SanDisk

1. Years behind the lens?

2 years

2. Favorite camera and camera accessory?

Canon 5D Mark iii + Sigma 35mm 1.4

3. Describe your photography style in a sentence.

Fresh and new mix of outdoors and landscape.

4. Who inspires you or your photography?

Everyone who loves photography.

5. What’s your favorite place to photograph?

I love Iceland and Norway, such photogenic landscapes. It's amazing.

6. What’s your most memorable shot?

A close up shot of a wild Marmot at the Mount Rainier National Park.

7. What piece of advice do you wish you had received when you first started photography?

1. Years behind the lens?

I started taking photos with my iPhone back in 2012. It was when I first got an Instagram I found a love of capturing the outdoors, especially where I live in the Rocky Mountains. I found that being able to share my home with others around the world was something that got me really excited and I loved that others could see the same beauty that I see. I have since upgraded to shooting with a DSLR and am addicted to buying new gear!

2. Favorite camera and camera accessory?

I love everything Canon and I currently shoot with a 6D and use 24-70 2.8 Lens.

3. Describe your photography style in a sentence.

Mixing beauty with lifestyle and inspiring possibility in others.

4. Who inspires you or your photography?

I am inspired by life and the lessons we are learning. I find that what inspires to me get out there is the opportunity to share my work with others and use as a way to help encourage others, tell a story and lift people up.

5. What’s your favorite place to photograph?

I love photographing landscapes and capturing the beauty of creation. Obviously I love shooting around my home in Alberta but have enjoyed Oregon, BC and Washington. There are so many places I have yet to travel to. 

6. What’s your most memorable shot?

I don't have any favorites, but I do have favorite conditions. I love still mornings that bring crystal clear lakes and also fog! I love shooting sunrise but I always don't love getting up early, but the shot is always worth it!

7. What piece of advice do you wish you had received when you first started photography?

Don't be afraid to ask questions. It's OK to not know it all.

8. Any exciting photography plans coming up that you can share?

1. Years behind the lens?

Five years

2. Favorite camera and camera accessory?

My Nikon D800 and SanDisk Extreme 900 Portable SSD

3. Describe your photography style in a sentence.

Attempting to capture my fondest memories in life

4. Who inspires you or your photography?

When my wife and I first met, she had already booked a one-way ticket to London. I decided to move overseas and travel Europe with her. As a result of this trip, I brought my first proper DSLR, a Nikon D90. My wife still inspires me to take photos to this day.

5. What’s your favorite place to photograph?

There's not one favorite destination in particular, however I love shooting at the beach or in the Australian bushlands. The colors of nature inspire me and I'm forever trying to capture the truest depiction of this palette.

6. What’s your most memorable shot?

One of my most memorable shots would have to be of the small coastal village of Verannza in Italy. It was shot just before dusk and the light coming off the little town was incredible.

7. What piece of advice do you wish you had received when you first started photography?

1. Years behind the lens?

The first time I started using a camera was back in 2006 in high school. Over at Fremont Senior High School Media Academy I was exposed to DSLR’s, video cameras and video editing software. I used these tools to create short videos for class. It wasn’t until 2012 @jlinhh gifted me my own DSLR. It was a Canon Rebel T1i. Ever since she gave me that camera, my life changed forever.

2. Favorite camera and camera accessory?

My favorite camera is the Sony A7R II. I’ve recently switched over to mirrorless camera systems and haven’t regretted it. The lenses I currently shoot with are the Sony 18-200 3.5, 16-50 3.5, and Canon 16-35 2.8L.

3. Describe your photography style in a sentence.

Shooting a life that was once a dream

4. Who inspires you or your photography?

The whole photography community inspires me. It’s these guys who are constantly shooting and posting that inspires me to get out and shoot. I never met a community that was more welcoming than the photographers I’ve met in the past couple of years.

5. What’s your favorite place to photograph?

My favorite place to photograph is home, aka the bay area. From shooting the Golden Gate Bridge to traveling out to Mt. Tam or enjoying the coast lines at Point Reyes. After a long day of shooting I like to end my day with good food, which is pretty easy to find in the bay.

6. What’s your most memorable shot?

Angkor Thom, Cambodia

7. What piece of advice do you wish you had received when you first started photography?

1. Years behind the lens?

10 years total and 5 years professionally

2. Favorite camera and camera accessory?

My 5Diii with my Sigma 35 Art and pixie glass that gives the photo a different look

3. Describe your photography style in a sentence.

A refreshing minimalist but modern style with classic influences.

4. Who inspires you or your photography?

My grandfather was a photographer, so growing up I was fascinated by everything he did. When I turned 11, he took me under his wing and showed me everything he knew. I’m inspired by his old work had [JP1] real, raw, and authentic photography that we don’t see anymore.

