My Eyes Are Binge Eating

I often find myself trolling the Internet for inspiration, a cyber muse or some visually intriguing and stimulating platform to draw me in and never let me go. In a reoccurring trend of highlighting digital juggernauts of various crafts, I bring you a man's work that is truly a feast for the eyes.

I first stumbled upon a video he created detailing the contents of his travel bags. That led me to his Tumblr, which led me to his website, then to his Facebook, launched me to his Twitter, on to his Instagram, even to his LinkedIn, and so on and so forth. Sheesh. Before I introduce this photographer, it's interesting to note that artists must maintain so many different platforms in unifying their brand message to reach as many eyeballs and thumbpads as humanly possible.

Similarly, I find that it's a chore for many to keep up with their own social media. I personally enjoy maintaining a multitude of social accounts, but to others, the task is a nuisance. By 2015, I understand the mentality of already wanting to simultaneously chuck everything with a power button. Much like the life of a battery, it's draining to check-in on seven different platforms a day, so we need to recharge. Is it pathetic that we feel exhausted and wiped out after scrolling through a never-ending list of Instagrams? You don't even have to leave bed to do so. What does that mean for the loads and loads and loads of information out there? The content is rapidly advancing and becoming better quality, but we're getting tired of consuming mass quantities of it. I find ways to recharge in a challenging hike, in a good conversation, in a unique glass of Cab Sauv.

This artist recharges while he drains. He's working his ass off, but submersing himself in experiences most don't even come close to touching in a lifetime. If every social media account looked like Chris's, our eyes would want to binge eat every time we opened an app. Chris Burkard, based in Central Coast California, is a self-taught photographer and artist, whose work is layered by surf, outdoor, lifestyle and travel subjects. His clean and crystal clear depictions of nature make you want to pack a bag, book a flight and just go. If only we could all be so lucky.

Of course I'm a fan of cross-platform stalking so, naturally, I now follow Chris on every layer of the digital space and you should too. What I'd give to see what he's seen...