Oscar Manguy
Born in Baja Mexico, Oscar grew up in the desert exploring the Sea of Cortez and the surrounding Pacific Ocean. He currently calls the arctic circle home, living “off the grid” with his wife Maija in their self sufficient cabin located in the remote forests of Finland. Oscar has worked for more than a decade as an educator and expedition leader for NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). In 2007 he was granted the Instructor of the year award, in recognition for his skills as a mentor in the field. His favorite outdoor activities include sea kayaking, white water and packrafting, trail running, backpacking, mountain biking, skiing, and hammocking. His outdoor pursuits have lead him from Mexico to Alaska, Chile, Bolivia, New Zealand, the Falklands Islands, and all across Scandinavia. Over these travels he has hiked well over 6,000 miles. Oscar has a passion for documenting nature throughout his travels, finding beauty in all of nature's forms. His body of work highlights an appreciation for the limitless beauty offered by our planet; inspiring discovery and wonder of natural occurrence and our desire to be one with them.
“You must disconnect to connect. I really enjoy the excitement and tranquility that I can experience in the backcountry, I feel fully present!”
To connect with Oscar, follow him on Instagram @oscar.manguy
Maija Pukkila
Born in Southeast Finland, Maija grew up surrounded by forest set on Puruvesi Lake. She currently lives with her husband Oscar in their remote cabin “off the grid” in the deep woods of Finland. In addition to being a Civil Engineer, Maija is the manager of NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) Scandinavia branch, as well as a field instructor. Her favorite outdoor activities to engage in are sea kayaking, backpacking, packrafting, climbing, skiing, many other snow sports, and hammocking. She has extensively traversed the waters and lands of Scandinavia including Finland, Sweden and Norway, and has also broadly explored Patagonia, Alaska, Wyoming, and Baja Mexico. She estimates to have spent at least five years cumulatively in the field completing wilderness expeditions. While Maija loves the challenge of summiting mountains and paddling ocean waters, she also likes simply camping, enjoying the outdoors without further goal of achievement.
“I love sleeping in my hammock and seeing the sky when I first open my eyes. I enjoy seeing the different ecosystems and beauty of nature, appreciating the simplicity of camping life, being in places where the background noise is caused by wind or water instead of highways. I love looking at the details nestled in nature.”
Joel Lavold
Joel was born and raised in Montana. He began exploring the outdoors at an early age, acquiring skills in whitewater rafting and rock climbing by the age of five. As a young adult, he began pursuing a bachelors in the field of engineering; however, Joel shifted his studies towards photography to focus on his passion for the outdoors fueled by his creative drive. His work has sent him trekking from North, Central and South America to the far east of Asia. His documentation has ranged from pre-Incan religious ceremonies in the high Andes to filming Richard Branson on his private island. Exploring the outdoors through his work allows him to maintain long term connections to his experiences through his creative documentation, while simultaneously providing the viewer an opportunity to live in the moment as well.
Follow Joel as he continues his pursuit of nature on Instagram @whiskeyandacamera
Markus Seer
Markus Seer is currently living in Munich, near the German Alps, where he regularly escapes from his profession as an editorial photographer to practice the art of bushcraft. Markus does not consider himself a traditional photographer. He uses a light sensitive box to take still images of his surroundings while out in nature.
"I don't spend hours worrying about props or lighting conditions or if everything is in the right place. I focus on being in the moment, enjoying nature's beauty."
"The best memories are made escaping in nature."
Connect with Markus via email markus.seer@gmail.com or Instagram @ms_outdoor
Jacob Lawson
Jacob is a native to Ohio. Upon completing an early graduation from the Ohio University's Media Arts program in 2017, Jake joined the Vice Media team in Brooklyn where he began his career in multimedia productions. Jake has a passion for travel and all things outdoors. His favorite recreational activities include snowboarding, skateboarding, mountain biking, hiking, and camping. Last summer Jake completed a four month excursion around the lower forty-eight states with a vintage truck camper he renovated over the winter, prior to his departure from the daily grind. Jake is currently living in Columbus, collaborating with E-Sports as well as many other Columbus based business, including Hammock Gear.
Jake's love for making media and the outdoors can be seen on his Instagram accounts @jacoblawsonproductions & @theturtletruck