Follow Brendan on his Website and Instagram.
Tell us about yourself
I’m a full-time photographer based on the East Coast of the United States. My time is filled with lots of different kinds of photography— weddings, family pictures, real estate, marketing, as well as travel. I’m passionate about capturing moments of beauty and communicating them to others.
Why do you travel and photograph your journeys?
I am in awe of the beauty of the natural world. I love epic landscapes that remind me how small I am and how grand creation is. I consider it an incredible privilege that I get paid to travel to incredible locations and carry back glimpses for others to experience.
What is your favourite thing or item to photograph?
Epic, otherworldly landscapes! I’m especially drawn to mountains. Jagged rocky peaks make my heart soar.
What’s your go-to travel hack?
Be willing to rough it! Traveling cheap = traveling more. Search for airfare deals, fly budget economy, pack everything in a backpack, and sleep in your car or a hostel. It won’t be a luxury vacation, but you’ll be able to travel more places and have life-changing experiences.
Got any gear you can’t travel without?
I often travel to cold places, and so I’m never without my bright red Fjallraven packable down jacket. Its light and warm and packs into a small pillow. It’s sort of become one of my “iconic” pieces. I’m usually wearing it in pictures, and people have started referring to my travels as “the adventures of Brendan’s red jacket.”
What destination are you eager to go back to?
Iceland is my favorite place in the world. It’s like a different planet.
How do you stay safe when you’re travelling?
Most of the “danger” I encounter comes from hiking in remote areas. I know my physical limits, and I’ve promised my wife I won’t take any dumb risks while I’m out in the wilderness.
What’s the best way to experience a destination like a local one?
Research extensively beforehand, to learn about places beyond the normal tourist sites. For example, when I visited Venice, I avoided all the tourist spots and searched out little hole-in-the-wall local spots I had read about.
What’s your favourite word in another language?
Fjaðrárgljúfur— it’s Icelandic for “feather canyon,” and one of my favorite places in Iceland. I love the word because it looks absolutely impossible to pronounce, but once you know how to say it it just rolls off the tongue.
When and where are you next travelling?
My next trip is back to Iceland in just a few weeks. This time I’m bringing my 9-year-old son with me for an epic father-son camping trip. After that, Mexico and California are coming up in the next year.
