Category Archives: Climbing
PatitucciPhoto Outdoor Industry Photography
Recent Clips
It is always rewarding to see prominent uses of our work, these are two fun examples. Above is an image we made last fall while visiting the US with Italian friend Kurt Astner. Our two month long climbing road trip was meant to take us back to our roots shooting the same subject matter that was our intro to the world of outdoor industry photography 15 years ago. In the early days we shot climbing, loads of it, and had two covers of Climbing Magazine in the early 2000′s. These were likely our first big clips. Now, 10 years later, we are happy to say we are just as thrilled to see the result of lots of effort get used.
The second use is just plain BIG. Last week was the ISPO Trade Show in Munich, Germany. There, Janine and I charged around the show connecting appointments and continually running into PatitucciPhoto images as booth displays. But none were so big as the Jack Wolfskin panels wrapping their impressive booth. This seems to prove that the Canon 5d can go to at least 5 meters tall.
Training with Ueli Steck
I have watched the Sender film The Swiss Machine numerous times – and still the goosebumps come. Seeing Ueli Steck speed soloing the North Wall of the Eiger is something sublime. For those not familiar with this, a quick summary: Ueli Steck, alone, climbed the North Wall of the Eiger in 2:47 minutes. This is something along the lines of someone suddenly running a one minute mile. He also established alpine speed records on the North Wall of the Matterhorn as well as the Grand Jorasses. Feats that left the climbing world stunned.
Ueli Steck beneath the North Wall of the Eiger. February 2011
As a climber myself, I am in awe of his technical skills and mental strength. As an athlete, I am inspired by both his fitness and ability to push himself to limits when the consequences are extreme. Ueli Steck not only plays one of the most dangerous games, he does it as an elite athlete, combining many skills and applying them to huge objectives. One can’t help but wonder, what’s this guy like?
The subject came up recently when talking to Mountain Hardwear, a company we provide photography for and who works closely with Ueli in developing their alpine gear and clothing. With Ueli preparing for an upcoming trip to the Himalaya, I asked them about spending some days photographing him training at home in Interlaken, Switzerland. One thing lead to another and suddenly it was a go, I had Ueli on the line and a plan came together.
The catch was, Mountain Hardwear did not want a “photoshoot”, but rather a documentary of Ueli’s time which it turns out, is in great demand. Ueli is in the middle of a slideshow circuit for Explora.ch in Switzerland and has a show almost every night for 6 weeks right up until the eve of his Himalaya departure.
Photographing Ueli Steck
Typically, photoshoots include our ability to control what we photograph. We know where, when and what we will shoot ahead of time. In this case, we had no clue, we were along for Ueli’s ride. With his tight schedule, Ueli needed to maximize his training time so as to fit it in along with two shows and a TV interview – just in the two days we were with him. We were allowed to hover but not to impose, the photos had to be honest accounts of who he is. No back and forth in perfect light at a scouted location, just running by where we could get to him.
So, what was it like? How is the Swiss Machine? Janine and I met him in pre-dawn darkness in Grindelwald, Switzerland and were immediately struck by his casual, friendly nature. He’s also all business, “I’m going to run up to the Eigergletscher Station (1400 meters gain), you take the train up, ski down and shoot me where we meet. Then I wait for you at the station, bring my skis up, we’ll ski down together and then go get some lunch.” Off he went, “Tschüss!”
Setting out in the early morning to run pistes. Grindelwald, Switzerland
Coffee at Grindelwald's C & M Cafe
Later, after our turn free descent, we headed for a local cafe and finally got to spend some time sitting and getting to know this guy. Some of the creative direction provided was to capture what a “badass” he is while training. And admittedly, I had gone into the shoot with the desire to do this very thing. I wanted portraits that demonstrated his “Swiss Machine-ness”; absolute focus, maybe even a killer look in his eye. I found none of this to be the case. This was my perception of a man who has certainly done some very “badass” things, but when sitting at a table sharing a meal, I felt I was with a completely normal person who happens to have some clearly defined goals and is willing to work very hard to obtain them.
