Climbing Photographer Spotlight: Jan Vincent Kleine

Hamburg, Germany

March 31, 2016 Julie Ellison

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This story originally appeared in the July 2014 issue of our print edition.

Rock Climbing Photographers Photos — The Svolværgeita, or Goat’s Horns formation, towers over Svolvær, Norway. It’s a climber’s rite of passage to jump the 1.5-meter gap from the Storhorn (big horn on the right) to the Lillehorn (little horn).

Kleine was studying engineering and economics at the universities of Hamburg and Göttingen when his passion for war photography brought him two mouse-clicks away from buying a ticket to Sudan. After realizing the effect a potential tragedy would have on his family, he decided to take a different path with photography and assisted a high-profile commercial photographer. He gained invaluable experience in lighting, composition, and post-production from working with clients like Porsche and BMW, so Kleine began applying that knowledge to his true passions: the outdoors and adventure sports. “Climbing photography is my latest, long overdue, and—as it appears—most fascinating endeavor yet,” he says, “and I cannot get enough of it.” The next few months hold two big trips—Chamonix, France, and the Lofoten Islands of Norway—to broaden his portfolio with rock and alpine subjects.

Website: janvincentkleine.com
Instagram: @janvincentkleine