PhotoJ: Portrait

          This past week I was on a mission to take an environmental portrait of someone. The portrait needed to show a person in their environment (i.e. the natural setting of their job or hobby) and explain his or her personality. We were able to direct the shot, which means we could move the subject around in order to best capture his or her energy and surroundings. I chose to photograph a trip leader, Andy Craig, on an ice climbing excursion. Although I did make an attempt to control the outcome of some of my shots directly, I felt like my best photos ended up being those that were candid. Here are a few of the results:

Andy Craig, 26, rappels down Deeping Wall at Marble Canyon in Lillooet, British Columbia after setting up a top rope for ice climbing trip participants. The trip, hosted by Western Washington University’s Outdoor Center Excursions, lasted from late Jan. 28 to Jan. 30. Craig has been leading trips for the Outdoor Center for about two years and is experienced in technical mountaineering, ice climbing and rock climbing. Before Craig tried ice climbing he thought it was ridiculous to try to ascend a frozen waterfall. Now he says, “Ice climbing is exhilarating and it makes me feel alive.”