EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH TIM KEMPLE

By Gavin Heverly

THE MAN HIMSELF

New England has spawned it’s fair share of climbing names. Dave Graham and Joe Kinder are well-known climbing names. Not to mention other heroes like Henry Barber, Joe Lentini, and  Ed Webster. But what about on the other side of the lens? Tim Kemple is a New Hampshire native whom has become one of the more published and revered outdoor photographers of the day. His images are simply stunning, and he manages to capture not only the subject, but also the atmosphere and mood of the situation he sees through his lens. Which is no small feat when you are taking the kind of pictures in the kind of locations the Tim does. I had a chance recently to chat with Tim about his roots, his current projects, and his aspirations. He is currently living in Utah and travels all over the damn place to take sexy shots of great people doing amazing things. Must suck.

BRG: How long have you been climbing? How long have you been looking through a camera lens?

Time Kemple; I’ve been climbing for 18 years and shooting for ten (professionally for 7)

How did you first get in to photography? What was the catalyst?

I went on a road trip with Joe Kinder, Dave Graham and some other friends in the summer of 1999 to Utah. I brought along a camera as something to play with on rest days When I came back I called up a photo editor at one of the magazines because I thought there were some good shots, and he gave me a great critique, I’m super thankful for that to this day.

Do you consider yourself a climber first, or a photographer? Does your profession enable you to pursue climbing, hinder it, or perhaps a bit of both?

Well these days photography is my job and climbing is what I do to escape and be in the mountains. If someone asked me, say on a plane, ‘What do you do’ I’d tell them I was a photographer. I guess its more than my job, I live it breath it, I’m really engulfed in the entire creative process.

Its impossible for me to climb and shoot well on the same day, I’m too much of a perfectionist. But photography has taken me to some awesome places to climb, and visa versa so I guess they complement each other well.

KEVIN JORGESON ON ARGUABLY THE BEST V10 IN THE COUNTRY, “SPEED OF LIFE” AT FARLEY,MASSACHUSSETTS.

Did you do a lot of juggling early on? Did it take a long time to reach that keystone moment where you could “quit your day job” to be afull-time photographer?

I went to college at UNH (for Microbiology) and shot those 4 years through college mostly for editorial clients… it wasn’t until I graduated that I was making just enough money to pay rent and live a pretty meager lifestyle.

Do you attribute any one person or organization to really believing in you early on and helping to launch your career?

Yeah that photo editor was at Climbing Magazine, Tyler Stableford. He was definitely a catalyst. Then further down the line other Photo Editors helped me focus my creative juices. David Clifford and Zach Reynolds; they helped me take it to the next level… and its part of the reason I get bummed when I see Editorial staff sizes get cut down.

At what point did it go from being something you did, to what you DO (if you take my meaning.)?

At the point when I started to focus more energy on photographing well rather than climbing well. I’d say that was about 4 years ago.

Sometimes when your work is also your passion, it can be tricky. Do you ever find yourself being disillusioned or that your passion is challenged by attaching financial and professional obligations to it?

No. I’m really motivated by the creative process… and the artistic part of my mind is something I don’t fully understand… or at least a part I’m not 100% comfortable with yet. So I’m psyched to be learning about myself and other people and expressing that creatively. Getting paid is just a bonus.

KEVIN JORGESON ON THE FLY. V14. RUMNEY, NH

In what direction or way do you think outdoor/action sports photography can grow or progress? What do you feel you bring to the table to bring about those changes?

Well I’ve been outspoken about how editorial (magazines) do a poor job of cultivating the future growth of both artists and athletes… I’d like to see that come around. I’d also like to see mainstream demand more accurate representation of action sport… not just some image shot in the studio and composited inphotoshop for a car advertisement for example.

The climbing industry seems to be going through a lot of exciting changes right now. Whether it’s huge climbing comps, the expansion of the sport, giant fancy gyms, etc. Are you excited to be a part of this? You’ve obviously played your part by being involved with some exciting photo shoots and working closely with the NE2c guys. Where do you think it’s all going?

