Marie is our guide in discovering the world of solo female travel, finding your professional path by exploring your inspirations, and transitioning from photography as a hobby to building a professional portfolio. She shares her expertise through a practical example of her aerial photography, showcasing a before-and-after and imparting her most valuable lessons learned to date.
I’m Marie, I’m a 27-year-old photographer from the South of France. I come from the Oriental Pyrenees, a beautiful place enclosed between the Pyrenees mountains, the Mediterranean sea, and Spain.
I think I’ve always had the travel bug: my parents did a road trip across the USA when I was young, followed by Martinique and Guadeloupe. Growing up, they were showing me the photos and told me how these trips were incredible and how many beautiful places they saw. They were leaving me sometimes with my grandmother to go abroad. I remember especially them going to Lebanon when I was 6 when the Israeli-Lebanese war was striking; my dad is a professional photographer, and I have this memory of him packing his gear in his huge bag before leaving. They always encouraged me to push myself to the limits, and experience more raw and unique activities when visiting a country.
I feel that this type of education led me to travel alone and manage my life on my own, which resulted in being independent at a young age. Adventure has always played a huge role in my growth too. Apart from being a photographer, my dad is also a professional spelunker and used to take me on long hikes, climbing via ferratas, spelunking, rafting, and camping. I feel this type of lifestyle leads me to chase more soulful experiences while traveling, and to find my peace in the outdoors and remote areas. I enjoy quiet and vast locations, where I can feel close to nature. I seek more adventurous and crazy experiences than easy and touristy ones.
My first trips were to the Netherlands, with two friends. For the second time, we decided to rent bikes and cycle for 10 days across the country. I wasn’t that much into photography at this time, except for Polaroids (a passion I still nurture to this day). I came back with 10 photos, but very timeless and precious moments.
Then, I studied languages and did a master’s in wines and didn’t travel during my studies. I was missing it a lot. I was offered a professional opportunity as a sommelier in a famous resort channel in France, which are present all over the world. I had the opportunity thanks to my job to wander a lot, and I could live in Provence for 6 months, 3 months on a ship in the Caribbean, in the Alps for 2 months, and in Sicily for 7 months. I slowly started to take more pictures in Sicily, but I had an old phone, so I wasn’t happy with the results; I wanted to show the beauty of this island, but I had no idea how to do it at that time.
I applied for a cruise company and got a job in Seychelles. That’s when I decided to buy a drone and start investing more time in photography, but my time before embarking was really limited. I bought it 4 days before hopping on the ship. The goal was to bring back nice photos to post on my Instagram for my friends and family, but I had no idea this decision would take me to where I am today. I didn’t know anything about composition, aperture, editing, shutter speed, etc. I had no idea what I was doing but I was definitely enjoying it. I wanted to capture the beauty of the Seychelles, as I was conscious of being lucky to explore the very remote Seychelles islands which almost nobody goes to.
My passion for photography is extremely tied to my passion for the outdoors: I want to show the beauty of our planet to people and maybe make a difference in people’s life by showing the beauty of our world, hoping they would chase more meaningful experiences, and more unique locations.
I feel that, like a lot of people, Covid played an important role in the discovery and pursuit of my dreams. When the pandemic struck in March 2020, I was sent home from Seychelles and got locked down. I had many travel plans at that time, like New Zealand, New Caledonia, the Arctic, and Antarctica, USA, but everything got canceled.
I had to cope with what was given: my home region. I feel especially lucky on this one because the Oriental-Pyrenees have nothing to envy about other places in the world: it’s a small territory captured between mountains and the sea, with relatively warm weather all year long. Like many people at that time, I slowed down and took time for myself. After getting a drone, the time had come to buy a camera, not only to capture what my eyes couldn’t see but also what they could see. In the summer of 2020, I bought my first camera and started to shoot.
I spent the summer of 2020 sailing on the Atlantic Coast, discovering more and more hidden paradises in my own country. I was shooting a lot but didn’t know anything about the technical aspect. Saying I didn’t do things correctly is a euphemism: I was shooting JPEG, automatically. I was trying to educate myself online, but it’s quite difficult with 1 hour of Wi-Fi per day when you want to call family and take care of other matters. I slowly started to shoot manually, and I had to figure out by myself the relationship between aperture, speed, and ISO. I’m still not to this day a very technical person and go more with the flow. The SSD was full of unworthy, blurred, and over-exposed shots, but I kept my promise to practice every day to improve. That’s how my journey in photography began.
