Climbing Shots From A Fixed Line

First full day testing my new setup for on the wall photography. Really happy with the rig and the comfort/flexibility. Taken at Woodcock Cove in the Sequatchie Valley near Dunlap, TN.

Nice shots! What’s your rig? 

nowherewrote:

Nice shots! What’s your rig? 

Thanks so much! For the rigging part it’s just a simple fixed line at an anchor setup that I can ascend. It’s essentially my TR solo setup. I have the black diamond bosun’s chair and it’s been really comfortable for me.

The photography rig is a Nikon Z6ii and a Z30, paired with their 24-70 f4 S and 70-180 f2.8. Gives me a lot of focal length flexibility, and I’ve been happy with the quality of the Z camera systems and lenses. 

Yeehaw! 

I'm a Fuji guy. XT-1 and XH2s. Sometimes super 8mm :) 

If you ever want to get up and do some rigging together, give a holler. 

Heck yeah! Those shots are great. I almost bought into the Fuji system, I love their cameras a lot. 

Nice stuff. Depending on distance to the climber, I like to get two cameras with a wide (either 14-24 or 24-70) and a long (70-200 or, lately, 85 f/1.8). That lets me switch between the two with ease and not slow the climber down.

For rigging, I recently switched to a caving setup (croll + basic + pantin), and now that I have gotten it all to just the right lengths, it's amazing how much faster and efficiently I can ascend, especially for freehanging ropes.

Alex Buissewrote:

Nice stuff. Depending on distance to the climber, I like to get two cameras with a wide (either 14-24 or 24-70) and a long (70-200 or, lately, 85 f/1.8). That lets me switch between the two with ease and not slow the climber down.

For rigging, I recently switched to a caving setup (croll + basic + pantin), and now that I have gotten it all to just the right lengths, it's amazing how much faster and efficiently I can ascend, especially for freehanging ropes.

Thanks! And that’s awesome, I’ll have to explore doing different rigging for efficiency based on where I am, thanks for sharing. And on the focal lengths, I was wishing I had something wider than 24mm, even on full frame and when I had some distance. 14mm makes sense and would be nice for lots of environmental context included in the shot. 

I also like to holster two cameras. My XT-1 focus is glacially slow compared to the XH2s though. 

I need a longer lens in my quiver... right now my workhorse is 16-55mm (Fuji mirrorless, so FF equivalent is about 24-85mm). I have an 8mm prime for those explosive wide shots. 

@Alex- got any photos of your setup? I'm dually interested in finding a better system for ascending free hanging ropes for walls. The more classic method is for the birds. 

I don't have any photos of it, but the basics is this: https://www.randallsadventure.com/sites/default/files/frog-climbing-system.pdf

Now replace the full ascender by a basic (aka jumar without a handle), the chest harness by a bungee cord (only role is to keep the croll right side up) and add a pantin foot ascender on the right foot, with a single dyneema foot loop on the left, connected to the basic.

You can then ascend as a frog, both legs working at the same time, or alternate them and basically walk up the rope. As long as you can keep your center of gravity close to the rope, it's pretty effortless even on a freehanging line.

Years ago, I ran across a pro climber climbing pro climber things. The photographer had stilts fashioned from 2x4’s. I’d wager they were 10 feet long. This allowed him to be out from the wall, not just hanging against it.

It would definitely be a pain to set up but would probably really be a great angle for pro looking shots 

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsionwrote:

Years ago, I ran across a pro climber climbing pro climber things. The photographer had stilts fashioned from 2x4’s. I’d wager they were 10 feet long. This allowed him to be out from the wall, not just hanging against it.

It would definitely be a pain to set up but would probably really be a great angle for pro looking shots 

Yes, there is a shot of either Corey Rich or Jimmy Chin on "top" of a stepladder held horizontally on the rock, for the same reason.

Or you can do like me on Paciencia on the Eiger, be on such a crazily overhanging route that when you take out the one quickdraw holding the fixed line close to the rock, you go into a monster space pendulum and shoot at its apex: https://www.alexbuisse.com/Adventure/6

I’ve considered bringing collapsible painters poles to be able to get some distance from the wall. That’s an epic shot! 

Nice-- thanks for sharing, Alex. 

I've definitely seen some painter's stilts being used before, and the aforementioned ladder technique. Getting psyched for some Fall color coming! 

a 2 foot step ladder was able to get me this! Rigging is Rad!

Sick. Probably much lighter than what one could fabricate from wood too. 

Adam Bibeauwrote:

just re tried the rig with a 4 foot instead of a 2. also found a prussik to be wayyyy more efficient to adjust the tension of the ladder where it needs to be