I clicked on UKC the other day, and on the home page was an article about the photography of Ray Wood. I’ve known Ray for around twenty-two years. Ray’s a good friend, and it always adds to the day having him along. So I opened the article and as expected, the pictures featured are great. I have to add an interest here as two of the pictures are of me, and what fine pictures they are! Seriously though, the collection of pictures is excellent, Ray certainly knows how to take a snap.
The article is the fifth in a series about photographers operating within climbing, and I’ve just read through all the forum comments below the five articles. In the four previous articles, the comments are what you would expect; complimentary chat about how the pictures came about etc. So, I was a bit disappointed to find that no one had complimented Ray on his pictures. Ray obviously doesn’t need to be told he’s a great photographer. I’m pretty sure after the thirty plus years of snapping, he’s reasonably assured of his talent, but in the comments, what filled me with dread was the second one by Sean Kelly,
Not sure how many photographs illustrate this excellent article, but only 3 helmets visible. Do top climbers not use cranium protection as it seems to be mostly absent. Again this might be the requirements of advertisers, although as a photographer myself, I hate helmets, dull clothing colours, and arms obscuring faces with an equal passion. Lately this has really been a scourge as most gear shops refuse to sell bright mountain clothing, but not for cyclists it appears. Rant over.
At the time of writing there have only been four more comments and as expected because the H topic has been mentioned, not one is about Ray’s pictures, they are all about climbers not wearing helmets. I must admit this makes me want to hit my unhelmeted head repeatedly against a wall.
Sean does say it’s an excellent article and goes on to reason why climbers in the pictures are not wearing helmets, but the fact he thinks there has to be some ulterior motive other than the person didn’t want to wear one baffles me.
…There might be an exception for top climbers from sponsors, but even than it is probably down to personal choice. Then again there might be pressure from photographers who don’t want a helmet obscuring the climber’s face, especially if a climbing icon. Anywhere with loose rock about or a chance of a head injury when climbing I reach for my helmet. And certainly on a winter climb as falls are often much greater. But I must admit to a certain freedom to not having to don a helmet.
I’m not sure why Sean has told us in winter he certainly grabs his helmet as the two winter pictures in the set feature Keith and Tim both wearing helmets. I always wore a helmet winter climbing because there was generally tons of stuff coming down, and you’re often strapped into a belay and can’t get out of the way.
I like Sean’s somewhat naïve belief that a climber would choose not to wear a helmet because their sponsors had told them not to, or that it may have been pressure from the photographer, but the obvious reason is they don’t want to. I can only talk for myself, but I would never wear, or not wear a helmet for a sponsor and no sponsor I have worked with would ask me to. The same as I would never wear, or not wear one for a photographer. I’m pretty sure no climber would, although the way climbing has been commercialized, who knows, maybe climbing influencers will do anything nowadays for money and clicks?
I’m almost one hundred percent sure that I’ve never gone out purely to get a posed picture. I’m pretty sure that every picture of me taken by a professional photographer is as it happens, I’ve just gone climbing and in most cases, Ray has come along with no expectations. The two pictures of me included in the article, sans helmet are the same as almost every rock climb I’ve done in the UK, e.g., sans helmet. Why is an adult choosing not to wear a helmet while summer rock climbing such an emotive subject with climbers? And why are a large majority of climbers so opinionated, and occasionally really aggressive when it comes to another climber making a personal choice. After the film that Ray has linked of Mick Lovatt and me climbing War and Peace, there were some quite nasty comments on Instagram (can’t link as I’m not on Instagram), although being called a bell end was quite funny!
I’m old enough (as is Sean and Gordon) to remember when climbing was a subculture, it was a bit anarchic, an adventure, a bit crazy and wild, and if a climber chose to solo some crazy route, or attempt The Bells! The Bells! on sight, or get stuck on a new route at Gogarth to escape by the flashing of the lighthouse beam, this was OK, it was their choice and hooray. They didn’t get attacked by people on the internet talking about health and safety. If I’d wanted sensible, I’d have taken up crown green bowling. What has happened to climbing and climbers, when did they become so safety conscious and judgemental? Why is it now that many climbers do not accept we are all different, and as adults we live by our decisions, good and bad.
