Florent Braquart

@florent_braquart

Best of the week 44 at #nomadict

I was born in North of France, and the country is pretty flat in this area. During my first few holidays, I went with my family to the French alps. We came back every year, staying in front of the same lake, surrounded by the same elegant mountains. I fell in love with these giant rock structures and 20 years later I tried to live in an alpine valley. It was an awesome experience, but I felt a little lonely; a few years later I came back to the city. During those years, I had no particular interest in photography, but I developed a deep appreciation for mountains.

"I love the feeling of being so little: a human being is nothing when facing pikes, glaciers, summits, and endless pine forests…"
"My passion for photography came later, and was driven by music."

I am a musician, I play guitar and I wanted to shoot short movies so I bought my first camera. That was in January 2017. When I started with this, my enthusiasm for shooting extended and I began to shoot outdoors, capture forests, trees and of course mountains. The Alps are very beautiful and now I started with photography, I always feel like capturing the sceneries it offers. France in general has many beautiful photography spots anyway and I have still a lot left to discover.

Since I got my camera, I have been practicing a lot; by myself, but also together with other people. I think it’s the most important part if you want to improve. By sharing the practice, you will learn different styles, techniques and skills from other photographers. Also, looking at other paintings, photographs and movies helps to get inspiration. My favorite painter is Gaspard David Friedrich, and his painting ‘Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog’ is a big inspiration for my edits. When I edit, I always have my goal in mind. I want the viewer to stop and stare at the photo, making him/her think.

"Life is hard, ugly and sad sometimes, and through photography I want to share a vision that shows that human problems are meaningless compared to the immensity of the Earth."

I also want the viewer to get his backpack and go out, searching for adventure and discovering wilderness. Not just wilderness actually, maybe even more important is that it helps to discover yourself, improve yourself. I am afraid of heights, and I overcame this fear because of photography. For a good shot, I sometimes have to put myself on impressive cliffs or the highest peaks. It was and still is a huge challenge for me, but I learned that I can do it, that I am strong enough to confront myself with the fear I feel in order to accomplish something I really want. Also, I can be better on my own than before; I can now enjoy going on a hike by myself without feeling lonely. Photography has helped me to be more honest with myself, to listen to my feelings, my fears and my strengths. It has made me more adventurous than ever:

"For the moment I am in New Zealand, crossing the country with a van, all by myself, amazed by all the amazing landscapes and searching for the unknown."
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