Part tongue-in-cheek, part serious, I will deal with any and all subjects here – the questions I get again and again. If you have something you want answered, don’t hesitate to send it in. And keep an eye on this section; it’ll be growing with time.

1. How can I get your job?

I am always a little confounded when I get this question. It sounds as if my life was something I applied for and got, rather than a lifestyle that evolved over decades. I find myself both wanting to warn that no ‘job’ is without its ups and downs, and at the same time encourage anyone who will listen to follow their passion or heart.

Sometimes I say: "You have to be willing to exist on ichiban soup, sleep on a couch, and drive a rusty pickup for a decade. And face enormous amounts of uncertainty."

Other times I sing to the tune: "If you do what you love, you’ll end up loving what you do."

Either way, the end goal was never specifically to be a photographer or writer. Or speak to big audiences. I simply loved to be outside and exploring remote areas. There was nothing else I could imagine doing. And I loved sharing what I’d seen with others.

Nick Nickols, the famous National Geographic photographer used to have a very succinct response for this type of question on his website (michaelnicknichols.com). He has toned down his on-line answer recently, but the gist of what he previously said was this: You want to shoot something for Geographic? OK. Go find a subject that hasn’t been covered. Then spend a decade shooting it. Every single day of every year. After that, come and talk to me.

A bit harsh perhaps, but it captures the commitment necessary to make such a change. I certainly recommend visiting Nick’s site. He doesn’t mince words with his FAQs, and he has a strong artistic vision.

I feel lucky, because I left the 9-to-5 grind when I was 22. There was no opportunity cost for leaving. Not an apparent one anyways. I had no debts, no mortgage, no car payments – no reason to stay in the office. And at the time there was no alternative. I just had to get out.

A few principles guided the decisions I made. I always valued experience over monetary returns. (The memory of a trip seemed priceless when compared to having something in a bank account.) I strove to visit the greatest diversity of landscapes and cultures I could. (The one exception being Canada’s Yukon, where I have returned every summer since ’94 – cause it is so spectacular.) I believed in being generous. I believed I could do anything I tried. I knew that if everything went wrong - and I didn’t have a penny to my name - I’d still survive. And I loved never knowing what would come next.

2. Where do you go pee in the desert?

Hands down, I get asked this question more than any other – always by kindergarten aged children who have no inhibitions. It is quickly followed by: And on the mountain? And on the river?

For those interested, here is the thumbnail answer…

In the desert, there is no where to hide. So if you want to be like a Bedouin, you simply walk away from the group, gather up your dishdasha (skirt-like garment), and kneel down on your knees. One note, beware of trenches formed by your knees, otherwise you’ll be backpeddling quickly. Also, for number two, sand is used in place of TP.

On the mountain, in your tent at night, you pee in a bottle of course. Preferably one brought along for that sole purpose. You don’t want to expend the energy to get up, or cool down in the cold air. Unpleasant but true hint for number two: always check the hood of your one-piece suit before throwing it back on, it tends to hang low back there.

And finally, the river. Most northern rivers we pack out all solid human waste (surprisingly easy, and a fantastic way to reduce the impact of many visitors using the same campsight each season.) Guests are instructed to pee somewhere away from camp and away from fresh water. A few folks pee around their tent, believing it will keep away bears and wolves… not sure if this works or not. The exception to "peeing-away-from-the-river" is on the Grand Canyon, where polluted beaches and the loss of cleansing annual floods (due to dams) means visitors are now asked to pee directly in the river.

3. What's in your camera bag?
 
I've shot Nikon for years, and recently made the transition to digital (although I might just still take film on extended expeditions).  Reliability and weight are the two crucial factors for me. 
 
Currently I am shooting with a D200, a superb DSLR. It's buffer is big enough that I can shoot fast action - a ski descent or passing kayaker - without pause. It also feels as tough as a tank. 
 
My primary lenses are the 12-24mm ED DX wide angle zoon, and the 18-300mm ED VR telephoto zoom. I prefer the light weight and low cost of these 'prosumer' lens over super fast f/2.8 professional glass. Admittedly there is a small reduction in quality, but if your lens is too heavy to carry, or too expensive to bring in the backcountry (where it gets wet and sandy) then it does you no good at all.
 
The only filters I use are a circular polarizer and the indispensable GNDFs (Graduated Neutral Density Filters).  The late, great Galen Rowell was the guru of GNDF use. Visit his site to learn more. If you don't use GNDFs currently, do yourself a favour and learn how. Then buy the best there are at Singh Ray.
 
I always carry my camera body, two lenses, and filters in a LowePro chest harness. The AW (All Weather) versions are great, as they let you cover up in a shower. On the water I use Pelican cases. I've flipped in huge waves, dumped in surf, and never had a leak.
 
If and when I shoot film, my set up is a F100 (a superb adventure photog body) with the 18-35/f3.5-4.5 wide angle zoom and the 70-300/f4-5.6 telephoto zoom.
 
I occasionally use specialized lenses, such as the 16mm wide angle, a 55mm macro, and the photojournalist classic 80-200mm/f2.8.
 
A light tripod is, of course, essential.  I currently am using a tiny Gitzo carbon fibre.
 
4. What adventure books do you recommend?
 
I read all the time, at any opportunity. Here are a few of my all time favourites:
 
1) Paddling to Latitude, Jill Fredson. Beautifully written, the Labrador chapter is one of my all time favs.
2) Arabian Sands, Wilfred Thesiger. I had enough luck to meet Sir Wilfred, and follow in his footsteps, but I still struggle to comprehend the enormity of this journey. And for an old codger who loved to act grumpy, he was a very poetic soul. Just the prologue to this book will make your head spin.
3) The Long Walk, Slavormir Rawicz.  Fiction or truth (and there is some debate), it doesn't matter, this is one incredible tale.