I traveled to Puglia in October and really started to play with lights, shadows, textures, and close-ups shots. It was the first trip where I could really do what I loved. Progress on this trip was phenomenal, shooting RAW and full manual. I was still flying the drone but enjoying handling the camera more. Covid struck again and I got locked down again. When I went back from Italy, photography made me discover my region with a new eye: I was suddenly chasing all the places I hadn’t been before (and it’s the least to say there was a lot), I was running after sunrises and sunsets and looking for undiscovered places. It lasted 10 months. 10 months of filling my hard drives one after the other. I traveled a lot around France during this time, and I realized I couldn’t be happier with a camera and the wind on my face.
Although, I signed up for another contract on a cruise ship, around Brittany and Corsica. Long story short, due to covid restrictions, we weren’t allowed to go out off the ship, and I had some strong personal and professional issues on board that led me to be very depressed and wrecked when I disembarked. I didn’t touch my gear for the whole summer and wasn’t feeling creative at all as I was in a deep spiral of sadness.
I spent 3 weeks in the dark, not knowing what to do with my life. One morning, I let my relatives know I needed some fresh air and a fresh start, packed up my bags, and drove 14 hours straight to Austria. This was the most random decision I ever took, but I spent 3 weeks alone, photographing the beauty of this country. I found back the peace I was looking for. It comforted me to pursue photography and to keep on dreaming to photograph and travel to nature. This trip, and especially photography, saved me.
After my trip, I met my partner, who shared my passion for photography, on Instagram. We hit it off immediately in his home region and soon took a trip to the Canary Islands. However, I was soon back on a contract in Italy and couldn’t fully enjoy photography.
Determined to pursue my passion, we booked a trip to Iceland, which proved to be a pivotal moment in my photography journey. Initially, I was hesitant about visiting Iceland due to its overrepresentation on social media, but my partner insisted and I am so glad he did.
As soon as we arrived in Iceland, I was blown away by its beauty. The northern lights greeted us upon landing, a first for me and a moment of pure excitement and joy. Iceland challenged me to take my photography to the next level as I was constantly searching for unique angles and soulful moments to capture. Each day, I pushed myself to take more creative shots, and Iceland never ceased to amaze me.
One of my most memorable outdoor experiences was capturing the braided rivers of Iceland. This was a significant moment for me both personally and professionally. The complexity and beauty of these rivers required extensive research, time, and effort, but I was determined to capture their essence.
I used a drone to fly over the rivers and reached 4.5 km but had to turn back due to a low battery. The next day, I tried again and flew even further, reaching a unique point where two braided systems collided, creating a beautiful contrast of colors. The struggle, fear, preparation, and perseverance all paid off, and I was overjoyed with the results. This series is one of my proudest works, and it inspired me to always pursue my passions and push the boundaries.
In this regard, the following are four key ingredients for a great aerial photo:
I ensure it’s “flyable” and check for any flight restrictions such as private properties or airports. This helps me save time and comply with the law. If necessary, I obtain a permit. I also do research from home using Google Maps satellite mode to identify unique textures visible from above. I gather inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram and create folders to store ideas. I pin my findings on Maps and create itineraries around them. The preparation process can sometimes take longer than the actual trip.
With limitless possibilities, it’s crucial to give extra attention to composition when flying. Some may believe that creating good aerial shots with a drone is easier due to its uniqueness, but I disagree. It can be just as challenging as traditional photography as you still need to consider the angle, foreground, dead space, scale, leading lines, background, and subject. While a drone shot may be more impactful than a regular camera shot, relying solely on the “wow” factor is not enough to create a successful image.
Given the limited battery life, it’s crucial to assess whether it’s an appropriate time to fly (considering sunrise/sunset). The golden hours are ideal for shooting, or a cloudy day can be great for mid-day shoots. Light is everything in photography, including aerial photography. If there are people in the frame, waiting for them to be positioned correctly or flying away if it doesn’t enhance the composition can be beneficial.
I aim to convey a story through elements such as scale, composition, colors, and the presence of people or animals in the frame. I constantly ask myself, “What does this image express? What message does it convey to the viewer? Does it showcase the beauty of our planet? What is the intended message?”
This shot is one of my all-time favorites, but the story behind it is bittersweet. In March 2022, my partner and I took our first trip together. I had been eagerly anticipating this shot for a while and was thrilled to finally bring it to fruition. After a sunrise that didn’t meet our expectations, we headed to ‘Playa de los Charcos’, a unique beach located in western Lanzarote. We parked and took a short walk to reach the beach.
The place was truly otherworldly. The beach was a volcanic crater that formed during an eruption in the 1930s and was later flooded by the ocean. Due to erosion, only half of the cone remains, so when you’re on the beach, you’re walking inside the volcano cone. The flooding created a green lake that is constantly filled via subterranean channels. The green color is due to algae and sulfur and has a higher salt density than the Dead Sea.
