From the Gridiron to the Gallery: The Story of Andy Austin as a Travel Photographer and Former D1 Athlete

Andy Austin is a landscape photographer, travel writer, and proud Montanan from the Big Sky State whose work has garnered international recognition and over 300,000 social media followers. Andy has traveled to more than fifty countries and every continent, documenting his adventures and bringing light to the less explored, underappreciated areas of the world. From Japan to Colombia, from Ireland to Antarctica, Andy’s travels have brought him and his camera far and wide, working with national tourism boards and big-name corporations, such as Ram Trucks, North Face, Rolls-Royce, and many more. But before he was a successful, globe-trotting photographer, Andy Austin was just a gangly teenager, trying to make it on the Montana State football team as a walk-on. 

It was the fall of 2009, and the MSU Bobcats were eager to welcome an impressive incoming class of top recruits from across the country. These were high school football stars from the mountains of Oregon and the plains of Texas, accomplished athletes and 300lbs men looking to make it big at a D1 program. Andy, by comparison, had negative name recognition, boasted an unspectacular high school football career, and was still getting used to his 6’5” frame. As the MSU coaching staff introduced themselves, Andy questioned whether he belonged. “Look to your left, now look to your right, only one of you will make it to senior year.” It seemed there would be no doubt who would be first to go.

Andy was born in Anchorage, AK but soon moved to Billings, MT where he spent the most formative years of his life. Even after traveling the world, he still feels most at home under the big sky and spends most of his time in Bozeman these days. “I’ve been to so many places in the world,” Andy said, “but there’s never been a place that feels like home quite like Montana. It’s the people, it’s the culture… it’s a special place.” 

Billings, MT –– The city where Andy grew up, nestled into Montana's wilderness

The Montana native has always been a photographer. He started with a simple point-and-shoot, capturing moments from his adventures with his parents’ travel company. Throughout high school and college, he traveled as much as he could and took photos to get away from the pressures of his academic and athletic commitments. 

Andy’s aspirations to become a professional photographer were, much like his hopes of playing college football, dismissed by neighbors, coaches, and classmates –– people who balked at the idea of the kid from eastern Montana making it in such competitive pursuits. On the football field, he was never the fastest or strongest. He felt out of place, out of his league from day one. But what he lacked in strength or speed, he made up for with stubbornness. So to spite the odds, Andy stuck with it. 

During his redshirt year, he worked tirelessly to gain size and strength, hoping to compete with the 300 pounders also vying for positions on the O-line. Much to his dismay, Andy didn’t get an invite back to fall camp his second year. A few days into camp however, someone was injured, and Andy’s number was called. He didn’t let this opportunity go to waste, and only a few weeks later, in the Bobcats’ season opener, Andy’s hard work paid off as he stepped foot on the field for the first time, helping drive home a twelve play touchdown drive. The gangly kid from eastern Montana had made it as a college football player after all. Andy would go on to play three more seasons with the Bobcats, before graduating in 2014. By that time, out of all the freshman O-linemen from that first day, Andy was the only one that remained –– those big-name recruits to his left and right had quit the team years prior.

When he wasn’t on the football field, Andy spent his time in college building his own photography business under his name. It wasn’t long before the NCAA got involved however. They demanded the young photographer either rebrand his business or face legal repercussions for violating the association’s rules regarding the name, image and likeness of its athletes. So for the remainder of college, Andy went by the name Peak Photography of Montana but found little commercial success. 

Andy's work has brought him far and near, photographing sights such as the annual Crow Fair in his native Montana as seen here

As he neared the end of his football career and college years, Andy toyed with the idea of committing full time to photography, but ultimately, he decided on the safer route and got a job with the Southeast Montana regional tourism bureau after graduation. After only a year and a half however, Andy realized he made a mistake –– the safer route wasn’t for him. So he left his stable job behind for the open road, living in his car for months (a bit of a challenge for someone that’s 6’5”) before pouring his life savings into a Dodge sprinter van: his new home on wheels. He started taking photos again to support himself; this time under his own name. 

