The Art Of The Climbing Selfie
Spending a day alone in the woods while bouldering is something I enjoy quite a bit. The serenity of the birds chirping, wind blowing, and little critters running around is music to my ears. It reminds me that bouldering has always been a means to interact with nature, and not just about climbing hard problems. As the sport continues to grow the ability to experience these special moments becomes more and more scarce, and because of the scarcity these precious times are almost considered sacred for me. The lack of screaming of children hiking through the woods with their families, or groups of young strong climbers screaming like banshees while falling on their “sick projects” is peaceful. No one shouting beta at me, and no one scaring off the wildlife. Just tranquil peace!
This now rare solitude also gives more chances to create better images while climbing. Usually people aren’t willing to wait around while I find the perfect composition. They’re much more interested in the climbing than waiting around for my creative process. I’m far more patient with myself than any of my friends are, and because of this I can often make better images while bouldering alone.
I use Sony cameras that have a wonderful built-in feature called the intervalometer. Basically it allows the camera to take images in intervals of your chosen duration. I bring a tripod along, set up my composition, typically set the camera to take the shots every 1sec, so it don’t miss much. I can then just climb normally and review the camera after. It works quite well, and requires no other assistance.