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“Addictions can be very, very bad but addiction itself is not bad.
It’s a case of what you’re addicted to.
You better live each day like it’s your last, ‘cos one day you’re going to be right”.
Ray Charles.
Link tip a friend
Aaron is one of the true beneficiaries of the Internet age. Whereas once he would have been described as a “dreamer” or “misfit” or “disappointment”, he now travels the globe with a tech kit of camera and laptop substantially smaller than it his bouldering crash mat.
Hooked up with some of the world’s biggest stock photo agencies, and via his own website and blog, Aaron is fully able to run his business from where ever he is on the road, keep in contact with magazine editors and sell his product from wherever he happens to be.
Even 10 years ago this type of lifestyle combined with a successful career was total fantasy but this guy has merged several elements to make it a reality that works; here are just a couple of highlights to serve as real inspiration ……..
Mission 1, film 1:
Wadi Rum has been inhabited by a variety of people’s well before prehistoric times with a number of them leaving their mark in the forms of rock paintings, graffiti and temples. The region of Wadi Rum is located in Jordan near the lost city of Petra and is part a vast landscape of ancient river beds, desert and towering sandstone mountains.
- Heidi Wirtz, Chris Kalous and Ben Firth sorting gear under stars in the Wadi Rum, Jordan.
In conjunction with the extraordinary carved city of Petra, for most people Wadi Rum is best known for its connection with British soldier T. E. Lawrence who based his operations in this region during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18.
As a climbing location it was first really visited in 1984 and has steadily seen more people go there so that now there are several guidebooks to aid the process of a creating a successful trip.
The films' focus is on what it’s like to put up a new route on a big wall and the level of commitment needed to pull off this level of achievement, especially somewhere which is such a testing and hard environment.
AB and his climbing companions Heidi Wirtz, Chris Kalous, Ben Wirth do a great job and well worth looking at the trailer here
- Chris Kalous high up on Dar al- Salaam.
- Ben Culhane climbing a new route in the Eldred Valley, British Columbia.
Mission 2, film 2:
"No Permanent Address" documents the first ascent of a 23 pitch free climb on a 2,700 ft. granite wall located in the remote wilderness of British Columbia. AB and Sean Easton teamed up for the first ascent of their route "Call of the Granite" and captured the whole thing on film.
Jean Gamilovskij who was the producer and also the fillmaker focused on Aaron and Sean and what's required to take on a something this magnitude including the massive amount of hauling, loose rock cleaning and bolt drilling. This is mixed with footage of Aaron climbing with his mates at many of the most notable climbing spots in North America for 6+ months beforehand, when he climbed at places like El Potrero Chico, Hueco, Indian Creek, Bishop and Yosemite.
The Eldred River Valley contains an massive number of granite big walls that easily rivals its vastly better known southern cousin, Yosemite.
Have a look here at a trailer for some inspiration about what it’s like to be doing a first ascent in such a remote and exciting location.
And finally, Adventure and Travel Photography is an e-book for anyone who wants to learn how to make a living from taking and selling photos, especially in the adventure sports arena.
The book explains everything from the creative side, to the technical, to the business of being an adventure photographer. The text is interspersed by short stories of adventure and mayhem that Aaron’s been involved in and it’s not just limited to climbing; there’s a focus on snowsports too and it's been written by someone who’s been published in National Geographic Adventure, Transworld Snowboarding, Rock & Ice and Outside Magazine.
Aaron was also recently named one of the top Rock-Climbing photographers in the world by Climbing Magazine so he might just no a bit about what he’s writing about and you should check him out his site here or teh Wadi Rum film site here …….
- AB racked and ready at Broken Tooth Wall, Indian Creek, Utah.