Featured Photographer Kevin McLean 1

Kevin McLean

Hey guys! I’m thrilled to be taking over @exploreutahofficial this week. There are so many amazing spots in Utah to choose from that I had a hard time narrowing down the shots I wanted to share. If you’ve never been, it’s time to go!

Let me tell you a little bit about myself and where my love of travel began. As a child of an Air Force family, I was born in England and raised in Virginia. Road trips were a regular part of my childhood, ranging from visits with family in New York to weeks long trips to the West Coast and back. I was lucky to grow up hiking, camping, and spending time on the water. This is where I first started playing around with photography – the desire to capture these beautiful moments and places was strong. I am a self-taught photographer, now shooting with a Nikon D7000 (and occasionally iPhone and GoPro).

I decided that I couldn’t live a life that didn’t revolve around travel and the outdoors. I earned a degree in Natural Resources Recreation from Virginia Tech (the happiest place on earth!), then went back for a Master’s in Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. I spent a lot of days on the Appalachian Trail and exploring Southwest Virginia. Since that time, I’ve been a park ranger in Yosemite, worked for Virginia State Parks, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, conducted research for the National Parks Conservation Association and the U.S. Forest Service in Colorado, and operated summer camps throughout Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland – the list goes on! My time living in Colorado allowed me the greatest access to Utah, with weekends spent hiking, camping, and exploring the labyrinths of canyons in every hidden corner I could find.

Now I operate the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program, dedicated to improving soil and water health throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Photography is an essential part of demonstrating the value of a clean environment. Trips still happen as often as possible, with my wife Lindsey and our four year old foxhound Cooper. On the docket this year are a weekend at the Grand Canyon and a road trip to Theodore Roosevelt, Glacier, and Badlands National Parks. Can’t wait to share!

 

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One thought on “Featured Photographer Kevin McLean

  • Tim McLean

    Absolutely right–Utah is beautiful, with a tremendous variety of landforms and vistas. Of the 47 states I’ve visited, Utah is among the best of the best. Can’t wait to go back. Proud of you, son!