The Broadcast / Mark McInnis: Photographer Portfolio

Mark McInnis: Photographer Portfolio

A master behind the lens, Mark McInnis has been creating beautiful images in the Pacific Northwest for the last 13 years. Having spoken to him for our Hell or High Water podcast, we took a peek at his portfolio - asking about his inspirations and the gear that enables him to ply his craft.

14.09.23

4 min read

Words and Photography by Mark McInnis

What was it that first captivated you about photography, who was your biggest inspiration and what made you want to pursue it?

I always wanted to be an artist of some kind. In high school, I took all of the drawing, painting and pottery classes I could, and I was terrible at all of them. I kept trying and trying and trying... And I still sucked.

But then, in my junior year of high school, I had a crush on a girl named Megan. Her mom was the photography teacher and Megan asked me if I wanted to take Photography with her the next semester. I gladly accepted.

Little did I know that that photography class and working in the dark room would completely take over my life. It was the art form that I was finally decent enough at to feel good about my results.

So that’s the story of how it all began. After that, it was a full-blown hobby and passion until I decided to make a run at it as a career in 2008. Fast forward however many years (I am bad at math) and here we are. I often think about how I need to look Megan up and tell her thank you for the nudge. One of these days I will need to do that.

You're often outdoors all day, shooting in challenging conditions. How do you prepare, and how important does your gear become when working in those environments?

It’s true. I am often outside photographing in the rain, sleet, hail, snow, whatever nature throws at us. Preparation goes a long way. Obviously, the camera gear needs to have protection, but it’s more important for your body to have protection.

Proper outerwear is essential, but what I tell everybody is that base layers are the most important thing. The wind is what will really get you. So I always try and have a solid base layer with water and wind proof gear over it. Sometimes, you even need another insulating layer with your base layer and outerwear. It can feel pretty over-the-top at times, but once you get out in it, you realize why you are all bundled up and feel like a snowman.