1. The moment you swap out a memory card, a Humpback Whale will breach right in front of you.
2. The more difficult the terrain is, the better view will be on the other side.
3. There are three words that will always keep your images safe: backup, backup and backup.
4. If the gas gauge on your truck doesn’t work, never trust your odometer to know when you’re almost out of fuel… unless you want to run out of gas on a trail and miles away from a gas station.
5. Failure to clean your gear will almost always guarantee numerous hours of Photoshop touch ups.
6. An overcast day is not a reason to dismiss the use sunscreen.
7. Forget the dog. A Leatherman Tool is a photographer’s best friend.
8. Having the most expensive camera and lenses will not guarantee you get the best pictures.
9. Ask 20 photographers to shoot the same subject, and you will get 20 totally different images.
10. Every camera bag should come with Band Aids, Imodium, Duct Tape and Ibuprofen standard, though not often used in that order.
11. Swapping out lenses on a windy beach will only ensure that half the beach will end up inside your camera.
12. It’s not a matter of if the hard drive with your images will fail, but when.
13. Film is not dead, otherwise I’d be too.
14. Whenever possible, shoot with a buddy. Life is too short not to have fun photographing with a friend.
15. Invest in good foot wear. The cheap stuff melts quickly when walking over active lava tubes.
16. Care for, and appreciate what you have. It might be gone sooner than you think.
17. Five minutes of getting it right in the camera will save you hours in Photoshop.
18. Share what you know with others, for it’d be a shame to let a lifetime of knowledge die with you.
19. Never take a laxative and Benadryl before climbing into a sleeping bag.
20. Satisfaction in your work is an invitation for stagnation. Keep learning, keep experimenting, and love what you do.