A portrait is a person and a place. It should make the viewer recognize who the subject is and what they do. Anything less is just a picture.
Josiah Crowell is an editorial portrait photographer based in Edmonton, Alberta. He works on location worldwide, in the spaces where his subjects actually live and work: workshops, fields, studios, listening rooms. Each commission is planned around the subject and the place.
A few words from past collaborators.
Capturing a moment is one thing, but during our shoots I noticed Josiah doesn't just capture a moment; he instills positive memories. From bold colour schemes, beautiful places, to overflowing the people he works with in light and confidence boosts, he is a magician at creating not just incredible work on the outside, but also helping build his community around him up internally.
Had an awesome experience working with Josiah for my photoshoot. He went above and beyond and spent extra time getting the perfect shots. He brought really creative ideas, and made me feel super comfortable throughout. The photos turned out amazing and I have had tons of compliments on them. Highly recommend.
Super professional and great with direction and communication. Love all of the photo shoots we have done.
I had such a great experience working on a shoot with Josiah. He is very talented and does amazing work. He really has an incredible eye for detail. I love his work.
Common questions about commissions.
Every commission is priced individually because every commission is different. Logistics, travel, time on location, post-production scope, all of it varies. What I can tell you is the work is built to last. The right portrait is a piece of marketing, art, and identity rolled into one image. Some clients use a single frame on a website forever. Some print large for the home or office. Some build entire publicity campaigns around one shot. The math on a commission like that is not "what does the shoot cost." It is "what is this picture doing for me for the next ten years." If you want to talk through what your project would look like, the form on the commissions page is the place to start.
Anywhere. Travel and accommodation costs are billed in addition to the commission fee. Some of my favourite shoots have been the ones I had to fly for.
For a commission shoot, the wardrobe gets discussed and planned together as part of the brief. There is no "show up and figure it out" energy in a serious portrait. Colour, texture, and silhouette are part of the composition before I press the shutter. If we are shooting on location at your space, your shop, your studio, your home, there will be time during the shoot to change. The wardrobe questions are something we work out together before the day, not something I leave you guessing about.
Anywhere from 30 minutes to 5 hours. It depends on the scope, the idea, and how long it takes for the subject to feel comfortable in front of the camera. The shoot is finished when both of us feel the picture has been made. It is not rushed. It is delivered.
For a commission, you will see the finished images within one to two weeks. I don't deliver hundreds of edits. I deliver the few I am happy with, usually five or six, and we choose from those together. The work I do is closer to commissioning a painter than ordering a photo session. You're hiring my eye, my call on what works, and a finished piece I am willing to put my name on.
Other work by Josiah.
Beyond portraits, Josiah writes and operates across a few related lanes. The main hub for everything else is josiahcrowell.com, which covers his book Wisdom Forge, consulting, and his company End Goal Media.
