Faith and Adventure Through Photography
There I was, navigating my way back down Mt Rainier during the height of a blizzard that had struck the night before. Located in Washington State, Mt Rainier is an active volcano and is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, making it a challenging expedition. At that moment, I was roped together with three other climbers and a guide, following the other half of our team. The snow was blowing sideways, and I could barely see. Having to constantly scrape my goggles with my ice axe, I had no idea that the group in front of us
had been swept down by a small avalanche, stopping only feet away from a large crevasse. During that moment, I recognized the danger we were facing and the need to keep moving as if my life depended on it, but I also felt incredibly alive with the thrill and excitement of the adventure at hand. How did I end up here? My faith brought me here.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes faith as a “strong belief or trust in someone or something,” a “belief in the existence of God,” and a “system of religious beliefs.” The Christian Bible describes faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” For me, my faith is paramount. It is the innermost part of who I am, and the part of my life that has driven me to go on more adventures than I ever imagined I would. It is how I found myself caught in a blizzard, in the perilous position on the side Mt Rainier.
We eventually fought our way through the ice and snow, finished our decent, and walked away with great stories to tell. The climb was part of a fundraising effort through a faith-based, charitable organization called The Last Well. We were climbing to raise money for drilling wells in the remotest parts of Liberia in order to expand access to clean drinking water. After my first mountaineering adventure, more climbs followed, and I had my camera in hand documenting each trip. This is often called adventure photography.
With my ice axe in one hand, rope in the other, during a danger free moment I pull out my camera to snap a shot. There’s nothing like trying to take a photograph while navigating crevasses and slippery slopes. There also isn’t a lot of time to adjust your settings when you are mid climb up a mountain. What did I do to compensate?
I preset the camera settings for a particular section of the climb based on the anticipated lighting conditions. At times during the climb, I went on full auto if the lighting changed too dramatically, since I didn’t have time to re-adjust.
I made sure I had easy access to my camera using only one hand and practiced the handling of it so I could take the photo correctly. This is especially difficult when using gloves, so practice is key.
I only took out the camera during a pause in the climb or during a safe moment to quickly get the shot. Safety for you and the people roped to you takes precedent over the photograph.
A few things to note if taking a camera up a mountain: bring batteries, lots of extra batteries! My trip up Mt Rainier lasted a mere 3 days, but my trip up Aconcagua, one of the seven summits in Argentina at 22,838 ft., was a 14 day climb. Always be prepared and research ideas. You can find further tips and techniques through adventure photographer pros like Jimmy Chin and Alex Strohl, both exceptional storytellers and athletes.
My faith has taken me to other parts of the world on humanitarian trips, like Romania and Kenya. On both of these adventures, I had the opportunity to use my photography skills to document the trips for further fundraising back home.
I love seeing faith expressed through the eyes of another, and I have the utmost respect for the diverse beliefs and religious values I often encounter. For me personally, my faith centers on Jesus Christ and I have never found a greater peace.
365 Art+ Magazine Case 09: Faith