#123 | Pete McBride

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by world-renowned photographer and director, Pete McBride. We learn about Pete's entry into photography, including what advice he'd offer to aspiring adventure journalists, what it's like to work for NationalGeographic, the ongoing conservationist threats to the Grand Canyon and the Navajo Nation, and we learn all about his new book "Seeing Silence: The Beauty of the World's Most Quiet Places".  We wrap the show with a triple crown of our favorite sounds from nature, another gross or not gross aimed at hazing Chaunce, and we get a listener recommendation for combining the backcountry bidet with the kula cloth. Gossamer Gear discount code: Use code "gingersaregood" for 15% off at Gossamergear.com. Enlightened Equipment: Save 10% off Enlightened Equipment's Stock Revelation Quilt or Stock Torrid Jacket with code "thetrek10" here. ZBiotics: Use code "trek10" at zbiotics.com  Vital Farms: Check out vitalfarms.com to learn more about where honest food is raised Interview with Pete McBride Pete McBride's Instagram  New Book: "Seeing Silence: The Beauty of the World's Most Quiet Places" Time stamps & Questions 00:04:19 - QOTD: What is the single most thing you are excited about for the Wisconsin trip?  00:07:22 - Introducing Pete McBride  00:08:05 - How did you get into photography?  00:10:46 - Was this digital photography at the time? 00:11:49 - When you went digital, was it due to the wider range of error?  00:13:04 - Do you have one go-to camera or is it based on the job?  00:13:55 - Do you have a couple go-to lens's you use?  00:14:17 - What lens did you use for your Grand Canyon hike?  00:16:41 - What is the project proposal process for National Geographic?  00:17:38 - Would you recommend photographers focus on writing skills?  00:19:30 - What are the biggest differences between a photography and videography project?  00:21:13 - How much of the story do you build out prior to the shoot?  00:23:06 - Any favorite leaf peeping spots in Colorado?  00:26:16 - How many photography projects have you done?  00:27:27 - Do you have a favorite project?  00:29:39 - How much water did you carry for that stretch?  00:31:00 - How do you deal with the emotional response to visually seeing the rivers dry up?  00:33:28 - Tell me more about the Grand Canyon project  00:36:43 - Where does the "Grand Escalade" initiative stand today?  00:38:28 - Is there a resource you'd recommend to others interested in protecting the Grand Canyon?  00:40:45 - Was the hike of the Grand Canyon a hard sell for yourself?  00:42:21 - What is hyponatremia?  00:43:16 - What happened after you fell apart on day 5?  00:44:45 - How did you segment the Grand Canyon hike?  00:45:15 - Are you taking a trail to get in and out of the canyon?  00:46:20 - What was the stat regarding the number of tourists that could go into the canyon via the tram? 00:48:00 - Give us the pitch for your new book 00:51:31 - What is the Drake Passage?  00:52:01 - What does a 70 ft. swell feel like?  00:52:22 - Is it the motion that's upsetting or the risk?  00:54:18 - Did you know you were capturing a once-in-a-lifetime event?  00:55:51 - Did you feel excitement or fear with the whale?  00:56:38 - Do Orcas eat any fish in mass quantities?  00:57:59 - What are your favorite sounds that get overlooked by most people?  01:01:29 - Where should people buy the book?  01:01:54 - How many photos are in the book?  01:02:53 - Do you have a favorite photo?  01:03:33 - Have you ever done anything with eels?  01:04:37 - Can you tell us the story of the The Ganges photo?  01:06:09 - What is your favorite photography subject?  01:07:11 - Have you ever felt your life was in danger when photographing wildlife?  01:09:37 - Have there been other times where you've felt your life was in danger?  01:12:23 - Where can people listen to your NPR interview? 01:13:02 - Anything else you'd like to direct listeners to?  SEGMENTS Trek Propaganda Congrats to 2021 PCT Thru-Hikers  Congrats to 2021 AT Thru-Hikers EcoPak – Revolutionizing Thru-Hiking Packs for a Better Planet The Trek Blogger & Vlogger Applications Triple Crown of coolest nature sounds  Gross or Not Gross: Re-wearing workout clothes for more than one workout Mail Bag 5 Star Reviews [divider] Check out our sound guy @Paulybooyshallcross. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and  Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Andrew, Ausen McDaniel, Jason Lawrence, Christopher Marshburn, Sawyer Products, Brad and Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Patrick Cianciolo, Brandon Spilker and Matt Soukup. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Cynthia Voth,, Emily Brown, Mitchell, Dcnerdlet, Jeff LaFranier, Peter Ellenberg, Jacob Northrup, Peter Leven, TraskVT, Lindsay Sparks, Liz Seger and Lisa Douglas.