Yes of course I’m stoked to be involved… and it does feel like climbing is coming into a new era. The past decade and a half was about finding new areas, rapid development of cliffs, growth in equipment and technology. I think the next era will be about a more refined athlete (at least if we are talking on the higher performance level) that is forced to live overseas because we don’t have the limestone that will produce those next level type of routes. We also don’t have that motivated community that really cares about 5.15s.

THE OFTEN UNDERESTIMATED SUMMIT OF MOUNT WASHINGTON IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

What are your plans for the future?

Well I’m slowly putting money aside for a Nissan GT-R… that’s on the two-year plan… did I mention I have a thing for fast cars? More currently I just formed a video production company with Renan Ozturk and Jimmy Chin. We are calling it the Camp4 Collective and we have already begun shooting projects; mostly 2-5 web videos for outdoor/action sport clients. We have a big press release announced for later in the week. So yeah lots of video work ahead to mix in with the still projects.

Do you have an all-time favorite shot?

Not really, all my images bring back memories of cool people, cool places, and lots of hard work. I think artists always like their most current work the most, and I’m the same way… I think the work I’ve done the last year kills everything else I’ve ever done. But that’s probably not the case, and I’m aware of that. I do like looking back on those old slides of years ago though…

If you could photograph anyone doing anything, anywhere, what would it be?

Tiger Woods with all of his girlfriends… something David LaChapelle-esque - it would be simply awesome.

RECOVERY. STRENGTH. PERSEVERANCE.

THATS MY "SOMETHING"

It’s been about 5 weeks since I tore “something” in my back at Rumney on a damn-near-send of my project DR. NO (5.13d). This stupid route is so withing reach for me yet somehow unclimbable that it has kept me up night envisioning the crux move in my head. As it turns out, the “something” in my back appears to be my Teres Major. A muscle primarily responsible for bringing the arm downward and back. Which, as it turns out is really important for any sort of rock climbing. So for the last five weeks I have gone in a steady rotation of “feeling better”, climbing, “feeling like hell”, not climbing, trying to train, realizing that I can’t, and then the final stage is always frustration. I’d imagine that most climbers can relate to this. The worst part is waking up every morning and seeing a crisp blue sky peeking through my window taunting me. I know there are amazing climbing conditions awaiting me at all my favorite spots. Not to mention the unfinished business I have at various climbing areas in the region.

The Author on his bajillionth attempt at Dr. No at Rumney.

Indeed it seems as though we hurt ourselves when the timing is worst. Although, I suppose it is worth mentioning that there is never exactly a “good” time to be injured. Yet there is hope. In the past couple of weeks, I have designed a regimen of exercises that have allowed me to train, feel at least somewhat useful, and not agitate my injury. In fact, this routine has shown such good results in my finger strength and overall fitness levels that I am going to incorporate it in to my regular routine once my Teres Major stops harassing me any time I try to doing any kind of pulling. These workouts take around 1 hour in the climbing gym, which is very low committment. I would like to share this with you, encourage you to try it, and see what happens:

• DAY ONE: RESISTANCE AND ENDURANCE–These exercises should be done with a light-ish weight that will allow you to do between 8-12 reps on each set, with rests of 30 seconds or less between sets, and 1 minute or less between exercises. Keep your heart rate elevated, work up a sweat.
  

-3 sets of push ups in to leap-frogs: Do a standard push up, with arms bent at 90 degrees when you are at the bottom of the motion, then once finishing the motion, do a leap-frog. A leap-frog is where you jump straight up and swing extend your hands high above your head. In the air the body has to be straightened from the fingers to the toes. Leap-frogs should go as high as possible. When you land, drop back into push up position and repeat.

-3 sets of Incline bench crunches: Do simple crunches on an incline with your hands resting across your chest. Make sure to be pulling with your abs by tilting your pelvis forward and not arching your back. Exhale as you crunch to tighten your abdomen even more.

