“Everything the light touches is our kingdom.”
Spoken by Mufasa to his cub son Simba, this famous line may be from The Lion King, but it would also be a fitting caption for much of the work by photographer Taylor Burk.
Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, but now living in Vancouver, the 26-year-old’s successes thus far include a following of 421,000 on Instagram, and past collaborations with Peak Design, Duvine Cycling + Adventure Co, and tourism boards within Canada.
His specialty is unforgiving landscapes, and its his photos from mountain trekking that particularly convey the awesome majesty of nature’s creation (as well as the often scarily vertiginous bits). Burk is a self-taught photographer who honed his skills by paying close attention to YouTube how-to videos, as well as by seeking advice from photographers whose work he admired.
Adorama spoke with Burk to tap his insight on photographing in unforgiving terrain, and packing for every eventuality.
Adorama: First things first. What is your gear setup and your usual editing workflow?
Burk: For the most part, I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark IV with 35mm f/1.4, 24-70mm f/2.8, 16-35mm f/4, and a 70-200mm f/2.8. I edit everything in Adobe Lightroom and I generally don’t use any presets. I like to edit each image from scratch.
Adorama: Was there a moment you remember first falling in love with photography?
Burk: It wasn’t until I downloaded Instagram that I realized my love for photography. Having a platform to share my images was the starting point, as I enjoyed sharing beautiful places that I have been fortunate enough to travel to. Once I learned how to use a DSLR, the challenge of trying to do the landscapes justice got me hooked.
Adorama: How do you make a living right now, and how big a role does your photography play?
Burk: I am a full-time photographer, so my income comes from a few different outlets revolving around photography. These range from photoshoots and prints to creating imagery for social media.
Adorama: Do you favor any specific time of the day for lighting of your landscapes?
Burk: Sunrise. The light is soft and there are usually minimal amounts of people out and about. Plus it’s a great way to start the day!
Adorama: You’re often traveling and shooting in remote and unforgiving landscapes and weather. How do you pare down your gear and protect it for the road (or lack of road) ahead?
Burk: I haven’t had any issues with gear—knock on wood—as I try to take care of my gear as best as I can. I use a Pelican travel case and Peak Design camera bag when traveling. When backpacking, I tend to wrap everything in clothes and keep it at the top of my pack in a dry bag.
Adorama: When weather or circumstances don’t go as planned, how do you salvage the journey?
Burk: You have to be prepared for everything. No expectations, and no disappointments. You may just have to get a bit more creative. It would be too easy if everything always went as planned.
Adorama: Your glacier meltwater kayaking photos enjoy special popularity. What was the preparation like in order to make that excursion, and the photographs, possible?
Burk: We actually won a contest through Compass Heli Tours. Three friends and myself got to spend a day flying to remote glaciers with a foldable kayak. After scouting the area, we had a ton of fun exploring the unique waterways and capturing the experience.
Adorama: You explored the Muskwa-Kechika wilderness with Destination British Columbia in 2016. How do you believe the producing and sharing of images of this place, and similarly rarefied regions, is integral to its survival?
Burk: The more people who know that these places exist the more awareness there is. The more people who travel to these places, the more appreciation there is. Of course that is if it is taken care of and experienced mindfully.
AdoramaTV: Have you seen the Instagram account “youdidnotsleepthere,” which essentially calls out Instagrammers and photographers who post overly ambitious photos of backcountry hikes and camping, purely “for the ‘gram?” What’s your take on those who craft a (false) representation of their outdoor adventures for social media?
Burk: Yeah, I think it’s a great account! It will hopefully make more people question their intentions before posting certain images online.
Check out Taylor’s full Through the Lens: Canada episode below:
