Photographer Dean Fidelman has spent more than a decade capturing the art of climbing, while at the same time celebrating the human form.
Over the course of his work, a body of over one hundred photographs drawing from three generations of climbers has evolved.
Fidleman, a rock climber himself who knows the culture inside-out, has attracted climbers of all abilities to participate in a project designed to capture the essence of the climbing sprit.
The photographer has been a fixture in the Yosemite National Park climbing scene in California for nearly forty years and uses the park to capture his images. Back in 1999, he began work on his Stone Nudes project, one of the most unique art projects the Climbing Community has ever scene.
Since then, he has traveled around the US photographing real rock climbers (both male and female) bouldering naked.
Fidelman holds the belief that both the rocks and the human body are sculptural forms.
“I’m a climber and an artist,” he says.
“I was hanging out with a group of guys known as the StoneMasters in the 70s and I’ve made climbing my life since.
“I’ve been bouldering for a really long time now and I love the movement. I like to show the rock for what it is. It’s beautiful and it’s a sculpture and I want to show how the body fits in to mimic that landscape. Spiritually and artistically, it’s been everything to me. It’s something that I can give back and help grow in the climbing community and it’s art.”
For more information on the Stone Nudes books and calendars available visit Dean’s website.
Model chameleon
1
Aint no mountain high enough.
2
That looks dangerous
3
Stunt woman
4
Strike a pose
She’s stone mad