What camera & lenses do you use?

For the past few years I’ve been LOVING my Sony a7R V, along with these lenses:

Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM
Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM
Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II
Sony 70-200mm f/1.8 GM II

What tripod do you use?

I just use a Sirui Compact Traveler 5C Tripod, which has worked well enough for me for a few years now. It was the cheapest one I could find that was still lightweight and small enough to bring on my travels and backcountry hiking adventures.

What is the best camera backpack?

I absolutely love my Shimoda Action X30 v2 Women's bag, which I’ve been using for a few years now and feel like I’ll never need to look at another option again. This is the first camera-specific backpack I’ve EVER found that actually fits me comfortably during my long, grueling 30+ km hike days in the mountains… I’ve put this bag through some serious work and it’s held up through all kinds of conditions and still looks like new. In fact, I love it so much that I started working with the company to offer discount codes to my friends and followers who want a Shimoda bag. You can use the code GADD10 at the checkout to get 10% off any camera backpack!

How do you take your self portraits?

When I find my composition, I set up my camera on my tripod, dial in my settings, and then focus the lens to exactly where I’m going to stand. Sometimes I have my partner Kris or my dog Pepper stand where I’m planning to be, so I can easily focus on them before we swap places. Other times, I just focus on a rock or a branch where I’m planning to stand. Then I switch the lens to manual so the focus point won’t move at all. Once that’s all set up, I turn on my Sony camera’s intervalometer (built into the menu system) - this I set to take photos nonstop in 1-2 second intervals. This way I can go out out in front of the camera for however long I need, striking various poses while the camera time-lapses everything… Including all my awkward derp moment in-between poses, which generally make up about 99% of my shots, so don’t you dare believe anyone who says I can’t take a bad photo! I only share the 1% where I actually look semi-graceful, haha!

Your images are all real?! Not composites or AI?

Yes, it’s true. My work is all single-shot images in real places (or sometimes a few images from the same scene stitched together to get a wider panoramic view, but the the scenes themselves are still very real).

My first love before photography will always be nature itself and the feeling of freedom that comes with being in these beautiful landscapes. When I capture these self portraits, it often involves waiting for hours or days at a time, camping in the backcountry and waiting for the moody weather, epic sunrises, or foggy stillness to arrive… and I love the fact that I know these scenes are straight from my reality. In my latest poll where I asked the public if they thought my images were real or not, over 70% of people assumed they were not real. For some reason, that just makes it feel even more special to know that I’ve been able to witness and be a part of these scenes that seem straight from a fairytale.

What editing program do you use? How do you edit your photos?

I edit all my images in Adobe Lightroom (always starting with the RAW files and then using my Lightroom Presets as a base point to start my edit from). Sometimes I use Photoshop too, just to remote dust spots or distracting little objects in the image.

Aside from removing small distracting objects in some images, I simply play with all the colours, light and shadows until I’m happy with each image. I love playing with and pushing the boundaries of colours, working to bring them out to their best potential while also being careful to not overdo it, and also adjusting them to match with my mood at the time of shooting or editing (for example - really bringing out the colder, darker, blue colours if I’m feeling more sad, scared, lonely… or bringing out warmer, brighter colours when I’m feeling exhilaration, freedom, love). My mood heavily effects how I edit an image.

Do you usually go adventuring alone? If so, what precautions do you take to be safe?

I probably adventure equally solo as I do with my partner Kris or my friends. I’ve always been extremely introverted and feel most energized and connected to myself when I’m alone, but now there’s something just as special in a different way - sharing these beautiful places and experiences with my partner or my friends. I need both the solo adventures and the multi-person experiences in my life to feel whole and grounded.

That being said, when I hike and adventure alone into the backcountry, It's SUPER important to take all the necessary precautions. I always let someone know where I'm going and when I'm expected to be back. If I'm doing a multi-day solo trek, I usually go places where I know I'll cross paths with other hikers at least once a day, so I won't be completely alone for long in case any injuries should happen. I bring a Garmin sattelite radio, I stay aware of wildlife, I carry bear spray, and I always take The 10 Essentials (important to know!), even if just for big day hikes. Oh, and I usually have my dog, Pepper, for added company… as well as an emergency stash of chocolate.

How did you meet your partner, Kris? Is he a photographer, too?

We met in the fall of 2020. I was camping out of my car at the time, spending a month exploring around Banff National Park and enjoying my solo time, just me and my dog Pepper. I didn’t know who Kris was yet, but one night I ended up meeting with a couple of our great mutual photographer friends, Dave Brosha and Ashley Voykin. Of course, over some glasses of wine we started grilling each other about our love lives… of which I had none, but I did have an extensive list of specific requirements for a person to meet before I’d even consider dating them. After sharing this list, Dave and Ashley brought up their friend Kris Andres as a potential suitor and set up a “group hike” for us to meet on (with Kris not knowing it was a setup, and me not expecting much to come from it). Unexpectedly for both of us, everyone else dropped out of the hike last minute.

So that’s how we met at Bow Lake for a sunrise hike as the first snowfall of the year began. Kris was waiting with a steaming coffee for me (awe), Pepper bounded up and jumped on him as if he already knew him, and the energy oddly felt like coming home - completely safe and at ease. The “sunrise hike” turned into 12 hours of hiking and talking nonstop about our lives and shared passions, and… well, we haven’t stopped hiking around the world together since.

Kris is also an incredible photographer and is co-owner of OFFBEAT Photo, where he teaches and guides incredible photography workshops around the world.

How did you meet/adventure/get to create with other photographers and massive creatives?

Okay, I’m gonna gush a bit here: My very favourite aspect of social media is the community you can build through it. Over the last 15 years I've made lifelong friends through social media by sharing with, inspiring each other and ultimately by supporting one another (I’ll always preach collaboration over competition).

Most of these friends I actually met online years ago through Flickr (before Instagram and Facebook were even a thing), back when we were all just starting out in photography. Soon we were collaborating, meeting up, travelling together, and visiting each other across the globe. Many of these friends have become family to me now. I know I talk about how often I enjoy solo travelling and shooting, but in all honesty, it's this support system of friends that has truly made my life richer.

And it doesn’t stop there - I’m still meeting new people every year that make my life richer for being there. Lately I’ve been focusing on community building through hosting small creative retreats and workshops… and witnessing the friendships born out of these has been incredibly inspiring and rewarding.

How long did it take to gain a substantial following on Instagram? What advice could you give to others looking to grow their IG presence?

I started posting my photography on Instagram over a decade ago, back when photography was just starting to really boom on the app. I think I was lucky to start early, because my following accumulated fast in those early days. But it tapered off about 5 years ago when Instagram introduced algorithms and reels… and now the actual number of my followers has been declining on Instagram every year since. So yes, it’s hard to grow, especially if starting now.

But for me, Instagram isn’t about the numbers - it’s about sharing my art and connecting with others. It can be easy to get caught up in comparison and number games, but I’ve come to a place now where I realize it really doesn't matter whether I have just 50 followers or 50,000. I want to create out of passion first and foremost - and if my art can connect with even just a few people, that's enough for me to keep sharing it.

If you're looking to grow your following, the best advice I can give is to ask yourself, "what do I want to share with the world?". Focus on that. The more you create and share what you're most connected to and passionate about, the more the right people will start to notice and follow along. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that a small community of connected people will take you way further than a crazy big crowd of disconnected followers.

Is Pepper famous? He looks exactly like the dog in one of Passenger's music videos!

You guessed it! You can watch Pepper being cute in Passenger's music video here.