Wouldn’t it be awesome to get paid for pursuing our passion?  Yes but No…  Its a double edged sword, as are most things in life.  I think of Sharma on Jungle Love, having to project on film, so much pressure to send, you can see that stress and worry in Sharmas physique.  Who wants the corporate world telling you what you have to climb, always improving, setting harder lines.  But hey, Sharma gets to climbs and train everyday, he should be able to climb Jungle Love within a decent amount of time.

A “shot” of Sharma in a Climbing Magazine.  I’m not sure what issue this was in.

So how to become famous?  Self promote.  Get your name out there (this involves TONS of spraying). Go to comps. Pull crazy and dangerous stunts and do it in front of a video camera.  Make friends in high places.  Make friends with photographers.

Dean Potter is probably one of the more noteable climbers who have gotten famous from pulling dangerous stunts.  He has free soloed some of the hardest lines in Yosemite Valley, and more importantly, did it in front of a camera.

Making friends with photographers is probably the easiest way of getting your face out there.  I know people who are getting published in guidebooks, Climbing Magazines, Patagonia Catalogs and cross my fingers that I get published in the Women of Climbing Calendar (not the slutty one) one day.  I know one guy who was published on the cover of Running Magazine, and he’s not even a runner! So, there is a small level of B.S. you have to put up with when being photographed.  Posing is the worse part.  The hassle of setting up the photographer on a line and time it takes is another draw back.  The trick is finding people to photograph you while you are doing your normal climbing/adventure activities.  Good luck though, getting that perfect shot is actually a lot of work.

Victor Lawson posing as a runner for the cover shot of Trail Runner Mag (Dec 2012) photo by: Stephan Matera

It’s harder to score a gear sponsorship, in my opinion.  I think it takes a little bit of luck and knowing the right people.  I would suggest that you aim for a domestic company, such as Evolve or Mad Rock.  Find the reps, make friends with the reps, or become the rep.  I was fortunate enough to have made friends with a girl in one of my classes at Cerro Coso in Bishop, who’s sister worked for Gramicci.  I now test clothes for them.   They send me clothes, I try to wear them out (most shirts, I am successful, but their pants have yet to fall apart on me… impressive).

Photo By: Ken Etzel

Self promotion: Well, I have had the “privilege” of dating a pro athlete for Black Diamond but he was the most self-absorbed climber I’ve ever dated.  His life consisted of living out of the sweetest van ever, traveling to different mountains, climbing (on skis) them and then “speed flying” off the top while filming on a Go Pro.  Then, he spent HOURS and DAYS editing his film together and then posted them online.  He lives an awesome life, but I could handle him having to risk his bones every time he left my home. The worse was when I found him passed out in my parking lot (while in his van) after enduring broken ribs and a concussion from dropping out of the sky, several hundred feet up.

So, does this help? Probably not.  Just get out there, pursue your passions and be nice, to everyone. Because you dont know who you’re going to meet out there. People in high places in the outdoor industry, look just like us.

I just want to close with this glamor shot of Alex Honnold.  Monkey Boy turned model! Lookin good 🙂