Topic: Digital Mountain Climbing Photography (Read 7568 times)

feppe · « **on:** July 26, 2009, 06:44:49 pm »

Gorgeous photography in the mountain climbing article - and the photos were large which was very welcome. I especially liked the Chopicalqui northwest ridge shot which (I believe) captures just how menacing a tough climb can be. Also, the shots with climbers in them give a vertiginous sense of scale.

I'm reading Ed Viesturs' beautifully titled No Shortcuts To The Top, which gives even more appreciation just how hard climbing those mountains is. I find it hard to fathom how anyone could take such good photos on summit day, when Ed goes on about how it might take an hour just to get his shoes on due to complete exhaustion.

I'm not going to climb any mountains, but I appreciate the stories and the photographs!

Eric Myrvaagnes · « **Reply #1 on:** July 26, 2009, 09:55:14 pm »

It was a fascinating read and beautifully illustrated.

As a "lemming who stays (mostly) in the valleys" I was delighted to note that much of what he says is useful even for a casual hiker who wants to get good photos. Even though I don't encounter the extreme conditions a mountain climber meets, I like to have my camera accessible whenever I'm hiking. I use carabiners to fasten my camera strap to the shoulder straps of my daypack. This keeps the camera weight off my neck, so I can go several miles in comfort, with the camera immediately ready. I also use a pair of Hyperdrive Space hard drives, and i download to both of them every day back in the tent (well, actually, the motel or B&B usually).

wolfnowl · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2009, 01:32:27 am »

Quote

It was a fascinating read and beautifully illustrated.

I agree!

My climbing days are pretty much over too, but it was a treat to read, and the ideas to copy over to trekking as well.

Mike.

BernardLanguillier · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2009, 01:57:08 am »

Interesting article and beautiful photography indeed! Work I do particularly relate to.

Still working on ways do to panos in these places. Bolivia was to be the proofing ground this August but I had to cancel the trip for un-related reasons...

Cheers,
Bernard

joedecker · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2009, 01:37:50 pm »

Wonderful article, thanks!

cmi · « **Reply #5 on:** July 27, 2009, 02:02:54 pm »

Quote from: EricM

... I was delighted to note that much of what he says is useful even for a casual hiker ...

Yes, I found it useful too. Thanks!

Lisa Nikodym · « **Reply #6 on:** July 27, 2009, 05:58:49 pm »

Another "thank you" for a great article. I don't climb, but I do love to get into the mountains as high as I can trust my footing on the trails, so the article helped me dream a bit about getting even farther. And gorgeous, gorgeous photos! I had no idea the Peruvian Andes were so interesting-looking.

Lisa

dchew · « **Reply #7 on:** July 27, 2009, 08:35:05 pm »

Excellent article and wonderful photos.

I completely agree that the bag is the most important issue. I think what many people don't realize about mountaineering is that there is a significant amount of slogging time; time spent roped up on steep hard snow or on glaciers where the conditions don't warrant belays but rope management and distances between individuals need to be consistent because of ever-present crevasses. This means if you stop, even for ten seconds, the whole party has to stop. Not only that, but everything, no matter how simple, becomes a monumental task. Adjusting a hood or cleaning goggles seems about as easy as spreading 5 tons of top soil in an afternoon at home.

So I'm very curious about the Nova 170. My initial perception is that it is fairly large and cumbersome. I have an old Photoflex chest pouch that attaches directly to the upper buckles on a pack's shoulder straps. What is good about this system is that it is completely supported by the backpack and you can position it up high just below the the breast bone. Well out of the way of any harness. What's bad about it is that there's an extra step involved in removing your pack, and it is relatively small. I usually have the camera with a 35mm f/2 attached. It could hold a mounted small zoom, but pretty limiting. No room for a decent second lens. I'm thinking for $50 it's worth giving Alexandre's set-up a try.

Thank you to Alexandre for taking the time to write this and to Michael / Lula for posting it.

Dave

NikoJorj · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2009, 03:10:33 am »

Yet another Thank you for the great article!
I did a few photos while mountaineering (at a quite low level - and sorry that was film era, and I didn't scan that yet) and find all said really spot-on.
Now I just hike and ski (backcountry) in the winter but find most of the article still relevant (being very seldom roped is soooo easier for the photographer...).

