@callum.johnson.climbing on L’Enfer du Décor last summer. A tricky crack route, its difficulty compounded by the challenges of climbing in thin air at 3,800m on the Aiguille du Midi.
Shot for @mountainequipment
This (I hope) has the potential to be the most significant and positive things I’ve ever been a part of.
When this project began, the prospect of talking openly about my sexuality in the outdoors world was absolutely terrifying, but as it slowly grew legs, the potential for it having a positive impact vastly outweighed this fear. The support and encouragement from friends within the community has helped immensely, and I’m now in a place where I’m happier and more comfortable in my own skin than I’ve ever been.
I first ‘came out’ whilst at studying in Glasgow, but no one ever told me that coming out was something you have to do many times in life and is something that never gets easier. Your sexuality isn’t something you wear or something that’s immediately obvious to others unless you choose to share it with them. Although things have improved greatly in western society in recent years, because of historic prejudices within society towards people with sexualities that differ from the majority, it’s still common that LGBTQ people attach a degree of anxiety and insecurity to their sexuality from a young age. They often (as I did), learn to hide that part of themselves in order to protect themselves from potential bullying or other forms of harm. ‘Coming out’ therefore involves a conversation which usually has a degree of fear and anxiety attached to it. As I moved into the outdoors world, I gradually allowed myself to drift back into the closet (an unhealthy and draining place to be as you’re always trying to hide a big part of yourself). Part of this was down to a lack of visibly diverse people who I could see that part of myself in within the community (perhaps not so much in the US but certainly in the UK/Scottish scene). I figure if I can be that person for someone else, then that’s a positive thing I can do, whilst also helping to show that the climbing community is a space which welcomes people of all different sexualities.
Differences in sexuality/race/gender are very much present in all communities, I hope this film goes a little way to helping normalise and celebrate some of these differences within the outdoors world.
(Continued in comments)
A trip which felt like a visit to the edge of the earth and back again. Endlessly in awe of climbing’s capacity to take you places which don’t quite feel real, and provide the kind of shared experiences which can vividly punctuate life. A few highlights from St Kilda and the Barra Isles.
#stkilda #tradclimbing #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #climbing #climbingphotography #climbing_photos_of_instagram #outerhebrides #scottishclimbing #ukclimbing #rockclimbing #seacliffs #scotland
A few scenics from a quick fire trip to the Alps last week shooting some bits of climbing and skiing for @mountainequipment . Highlight was climbing the Lagarde Direct on the Droites with Paul R & @harryleaver_ . I’ve not been on any big routes for near enough two years now so it all felt slightly intimidating to begin with, but it’s amazing how quickly your brain acclimatises to it all again. Learnt hell of a lot from Paul as always and laughed lots hearing all his mad stories from over the years, a proper legend. Need to remember to smile when taking selfies rather than trying to work out if I’ve got the camera settings right.
Last winter @rachelsarahm invited me to help film and photograph, Masa: 居場所 (The Place Where I Am), which is now available to watch online (I’ve put the link in my bio). It’s a project that was a real pleasure to be involved in, working as part of a great team, led up by Rach - an immensely talented filmmaker who has taken to the unique challenges and hardships of shooting in the Scottish winter environment amazingly well.
The film follows climber Masa Sakano, originally from Japan but now based in the Scottish Highlands. It explores the concepts of home and belonging, themes that I can relate to myself, having grown up down south yet having found a strong feeling of belonging up in Scotland and now proudly calling it home. It moves between the icy winter cliffs of Scotland and Masa’s roots in rural Japan, weaving these two worlds together with some quite beautiful cinematography.
I had the honour of introducing the film on behalf of Rach at last year’s @banffmountainfestival (as she’d just had a two week old newborn and I happened to be over at the festival anyway). Here’s some words she sent me at the time to introduce it:
“As somebody who was always seeking the feeling of home, and was also drawn to move to Scotland, I feel a real affinity with Masa and his story. Masa is known by so many in the Scottish community. He is a man with such a joy for climbing and the Scottish climbing community, with quite an esoteric approach to both life and his climbing.
When I first started winter climbing myself, I began hearing about him, and like others, I was intrigued to meet him. It took three years to find some funding to tell Masa’s story and, despite the tough winter conditions this past season, I’m proud of the film we’ve created, and am so incredibly grateful for the excellent team behind me, both in Scotland and Japan.
I hope you all enjoy the film and, whether you’ve been in the same place your whole life, or have moved across the world like Masa has, you feel similar joy about the place or places you call home.”
@harryleaver_ leading the top pitch of ‘Dr Noe’ on Ben Cruachan in the darkness.
The best bit about working on the book, The Great Mixed Climbs of Scotland, with @wrygob , was days out like these. Visiting places off I’d ordinarily overlook, and sharing good days out with so many in the winter climbing community who were keen to get involved and help out. It’s something I’ve definitely missed since the project finished!
A set from climbing ‘Tango in the Night’ a few winters ago with @mountexpeds & @_graham_mcgrath_ . I needed to get photos of the route for The Great Mixed Climbs of Scotland and had in mind getting some shots of someone leading one of the top pitches, high above the criss-cross of gullies below. The route is notoriously loose so I wasn’t that psyched on abseiling in from the top in case I dislodged anything. Instead we came up with a plan to climb the route as a three, taking some static rope and jumar/grigri with us (which also solved the problem of it being a bucket list route for me and any fomo around not climbing it). I’d lead the top pitch and haul up the static etc, fix it in place and drop the climbing ropes so Graham could re-lead the pitch for photos. In the end that pitch was so fun that we all had a go on it. It’s a quality route, worth saving til it’s well glued together ;)
@lasportivauk
A set from the last week in the Highlands, in what’s starting to feel like the first proper winter in a few years. Looking like some freeze thaw cycles on the horizon over the next few days - definitely no bad thing after all the wind and snow of the last few weeks 🤞
Not had a Scottish ski day like that in a few years, ooft.
After a few years hiatus on the skiing front it felt pretty special to land a day like this at @nevisrange , the scene of a lot of my earliest and most memorable Scottish skiing days. A lap down the west face of Aonach Mor in as good snow conditions as you’ll get, and then the afternoon spent lapping the frontside of the hill in the sun. Cheers @murdochjamieson and @uisdean for the day out and for being psyched to go skiing rather than climbing 🥳
Some video from @uisdeanhawthorn
