We caught up with two of AUB’s MA Photography graduates who’ve joined forces to combine their love of photography and their love of climbing to create CLIMBUNITY, a community for climbers and artists in the Dorset area.
Gabriel Buca, a.k.a. BUCAPHOTO, is a fine art photographer who graduated from BA (Hons) Photography in 2023, continuing on to his MA Photography at AUB, which is where he met Fin MacMillan. Having graduated from BA (Hons) Commercial Photography in 2021, Fin continued on to complete his MA Photography at AUB in 2023, and now works as a technician demonstrator at the University.
Here we find out more about the creative climbing duo and how CLIMBUNITY came about…
“I started CLIMBUNITY for my Master's final project to showcase the work I’d created," explains Gabriel. "When I was thinking about how and where to exhibit, I thought it would be so much better to have more than just my own work on show in a big room.
“I already knew a bunch of climbing photographers, so I called them, and with the curating experience I’d learned from my BA, I created this community of climbing photographers and exhibited their work.
"Finding these other artists and sharing their amazing climbing photographs had the added benefit of introducing the public to the world of climbing too.”
The first CLIMBUNITY exhibition was hosted by The Project Climbing Centre’s studio at Poole Dolphin Centre in July 2025, featuring the work of Gabriel, Fin, Freddy High, Oscar Dryden and Phil Hector.
“Phil Hector, the social media manager at the Project Climbing Centre, does a lot of climbing photography, self-taught, and he has great work," says Gabriel. "But he’d never exhibited before CLIMBUNITY, and through this collective he’s learned all these new techniques.”
Phil says, “I really enjoyed having the opportunity to be involved with CLIMBUNITY; it was the first time I’ve shared any of my climbing photography in a non-digital format. Selecting and printing the images really allowed me to understand my style and develop my editing further completely changing how I create something which is considered ‘finished’. It was great to be able to experience other people’s work and see climbers and non-climbers checking everything out.”
“After this first exhibition, I spoke with the Dolphin team who offered us the GATHER Gallery space where we could run workshops as well," Gabriel continues. "So we went from that first gallery with five photographers exhibiting, to the second gallery having up to 10 people including photographers and illustrators. It was great seeing the community expand beyond photography.
Illustrator Joy Harker, who exhibited at the second event, comments, “Although I’ve worked as an illustrator and maker for the last few years, I’ve never reproduced or sold my personal work.
“I’m incredibly grateful for Gabe’s facilitation and support. CLIMBUNITY has not only given me the opportunity to exhibit my work, but a reason to make more. Once you leave uni and settle into a job it’s easy to disconnect with the local creative community, CLIMBUNITY has built a wonderful network of local creatives and climbers.”
As a technician at AUB, Fin helped Gabriel through his undergraduate and postgraduate Photography degrees. It was when he was finishing his own Master’s that he used climbing as a theme for his final project.
Fin, says, “As a keen climber myself, it made sense for me to focus in on such an interesting community in my own practice, shooting free climbers in all sorts of locations across Europe, including France and Spain.
“When Gabe approached me for that first show, the whole idea was to make a community where people could come together and create work, but also to have a place to show it at the end, as well.
“And when we had the opportunity for a second, larger show, we expanded it out. More people, more mediums, so it wasn’t just photography. We also ran community classes and workshops on how to photograph people and climbers.
“It's more like a community or a society. We'd love for more people to get involved; we’ve got another show coming up in April where we’re expanding again. We’ve already arranged talks from professional physios, activities such as aerial acrobatics and parkour, and an open climbing competition with 60 different boulders, set by one of the largest assembled setting crews in the UK, led by Freddy High."
For more information on CLIMBUNITY, you can visit the page on Gabriel's website and follow CLIMBUNITY on Instagram.