Ueli Steck winter running below the Eiger
Suddenly my perception and focus changed. With our job being to document Ueli Steck, I realized I wasn’t going to get “badass”, I was going to get a guy running in the woods behind his house, training at his local climbing gym and drinking coffee in the morning. This is who the hero is. He is a genuinely good guy working his ass off each and every day, balancing a staggering training program with a climbing profession, a media onslaught, and a happy marriage; the badass comes from what he accomplishes. Ueli Steck might be a bit uncomfortable being called a hero, but he handles it with grace. Best of all, he is a guy to learn some things from about working hard for what you want. What more could you want from a hero?
Morning run; approximately 10km, 1400 meters gain, on snow, fast.
Post morning run; straight to Interlaken's climbing gym
Many laps on hard routes
Ueli Steck presenting his show to a Swiss audience
Ueli at home; a man who loves coffee and knows how to do it right
Training in the forest behind the house
Post run; straight to Bern for a TV interview. Briefing & makeup
Another Ueli Steck day
Post TV show; straight to Bern's climbing gym
Janine and I would like to express our sincerest thanks to Ueli for welcoming us into his home and life for two days – and to Mountain Hardwear for making it all possible.
To keep track of Ueli, visit his Facebook Page: Ueli Steck
Photographing Climbing Zion National Park Moonlight Buttress
Kurt Astner climbing Moonlight Buttress
The last six weeks has been full of traveling, visiting friends, climbing, and of course shooting it all for both work and fun. But now, life on the road is a wrap. Swapping a car full of climbing gear for a tiny backpack, sandals, and simple camera set up, we are now bound for Vietnam and Cambodia to do personal work. Our 2010 mountain sport shoot schedule is finished.
It ended appropriately with a perfect shoot on one of the best free climbs in America; Zion National Park’s Moonlight Buttress, 5.12d.
Our great friend and Italian climbing star, Kurt Astner, did Moonlight Buttress a couple of days after settling into Zion’s style. I was thrilled when Kurt agreed to go right back on the route the very next day. So good was Moonlight (and so fit is Kurt), that he was actually happy to go lap some of the best pitches, which it turns out, is pretty much all of them.
Together with Thomas Engl, we walked to the top in pre-dawn darkness, rapped in, and began shooting golden sunrise light on the top pitches. This was the day.
Kurt Astner climbing Zion's Moonlight Buttress
Kurt Astner climbing Zion's Moonlight Buttress as the first light of the day hits the wall
Kurt powering through a finger crack section
Kurt enjoying the rare mid-pitch rest
Chimney pitch wound
Kurt on the 5.12d dihedral pitch of Moonlight Buttress
Kurt Astner finishing the dihedral pitch on Moonlight Buttress
Thomas Engl, psyched belayer, soon to do Moonlight himself
Kurt sorting climbing gear
Thomas, not finished with being vertical once on top, goes upside down vertical
Thomas, river jump ballet after rapping the route
Walking out, Moonlight is the sunlit pillar behind
The boys headed for the car
Climbing Road Trip Photos
10 years later, nothing much has changed. While 2000 was spent living in a VW Westfalia, connecting the dots that are climbing areas in the Western US and shooting photos that would be the foundation of our mountain sport photography business – 2010 is little different. While a Subaru has replaced a VW, and seeking dial up has been eliminated by an iPad, really, little has changed. I still get scared at Indian Creek, my hands still bleed from crack climbing, road tripping climbers are immense fun and Yosemite’s walls are still HUGE. Best of all, we still love making photos that document life on a climbing road trip, there is just nothing like it. Climbing ties it all together, immerses us in a unique culture and gives us a goal beyond just photos.
Here then are some of our favorite images from the last month on the road, not necessarily for work, but from our life in the Sierra Nevada, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite Valley, Indian Creek and Castle Valley.
Kurt Astner wrestling with hand jams on the Phoenix, 5.13a, in Yosemite Valley
Kurt Astner on Phoenix 5.13a
Heading down at sunset after climbing desert towers, Castle Valley, Utah
Alberto De Giuli coiling the rope after rappelling off Castleton Tower
Alberto De Giuli topping out on Tuolumne's Cathedral Peak as the first raindrops of an October storm begin
Alberto De Giuli and Janine Patitucci moving quickly up the final 4th class of the East Buttress route to the summit of Mt. Whitney
Alberto De Giuli on the Tower Traverse pitch of the East Face route on Mt. Whitney, 5.6
Washing up in Iceberg Lake beneath the East Face of Mt. Whitney
Night scene in camp beneath Mt. Whitney
Watching the sunset from the Grandview Trail in Canyonlands National Park
Hiking into Mt. Whitney and Iceberg Lake
Approaching the impressive East Face of Mt. Whitney and Keeler Needle
Photographing Climbing in the Italian Dolomites
My connection to the climbing world is strong and influential to where I am today.
