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During my last year of college, I took a rock-climbing course and quickly fell in love with the sport. It soon became all I thought about, and over the next few years I traveled the globe, visiting world-class rock climbing and mountaineering destinations. Spending this time in the mountains reinvigorated my interest in photography, and got me excited about the prospect of becoming a pro and documenting the world of climbing. Over the course of my career, as I expanded my outdoor experience and photography skills, I started to shoot other mountain sports, including mountain biking, ice climbing, mountaineering, and skiing. I soon realized that one of the great joys of being an adventure sports photographer is documenting elite athletes pushing the boundaries of what is physically and mentally possible. The moments when you watch (and record) someone achieve a feat previously thought impossible really stick with you. As an adventure photographer, your job is not just to capture the moment, but also to work with the athletes to create an eye-popping image so that others can share in the experience. By their very nature, mountain sports are what adventure photography is all about, and the combination of action and natural scenery usually offers up incredible visual opportunities for those with a creative eye.

When I teach workshops, one of the first questions I always hear is, “What gear do you use?” Because each sport is unique, and getting into position or even staying with the athletes can be difficult, I tailor my gear and how I carry it for the different sports I shoot. Of course, each sport has other photographic considerations that have to be taken into account, too. Shooting a kayaker is obviously going to be a different experience than photographing a rock climber. As we discuss each sport separately in the next three chapters, I’ll share specific information on how to best document the action, what gear I use, and how I carry it to the location.

ROCK CLIMBING

Climbing photography is hard work. There is no getting around that fact. Lugging anywhere from 50 to 120 pounds (22.7-54.4 kg) of gear to the cliff, getting set up and established on the wall, and timing it so the lighting is perfect is hard physical labor that requires a lot of sport-specific know-how. If you want to shoot rock climbing, it obviously helps if you are already a climber—in fact, I’d say it is all but a requirement. You don’t need to be an elite athlete by any means (I certainly am not), but you do need to be highly proficient in both free climbing and aid climbing techniques so you can get into position quickly, be comfortable, and safe in the vertical world. Beyond basic climbing skills, I would also say that you need enthusiasm and drive, because no one is going to work as hard as is required without a serious passion for the sport. In fact, I think being passionate about the activity is an overriding condition for shooting any adventure sport. Without passion and an understanding of a sport’s subtleties, it’s hard to understand what makes a strong, interesting, and informed image. With that in mind, we’re going to look at important aspects of how to successfully shoot rock climbing, including getting into position, general considerations, and lighting. We’ll wrap things up with a quick overview of photographing bouldering.

GETTING INTO POSITION

Once at the crag, the first thing you’ll want to do is scope out the surroundings since figuring out the best shooting position is often determined by the landscape. If there is a nearby hill or gulley that can be used to safely get above or to the side of the climber, check that out first. Sometimes these positions offer unique angles you wouldn’t get otherwise, even with hours of setting up ropes. Keep in mind that you don’t have to be right next to the route in these cases; a telephoto lens will help capture the action from a distance. With climbing photography, and really with all adventure sports photography, finding the best angle is key. So always be on the lookout for perspectives that will produce unique or exciting compositions.

Typically, I prefer to shoot climbers on routes from above and off to one side or straight down the line of the route. This angle allows you to see the climber’s determined face as well as the holds they are using, thus conveying the sequence and difficulty of the climb. While shooting from above the climber isn’t always the best position for every route, it is guaranteed to be a good vantage point for many climbs.

Getting the rope set up, or fixed, to an anchor, is the first priority for shooting from above. For sport and traditional climbs, you’ll often be sharing the route’s anchors with your climbers. If I can aid climb a route, either with traditional gear or with a stick-clip (for sport climbs), I’ll often fix a static line to the anchors myself. In some cases, you may be able to rappel in from above if there is access to the top of the wall. Generally, the ideal scenario is to have two equally strong climbers with you on a shoot; get one of them to climb the route first so you can see the moves and shoot from the side while still on the ground. Once the first climber reaches the anchors, they can pull your rope up and clip it in for you. Yo u can then ascend the fixed rope and shoot the second climber on the route from above. This way, you are getting double the coverage of the route from the side and top. If using the anchors of the route you are shooting doesn’t provide an interesting enough perspective, look around for nearby routes as other possibilities.

