McGlothlin

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

November 23, 2023 By Jess McGlothlin

Jess McGlothlin Media. Maluti Mountains and Bokong River in Lesotho, overlooking from the Makhangoa Community Camp run by African Waters.

It’s Thanksgiving today here in the States, and I’m using the rare time at home base to give the year a little review. It’s been a whirlwind (and with more travel coming in up December, it’s not over yet!). The overwhelming theme as I dig through images, notes, and video clips from his year is overwhelming gratitude, which I suppose fits for a Thanksgiving note. Sure, I’m grateful for the images made, stories penned, and the fish caught along the way, but most of all I’m grateful for the people I’ve been able to meet and work alongside in these awesome places. The people who make it all happen.

There’s a certain breed of people out there who are happiest out in the far corners of the world, doing their thing. Vibrant souls who tend to be remarkably steady, balanced with a good dose of wild.

Perhaps it’s a result of being so close to the edge of the world, but the paradoxical sensation of so much peace—and feeling so alive—is impossible to ignore.

And it’s impossible to ignore the people who understand it.

So thanks to everyone who I’ve been able to work with this year. Thanks for the conversations around campfires, boat launches, dozens of airports, lodge lounges, and more than one gravel bank in the near middle of nowhere. Thanks for the nights we tried to solve the world’s problems over too much local booze and—just for a moment—it seems like we might know a thing or two. Keep on doing what you’re doing. Keep on living on the edges, and reveling those quiet moments.

So thanks to the crew in the trenches: the guides, cooks, lodge teams, airport desk staff, customs agents, and everyone else who makes it all work. There’s no way I can fit all your pictures in this post, though I sure wish I could. I’m grateful for you.

When Good Things Go Wrong: Salt Water Sportsman Feature

June 1, 2023 By Jess McGlothlin

This was one of the more fun writing assignments to come across my desk so far in 2023. When the editors of Salt Water Sportsman sent me an email saying, “We want you to write about when fishing trips go wrong,” a long list of former trips sprang to mind. It was an enlightening trip down memory lane to recount past trips-gone-wrong, and to really sit and put pen to paper about why we travel to chase fish around the world. (Which, when you think about it, is a fairly strange thing to do.)

The print issue just dropped yesterday, but if you’re not a subscriber, read the abridged digital version here.

Field Ethos Journal: Tasmania’s a Devil

March 23, 2022 By Jess McGlothlin

Really chuffed to see this piece in the premiere volume of The Field Ethos Journal. I’ve been writing short, online pieces for the FE team and jumped at the chance to pen something longer for their first print issue. And what better to write about than surfing brown trout, snakes alongside awesome trout streams, and some of the coolest fishing-industry folks I’ve come across? Tasmania seems tailor-made for storytelling, and I’m keen to get back one of these days and keep exploring.

Thanks to the FE team for this ten-page feature, including a few gorgeous spreads.

Men’s Journal: Jackets, Rods, and Reels: Breaking Down Fly Fishing’s Best New Gear

March 3, 2020 By Jess McGlothlin

I had a lot of fun combing through the latest and greatest fly-fishing gear to write this piece for Men’s Journal. After spending many of my early years in fly-fishing and outdoor retail, gear that works is close to my heart. Give it a read, and then let me know what your favorite piece of fly-fishing gear is.

In other news, I’m just back from Chilean Patagonia after a weeklong shoot. It was amazing—met up with some good friends and camped for the week, fishing a variety of water. Most of the images are embargoed until clients have their pick, but you can check out the behind-the-scenes Instagram story here.

Talking Packing Lists With Men’s Journal

December 6, 2019 By Jess McGlothlin

Woman fishing on boat with fly rod in northern Australia in saltwater. Article for Men's Journal.

Really excited to see this piece go live in Men’s Journal this morning!

I’m definitely a minimalist when it comes to packing clothing and personal items on a trip. The less clothes, the more space for fishing and camera gear. But a short packing list means each item has to perform double (or more!) duty. Each piece has to be dependable, durable, and functional in a variety of climates and conditions. And it has to be comfortable—the last thing I want to be worrying about when on assignment is that my clothing is going to fail.

Packing list for outdoor adventure photographers on Men's Journal. Photo of packs bags and camera bags.

I outlined a few of my “ride or die” pieces in this article, and included a few new favorites, too. This trip to Australia involved two very different climates—up to 110F in the northern part of the country, and less than 20F (plus wind chill!) in the Tasmanian highlands. I also had 14 different flight legs in 17 days, so traveling heavy wasn’t an option. So read the article to see a few of the pieces I lived in on this trip; what makes the grade. Most of these pieces are already on my packing list for January 2020 projects!

Thanks to the team at Tourism Australia and all the fantastic Australians up north and in Tasmania who showed me around, took the time to tell me their stories, and shared their rivers and seas. It takes a team like that to pull off a busy shoot like this one—and things went swimmingly!

Photo of Patagonia waterproof backpack while fishing in Australia. Packing list article on Men's Journal.

Quiet Moments in Savannah

July 13, 2019 By Jess McGlothlin

This past week found me down in Savannah, Georgia, for a non-photography project. While most of the daily hours were spent in meetings, I snuck out a bit, camera in hand, to explore the city. You can watch a photo diary of Savannah in my saved Instagram stories; random moments walking and exploring the historic district of the city.

I’ve said before that the best way to explore a place is to just get out and walk. Take your time—don’t have an agenda—and just let your feet guide you where they may. Do a bit of homework first, of course… stay cognizant of where you’re walking and be smart. But don’t be afraid to get off the beaten path and just wander. If you can, wait for the quiet, low-light moments of the day: right after dawn and in the evenings when the light drops, when the light gets golden and pink and the shadows long. And just wander.

Look at the details. See that palm frond reflection on the beaten stones of the sidewalk? What about that small bouquet of flowers sitting on a table, popping brightly through the glass of the old paneled window? Listen. Appreciate the local language or accent. Find a coffee shop where the locals go, get a good cup of the local brew and just listen. Don’t put your headphones in. Listen. Go get a meal by yourself and watch the people around you. Enjoy the nuances of local dishes. Just slow down for an hour and see what details pop up.

I think you’ll be surprised.