Climbing Photography

Rope Work

Going up and down on the rope

Use grigri, ascender and pulley for going up and down on the rope. If you only need to go down a little bit you can move your ascender by pulling teethes on ascender with a thumb. You can use ladder instead of single step for more convenience. — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxNvPNY759U

Camera safety

Attach camera to yourself with the leash for ice tools. In this case you have wide range of motion for your camera and it is still secured. — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxNvPNY759U

Peak Design Capture

Use Peak Design Capture to hold your camera on your harness, so it doesn't hit the rock while hanging on the leash. — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iEI9n8eyB0

Peak Design Leash Camera Strap

Use Peak Design Leash Camera Strap as your camera leash. One side clipped to the camera. Other side around your shoulder. — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iEI9n8eyB0

Bosun's chair

Use bosun's chair if you are going to be hanging on the rope a lot. — https://www.masterclass.com/articles/rock-climbing-photography-tips

Preparation and Logistics

Bright clothes

Your talent (subject) should wear bright clothes. You don't want climber to blend with the terrain. — https://www.masterclass.com/articles/rock-climbing-photography-tips

Communication with your subject

Always tell your subject direction referring their point of view. You can ask them to do exactly the same what you are doing. — https://www.masterclass.com/articles/rock-climbing-photography-tips

Scout the crag

Find unique rock features: arêtes, splitter cracks, tufas. — https://www.masterclass.com/articles/rock-climbing-photography-tips

Look for other photos from location

Do your research. Look for other photos of the climb you want to shoot, and use them to figure out what styles and angles work. — https://www.rei.com/blog/climb/10-ways-amp-climbing-photography

Female rather then male

Female are much more visually appealing then male. — https://www.climbing.com/.amp/news/10-rules-climbing-photography/

Image

Images from the ground

Get from the side, show the steepness of a climb. Find negative space. Shoot a profile of a person. Look for contrast background. — https://www.rei.com/blog/climb/10-ways-amp-climbing-photography

Limbs

All of your subject's limbs should be visible. No body parts chopping. — https://www.masterclass.com/articles/rock-climbing-photography-tips; https://www.rei.com/blog/climb/10-ways-amp-climbing-photography

Action type

Usually it is better to shoot energetic action rather than resting, clipping or chalking. But resting pose can be also good because climber can hang back from the wall. — https://www.masterclass.com/articles/rock-climbing-photography-tips; https://www.rei.com/blog/climb/10-ways-amp-climbing-photography

Face

Good shots incorporate climber's face. — https://www.masterclass.com/articles/rock-climbing-photography-tips

Adding depth

Incorporate foreground element such as texture of the wall nearby to add perspective you image. — https://www.masterclass.com/articles/rock-climbing-photography-tips

Landscape pictures

Subject can be really small if you take nice landscape picture. — https://www.rei.com/blog/climb/10-ways-amp-climbing-photography

Capturing steepness

To capture steepness make silhouette or wide shot. — https://www.rei.com/blog/climb/10-ways-amp-climbing-photography

Protection

It is always better to have rope going down on the picture. Runouts look good. — https://www.climbing.com/.amp/news/10-rules-climbing-photography/

Bright sunlight is bad

The best images are done when all the route is in shade. — https://www.climbing.com/.amp/news/10-rules-climbing-photography/

No Butt Shots

Pictures made by belayer suck. — https://www.rei.com/blog/climb/10-ways-amp-climbing-photography; https://photographylife.com/tips-for-photographing-bouldering-and-climbing; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKo_sO3VrJo

Rule of thirds

You want your climber to be on the upper left or right corner. — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKo_sO3VrJo

Burst mode

Use this mode to capture best body position of your subject. — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKo_sO3VrJo

High shutter speed

Keep shutter speed high in order to capture motion. — https://photographylife.com/tips-for-photographing-bouldering-and-climbing

Use lines for your composition

Use lines to lead views line to your subject. — https://stories.27crags.com/index/how-to-take-great-climbing-photos-part-1