Photo by Holly Webb

 

Today I decided to fully plan out my final project so that I could map out everything I need. I have thought about specific shots I want to take, as well as people I want to speak to and issues I want to cover. Hopefully this will change my mind-dump of ideas into something more realistic, and make the next couple of weeks easier.

 

Firstly, there are three main groups of people that I want to speak to:

• ‘social’ climbers
• professional climbers
• industry experts (such as the owners of climbing gyms, members of official climbing organisations or people who were involved in getting climbing accepted into the Olympics)

INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND PROFESSIONAL CLIMBERS

Plan:

Email/phone people with a large impact on the climbing community. Possibly someone high up in ABC (Association of British Climbing Walls) or UKClimbing.com

‘SOCIAL’ CLIMBERS

Plan:

Go to local climbing gyms in Sheffield, stop and speak to people – almost like a vox pop? See if I can find anyone with a particularly interesting story about why they started climbing.

 

When it comes to photos, I originally wanted my photos to be in black and white as they seemed to draw attention to the subject better, however upon practising some shots at the climbing gyms I think that colourful images will work better. There are also specific shots that I want to incorporate into the piece:

• candid shots of people climbing
• close-up shots of hands, muscles and chalk etc.
• portraits of people I speak to
• images that capture the popularity of the sport

I also want to incorporate data and secondary source material throughout the piece. When I have gathered this I will post a blog post referencing everywhere I got it from.

 

 

 

—PROJECT PLAN—

Total words: 2300

Total images: 12

 

//HEADLINE//

Social climbers: the UK’s fastest growing sport

INTRO

(100 words)

• indoor climbing is more popular than ever
• what it’s like to be part of the fastest growing sport community in the UK
• Sheffield is climbing capital of the UK
• new indoor climbing gym opening even though there are already three major ones here (a lot for a city)
• climbing also being introduced next year in the Olympics
• why do people enjoy it so much?
• spending the week in Sheffield, the UK’s climbing capital

SPEAK TO CLIMBING GYM OWNER/MANAGER

(200 words)

• why do you think so many more people are enjoying indoor climbing now?
• have you seen a greater variety of people climbing in recent years?
• what is the climbing community like? and what’s your favourite thing being a part of it?
• what difference do you think a new gym in the city will make?

CLIMBER 1

(300 words)

• when did you start climbing/how long have you been climbing for?
• why did you start in the first place?
• what’s your favourite thing about being a part of the climbing community?
• why do you think indoor climbing centres are becoming more popular?

CLIMBER 2

(300 words)

• when did you start climbing/how long have you been climbing for?
• why did you start in the first place?
• what’s your favourite thing about being a part of the climbing community?
• why do you think indoor climbing centres are becoming more popular?

PROFESSIONAL CLIMBER 1

(300 words)

• what’s your favourite thing about being part of the climbing community?
• why is it more popular now?
• what do you think will happen when it’s in the Olympics? do you think it’s a good thing?

INDUSTRY EXPERT

(300 words)

• why do you think it’s becoming more popular?
• why is it popular for such a variety of people?
• why is Sheffield such a hot-spot for the climbing community?
• what does the future hold for climbing?

CLIMBER 3

(300 words)

• when did you start climbing/how long have you been climbing for?
• why did you start in the first place?
• what’s your favourite thing about being a part of the climbing community?
• why do you think indoor climbing centres are becoming more popular?

PROFESSIONAL CLIMBER 2

(300 words)

• what’s your favourite thing about being part of the climbing community?
• why is it more popular now?
• what do you think will happen when it’s in the Olympics? do you think it’s a good thing?

ENDING

(200 words)

• what the climbing community was/is like
• why people like the sport
• why it’s becoming more popular recently
• what does the future hold for climbing?