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Shoot to Thrill by Mike McQuaide Photo Confessions of a True Outdoorsman

Fifteen years ago I moved to Washington State from New Jersey, where I’d grown up. I’d always been active—played a lot of team sports and competed in triathlons and marathons—but when I moved to Western Washington, my focus shifted a bit. I became a true outdoor junkie. Or maniac. Or addict. Or however you want to call it. With the Cascade Mountains a half-hour to the east, the San Juan Islands a half-hour west, and the untamed wilds of British Columbia an hour north, the move made sense.

Every weekend I wanted to do it all—climb volcanoes that reached more than two miles into the sky; kayak with killer whales in Puget Sound; trail-run across alpine meadows bursting with wildflowers and mountain blueberries; and mountain bike down snaking single-tracks doing their best to knock me off my bike . By making sure I clicked off a few photos wherever I went, I could relive these experiences throughout the week, thus ensuring that I could make it to the next weekend and the next adventure. Plus it was a great way to impress my friends and get them to join me.

Eventually I got a job as a features reporter for a local newspaper. And when I kept pitching stories that the staff photographers either couldn’t or had no inclination to shoot—i.e., running the 33-mile trail that circles Mount St. Helens, climbing Mount Baker, the second most heavily glaciated mountain in the lower 48—I volunteered to shoot as well as write.

Though it didn’t seem possible, photographing these places heightened the experiences even more. Because I was now shooting for an audience, I wanted to get the most interesting shots I could. I found myself climbing just a little higher, riding rougher trails, snowboarding more technical runs because that’s where the best shots were to be found.

I found that I was stopping more and more to look for shots along the way. It forced me to slow down and appreciate my surroundings. By bringing my camera, each excursion became a more complete experience.

Four years ago, my wife gave birth to our son, Baker, named for Mount Baker, the volcano I mentioned earlier. I became a stay-at-home dad and part-time freelance writer focusing on outdoor recreation. I’ve written two books (“Day Hikes! North Cascades” and “Trail Running Guide to Western Washington”) and articles for Runner’s World, Outside, Sunset and many other publications. My photos have appeared in Running Times, Trail Runner and the Seattle Times.

Though I do more writing than shooting, I’m forever climbing higher and running farther to get the best shots I can.

>>Click here to see some of Mike's work.

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