Beyond the technical aspects, it’s all about your mindset and approach.
Sylvain Terretdoesn’t have a preferred name for his 2004 Nissan Patrol Y61 , but damn does he jazz that gondola . The lensman and avid outdoorsman on a regular basis venture far into the rugged heights of the French Alps behind the wheel of his trusty gray 4x4 for hiking expedition . He enjoys bivouacking in the high - elevation wild using a badass tent accessory that link to its cap . And , as you ’ll quickly pick up onhis Instagram account , he captures gorgeous portraits of the diesel engine - power beauty — often take care with the snowfall - capped Mont Blanc as the background — on their many adventures . Just like his camera , the gondola is another extension of himself .
While on a recent slip to Megève , France’sFour Seasons Hotel Megève , I had the honor of off - roading through the beautiful craggy terrain in Terret ’s Patrol as part of a guide picture taking hike . It was the last day of my head trip to the area for the hotel ’s “ found on a True stoppage ” experience , and maybe it was the nostalgic metallic odor of the camping gear and computer hardware inside , but climb up into the rider seat while the tick over diesel locomotive engine rumbled made me downright giddy . We were still on paved roads when I started pepper Terret with questions — about his ride ( he ’s had it for just over a year now , I learn ) , but his choose profession , too .
“ I used to draw and paint my inner world , but in picture taking , it ’s the exact reverse — I make image jump from reality , ” Terret sound out . “ When I ’m take photography , I sense profoundly connected with my surroundings , and as a mountain lover , being out with my camera , sometimes off the beat cut , it ’s like my sens are heightened tenfold . I ’m here and now in an intense way . ”
Photo Courtesy of Sylvain Terret; Design by Maitane Romagosa for Thrillist
Unlike Terret , I ’d never hopped into an off - road vehicle and ascended into the mountains to snap some photos , so I was admittedly a little intimidate . What should one look for when surrounded by a sensational landscape painting with an epic vista in every focal point ?
“ Sometimes I go into the hatful only for hiking — I do n’t fetch any photo gear , except my headphone , ” he suppose . “ Other times , I go to take photo and the hike is just a way to get to some places . I ’ll pick out the clip to get the light and weather conditions I ’m look for , even if it ’s not the best for hike . For instance , when the weather turn foggy or rainy , most people do n’t go out , but I ’ll be somewhere in the mountains with my photographic camera . ”
Scroll through Terret’snature and computer architecture photographyand you ’ll see what he mean . walk along a gravel road with the Patrol park not too far behind us , he laughed when I described his style as “ moody . ” But he did n’t disaccord .
Photo by Tony Merevick for Thrillist
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Unfortunately for him , we did n’t have any gloomy mist to work with on that September good afternoon in the French Alps . Though from my position , we in spades lucked out with the atmospheric condition . Cold rain the night before frosted the surrounding mountain caps with a snowy glow , and extra sop storm were just hours by . Of course , most visitors experience Megève , located in the Haute - Savoie region of southeast France and advantageously get at via Geneva , under a chummy mantle of powder during the winter ski season . But the peace and quiet of the off - season made the visit even more peculiar for me .
Still on fundament , we touch a eminent hayfield at the top of a loom hill and paused near a abeyant ski airlift . downcast clouds raced above us , and the afternoon sun protrude an ever - turning kaleidoscope of vivid fantasm and highlight against the rocky ridges . Looking down into the valley below , Megève showcased its most picturesque angle , as if the fairy tale mountain town was place for a postcard . My first instinct was to whip out my iPhone and hang back it through the aura for a panorama shot . It turned out nicely , but I noticed Terret was doing the accurate opposite . rather of trying to get an epic hero shoot like me , he coach his lens of the eye on a lilliputian farm in the distance , and then , on the tall golden grass blow in the parky wind around us . I was clearly missing something .
“ I advise to simply not render to capture everything in one shot , because you actually terminate up find out everything and nothing at the same prison term , ” he enjoin . “ Rather , frame something that resonates with you . It could be part of a mountain , a lightness and a shadow , a detail in the forest , the shape of clouds , anything that bewitch your aid . ”
“ Because of societal media , people need to travel to a specific place and capture the precise same photograph that pass viral , but that does n’t bring any value , ” he continued . “ How can you bring something dissimilar ? A good picture , to me , is a exposure that the longer we watch it , the more we love it , and we never get tired of face at it . ”
As Terret pointed out ( at times with a flurry of photographic camera mouse click in a sure steering ) , there was a wealth of dramatic alpine scene transubstantiate in front of us amid the changing luminance — more than enough to keep our shutter in use as we hiked along , carefully avoiding the many , many cow pie hiding in the overgrown fields .
“ Just reconnect with yourself and observe the nature around you , ” Terret evidence me , great advice for a novice with a heavy camera and even bigger outlook for his travel photography . “ Can you see how the light is changing on this part of the mountain ? How about the shadows on the rocks ? Or this petty cabin lost in the wild ? face at the flat coat — there are many beautiful colouring , textures , and contingent everywhere . ”
Photo by Tony Merevick for Thrillist
“ Is there something you palpate connect with ? ” he added . “ catch it . ”
So I did .
I found the shadows , shapes , and textures , including the subtle sparkle of meltwater trickling down the mountainside and fantasm shape minacious tentacle across the timber ’s expanse . I even came across some alarmingly red mushroom that much screamed up from their spell of fall twigs and pinecones , demand their last - up . And you could bet your fucking that I amaze a glamour shot or two of Terret ’s prized Patrol .
What I ended up with was a serial of photo — hundreds that I edit down to dozens — that trance the essence of that autumn good afternoon , at last linking together to say the story of our little hike together . Looking back , a big part of my lesson was recognizing that my compendium of photos from that day — panos , closemouthed - ups , texture crack , plays on shape , plays on shadow — is far peachy than the sum of its character .
