Every August for the last 26 years, I've celebrated my birthday by doing something new (and usually, very epic). Last year I spent almost a month in Africa, summiting Kilimanjaro, doing a private photography safari in Maasai Mara, and relaxing at an overwater bungalow in Zanzibar. This year I was torn between doing another hike and doing absolutely nothing on a beach. I dragged my feet for months, before doing what I already kind of knew I was going to do all along: I committed to both, just...

A totally biased look at when I choose to be a little bougie, and when to be a total dirtbag. Overwater Bungalows at Azul Paradise There have been at least a few times in my life when I’ve said “I will never take a bus again.” Like the time armed men boarded our bus in Colombia, shouting in Spanish that I couldn't understand. Or the time police escorted me off one while crossing into Chile, then cut open the seat I was sitting in to find bricks of cocaine stuffed inside. (And no, it wasn't...

Photographing it, not running it. Obviously. One of the photos I captured from the first spot, when my brain was telling me I wasn’t getting any good shots. Sometimes I pick up photo gigs when there’s a race in town—definitely not because they pay super well, but because I love photographing and being around runners. I love their energy and dedication, the way they support one another, and honestly I am just in awe at their endurance and cardio abilities. So last weekend when another project...