My name is Owain Elis Rees, an ambitious climber and skier from South Wales, whose life was transformed by Jesus in the summer of 2015. My mission is to live out God's purposes in everything I do and to be a light to those who join in my adventures.
The road however is never easy and in March 2016 I sustained a serious ankle injury whilst sport climbing at Malham Cove in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. I managed to fracture and dislocate my talus bone requiring immediate surgery to give it the best chance of recovering. I am grateful to the surgeons of Airdale Hospital who did an excellent job of realigning an securing the joint. Writing this six months down the line after returning from a three week long climbing trip to the Red River Gorge, I can't but help myself from thanking God for keeping me through this challenging experience and speeding my recovery. I know that he will be with me as I continue my recovery and regain mobility.
The accident left me at a bit of a loss, being used to training for climbing most days a week, I was suddenly confined to a bed and unable to be as active as I usually am. But as soon as the swelling was down enough to move from a backslab into a fibreglass cast I was up and doing some core and antagonist training, before getting stuck in to some hangboarding. Over the weeks that past, the hangboard slowly becoming like an old friend and exam revision a constant flood, I longed to be back on the rock. With exams done and the summer break in full swing I faced spending prime season on crutches. So I bought a camera.
A camera gave me an excuse to go to the crag. A camera gave a reason to keep in touch with friends. A camera provided motivation to leave the house. A camera kept me psyched. A camera kept me sane.
What started as an excuse quickly became a passion, the enjoyment of broken man trying to capture a snapshot of the beauty of God's creation interacting with each other. This website is a medium to share these failing attempts with you, and I hope you can join me in experiencing the wonder and amazement I feel when looking down my lens.
Happy viewing!
Owain Elis Rees