Once set up above the climber, try swinging on the rope and clipping into a nearby bolt or piece of traditional gear so you can shoot from different angles. Yo u can also clip the rope into a directional piece of gear to achieve the same effect. This gear will help direct your fixed rope to the side of a climb, but allow you the freedom to move up and down the rope since you aren’t clipped directly into a piece of gear. While ascending, I’ll often move at about the same pace as the climber, staying just ahead of them as they climb. If needed, I’ll sometimes ask them to “take” on the gear so I can adjust camera settings and change lenses or memory cards. While shooting from above, remember to pull your rope up to keep it out of your shots. I stack the extra rope into a rope bag that hangs from my harness. With this method, it is simple enough to ”flake” the rope into the bag so that it is out of my way and easy to manage when I get to the anchors. (Also, remember to always back up your ascenders with a prusik knot or some other form of redundant protection.)

Depending on the steepness of the wall, there are a few tricks that can help you get into position and stay there. When shooting on an overhanging wall, it can be difficult to stabilize yourself while hanging out in space. To keep from spinning around on the rope, try to swing into the wall and clip into a piece of gear or a bolt. I usually have two five-foot (1.5 m) slings clipped to my harness, which allow me to always be clipped in as I move from bolt to bolt and prevents me from swinging out into space. In caves, where it’s hard to do anything but hang at the mouth of the cave, you might just have to ascend the rope until you can get to the lip and stabilize yourself.

CONSIDERATIONS WHILE SHOOTING

There are many general considerations to shooting climbing photography that seem obvious if you’ve been at it awhile. But for anyone just starting to shoot the sport, the topics covered here provide a good foundation of things to think about when planning shoots and composing images.

To start, if memorable climbing images are your goal, you’ll usually have to work with the climbers, and they with you—it’s really a team effort. Sometimes it’s possible to snag a few decent images here and there while climbing casually with friends, but it is very rare. It takes too much time to get set up and into position to really get respectable

images on the fly. Make sure the climbers you are working with understand that they are there primarily for the photography. Sure, they will get some climbing in, but the focus is on the images. A big part of getting incredible climbing pictures is working with subjects who are very good at what they do and can perform again and again for the camera. Before I shot with the best-of-the-best, I photographed my friends who were strong climbers. If possible, seek out expert climbers in your area and set up a photo shoot with them. If you find you have to pay a modeling fee for your climbers’ time, then so be it. In the end it’s worth it to have creative control during the shoot and get the images you’re after.

Depending on the position of the route, be sure to take the time to check out different angles so you can find the one that best matches what you have pre-visualized. Showing the exposed position of the climber is the entire point of climbing photography because you want your images to reveal just how steep the rock face is to the viewer. It will take some time and experience before you can judge which angle will best show off the climb and the climber—it isn’t always obvious at first. But don’t hinder yourself by thinking that a position is too hard to get to. If you need to get there, figure out a way. And when considering different angles, always try for a clean background that will make the image more graphic and focus the viewer’s eyes straight to the climber.

Focus on a climber’s movement and facial expressions. While you don’t necessarily have to see the whites of the climber’s eyes, you do need to see their face. One thing I tell every climber before we start is to look up as much as possible, not in an awkward manner, but when they reach for a hold I want them to look up at that hold so I can see their face. This point is critical. (One of the few exceptions to this rule would be if you are shooting a climber from the side, against a spectacular landscape, or from behind.)

The best images usually occur when a climber is on a route that is at or close to the limit of their abilities because it forces them to strain hard, and the fear and concentration on their face pretty much says everything about the route. Watch them closely as they climb. If you see a section that creates a solid composition with an interesting body position, ask them to slow down or repeat that section a few times to make sure you get a good shot. I will normally shoot the entire route, but in reality, it ends up being those interesting sections that make the really good images.

While shooting, there are a few other things to remember. One tip is to get the entire climber’s body in the shot. If the climber’s legs are chopped off in the bottom of the image, it’s hard to tell what they are doing. In fact, it might even look like they are simply standing on the ground. In some cases, like when shooting from above bulges, it is not always possible to have the entire body in the frame, but in these cases it is easy enough to lean out from the rock and show that the ground is a long way down and not just right below the climber.

In the old days (way back in the 1990s), photographers used to ask climbers to dress in bright colors. These days, I prefer to have climbers wear clothing with earth-toned colors like maroon, forest green, or smoky blue. I would avoid anything that is neon or too garish, and I would also avoid khaki, black, or pure white clothing as well. White clothing in general is not your friend, as it will overexpose or blow out in some cases. Because it is the brightest part of the image, it also attracts the viewer’s eye to the clothing and away from the climber’s face.

