I am a veteran traveler and use my skills as a photojournalist and writer to create unique, immersive stories that reveal the soul of a destination. Partnered with my wife, Therese Iknoian, I publish my stories and photos on our award-winning blog, HITravelTales.com. I regularly hear from destinations that our stories and photographs are some of the best they've seen. My writing also appears in TravelWorld International Magazine as well as on the Microsoft MSN syndicated news feed.

My specialty areas and primary interests include local culture and history, street art, farm to fork and local breweries / distilleries, adventure, natural wonders and wildlife. Set me loose in a destination and my stories and photography will connect readers to a place in such a way they will want to embark on their own journeys of discovery.

✍️ I am a dual citizen, born in Calgary, now living in California.
✍️ Secondary base in Berlin, Germany
✍️ I am a member of NATJA, IFWTWA, PPA, OWAA, NANPA, and ATTA.
✍️ I serve as a member of the NATJA Advisory Board.
✍️ My photography is available for sale and for licensing (perfect for DMOs, agencies, publications and destinations) through Michael Hodgson Photography - http://www.michaelhodgsonphoto.com
✍️ Fun facts: I was the captain of Team Media in Mark Burnett's 1995 Eco Challenge adventure race, learned to fly a hang glider, flown an ultralight plane, walked the Rift Valley, and hiked among Kodiak bears ... always to experience a new adventure for stories I was working on or assigned.
✍️ Prior to focusing entirely on travel writing, I was a highly acclaimed outdoor writer and my stories and columns appeared in Outside, Backpacker, Men's Journal, Men's Health, Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, The Christian Science Monitor, San Jose Mercury News, Portland Oregonian, Salt Lake Tribune, Adventure West Magazine, and others. My published books (some of which are actually still in print) include No Shit There I Was, Compass & Map Navigator, Facing The Extreme, and Camping For Dummies.