Alexandre Buisse - Remote Exposure: A Guide to Hiking and Climbing Photography

Copyright 2011

Alexandre Buisse (www.alexandrebuisse.org)

Editor: Gerhard Rossbach
Copyeditor: Jessica Moreland
Layout and type: Cyrill Harnischmacher
Cover design: Helmut Kraus, www.exclam.de
Printer: Golden Cup

Star trails over Ama Dablam, Khumbu, Nepal. October 2010.

I dont know why I love the sound of a shutter so much. Its such a simple, short burst of energy, but it is so loaded with meaning. Im still trying to figure out how such a soft sound can speak so loudly.

Ive never thought of myself as a particularly talented photographer. In fact, the more Ive shot, the less comfortable Ive become with identifying myself as a photographer in general. As an artistic medium, photography is readily accessible to everyone, and no ones vision is any more or less valid than anothers. That said, Ive learned some things along the way (almost always by totally screwing something up) that have become vital in my photography.

The image creation process, reduced to its simplest form, is an easy one: move through your environment with open eyes and your gear readily accessible. The rest is up to you. I have realized however, the more I shoot, either during a sequence or during an expedition as a whole, the better the results. If you want to be the best photographer in the world, take the most pictures. Simple right? In theory: yes. But remember, its not so easy to take photos when you are crawling from a cramped tent at 7,000 meters in the Himalaya. This advice doesnt seem so basic when your frozen fingers fumble across the camera buttons like a dogs paws across the piano keys.

In addition, take your environment into account. Not only should you be aware of it, but you should also respect it and the challenges it might bring. Anticipate what it will take to get the shot you are looking for, knowing that the climb is going to be harder for you than anyone else in your party. But remember the reward of nailing that perfect shotso get up, get out, and get it done! Light doesnt last forever, and two minutes can make all the difference between a mediocre shot and a great one. This advice comes from a guy who has shot a lot of mediocre stuff. Trust me, the attention to detail is important, and it took me a long time to learn that lesson.

But attention to detail doesnt start and stop in the creation of a single image or photo story. You must also pay attention to a lot of other details, especially while climbing. I remember shooting rock-climber Sonnie Trotter in Majorca, Spain. After quickly building what I thought to be an adequate anchor in rapidly dying light, I dropped over the edge above the Mediterranean. Sonnie started climbing into position as I pulled out my camera. The next thing I knew, I was falling headfirst toward the lukewarm waters 50 feet below. So much for attention to detail! I forgot to pay due attention to my anchor, the one thing that was keeping me off the ground. Because I hadnt anticipated the light, disrespected the environment I was shooting in, and rushed through an important safety check, all in an attempt to get a shot, I was hurdling headlong into shallow water. Five thousand dollars and a severely bruised ego later, I was back in business. It was a costly and dangerous lesson to learn.