The green lake’s hue changes based on the weather and lighting, creating a stunning contrast with the black sand beach, the blue ocean, and the reddish slopes of the volcanic cone. It’s a one-of-a-kind spot surrounded by dormant volcanoes. When the sun rises above them, the light becomes gentle; at sunset, the contrast of colors intensifies.
Back to the experience. I quickly changed into my white swimsuit and got ready to fly my drone. I recently purchased a Mavic 3 and had only had a few chances to use it, so I was thrilled. Before lying down on the sand, I carefully selected my composition. I aimed to capture a sense of vastness. Once I found the right composition, I positioned myself at the center of the shot and lay down on the sand. The air was quite chilly, and I was occasionally hit by waves. There wasn’t much wind, but I was in the shadow of the crater, and the sun was still low. I was cold but felt alive with the sensation of the cold sand, the salty ocean air, and the excitement of realizing my dream shot.
As I was waiting for the waves to align, I was repeatedly clicking my camera and was focused on capturing the perfect shot. However, during my photography session, I heard a loud noise above me and upon looking up, I saw that our two drones had collided and fallen near me. My drone was immediately filled with water and damaged beyond repair, with two legs missing and the camera shattered. I quickly retrieved my partner’s drone and salvaged the SD cards to save our photos and videos. Although our drones were no longer usable, we remained in high spirits, grateful that we still had our cameras and that no harm had come to us. To this day, the cause of the crash remains a mystery, but we believe that my partner’s drone suddenly lost control and collided with mine. Despite the unfortunate event, our photos and videos turned out beautifully.
I approach editing with a minimalist mindset, striving for a high-contrast shot with dark sand and bright blue waves. I selected a white swimsuit to stand out against the sand, to showcase the vastness of the beach and the small presence of a human in nature. After flying the drone for about 15 minutes, I captured multiple shots waiting for the ideal wave. This shot of someone lying on the beach with waves approaching is not new, but my focus was on the beauty of nature rather than the person. I wanted a delicate image with the foam of the ocean gently touching the black sand. Despite the beautiful scenery, I was determined to get the shot I had envisioned.
The editing process was straightforward, taking less than 20 minutes. I prefer minimal editing for certain shots, while others may require hours of work. I was pleased with the simple and light outcome, even though some people may have gone deeper with the edit. It was exactly the result I was aiming for.
– The Eraser tool: I aimed to remove any algae and rocks from the beach to create a cleaner look. I erased some foam in the upper right corner to give the ocean a neater appearance.
– Basic Tweaks: I heightened the black and contrast levels in a few areas.
– Color Correction: I intensified the blue hue and saturation levels.
– Masking: I created two masks. One is to make the white swimsuit stand out against the beach, and another radial filter to increase the brightness and contrast of the waves in specific areas.
I am a strong advocate of the idea that editing and color grading can amplify the story and emotions in a photo, while still maintaining a natural appearance. I strive to utilize editing to enhance the story, not diminish it. I approach editing with an understanding of what I want to convey, the story I want to tell, and the emotions I felt during the moment.
For example, my sunrise shots typically evoke feelings of peace and calm, so I use soft blues and pinks to accentuate that atmosphere. Sunsets, on the other hand, are often moments of awe and powerful endings, and I use warm oranges and reds to reflect that. Mid-day shots, which I rarely take, are more contrasted with stronger greens and blues.
This photo I took in Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, is a good example of what I mentioned previously. The location is the well-known Mirador del Risco de Famara, which offers a breathtaking view of the Famara beach at sunset. I visited this viewpoint three times, but the first two visits were disappointing as the scenery was obscured by heavy clouds. The road leading to the viewpoint is rugged, so I made sure to check the weather forecast multiple times before making the third trip.
I was overjoyed when I finally saw the clouds moving toward the island and exposing the sun. I quickly searched for the perfect composition that would showcase the connection between the sea and the volcanoes in the background. I had to be patient and wait for the sun to reflect on the waves to bring the image to life. The light was truly spectacular, with rays peeking out from the clouds, and I was grateful for such a beautiful sunset. Unfortunately, it was followed by a heavy downpour just 10 minutes later.
As you can see, I have an emotional attachment to all my photos. But this image captured in Stokksnes has a special place in my heart. The place is well-known and stunning, and the scenery that morning was breathtaking.
