Few climbing pics... ie. testing the new 14mm/2.8

**hemas** · 04-13-2007, 04:05 AM

Ok, just got a good deal from a fellow mag of a Pentax DA 14mm/2.8. So, as soon as I had collected it from the customs, I headed out with some of the peeps from my climbing club to do some afternoon bouldering.

Here's a few pics. Some tweakin' with Lightroom (a bit of cropping and some messing around with exposure and curves...).

Yes, I know, over processed... Any real tips on how to shoot a pic with severe back lighting going on (sun is hiding just behind the tip of the areta).

Only wankers use climbing shoes... and DON'T WEAR wool mitts

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Again, shooting into the sun... Any tips, 'cept not to do it

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Yep, over exposed the sky...

Oh, and it was windy:

Finally 2 shots with my Sigma 24-70/2.8 EX Macro

Sadly, I was not able to pick any intersting angles, as I had to use these to move around (I'm leaning on to the other):

Comments, bashing and name calling are welcome.

**majortom** · 04-13-2007, 04:59 AM

Some nice pics in there - might be worth considering a graduated filter to reduce the brightness of the sky/enhance the foreground details a bit.

**hemas** · 04-13-2007, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by majortom

Some nice pics in there - might be worth considering a graduated filter to reduce the brightness of the sky/enhance the foreground details a bit.

True... I also need to buy some ND filters for shooting in sunny snow conditions...

It's just that they cost a fortune... the 14mm has filter size of 77mm and the 24-70 has 82mm

...

I have no budget yet to get everything I want... Still lackin' the tele-side (though I have an old manual M42 200mm/4 w/ adapter that I plan on using, and possible get and old 135/2.8 manual as well).

**Tectonically_Neglected** · 04-13-2007, 05:24 AM

Can't comment on the technique of taking pics.

But if you want critique you can get it

The bouldering as you show it seems rather ‘static’ whilst in reality, bouldering is dynamic. I miss that in your pics. Try to show movement.

As for topic: neither problems, nor ppl, nor climbing looks exceptionally interesting/ eye catching (IMHO). You can’t change that, it’s what you’ve got to work with.

In such an instance you want to make more than ‘just point and shoot em action’ pics, you have to get funky with positioning (which you couldn’t do either coz of the knee) or use the landscape more. I have the impression that the surroundings are pretty nice there. Use it.

Alternatively, if you can’t show the surroundings (or don’t want to), try to show the whole boulder.

Lastly, if you want to show a climber climbing, try to take away all other clutter: people, shadows, shoes, chalk bags etc. Make the pic ‘clean’.

As for pic for pic comments

1. cool pic, contrast seems high though (lights and darks)
2. see previous comment AND, the spotter seems to be holding the climber AND the climber ‘falls’ away in the darkness of the (shadow of the) boulder. I like what you’re trying to do though.
3. shadows of the peanut gallery take away from the (focus of the) shot
4. again, shadows and the innocent bystander take away from the shot
5. a shot against sunlight with only a silhouette can be cool. Here the shape of the silhouette is… not so interesting
6. too bad about the bystanders and a shame that he’s climbing in the shadows. Looks like an hour earlier or later and he might have been in the sun? (I’ve met professional climbing photogs who wait till the lighting fits or even adds to the pic, before taking a pic)
7. again, bystanders and other climber take away
8. –
9. cool shot. Pity it’s in the shade again and you can’t see the hold he’s using. Same idea with a different hold (say a crimp) might be better?
10. see above but now he’s not using the hold yet and because it’s a gaston not everyone will understand what’s going on/ the hand position
11. cool shot, a pity about the crutches

Well there it is, my 0.02.

Despite the plethora of comments, I’m not trying to put you or the pics themselves down. Also keep in mind that I know nothing of taking pics. When I do try, I mostly get the usual point and shootems…

**hemas** · 04-13-2007, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by Tectonically_Neglected

6. too bad about the bystanders and a shame that he’s climbing in the shadows. Looks like an hour earlier or later and he might have been in the sun? (I’ve met professional climbing photogs who wait till the lighting fits or even adds to the pic, before taking a pic)

Cheers, M. All comments are welcome... Be it positions of climbers or be it about technique...

Alas, I really didn't have an option with the timing... Basicly I just tagged along on a outing...

BTW. here's the same areta from last fall... Yours truly climbing/posing... Shot with a crappy P&S on a small tripod...

A fun problem none the less...

As for 9 and 10, well here's a messed up B&W from the same problem (again, nice problem):

**pechelman** · 04-13-2007, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by hemas

Yes, I know, over processed... Any real tips on how to shoot a pic with severe back lighting going on (sun is hiding just behind the tip of the areta).

shoot into the sun as much as you want, just be sure to let your camera meter on what you want exposed properly.

Id have probably just swung the camera over, metered on the top face of the rock, and used that exposure value with your above framing.

If I wanted a perfect exposure on the climber, id have metered off his hand or cheek, adjusted one stop for the higher reflectivity of skin, and taken the shot.

just be aware that when you do that, you will desaturate the sky as it will now be "overexposed"