Another tip is to use fast enough shutter speeds to overcome camera shake. After all, you’ll be hanging from a rope up in the wind, so nothing is especially stable. A shutter speed of at least 1/125 second is advisable and with today’s D-SLRs, it is easy enough to crank up the ISO settings to 800 or even 1600 (depending on your camera) if you are in the shade. On the flip side, it is kind of nice to have the climber’s hand a little blurred as they desperately reach up to the next hold. As with everything in photography, experiment with the shutter speed if you want to capture a little blur. Just remember that in any blurred image there needs to be something sharply in focus; in this case, you would want the climber’s face to be tack sharp.

As a final technical note, I usually shoot climbing in Manual mode, but if the light is changing quickly I’ll switch to Aperture Priority because it allows me to control the depth of field more easily. Regardless of the exposure mode I’m using, the histogram provides feedback on the exposure and everything is adjusted according to the histogram as discussed in Chapter 3.

As with any adventure sport, the details tell a lot of the story. Be sure to watch out for good opportunities to get images of the climbers “crimping” on tiny holds, the rope running through a belay device, or hiking to the route. Adventure sports are much more of a lifestyle than more popular sports like football or basketball, and capturing this spirit is important, too. If you pay attention, there are some fantastic images to be had while climbers are packing up, hiking in, checking out the climbs, preparing to climb, putting on their shoes, chalking up, and organizing their gear.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LIGHT

Dramatic light should always be your goal, but what form it comes in will vary greatly. If relying on natural light, keep the following basics in mind. If a route gets nice first or last light, come back with a climber and shoot at those times, especially if the route is an arête and you can get the sunrise or sunset behind the climber. Also at these early or late times, you can often get a nice shadow at the base of the route with the climber up in the sunlight, and that makes for some dramatic lighting. In many cases, high noon isn’t a reason to stop shooting. At some crags where the rock has a lot of color, especially if it is red, you can shoot all day. In fact, if you’ll be shooting from straight above the climbers, it might be nice to have the sun higher in the sky so their faces are well lit. Whether shooting in the mornings, evenings, or in the middle of the day, it’s usually best to have the climber either fully

lit or fully in the shade; otherwise, you’ll have lots of contrast on the climber (which in some instances might be quite dramatic) instead of nice, even light. If you are finding that the light on a climb isn’t that great, wait for it to go into full shade. If you know you’ll be shooting at a climbing area for a few days or longer, watch the light closely on your first day and make a plan according to where the best light will be in the days to come.

Using artificial light for shooting climbers on routes can certainly be done, but it is most often used in caves or on shorter routes. Obviously, it would take a lot of time and effort to string lights up on a longer route. So most climbing photographers set up strobes on the ground and point them at the route if it isn’t too high. This technique is used for shooting bouldering all the time now, which we’ll talk about in the next section. Using artificial light for climbing photography is becoming more and more popular, but I would also caution that just because you have a flash doesn’t mean you have to use it on every shot. Follow my advice in Chapter 4 and shoot with natural light first—it might be better than you think.

Most artificially lit climbing images are shot with the strobe pointed at the climber’s back (i.e. perpendicular to the surface of the cliff) or from a slight angle to the side. The reason for this is if you move the flash too close to the rock, you are going to have some seriously blown out parts of the rock in the foreground and way too much light fall-off in the background. Setting the light perpendicular to the rock evens out the light hitting the wall and the climber. While this technique works, the climber is backlit and there is always a harsh shadow present. In my opinion, this style of climbing photography (which has become rampant) is getting old, and I’d suggest getting more creative with your lighting. Light painting is one example of a different artificial lighting technique that is rarely used and can result in some amazing images. For more specifics on lighting adventure sports, see Chapter 4.

BOULDERING

Bouldering is much easier to shoot than a route because you can simply stand on the ground or climb adjacent boulders to get exciting angles. Also, you need much less gear and technical climbing know-how. Because of this, bouldering can be a good place to practice before you step up to shooting routes. The tough part about shooting bouldering, however, is that the climbers are normally fairly close to the ground so it is difficult to show them in an exposed or risky position unless the boulder is huge. The focus instead needs to be on interesting perspectives and wild looking moves to make the image really exciting.

