[2][3][4] Burkard specializes in photographing in cold places,[5][1] including in Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, India, Cuba, New Zealand, Russia, Switzerland, and Italy.

[15] In 2006, Burkard shadowed large format landscape photographer Michael Fatali,[16] whose images of the American Southwest desert are published frequently.

[7][15][17] In the early years of his career, Burkard worked as a freelance photographer on both editorial and commercial projects, as well as having work published on over 35 national and international covers of magazines including Surfer Magazine (both print and digital),[18] The New Yorker, National Geographic Adventure EandSPN.com[19][20] Beginning in 2009, Burkard was contracted by Patagonia, Inc. as a project photographer.

Burkard also operates a full service studio in Grover Beach, California shooting commercial and editorial work.

[23][24] In 2008, at age 21, Burkard earned a position as the senior staff photographer at Surfline, a global surf forecasting and content site, based in California.