Tielma Productions: Skevik

Showing posts with label Skevik. Show all posts

Palpation

It's an obvious and foreboding line, an overhanging dihedral topped by a bouldery finish. At least the rock is solid. Jonas Wigren looking to stick the arête on Puls 7c+, Skevik, Stockholm, Sweden.

Yet another one from the archive, going all the way back to when the leaves were green. This time, an unknown Göteborgare in white headed the wrong way on Non-Stop 7b, Skevik, Stockholm. Hopefully he'll spred the word that the grades are stiff in Stockholm. Or maybe you've got the point by now, that I didn't send, but maybe October will be sunny...

Clipping...

Apparently, I don't like white, another one from the archive, this time Jonas Wigren, all focus on Nattsudd 7b+, Skevik, Stockholm.

Puls

Puls, the best Skevik has to offer? The most striking line, to my eye, even if, as a climb, it has a trad feel to it. Sending soon... Johan Nylén working on Puls 7c+, Skevik, Stockholm.

Huvudleden

Samual Janzon sending Huvudleden 7-/7 at Skevik, a must do, with the sun setting.

Nattsudd

Christoffer Westin beginning the business of sending Nattsudd 7b+, Skevik, Sweden. A fantastic route definitely worth climbing; on par with Breña 7b+ at Ekoberget or Lugna Gatan 7b+ at Gustavbergs Vattentorn.

Sport Climbing is Neither...

So what's headpointing? I'm not a fan, but I made an exception on Huvudleden, Skevik, considering the chossy nature of the crag. It's a completely different approach, rapping in to check the gear, top-ropping, placing gear on top-rope and finally tying into the sharp end. At which point there was no drama left, only execution, which makes the whole process seem rather unsporty. Maybe, this is dependent on the difficulty of the climb, relative to the climber, or the ability to protect the climb but it seems pretty hard to trash a sport climber onsighting at or near their maximum as not being sport.

Luckily, after sending, I did get an opportunity to experience real "sport" as another climber attempted and successfully, though shakily, managed to onsight the route. An enrapturing and inspiring climb that should leave an asterix beside ticks that employ headpointing. At least I didn't touch any of the many rusty pitons on the route, and neither did the other climber, that definitely aren't needed and shouldn't be there. Then again, thinking about it, a send is a send, especially with a name like the route has, you can't help but climb it.

Shawn Boye, unracked from all the gear Huvudleden 6c+, Skevik, can suck up, recounting the experience of "jammin".

Peanuts!

Photography is supposed to be fun. Jonas Wigren celebrating his flash of Pumpmaskin, 7a+, Skevik with some well placed peanuts...

Photo Lesson: 2

The follow up... First let me reiterate that Climbingpics is one of my favorite blogs. Photography is, for me anyway, an individual pursuit that I do for my own reasons and under my own terms, I enjoy it that way. It would be a stretch to suggest that one considers it to be any different for someone else. Nonetheless, in dissecting my own photo I might learn something... Here's the shot I was looking for, and as such, can be illustrative for climbing photography fundamentals:

1) We've waited for the light to change, one, so there's better stick and two, to avoid the speckled light from the sun through the trees.

2) Climbing is a dynamic sport, regardless of how you look at it, capture some action!

3) Here, I've turned down the shutter speed to accentuate the move...

4) and, of course, the law of thirds is obeyed...

5) with the focus on the grip and the climbers face slightly blurred yet clear enough to depict the focus and concentration.

6) Knowing the move, having done it myself, I set up to capture three points which is necessary to avoid a north-south shot...

7) The engaged belayer has a red touque to provide depth in the background.

8) Even if the reduced shutter speed results in the grip being slightly out of focus the essence of the hardest move on Tabu is captured through Christoffer's concentration and his desire to send.

9) Maybe it's not necessary to photograph the hardest climb, but rather climbers who are intense in their undertaking. After all, climbing is about climbers...

On a final and more serious note... It is troubling when those who are willing to provide critique do not have tolerance for someone else's. Smacks of hypocrisy... so bring it on!

Christoffer Westin sending Tabu, 7b, Skevik.

Photo Lesson: 1

Due to a recent spate of junk at one of my favorite climbing blogs

I thought I'd illustrate a few fundamentals of climbing photography:

1) Make the most of what you have. Sure, it's speckled light and that definitely limits the possibilities, but use it to your advantage! Here the law of thirds is obeyed by use of the obvious large grip, though it is not in focus...

2) Instead the light leads to the climbers face...

3) Which is in focus, after all climbing is about people...

4) and Christoffer is looking at something, his feet, which is, and this is essential, in the picture...

5) and happens to be the move of interest, that is...

6) know the climb, either by doing it yourself, or observing and listening to the climber to learn where you can capture tension and stress in your photo.

7) Give the move a context, here depth is provided by the tree and the ground below and

8) contrast is created by the blank wall above, where the route goes, as compared to the choss beyond.

9) While this was not the shot I envisioned it is a different perspective and that is probably the most important point of all. Good climbing photography captivates through a new view while maintaining suspense and awe, Christoffer is apparently at ease, rather than just documenting a move.

10) Think about what you are doing and try and create something that inspires rather than trying to shoot for the sake of bragging rights in the pecking order.

11) Be critical of your, and others, work, its the only way you'll improve... So go ahead, disect this shot, its to your own advantage!

Christoffer Westin heading towards Tabu, 7b, Skevik.

Megadans

Harry Denanto working on the excellent crux of Megadans 7c, Skevik.

Spring at Skevik!

Mikael Hjorth considering what awaits on Fobi 7b and Magnus Olofsson at work on Magnesia Carbonara 6c. Who knew that The upper part of Högra Väggen at Skevik was actually a slab?

Pride

If you look up "proud" in the thesaurus you'll find some synonyms: pleased, glad, delighted, joyful, overjoyed, thrilled, satisfied, gratified, content...

Content, that's the one... Content to see Joel leading, however, I'd be delighted to see him forgo the top rope and believe in what he is capable of...

Joel Berglund making short work of Luftslottet direct 6c+, Skevik.

1/640, F5.0, 24 mm, ISO100 © 2010 Shawn Boye

Slopers in the sun...

There's no doubt that temperature affects friction, but really, how much effect does it have? I'd tried Fobi 7b at Skevik once before on a chilly spring day with friction on my side and stuck the sloper, no problem. So, on the first real day of spring with the temperature at 21°C and the sloper baking in the sun all day you'd think friction would have an effect? Wrong. I sent Fobi, and here's the trick, don't let go... and if necessary, before you lob, consider the slab below the dyno for motivation.

Maybe, friction like so many other things in climbing is just an excuse that we invoke when we don't really believe we will succeed? And therein lies our failure, if we are to accomplish our goals we must relinquish all else and focus, totally, on the task at hand. You're not going to stick anything if you're thinking about the lack of friction or the slab you're going to hit below (even though you won't) when you grease off.

Mikael Hjorth giving it his all, but coming up just short, dynoing to the sloper on Fobi at 21°C.

Pulse

Robert Rundin on the crux of Pulse 7c+, Skevik.

Top Ropers

Mostly harmless, Top Ropers can be found at most crags. While appearing slow, they have an uncanny ability to fasten themselves to unattended hanging ropes. A repressed and tormented group, Rikard and Joel demonstrate that this "form" of climbing can still be fun.

Tielma Productions