Quote from: dchew

So I'm very curious about the Nova 170.

For the bag, it's one of the few points where personal preferences may matter (and not only photographic preferences, but also in the way you store your climbing gear).

At the time, my setup was to use a fanny pack, large enough for a small body and a 19-35, plus eventually another small tele lens.
I now use a larger Lowepro OffTrail1 (rather small by photographic standards though).
The fanny pack can be worn above the harness, and does not interfere much with it (the main attach point is above the pack, the gear carrying loops are on the side above or below the pack's belt). Of course, the volume of the bag directly before the pelvis is unpractical past a certain steepness (not that far from verticality - eg it's no problem in a AD french grade rock or mixed route, or when climbing no more than 4c french/5.5 US).
I could attach the (overly long for normal use) neck strap of the camera permanently to my main carabiner when needed.
The fanny pack is just in front of me, directly in reach. That's the main advantage, and the reason why I still use such a setup.
Another big advantage when mountaineering is that the camera is tightly secured and does not jump around when running or skiing.

As an alternative in backcountry skiing, I only use a TLZ-style pack directly passed in my rucksack belt (my offtrail does not fit because there is a pelvis harness in my ABS pack, and weight is more of a concern than when hiking). I can also add one lens pouch on the other side of the belt, making it a bit more practical photgraphically speaking.

Alexandre Buisse · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2009, 04:03:32 am »

Thanks all, it's great to receive such good feedback, and to know that the article is useful to people!

@feppe: No shortcuts to the top is a favorite book of mine, and keeping in mind some of the things that Viesturs said helped me to keep going on Chopicalqui's summit day, which was by far the hardest thing I have done in my life. But that being said, there is a world between climbing a 6300m (21000ft) peak like Chopicalqui and climbing an 8000er.
Also, unrelated to the current discussion, but I wanted to mention that Veika Gustafsson, Ed's main climbing partner, has just finished the 14 8000ers without oxygen a couple of days ago!

@Bernard: I have a very casual approach to making panoramas: I just snap away handheld with a somewhat wider composition than I intend, and let the software deal with the rest. I haven't had time to make panos from the Peruvian trip, but you can see some old ones taken with this method on http://www.aperturefirst.org/index.php?x=b...amp;category=26 And I really advise you to go to Bolivia, it is an amazing country!

@dchew: you are right, the Nova 170 is rather on the big side of what I would want, but the reason is that I carry two lenses up to high camp, so need the room to do so, and am not willing to take a separate bag just for summit days. Your solution sounds fine if bringing only one lens, though I have heard that some of those chest bags can hide your feet, which would be a really big problem for a climbing trip!

@NikoJorj: I considered a waist bag as well, and I suspect it's quite similar to a shoulder bag worn like I describe in the article, the only difference being how the weight is balanced on the body. But as you say, it is also a question of personal preference.

BernardLanguillier · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2009, 06:19:07 am »

Quote from: Alexandre Buisse

@Bernard: I have a very casual approach to making panoramas: I just snap away handheld with a somewhat wider composition than I intend, and let the software deal with the rest. I haven't had time to make panos from the Peruvian trip, but you can see some old ones taken with this method on http://www.aperturefirst.org/index.php?x=b...amp;category=26 And I really advise you to go to Bolivia, it is an amazing country!

Handheld sure works very well if there are no nearby subjects.

Bolivia... yeah... I should have been somewhere high on Huayna Potosi as we speak per the initial plan... Instead I had to see this... life sucks...

Cheers,
Bernard

atassy · « **Reply #11 on:** July 28, 2009, 08:08:04 am »

this could very well be one of the best articles about photography in the mountains that i've read - thanks a lot for taking the time and effort to put it together!

i can only echo how important it is not to take your gloves off. not in a climbing situation but on a rocky island off the swedish coast in winter i was shooting landscapes with a friend. from a distance i saw her take off her gloves to adjust something on the camera and immediately yelled at her to put them back on at once. startled by my harsh reaction she later said 'but it was only for a few seconds'.
from having spent a lot of time in the mountains i was aware what the combination of cold and wind can do but wasn't sure if i hadn't overreacted, so felt a bit bad. in the evening, however, when things started to thaw in the warm room, she had no feeling in her finger tips. they took a few days to recover but luckily there was no permanent damage. frost bite can sneak up on you, very fast.

