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Climbing photographer Gustavo Acosta hails from Colombia. He was born in Bogotá but lives in Suesca - where rock climbing in Colombia began in the 1940s. In this photographer feature, Gustavo takes us on on an incredble visual tour of the unique and beautiful cliffs of Colombia and other South American countries, while sharing photography tips and stories of his personal climbing and photography journey.
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An unknown climber on "Regreso con Gloria" (5.13b) located in Hatun Machay, Peru (Photo Credit: Gustavo Acosta, IG: @gustavoacostal)
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Thank you for sharing your work with our readers of Common Climber! Tell us a little more about this small climbing town where you currently live - Suesca.
First, thank you for the space and for allowing me to be part of the community.
Suesca is located about an hour north of Bogotá. It is composed of a single long sandstone cliff that extends for 200 kilometers, which is about 120 miles! The cliff is amazing. It currently has about 600 climbing routes (sport and trad - but mostly trad) from single pitch to multi-pitch routes up to 150 meters long (~500 feet). There is also an excellent variety of grades ranging from 5.6 to 5.13c - and, possibly even a 5.14, which has been proposed and is awaiting confirmation. In addition to having high quality rock, what makes climbing on the cliff (the Farallon) extra special is the vegetation. There are fungi, lichens, ferns, orchids and Bromelias. We also have a plant that is endemic to the area, the Tilandshia suescana. Suesca (originally named Suehica, which is an indigenous word for rock of birds), itself is a quiet small-to-medium sized town surrounded by hills. It sits at higher elevation (2580 meters/almost 8500 feet), so if you come (which I encourage you to do!) you may want to give yourself a day or two to acclimate. The time to visit Suesca is between the months of November to February and June to August, it can be rainy in the other months. Most of the people in town aren't interested in climbing, but that is changing as we bring the children out to experience the cliff and climb. |
Ricardo Rubio (IG: @ascenso_andino_colombia_ ) on “The Great Dihedral” (5.10a) (Photo Credit: Gustavo Acosta, IG: @gustavoacostal)
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The 200 kilometer (120 mile) long cliff of Suesca. With around 600 routes, Suesca is a climber's haven. (Photo Credit: Gustavo Acosta, IG: @gustavoacostal)
Elber Castellanos (IG: @monocastellanosguide) is on "La Guerra de las Mil Brocas" (5.11b) in El Cocuy, Colombia (Photo Credit: Gustavo Acosta, IG: @gustavoacostal)
You do photography and videography for rock climbing and alpine climbing. Tell us more about that.
Landscape photography has always caught my attention, but four years ago I decided to start photographing climbers and their contact with nature. Climbing is one of the few sports that offers this possibility. It also seemed like a sport with very aesthetic movements, so It caught my attention to take pictures of it. As for videos, it is something I am dabbling in this year, it is the objective to highlight the sport and the ability of many climbers.
Are you a climber yourself? If so, when did you begin climbing and what types of climbing do you do?
I started climbing at the same time I started taking climbing photography. I wanted to get to know the sport in-depth to improve my photography of it. I started in a bouldering gym four years ago and connected with the sport immediately. At that point, I not only wanted to take photographs, I wanted to practice climbing constantly.
I practice traditional climbing a lot, it is the most common thing where I live. Sport climbing also catches my attention. I do bouldering training when the weather is bad.
I practice traditional climbing a lot, it is the most common thing where I live. Sport climbing also catches my attention. I do bouldering training when the weather is bad.
Sebastian Mejia (IG: @mndrll) on Escalera al cielo (5.10b), Suesca, Colombia (Photo Credit: Gustavo Acosta, IG: @gustavoacostal)
What about the photography side? When did you start doing photography and videography?
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I started taking photography in 2015. When I finished my university studies, I traveled to different places in my country to capture everything that caught my attention: first general landscapes, then birds, and then I decided to explore the mountains more in-depth until I reached climbing.
