@chrisburkard

Some places leave us with more questions than answers. The Kuril Islands are on of those places. Seemingly not of this world in terms of beauty and remoteness. @taylorfreesolo ‘a film “From Kuril’s with Love” attempts to dive into the complex issues these islands face. I was lucky to be apart of that prodction team & help tell the story of our Russian stowaway Vladimir Burkanov whose scientific research has spanned over 30 years in these islands. This film seems maybe more important than ever given the recent chemical spill in Kamchatka. This image was taken in the Kurils and the water color is natural runoff from a large hotspring in the Mtns.

My favorite type of floral arrangement

How far would you go to chase a legend? ‘Arc of Aleutia’ is a new film that dives deep into the story of a military veteran who discovered a remote wave on an even more remote island after his service in the 70’s. The lore of this place & story has drawn many a willing travelers in search of ...well...solitude mostly. Excited for a sold out pre-release premier tonight at @thecampoc @roark @_ryanhill_ @natezoller

These covers marked some of my greatest moments in my career/ life. Truly one of the greatest losses of 2020 is seeing the bible of surf magazines close its doors after 60 years in print. I wouldn’t trade the 8 years of my life that I served as a senior staff for @surfer_magazine for anything. It was the greatest privilege & honor to be apart of such an amazing lineage of photographers & editors. As a kid I fully dreamt of adding my name to that list... in fact the first goal I ever set for myself in my life was to shoot a cover of surfer. Those relationships forged with my colleagues, be it editors & journalist, or surfers in some far off beach are something I’ll always be grateful for. It was more than just my job...it was my education and at times my family. I’m heartbroken to see it go, but more so that other young photographers are loosing out on more and more opportunities of places to see their work come to life in print. Thanks for all the great years, and thanks to all my editors along the way for taking a chance on me. 🙏🏽 - also a huge hearfelt shoutout to @powdermagazine @bikemag for the good years. Grateful I was able to contribute.

The gap has never felt wider...

Me running away from my problems 😅

So excited to finally share my latest film - Unnur! After a festival run and livestream release event, Unnur is now online and open to all. Beyond grateful to share this incredibly personal and important story with everyone. By far the film I am most proud of yet. @ellithor is an Icelandic photographer, surfer, and former kayaker. A decade ago Elli nearly drowned under a waterfall while kayaking a challenging Icelandic river. The near death experience became a catalyst for personal growth and his professional career. After walking away from kayaking, a newfound passion for surfing and the birth of his daughter Unnur gave him a new perspective worth living for Thanks to support from @billabong and @sonyalpha Directed by: @chrisburkard Assistant Director: @benweiland Written by: @63mph Director of Photography: @jefftaylr Executive Producers: @mparns, @eslate Produced by: @MikeySandifer, @ChrisBurkard Story by: @BenWeiland, @ChrisBurkard, @63mph Cinematography: @BenWeiland, @jefftaylr, @ChrisBurkard, @Egillhalldorsson, @timbuz Drone Operators: @ChrisBurkard, @BenWeiland Water Cinematography: @BenWeiland, @ChrisBurkard Editors: @davec9k, @ryanespi, @jefftaylr, @BenWeiland Music Licensing: @ryanespi, @MikeySandifer DIT: @MattrFoley Still Photography: @MattrFoley, @ChrisBurkard Set PA: @MattrFoley Sound Design: Jan Bezouska Colorist: @davec9k Graphic Artists: @BenWeiland, @KyleKerr, Riley Brown Surfers: @HeidarLogi

You are loved. Just a little something to start your week off right.

Landing in Gnarnia

The correlation between surfing & snowboarding has never felt more clear. Documenting @wolfgangnyvelt in the Iwanai region of Hokkaido was a masterclass in style & connecting with a landscape. We traveled to this remote area to share a story about the Sea of Japan & how it affects not only its snow quality but most of all it’s people. Coming soon. @billabong

Truth be told, real life can be so much more beautiful than fantasy.

Tonight is the night! UNNUR premiers free online tonight at 7pm PST for free & tomorrow Weds at 10am PST for European audiences. Beyond grateful to share this incredibly personal & important story with everyone. By far the film I am most proud of yet! To watch tune into check Chris Burkard photography or @billabong YouTube - Facebook page for screenings . 🤙 @sonyalpha @icelandair