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Welcoming Mike and Keenan to the BCJ Team
Welcoming Mike and Keenan to the BCJ Team
by Russ Nordstrand
At Backcountry Journeys we’d be nothing without our incredible team! We’re beyond lucky to have such a cohesive, welcoming, and flat-out fun group of people to work with every day.
From our professional photography guides interacting with customers in the field to our wonderful office staff making everything tick like clockwork, the people of Backcountry Journeys are the bread and butter of our business.
That being said, we’re very excited to announce two new team members. Mike Lopez is our new Field Operations Manager and Keenan Hursh is our new Website, Copy, and Content Specialist.
From our professional photography guides interacting with customers in the field to our wonderful office staff making everything tick like clockwork, the people of Backcountry Journeys are the bread and butter of our business.
That being said, we’re very excited to announce two new team members. Mike Lopez is our new Field Operations Manager and Keenan Hursh is our new Website, Copy, and Content Specialist.
Mike Lopez
Mike was born in Napa Valley, CA though he was raised in Dallas, TX, which he calls home. He retired from the United States Army after a 21+ career serving in various capacities. His two favorite positions were ones that allowed him to provide advisory assistance to service members which increased soldier survivability, as well as positions which allowed him to oversee and run field operations globally. Mike’s goal has always been team success coupled with the understanding and encouragement of individual success as well.
Mike never had much of an eye for anything outside of Texas until he was fortunate enough to spend 14 years living abroad in Schweinfurt, Baumholder, Wurzburg, and Dresden Germany. What started as a local snowboard trip to the Rhon mountains in Bavaria turned into a deep-rooted passion for nature while snowboarding the Austrian and Swiss Alps. An individual who enjoys life and what it has to offer, he is versed in and loves snowboarding, hiking, backpacking, riding quads, jumping out of planes, off-roading, and finally photography.
Mike’s favorite city in the world is El Paso, TX. Of course, there are places that blow EPT out of the water – but not in his mind. This city fostered Mike’s beginnings in photography and always provides a vast and free landscape full of possibilities and beauty. From his proudest moments on the highline trail in Glacier National Park, which his daughters dubbed “that Point 6”, to the solitary encouragement of El Paso’s vast desert, and finally walking his favorite trail with his wife: Annapolis's “Poet’s Trail.” Mike enjoys capturing raw emotion and the moments that raw emotion creates.
As the kids once asked, "Why do you always teach us about the places you have been?" My answer to them, and you, "Because my greatest hope is that in life y'all will get to experience at least just a little, if not tremendously more, of the beauty I have seen."
Mike was born in Napa Valley, CA though he was raised in Dallas, TX, which he calls home. He retired from the United States Army after a 21+ career serving in various capacities. His two favorite positions were ones that allowed him to provide advisory assistance to service members which increased soldier survivability, as well as positions which allowed him to oversee and run field operations globally. Mike’s goal has always been team success coupled with the understanding and encouragement of individual success as well.
Mike never had much of an eye for anything outside of Texas until he was fortunate enough to spend 14 years living abroad in Schweinfurt, Baumholder, Wurzburg, and Dresden Germany. What started as a local snowboard trip to the Rhon mountains in Bavaria turned into a deep-rooted passion for nature while snowboarding the Austrian and Swiss Alps. An individual who enjoys life and what it has to offer, he is versed in and loves snowboarding, hiking, backpacking, riding quads, jumping out of planes, off-roading, and finally photography.
Mike’s favorite city in the world is El Paso, TX. Of course, there are places that blow EPT out of the water – but not in his mind. This city fostered Mike’s beginnings in photography and always provides a vast and free landscape full of possibilities and beauty. From his proudest moments on the highline trail in Glacier National Park, which his daughters dubbed “that Point 6”, to the solitary encouragement of El Paso’s vast desert, and finally walking his favorite trail with his wife: Annapolis's “Poet’s Trail.” Mike enjoys capturing raw emotion and the moments that raw emotion creates.
As the kids once asked, "Why do you always teach us about the places you have been?" My answer to them, and you, "Because my greatest hope is that in life y'all will get to experience at least just a little, if not tremendously more, of the beauty I have seen."
Keenan Hursh
Keenan is an avid photographer, graphic designer, and lover of the outdoors currently based out of Bozeman, Montana. He is originally from Boulder, Colorado where he developed a deep passion for getting outside and pursuing outdoor activities including skiing, cycling, hiking, rafting, backpacking and more. Recently he has developed new passions for paragliding as well as designing and sewing outdoor adventure gear for cyclists and hikers.
