Blaine Scinta is a photographer, international traveller and adventure connoisseur from Louisville, Kentucky. His work with outdoor brands such as Osprey, Blundstone, Cotopaxi and CLIQ tells visual stories of stunning landscapes, off-the-cusp moments and meaningful conversations amongst good friends.
We had a chance to sit down with Blaine, pick his brain and share some of his incredible photos. To see more of Blaine’s photography, visit blainescinta.com or follow him on social media at @blain_scinta.
CLIQ: How did you get interested in photography, the outdoors and working with outdoor brands?
Blaine: I got interested in photography when I was a junior in high school. My dad, who was a graphic designer, gave me an old film camera to use for my photography classes. I got exposed to working with film and developed a huge passion for it.
After graduating college, some friends and I were planning a trip through Iceland and I reached out to a few brands to see if they’d be interested in sending us products in exchange for photos from the trip. A few of them took me up on the offer and things sort of took off from there. Honestly, if you told me eight years ago that I’d be doing what I’m doing now, I’d laugh.
CLIQ: Your photos tend to highlight the people around you on these trips. What is it about being with people in the outdoors that you value most?
Blaine: I've always felt like the best things in life just come completely out of nowhere. Whenever I'm out on the road or in the mountains, spending time with people I care about, I stumble upon the most amazing moments. It’s always in settings like these that my friends and I have the best conversations. Life just slows down and all the distractions seem to fade away.
I try to bring that essence to the photos I shoot for brands. It’s not just about the product itself, it’s about the special moments that are made possible because of the product.
CLIQ: What are the messages that you hope to get across with your visual storytelling?
Blaine: I think it’s all about finding something that inspires you and then doing that thing with everything in you. I try to convey my passion for exploring by showing that it’s not about going to some exotic place– it’s about doing something you’ve never done before and pushing yourself to the limit of your abilities. Community and the people you surround yourself with play a big role in allowing yourself to stretch your boundaries.
CLIQ: Traveling can be uncomfortable in more ways than one, how to you find comfort when you’re out on the road?
Blaine: I always try to take some time to myself. Like I said, being around people is important, but there’s a certain type of serenity that comes from just being by yourself. Whether it’s five to ten minutes walking down by a stream or just listening to music, that time alone always helps keep me grounded. Music is a big one for me [laughs].
CLIQ: How do CLIQ Chairs figure into your equipment arsenal?
Blaine: Honestly, these are some of the most handy things I've ever taken out on the road, and I genuinely can't say that more. I’ve had a few campsite experiences where I was like, ‘oh my gosh, wait, I'm going to have to like, sit on a rock. Wait a minute– there’s a tiny little chair in my backpack that I forgot about [laughs].’ So, yeah, it's been great!
CLIQ: Okay, I have to ask– what's your favorite trip or adventure that you've been on thus far?
Blaine: I'm going to say Iceland back in June. I've been to Iceland three times, but the last time we went to the Reykjanes peninsula and saw the Fagradalsfjall volcano erupting. I'm still trying to process that experience. It would erupt every eight to twelve minutes and last up to thirty seconds. It was unbelievable! We were there from 7:00 PM to 3:00 AM and it was just a once in a lifetime thing.
