Weekend of December 3rd

By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor

Think you could hang with Jeff Johnson on the job? Because you just might have to hang off the side of a cliff.

Weekend Reading

My Morning Routine

Adventure photographer Jeff Johnson doesn’t sleep in or play it safe

Jeff Johnson doesn't scare easily. As a photographer, he's hung off the side of mountains, dangled from small planes and slipped under crashing waves—just to get the perfect shot. In 2004 he became Patagonia's first staff photographer, a role he unwittingly created when the brand hired him to help develop and launch Patagonia surf. His stories and photographs have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Outside, Alpinist and The Surfer's Journal, who described him as, “a piece of true grit.” He's also a brand ambassador for performance brand Roark and has collaborated with California footwear brand SeaVees, not to mention the legendary Leica Camera.After publishing two books and a documentary, these days he's working on some non-fiction short stories when he's in between shoots. “They're strange ones that have happened throughout my life,” he tells me. As someone who's always on the go in far-flung lands, I wondered how he grounds his day. “I'm always trying to stay in the moment,” he says. “And I've been focusing more and more with a daily meditation practice.” We caught up with him to find out how he starts his day.

My Routine

I am definitely a morning person.

Always have been. Lately, I've been waking up around six, but my norm is more like five on most days.

I do wish I slept more, though.

I strive for eight hours, but I typically get about five or six. If I'm lucky, I'll get seven, but it's rare.

The snooze button is for suckers.

If there's an early call time or on days when need to get up before or at five, I'll set an alarm. Otherwise, I don't always need it. But I never hit the snooze button. That will always screw you up.

I'm currently reading the book Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck.

It's open on my nightstand, along with the latest issue of The Surfers Journal and my iPhone with the noise maker turned on to the “river sounds” setting.

Make your bed everyday.

It starts your day right, and then it helps you end the day in a nice place. I make it sometimes. But my wife sleeps in, so it's usually her. Again, the benefits of being a morning person.

The first person I talk to ...

Is our 9-month old baby boy. I grab him around six if he's up and just spend the morning with him.

Then I meditate.

I do it daily. And have really felt the difference it makes. I'll now meditate for 20 minutes and the ritual has become one of the most important parts of my day. It grounds me, gets me ready to tackle anything.

My coffee habit has evolved.

I used to only drink rich black coffee. I still like a good dark roast, but now I blend in some MCT oil and ghee with it. Sometimes, if I need another hit in the later hours of the morning, I'll grab a latte around noon at my favorite coffee shop, The Handlebar in Santa Barbara.

I rarely have breakfast.

Sometimes, on weekends with my daughter, I'll do it. But I don't really need it most mornings and I do that whole intermittent fasting thing. I only eat between noon and eight at night. So in the morning, I have oils and fats with my coffee.

My grooming routine, in a word, is simple.

Not much to groom when you're balding. Ha! I shave my head and face with electric clippers a couple times a month. Other than that I let it all grow in-between clips. Then I keep everything clean and try to rely on products that are gentle on the body and the planet.

Clockwise, from top left:

California natural deodorant, $26 by CorpusMultigroom 7000 all-in-one trimmer, $59.99 / $49.96 by Philips NorelcoGinger citrus lip balm, $5 by Barrel & OakSurfer's Barrier Stick SPF 30, $19.95 by AvailStudio calendar, $34 by AppointedKraft paper sticky notes, $5.48 (for six-pack) by Temu“The Log from the Sea of Cortez”, $15.99 by John SteinbeckVictory Lap dark blend coffee, $15 by Triumph Coffee ClubUnflavored MCT oil, $16.99 by 365 by Whole Foods Market100% Organic ghee, $21.99 by Ancient Organics

The start of the day is when I'm most creative.

So I try and reserve mornings for my creative work and leave the grind to later in the day. So I really don't even touch my email until after noon.

Getting some sort of physical exercise in, that's an ideal way to start your day.

I try not to “work out”, but do things that keep me in shape, like surfing and rock climbing, where working out is just a byproduct of things I love doing. The closest thing I do to “working out” is trail running. It's simple and I can do it anywhere and it gives me a base that helps with my other endeavors. So, if I'm unable to surf, I will go running a few times a week. And sometimes I'll hit the local climbing gym to keep my fingers in shape.

My schedule has its own unique system.

I have about 10 Post-Its on my desk right now with to-do lists and a physical calendar next to my desk. I also use a digital calendar on my phone, but I need physical things to look at to keep track of everything.

Never leave home without ...

My Beyond and Back boots that I helped design with SeaVees. I always have a couple pairs of SeaVees next to the door ready to go.

Beyond and Back boots, $168 by SeaVees

Beyond and Back boots, $168 by SeaVees