Toni Lamprecht doesn't really need an introduction. 9a routes, 8c+ boulders, hundreds of first ascents, expeditions to Greenland, Madagascar and others, lead singer in the punk band Analstahl, and all that while teaching handicapped children at a school in Munich, Germany... Once you get to know him, though, you realize that Toni truly isn't concerned about the numbers. He's simply obsessed with climbing. I know many people (including probably me) who are eating, drinking and breathing climbing, but Toni is on another level. In one of Udo Neumann's climbing videos, Udo talks about the fact that he never managed to get home from a bouldering trip with Toni before it was absolutely pitch black dark outside. I quickly learned how accurate this statement was. Even if Toni says he's finished,
just before you're about to go home, he will say something like: "Ah, I think I'll just try the bottom part again...", switch on the headlamps and go to work again.
While driving to Kochel two weeks ago, Toni and I talked about his views on climbing photography for a while. Thinking about that I called him up later and he kindly agreed to do a quick interview on this for the blog.
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What makes a great climbing photographer for you?
In my opinion it has to be someone who is in love with this sport to fully understand what is going on. The pictures might be not as good as from a professional sport photographer, but the spirit behind it should be more clear than. And more authentical.
Do you have any favourite climbing photographs of yourself or others?Not really. It totally depends on the picture itself and the mood I'm in. On the emotional background. And it is kind of boring to watch yourself. Maybe I'm not narcissistic enough. When I was young I had a lot of favourite images, especially from Wolfgang Güllich and Jerry Moffat!
With hundreds of cool images published of yourself, are you still excited about seeing yourself in yet another photograph?I don't get excited by looking at me than rather looking at a nice image, doesn't matter who the climber is. It doesn't really matter to me, to be published for any kind of satisfaction. I just climb! It is more important that any news plus the picture is inspiring to others. And of course it is important for the brands, that I'm working with.
Personal question: I noticed you don't have any climbing images hanging on your walls at home. Why is that? Don't know. Maybe because we're living in a roof-flat with basically not a lot of space for a lot of pictures anyway. And my wife is a painter and I prefer to look at her paintings. I looked a lot of years on climbing pictures at my parents place so I might be kind of overdosed with this. I love surfing pictures though.
What do you miss in most climbing shots? Is there something you would like to be done differently?As long as the shots are authentical I like them. I don't like posed ones with unnatural colours and clean trousers etc.. When climbing outside is dirty and steamy, so the pictures should be like that, too.
You've been involved in the climbing business for most of your life. Do you feel climbing photography has changed during that time?Nowadays everyone is capable of doing thousands of shots during a session due to the digital progressions. It definitly makes it easier to have a good result for sure. But to have a very good result it will be still the same than 20 years ago. There are more good photograhers out there, but more bad ones, too.
You have worked with a lot of photographers during your climbing career. Which of them have impressed you the most? Why?The ones that just came climbing with us and shot some cool images to make a documentation. I always felt kind of unsatisfied just to do a model-job in a hard route without having a relation to the person behind the camera.
There are many different possible ways to shoot climbing. Some pros fly out to a climber's project, take a load of shots and get on to other assignments. Other shooters spend more time with the climbers and document the whole athmosphere of the trip. Finally there are amateur shooters like me that just take a camera along while also climbing for themselves. Is there a situation you prefer?
I prefer the last ones, because I'm not a real professional climber anyway! Going out to have fun is the more important thing than to have some nice pictures published after a strange session. The atmosphere is the key to have a good product. At least for me!
What do professional photographers do differently in terms of work ethics, planning and approach as opposed to amateur shooters like me?Professionals shoot to sell, so the shooting is professional as well (strict timetable, stickers for the sponsors ...)
As you are sponsored by several companies, do you have to make to sure to represent them by wearing their clothes, caps etc. in photos? Do you have to make sure that all your sponsors are featured in every shot or don't they care that much? (If you wear a prana base cap, do you have to wear an Arc'teryx shirt?!) Of course I have to represent the companies, because it is kind of a fair exchange for the support they give me. And it seems that they are still very happy with me and the way I handle it. I mean: I'm not a slave, not a walking "Litfasssäule" (advertising pillar), which is important for me. I climb, they support me and I publish articles and represent their products in an ex aequo way.
What can you do as a climber to help the photographer in making a great image?Tell him where to rappel to have a good angle, light ... To explain him the moves. Look to the camera direction!
As a photographer, what mistakes can I make to really bother you or make you upset?Insist on doing ugly moves more than once for a shooting. But you're lucky, because there won't be any ugly moves in the routes that I climb, because otherwise I wouldn't climb them anyway.
Do you think about the clothes (colours, style etc.) you want to wear when a photographer is scheduled to make pictures of you?Not really. But sometimes I ask them. But I don't want to climb as a colour-"Kasperl". I prefer to climb in the clothes I like and I prefer to be shot that way.
Your facial expressions are always very intense and dramatic. Is there a little acting involved sometimes or does this come natural? Natural born poser I guess...
One thing I love about taking images of you is that you seem to be able to ignore my presence as a photographer. Is that something you do consciously? No. And that is very important for me. If I have to act I feel unhappy. I'm basically a climber not an actor. To react natural even while being shot (with the camera) is important - as long as the photographer is happy, too! Than the team work doubles up to have a good result I think!!!
Thank you for taking part in this!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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