Every photographer has their comfort zone—the place they feel most at home when they’re shooting. For Corey Rich, that place is thousands of feet above the ground. Rich accompanied climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgesen throughout the majority of their ascent of the Dawn Wall of Yosemite’s El Capitan over the course of 19 days. Caldwell and Jorgeson became the first climbers to free climb the 3,000-foot vertical wall, realizing a dream seven years in the making. And Rich was right alongside them.

“I’m not just photographing strangers; these are very close friends,” said Rich. “To see someone who’s so close succeed and really push themselves, push the envelope and change climbing history, to be part