Coming at you from EpicTV Climbing Daily, here is a great video with loads of indoor climbing photography tips.
In this video, photography Lena Drapella walks the audience through some tips to shoot better indoor climbing photography tips, and shows us some thoughts that go into her images and process when shooting in a climbing gym. Drapella's focus is in the outdoors and climbing, and the photographer has collaborated with brands such as GoPro, SmugMug, Rock and Ice Magazine, Peak Design, and National Geographic, among others.
The first thing that sticks out in this video, and the first thing Drapella mentions, is how her mind starts to accommodate the space she's in as soon as she walks into a climbing gym. Not only is she taking note of lighting, but she also notices at what angles she can shoot. Is there an upstairs? Do the boulder problems top out? Does she have to shoot strictly from the ground? By understanding the ins and outs of the specific gym you're shooting in, you can better start to think about what types of perspectives you can capture through the lens.
Another important tip to consider that Drapella mentions, no matter if you're shooting indoors or outdoors, is to try to capture the climber's face that you're photographing. "Butt shots," or images taken from the ground looking at the back of the climber, are generally boring. They fail to tell a full story and leave a viewer little to look at. However, if you can shoot climbers from above — do it. Climbing is a sport that requires full effort from the mind and body, so capturing the face of the person you're shooting will also lead to capturing raw emotion, and will provide an immediate connection from the viewers to your images.
Watch the above video fore more great indoor climbing photography tips from Drapella and EpicTV.
