Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Author

20th anniversary of Serpentine February 23/24 Feb


westie

27-Feb-2008
12:14:38 PM

On 27/02/2008 nmonteith wrote:

i wasn't off route on my rap rope for Serp

yea I know, too complex to explain the comment though. nice pics.

kieranl

27-Feb-2008
12:16:05 PM

On 27/02/2008 nmonteith wrote:
>A belated congrats to Mr Will Monks for finally linking his girdle traverse
>of the left side of Taipan into Lawrence of Arabia. On the weekend he climbed
>from the belay of Sirocco all the way across to the Seventh Pillar (grade
>25?). It would now be 5 pitches of girdle from Dinosaurs Don't Dyno to
>Naja.
Does this mean Will is taking over Chris Baxter's role as creator of long pointless girdles on every cliff in the land?


nmonteith

27-Feb-2008
12:36:29 PM

On 27/02/2008 kieranl wrote:
>Does this mean Will is taking over Chris Baxter's role as creator of long
>pointless girdles on every cliff in the land?

It's actually a pretty fun route - especially since much of it as at a reasonably easy grade for Taipan (23). Some of the pockets and moves are unlikely (ie easier than you expect).

27-Feb-2008
1:43:02 PM

There's not really much point in climbing *up* cliffs either.... but I will at least promise that I will never establish even 1% as many worthless obscure trad 17s as CB. Anyway don't blame me, Noddy and HB started all this lateral thinking with Lawrence of Arabia.

Arabic Mint is 25, probably only 24 technically but bumped up due to sustained tradding and some rope cutting issues for the 2nd...Adam got some unwanted excitement and my rope is now 5m shorter

The pitches of the full girdle are 32m 21, 10m 17, 25m 25, 33m 21, 50m 21 - awaiting a continuous ascent, help yourself.

The obvious linkup of Blackadder into Chicane via Upper Spurt Wall is my next project.

stuart

27-Feb-2008
2:15:03 PM

> here's not really much point in climbing *up* cliffs either....

Touche.

simey

28-Feb-2008
9:04:13 AM

With regard to Neil's photos of Malcolm on Serpentine...

I've gotta say that of all the photos you took that weekend, those ones really didn't grab me much. It is probably because I've seen Serpentine photographed so many times before. The photos aren't bad, but they lack that special something. Maybe if Malcolm had the shirt off (and some eighties style Stubbies shorts) the photos would have had a bit more character.

The shots of Macca on Shai-Hulud however are great.

But personally, I would have chosen this shot for Pic of the Week...

http://neilshaulbag.smugmug.com/gallery/4400820_EKQnE#258467600


nmonteith

28-Feb-2008
9:22:44 AM

It's Simey 'tell it like it is' Mentz!

Onsight

28-Feb-2008
10:42:55 AM

Sounding like an armchair critic!

Each to their own but I like your shots Neil. I don't think it matters much which one is chosen for pic of the week but that one is a nice shot of Malcolm, and I agree w your rationale. I've dealt with some really bad photo editors over the years -- but you're sure not one of them.


nmonteith

28-Feb-2008
10:52:21 AM

I think there is also a big difference between shooting an 'event' and shooting a 'climb'. I didn't have the luxury of perfect light or being able to direct the climber. I was merely a photo journo trying my best to capture what was happening in realtime. With the perfect light, outfit and co-operation of the climber the photos would have been better - but they would also have been less broad in their spectrum. I think they work best as a collection rather than a single photo. If you want a good single of photo of Serp see Mr Carter! He's produces the ducks nuts when it comes to the full blown 'wow' factor.


nmonteith

28-Feb-2008
10:54:12 AM

On 28/02/2008 Onsight wrote:
>Sounding like an armchair critic!

Without critics we wouldn't know when we do something wrong or how to make things better. I'm all for constructive feedback! Life would be boring if everyone agreed with everything.

simey

28-Feb-2008
11:29:23 AM

The weird thing about taking photos is that even when you have everything in your favour, you don't always nail that really special shot. And then there are those times when you snap a few shots without any great expectations only to discover that you've captured something pretty unique.


nmonteith

28-Feb-2008
11:51:46 AM

...and then there is those times when you 'see' the perfect shot through the viewfinder but you fail to hit the shutter at the right moment.


evanbb

28-Feb-2008
12:05:55 PM

On 28/02/2008 nmonteith wrote:
>I think there is also a big difference between shooting an 'event' and
>shooting a 'climb'. I didn't have the luxury of perfect light or being
>able to direct the climber. I was merely a photo journo trying my best
>to capture what was happening in realtime.

I strongly agree Neil, and also favour that style of photography. I like photos that describe the 'climbing life'; you know, the waiting, watching, fiddling with gear, caught ropes, the full banana. I sometimes find the 'prefect photos' don't reflect my experience of climbing accurately, and become more of an artistic pursuit. Which is fine.

But I don't like it.

Ronny

28-Feb-2008
12:19:39 PM

On 28/02/2008 nmonteith wrote:

>Without critics we wouldn't know when we do something wrong or how to
>make things better. I'm all for constructive feedback! Life would be boring
>if everyone agreed with everything.

Too true. I used to 'hang around' on a photography web forum but have given up on it because the only comments were overly 'nice', and hence useless.

Simey's right about Serpentine being overphotographed though. Last year someone I know suggested that there ought to be a one year voluntary monatorium on publishing Serpentine photos in either print or on the web. Its a bit sad when your reaction to photos (whether good bad or otherwise) of one the most famous routes in the country is merely "oh look - another Serpentine photo..."


nmonteith

28-Feb-2008
12:26:51 PM

On 28/02/2008 Ronny wrote:

>Simey's right about Serpentine being overphotographed though. Last year
>someone I know suggested that there ought to be a one year voluntary monatorium
>on publishing Serpentine photos in either print or on the web.

I have the same feeling about:

Anything on the left side of Muline
Anything on the right side of Boronia Point
Kachoong
Pilot Error

If i ever see another photo of these in print - argggg!!!


evanbb

28-Feb-2008
12:32:04 PM

On 28/02/2008 nmonteith wrote:
>I have the same feeling about:
>

>If i ever see another photo of these in print - argggg!!!

And photos taken from the top of a boulder problem focussing on the chalky digits of the climber, out of focus eyes in the background.


kuu

28-Feb-2008
1:28:18 PM

On 28/02/2008 evanbb wrote:
>On 28/02/2008 nmonteith wrote:
>>I have the same feeling about:
>>
>
>>If i ever see another photo of these in print - argggg!!!
>
>And photos taken from the top of a boulder problem focussing on the chalky
>digits of the climber, out of focus eyes in the background.

Will we see a new thread appearing soon on Chockstone?
“The worst clichés in climbing photography”

Lee C

28-Feb-2008
3:29:10 PM

On the subject of moratorium's how about a 1 or 2 decade one for the god damn Totem Pole!

Dave J

28-Feb-2008
3:37:24 PM

On 28/02/2008 Lee C wrote:
>On the subject of moratorium's how about a 1 or 2 decade one for the god
>damn Totem Pole!

Yes! I was just going to say that.

And a permanent ban on shots where the climber is carefully positioned to hide the piece of gear at their
chest.

Dave J

28-Feb-2008
3:38:51 PM

Hey Lee,

how did Gilgamesh go in the end?

There are 129 messages in this topic.