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Justin Kernes Photography

Colorful | Lively | Vibrant
  • Abandoned Casino
  • Doors
  • Landscapes
  • Last Summer at Camp
  • Love Bug
  • Pacific Crest Trail
  • People and Land
  • Portraits
  • The Road Trip
  • Tweak'd Out
  • Wild & Untamed
  • About/Contact
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PCT 2018: Days 17-21, Big Bear to Wrightwood

April 06, 2019 in Pacific Crest Trail, personal project

Photos and stories from my thru-hike of the PCT. This post covers days 17-21 from Big Bear to Wrightwood, mile 266-376.

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Tags: landscape, mist, clouds, desert, creative writing, backpacking, hiking, thru-hike, desert 1
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PCT 2018: Days 22-25, Wrightwood to Agua Dulce

April 05, 2019 in Pacific Crest Trail, personal project

Photos and stories from my thru-hike of the PCT. This post covers days 22-25 from Wrightwood to Agua Dulce, mile 376-462.

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Tags: creative writing, mist, fog, camping, hiking, thru-hike, hitching, moon, sunflare, sunset, desert 1
2 Comments
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PCT 2018: Days 26-30, Agua Dulce to Tehachapi

April 04, 2019 in personal project, Pacific Crest Trail

Photos and stories from my thru-hike of the PCT. This post covers days 26-30 from Agua Dulce to Tehachapi, mile 462-570.

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Tags: creative writing, hiking, backpacking, camping, thru-hike, nature, desert 1, California
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PCT Thru-Hike: Gear Review – What Worked, What Didn't, and Things I Would Change

February 21, 2019 in Pacific Crest Trail, review

In 2018, I thru-hiked of the Pacific Crest Trail. In this blog post I will share my thoughts and give a thorough review of the gear I used. Here’s where you can see all my PCT articles, including my daily journal and photos.

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Tags: backpacking, ultralight, big agnes, camping, hiking, review, essay, hyperlite mountain gear, writing, creative writing, pct other, gear review
2 Comments
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PCT Thru-Hike: By the Numbers – Time, Cost, and Tuna Packets

February 18, 2019 in Pacific Crest Trail, travel, tutorial

In 2018, I thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. Here are the stats, the aftermath, the by-the-numbers account of my time on trail.

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Tags: writing, backpacking, review, analysis, thru-hike, creative writing, pct other
5 Comments
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PCT Thru-Hike: Before – Planning, Preparing, and Problem Solving for 2,650 Miles

February 18, 2019 in Pacific Crest Trail, personal project, tutorial

In 2018, I thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail with my brother. Before the trail, we watched dozens of YouTube videos and read countless gear reviews. In the spirit of giving back—and recording my memories for posterity—here's what we did before either of us set foot on trail.

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Tags: backpacking, review, tutorial, writing, journey, creative writing, thru-hike, California, Oregon, Washington, pct other
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Will McKinney Photoshop tutorial title

Photoshop Tutorial: Portrait Post-Processing Workflow

Photoshop Tutorial: How to Edit a Portrait or Headshot Workflow

December 21, 2018 in tutorial

This tutorial will cover my typical post-processing workflow for a portrait or headshot using Adobe Photoshop and Bridge.

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Tags: portrait, headshot, interpretive, Philmont Scout Ranch, article
2 Comments
The Road Trip Title Image | Justin Kernes Photography

The Road Trip: Three Friends Tour America's West

April 15, 2018 in The Road Trip, personal project, travel

For the better part of the last three months, Carter, Caleb, and I have been planning a two-week long road trip throughout the western United States.

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Tags: journey, beer, vacation, driving, national parks, writing, travel
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The Road Trip day one title card

The Road Trip Day 1: Barefoot in Monterey

April 14, 2018 in The Road Trip, personal project, travel

6:37a.m.; I beat my alarm clock by three minutes. A softly rising sun streamed through my bedroom window while I quickly dressed. Coffee brewed and poured...

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Tags: Monterey Bay, ocean, California, pizza, coast, landscape, cloudy, portrait
1 Comment
The Road Trip Day two title

The Road Trip Day 2: Foggy Mountain Monoliths

April 13, 2018 in The Road Trip, personal project, travel

Woke up with yesterday's cloudy skies still hanging around. The coastal air was crisp. We packed up and drove with the windows...

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Tags: Yosemite, National Park, Yosemite National Park, snow, abstract, desolate, California, cloudy, texture, portrait, landscape
1 Comment
The Road Trip Day Three Title

The Road Trip Day 3: 7,200 Feet of Granite

April 12, 2018 in The Road Trip, personal project, travel

It was easy to get up this morning. I appreciated the lack of snow. A head poke outside revealed beautiful blue skies.