In the fall of 1987 I went climbing for the first time, by winter I was obsessed. A short time later I picked up a camera to begin photographing this image rich sport, then in 1998 I became a fulltime, professional photographer shooting primarily climbing. As the years progressed I became a “We” and we (with Janine) moved into different outdoor subject matter, typically the same subjects we were most interested in at the time. But climbing has always remained close, and so it is a treat to take on a job that allows me to return to my roots.
A good friend here in the Italian Dolomites is professional climber and UIAGM Mountain Guide Kurt Astner. In recent years, Kurt has been busy freeing old aid lines as well as putting up some routes of his own on the dizzying steep walls of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo’s Cima Ovest and Cima Grande. During the summer of 2010 he established an all new route, Pressknödel (7c), with fellow UIAGM Mountain Guide and professional climber Christoph Hainz. In addition to this route, he repeated a former aid line recently freed by a Czech team, now Super Erectissima, 8a+.
Kurt asked me to join him on the two routes so we could make some images, but poor August weather continually delayed the work. We even managed to get up on the routes in preparation for the photo work only to have thick cloud cover, rain and ice force us down. Finally in late August, the high class climbing magazine Vertical became involved, renewing our motivation with a deadline for a story on Kurt.
On September 4 we were able to photograph both routes. Yet still some rain came down, we were pelted by ice and the clouds tortured us at sunset. Together with Stephan Steinkeller we managed a long and productive day, climbing the first part of the Cassin Route before traversing into Pressknödel to rig and get me in place. After these photos, we rappelled the route and ran for Super Erectissima. The sun was sinking into big black clouds sitting on the horizon. Kurt climbed the lower pitches, fixed a rope, and I quickly jumared the overhanging face. Literally in the final moments of daylight, we made the last images.
Climbing: A Photographer’s Perspective
If you have ever wondered what it’s like to be a climbing photographer, and especially to work in a vertical, or in this case overhanging world, here is my perspective from this photoshoot. Note the exposure in positioning, the timing of images to the body position and how still I must remain so as not to swing around. First you’ll see Kurt climbing, then the logistics of moving about on a steep wall. Making climbing images requires a massive amount of work and comfort in this world, it helps to be a real climber, and it especially helps to have a great climber to work with.
- Kurt Astner at the base of the Cima Grande
- Kurt Astner climbing Pressknödel 7c. Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italian Dolomites
- Kurt Astner climbing Pressknödel 7c. Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italian Dolomites
- Kurt Astner lowering off Pressknödel 7c, Tre Cime di Lavaredo
- Stephan lassoing Kurt to reel him into the wall
- Kurt Astner climbing Super Erectissima 8a+. Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italian Dolomites
- Kurt Astner climbing Super Erectissima 8a+. Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italian Dolomites. The last image in the last light.
For the whole story of free climbing at the Dolomite’s Tre Cime di Lavaredo by Kurt Astner, watch for Vertical Magazine’s full feature in an upcoming issue.
Also posted in Dolomites, Photography
Tagged Adventure Sports, Climbing, Dolomites, Mountain Sports, Photography, Rock Climbing
8 Comments
Jack Wolfskin Winter Catalog Photoshoot
Even after 12 years of seeing our work published, it is always exciting to see a big job in print, especially when it looks its best thanks to great design. This last week we received the Jack Wolfskin 2011 winter catalog, at nearly 2cm thick it is probably the biggest catalog in the outdoor industry. Jack Wolfskin is an enormous high end German gear manufacturer with a massive presence in Europe. Last winter we were contacted by their advertising agency about doing a sizeable commercial shoot for them in California’s Sierra Nevada. The timing worked out perfectly, plans were made and a short time later we had a pallet (yes, pallet) meet up with us in California. Along with the product came the creative direction – our job was to realistically document a backcountry ski and alpine climbing trip in the Sierra. Our specialty.
