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Fine art sport photography

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 cookie-doo 04 Feb 2015
Hey guys, I'm a third year fine art photography student. Since I've been climbing for almost 9 years now I thought that I could make my last project at uni about climbing. I was wondering if anyone knows any fine art-ish sport photographers or some projects in similar style (not saying that they have to have some deep conceptual meaning). Apparently we need references and I'm starting to run out of ideas. Cheers!
 Padraig 04 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

So, you've been climbing for 9 years & 3 years fine art and it NOW strikes you that you might combine the two?? "Projects in similar style"?
Lolz Lazy & Plagiarism springs to mind..............DOH!

2
 atrendall 04 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

Don't know how you are going to define the fine art aspect but can suggest looking at some of the top practitioners of climbing photography;

Simon Carter from AustraliaGreg Epperson, also an Aussie,I believe.
Jimmy Chin USA
Heinz Zack's book Rockstar
Jon Griffith's Alpine Exposures (see article on UKC)
OP cookie-doo 04 Feb 2015
In reply to Padraig:

I did a project on climbing in my first year when I could according to the topics they gave us. and now it's my major project so I'm free to do what I want, which is why it's climbing project time! but cheers for the reference.

atrendall - thanks a lot! sure that I'll find something useful there.
In reply to cookie-doo:

www.stonenudes.com

Job done, take the rest of the term off.
Marco_pepperoni 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

Hi, I don't post very often but when I was starting out in photography I assisted for a while an Italian photographer called Davide Carrari. He worked and published a rather unique climbing book called "segni sul Calcare" (traces on limestone) made of stunning b/w images shot and printed in pre digital era..
You can find part of the images on his website: http://davidecarrari.it/Sitodavidecarrari/Segni_sul_Calcare.html
I always thought it was some of the best fine art photography I've seen in climbing..
Hope this helps
 digby 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

I have yet to see any artworks of interest around the physical sports. Climbing, running etc. Ballet is physical and an art form in itself, but not directly related to sport. There may be 'arty' photos of climbing, but you can be fairly certain this does not mean they are in any sense artworks.
And I have no idea why. Is it because the physical experience is so complete and satisfying in itself?
If you really want to do something 'artistic' you will have to take a step away from mere portrayal. And not a small step.
 john arran 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

This guy/site may be of interest: http://andywhall.com/
 Adam Long 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

Not sure of the definition of 'fine art' as opposed to 'art' (more suitable for decoration?), but you should check out Greg Lucas. Utterly brilliant, and possibly the only climbing photographer that fits my definition of art.
 Tall Clare 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

If you want to take a more oblique approach, look at work by Henry Iddon (he also posts on here), particularly his A Place to Go series: http://www.henryiddon.com/A-Place-to-Go

Where are you studying? I sometimes teach on a conceptually-based photography degree course.
 Tall Clare 05 Feb 2015
In reply to digby:

> If you really want to do something 'artistic' you will have to take a step away from mere portrayal. And not a small step.

Well said. Whatever the OP produces will have to be explained, justified, and placed in the context of other work on similar themes/taking similar approaches (I suspect that this far in to the course, the OP already knows this).

OP cookie-doo 05 Feb 2015
In reply to Tall Clare:

thanks for the reference! I'm studying at Brighton uni, have you ever taught here?
 Tall Clare 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

Nope, I'm up at Sheffield Hallam.

I'll point Henry and Simon C at this thread as they could well have ideas that might help.
 Tall Clare 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

And I've finally remembered another source that might be of use - way back when (2002) there was an exhibition at the Alpine Club called 'Art + Mountains: Conquistadors of the Useless', featuring a whole range of artists using all sorts of methods to explore art and mountains - there might be something useful if you investigate the list of those exhibiting. This link is the closest I can find with a quick google - no doubt you can find more. For instance Zoe Walker made tents that looked like mountains... http://www.masakatsukondo.com/2002/09/10/art-mountains-conquistadors-of-the...

I'd be surprised if your tutors had an issue with you looking outside photography for inspiration - and some of these are photographers anyway...
OP cookie-doo 05 Feb 2015
In reply to digby:

Me too. There is mostly typical sport photography of action and stuff. What I'd really want to do is to create a profile of climbing that doesn't involve that much climbing itself. Hopefully I'll manage to get it sorted out because I've got some ideas, they just need some polishing.
OP cookie-doo 05 Feb 2015
In reply to Tall Clare:

Thanks! My tutors are usually quite open minded when it comes to references - there have been things (in some development files that I've seen) like poems or myths and legends.
OP cookie-doo 05 Feb 2015

> Lolz Lazy & Plagiarism springs to mind..............DOH!

well explained by Tall Clare above:

> Whatever the OP produces will have to be explained, justified, and placed in the context of other work on similar themes/taking similar approaches (I suspect that this far in to the course, the OP already knows this).
Post edited at 15:11
 Tall Clare 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

You might explore the sublime as a concept - have a look at the book 'The Sublime' in Whitechapel's 'Documents of Contemporary Art' series.

Oh, and Andy Parkin is an artist/climber whose work is definitely worth looking at.
cap'nChino 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

There was some fella recently who used none sporting people and made them look sporty with various techniques. Looked almost fine artish. Should be easily googleable.
 Henry Iddon 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:
Have look at Dan Shipsides. It's more conceptual and installation / video work.

http://www.danshipsides.com/DshipsidesWeb/home.html

My final extended essay and bookwork for my Photography MA in 1999 was titled 'Photography, Embodiment and the Athletic Experience' and I considered much of the recent thinking within sports philosophy. This research went into the essay as well as images that reflected various philosophical concerns while trying to show what it 'feels like' to be involved with sport at an elite level - as opposed to what it 'looks like'.
Post edited at 17:24
 Mark Kemball 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

Well, I'm not sure about the "fine art" bit, but I think, if you're considering climbing photography, from an historical point of view, you ought to look at the work of the Abraham brothers (late19th, early 20th century), see for example http://footlesscrow.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/abraham-brothersphotographing-pa... . More modern, look at the work of John Cleare http://www.mountaincamera.com/about_john_cleare_new_2.htm particularly "Rock Climbers in Action in Snowdonia". And of course there is Gordon Stainforth (of this parish) http://www.gordonstainforth.co.uk/
 veteye 05 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

It does not involve climbers but it may be of influence to other photographers in the climbing environment,so possibly have a look at "Iceland above & below" by Hans Strand.The pictures are intriguing anyway and worth the look for your own entertainment.
In a different way there is a pop art feel to the adverts for Mammut..
No climbers in Paul Wakefield's "The Landscape" either,but as a climber they attract me on several levels.
 Snax 20 Feb 2015
In reply to cookie-doo:

Have a look at http://www.langsleysports.com whilst not climbing, it is sport taken from a different point of view.

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