EPISODE 3 – SIMON CARTER – GOING AFTER THE DREAM

I sat down with Simon Carter at his place in the Blue Mountains about a month ago, to record episode 3 of the Lay Back Podcast.

Since the early 90s Simon has been producing climbing photography and is described by the editor of Rock and Ice Magazine as “arguably the greatest climbing photographer of all time”. Simon took a chance on the climbing photography career path, not knowing where it would lead, and he’s worked immensely hard in pursuing that dream.

Many Australian climbers would be familiar with Simon’s Onsight Photography, which has published guidebooks for a range of Australian climbing destinations.

You can check out the Sloper App, talked about in the podcast, which Simon’s guidebooks will be available on. Simon also mentions Climbing Australia, and you can find his Onsight Photography site here.

Climbing photographer Simon Carter using his ‘photo frame’ at Hanging Rock in the Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia. Circa 1997.

Simon Carter with his photo pole thingy at Frog Buttress, Queensland. 2012. Photo: John J O’Brien.

Some shots of Simon over the years, including his camp setup in Arapiles and climbing on buildings in Canberra.

Monique Forestier leading and Ashley Doyle belaying on pitch six of The Regular Route (23, 25, 24, 21, 24, 22, 23), at Perrys Lookdown in the Blue Mountains, Australia.

Monique Forestier, Superstyling (25), Point Perpendicular, NSW, Australia. Nikon D3S with 14-24mm f2.8 lens @ 15mm. ISO 200, 1/200 @ f8.

Monique Forestier, Daedalus (29), Taipan Wall, The Grampians, Victoria, Australia.

Chris Coppard on The Sorcerer (27) with Garry Phillips belaying, a new independant route that they established on the Totem Pole in 2015 — some 20 years after the first free ascent of the 65m high pillar. Cape Hauy, Tasman Peninsular, Tasmania, Australia.

Chris Hampton, with Andy Kuylaars belaying, climbing The Moai on the Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania, Australia. D600 with 14-24mm f2.8 lens @ 14mm. ISO 400, 1/5-0 @ f5.6.

Monique Forestier (@moniqueforestier) tackles a hard and high “deep-water solo” out to a stalactite ten metres above the ocean, at Turtle Cave, Halong Bay, Vietnam. Nikon D3s with 14-24mm f2.8 at 24mm. 1/1250 sec @ f5, ISO 200.

Lee Cujes making the first ascent of License to Climb Harder (7c), on The Face — one of 2153 limestone karsts in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. Nikon D3s with 16mm f2.8 lens. 1/400 sec @ f11, ISO 200.

Mike Doyle, pitch two of The Backbone (13a), with Monique Forestier belaying, Monkey Face, Smith Rock, Oregon, USA.

A selection of Simon Carter’s favorite shots.

All shots are copyright, and used with permission of Simon Carter. Thanks Simon!