The Awe Inspirer

Photographer Chris Burkard has gained a worldwide following by capturing the wonder of nature's most remote landscapes

- James Joiner

There’s a solid chance you already follow adventure photographer Chris Burkard on Instagram. His feed, a patchwork of brilliant colors, bucket-list locations, and tiny people in epic landscapes, has amassed a staggering 2.6 million fans. In an ecosystem packed with adventure-chasing storytellers, Burkard is king.

Unlike many “influencers”—people who’ve built an army of followers to double-tap formulaic photos for fame and fortune—Burkard didn’t quit a graphic design or marketing day job to jump on the social media bandwagon. At a veteran age—for the medium, anyway—of 31 years, Burkard has been chasing his photographic dreams for well over a decade.

“It’s funny; people want this dreamy story that everything happened so quickly and was effortless, but it was a total pain in the ass, to be completely honest,” Burkard says with a laugh, his voice showing a hint of a California surf-dude accent. Growing up in Pismo Beach, he and his family took trips to places like Yosemite and Joshua Tree that fostered a love of the outdoors. A high school affinity for art classes eventually led him to photography, which he found “more real.”