If You Could See What I See...

Whenever I begin these little climbing posts, I feel tempted to recycle the bromidic phrase, If You Could See What I See.  With this expression--I think to myself--the reader will have undergone some prescribed Gestalt Shift which lends itself to my, not-so-unique-after-all, obsession.  The duck will become the rabbit, and the reader ought to now share my enthusiasm for clawing at these big pebbles.  Admittedly, it's a token best reserved for rousing speeches to a sleeping nation or to con a friend into some self-serving machination.



In an effort to curb this lexical proclivity, I began recording my climbing earlier this year.  In lieu of waxing spray-o-sophical on the movements, hold shapes, colors, and grade disputes of each route, I opted to carry a small camera out on my forays.  It's never been much my intention to create serious climbing media, but rather I'm looking for a way to stop being such an esoteric conversationalist.  I mean, honestly, how many times have I pulled you aside to explain a certain route, pinching at moldings and crimping on door frames!

It's interesting that in my attempt to seem more sane, I should feel most voyeuristic.  Sitting alone, sweating, shirtless in the summer heat, fumbling with my camera and my left shoe (a make-shift tripod) in the woods, I sometimes peel back my own lens and reveal to myself the madness of the situation.  The lunatics seem to be running the asylum despite my attempted quarantine.

Nevertheless,  I've found this quite a fun element to the overall day-in-the-woods experience.  Finding the right shot outside is something like musical rhythm.  That is, I'm not innately gifted at it and my attempts to excuse my deficiencies always revolve around the gear of my idols.  But this new vein of problem-solving creates more room both for learning and subsequent fulfillment.

With all things new, there is a tremendous desire for immediate mastery.  Nobody likes to suck at anything, especially when its very nature is so public.  As such I've started frequenting the blogs of a few professional climbing photographers and others who use the lens to frame their canvas.  There's a lot to be learned!

In the meantime, here's my first attempt at capturing What I See in the Woods.  Sadly, it took until mid-July for me to get back.  Que Sera...I'm so fuckin' psyched on climbing!!

Here's a little summer sampler...
Back in the Woods from ajugofwine on Vimeo.