Place of Birth: Bozeman, Montana

Current City: Namche Bazar, Khumbu region of Nepal

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

When I was growing up, first I suppose I wanted to be an airplane pilot (way back when), and around high school I started writing and doing a lot of photography, so I wanted to go to college for journalism. I studied international business instead but I have ended up pursuing photography and journalism anyway.

How did you get started in your field of work?

My journalism career began as a writer and then editor of my high school newspaper. I fell in love with photography in my high school photo class, and when I graduated from high school my parents gave me my first digital camera.

What inspires you to dedicate your life to photography and storytelling?

I am inspired as a storyteller both through photography as well as writing, because I see both of these creative outlets as a way to tell the story of seemingly normal things one might pass, in an extraordinary manner. Being able to inspire your audience through beautiful imagery via words or one's ability as a photographer is a truly magical feeling.

What’s a normal day like for you?

A normal day for me varies greatly depending on where I might be in the world or what adventure I might be embarking on that day. When I am at home in Montana though, I love making a good coffee in the morning, spending time outside or in with friends, reading and listening to music and cooking good food.

Do you have a hero?

Throughout my life I have met and continue to meet people who I look up to in many respects, but I suppose if I had to name a hero (or heroes), it would be my parents. My father, Alex, although he died when I was only 12, was my hero throughout my childhood and continues to inspire me. Now my adopted father, Conrad [Anker], has become my hero through his constant support and direction for everything I have embarked on. And of course my mother, who has been with me all along and introduced me to the outdoors and so many other wonderful things in this life, remains to be my hero.

What has been your favorite experience in the field? The most challenging?

I think it’s very possible that this expedition and project I have embarked on here in Nepal has come to be the most challenging experience in the field I have encountered. I have photographed and interviewed musicians, artists, and athletes in the past, but having to put yourself in people's lives to truly understand their story and be able to tell it genuinely is something that takes your all. I have loved it all along and would do it again in a heartbeat but being able to capture a person's life experiences through words and photos is truly challenging, but also the most rewarding experience.

What are your other passions?

Besides photography and writing, I love skiing, fly-fishing, cooking, and being in the wild places of our world. But most surely my biggest passion is surrounding myself with interesting and wonderful people.

What do you do in your free time?

In my free time I read, watch movies with friends, get out into the mountains and river country, and do anything else that might present itself when I have a free moment.