The usual cliché wheeled out when all of this helmet stuff is brought up is what this person wrote beneath the War and Peace film on YouTube
it’s not personal when other climbers and emergency workers have to risk their lives to assist others when their easily avoided stupidity goes wrong. If only it was personal. @Hesjustzisguyyouknow
I do wonder how many accidents are caused directly by a climber not wearing a helmet? Is there some number out there because unlike Gordon Stainforth that wrote the comment below, I’ve never seen an accident that was caused purely because a rock climber in the UK was not wearing a helmet? Not once in the last thirty plus years. Obviously, it happens, but how often? And are they putting the lives of the people who come to rescue them at risk, I’m not sure if they are, these people are well-trained and often professionals. The professional rescuers, the Coastguards, Ambulance, Police get paid a wage to save people, it is a part of their job, they may even enjoy it? Maybe we should ban inflatable boats because I’m sure the Coastguard spends more time rescuing people who have floated out to sea, or we should restrict walkers because the helicopter that rescues them after they have had an accident goes over my shed repeatedly through the summer. Why stop with climbers who choose not to wear a helmet, why not just restrict everything?
Do we have a number of rescuers who have been injured or killed while on a rescue of a rock climber that has been injured specifically while rock climbing in summer and not wearing a helmet? I’m sure it’s tiny if at all, but of course, I don’t know, its guesswork and that is the same guesswork as the helmet police use. Why let the truth and facts get in the way of righteousness hey!
I’m also guessing the person who wrote the above is a non-driving, non-smoking, t-total, slim, vegan, because I’m pretty sure the pressure on the NHS and the rescue services is a little larger from car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, sclerosis of the liver, bowel cancer, lung cancer and all the other things brought about by these things. I’d certainly wear a helmet if I ever chose to buy a burger from McDonalds because that shit is deadly!
I think it is entirely irresponsible of you to show this without helmets. DMM has a duty of care to show responsible behaviour in the climbing world and this is a failure on your part I’m afraid. Whilst it is personal choice to wear one, you have a duty to do the right thing. Erinsmum08 U-Tube
Social Media, it’s everywhere influencing millions of people, destroying lives, causing suicides, self-harm, eating disorder, mental illness, interfering in elections, bullying, trolling, lies, racism, sexism, homophobia. Kids are even driving down the wrong side of the motorway now for clicks and likes! On the radio this morning I was hearing that within a few clicks you can watch almost any depraved thing you want to and DMM has a duty of care to show responsible behaviour. Holy shit, if one old man deciding not to wear a helmet while shuffling sideways triggers you that much Erinsmum you need to open your eyes to what’s really going on out there. Sport, including climbing is dominated now by Red Bull, you know, an energy drink that is full of sugar, how much influence on peoples health is that having?
I always wore a helmet from the very beginning of my rock climbing in 1967. It was one thing my father sensibly insisted on. I’ve seen too many badly injured helmetless climbers to ever change my mind about it. Never found it the slightest problem wearing one. Often had other benefits e.g. a waterproof hat if it started to rain, protecting one’s head when moving beneath low overhangs, or when being attacked by seagulls, minor rock falls, etc. etc. Gordon Stainforth.
Unlike Gordon, I dislike wearing a helmet. I find them very uncomfortable and they affect my day. I used to do quite a bit of winter climbing, in Scotland, The Alps, Scandinavia, North America, South America, The Greater Ranges, and I wore a helmet all the time. Sometimes I slept in a helmet and this was another reason I looked forward to summer and rock climbing without one. I’m thrilled you never found it the slightest problem Gordon, but I do, we are different, hooray for difference!
Anyway, I’m about to do some yoga now, maybe I’ll fall over while doing warrior 3 and hit my head, perhaps I should wear a helmet? Possibly, we should all just stay in doors and watch the telly while wearing a suit of armour? Stay safe people because it’s a dangerous world out there, although it’s even more dangerous in here.
