There are two types of people in this world: those who think mountains, fresh air, and adventure when California is mentioned & those who think Hollywood, bikinis, and the beach. Although it’s all great, I’m here to show you ten dudes who have fully embraced all of the wild things that California has to offer, and I’m lucky enough to call most of them my friends. (find me on instagram @mirandaleconte)
1) Peter Carey – @peteracarey
Growing up in Southern California, I was constantly surrounded by buildings and people. When I began going to the mountains regularly in high school, I knew that was where I needed to be. I now spend my weekends backpacking, camping, and climbing in the places I love. Landscape photography has recently become a way for me to connect more with the outdoors.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” (Albert Einstein)
2) Quin Shrock – @everchanginghorizon
I grew up in Temecula, a suburb of San Diego and Los Angeles in California. My love for wilderness all started with a road trip up north to Big Sur and Yosemite with my family when I was in high school. I’m constantly looking at maps and dreaming up my next road trip…
“Thousands of tired, nerve shaken, over civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home, that wildness is a necessity.” (John Muir)
3) R. Adam Prieto – @radam2
Last August, I quit my job at Apple to work in Yosemite cleaning restrooms. It wasn’t the job that attracted me rather than the idea of just being outdoors, and this is when the start of my photographic journey began. I’m always taking time to analyze and take in moments that are special to me, and I hope to motivate & inspire others through my passion of sharing the importance of a healthy relationship with uncertainty.
“Mother Nature is in you. Not underneath, or above, or around you, but in you also. And Father Sun is also in you. You are made of sunshine. You are made of fresh air and fresh water. To be aware of that wonder and to value that wonder can bring you a lot of happiness…Breathing in, I know I have a body. And you can enjoy having that body, and you can get in touch with the history of life.” (Thich Nhat Hanh)
4) Gregg Boydston – @greggboydston
Born and raised in Southern California. With the eagerness to be in the mountains, I made the move to Mammoth Lakes, California where I can step out of my house and explore the Eastern Sierra. When I’m not fighting wildfires for the U.S. Forest Service, I’m out & about adventuring the High Sierra with a camera, a cooler, and a positive attitude.
“Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!” (Robin Williams)
5) Trevor Lee – @trevlee
Hey there, my name’s Trev. I’m an adventure photographer from Ohio who now lives in and explores Yosemite National Park. Yosemite has taught me that beauty isn’t meant to be seen, it’s meant to be experienced. But with that being said, I try my hardest to capture the beauty I experience for others to enjoy and hopefully be inspired by.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” (Mary Oliver)
6) Jason Fitzgibbon – @jasonfitzgibbon
A professional wildlife biologist and freelance lifestyle and adventure photographer based out of Orange County in coastal Southern California. As a wildlife biologist, my work often involves surveying for threatened and endangered plant & animal species and ensuring their protection under the purview of state and federal laws. My career often takes me to wild and beautiful places, many of which I attempt to share with the world through photography; mainly in hopes of inspiring others to cherish and protect the wild places that they enjoy. Aside from work, I spend the fair share of my free time mountain biking, surfing, bouldering, backpacking, and fly fishing throughout the few remaining expanses of southern California’s open spaces. My adventures in my crowded homeland often lead me to novel and interesting places, many of which remain completely unknown, even to seasoned southern California veterans.
“As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can. ” (John Muir)
7) Will Masterman – @willmasterman
I’m an avid climber and hiker currently living in Yosemite National Park. The people I’ve met in the park have had a profound impact on my development as a person as well as an adventure athlete. The enriching experiences I’ve shared in the Yosemite are too many to count! My favorite location in the park is Fern Ledge below Upper Yosemite Falls, it never ceases to take my breath away.
“If you want to know where your heart lies, look where your mind wanders.” (Unknown)
8) Christian Arballo – @desolation_hiker
I’m an outdoor enthusiast who was born and raised in South Lake Tahoe, CA. Growing up in the mountains, I’ve spent a lot of time in every recreational sport whether it be skiing, mountain biking or backpacking. I’m currently working in tech in San Francisco for a bio technology company, and the weekend warrior in me is to teach my little son to love the outdoors in this technological world.
“I beg young people to travel. If you don’t have a passport, get one. Take a summer, get a backpack and go to Delhi, go to Saigon, go to Bangkok, go to Kenya. Have your mind blown. Eat interesting food. Dig some interesting people. Have an adventure. Be careful. Come back and you’re going to see your country differently, you’re going to see your president differently, no matter who it is. Music, culture, food, water. Your showers will become shorter. You’re going to get a sense of what globalization looks like.” (Henry Rollins)
9) Daniel Brittain – @danielbrittain_
I’m a 21 year old adventure photographer from Virginia. I’ve spent most of my life on the East Coast, but a year ago I moved to Ventura, California for school. During my time in California, I’ve gotten to explore incredible places like Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks and I aspire to get out on the road to more great places and see what’s out there. Most spots are over-photographed and crowded, but this only inspires me to find the angles and light that no one else has shot. When I’m not shooting, I’m hunting for surf along the coast & constantly seeking adventure.
“When everything goes wrong, that’s when the adventure really starts.” (Yvon Chouinard)
10) Austin Trigg – @austin.trigg
I grew up in New England with parents who thought life outside was better than inside. Ever since I can remember I was always spending my time outside hiking, snowboarding, climbing, skateboarding and surfing. Once I graduated college I packed up am moved out west residing in Southern California, exploring the surrounding wilderness and beyond.
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” (Ansel Adams)
