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Lea Roams
@learoams
Traveler and aspiring photographer based in France
It’s hard to tell where my passion for photography & travel came from, but it might have been from the movie “Into the Wild.” I was around 13 years old at the time and was blown away by the Alaskan landscapes shown in the film, but mostly by the deep message behind the story. I’ve grown up in a family of travelers, so I’ve been lucky enough to visit some pretty remarkable natural environments too. Our family trip to the American southwest back in 2017 was where I realized how incredible our planet actually is.
"At this moment, I knew I wanted to explore more of it and also capture the beauty with my camera so I can share it with other people."
Exploring the outdoors with my dog and dedicating myself to these passions is why I decided to quit at the end of my 3rd year in college in 2019. I was studying management and marketing, and although it was a tough decision, I was sick of being stuck all day indoors, so I still don’t regret this decision. Especially since my dog was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer in February 2020. I’m so grateful I had this time with him, and it made me realize how trusting your gut is essential in life.
"If I hadn't quit college, I would've missed so many of the beautiful moments I shared with him."
The year 2020 was when I found a new fearless version of myself. As soon as the borders reopened during the summer, I drove all the way across Switzerland, Germany, and Austria to finally reach the Dolomites. It was my very first solo road trip and one of my favorites so far. I remember the first day on the road, thinking, “What the hell am I doing?” But above all, I was so proud, happy, and free that I just wanted to share my adventures with people in a creative way through photography, videography & more.
I love post production because it’s what makes the photo so special and unique. If two artists edit the same raw image, the results will be completely different; that’s what I like. Photographers share memories, emotions, and feelings through their pictures. I don’t see how this would be possible while ignoring the crucial editing process. So yeah, that’s why I spend a lot of time editing my photos, and it’s a way for me to express my visual creativity.
"Being outside definitely helps my creativeness."
There’s not a day where I don’t spend time in nature. I live in the French countryside not too far from the Alps, so hiking represents a big part of my life. However, when I don’t have time for that, I’ll simply step outside my house to admire the sunset or sit under the starry sky. The night sky has always amazed me and I’d love to be able to capture it on camera too – that would be a huge fulfillment for me and I am definitely going to take action to learn about how to do it.
Although I truly appreciate the surrounding of where I live, my desire to travel the world is pretty strong. The biggest obstacle to traveling at the moment though is money! I’m only 22 years old, and since I’ve never had a long-term job, I only have a small amount of savings from working summer and part-time jobs. So for now, I decided to stay at my parent’s house to avoid spending money on groceries or rent. I’ve sold almost all of my wardrobe and everything else I wasn’t using anymore to try and gain money. And I also try to find jobs for a few weeks each year to finance my trips.
There’s also this feeling that you can be whatever type of person you want to be when on the road because no one knows who you are. I also love seeing how differently people live in other countries and learning about their culture. I guess what I’m looking for when I travel is meeting new people, and I have started to actively search for fellow photographers to travel or shoot with. In my own circle of friends or relatives, no one is into photography and I feel the desire to share my passion and learn from and with others. Though for the moment I am alone, I want to improve in taking pictures of myself in the frame, using a tripod. As a solo traveler, I have done it occasionally, but I’m not very comfortable doing this in crowded places.
"My goal is to detach myself from the fear of judgment and just take pictures wherever I feel it, creating the vision I have in mind."
I’m always impressed by nature everywhere I travel and the urge to immortalize the places together with my emotion at that moment is hard to resist. I’m still, to this day, blown away by the landscapes I’ve seen in Arizona and Utah, and also those in the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Sometimes I could cry in front of the sheer beauty of the landscapes I encounter. To me, photography is, above all, a way to remember how beautiful our planet is, and by visiting these amazing places I’ve learned a lot about myself. It proved to me that we don’t know what we’re capable of until we try! I also realized it’s sometimes a good thing to take some time far from family and friends to reconnect with your true self.
"I now know that the world is not as scary as it can sometimes seem. The majority of people anywhere are actually sweet and friendly towards strangers."
I love reading stories about people who are extraordinary. I’ve always been inspired by adventurers, entrepreneurs, explorers, astronauts… and basically everyone who apprehends life in a different way than the majority. People who have quit their everyday life to go and live a more meaningful one. It took me 22 years to realize that since the day we’re born, our time on this Earth is short, so we shouldn’t waste another minute doing something we don’t like, even if that’s what most people are doing. I feel privileged to have taken time out and spent time with my precious dog, as he’s the one who’s had the greatest impact on me out of everything and everyone.
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