The day before, I visited Stokksnes for a failed sunset, which was already amazing. But that sunrise, I had a specific shot in mind that required perfect conditions – no wind, a soft sunrise, and my wide-angle lens. I positioned myself to capture the whole Vestrahorn and waited for the sun to rise. When I saw the light, I activated the intervalometer and slowly walked into the middle of my composition to avoid disturbing the water that was reflecting the mountains. I took about 80 shots, but only 3 turned out to my satisfaction. The feeling was incredible – I was capturing what I had envisioned, surrounded by the silence of nature, broken only by the sound of the ocean’s waves. I could still feel the sand and water under my feet, my hair loss in the ocean mist, and my eyes captivated by the magic of the location. I have never felt so connected to nature as I did at that moment.
Although I have captured some of my favorite images abroad, my home region, with its diverse landscapes and unique beauty, serves as my primary source of inspiration. I was raised in one of the most picturesque areas in France, where the mountains meet the sea. The weather is mild year-round, with warm summers and mild winters. The snow-capped Canigou mountain, which separates France from Spain, adds to the region’s charm. Despite the popularity of the region among tourists and photographers, I enjoy the challenge of finding new and interesting angles to capture. One of my favorite subjects is the rock formations and lonely trees in front of the Canigou.
I recently explored the Camargue, a region in southern France known for its striking salt flats, which further pushed me towards minimal and pure aerial photography. Currently, I reside in Lozere, located in the center of France, and its landscapes have become a source of inspiration for me. I have also had the opportunity to visit other beautiful regions in France like the Basque Country, the Pyrenees, Provence, Corsica, and Brittany, and I would love to revisit them all if given the chance. The diversity and beauty of France’s landscapes have been a major source of inspiration for me.
Next year, I plan to explore more of my own country, capturing the storms of Brittany, roaming the vineyards of Alsace, chasing the waterfalls of Jura, and photographing the snowy peaks of the Alps.
After three years of personal and professional growth, I’ve decided to pursue my passion for traveling and photography. I established my print shop in December 2022, and I’m thrilled to announce it’s finally open for business. Starting from February 1st, my art pieces can be purchased by the people of France and will soon be shipped globally in mid-summer.
The journey wasn’t easy, as I faced hosting issues and had to restart my print shop from scratch. I had no prior knowledge of website and shop creation, but with the support of my partner and my loved ones, I persevered. Despite missing out on some personal events, I was determined to fully focus on my project.
The creation of my print shop has taught me that with enough belief and hard work, anything is possible. While it’s too early to determine its impact on my career, I’m grateful for the experience and the lessons it has taught me.
Reflecting on what I’ve learned, I believe that the lessons from traveling can be applied to both personal and professional life.
One key takeaway is the principle of “less is more.” In both life and photography, it’s important to eliminate negativity and distractions to allow for a more fluid and present state of mind. I found that cutting ties with people who weren’t supportive of my projects allowed me to be more authentic and creative. The same goes for editing photos; I start by removing any elements that detract from the composition and story, aiming for minimal and pure shots that still convey emotions and peace.
The value of slowing down: In a fast-paced world where we quickly consume everything, slowing down has become an integral part of my creative process. Photography has taught me to savor the moment, to appreciate the fragrance of freshly watered grass, the chirping of birds, and the warmth of the sunrise on my skin. My camera has heightened my awareness of my surroundings, allowing me to appreciate the stunning beauty of nature and to feel grateful for living on this planet.
Progress comes from perseverance and practice: My parents instilled in me the belief that hard work is essential for success. This applies to photography too. The advice I would give to someone starting out is to take as many photos as possible. Don’t let overexposed or blurry shots discourage you, instead try to identify what went wrong and why. Keep shooting, perseverance is key. Don’t neglect preparation, plan your shots, location, timing, and gear setup. Preparation is just as important as the act of shooting.
There is room for all: I once came across a thought-provoking statement, “to shine, don’t dim other people’s light”. I felt hindered in my professional journey at some point by people trying to outshine me, but there is truly enough room for everyone to thrive. I firmly believe in supporting and uplifting one another, especially in the world of photography where art is subjective and open to everyone’s evaluation.
Ten years from now, I envision myself traveling the world, capturing its beauty, and spreading awareness about environmental conservation, similar to the French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand. To achieve this goal, I have a short-term plan to create eBooks about my travels, showcasing not only popular tourist destinations but also hidden gems and tips on responsible travel. I aim to build a YouTube channel in 2024 and write a book that showcases the splendor of our planet. I recognize that these projects will require a significant investment of time and effort, particularly in the areas of videography, storytelling, and photography. However, I am optimistic about the opportunities that life will bring me and am eager to learn and grow through my experiences on the road. While it’s important to have goals and plans, I have also learned to slow down and enjoy the present moment.
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