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Rose Labeille
@backpackandsaltyhair
Photographer based in France
Since childhood I have been inexorably attracted by photography and adventure. My memories of me with my first disposable cameras are still very lively, as well as my always irresistible desires to frolic in nature, whether it was in a forest, wide open fields or anywhere else. My parents always told me that I was always moving, and clearly this has never changed. Each place they took me to during the summer holidays, whether in France or somewhere else in Europe, gave me the taste of traveling. I am an only child, which I think is partly the reason that I have always been so dreamy. I invented stories about crazy adventures; I remember the long hours in the back of the car, looking at the scenery passing by while listening to music and seeing myself on a horse galloping over these landscapes to explore every single bit of it.
During my adolescence I got my first “real” digital camera, which I have been bringing everywhere. I loved capturing landscapes, as well as the little critters that would always catch my eye. Over time this passion kept growing, just like me, and at the age of 18 I got my first reflex camera (Canon 600D) and went on my first road trips together with Jéremy, whom I met when I was 16.
"These trips brought us enormous inner happiness and a thirst for freedom."
It was with him that I set foot on the mountains for the first time, five years ago. Because even if I had traveled before with my parents, we never went to the mountains. On the contrary, Jérémy already knew the Pyrenees pretty well. When he proposed to go, I obviously wanted to and did go, but not without a bit of apprehension. I had doubts and uncertainties about whether I would physically be capable, if we wouldn’t get lost, if I wouldn’t fall and hurt myself, or even if I would have enough oxygen at 2000m… It sounds kind of funny to me now, but any smallest possible risk popped up in my mind; when we are unfamiliar with something we use to worry too much as we can’t predict or estimate how it will go and don’t have previous experiences to rationalize our thoughts. So for this first time we took it easy, in the heart of the Encantats, situated in the Catalan Pyrenees.
"Once up there, all my fears disappeared! I was amazed by the landscape, and so close to home! Ever since, we have never stopped exploring."
"Nevertheless, even after many adventures, this first night in the mountains remains the most special and memorable to me."
Time stood still, I felt like I was in another space-time. No network, solitude, the sound of animals and the wind, far away from the city lights and noise… The sunset, an incredible starry night, an enchanting sunrise with warm colors, the sea of clouds… I got the feeling of living real life, accessing a beauty that has always been there but never seen. All our senses awake! The emotion was great. And that feeling comes visit me on every next adventure. I often take a long time to fall asleep because I always have a mixture of excitement and apprehension.
My photography progressed over the years and with each outing. Capturing moments of life in an image to safe memories is important to me, which is why I take photos of almost everything. My environment, my dishes, my adventures… Grabbing my camera is almost like a reflex. The artistic dimension has been added to that little by little. I spent lots of time educating myself through online sources but also by observing closely and looking for inspiration.
"When I achieve a photo as I imagined it, I am filled with joy!"
A large number of people and things inspire me on a daily basis. As for photography itself, the artists I admire are very numerous … Chris Burkard, Paul Watson, Benjamin Hardman, Gunnar Freyr, Nicolas Vanier, Frauki… The list is endless!
"However, the major component of my creativity is music, something I have always been rocked by."
Each music evokes a wide variety of images, depending on the emotion, the season, the place… My playlists are very diverse, from classical music, to jazz, to reggae, to metal, or even folk. Artists that regularly stimulate my imagination and creativity are Max Richter, Ibrahim Maalouf, Thylacine, Planxty, Vikingur Olafsson, Wardruna, Skàld, System Of A Down, Metallica, Fakear, RY X, Bonobo, Rone, Bon Iver, Xavier Rudd, The Strokes, Kasabian, and many more! I love to immerse myself in listening to a song, and let myself be carried away by all these images that I uncontrollably create in my mind, to finally reproduce them later with my camera and post-production. I always try to achieve something natural, which highlights what I have seen with my own eyes. I want to honor the places I have visited and go for a universe a little dreamy, a little dark too.
"I hope to succeed in making one feel the freedom, convey the splendor of nature, its grandeur. And make you want to leave your home."
"Poetry also nourishes my creativity."
It is thought provoking which I enjoy incorporating somehow in my photography. One of the first names that comes to mind is that of the writer Sylvain Tesson. In each of his travel novels, he describes the world with accuracy and poetry. Having already traveled thousands of kilometers across the world, I travel through his writings, and draw inspiration from his philosophy. One of those quotes that struck me the most is:
"What if wealth comes from having solitude, space and silence - all of which will be lacking in future generations?"
I guess this quote speaks to me because Jérémy and I love searching for places that surround us with nature, silence and where we can be alone with ourselves to look inside and pay attention to the surroundings instead of all external distractions. Even if we can like famous places or cities like Amsterdam, we would still look for the green around. The mountain and the ocean will always remain what we feel most attracted to, those places where the elements are revealed clearly and can be experienced with each of our senses.
"The power of nature is admirable, and sometimes traveling with a tent and carrying only the basics is really testing our limits."
On one bivouac in the mountains, we only encountered problems. We were lost, had to change our planning, then during the night we both suffered from a rather severe food poisoning so the anguish increased because food poisoning can become serious and we had no network… Then a thick fog settled, and of course the weather (which was supposed to be good) became catastrophic. Rain began to fall and entered our tent while the wind carried us away. When we decided to go down and finally arrived at our car, it wouldn’t start… In short, a nightmare! Despite that, we kept smiling most of the time, with a lot of self-derision. It was our only weapon against all these setbacks! It taught us that we are mentally stronger than we imagined, and that when we have no power over the events that happen to us, our only power lies in how we approach those events.
Of course, sometimes, we also treat ourselves with a stay in a nice house or Airbnb on the coastline. We love mixing things up; each type of travel and accommodation provides a unique experience and opportunity to enjoy. In this sense, that both Jérémy and I are being driven and motivated by the same desires is a real fortune; we often tell each other how beautiful it is to be on the same wavelength and share all these moments together. However, I would definitely travel alone too; we are two independant souls, really happy to live such an adventurous life together. One thing is certain, it is part of the cement of our relationship. I remember seeing a study that revealed that going on thrill rides with your soul mate strengthens the romantic bonds between the two people. I think this can also be applied to our adventures!
We plan all our getaways together, we give each other our ideas for destinations, hikes, and we challenge each other (at our level), such as our first ascent of a summit at 3000m this summer! We share these beautiful moments together, and they belong only to us.
However, we love sharing our experiences afterwards. A lot of people on social media or around me asked me all the time how we reached these unusual places when I posted the photos on these networks. So we started a blog during the lockdown due to Covid19 in April 2020 with the aim of making adventure accessible to everyone. We share details of our adventures but also to talk about our philosophy of life.
Our cosmo-vision is realistic but full of dreams, we recognize that life is short, unpredictable and that it is not limited to the few weeks of vacation a year to experience great and exciting things. We can have great adventures close to home and only for a weekend with little budget – and we want to help others have the same.
"I think we carry within us a form of "urgency" to live."
We are two dreamy people, certainly, but who like to take action! In the end, all the memories that we create along the course of life are the only things that stay, together with the smile on your face when reminiscing, and realizing that we’ve lived life to the fullest.
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