Meet Hans Ho | Climbing Photographer & Product Development Engineer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hans Ho and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hans, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Why not? Life’s too short to not be creative, to paint within the lines, to not venture and explore the world. Being artistic allows me to be present in the moment, to focus on the details and capture that spots of time that I wish to look back on. The feel of wind as it blows through you, the purples and pinks of a coming sun, and the first rays of warmth as it finally breaks the horizon of dawn. These moments are special and shouldn’t be taken for granted.

I was fortunate to have parents that encouraged my creativity as I started playing the piano at a young age and watched plenty of animated films and documentaries. What’s funny is that my mother thought I would pursue some sort of career as a composer for films but perhaps that’s something later in my future.

My mother once gave me a disposable camera when I was a little kid because she wanted to see what I saw from my perspective. My father took my family and I on plenty of road trips exploring national parks which kick-started my love of nature and the landscapes. I somehow just paired the two together and next thing you know, I’m on the road chasing light, camping in the wilderness, trying to capture the beauty of the planet we live on. One of my fondest memories is hiking in Banff with my brother a couple years ago where we took the trail around Lake Louise to explore. There was a slight drizzle but the softness of the rain made everything peaceful. It’s those moments that I appreciate.

I hope to inspire others with my photography to protect the planet which we call home. To appreciate the beauty of the outdoors and to leave no trace for the future adventurers and those looking to reconnect with nature.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What did I envision as success for myself? Simply, I wanted to leave a positive impact in the world. I never would have imagined my photos would be published. I recall applying to Climbing Magazine’s mentorship program a few years ago and I remember getting a reply two weeks later. Disbelief was what I felt in that moment. It was a shot in the dark, sure, I had been doing photography for a couple years at that point but I felt like I was still a long way from being good, let alone being selected by Climbing Magazine to be mentored.

There was a lot of imposter syndrome I would say. Questioning if my photography was good enough. I would go back through old photos thinking of how I could improve it, what am I lacking to complete the vision I have? I watched hours of National Geographic Live talks of adventurers, photographers, and filmmakers of their journeys and their stories of how they viewed the world. It was truly inspirational seeing what they have achieved and I knew if I wanted to get there, I had have some ambition.

So when I was having doubts about a story I was following, if the time and effort was worth all the trouble, I called my friend on the phone one night. I recall what he told me was “Do it for the art. Do it for yourself.” and that totally changed my perspective. He was right, if I wanted to be ambitious, I had to go and do it. I had to be that one person out of a hundred that would be willing to take that extra step to make sure the story gets told. So no matter how tough it gets, I knew I could push my limits. After all, how many people get to push to the limit of their potential? That’s what I found so invigorating was that each time I pushed that limit further, I would always come back to it wondering how much I can keep going.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh, I would take them to what I would find to be the most unique place I could find. My friend has been talking about visiting me in California where I currently live and if a trip was to be made, it would certainly be a road trip of all the best places I could think of. Surfing waves, watching sunsets in Joshua Tree National Park, roaming the dunes and salt flats of Death Valley National Park, waking to sunrises in the Eastern Sierra, swimming in alpine lakes, rock climbing in Bishop, and summitting Mt. Whitney (the tallest mountain in the continental US). Incredible how all of that would be done in a week but it would be filled with laughing and living in the moment of it all.

Sure, there are plenty of places to eat and visit where I live at the moment, but being so adventure driven and looking for the next sunrise, I’d love to show my friends and anyone what truly makes living in the moment so beautiful.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My photography and art would not have been possible without the support of my family and friends. I have been fortunate enough to be recognized as a photographer with potential when I constantly feel the infamous “imposter syndrome”. To be encouraged to push the bounds of what I am capable of and seek more.

It’s difficult to feel like you’re worthy of something. For me, I was chasing a dream that was always running out reach. Even with all the hard work and dedication put in, was it “enough”? It’s always nice to dream big, to set expectations for yourself, but it’s always important to take pride in the small accomplishments you have. The mental toll slowly breaks you when you keep pushing constantly, I’ve learned that rest and breaks are necessary. Progress isn’t always linear or upwards. Take care of things that matter to you and never give up on those dreams.

So I want to thank everyone who has supported me, those I have met through my journey, and those I inspire. It’s reassuring to know that some difference was made and hopefully future differences can be made to make a positive impact for this planet.

Website: https://www.hansacho.com

Instagram: @hansacho

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hansacho

Youtube: @hansacho

Image Credits
Hansac (Hans) Ho