Simon Carter is a professional outdoors photographer with an admirable reputation as being one of the world's best photographers, having been named the World's Best Adventure Photographer by Men's Journal Magazine (USA) and called "arguably the greatest climbing photographer of all time" by the Rock and Ice Magazine (USA), his reputation is well deserved.
We sat down with Simon to discuss his life as an outdoor photographer and what inspired him to specialize in climbing photography.
- Can you tell us about how you started being a professional rock-climbing photographer? How does one get into such a specific niche?
As a kid my dream was to be a photographer but it turned out to be a long road getting there, there was a false start when I worked a dead-end "photography" job for several years – stuck in a darkroom -- and became disillusioned. Years later, in 1994, I was climbing full-time, living in a tent at Mount Arapiles in Victoria. My friends at the time were brilliant rock climbers, and they were doing exciting things. So, I started photographing them and their achievements on my rest days. That's when it clicked, and I decided to commit to full-time rock climbing photography; I didn't know if it would be possible in Australia. So I did a small business course, travelled around Australia photographing climbing, and published a calendar of my work, which sold well and got me started. But now I don't know how you'd get into climbing photography. Unlike 30 years ago, now the media is saturated with climbing images, so you'd have to find a way to stand out. I'd probably head to the USA, where climbing imagery is in a far bigger market.
- What are you looking for when capturing your shots, and what do you hope to portray or inspire with your photos?
I try to convey the struggle, the emotion and the athleticism of the climber, but above all, I want to show the setting in which the action is taking place. Capturing the landscape, a sense of place, and the fantastic rock architecture is really important to me. Rock climbers are lucky to have such unique and wondrous playgrounds!
I would love it if people were inspired by my work to connect with nature in a positive and meaningful way. Climbing is not for everyone, but I want to show what goes on out there and the positive side of climbing.
- With these shots, how much preparation do you do when you're about to take a photo? Do you usually have a preconceived idea of what you want to capture, or do you often wait for that perfect moment to present itself?
Well, it varies. Sometimes, you're just trying to document the action and have to make the most of the light and the situation. Other times, I will be out on a cliff and see a really good angle – then return to shoot it at the best time of day and/or year. But I think my best and most satisfying work has often come from a preconceived idea. For example, sometimes, I try to imagine the best possible image of a particular route or cliff, and then I work backwards from there. So that leads to questions such as: what's required to get in position at the right time to capture a valley full of clouds behind the climbers? Or how to position the camera out from the cliff to get a unique angle?
- What are some of the lengths you've gone to to get the perfect shot?
One of my favorite shots is from the Tsaranoro Massif in Madagascar. We spent days travelling to get there, then we left camp at 4 am and hiked an hour to the cliff and climbed 200m (656ft) of fixed rope up the climb in time for sunrise – and it was stunning!
Most shots require some travel, hiking uphill with a pack full of climbing and camera gear, scrambling around, abseiling and getting scared. I've often had to return to a climb numerous times until all the elements have come together. That's because sometimes you learn something about the shot you are trying to create, and other times, it's just because you need to get lucky with the light. The light is essential; it's something you can't always predict and sometimes you must flirt with bad weather.
- Many of your photos are at the perfect angle... surely this isn't by chance. Is setting yourself up quite challenging to capture these shots with rigging and suspension?
Most rigging is straightforward, even if I need to abseil down in several places until I find the best angle. But yes, sometimes the rigging can get complicated. One of the challenges with climbing photography is that you often want to get the camera away from the cliff to get a perspective looking back in. Sometimes, you can achieve this by rigging a second rope to pull yourself away from the main cliff. Other times, there is nothing there to attach the second rope to, so for those situations, I've developed a "photo pole" apparatus, which is basically an 8-metre-long pole that enables me to suspend the camera out from the cliff.
- Any work hazards? What was the most dangerous situation you've found yourself in? Tell us about it.
Scrambling around cliff tops is possibly the biggest hazard. Once, I followed a world-class climber out onto a ledge near the top of the Squamish Chief cliff in Canada. He had walked across it numerous times before, and I didn't overthink it until I got about halfway across the ledge; the ledge had narrowed to about 30 cm wide, and my pack was so big and heavy that it was pushing me off. There was a 200-meter drop below. I froze. I could just crouch and hang on while he got a rope to me. It was a good reminder that I'm not a world-class climber, and usually, I prefer a slow and safe approach, so I'll stick with that!
- You've won awards such as the "Rick White Memorial Medal," for outstanding achievement and contribution to Australian climbing, "The King Albert Medal of Mer," for achievements in the field of climbing/action photography and "Best Feature Photography" from the Society of Publishers in Asia – are these awards your proudest moments, or can you tell us what is?
To answer that honestly, the international awards, namely the "King Albert Medal" (in Switzerland), the "Camera Extreme Laureate" (Poland), and the "Best Book Mountain Image" (Banff, Canada), have been my most gratifying or yes, proudest, moments. It's incredibly nice to have my work recognized in that way, and the award ceremonies themselves were all mind-blowing, incredibly memorable events which I am fortunate to have experienced. But I would also have to say that the single thing that I am most proud of is my coffee table book Rock Climbing Down Under: Australia Exposed, which we published in 2014. It was many years of work, and I know I would be hard-pressed to better my photography there. Also, 80 climbers contributed stories to the book, which is a significant documentation of Australian climbing and is well-supported by the community. External recognition is not my objective; I think having a strong inner compass is important, and that book is the single thing I am most proud of.
- Climbing and photography have taken you all over the world. Do you prefer climbing in Australia or overseas, and where's your favourite crag?
Ha ha, that's not so easy to answer! Some of my best climbing experiences have been in Australia, such as the Serpentine on Taipan Wall in the Grampians and the Totem Pole in Tasmania. And I love the Blue Mountains, which is where I live because here I have a life plus enjoy a ton of great climbing. But for the sheer quality of the climbing, the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, USA, is my favourite area. And for a destination, the Nosy Hara Archipelago off the northern coast of Madagascar has been my favourite place to visit. Still, it's four days of travel to get there, so that won't be happening again soon!
- You've gotten up close to some of the world's most talented climbers (not to mention yourself!); is there a quality or trait that the elite climbers have in common?
There's the drive; the drive, dedication and passion are common traits. Many climbers fully immerse themselves in the activity and can be obsessive (sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes not so much…). But climbers are a diverse bunch with a diverse range of personalities and characters. The stories that I could tell you!
- What would you rather be doing, photographing or climbing?
Can't answer that! From day to day, it varies, but I need both. They both give me balance -- and I hope I will always be doing them both.