climbing photographer brian solano dishes

i recently had the chance to chat with uber talented colorado photographer brian solano about his work and his views on photography. brian's work can be seen in both rock and ice's and urban climber's current photo annual. he has also produced feature films including karma, the autralian project and the life. check out more of brian's work at: http://www.bsproductions.us/

brian, thanks again for taking the time. let's dive right in. you shoot now, but didn't you start out as a bad-ass climber?

i started climbing focused on the competitive side of the sport. i competed for the us climbing team for several years, placing 14th at the world championships one year. eventually i got burnt out, sick of comps, sick of training, sick of not eating ice cream after dinner. i shifted shifting gears to climbing outside, shooting, and traveling. it’s all about the fun!

how did the professional interest in photography come about?

i travel a lot with friends who are climbing at the professional level. their sponsors were always looking for photos and i had been shooting these trips on a recreational level. i started submitting my photos to the mags, with no luck. looking back, i can see why, my first attempts at shooting were really lacking. from there, i started making climbing movies. learned a lot about light and composition. eventually, i got more focused and started approaching it as a profession.

what do you look for when you shoot. what moves you to pick up the camera?

super unique rock features that scream “climb me.” climbers that are motivated and love what they do. and style, i am sick of the climbing “bum” look.

i prefer solid ground when i shoot. what about you? any scary photography setups?

i’ve had to solo up some sketchy stuff to rig a rope. other than that, nothing too crazy. by now, i am pretty used to being in exposed situations, but i always make sure to rig a solid, safe ancor to shoot from. the last thing i wanna be doing is looking through a perspective altering fisheye lens, while trying to balance on a small ledge. i build an anchor and am able to focus on the photos, without worrying about falling off. safety first, photos second.

any advice for a newbie climber trying to photograph her first climbing trip?

ass shots suck, so try to get above the climber whenever possible. look for unique perspectives that tell the story. pay attention to the light, be creative, and have fun with it. most likely, you will be shooting digital, so shoot a lot. it won’t cost you anything.

some of your work just appeared in rock and ice's photo annual. how cool was that?

a lot of hard work goes into the photos, so it is rewarding to see the finished product. photo annuals rock. but, by the time they are on newsstands, i have already been working hard on new stuff. i just finished shooting a big feature for rock and ice in eldo. it’s gonna be hot!

what is tough about freelancing? what do you enjoy most?

i love the freedom and flexibility it provides, allowing me to shoot what i want, when i want. the down side is the inconsistent flow of income. i tend to have to work extra hard, because its not my style to be a climbing bum. i shoot a lot of other lifestyle/outdoor photos to pay the bills. but climbing will always be my passion and favorite subject to shoot.

i often hear that climbing photography isn't really evolving. how do you respond to those observations?

the people saying this are simply not part of the evolution. it's evolving everyday. i think photogs are really starting to step it up. flip through any of the mags and you will see something you have never seen before, plus a bunch of shots you’ve seen a hundred times before. some of us are hiking hundreds of pounds of studio lighting gear out into the mountains, bringing a whole new look to the sport. as the sport evolves, naturally, the photography will be evolving too. it’s a small industry so progression takes time.

thanks again and keep at it. we look forward to seeing more of your work out there!