School of rock

Awe-inspiring shots of rock climbers

Ensuring the background isn’t blown out and the climber is sharp can certainly prove to be a tricky affair

MISSION: Capture stunning landscapes by waiting for the best moment to take the shot PHOTOGRAPHER: Kris Suriyo

LOCATION: Reading, United Kingdom

KIT USED: Nikon Z 6, D750, Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4, Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8, Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 INSTAGRAM: @krissuriyo

Iran into an old friend on a rock-climbing trip who was a landscape photographer. He showed me some of his photos, and I became intrigued as to how he created them. He showed me that my DSLR was capable of capturing so much more than climbing and holiday photos, so, when I got home, I started taking my camera out. One day I met a girl with a Nikon D810, and I’ll admit, I wanted to impress her. I looked up the nearest waterfall and headed out – a man on a mission. We started exploring landscapes together, always with our trusty cameras in hand. The more I learn, the deeper I fall in love with photography. Rock climbing is, perhaps, my biggest love in life, but there are quite a few challenges when photographing it. The climber is often in the shade and is a free-moving subject that could potentially free-fall at any given moment. Ensuring the background isn’t blown out and the climber is sharp can certainly prove to be a tricky affair. For this picture [1] I put my Nikon Z 6 on a tripod and sorted out all of the settings, so my friend could press the shutter button when I’d manoeuvred myself into the frame.

I drove past this spot [2] in the Pyrenees on a climbing trip five years ago, and had an image in my head that I wanted to capture. I returned to photograph the lake (Embalse de Lanuza) and had been hoping for a spectacular sunset. Instead, I got a downpour soon after taking this image. And yet the photo embodies what I like about shooting landscapes: nothing is ever a given, but you can still achieve a lot through perseverance.

Poor weather seems to be a common theme with my photos… I slogged through rain and puddles to reach the famous lone tree at Buttermere [3]. With my tripod set up I waited patiently for the right moment. Finally, the rain cleared to reveal

patches of fog crawling across the mountains. I continued to wait for the wind to drop, so the water was still and also for the right patches of cloud. What I like about this scene is the strong autumnal colours, and the very atmospheric feel of the clouds and reflections.

Having abandoned climbing plans in the island of Hoy due to a hurricane hitting the coast of Scotland, I found myself in the Isle of Skye. The rain was relentless, with strong winds of up to 70mph, but one afternoon calm arrived and I immediately raced up to the island’s iconic Fairy Pools [4]. The short weather window was a real challenge, but I was very happy with the cloud formations and the resulting shadows in the background, which added that luscious extra level of detail to the photograph.

When I happened upon this lone tree in Rydal Water [5] I envisioned it as the star of the show, lit up by a single ray of sunlight. I set up my tripod and waited for over an hour, and just as I thought I might have to give up, luck struck. The clouds broke – just for a moment – shining a gentle afternoon light on my little tree.

The rain was relentless, with winds of up to 70mph, but one afternoon calm arrived

[1] Kris set up this shot with the camera on a tripod. He then climbed into position and his friend activated the shutter.

[2] The weather didn’t quite play ball, but Kris still came away with this beautifully lit capture.

[3] Aware of just how fast the weather can change in the Lake District, Kris’s patience finally paid off.

[5] This image was taken when sunlight illuminated the lone tree exclusively.

[4] This image was taken on a whim, during a short break between poor weather conditions.