-3 sets of weighted lunges: Choose dumbbells of an appropriate weight, and stand straight with them at your side. Step forward with either leg while bending at the knee until the front thigh is approaching parallel to the ground, and the rear leg is bent at the knee and balanced on the toes. Don’t let the forward knee go past the tip of the toes. This can aggravate the knee-joint if done too much. Step back into standing position and repeat the motion with the other leg, alternating legs until the exercise program set is complete.

-3 sets of hanging leglifts: Hanging from the jugs on the Metolius Hangboard, engage your upper body and your abs. Then lift both legs up so your feet are out in front of you. Keep your legs straight if you can holding briefly here, and then lower your legs back to the starting position. Move in a slow and controlled manner when lifting and lowering, so you’re using your muscles and not gravity or momentum.

-4 sets of leap frogs: See above, minus the pushups.

• DAY TWO: FINGER STRENGTH-All of these exercises are done without pulling. Essentially all deadhangs which are necessary for my current injury. (Use whatever holds on campus rungs or hangboard you can hang from for at least 12 seconds.)

-3 sets of deadhangs on small campus rungs: Make sure to do these with your fingers closed in a crimp position. Hold as long as possible.

-3 sets of deadhangs on 45 degree slopers on the Metolius Hangboard.

-3 sets of deadhangs on shallow 2 finger pockets on Metolius Hangboard.

-3 sets of “finger pullups” on large edges of Metolius Hangboard. (arms straights, crimp and release crimp in a slight curling motion with fingers, like doing a pullup using only your fingers.)

• DAY THREE: POWER CROSS TRAINING-These are power motions that I think provide both solid foundational strength as well as fitness applicable to climbing.

-3 sets of kettle bell snatches:Click here to see a really in-articulate gentleman explain how to do a kettlebell snatch. This is an amazing full body exercise. Highly recommended.

-3 sets of push ups with dumbbell raises: Place two  dumbbells on the floor wide enough so that when you are at the bottom of your pushup motion, your arms are bent at 90 degrees. Position yourself on the floor in a prone position (face down) with your legs in a wide-legged. If you’re finding it too hard to balance, widen your leg stance further. Keep your hips, abs, and core engaged and your spine neutral with no arch. Do a pushup and stop when your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. When you are back in your start position, contract your abs as you slowly and deliberately lift up one of the dumbbells so that it is parallel to your side, with your elbow bent. Reverse position and push back up to the starting position. Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement. Do another pushup, when back in your start position, lift opposite dumbbell. Repeat until set is complete.

-3 sets of dips: Set two benches 4 to 5 feet away from each other, depending on your height. You can also use chairs if you don’t have access  to benches. Sit on one bench and face the other. Place your hands on the bench by your side. Adjust their width until you’re in a comfortable position. Stretch out your legs and lift them onto the opposing bench. Shuffle your feet inward until they’re resting next to each other. Push your body out with your hands so your center of gravity is suspended over the gap between the benches. Lower yourself as far as your shoulder flexibility allows. Don’t worry if you can’t go down very far. Your range of motion will gradually increase as you practice this exercise. Raise back up into your starting position. Don’t let your head lean too far forward. This ruins posture and unduly strains your spine during the dip.

-3 sets of side bends: Begin by standing up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand with your palms in. Keeping your back straight, bend to the left as far as you can, then return to the start position. After finishing your desired reps, change the weight to your other hand and repeat on the opposite side. Remember to bend only at your waist. And to focus on pulling with your oblique muscles.

While it totally sucks to not be able to climb, it feels good knowing that I have no shortage of perseverance. And a little bit of that goes a long way. I have a climbing trip planned for the end of this month, and I hope to be healed, in shape, and ready to send. I have my eyes on what looks to be one of the greatest boulder problems on the planet called THE SHIELD, a gorgeous V12 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Here is a video of Jason Kehl getting the first ascent: