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Alexander Turpeau
@natpaleo
Photographer based in France
The day that you don’t really know what to do with your life or where to go is a day everyone encounters at some point. For me, this happened after I finished my studies and received my university degree from the faculty of sport and physical preparation. I started my business as a self-employed in Luxembourg in sports coaching and physical preparation. It was working pretty well and I had potential clients, but something was missing – that little bit that animates your heart and makes you feel invulnerable.
"Then, one day, I received a message from a friend saying that I should absolutely read the book "Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod."
A book that talks about the benefits of getting up early and incorporating into our lives a routine that stimulates personal development and the achievement of goals. At first I was quite skeptical, but over time I got caught up in the game to such an extent that I would get up at 5 am to meditate, write, read books on personal development, do some physical activity and tell myself aloud that I was capable of anything – and that one day, I would achieve my life goal of traveling, discovering new cultures and immersing myself to understand what Happiness could potentially mean.
I think this desire and curiosity was stimulated by my grandmother, who has taken the time over the course of her life to travel all over the world, in search of learning and personal growth. Her way of seeing the world fascinated me – she was never afraid and always traveled alone. As if her love for discovery was stronger than anything else. She would bring back little memories of the countries she visited and gift them to me and my cousins. Once she gave me a dream catcher, found in a village in China, which I’ve always highly valued and hung in my bedroom. For my own world exploration, I decided to go to Canada on a whim with a WHV (working holiday visa), for a period of two years.
"I had never been outside of France before and I felt the need to evoke a "shock" within me, get out of my comfort zone and go on an adventure with just my camera and some clothes."
During two years the adventures followed one another. I didn’t have expectations of what I was going to experience during this time at all. I didn’t have a specific goal other than to enjoy my Canadian adventure for 300%. I landed in Montreal where I stayed with some very charming hosts who are fans of hiking and climbing. We became friends over my two-weeks stay and even today we are still in touch. Then I went on a road trip throughout Quebec as an adventurer and musher, keeping sled dogs in the middle of the forest at – 40°C without water or electricity throughout the winter. This is where I really saw what I was capable of in terms of surpassing myself and adapting.
"An indescribably beautiful experience that I recommend everyone to live at least once in their life."
I also became much more aware of the impact humans have on the environment and how our nature is changing as a result by working in the maintenance of forests and wooden cabins while eating vegan. I learned about permaculture and how this type of land management can benefit natural ecosystems. Continuing my trip, I arrived in Western Canada. I visited the Rockies by bike which taught me lots of survival skills.
I was in search of giving meaning to my life, and I found it. Combining my passion for travel and sports with photography, something I’ve been fascinated by since I was a kid, I am now able to bring joy and emotion through my creativity, through my images. My ultimate goal is to inspire others to achieve their dreams. A quote from Nelson Mandela crosses my mind every day: “As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” I am inspired by it every single day and it helps me to not lose sight of what I am doing, what I want to accomplish and share.
"I want to be the best version of myself, for myself and for the world, leaving my mark through my photos and videos."
Visual creation is now an integral part of my life. In fact, I stopped working as a climbing instructor to devote myself exclusively to video and photography. I continue to climb every day because my job is also a second passion – I often go out with my buddies for hiking, rock climbing, and photography. It is a great way to combine my passions for physical activity and Art.
For me, what contributes to the creation of my art encompasses a set of things. Anything, any action, or even a turn of events can have a huge impact on our creations. Inspiration comes to me when I least expect it. It arrives when I start to consciously observe my surroundings. It surprises me when my sensitivity is called upon, for example as a result of uncertainties, the discovery of a new place, the emotional rush of joy, happiness, or anger. Inspiration appears without warning. It’s as if an inexplicable force inside of me stands up and wants to speak. It’s hard for me to put words into how I feel, but what I can tell is that I can feel, see, and observe nature in different hues, colors, and textures. My perceptions are awakened, the details appear naturally without forcing things too much. I am immersed in a spiral of creativity and overflowing imaginations.
"I feel thrilled by the joy of being able to immortalize this moment which will not happen again."
When the creative breakdown appears, I meditate or I read stories of inspiring men (Oscar Wilde, Gandhi, Mandela …) or stories of other travelers and photographers (Jérémie Villet, Sylvain Tesson, Vincent Munier, Mike Horn, Sarah Marquis…) all these people inspired my journey and contributed to my perception of life that I have today. My vision and senses have been refined as a result of reading about and learning from others, from nature – thus enriching my work
I feel the things and that shows in my photographs. It is hard to describe, but I can perfectly express them on paper in the form of poetry or heard quotes. Buddhism as an art of living, eating healthy, bringing joy and good humor… All of these things contribute to my physical and inner well-being. If I feel good with my body and my mind, then I can easily create, imagine new things, be open to receive from and give to others, and therefore evolve in various countries by letting myself be inspired by their culture and their benevolence while sharing with them who I am and what I bring with me as a person.
My parents taught me the values that are essential for good living in society. Respect for others, the environment, respect for beliefs and religious practices. When I visit a country where the customs are not the same as my country, I try to understand the basics. What are their rituals and beliefs and why? How are they living together and how does society function? What to avoid doing or saying? I like to immerse myself in places by respecting their way of living and communicating so I can do my best to exchange without judging and really connect. It is a form of mutual respect through collective understanding.
"Through my photos, I want to be as transparent as possible by bringing my personal touch, my feelings, and my current mood. Images that speak for themselves, natural without a filter but following my vision."
What I want to achieve when editing my photos is to allow people who look at them to understand my vision of photography. I like bluish hues, with character and contrast, and I like to brighten it up. This is my way of bringing softness to the hearts of people. A bright image arouses interest. It immediately provokes the smile as soon as it is seen, even if it’s only a smile on the inside. I play a lot with the RGB variations, to deal with high and low lights, strong and weak tones. My eye has become very trained concerning variations in temperature and light. I embellish my photo by giving it meaning and soul. In my opinion, this is what perfectly characterizes my creations.
"I search for the riddle of the puzzle, by detaching my subject from its surroundings."
When I’m in the field, I don’t look for the perfect shot, nor do I try to take 4000 photos. Quite often, I have found myself with two or three photos of a landscape. It’s like coming into close intimacy with it. It is therefore essential for me to choose my subject well without ever disturbing it. This is also why each photo has a unique and meaningful story connected to it, as well as each photo has had an impact on my personal development, in one way or the other. I could distinct one photo, taken at Percé during my road trip in Québec.
"This photo (Rock of Percé) means a lot to me as it is the expression of freedom, representing a closing chapter and opening a new page where I could start writing the next chapter of my life."
I framed this photo and hung it on my wall at home. When I look at it, I feel the strength to face no matter what challenges lie ahead of me. This photo reminds me that everything is possible when we give ourselves the means. A beautiful lesson in life forever engraved in my memory.
Nowadays I am traveling around in my camper van, in France or other countries in Europe; a dream of an active nomad and photographer. That I have been able to achieve and realize my personal projects is mainly thanks to meditation. Visualizing my desires, truly connecting with nature, and learning so much about self-development have been huge revelations for me. I could see, hear, smell and feel the things I aimed for.
"It truly transcends simple choices and decisions. And now, wherever I go, I freeze these moments for eternity - because not one moment, will happen again."
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