Artist - Megan McLellan
Instagram - @littlebrownfox
Followers - 55.4k
Megan McLellan is one half of Field and Forest, a blog that celebrates natural landscapes and the adventures you can have in them. She started taking photos to pass the time when her partner Emanuel was setting up his shots and now creates beautifully atmospheric images of her own. Born and raised in Vancouver, her photographs combine the best of city living and the great outdoors. They're a showcase for the trips she and Emanuel take together and an inspiration for other intrepid explorers. Here she talks to us about her connection with nature and the things she never leaves home without.
"I started with photography by picking up a film camera from a thrift store when I was 20 or something. But I wasn't really interested in understanding how all the aspects of photography work together until a few years ago, which is when I really started getting into it.
"My style as a photographer is constantly evolving. I have a passion for hiking and being outdoors so I tend to get pegged as a landscape/adventure photographer, but I love shooting a variety of subjects. For me it's more about finding natural light and using that to my best advantage.
"Everything is more magical when you have the lighting you want. I'd take overcast skies or fog over sun any day. It's equally important to be able to set up the shot with the right framing and sometimes that takes a little time, especially when you are out in nature.
"Whilst the majority of images in the blog and on my Instagram feed are landscape-based, my favourite images tend to be portraits of friends and family. They don't actually get shared much over social media because I think I would take any criticism of them too personally.
"I was always encouraged to spend time outdoors growing up, but I don't think there was much of a connection happening when I was kid. It wasn't until I was older and able to comprehend just how insignificant I was in the grand scheme of life that I really began to appreciate it. Maintaining a connection with the outdoors is kind of second nature now.
"The wonderful thing about Vancouver is that it's nestled in amongst magnificent mountains and the ocean. I don't even really need to leave the city to be out in nature which is probably why I love it so much.
"I love being in alpine landscapes where the trees and plants are small and weatherworn and jagged rocky cliff faces jut out from the earth. But I also love the colours you find in deserts and walking amongst the towering trees of the west coast of Canada.
"I recently just got back from a job touring Newfoundland and was absolutely floored by not only the scenery but also the people. Everybody we met was so quick to welcome us in. The entire province had a really small island feel to it which was pretty enchanting.
"Next up I'm headed to the Kootenays in British Columbia, we go up every summer to visit Emanuel's family. It's tradition to go on a week-long canoe trip and then spend the rest of the time eating ice cream sandwiches, laying in a hammock and going hiking."
Thanks so much to Megan for sharing her story with us. We've been inspired by her adventures and hope you have too. Check out Instagram or the Field and Forest blog for more of her trips and travels.