Q&A: High Schooler Bentley Zylstra on Making Revelry Collection Magazine

Guidance counselors might as well cancel the career aptitude tests—kids these days want to be YouTubers and social media influencers. So say any number of polls (and you don't have to do much Googling to find them). But not Bentley Zylstra, a home-schooled high school senior based in Sun Valley, Idaho. Zylstra's got more old school, analog ambitions in mind for post-grad life: magazine publishing. And he's not waiting for summer to get started either—Zylstra just launched the first issue of Revelry Collection, a new biannual, print-only magazine dedicated to telling stories about travel and adventure.

There's a famous John Muir quote that says, "You should never go to Alaska as a young man because you'll never be satisfied with any other place as long as you live." If Muir were still around, he might adjust it to "... because you might end up starting a magazine." AK is where Zylstra caught the adventure bug during annual summer trips to his grandparents' house in Soldotna, on the Kenai River, where he'd fish for sockeye and explore places like Denali National Park and the Kenai Peninsula. Growing up in Seattle and Sun Valley, Zylstra had easy access to the Cascades and Sawtooths and to world-class skiing, backpacking, and biking.

An outdoor upbringing like this can lead to any number of outcomes. Ski bummery and climber dirtbagging are common ones. Magazine publishing is not. But Zylstra says Revelry Collection is the result of this lifelong connection to the outdoors, even if he's still just getting started. "My whole goal with this magazine is to offer creatives a place to share their adventures, travels, people they meet, life lessons, etc," Zylstra told Field Mag. "The real, raw, gritty stuff that makes this world so beautiful." The magazine's first issue, a coffee table-style book over 130 pages long packed with original film photography by the likes of Alex Strohl and Taylor Burk, directly reflects the sentiment.

In a recent conversation, Zylstra outlined how he figured out how to design, fund, and print a magazine at such an early age—and in an age where many of the major ones are closing shop no less. He also talked about his influences and gave us a preview of the first issue (spoiler: there's plenty of film photography).

Most high schoolers these days have their sights set on YouTube and TikTok. What made you want to make a magazine?

I always enjoy a challenge and doing something people say won’t work, and a magazine project definitely fits that bill. I wanted to create a magazine because I wanted to offer people a place away from the screens and away from the constant notifications. I wanted to offer a destination where you could explore the world without all those distractions. You don’t need cell service; it’s just you and a magazine. It’s a slower experience where you get to explore the world in a more intimate way compared to other platforms, such as social media.

How long has Revelry Collection been in the works, and how are you balancing a project as large as a magazine launch with everyday life and school?

This magazine project has been in the works since December 2023. In the past year, I have been learning everything from how to design a magazine to setting up e-commerce and how to file sales tax. To say it has been difficult is an understatement. There have been many times that I wanted to give up, but the smile people will get from reading these stories makes it all worth it.

At times, it has been difficult balancing everything: school, life, the magazine, friends, and trying to get outside as much as possible. Being homeschooled has helped a lot as it gives me the time and space to work on other activities—such as this magazine—once the books are put away.

What magazines or online publications inspire you?

Well, Field Mag definitely has. It's the first publication that I saw sharing adventure stories in a high-quality way. Drift Magazine was a huge inspiration as well; their clean design and high-quality storytelling influenced a lot of the design choices in the magazine. The Surfers Journal is a clear example of how to surprise your readers and keep things fresh, which is very key in this industry. Summit Journal has been another inspiration. They are in the climbing world, but their commitment to quality journalism is definitely something to look up to. I am so thrilled to be part of the growing movement to keep print alive.

What do your parents and friends think about your mission to launch a magzine?

My family and friends have been super supportive; they have always encouraged my entrepreneurial spirit. To be completely honest, I don’t think they really thought I was going to make this magazine until this past fall. It was always kind of a pipe dream; like, “Ohh, one day, it will happen.” Then one day I was showing my parents a sample of the magazine that I had created, and they both were like, “Ohh, this is a real thing.”

Have you had any mentors, advisors, or others that have helped you create Revelry Collection?

I have had many mentors and friends who have helped me through the process. My mom has been a huge mentor. She is an author and is currently in the process of writing a book, and she has been a huge help with looking at the big picture of the magazine. My dad has been such a massive influence as well. He has helped me a lot with the business side of everything, such as taxes, LLCs, and more. He has offered a great outside perspective when I get too bogged down by the details.

Alex Strohl has been hugely influential in both direct and indirect ways. Early on in my journey, I watched his workshops, which is how I learned to be a photographer. Then, later on, after reading his “Adventure Buddies” zines, I had the idea to start this magazine. He wrote the foreword for Volume 001 and has been giving me advice throughout the process.

Who are some of the contributors in the first issue, and how did you go about sourcing them?

Some contributors in the first issue include Isaac Johnston, Taylor Burk, Alex Strohl, Jeff Marsh, Lawson Chapman, and more. I wanted to find people who showcase adventure in a real and raw way. I didn’t want the picture perfect; I wanted to find people who are going to share about a person or place from an authentic perspective.

I just cold emailed most of them. I asked them if they wanted to contribute to a new print-only adventure magazine that was exclusively shot on film. It was amazing the response I got; they were thrilled to share their adventures. I think they were ready for something different. In a day and age where most photographers and writers’ work ends up on the endless scroll of the internet, I think they were excited to get their work in print. Seeing and feeling your work in print is a pretty cool experience that is hard to replicate.

Tell us about the design—how many pages/photos are there? And did you do the design work yourself?

Ahh yes, the design. There are 136 pages in the magazine and over 75 photographs. I did all the design work myself. I studied the best adventure magazines out there and just learned what worked and what didn’t. It was a lot of trial and error. The difference between the very first sample (July 2024) and the final version (March 2025) of the magazine is night and day.

Revelry Collection is all film photography. How'd you get into shooting film, and what camera do you like to shoot on?

I originally got into film photography from my mom. She had an old Canon AE-1 and graciously let me use it on our annual trip to Alaska. So I took a couple of rolls of film and shot away. It forced me to slow down and experience the place more. Capturing the mountains, rivers, and glaciers of Alaska on film brought a newfound appreciation for this place I have been visiting my whole life. A couple of weeks later, I got the scans back, and from the first moment I saw them, I knew I had found something special. Since that moment, I have been hooked.

The inspiration to go find a film camera came from Field Mag actually. I saw photos and stories on there and I thought to myself, I want to take photos like that. Film photography is a lot like adventure; it is slow and hard, and usually you experience the joy from the activity later. But you never regret doing it, it is delayed gratification at its finest.

Now I shoot with a few film cameras, including the Canon AE-1, a Leica M3, and I recently just got into medium format photography with the Mamiya 6.

Magazines aren't cheap to make, and Revelry Collection doesn't have ads. How are you making it happen financially?

I have put a lot of my own money into it, and my friends and family have helped and chipped in. I definitely couldn’t do it by myself.

Can you give us a preview of one or two of the stories in the first issue?

Our first story in the magazine is a piece written and photographed by Lawson Chapman. It is a story about hiking in the wilderness of Montana and how our modern society wants everything to be planned out, from college to retirement. In this story, he challenges that idea and goes on a hike in the wilderness without a plan. It’s a really fascinating piece that changed my definition of adventure.

I wrote a story in the magazine that I'm particularly fond of as well. It's about skiing in the Cascade Mountains and finding joy in the present moment and not comparing your past to your future. It was a really hard and personal story for me to write.

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