With bouldering, it’s easy to move around and try a multitude of angles. Boulder problems with arêtes or bulges will allow you to get low and to the side, showing the climber’s face, body position, and the route with a clean background like a blue sky. If possible, try to get on top of the boulder and shoot from above, again asking the climber to look up as often as possible. Sometimes the best angle is from the side because this shows the steepness of the route. Watch climbers on a boulder problem and you’ll see that they probably face one direction more often; shoot from the direction where they are facing you the most. Also, no matter where you are shooting, whether in a forest or out in the open desert, a wide-angle lens will help you get in there and show the action up close and personal. A wide-angle is also great for pulling back to show the climber on the boulder with the surrounding landscape. In my experience, the best bouldering images are those that include the surrounding landscape to give a sense of place and scale. These pictures are shot from farther away and include the climber on the boulder, with a dynamic body position, so that the viewer can understand what is going on.

Since boulder problems are often overhanging and shaded, using artifical lighting is a natural fit. Using strobes and shoe mount flashes adds another level of complexity, but they can also add drama to an image. A simpler and lighter alternative to strobes are flexible round disc reflectors. Reflectors are the old-school method to light boulder problems, and they are still very effective. I prefer a gold reflector and have several different sizes that I take with me when I shoot bouldering. The bigger the size of the reflector the better the light quality, and also the larger the beam of light you'll be able to reflect, which is key. My favorite size reflector is a 42-inch (1.07 m) Silver and Gold reflector made by Photoflex. Many disc reflectors are flexible, so they can be bowed a little, which in turn spreads out and slightly diffuses the light reflected off them.

When using reflectors, you will be limited by the angle of the sun to the climber, with the climber being positioned between you and the sun. I prefer to light the climber from above by having the person holding the disc stand on an adjacent boulder or to the side, depending on the shooting angle. This creates a light that looks more natural than just blasting them from behind. If possible, it is also nice to use multiple reflectors with one from above and one on the side of the climber. In some instances, I'll use reflectors and flash in tandem, either with shoe mount flashes or the Elinchrom Ranger battery-powered strobe setup. One note of caution: reflectors can be quite bright, so warn climbers not to look directly at them.

Keep in mind that if your subject is shaded (as when they are in a dark, overhanging cave), and your background is in the sun, the background will be completely blown out if you expose for the climber. The resulting images will look horrible. To balance out the foreground and the background, use fill flash, strobes, or a reflector, and remember to make your background a little darker than the foreground as we discussed in Chapter 4. In reality, unless you have a powerful flash, you won't be able to get enough light on your climber to balance the foreground and background. Shoe mount flashes generally aren't powerful enough for this situation, unless you are shooting at sunrise or sunset, so if you don't have a battery-powered strobe and are not shooting at these times, choose a different angle to eliminate the background or wait for a cloudy day and come back.

Basic Kit for Rock Climbing Photography

For rock climbing, my basic kit is minimal. What I take depends on the route, how much other equipment I have to carry (like ropes and gear), and the length of the hike in to the route or boulder problem. At the bare minimum, I take two camera bodies just in case one break: down. My lens choices are three pretty standard f/2.8 zoom lenses: a 14-24mm, a 24-70mm, and a 70-200mm. With these three lenses, I can pretty much get any shot I want. If I think I'll need it for the location, I might also include a 10.5mm fisheye or a 300mm f/4. I also normally carry a Speedlight with me, but I rarely take it up on the rope.

To get the gear to the cliff, I use a large expedition-style pack and stuff the photo equip ment on top of all the climbing gear. My camera and lenses are packed into a customized fanny pack setup consisting of the Lowepro Toploader Pro 75 AW, a Lowepro Street and Field waist belt, and lens cases for the 14-24mm and 70-200mm. The extra camera is packed in a neoprene Zing camera pouch. This setup lets me pick and choose what I will take with me up on the climb. All of the photo gear weighs in at around 25 pounds (11.3 kg), so this is not a lightweight adventure. With camera gear, one static line, ascenders, and the rest of my climbing gear, my pack usually weighs at least 65 pounds (29.5 kg). For shooting bouldering, where I won't need ropes or hardware, I'll take a more extensive camera kit with a few reflectors, multiple shoe mount flashes, and possibly a lighting kit in addition to the basic kit described above. I’ll pack it all in a larger bag like the Lowepro Vertex 300 AW for the hike in. Normally, I don’t take all of my gear up on the climb with me. I will break it down to just one camera body, the 14-24mm and 24-70mm lenses, and possibly the 70-200mm if I am shooting from a distance. As a security measure, because I have had a fanny pack with lenses in it come off and hit the deck from 100 feet (30.5 m) up, I thread a piece of webbing through the waist belt and the camera packs and I clip that to my harness. The camera is also clipped into my harness before I leave the ground. Changing lenses or memory cards is always exciting; I push my fanny pack around to the side and carefully make the switch.