Your BEST Climbing Photographs

old school

moab---good old times

eldo

Seneca Rocks, West Virginia

El Cap Meadow

Photo Credit: Paul David Martin of Boone, NC

My brother Jimmy following a pitch on Serpentine Arete, Dragontail Peak, Enchantments, WA. Colchuck Glacier far below.

Hand Solo, Selfish Wall, Indian Creek

Storm approaching, Chamonix

teewinot summit

Photography is still a hobby for me but I love representing my travels in writing and images. I think it is an effective way to connect with other climbers that have shared similar experiences you are trying to elucidate through an image.

I carry the Panasonic GF1 Micro Four Thirds Camera and 20mm Pancake Kit lense. I love the portability and manual control over the camera, perfect for rock/ice/alpine in my opinion. It tends to get in the way every now and then makes me wish for a slim point and shoot waterproof camera. I swear by Mountainsmith's Soft cases for transporting the camera. I have yet to buy a Pelican case but imagine I will for a longer trip with more exposure.

Here's a sample image from the GF1 (there are much newer and much better versions of this camera now). I attach it to the binocular clips on my alpine pack with small carabiners for easy removal. It doesn't bounce around at all and is always slung around my neck to get a shot whenever I have a hand. I shoot in .raw and have great control over the finished product. Not a bad camera for some of the environments I have taken it in!

Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland

Gearing up for Pinnacle Gully (WI3), Huntington Ravine, Mount Washington, New Hampshire.

Skyladder, Mount Andromeda

Skyladder

Descending the Lowe Route, Sphinx, Montana
Sphinx

Sunshine, Snowpatch Spire, Bugaboos
Snowpatch

These were shot with one of two beat up old 20Ds. Lens is 17-40 F4L. Autofocus doesn't work on this lens anymore, but that's not really an issue with a lens this wide.

I almost lost the Skyladder image. I had bumped the dial climbing and ended up several stops overexposed. The Jpeg was solid white. Fortunately, I was able to pull enough data from the RAW file to put an image together.

When I bought my cameras, there wasn't a lighter alternative with satisfactory quality, durability, and handling. That said, I can't see myself buying another SLR. The mirrorless genre combines excellent optics and handling into a camera system less than half the weight of mine. Some are quite well built, too.

Edited to add:
I don't carry a camera case, nor do use any filters in front of my lens. I simply put the camera in my pack for transport and over my shoulder when there's a chance of getting the shot. My kit does take a lot of cosmetic damage (scratches, small dents), but nothing that affects the quality of my photography. The glass is still pristine despite my hatred of lens caps and filters because the hood takes all of the rock bashing. I consider a lens hood to be pretty much a requirement, it protects the lens AND improves image quality. A filter usually creates negative optical characteristics and at best does nothing for the photo.

I see this is an older forum but thought id share some of mine! I mainly chimb in Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT so all of these are up there. All taken with my Nikon D7200 and with either a rokinon 12mm or my nikon 50 1.8

My friend chris working "ping" in LCC

Chris in "the round room" in lcc

My friend Chris on "the big guy" in LCC

Devin climbing in LCC

Xexela on Sherman

Natural Bridge south of Moab framing Mt Tukuhnikivatz.

All of these were taken with a Panasonic GH4 14-140mm f/3.5-5.8

1) Phil Magistro on Annunaki

Phil belays Phil

2) Phil Binnema on Flight Time

Phil Binnema gets the onsight

3) Nothing stands out, so let's go with fun: Disa Kohlstrom on Beer Bong

Disa spinning around in the stem at the top of Beer Bong

Some of my Good Photos

Portaledge Selfie

3 Portaledge Golden

Moab Chimney

Question for everyone, I'm looking to start getting different angles for some climbs. When your out do you tie off on a seperate route, anchor of and shoot or is it easier to simultaneously find a "good" spot to stop and shoot? I find the best moments are unplanned but are harder to capture, but for safety reasons i tend to hold back while climbing. Any tips on how to secure gear while on a climb and safe?

Approach

Approach

J-Tree
J-Tree

Jorgeson & Caldwell - Dawn Wall
Jorgeson & Caldwell - Dawn Wall

J-Tree
J-Tree

Shark Fin Arete

Shark Fin Arete

Starting Young
Starting Young

hydrmonster
more hydromonster. unfortunate for the finger tho...

Here's my all time favorites...probably. The first two are already uploaded to this site. I got the first one published several years ago in Rock & Ice. Shot on either a Canon 40D or a 1Ds II, likely with a 17-40L or 70-200L II f2.8IS. Click on them for full size views.

Kristen on TB, June 2011.
Jake with the hero clip.
Katy on The Splitter 5.10, 16Z Colorado
Chris onsighting Yin and Yang 5.10d, Red Rock
Steph squeezing out a rest on Not My Cross to Bear 5.11a/b, Penitente Canyon CO, 2011