Some shoots stand out not just for the work, but for the people and the place. This was one of those days.
Earlier last summer, I spent a day in Yosemite Valley capturing stills and video for Coros as part of the launch for their new watch, the Apex 4. I was shooting with Tanner Wannish and Michael Vaill, two climbers whose claim to fame is the Yosemite Quad: a link-up of four of Yosemite’s biggest walls in a single day. It’s an almost unbelievable feat that speaks to the kind of drive and endurance that defines these two.
This was my first time working with Tanner and Michael, so I was excited to get to know them—especially since Tanner is a fellow Tahoe local. Tanner, a former Navy SEAL, is built like a brick house. Michael holds a Ph.D. in cell biology and wears a permanent smile across his face. The two only met in 2021, but their shared obsession with Yosemite’s time-honored tradition of climbing as much vertical terrain as possible in a single day has already made their partnership legendary.
For this shoot, I wanted to return to Mt. Watkins, a location I first photographed a few years ago thanks to a recommendation from my friend and fellow climbing photographer Ben Ditto. Watkins, alongside Half Dome and El Capitan, comprises the “Yosemite Triple.” These are the three biggest walls in Yosemite, and the first time they were ever linked in a single day was in 2001, when my good friend Timmy O’Neill and the late Dean Potter achieved the feat. It was a groundbreaking moment in climbing: 9,000 feet of vertical, plus thousands more on the approaches and descents to reach each wall. In 2024, Tanner and Michael went even bigger—completing those same three walls and adding a fourth, Washington Column, for one of the biggest days in Yosemite history.
Since I’d be up on a big wall and shooting both video and stills, I brought along the Nikon Z8, which quickly proved to be the perfect camera for this kind of hybrid assignment. Light, fast, and built for movement—it allowed me to switch seamlessly between stills and video without missing a moment. When you’re thousands of feet up a wall, that agility makes all the difference.
When you’re up high, there’s no better company to keep than Timmy O’Neill, who joined the adventure as my assistant, rigger, camp chef, and comedian all in one. It was a full-circle, passing-of-the-torch moment to have Timmy—the speed-climbing legend himself—working alongside the next generation of Yosemite endurance talent.
It’s been a real pleasure collaborating with Coros over the past few years to create authentic climbing content. They’re a great brand run by real athletes, and it’s inspiring to see them supporting the climbing community. Scott Nickley from Coros joined us on this shoot, and his creative direction was invaluable in bringing everything together.
Check out the reel that Coros produced using our climbing footage—along with clips from other shoots I wasn’t part of but that look equally impressive. Hats off to the whole team for their effort in making a splash with the launch of the new Apex 4.
Thank you, Coros! This was one of those days where work, play, and purpose all blended together in the best way possible.
And some BTS from the day!