Andy and his humble abode

At first, he struggled to make ends meet, even with the minimal costs of van living. Andy bartered photos to get by, striking deals with the locals of each new town he visited. It was around this time that Andy was brought back to that first day of football freshman year. Again, he felt outmatched, undersized, and as if he didn’t belong. Nevertheless, Andy remained unrelentingly positive, never letting his smile leave his face. During his years at MSU, his teammates and coaches were amazed and mildly annoyed by the permanence of this smile. It seemed that no matter what happened, the kid was always smiling. No matter how many sprints or how hard he got hit, he smiled. For grueling 5:00am workouts, he’d show up with a smile. Even when he was vomiting, he did it with a smile. He was just grateful to be there each day and took nothing for granted. Death, taxes, and Andy smiling –– you simply couldn’t shake it.

The work ethic Andy developed on the gridiron was quick to translate to his new career. Like in football, Andy smiled through the adversity, and his hard work began to pay off. He started to build a following on social media and attract the attention of businesses and regional tourism boards. It was at this time that he started his blog, “Andy and the Van,” to document his travels and tell his story.

State tourism boards, like Visit Montana and Visit Wyoming, recognized the young photographer’s talent and hired him for their marketing campaigns. Soon big-name corporations such as Life is Good, Reebok, Garmin, and Firestone Tires followed suit. Ram Trucks even took note of Andy’s talent as well as his living accommodations. Not only did they hire him, but they bought him a new home: a 2021 Ram Promaster. 

With photos that rival paintings, it's easy to see why Andy has been successful.

Andy’s work has brought him to the ends of the earth, literally. For a shoot with Oceanwide Expeditions, he traveled to Antarctica where he captured the continent’s unique landscape and wildlife. Sea lions and penguins in Antarctica were soon followed up by capybara and anacondas in rural Colombia where he documented the lesser-known lifestyle of ranchers there as part of the national tourism board’s “Finding Encanto” marketing campaign. Andy has also been invited to Ireland, Japan, Italy, Georgia (the country), and many other countries to highlight the less explored. His work can be found in travel guides, tourism ads, commercials, books, and magazines –– most notably Cowboys and Indians, National Geographic Traveler, Backpacker Magazine, and the World Wildlife Fund Magazine. Not bad for a kid from Billings.

A few years ago, Andy started his Campfire Cocktails social media series where he shares craft cocktails with his followers, advertising different distilleries and businesses such as HighCamp Flasks in the process. The success of the series speaks to the loyalty of his fan base as well as Andy’s charisma and ability to relate personally with them. As a lover of the less explored, it’s always been Andy’s dream to showcase the hidden side of his home state –– places off the beaten path like Billings that are far outside the reach of the major ski resorts and national parks. In June, Andy’s supporters helped make this dream a reality. With a Kickstarter campaign raising over $55k, Andy was able to cover the printing costs and officially publish his book, Montana: Photographs from the Last Best Place, all thanks to his loyal followers.

Andy and his book, the culmination of his lifelong work

Andy doesn’t take his success for granted and gives back every chance he gets. He’s a vocal proponent of protecting Montana’s public lands from privatization and works extensively with the Wild Montana organization. Recently, he held a labor day sale for his book, with a portion of the proceeds going to Wild Montana and supporting their conservation efforts.  Andy isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and puts his words into action by frequently participating in conservation efforts himself via organizations such as Fish and Wildlife Volunteers. He hopes that public lands will remain accessible and continue to inspire future generations just as they have for him throughout his life.

From the mountains to the prairies, Montana's scenery has always been a source of inspiration for Andy –– one he's hoping to protect for future generations.

At the end of our conversation, I asked Andy after all his adventures –– after hundreds of thousands of shots, seven continents visited, countless rodeos and brand deals, all the exotic wildlife encounters, scenic vistas, and moments in idyllic wilderness –– what photograph, if he had to pick, was his favorite. His answer was this one here. It’s him and his dad after that first game, where the kid from eastern Montana first touched the field as a college football player.

To follow along with Andy's work, you can follow him on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, or visit his website. He is currently working on a Yellowstone travel guide with Fodor's Travel.

Special thanks to Andy for taking the time. All photos courtesy of him.