Walking the Highline
Scott Peirce walks a highline in Rock Canyon on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Provo. The sport of "highlining" challenges participants to conquer their instinctual fear of heights by methodically walking a thin line of nylon webbing that spans a large gap between two rock ledges. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
Ryan Robinson walks a highline in Rock Canyon on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Provo. The sport of "highlining" challenges participants to conquer their instinctual fear of heights by methodically walking a thin line of nylon webbing that spans a large gap between two rock ledges. JAMES ROH/Daily Herald
After what seems like forever, I finally got around to photographing a group of highliners for my Monday Close Up article. I had wanted to do the story for some time now but was either busy, didn’t have the right weather, or more importantly, didn’t yet have any contacts. However once I got in touch with a local highliner, Creighton Baird, it was game on. I met several of them in the parking lot of Rock Canyon and we quickly gained vertical as we scrambled to the main highlining spot on the north side of the canyon.
After the line was set, I watched as the highliners tied the leash into their harnesses and took turns walking out on the line. Aside from the initial reactions of how scary it looked, I was blown away at how beautiful the sport was. I believe it was the combination of intense concentration, complete isolation on an inch-wide piece of webbing hundreds of feet above ground, and the beautiful backdrop of Rock Canyon.
While they were walking the line, I was scrambling up and around rocky cliff faces trying to get the right angle. Despite being so beautiful, it was difficult to capture it all. I felt it was important to get the walker to stand out against the background to really show what was going on. I tried several different approaches including climbing high above them and shooting down with a telephoto lens to make the background blurry as well as getting below them and making them stand out against the sky. Both worked but I felt that the low angle gave a better perspective on the entire scene.
Later that week I met up with Baird for an interview and was intrigued at how he described his experiences on the highline. He explained that it has become a spiritual experience for him. The highliners appreciate the simplicity of being in-the-moment with feelings of fear and concentration.
”You learn to forget everything else that’s going on in your life and just concentrate in the moment,” Baird said. “You’re absolutely terrified but you’re mentally clear.”
You can read the article here.