When Rocky Talkie partnered with us to create a fresh set of social assets for Spring 2026, we saw it as an opportunity to capture the radios in the kind of terrain they’re genuinely built for. Shot in the Near Trapps section of the Shawangunks in New Paltz, New York, the project focused on documenting real climbing communication across exposed multi-pitch terrain rather than heavily staged outdoor marketing content. As climbers ourselves who spend multiple days a week in the Gunks, we wanted the imagery to feel authentic to the experience of climbing here — the movement, the exposure, and the constant communication between partners on wandering pitches.
The objective throughout the shoot was to visually communicate distance, exposure, and the natural integration of the radios into the climbing experience. Filmed on the classic Gunks route Layback (5.5), the production combined rope-access photography, handheld video production, and lifestyle imagery across a full day on the wall. With the traverses, roofs, and varied terrain the Gunks are known for, the radios became an authentic part of the climbing process rather than simply a featured product. The final deliverables included short-form social reels, an Instagram carousel, and a full library of lifestyle photography designed for use across Rocky Talkie’s social and marketing channels.
