Javi Pec full time climbing photographer

Javi Pec has been a full-time climbing photographer for about ten years and has been sharing his photos on Vertical-Life/8a roughly every other month since 2005.” I remember many years ago. I won a Mammut chalk bag in the 8a contest - Photo of the Month 😂😂😂. Still got it 😂.

The 47-year-old is still climbing 5 or 6 days a week. ”I really love it! My highest grade is 8b. Not much considering I’ve been climbing for over 25 years 😂 Last week I did an 8a. Now I’m so close to send another 8b. Last Sunday I felt at the last draw…😂😂”

Just scroll his Instagram to see more amazing pictures. It should also be mentioned that he was a bit shy to have his portrait inside the Patxi Usobiaga picture and it also took some chatting until we got his grade level :)

What is your climbing background?
I started climbing in the late ‘90s. At first, I climbed occasionally since I was really into skateboarding, but little by little, I got hooked on climbing and haven’t stopped since. In these nearly 25 years, I’ve barely taken a break from it. Photography already interested me, but mainly as a way to capture memories. During my skateboarding years, we were always really motivated by audiovisuals, whether photos or videos. We loved looking at magazines like Thrasher and Transworld. In climbing, it was a natural evolution of those interests. I began taking photos of my friends, who were skilled climbers and eventually started selling my photos to magazines. This led me to connect with brands in the industry.

How and when did you become a full time climbing photographer?
I studied history at university and worked as an archaeologist for almost 10 years. During that time, I climbed and took photos. It was all a slow evolution. At first, I had occasional photography jobs, and little by little, it became something more regular. In 2013, I started as a freelancer. At the beginning, it wasn’t easy, but over time, everything evolved to the point where I could make a living from climbing photography. The rise of climbing gyms and competitions is also something that has helped me live off this work.

What are your most memorable moments?
Just the simple fact of being outdoors, climbing, and photographing top-level climbers brings me great satisfaction. Looking back and seeing how my career as a professional photographer has evolved is also very rewarding. Still, I have special memories, not just because of the photos I was able to capture at that moment, but because of everything surrounding them. For example, it was very special for me to photograph Angela Eiter when she made the first-ever female ascent of a 9b, ‘La Planta de Shiva’ in Villanueva del Rosario. I was immersed in documenting another of those special moments—Patxi Usobiaga’s process of climbing ‘Pachamama’ (9a+), when a brand called me to document Angie’s ascent. That same afternoon, I was on a train heading to the other side of Spain.

How much work do you normally put in during a week?
That’s something I couldn’t calculate. For me, climbing and photography are a passion that takes up all my time. I always want to climb. I always want to be outdoors. And with photography, it’s the same. If I’m not taking photos, I’m studying, looking at photography-related things, and always trying to learn new things to improve. Sometimes I’m out climbing and leave the camera aside, but many other times I do both. I try to make the most of my time because I really enjoy my work and climbing. While you’re climbing, you’re also observing where a good photo could be taken. For me, it’s something indivisible, and it occupies almost 100% of my time. It’s hard for me to be without climbing, and the same thing happens with photography.