Photographer: Mike Quine
I never used to be this way but since about 2013 I've been pretty hard to pin down - at least geographically. It was that year, echoing the penned words of Henry David Thoreau, I opted to live more deliberately, by removing myself from societal chains, devoting myself to the lessons taught by the wilderness. I sought to eliminate any possibility that, when I eventually come to die, I would never consider that I had not truly lived.
So with this new inspiration, I planned, with plenty of room for spontaneity, a year long journey through the American landscape of our National Parks. Disengaged from societal pursuits to set out alone and face the uncertainty guaranteed by the Wilderness. I would henceforth refer to this rite of passage as...The Walkabout.
Upon my return from the wilderness I was worn, beaten, starving, bruised, and lonely. Despite these detriments, I was stronger, smarter, happier, and more enlightened than I had ever been before. It was increasingly clear that the wilderness had provided me with an education I would have never otherwise earned if I had not taken this leap of faith out of my comfort zone. Harnessing the glory and recognizing the rewards that the wilderness had bestowed upon me had inspired me to continue seeking more.
Walkabout Collection
This website aims to offer fine art and photographic prints captured during The Walkabout and all of its subsequent adventures; to include hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, my personal explorations throughout the African continent, and my traipses throughout historic European cities.
Since my feet developed this perpetual itch, photography has been a key ingredient in my soup for the soul. I have been fortunate in life to have opportunities to travel all over the world. These opportunities were and continue to be the byproduct of hard work, determination, and the awareness to seize them when they arrive. While photography has never been the reason for my travels, the decision to capture these moments, landscapes, and and locations has afforded me the pleasure of reliving these experiences eternally.
I've recently decided that these photographs and stories ought not be just for my own self-reflection but, rather, that they may help inspire the next intrepid wanderer. Or perhaps more simply, they provide you with an image that helps guide your imagination to spectacular places while staying at home. Whatever the reason, I proudly make an effort to have each photograph accurately reflect the truest visual representation of these real locations, steering away from altering them with some fictitious flare. What you see, is what I saw.
Oh and one last philosophy - if you're experiencing a fleeting moment on your adventures...put the camera down. Save the moment for yourself.
IG: @walkabout_collection
Shot Locations
NATIONAL PARKS
ACADIA ARCHES BADLANDS BIG BEND BISCAYNE BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON BRYCE CANYON CANYONLANDS
CAPITOL REEF CARLSBAD CAVERNS CHANNEL ISLANDS CONGAREE CRATER LAKE CUYAHOGA VALLEY DEATH VALLEY DENALI
DRY TORTUGAS EVERGLADES GATEWAY ARCH GLACIER GRAND CANYON GRAND TETON GREAT BASIN GREAT SAND DUNES
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS HOT SPRINGS ISLE ROYALE JOSHUA TREE KENAI FJORDS KINGS CANYON
LASSEN VOLCANIC MAMMOTH CAVE MESA VERDE MOUNT RAINIER NORTH CASCADES OLYMPIC PETRIFIED FOREST PINNACLES
REDWOOD ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAGUARO SEQUOIA SHENANDOAH THEODORE ROOSEVELT VOYAGEURS WHITE SANDS WIND CAVE
WRANGELL-ST ELIAS YELLOWSTONE YOSEMITE ZION
COUNTRIES
UNITED STATES CANADA MEXICO IRELAND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO RWANDA UGANDA SOUTH AFRICA NAMIBIA
ZAMBIA ZIMBABWE TANZANIA BOTSWANA REPUBLIC OF CONGO KENYA SEYCHELLES ETHIOPIA BELGIUM NETHERLANDS
GERMANY CZECH REPUBLIC HUNGARY AUSTRIA SLOVAKIA FRANCE SPAIN TURKEY
TRAILS
PACIFIC CREST TRAIL WILDERNESS WATERWAY
***Looking for a Print from a Specific Location Listed Above, Let Me Know and I Will Include Them.
"Happiness Through Hardship"
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