5. What’s your favorite place to photograph?

My favorite location to shoot depends on who my client is. I really enjoy spending time outside so anywhere that smells like pine cones and green, I love.

6. What’s your most memorable shot?

My memorable shot has to be Taft Point in Yosemite, during sunset and the image I shot looked like my friend was jumping off a cliff when he wasn’t.

7. What piece of advice do you wish you had received when you first started photography?

One: You will never stop learning and when you think you have it down, something new will develop and you’re back to square one. Two: Don’t compare your work with others. Everyone has a different way of seeing an object and that’s okay.

8. Any exciting photography plans coming up that you can share?

1. Years behind the lens? 

14 years, but I started taking photography seriously about 12 years ago.

 2. Favorite camera and camera accessory?

Any that is available, and my tripod.

3. Describe your photography style in a sentence.

I think my work can often look dreamy/surreal, a mix of landscape photography and fine art.

4. Who inspires you or your photography?

I get inspired by hundreds of talented artists. However, it’s more experiences and travels that inspire my work.

5. What’s your favorite place to photograph?

I wish I had a better answer for this question, but every new place I travel to becomes my favorite place to photograph. I love all different types of landscapes and every place is unique in its own way. There is always a sense of shock and wonderment when you visit a place that you have never been before. So really my favorite place to photograph, is any place that I am visiting for the first time.

6. What’s your most memorable shot?

Similar to the question before, every new shot has a story and an experience. My favorite shots and most memorable images are changing constantly every month.

7. What piece of advice do you wish you had received when you first started photography?

1. Years behind the lens?

I picked up a camera over six years ago and I’ve been shooting full time for three years now.

2. Favorite camera and camera accessory?

I don’t have a favorite camera, but my favorite lenses are the Canon 16-35 F/2.8 and the Sigma 20mm F/1.4. My favorite camera accessories would be the Peak Design series of attachments and straps.

3. Describe your photography style in a sentence.

My photography style is a reflection of my passions, layered with adventure, travel, landscapes, sports and the personalities that find meaning from the same sources.

4. Who inspires you or your photography?

From day one of picking up my camera, I’ve been inspired by French landscape photographer, Xavier Jamonet. His work is breathtaking. The way he creates unique compositions that interplay with beautiful light inspires me and drives me to push myself further. Alexandre Deschaumes is another French photographer that has sculpted my direction in the industry, forming my passion for photographing mountains. His work reflects the way I feel in the mountains, a feeling so few can replicate. Both of these photographers have influenced my career enormously.

5. What’s your favorite place to photograph?

My favorite place to photograph is Mount Assiniboine. I first saw this wild mountain six years ago in a friend’s photo and I’ve been lucky enough to photograph this remote mountain 14 times now. It’s one of the most beautiful mountains I’ve ever seen.

6. What’s your most memorable shot?

On my six or seventh visit to Mount Assiniboine I got my most memorable photo. I really had to work for this one. It involved a failed 27km hike from a remote entrance where the trail was now a river, hours spent driving to a helipad to fly in, missing the helicopter and having to hike another 27km from another entrance. We arrived to our backcountry cabin exhausted but the light was so perfect, we hiked another 7km up a mountain to a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the valley. Everything came together in the last hour of that day. Golden light lit the mountains and I left with a few portfolio photos, this self-portrait being one of them.

7. What piece of advice do you wish you had received when you first started photography?

My name is Konsta Punkka, I'm 22 years old nature, wildlife and lifestyle photographer from Helsinki, Finland.

I'm based in the Nordic countries, so I spend my time taking close-up, emotional portraits of the fauna we have here. 

I also spend a lot of time to capturing the beautiful rough landscape around Finland and Norway. 

I spend my days laying down in the muddy puddles trying to make myself comfortable close to the animals. 

Hiding and exploring around the same areas many times always gives you the best results. 

I also love the cold and freezing temperatures we got up here, sleeping in the wilderness at snowstorm is the best feeling ever.

Callum Snape is a self-taught photographer, visual content creator and destination content marketer from Vancouver, BC.

He is also a notable figure in the outdoor industry within Canada, known for pursuing remote locations on foot or by kayak.

His work is a reflection of his passions and is layered with adventure, travel, landscapes, sports and the personalities that find meaning from these same sources.

At the young age of 25, Callum is at the forefront of the outdoor photography industry and has developed a large authentic and organic social media following through his adventurous pursuits.

Callum specializes in photographing mountainous regions and natural landscapes in a unique way, capturing the spirit of adventure.

Hey there my name is Michael Shainblum!

I have been a professional photographer/filmmaker for about 9 years now since the age of 16.

Ever since I was a little kid all I have wanted to do was create.

