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Ghislain Fave

@ghislain_fave

Travel photographer based in France

My passion for travelling came before my passion for photography. I still remember rainy afternoons at my grandparents’ house, watching slide projections of pictures of their trips to Patagonia or Namibia. Now there are hundreds of pictures of these regions uploaded everyday, but this was 25 years ago, before internet, social media and mass tourism and the pictures of my grandparents were the first pictures I had seen from these places. I grew up in the suburbs of Paris, with little contact with nature and I kept dreaming about those remote places I had seen on the photographs. So when I had the opportunity to study abroad, I jumped on the adventure without doubting; I chose Brazil, a continental’s country with a unique culture.

"It was supposed to be a 2 year experience... I came back 12 years later, married, father of an adorable girl and with 3 cats."

Photography stepped into my life when I was in Brazil, mainly because I wanted to document this experience, to keep and share memories of this new “brazilian life”. That time photography was just a tool to capture memories; it had a secondary role. It was during my travel to Patagonia that my passion for photography really began. I had to see those glaciers my grandfather had shown me on pictures by myself, and I wanted to reach Cape Horn, the name of a place that had resonated in my mind since I was a kid, when I was reading books about fearless adventurers. I had never seen such a wild place, battered by the elements and where human feel so small.

"I felt the need to capture more than its beauty; I wanted to share the emotions that arise within when standing in front of such a rugged landscape, contemplating its immensity."

It was also during that trip, that I realized for the first time how human has changed the world. It’s hard to find unspoiled places nowadays. Even places like Patagonia, which can look pristine at first glance, are deeply impacted and it was with immense sadness that I discovered the massive scars of coal mines and the many retreating glaciers in this region.

"This particular trip influenced me in every possible way, and today I am an engineer in climate change."

It made me change my lifestyle – I am much more conscious about whatever I do and how it influences climate change – but also my approach to travel has changed. I do not travel impulsively anymore, just because I can travel. Social media has increased the urge to travel, boosted the bucket list trend and introduced the concept of traveling for likes, or doing something to show to others in general. Traveling to the other side of the world just because it’s possible, because we want to check a place on our list or take the perfect shot, doesn’t make much sense to me. Our earth is much more than a playground and we should treat travel and travel photography with more consideration.

"I still believe that travel is important and that the cultural exchange it provides is vital in our changing and globalized world. However, we need more mindful travelers."

Photography helped me in this change; in slowing down and traveling more mindful. Taking pictures makes me pay much more attention to small details, to subtle changes in lights, to interesting elements I hadn’t seen before. I enjoy much more spending several days at a location, taking the time to discover a new place and immersing myself in a new atmosphere.

"I do think it’s a healthier and more sustainable way of travel and it actually improves my photography."

I first learned a lot from other photographers and experimenting different techniques, and then got my inspiration from other sources, like music and movies. But what has influenced and helped me most in photography, is being in nature and really experiencing the moment and environment where you are. When I edit, I now tend to focus less on the nature of the subject itself and to listen more to my inner being, to convey the sensations I had while contemplating a landscape. This introspective approach helped me to know myself better and to better identify what kind of picture I want to share.

I focus on natural landscapes, though I often include some human elements. While it’s not the case in the real world, I tend to relegate the human being as a harmless observer of the world. Feeling small in front of nature, which is what led me to astrophotography. 

"Gazing at the vastness of the universe... I believe it’s the best way to put things in perspective and to be reminded of the triviality of our existence!"
"I believe that we should all keep in mind that our existence and health depends on the existence and the health of the Earth. We can’t just talk about taking care of it, we have to take action."
@ghislain_fave and Night shot
Ghislain Fave Travel Photographer and Engineer in Climate Change.

 And part of that is to accept that besides compensating or reducing the use of plastic, we have to change the way we travel, since flights and all that comes with your travels, have a much bigger impact on the total emissions. There are so many things we can do… traveling closer to home, taking straight flights, always compensate for emissions, traveling longer but less often…Travel Slow! And also, we should keep in mind the reason for our travels: 

"We should travel to learn, to grow personally, to gather valuable experiences and knowledge to understand the world and embrace diversity."

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