Sharon Grainger

 For Sharon Eva Grainger portrait photography is intimate and personal. Before the shutter snaps, Grainger “sees” a vision sometimes moments, days or months before the actual shoot. Once this image is captured in her mind’s eye, Grainger crystallizes this vision with the subject. Grainger’s formal training began with her apprenticeship to the German photographer, Uka Meissner. Her own family background of five generations of artists includes three generations of photographers. Grainger currently works independent contracts with Lindblad Expeditions as a Naturalist and Certified National Geographic Photo Instructor, traveling and teaching about photography all over the world. Her portraiture of indigenous peoples has been published in the Time-Life book, Indians of the Western Range, the Smithsonian Handbook of North American Indians (12 Plateau) and recently Grainger’s images were paired with Edward Curtis’ images for a slide presentation that accompanied a silent film made by Edward Curtis in 1914. The event traveled from the Moore Theatre in Seattle, Washington to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Chan Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Field Museum in Chicago, the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC and the Natural History Museum in New York City. 

She was chief photographer on the Opening Hearts project with Lindblad Exhibitions in Mexico, photographing the Indigenous people of Copper Canyon. Grainger was also the featured photographer for Living Cultures I, an exhibition of color images at the Seattle Public Library. Indigenous writers made lengthy descriptions for each group of photographs, speaking about the images from their ancestral perspective. In Living Cultures II, Grainger’s black and white portrait photographs hung next to original Edward S. Curtis images. The American Museum of Natural History in New York City recently renovated their Northwest Coast Hall, using several Grainger images as part of their permanent exhibition. 

She is currently involved in long-term collaborative work with the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation in Alert Bay, British Columbia, helping facilitate research, through visual as well as audio recordings. Her photographs have become the subject of many exhibitions in the U’mista Cultural Centre. 

Sharon Eva Grainger, a professional photographer for 40 years. During her 72 years in the Pacific Northwest, she has developed close ties to the Colville Confederated Tribes of northeastern Washington State, the Kwakaka’wakw of Alert Bay, the Haida of Haida Gway, British Columbia, the Lummi Nation of Washington State and the Tlingit of SE Alaska. As Sharon travels the Northwest Coast, camera in hand, these groups have continued to share their culture and lore with her. 

Living in the Pacific Northwest among Native peoples, many situations, experiences and stories have made striking impressions on Sharon. A constant and reoccurring theme: the Northwest Coast peoples’ focus on transformational beings as their ancestors. These beings are used to illuminate their origins within the living community and the natural world around them. One legend tells of the Raven who freed daylight, and released fresh water, creating the lakes and rivers. Raven created the first salmon, controlled the tides and gave fire to the world. Against a backdrop of magnificent natural beauty it is easy to understand the richness and drama that is deeply woven into the daily lives and culture of the indigenous peoples of the NW Coast.

The Pacific Northwest, Sharon’s life long home, is an area rich in culture and natural beauty. No matter the season, the trails and beaches of this unique eco system continue to offer great treasures to each observant visitor. Sharon continues with her cameras capturing both the place and the people who call this unique place home.