Christian Pondella, the photographer with Will Gadd on Kilimanjaro

Christian, for those who don’t know you, tell us who you are and what you do for a living!

I am a sports and outdoor photographer based out of Mammoth Lakes, California.

Being an outdoor photographer is not only about being good at photography but also being good as a mountaineer and athlete, do you feel more like the former or the latter?

I definitely feel more like the former. It was really the mountaineering, skiing and outdoor fun that inspired my photography. Fortunately, I was able to make a living with my camera by capturing these athletic feats. If I wasn’t a photographer I would still be out skiing and climbing as much as possible.

You were with Will Gadd in Kilimanjaro and found the ice completely melted and modified. How did you react to that? As a photographer, did you require specific shots to best express this fact?

I was on Kilimanjaro in 2014 and coming back in 2020 we knew there would be drastic changes. We wanted to return to the same spots we had been last time, climb them again and capture similar images to show the change. As we expected, the change was drastic.

Before tackling Kilimanjaro, had you noticed the effects of climate change in other places?

Definitely, for me the change that I could notice most clearly was Chamonix, France. When you ski in Val Blanche, there are signs at the end of the slope showing the recession of the glacier with dates. The change that took place there is pretty obvious.

How do you approach athletes doing a shoot? Are there photos for which you asked the athlete to do the movement again? Or did you follow them silently?

It’s a combination of both, some times you only get one chance to get the shot mind other times you can do it again. It depends on the sport and the situation.

What kind of equipment do you use to climb and photograph?

My equipment can change drastically depending on the shoot. I often limit myself to a camera and a 24-105mm lens. This would be my light, fast, and simple setup. Some commercial shots require more gear, such as a 70-200 f2.8, maybe a 300mm f2.8 and a variety of wide lenses. I don’t tend to use prime lenses too much in the mountains because the flexibility I have with zooms is critical to me. I might carry a 35mm f1.8 which is super light and great for the lifestyle I have and low light situations. The old saying “Less is More” is true when it comes to running in the mountains!

What equipment did you use for this expedition? 

For this Kilimanjaro trip we had Sherpas carrying our gear, so weight was not an issue so I brought everything. Two camera bodies and lenses from 16mm up to 600mm.

You’ve been everywhere and taken so many photos, a project that is still in your heart?

I’ve been lucky enough to have photographed on six continents and have collected incredible memories and travels over the years, but certainly capturing ice climbing on Kilimanjaro is a highlight!

Future projects in mind?

I will definitely be doing more projects like this, unfortunately these types of expeditions at the moment seem to be on hiatus due to Covid. So almost all of my work of late has kept me close to home and it’s been great anyway!