Video is something that has always caught my attention. Little by little I have been exploring the topic. This year (2024) I have several climbing video projects. I want to document the history of many climbers, their preparation for a route, and all the moments that occur to ascend it. I want to combine the two, to not only show the photographs of a climb but to capture everything that exists behind it: the moments of preparation, anguish, and happiness. I have been waiting for the videography gear that would allow me to make a quality video. Finally, this year I got it. From now on videographic projects will begin to appear that complement the photographs. |
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Do you do adventure photography full time as a career? Or is there additional work that helps pay the bills and the adventures?
At the moment I not do photography full time, but it is something that is gaining space and time in my work life to be able to continue paying for expeditions. At the moment I do some other family business jobs that allow me to pay for adventures.
What are your goals with climbing and/or your photography/videography work?
Over the years of doing photography I have learned a lot. I want to use those skills and knowledge to capture the work and passion of climbers. Climbers (rock and mountain) are talented people who pursue their passion - you think about the physical and mental discipline it takes to climb. The you have those who want to be a full-time athlete. That is a whole other level of passion - obsession even. These people want to show the world their ability and they move from amateur to professional. Observing and capturing this process is one of the greatest satisfactions for me.
I am especially excited to highlight climbers from Columbia. Using photographs and high-level video productions, I want to show the potential of my country. For my personal short-term climbing goals, I want to ascend mountains and scale big walls in the Andes mountain range. |
Elber Castellanos (@monocastellanosguide) on "No es Bueno Para la Cabeza" (5.11b) in El Cocuy, Colombia (Photo Credit: Gustavo Acosta, IG: @gustavoacostal)
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Do you have an advice or tips for the new photographer or videographer?
My advice is not to stop shooting: constantly take photographs, not just of climbing, but of everything in general. By taking photos of a variety of things, this will give you more ideas and perspectives. The more photos you take, the closer you get to the sport - you get to know it, to understand it better.
Where do you take most of your photos and videos? Is there a region of the world you like to focus on? If so, why?
The place where I take the most photos is in Suesca, Colombia. It is the place where I live and the mecca of climbing in my country, it is a place with more than 600 climbing routes of all kinds: cracks, slabs, collapses. I could never get bored of it. There's always something new to choose from, so I'm always looking for different avenues to take photos and videos.
ABOVE: Click on photos to enlarge and view captions.
Tell us about a "day in the life of Gustavo Acosta."
A day in my life always starts with a good coffee before going out to the rock! The evening before I will have prepared all my photography and climbing equipment, so as not to forget anything. I will go out with friends to find a good route to climb and set up a route close to take photos. We will climb some warm ups, enjoy the surroundings and just have a good time. I will shift between climbing and taking photos. We will spend all day in the park - climbing and taking photos. As the sun sets we'll wrap things up and head out to drink a beer to close out the day.
Do you have a favorite photo or video?
For me, one of my favorite photographs was taken in 2023 in Santander, Colombia. I was actually looking to take some other photographs, but this one appeared at an unexpected moment in broad daylight. It was a perfect silhouette of the climber. I decided to edit it in black and white to highlight the climber's shape. Photography is always about having a plan and then being willing to let go of that plan to meet the moment. There are always things that you least expect and end up surprising you the most.
Diego Fernando Pinto (IG: @diego_climber) on "La Vuelta al Mundo" (5.14b) at Mesa de los Santos, Santander, Colombia (Photo Credit: Gustavo Acosta, IG: @gustavoacostal)
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Share a story with us about an unforgettable moment when climbing or taking photos/videos of climbing.
Something unforgettable for me happened in 2023 while I was climbing the snowy Huarapasca in Peru. The first light of the day began to appear while I was on the first pitch of an ice wall. As the sky lit up, the Huayhuash mountain range appeared in the background, with its imposing peaks. This was something that I always wanted to see - it was a dream come true to be on these ice walls climbing and observing those beautiful mountains in the background. I couldn't stop photographing.
Any last words or thoughts for our readers?
Continue searching for and forging your passions. If it's climbing, photography, or videography, climb and take photographs and videos as much as you can. I believe that is the only way you grow and improve. Also, come climb in Colombia! I am 100% sure that you will find that you will love it!
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