The next step, and always the most difficult, was to find the right people to do the project with. We needed three friends with very specific requirements: the right sizes, a high level of skiing ability, alpine climbing skills, fun for the camera, personable, dynamic, and of course the necessary time. In the end, we had the ideal group; David Page, Ben Grasseschi and Brandyn Roark Gray. Together with the stars we had an equally important team of porters to carry all our stuff into the mountains so we could be free to shoot and not deal with logistics.
The Sierra Nevada was at its best for us, abundant blue sky above a very fresh two feet of unusually dry powder. Our location choice was Basin Mountain above Bishop – we nailed the timing, the conditions and the creative. Our models nailed the turns, the fun, the laughing and the friendship. A huge success. A happy client and a very happy group of skiers, porters, and photographers.
Included here is a small sampling of image usage from the alpine climbing segment of the story. Thanks to Jack Wolfskin and all our friends for a great shoot.
Also posted in Clips, Photo Business, Photography, Skiing, Trail Running
Tagged Adventure Sports, Backcountry Skiing, Photography, Photoshoot Story, Trail Running
6 Comments
Photo of the Day: The Evolution Traverse
Sunset while on the summit of Mt. Mendel
With 21 years of climbing memories in my head, there is one experience that truly stands out; Climbing the Sierra Nevada’s Evolution Traverse in 2002.
For me, the photo I have chosen is all about beauty, all about a great experience with a good friend, and all about being in the mountains doing what I love.
Late one fall day, David Melkonian and I set off to traverse Peter Croft’s long, long ridge traverse. How long in distance I don’t even remember, how long in hours I do – 17 in our case. Our 3pm alpine start guaranteed we wouldn’t get far before darkness, so we carried a light sleeping bag each and hoped for warm nighttime temps on the 13,406 foot Mt. Mendel summit. As the sun went down, the sky erupted in color and golden light. Dave and I were able to enjoy the solitude and beauty from the top of one of the Sierra’s best viewpoints. Moments later we were huddled in our sleeping bags anxiously awaiting the sun’s return.
The next day is a blurred memory of focused movement traversing miles of granite. The ridge is a defined line drawn out ahead of the climber, always forcing more effort until the last summit and the long descent to the Evolution Basin far below. We were successful in finishing the route, soloing all but the chossey rappel from Darwin’s summit and one tricky spot getting to Mendel’s summit.
In the end we were spent. We slept another night out beneath the stars, but this time in the dry grass of Evolution Basin. I remember laying in my sleeping bag with aching hands, hungry, exhausted but not wanting to sleep, only to take it all in, knowing I had just gone through a great experience.
Also posted in Photo of the Week, Photography
Tagged Climbing, Photography, Sierra Nevada
2 Comments
No Photos, just Words
Twenty years ago I did little more than climb; sport climb, trad climb and alpine climb. Like so many other climbers of my generation, Peter Croft was a hero. He was also, and still is, a friend. I vividly remember one morning we spent having coffee together at my house, he was telling me all about a morning he hiked in to climb a North Cascade peak. Alone in the pre-dawn with the smells, the sounds, and the anticipation of going climbing – things all climbers will understand. He recalled crossing some frozen snow where he banged his knuckles, causing them to bleed a bit. Details of the climb were skipped, instead he described seeing the little spots of red in the snow later that day and having his morning come back to him, realizing that he had passed through the environment in the darkness and that he had been a part of a much bigger picture.
Something made me think of that this morning as I hiked alone in the dark toward a climb in the Alps. I am fortunate, for well over twenty years now, the majority of my days have been spent in the mountains. Yet still, when the alarm wakes me in the middle of the night I often feel the same child-like excitement for what I will see, what I will experience, and for all the emotions of the coming day.
We are inundated with images and video, everything everyone does is broadcast with visuals. I am a part of this. Deeper than what we see are the feelings we have when we, as individuals, are actually doing what we love, passing through the environment and taking it all in. We must not forget to slow it all down and do something purely for the sake of what it gives us. And we must not forget that in addition to photos and video and all the impact that they can carry, there are words. Maybe they’re not as fun, and certainly slower paced, but perhaps they are the most important of all. Especially those words which run through our own head and remind us that yes, there is a much bigger picture through which we are passing.
And so this post is just words, I made no photos of my climb, I just thought about how wonderful it was to spend a morning alone in the big mountains.
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