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Tags: Yosemite, National Park, Yosemite National Park, sunset, Liberty Cap, Vernal Fall, California
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The Road Trip Day Four Justin Kernes Photography

The Road Trip Day 4: Whiskey and Stars

April 11, 2018 in The Road Trip, personal project, travel

I packed my things swiftly. I've improved each day; junk-wrangling is getting more efficient. Carter made a final sweep, then it was off to...

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Tags: Sequoia, National Park, Sequoia National Park, camping, backpacking, overnight, California, star, night, hiking
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The Road Trip Day Five Justin Kernes Photography

The Road Trip Day 5: Shwackin' and Chillin'

April 10, 2018 in The Road Trip, personal project, travel

Warm sunlight streamed in through our tent. Somehow, I managed to sleep until 8 a.m. Glorious...

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Tags: Sequoia, National Park, Sequoia National Park, camping, backpacking, overnight, alpine, California, night, stars, hiking
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The Road Trip Day Six Title Justin Kernes Photography

The Road Trip Day 6: Badwater, Good Vibes

April 09, 2018 in The Road Trip, personal project, travel

Holy cow, it was FREEZING. I don't know which was more of a struggle: storing my DSLR at the bottom of my sleeping bag, or...

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Tags: Death Valley, National Park, Death Valley National Park, California, landscape, desert, rocks
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The Road Trip Day seven title

The Road Trip Day 7: Colorful Explosion

April 08, 2018 in The Road Trip, personal project, travel

After yesterday's long haul, it felt nice to take things a little slower. A shower, an opportunity to do laundry, and a bagel with some schmear…

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Tags: Zion, National Park, Zion National Park, Utah, camping, overnight, landscape
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About the Blog

Justin Kernes at the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail.

Justin Kernes is a photographer and writer who thrives in the great outdoors.

From 2010-2017, he worked in the backcountry at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

In 2018 “Tiny Slice” successfully thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail.


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PCT 2018: Day 111, Goat Rocks and my 30th Birthday
PCT 2018: Day 111, Goat Rocks and my 30th Birthday

Photos and stories from my thru-hike of the PCT. This post covers day 111, Goat Rocks and my 30th birthday.

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PCT 2018: Days 93-95, Crater Lake to Shelter Cove
PCT 2018: Days 93-95, Crater Lake to Shelter Cove

Photos and stories from my thru-hike of the PCT. This post covers days 93-95 from Crater Lake to Shelter Cove, mile 1,820-1,900.

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PCT 2018: Days 76-79, Burney Falls to Mount Shasta
PCT 2018: Days 76-79, Burney Falls to Mount Shasta

Photos and stories from my thru-hike of the PCT. This post covers days 76-79 from Burney Falls to Mount Shasta, mile 1,420-1,500.

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PCT 2018: Day 40, Mount Whitney
PCT 2018: Day 40, Mount Whitney

Photos and stories from my thru-hike of the PCT. This post covers day 40, Mount Whitney.

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PCT 2018: Days 45-49, Bishop to Mammoth Lakes
PCT 2018: Days 45-49, Bishop to Mammoth Lakes

Photos and stories from my thru-hike of the PCT. This post covers days 45-49 from Bishop to Mammoth Lakes, mile 831-906.

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PCT 2018: Days 1-4, Campo to Julian
PCT 2018: Days 1-4, Campo to Julian

Photos and stories from my thru-hike of the PCT. This post covers days 1-4 from Campo to Julian, mile 0-80.

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PCT Thru-Hike: Gear Review – What Worked, What Didn't, and Things I Would Change
PCT Thru-Hike: Gear Review – What Worked, What Didn't, and Things I Would Change

In 2018, I thru-hiked of the Pacific Crest Trail. In this blog post I will share my thoughts and give a thorough review of the gear I used. Here’s where you can see all my PCT articles, including my daily journal and photos.

Read More →
PCT Thru-Hike: By the Numbers – Time, Cost, and Tuna Packets
PCT Thru-Hike: By the Numbers – Time, Cost, and Tuna Packets

In 2018, I thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. Here are the stats, the aftermath, the by-the-numbers account of my time on trail.

Read More →
PCT Thru-Hike: Before – Planning, Preparing, and Problem Solving for 2,650 Miles
PCT Thru-Hike: Before – Planning, Preparing, and Problem Solving for 2,650 Miles

In 2018, I thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail with my brother. Before the trail, we watched dozens of YouTube videos and read countless gear reviews. In the spirit of giving back—and recording my memories for posterity—here's what we did before either of us set foot on trail.

Read More →
Photoshop Tutorial: How to Edit a Portrait or Headshot Workflow
Photoshop Tutorial: How to Edit a Portrait or Headshot Workflow

This tutorial will cover my typical post-processing workflow for a portrait or headshot using Adobe Photoshop and Bridge.

Read More →
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