Kevin Leijnse climbing up the beautiful quartz rockface of Rocher Baron in Briançon, France.
Rocher Baron, Briançon

Kevin Leijnse climbing up the beautiful quartz rockface of Rocher Baron in Briançon, France.
The stunning conglomerate towers of Meteora, Greece.
In honour of International Women’s Day on March 8th 2021, the Minerva Project of Casa Migrante is organizing an international Zoom meeting on Sunday March 7th, as well as an (online) exhibition themed: Leading Women: for an equal future in the world of Covid-19. I am proud and honoured to be asked to participate!
“Mujeres líderesas: por un futuro igualitario en el mundo de la Covid-19”
A series of photographs about climbing. A unique sport where the difference between the performance of men and women is small, and keeps getting smaller.
In this series of photographs you see three women who are lead climbing. When you lead climb, you climb out in front of your rope and your climbing partner. As a leader you look for the best and easiest way to get to the top of the cliff. This requires strength, endurance, insight and courage. Every few meters you will find a bolt drilled into the rock face to which you attach your own protection. If you don’t make it to the next bolt, you will make a fall. Secured by your climbing partner and tied in to a rope to avoid hitting the ground during a fall, you only hold on to the rock to get to the top.
Serie de fotografías sobre la escalada. Un deporte único donde la diferencia de rendimiento entre hombres y mujeres es pequeña, una diferencia que sigue siendo cada vez menor.
En ésta serie de fotografías se ve a tres mujeres escalando de primera, también conocida como escalada lead. Cuando escalas de primero, subes a la roca delante de tu cuerda y de tu compañero de escalada. Como líder, buscas la mejor y más fácil manera de llegar a la cima del acantilado. Esto requiere fuerza, resistencia, perspicacia y coraje. Cada pocos metros encuentras un gancho perforado en la pared de la roca, una chapa, a la que tienes que enganchar tu propio equipo de sujeción. Si no llegas a la siguiente chapa, caerás. Asegurada por tu compañero de escalada y atada a una cuerda para evitar caer al suelo, solamente te sostienes a la roca para poder llegar a la cima.
Casa Migrante is an organisation that aids Hispanic immigrants in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In 2017, Casa Migrante launched the Minerva Project, which is aimed to improve the emancipation of migrant women.
FujiChrome Provia 400, Pentacon six TL.
France, April 2014.
Two weeks in Fontainebleau, what bliss! Over the easter weekend we managed to avoid most major bouldering areas. Seen as easter weekend is an extremely popular weekend to go to Bleau for a lot of Europeans, the areas tend to get packed quickly which means standing in line for the problems… Which is why we ended up going to more secluded areas further away from the parking areas. I got to see some places I had not been to before. Like this area called Mont Simonet, very near to the popular Éléphant. What a beautiful place this is! It’s very peaceful and slightly shady place, and like the name already gives away: it is on a hilltop. I was on a restday myself so I managed to get a better look at the beautiful trees and rocks through the matt glass of my Pentacon.
FujiChrome Provia 400, Pentacon six TL
April 2014, France.
Fontainebleau. A place in France, just southeast of Paris. Great for camping, being outside, walking and drinking coffee (or whiskey); but most of all, for Bouldering. Climbing on real rock is sooo much better than in a climbing-hall on plastic. Living in flat Holland doesn’t give you a lot of options when it comes to climbing on real rock and/or outside. So I go here about twice a year, but that isn’t nearly as often as I’d like to go. Now that I’m back in Amsterdam, I’ll have to do with my gym where I’ll be off to now…
also in the series On the Darkside
my first 5b problem in Bleau!
All photos made with a Pentacon six TL, Kodak EktaChrome E100VS
may, 2010
Here some photos of me in that last boulder. Photos made by Tjarko van Heese