is great, but oftentimes there’s beautiful saturated light right before sunrise and right after sunset, so it’s always worth getting to your spot early and sticking around.”

Be Present

“Shoot the moment for what it is and for yourself. Don’t worry about how it’s going to look on Instagram.”

Look Around

“When you’re charging in one direction and you’re like, That shot’s so sick, it’s easy to focus on one thing and miss what else is around you. I’m surprised at how often I miss something just because I didn’t turn around. Ideally, it’s not later that evening when you’re sitting there with your friend and you’re like, Where did you get that shot? And he says, Oh, it was right behind you.”

Aim for Variety

“This means shooting with different focal lengths and compositions, for starters. But also think about how light shapes the subject—frontlighting versus backlighting versus sidelighting, and highlights. Take lots of different shots so you can compare them later.”

Decide What Your Subject Is

“Is it the landscape or a person? If you want to focus on a person, you can make them very big in the frame and put them in the center or follow the rule of thirds. If you want to show context or the scale of the landscape, then zoom out to make the person smaller. Weighting the photo based on those decisions is a good way to think about it.”

Do Your Research

“Study different genres of photography for inspiration—conflict to street to fashion. You never know who or what will influence your style or inspire you. Look at photos and think about why you do or don’t like them. Ask yourself why they speak to you. Try to understand what the photographer was thinking and how they shot it. How would you have shot it?”

Just Go Out and Shoot

“A lot. Find your voice.”



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How to Edit Your Photos for Instagram

I love working in an office where my colleagues tend to come in late on powder days or head to the climbing gym at lunch. But another great joy of my job is owning the keys to the castle—that is, the password to Outside’s Instagram account. Because I’m on the social photo platform for a living, I see a lot of posts. Over the past two years, I’ve learned a thing or two about what makes a good one. Here are six best practices to follow.

#1. Forget the Fancy Equipment

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: The best adventure tool is the one in your pocket. If you’re among the 95 percent of Americans who owns a smartphone, you already have access to an extremely capable camera. In addition to the 12-plus-megapixel image resolution and 4K video, today’s phones put all the apps you need for editing right at your fingertips.

#2. Cultivate a Style

You can probably identify images taken by your favorite Instagram photographers without even seeing their name attached. That’s because they’ve developed their own unique aesthetic. A few examples of pros who do this well are Maddy Minnis (stunning natural landscapes), Cameron Maier (reviving candid film snapshots), and Brianna Madia (best use of the color orange). Having a unique style doesn't have to mean creating the same composition or using the same filter or settings for every shot. But those elements—along with color, subject matter, and mood—all play into developing your own photographic perspective.

#3. Don’t Overedit

When you’re scrolling through your photos back at home, approach the editing process with some critical distance. Go through your images quickly, and select only a few to put through the wringer. Once you’ve narrowed down the number of pictures you want to ’gram, set a timer. Seriously. Give yourself ten minutes to edit each shot, and then get up and do something else. Chances are you got overzealous and were too heavy-handed. Having a fresh pair of eyes will help you catch that. Go back into your editing app of choice (I prefer VSCO), simplify the photo, and voilĂ . It may take some practice to achieve this carefree speed, but once you’ve cultivated a style (see number two), that will help minimize the time you spend editing.

#4. But Do Get the Important Stuff Right

There is a caveat to my keep-it-simple mantra: Take the time to perfect the details that make for a polished photograph. A few things in particular are worth an extra couple minutes of attention.

  • Make sure the horizon is straight.

  • Adjust the exposure if the photo is too dark or too light.

  • Crop thoughtfully. If your photo is horizontal, can you give it a vertical or square crop so it can be displayed larger on the platform? Are you following the rule of thirds?

#5. Showcase Your Best Work

Don’t pressure yourself to post constantly. Put up photos you love, but don’t oversaturate your feed with ten of the same subject or from the same shoot. Being selective is difficult, but your followers will thank you for it. Over time, this careful curation can help bring out your style. Consider using a planning app—like Planoly, UNUM, or Later—if you post frequently on Instagram. You’ll be able to drop in your edited shots and see how they’ll look when you post.

#6. Don’t Forget the Words

The story really is as important as the photo. Sometimes it’s what makes the photo work. Whether it’s a retelling of how you got the shot, a description of your latest adventure, or a joke about something featured in the picture, the caption completes the package. And tailor it to the photo; if you’re shooting a more somber subject, be serious, but if you’re just out having fun, the caption can be playful.



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Cloudy day in Mozambique

Cloudy day in Mozambique submitted by /u/scuba-addict
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A view of High Falls in Rochester , New York just before winter [OC]

A view of High Falls in Rochester , New York just before winter [OC] submitted by /u/Christhephotographer
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