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Nicolas Jehly
@nicolasjehly
Travel photographer based in France
Curiosity for the world is embedded in my family. Each year my parents would take my brothers, my sister and me on a trip to new cultures with the aim of opening our eyes to the complex, vast and diverse world. These travels, together with the various opportunities to study abroad along the years, have given me experiences that anchored the passion for travel within me.
On a family trip to Canada in 2010, my mom gave me the responsibility to document our trip on camera – something she usually did herself – and quickly taught me how to use her SLR. I took this job very seriously and the result excited me as much as my family and friends. I realized then that I liked it. For years, I kept this good experience in the back of my head without ever taking the next step. Until the day my then-girlfriend decided to give me an entry-level DSLR, a Canon 550D, for my birthday.
"This definitely sparked my interest in photography further and I got caught up in the game."
Here I was, in the streets of Paris almost every night after work, my 550D and the basic 18-55 lens in my hands, to photograph this wonderful playground. I practiced, looked for my style, tried all the settings of the device… I loved this period of learning, which is still going on and which also corresponds to an intensification of my use of Instagram. The moment I realized I had a card to play as a photographer happened about three years ago when Instagram reposted one of my photos. In less than 24 hours, my photo was liked over a million times and I gained over 4000 followers! It was amazing. My phone kept vibrating. Of course this was a special occasion and as a photographer, or user in general, it is good to stay realistic and not let Instagram control your feelings or mood.
"Partly, it was also Instagram that inspired me by the gorgeous images taken around the world, to dramatically change my life in 2018."
At that time, I was working in a big bank in Paris. I had a great job, a nice apartment, and my friends nearby. Yet, I felt something was wrong. I was not satisfied – the metro-boulot-dodo routine as we say in France bored me. I had come to the end of a chapter in my life. So I decided to leave everything behind to travel the world on my own and enter a new life as a travel photographer.
There were many reasons that led me to that moment. It was first of all the opportunity to realize a dream by putting myself in the shoes of an adventurer and allowing myself to taste that feeling of total freedom where only the present moment counts. A complicated break-up and the feeling I needed to “find” myself only motivated me to take the leap. I also wanted to take the opportunity to think outside the box and go to less touristy areas in order to meet more authentic cultures, personalities and experiences. And finally I was counting on this trip to definitely transform my passion for photography into a real professional activity.
With some friends we planned far ahead in order to ascend Kilimanjaro all together, after which we went to Zanzibar in summer. So I canceled my return flight to France and took a ticket to South Africa. From there my solo trip full of introspection and adventure really started. My itenary was composed of places I had discovered mostly on Instagram. All the places I desperately wanted to see with my own eyes and more were visited in less than a year. Zimbabwe, Namibia, Brazil, Chile, Polynesia, New Zealand, Taiwan, China, Japan, Nepal … I visited 26 countries on this trip! What a year it was! The best of my life without a doubt. It is impossible for me to sum up this long and intense experience in a few sentences.
"But I can say that I felt where I needed to be throughout the trip, totally in tune with myself no matter what country I was in."
"Almost all kinds of adventures are my kind of adventures, but I have a deep love for climbing, reaching high summits and doing challenging trekkings."
I discovered the high mountains during an outing in the Aosta Valley in 2016. That year, we set off with friends to Gran Paradiso, a summit of over 4000 meters that we thought was ideal for taking the first steps in the high mountains. I have never stopped since this successful experience which truly marked me.
I love every step of an ascent, from the preparation to the shared beer upon returning at the refuge. For me, this is both a physical challenge and an opportunity to capture pristine landscapes protected from human activity. I love that feeling of power that a mountain can exude and appreciate even more the immense effort that it takes to be finally welcomed by the mountain on its summit with astonishing views. The ascend can be a kind of dance performed by a couple who love and hate each other – because the mountain can be dangerous. On its flanks you remember how insignificant and fragile you are. It’s a good lesson. Fortunately, I have never experienced serious problems during my climbs and I hope that luck will continue to smile at me during my next expeditions.
"None of these ascends were easy, it requires a certain physical health and mental strength to maximize your chances of success."
The ascent of the Matterhorn is indisputably the most difficult I have done to date. With its 4,478m altitude, the Matterhorn is one of the most arduous classics of the Alps. To complete the ascend and descend, an excellent physical condition as well as some climbing experience is needed because of the numerous slopes of the route, which exclusively consists of rock and ice. On top of that, the route is steep, the stone is crumbly, and the wind and the cold do not make it any easier. It took us 10 hours of intense effort, but once arrived at the summit, you are on another planet. We burst with joy and we forgot all the exhaustion, pain and cold. A magical moment!
"To be able to achieve the ascends and reach the summit successfully, my physical preparation is carefully thought-out."
I exercise 4-5 times a week and follow a specific program combining cardio exercises and muscle strengthening. And besides, you have to find joy in making effort and, in a way, love to suffer. When you give yourself the chance to experience it, you will know what I mean. Surpassing yourself, the feeling of being alone in the world, the beauty of the landscapes… The high mountains are a great escape for me when I need to take a break from the world and disappear in the remoteness that is everything.
"Traveling and climbing also awakened in me a strong ecological conscience."
Our planet is curving and choking under the weight of our economic development. I remember being saddened to see all this rubbish floating in Halong Bay, disheartened to see the Kilimanjaro glacier disappear, upset to observe the galloping and uncontrolled economic development around Victoria Falls… and many other examples. Reconciling development and protection of our environment is the major challenge of our century. Much effort is being made in this direction, and although much remains to be done, I am reassured to see that the ecological question has become a global priority, especially with the younger generation.
"My approach to photography is essentially documentary, and not so artistic."
I want to create something that is obviously pleasant to watch but which is also and above all as close as possible to reality. Over the years, I believe I have developed an aesthetic that is unique to me but with the only objective to reinforce the message of my image. By sharing these landscapes, these everyday scenes, these people with their personalities and stories, I bring to light a world that is not fantasized but very real. A world that is beautiful and sometimes astonishing. An inspiring world that arouses curiosity and the desire to see beyond borders.
"A desire to know more and to feel what it is all about."
My favorite photo was taken in 2019 in northern Vietnam, a portrait photo from a woman with her child on her arms. It is quite paradoxical because I have always preferred photos of mountains and landscapes, or portraits of adults or couples. But this photo… I find it gorgeous. It reflects love, kindness, connection… things that only do good, all that is best in being human. And it is real. That is what makes photography so special.
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