At a very young age, Keenan started bringing a camera along on his excursions and immediately fell in love with the art of photography. He started out on his parent’s cheap point and shoot and has continuously improved his craft and gear refining his shooting style and producing more compelling and intriguing images. He pursues a wide range of photography styles primarily shooting landscapes, wildlife, adventure photography, and some 35mm every now and then.
Since graduating from the University of Denver with a degree in Emergent Digital Practices, Keenan has pursued a professional career in graphic design, multi-media marketing, and content creation. He has benefitted a wide range of companies and organizations from small start-ups to well-known agencies and brands.
You can view Keenan’s photography and graphic design work on his website at www.keenanhurshmedia.com.
We can’t wait to see what these guys bring to the table and we know they’ll fit right in with the rest of the tribe!
Check out our entire crew to learn more about who we are at Backcountry Journeys.
Keenan is an avid photographer, graphic designer, and lover of the outdoors currently based out of Bozeman, Montana. He is originally from Boulder, Colorado where he developed a deep passion for getting outside and pursuing outdoor activities including skiing, cycling, hiking, rafting, backpacking and more. Recently he has developed new passions for paragliding as well as designing and sewing outdoor adventure gear for cyclists and hikers.
At a very young age, Keenan started bringing a camera along on his excursions and immediately fell in love with the art of photography. He started out on his parent’s cheap point and shoot and has continuously improved his craft and gear refining his shooting style and producing more compelling and intriguing images. He pursues a wide range of photography styles primarily shooting landscapes, wildlife, adventure photography, and some 35mm every now and then.
Since graduating from the University of Denver with a degree in Emergent Digital Practices, Keenan has pursued a professional career in graphic design, multi-media marketing, and content creation. He has benefitted a wide range of companies and organizations from small start-ups to well-known agencies and brands.
You can view Keenan’s photography and graphic design work on his website at www.keenanhurshmedia.com.
We can’t wait to see what these guys bring to the table and we know they’ll fit right in with the rest of the tribe!
Check out our entire crew to learn more about who we are at Backcountry Journeys.
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AUTHOR
AUTHOR
Russ Nordstrand is an award winning Landscape & Wildlife Photographer based in Homer, Alaska. His Fine Art Prints are hanging in private collections throughout the world and he runs Photography Tours & Workshops in the most beautiful and inspirational locations in the Western United States and beyond.
Russ has been hiking, backpacking, photographing and guiding people in the wilderness areas, deserts, canyons and mountains of the world since 1997. He has logged thousands of miles on the trail and for many years in the past decade over half of his nights were spent in a tent in some far flung outdoor destination.
His Photography reflects an awe and admiration of the great, wide and still wild world we live in. Often his subjects include towering canyon walls, mist shrouded mountain lakes or wildlife in their natural habitat. It also reflects a commitment to preserving these places for the health of our world and for those who come after.
It would be a lie to say he does it completely from an altruistic standpoint. Like any great outdoor photographer he loves the thrill of wild, remote places and the accomplishment of nailing that shot after waking up three hours before dawn and hiking in the dark!
Russ has been hiking, backpacking, photographing and guiding people in the wilderness areas, deserts, canyons and mountains of the world since 1997. He has logged thousands of miles on the trail and for many years in the past decade over half of his nights were spent in a tent in some far flung outdoor destination.
His Photography reflects an awe and admiration of the great, wide and still wild world we live in. Often his subjects include towering canyon walls, mist shrouded mountain lakes or wildlife in their natural habitat. It also reflects a commitment to preserving these places for the health of our world and for those who come after.
It would be a lie to say he does it completely from an altruistic standpoint. Like any great outdoor photographer he loves the thrill of wild, remote places and the accomplishment of nailing that shot after waking up three hours before dawn and hiking in the dark!
SEARCH THE BLOG
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Join our free photo-travel community group on Facebook. A great place to swap stories & share images with fellow photographers!
Live events & webinars from the comfort of your own home. Free webinars on a variety of photography related topics – from photo editing to composition & more.
Check out the BCJ Trip Calendar for all of our upcoming Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris!
FEATURED TRIP:
Ultimate Botswana Wildlife Safari
Discover the ultimate African Wildlife Photography Safari and capture images to last a lifetime!
Ultimate Botswana Wildlife Safari
Discover the ultimate African Wildlife Photography Safari and capture images to last a lifetime!
UPCOMING TRIPS WITH AVAILABILITY
UPCOMING TRIPS WITH AVAILABILITY
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READ OUR NEWSLETTER FOR NEW TRIPS, ARTICLES, & PROMOS
READ OUR NEWSLETTER FOR NEW TRIPS, ARTICLES, & PROMOS
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLCs - Copyright 2024
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.