Videos

Chris Burkard is an adventure photographer who travels the world looking for epic images of our untamed planet. He recently garnered a lot of attention for the once-in-a-lifetime shot above of a surfer in Iceland lit by the Northern Lights, and the video below gives you the backstory.

Burkard grew up surfing remote beaches in Central California and says that when he picked up his first camera at the age of 18, “I realized this was it.” Since that "aha!" moment, he’s photographed surfers riding the coldest, most dangerous waves on the planet.

While in Iceland shooting his upcoming film “Under and Arctic Sky” to be released later this year, Burkard captured his epic image of a surfer illuminated by the Northern Lights—a phenomenon he calls “the greatest light show on Earth.” Burkard notes that, “If you look at the Northern Lights and you don’t question your place in the world, there’s something dead inside.”

The video above gives you a behind-the-scenes look at Burkard’s adventure, and the making of this stunning image. You can see more of Burkard’s work on his website, and view a trailer of his new film below. And be sure to read our earlier story of a photographer who camped on Greenland’s frozen icecap to photograph the Northern Lights.