We Are Subculture - Marsha Balaeva

We Are Subculture’ is a non-for-profit book of photography celebrating the diversity and uniqueness of people in the climbing community. It was set out to explore the subject of mental health and the role of climbing as a form of escape for some or a source of personal growth for others, as a way for find a group of people who share one’s values or a search for solitude and reconnecting with nature.

The project started in 2023 and it features 48 climbers of all ages, ethnicities and gender dressing in a way that reveals something about their inner world and their personality. The concept behind it was to highlight how different we all are, how much of what is going on inside our lives is invisible to people around us, how unique our mental struggles are and how nobody’s life is as easy and trouble free as it comes across, especially on social media. Here are only some of the climbers that took part: Eder Lomba, Ayesha Khan, Eliot Stephens, Anna Wild, Leon Joyce, Tina Breslin, Jack Ibbertson, Dalvinder Sodhi, Hazel Dearlove and many more.

The book starts with 13 short stories and poems written by Niall Grimes based on his interviews with some of the climbers photographed for the book. These writings are anonymous and give a glimpse into some very personal observations, experiences and challenges, that would resonate with anyone who is passionate about climbing.

Every photograph was set up to use the natural beauty of the rock and the location and to enhance it further with the use of studio lighting, handmade props, costumes and a wide variety of photographic techniques to make each image a true one-of-a-kind spectacle and capture the real essence of how the climber expressed themselves with their look. 

Locations ranged from iconic to esoteric: grit, limestone, sandstone, slate, rhyolite, from as far north as Arisaig Cave in Scotland to Lake District, Yorkshire, Peak District and down to Dinas Rock in South Wales.

The author and all the climbers volunteered their time free of charge for this project with the objective to raise funds for Mind Charity, to help them campaign on a range of issues that could affect anybody with a mental health problem. This includes health services, legislation, legal rights and employment.

All profits from the sale of this book will be donated to Mind via Work for Good.

Hardback with Wibalin Finelinen cover and white foiling.

Dimensions: 279x216x20mm

Pages:192 full colour.

First UK edition 1000 copies.

Author: Marsha Balaeva.

Writing: Niall Grimes.

About the author:

Marsha Balaeva is a photographer based in Manchester, with a background in editorial and commercial photography who took up climbing in 2018 and it quickly became something more than a hobby, leading to both a career shift towards climbing photography and videography, and getting active on the UK outdoor climbing scene. 

Her photography work was shown in a solo exhibition titled ‘What We Do On The Limestone’ in 2022 showcasing female sport climbers on their projects, her short film ‘Action Directe’ about Buster Martin’s ascent of the route was shown at ShAFF in the same year. Marsha’s photography features in several climbing guides, magazines and online articles in both UK and abroad.