Whether that be building LEGO towers or doodling comic strips.

Fast forward to years later and I am doing the same thing (well maybe with less LEGO’s and doodling).

My work consists of Fine Art Landscape Photography, Aerial Photography, Aerial Filmmaking, Travel/Adventure Photography and Commercial Time-lapse Photography.

I have worked with clients like Nike, Samsung, Verizon, Disney, BMW, Google and many more. My work has been published by National Geographic, Wired Magazine, Huffington Post and The Weather Channel.

My name is Karen Marie. I am a maker and an artist.

I am a seeker, an adventurer, and a creator.

The earth is filled with beauty beyond measure and every day presents the opportunity to see the same things in a new way, to give fresh perspective to what seems old, and to never stop learning.

My photography is an overflow of my heart and ambition. I want to capture the real, raw, authentic, and the emotional—the little things that go unnoticed; the art of being human.

I photograph people who live adventurously, love uncontrollably, and have ambition.

From my shooting style to my editing tones, I do things natural and down to earth.

I create images for individuals, as well as brands whether big or small.

I have a heart for people and I value authenticity. My photography will always be about my clients and never about me.

Born into poverty, Andy To has navigated his way through adversity by using his hands and creative vision with the camera to capture timeless moments. Andy currently lives in Oakland, California, and would like to travel to all of the countries in the world one day.

A multimedia enthusiast with 10+ years of experience, Andy has worked on producing creative content, videos, and new media for American Airlines, Citi Bank, Herschel Supply, Alameda County, The City of Oakland, Adorama, Borrowlenses, and more. He is a daily contributor to Instagram, Snapchat, and all things social media. He enjoys giving back to the community and co-founded Feedbacknation and Green Acre.

Landscape photography has always been a go-to because it allows him to be outdoors.

“It’s something about fresh air that inspires me to be productive.”

When he’s not shooting photography and videos, Andy enjoys eating tacos and calling himself the Taco Connoisseur. He spends his breaks running, reading, and sitting down for a good cup of coffee.

Last summer Andy traveled to six different countries over the course of three months on a project called “Picture a Change: International”. The goal of the project was to document how powerful the human spirit is in poverty. They filmed in different parts of the world including India, South Africa, Nicaragua, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Luke Dean-Weymark resides in Bondi Beach, Australia and has a keen eye for all things outdoors.

His passion for photography, travel, surfing and social media have resulted in a portfolio that showcases lifestyle and landscape images from across the travel, motoring, technology, outdoors and lifestyle categories.

Luke is Australia’s highest followed Pinterest user, with almost 850k followers, and one of the top male influencers on the platform globally.

Luke also runs a photography blog, which serves as an archive of both his professional and personal work.

Scott Bakken is an entrepreneur and photographer from Calgary, Alberta Canada. He first fell in love with photography by capturing his surroundings of the Rocky Mountains on his iPhone.

Over the past few years, this passion has evolved and led to a growing career in photography and social media.

Scott founded Socality, a global community committed to using collective social influence for community development.

Scott also owns and operates Bakken Productions, a marketing company in Calgary designed to help local businesses build their social platforms. Scott has worked and photographed for companies such as Rogers, American Express, Saxx Underwear and more.

Scott Bakken is married to his beautiful wife Jessica and together they have one daughter, Sydney Rose.

Hannes Becker is a Germany-based outdoor and adventure photographer, ready to travel the world. Inspired by nature’s beauty, he is always looking for the right light, no matter how hard it gets.

Hannes’ career started with downloading Instagram four years ago. The first two years he shot with his iPhone, then he started to travel and bought a camera.

After quitting his studies as an engineer and his recent job as a product photographer half a year ago, Hannes is now working as a full-time photographer.

And by following his passion to travel, his photography works as the key link between an engaged community and progressive companies as well as modern brands and tourism boards.

Hannes loves to inspire people and show them his view of Mother Nature.

He wants to make people go out, enjoy and care about their environment but also to explore it as nature was meant to be explored.

SanDisk Social Brand Ambassadors, 2016.

We are proud to announce our ambassadors for 2016. These visual storytellers embrace photography, and were each selected for their unique styles, skills, and the authenticity they communicate through their images.

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”              -Henry David Thoreau

Meet the individuals behind the camera and see what their stories are beyond the lens.

Meet (@kpunkka):  sndk.co/meetkonsta

Meet (@calsnape): sndk.co/meetcallum

Meet (@shainblumphotography): sndk.co/meetmichael

Meet (@karenmarieco): sndk.co/meetkaren

Meet (@andyto): sndk.co/meetandy

Meet (@lukedeanweymark): sndk.co/meetluke

Meet (@scottcbakken): sndk.co/meetscott