Adventure Photographer Chris Burkard Lives the Wild Life You Want

“All I really care about is shooting photos that make people want to be there and inspire action..."

Chris Burkard, the Northern Lights (@chrisburkard/Instagram)
Chris Burkard, the Northern Lights (@chrisburkard/Instagram)

Outside Online recently profiled Chris Burkard, a supremely talented adventure photographer and Instagram star who is, point blank, fearless. From surfing swells in Alaska to snorkeling Switzerland’s freezing Lavertezzo river, Burkard lives his life the way the rest of us dream about—and that’s exactly how he likes it.

“All I really care about is shooting photos that make people want to be there and inspire action…getting away from their desk or from school to see what the world has to offer,” Burkard told Outside. “That’s what images did for me as a kid.”

He doesn’t let his millions of followers get to his head, though—and he doesn’t let them dictate the places he chooses to go.

“A sad but real by-product of social media is that it can create an ever present need for recognition,” Burkard told Outside. “It has become more and more obvious to me how important it is to be in environments that humble you, scare you, and ultimately challenge who you are.”

Take a look at a few of his most humbling, challenging and awe-inspiring shots below.

The North Pole is busy this time of year.

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Sometimes a good photo can be as confusing as it is clear.

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