another aspect that i personally found when climbing and photographing is that in order to make the most of both, you need a higher level of skill and fitness than the average member of your party (it actually helps if you have a lot of reserve). not only because you carry additional weight and have additional things to concentrate on. it may be different for you but i always end up trying different vantage points from the regular route, either to get a different perspective or to show fellow climbers from a better angle, or (if conditions allow to do so safely) branching off on a parallel route and subsequently having to catch up again. all this back and forth while trying not to slow the party down too much can take a lot of effort.

Slough · « **Reply #12 on:** July 28, 2009, 06:28:41 pm »

Incredible pictures. Nicely composed. The smallness of the figures, and the massive and steep mountain sides is dramatic.

JMCP · « **Reply #13 on:** July 29, 2009, 07:40:37 am »

Superb article and photography, its quite inspiring.

One of your tips near the end of the article about never taking your gloves of to take a photo reminded me of a time approx 25 years ago when at the top of Ben Nevis (walked, not climbed) I took my gloves off to take a photo and my camera just fell from my hands and the plastic body completely fell apart, even on relatively small mountains like Ben Nevis (highest peak in UK) the cold temperatures can be a major impact.

Cheers John

reburns · « **Reply #14 on:** July 29, 2009, 11:25:47 am »

Great to see this article! Nicely done and inspiring.

The LowePro Off-Trail 1 also served my climbing needs ideally. I like how I am able to either put the camera in front or back, and squeezed in a 5D + 24-105L. The thing of worry is if the belt buckle somehow accidently unfastens. For the moment I've been rock climbing using a tiny backpack just to carry a body and three lenses and end up only taking photos while belaying. I now use the larger 24-70 lens instead so probably could use an Off-Trail 2, and am still working out the best way to carry the SLR and potentially take leader falls without destroying the camera or messing with that row of busted ribs that were spawned during a close encounter of the gravity nature last month (even jumping would hurt).

I also picked up a Panasonic LX-3 for the WA capability... but those things are no match for a proper DSLR. I'll carry the DSLR most anytime that falls are not too likely (generally I'm much too chicken anyway and take only a couple roped falls each year).

I've also climbed in the Peru Cordillera Blanca and Scandinavia and never found it too cold to remove gloves, maybe -15C. The story would be different in Alaska. Also I think a climber could add a tripod thread to the top of an ice tool or ski pole.

Here's early dawn on approach to Alpamayo with a GR21 & Velvia 100(?). A DSLR could have handled the low light better. - RalphE
[attachment=15769:2006_08_...tte_35sm.jpg]

NikoJorj · « **Reply #15 on:** July 29, 2009, 03:27:07 pm »

Quote from: reburns

I now use the larger 24-70 lens instead so probably could use an Off-Trail 2, and am still working out the best way to carry the SLR and potentially take leader falls without destroying the camera or messing with that row of busted ribs that were spawned during a close encounter of the gravity nature last month (even jumping would hurt).

For the OffTrail2, it's 500g (1lb) heavier, quite a bit bulkier, but definitely better in that it has accessory pockets (and the OffTrail1 not) for cards, filter, spare battery and the like. I resolved the problem sewing one pocket on top on my OffTrail1 - other advantage my bag has become ugly and may not attract thieves as much.

For taking a SLR while rock climbing, I just haven't found the perfect way either : if it's in front of you it really impedes with climbing, on the side it interferes with the climbing gear and still can hinder climbing (I'm thinking to the very wide cracks we call "chimneys", where you have to climb with your bum), and in the back... well it's not that reachable, and the best camera in the world is the one you have at hand when you need it, isn't it?

Matter of compromises, but the side solution as described by Alexandre may not be the worst.
The alternative is to find a decent compact camera (compromises, always compromises!) : these can be carried in a second chalk bag or in a pocket.

Sorry if the photo is in Western Europe, 1hr drive away from home : backcountry skiing in the Dévoluy, French Alps.

Author Topic: Digital Mountain Climbing Photography (Read 7568 times)

Slough