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.

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.