Sunday, 11 October 2015

A spot of sports photography.



Ay uP

It has been a very full on few weeks with photographing the annual British Lead and Speed Championships and the final round of the BMC/MCofS Junior Lead Cup and the IFSC Paraclimbing Cup at Awesome Walls Sheffield (that very much lives up to its name), loads of photography exploring in the peaks, new print works, paintings and an EP launch from Sheffield’s finest funk band Hot Diamond Aces, which proudly sees my artwork on both sides of the sleeve.

 So here are a few of my favorite shots from the competitions at Awesome Walls. It was a lot of work but one of those efforts that rewards in spades. It has been difficult sifting through the 2700 plus photos taken on the Saturday and Sunday. Getting behind and to the top of the 15-meter high wall gave such good angles and views of the athletes making very hard routes look very easy. It’s a joy to watch when its done well, a little bit like dancing. As a climbing enthusiast myself I have such respect for what I was watching. I was especially moved when I watched something I didn’t even know existed. In rounds of the Paraclimbing there were partially blind and fully blind climbers. It is hard not to be inspired when watching the efforts of these athletes. Below them are spotters that talk to them as they ascend which just ads to what I find so beautiful about climbing in the first place. Climbing to me is a very personal journey, which embraces challenge, growth and achievement. But it also does something rather special amongst climbers and its communities. No mater where you are at in your climbing, every climber has his or her own limit. When we achieve something at our limit anyone who climbs knows that feeling and can relate. It is not unusual to see total strangers shouting encouragement to each other at climbing centers such as Awesome Walls. So as I pointed out about it being a personal thing, it is also one of sharing, respect and the community feeling you get from climbing becomes very addictive and inspiring.


 Here is a link to UKClimbing website for a run down of the event which features two of my photos. Nice.
 Here is a link to awesome walls Sheffield if you wish to give climbing a go.
As there are so many photos here from the BLCC that I will do a separate blog for the Hot Diamond Aces EP and my recent peaks photography exploring later in the week.

Plus many more can be seen on the awesome walls Facebook page with photos by myself, Phil Borodajkewycz and Zoe Bateman.

 Thanks and enjoy X.
Click on the images to enlarge.

















































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