Written by HLRBO Staff|
Last updated
Mitch McPherson lives on the road. A wildlife photographer by trade, he makes his living chasing animals, light, and landscapes with a home base in a roving 2020 Mercedes Sprinter van.
An ambassador for HLRBO, McPherson had the van customized during COVID after deciding to fully commit to photography and get away from the grind. What started as an escape from routine and noise became the foundation of a career that has found him traveling over 100,000 miles in pursuit of the perfect shot.
McPherson has lived, hunted, and shot photos from his van as his home base since 2020
Today, McPherson calls the van both home and basecamp, carrying him from Illinois to Alaska each year on an annual migration. But McPherson’s path into wildlife photography was not linear. In his mid-20s, frustrated and burned out after shooting sports photography, he was close to quitting altogether. One afternoon photographing animals in a local park changed that. The experience brought focus, calm, and obsession all at once.
McPherson sold most of what he owned, bought the van, and committed fully. Since then, his work has taken him deep into deserts, snowstorms, mountain ranges, and remote backcountry, often alone, often pushing physical and mental limits to get the shot.
We caught up with McPherson just after he returned from Northern California, where he partnered with HLRBO and Drake Waterfowl on a duck hunting project. Fresh off the road, he was already thinking ahead to the next adventure and continuing his life on the move.
December 2024: California duck hunt with HLRBO partner Drake Waterfowl
HLRBO: What moment pushed you to commit to full-time life on the road?
McPherson: During COVID, I was working a full-time remote job and, around age 26, I fell hard for wildlife photography. Before that I was shooting NCAA and NFL sports and had completely fallen out of love with photography. One afternoon in a local park near St. Louis changed everything. I photographed elk and bison, and at one point I shot an elk near a lake. Life slowed down. I hit a flow state I had never experienced before. In that moment I started asking myself, “How can I be the best wildlife photographer I possibly can?” I’m 33 now, and that day set everything in motion.
Tell me about the van. What’s inside?
It’s a 2020 Mercedes Sprinter, extended model diesel. Inside I’ve got a full kitchen with sink and fridge, a bed, a bathroom with a shower, solar power, batteries, and about 30 gallons of water. I can live off-grid for roughly two weeks at a time. The exterior is Rhino-lined so I can push into backcountry roads without worrying about branches tearing it up. Then there are places for my camera gear and my e-bike.
What part of the build matters most for how you live and work?
Solar power and Starlink. Consistent power and reliable internet are everything. They let me work, stay safe, and stay connected no matter where I am.
Custom-built Mercedes Sprinter offers access to terrain around North America
How many miles have you put on the van?
I’m in year six and have logged about 105,000 miles, roughly 20,000 miles a year. I’ve driven to and from Alaska four times.
How many nights have you actually spent living in it?
For the first four years it was basically 365 days a year. Now it’s about 80 percent of the time. I never pictured myself as a van-life person, or even a nature photographer, honestly. I thought I’d be an engineer, as that is what I went to school for. Life took a hard left after college but it’s turned out to be a great path.
What’s the hardest reality of van life people don’t see?
You maintain everything yourself, including dumping your own toilet system every week or two [laughing]. And if you don’t actively build community or camp with other van-lifers, it can be lonely. A lot of people think it’s always uplifting, but solitude can cut both ways. You have to be comfortable being alone.
How do you decide where to go next based on wildlife and seasons?
I follow animals when they’re moving, feeding, or rutting. In spring I head west for turkeys, then Yellowstone when bears come out of hibernation. As snow levels drop, I go north to Alaska for peak feeding season and the rut. Then I work south through Jasper National Park for elk rut, back to the Midwest for deer rut, and finish with snow goose migrations in southern Illinois. I go where wildlife activity is highest.
A few shots from McPherson's portfolio captured in Alaska and the American West
How has living on the road changed your photography?
It made everything real. Once I committed to the road, I had no excuses. I could be anywhere at the right time. It’s a cheat code. If I were stuck in one place, I’d have maybe one-tenth of the experiences I’ve had.
What’s been the most challenging moment you’ve faced out there?
I slid down a mountain in Colorado in the van. Weather was fine at the base, then I hit an ice storm climbing higher. The van started sliding backward, spun out, hit a guardrail, and we had to winch to turn around and go back down the mountain. Close call!
Also, quarantining with COVID in the van for a week was rough [laughing]. I had a ranger or someone knock on my van window one day because I'd been parked in the same place for a few days. I said, "I'm not going to even open the window, I'm sick in here." I watched a lot of movies that week.
How did you first get connected with HLRBO?
When I started getting traction on social media, a headhunter at a marketing agency found me and hired me for a seven-day deer hunt project. I had never bow-hunted before. I bought a bow for the photo shoot and immediately started learning and training intensely. It was kind of wild, but I found success and actually harvested a deer on that first trip. That was my entry point into the hunting industry, and HLRBO was the gateway. Since then I’ve done about 10 hunts in a year and a half and am in love with the pursuit.
Back on the road: McPherson is planning his 2026 migration this month
What makes HLRBO a good fit for your lifestyle?
It’s a perfect partnership. Living in the van means I don’t need lodging, for one thing. I can pull up to a land lease in the middle of nowhere and my van is home base. My "house" can be anywhere. HLRBO combines everything I love: nature, photography, and hunting.
How has traveling with the HLRBO-branded van changed conversations on the road?
It’s huge. The van looks almost apocalypse-ready, so it turns heads. People ask about it constantly. I get four or five conversations a day, especially at gas stations, from people wanting to know what HLRBO is. I am happy to tell them and happy to be an ambassador for the brand!
–See more of McPherson's work and his portfolio on Instagram.
