Taming the wilds: in search of the perfect outdoor adventure shot

Whether hiking clifftops, kayaking lakes or wild swimming, sporting activities in the great outdoors offer a world of opportunities for photographers with an intrepid heart.

One such creative is Anna Blackwell, a UK-based adventurer, image-maker, writer and speaker who thrives on pushing herself to the limit – in fact, she's made a career out of it, capturing stills and video for leading outdoor sports brands including Lowe Alpine and Peak UK. Her astonishing escapades include walking 1,000 miles solo across France and Spain along ancient pilgrimage paths, kayaking 4,000km across 11 countries and five capital cities, and scaling Mount Toubkal, the highest summit in North Africa.

"During one of my early adventures, I started taking photos and writing a blog – mainly so my friends and family could see how my long-distance trek was progressing," explains Anna, when asked how she turned a hobby into her profession. "I kept this up for a few years, sharing my adventures online through images and words, and this gained traction. Soon I was speaking about my adventures at events, festivals, and for businesses and schools. Then I started to approach brands to work with them on my upcoming trips, and bit by bit I was able to generate enough income from photography, writing, adventure filmmaking, speaking and social media to make it a full-time job."

Anna's most recent hiking and camping trip took her, her partner, Sam, and her dog, Bilbo, to the rocky landscape of northern Dartmoor in England with a Canon EOS R6 and two lenses – the Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM and the Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM – for company. She shares why she loves getting away from it all, her best advice for trekking in the wilderness and reveals how to bring your favourite adventures home through spectacular photography.

Anna, Sam and Bilbo began their exploration of north Dartmoor at a village called Belstone because of its fantastic access to 'tor' rock formations. These large, free-standing rocky outcrops are something Anna has always been drawn to.

"It was a totally new part of Dartmoor for me, which was really exciting. You walk through this idyllic village and straightaway you're out on the moors," she says. "It felt wild and remote and that is exactly what I crave.

"My passion is hiking," she continues. "I love having a heavy rucksack on my back and meandering around. It's not about going anywhere particularly fast – it's about fully appreciating peaceful places. We hiked, then put the tent up, and had a night out in the wild."

Anna's outdoorsy nature comes from her family's love for walking and hiking, as well as her Swedish roots. "My mum is Swedish, and I think it's very ingrained in Swedish culture to spend a lot of time outside and to appreciate the natural environment. I grew up doing a lot of walking and exploring and, whenever we were in Sweden, we'd go canoeing and camping and eat outside. So I think from a very early age that was quite an integral part of my life."

Anna had company on her trip to Dartmoor, but she often travels on her own, including a solo trek to Arctic Sweden in autumn 2020 (see left image above). "On a deeper level, I really love solo adventures because it's a unique experience," she explains. "I've gone for 10 days without even seeing another footprint. When you're alone, you have to deal with the highs and the lows. So, if you're having a really rubbish day, are lacking motivation and are tired and hungry, you are solely responsible for getting yourself through that. But by the end of it, you know that you got yourself from A to B in one piece."

Trekking with someone else can help photographically, though. "It makes it so much easier to photograph things because you've automatically got a subject," says Anna. "This applies to Bilbo, as well, as he is often the subject in my photos. Having a person or a dog in the landscape just invites you in, in a way that classic landscape photography doesn't."

Asked which came first, her passion for photography or adventure travel, Anna doesn’t hesitate. "Photography came first," she enthuses. "My grandfather was a fantastic photographer, so I grew up paging through his photo albums, and that instilled a love of photography in me at an early age. I got my first camera when I was 15 and studied photography at school. However, I didn't actually photograph my first few adventures. It was only after a few years that I combined these two things."

For Anna, documenting her treks means staying flexible, taking minimal kit and being inventive on the go. As well as sweeping vistas, she also suggests photographing or videoing the little moments, such as putting on your rucksack, fixing tent pegs or enjoying a mug of hot chocolate, which she feels can really add to your visual storytelling.

"I love the storytelling side of adventures," she elaborates. "I'm often in remote places completely on my own, but actually I really love sharing that and photography is just a fantastic platform to communicate those experiences.

"On this trip, during the blue hour, we got really fixated on getting photos of the head torch and seeing the steam coming off a mug of hot chocolate or the water that I was boiling, because it was a creative way to capture that time of day."

Using features such as high-speed bursts and taking advantage of the image stabilisation system of the full-frame mirrorless Canon EOS R6 meant that it wasn't a problem when Anna forgot her tripod in a low-light situation.

"The stabilisation and the 20.1MP resolution in the blue hour were fantastic because we actually forgot to take a tripod. Turns out we didn't need it because the camera just dealt with that low light brilliantly," she says.

In line with travelling light, Anna usually only carries one lens that gives versatility for both portraits and all-encompassing landscapes, something the lightweight Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM excels at.

"I love a lens like this because it offers you flexibility. Having the 24mm was great for those close-up shots of Bilbo, but then I could also get a bit more compression on some of the landscapes. When I'm off on adventures, I'm very much in the headspace of wanting to be able to do everything with one lens."

Having kit that can keep up with Anna and the unpredictable conditions of her adventures can be a challenge.

During a recent ski-touring trip to Arctic Finland, for example, temperatures plunged to -22ºC. "When temperatures are that low, everything becomes harder, from getting your skis on to stopping for snack breaks," she explains. "Taking photos becomes a military operation in terms of efficiency so hands are out in the cold as little as possible, and so you can keep moving again."

But, Anna insists, having those memories documented is worth it.

"The best thing about photographing outdoor sports is having those memories forever. I still look through photos from my early adventures and I can remember exactly where I was, what I was feeling, and who I was with. That's really powerful.

"The downside with the adventures that I do is that sometimes there is a pressure to get certain photographs. I've had trips where I thought I would have gorgeous weather and be able to get really inspirational content in incredible mountain environments and actually had 10 days of torrential rain. It can be a challenge shooting in those conditions, as you can't go home to change and dry out your camera gear. You're in a tent and there's no way of keeping things dry. That's one of the reasons I love Canon because my camera is so resilient."

For those keen to go on their own unforgettable adventures, but unsure of where to start, Anna has this advice: "If it's lack of confidence that is the barrier to you going on adventures, don't be embarrassed to start small and build up that courage over time. For example, a night wild camping with friends, maybe someone who knows what they're doing, or starting with day hikes by yourself somewhere new to get used to being self-sufficient. Courses are also a great way of building skills and meeting new adventure pals. Finally, don't be afraid to make mistakes. Even us pros mess up from time to time – just as long as you learn from it then it doesn't count as a failure."

Ultimately, the leap into the unknown will be worth it.

"Adventures are still one of the best ways for me to reset and re-energise. Especially solo adventures, even if it's just a day away exploring somewhere new," concludes Anna. "Those are the trips that fuel my creativity and drive, so I'd need them even if it wasn't my job."

Written by Lorna Dockerill