Rediscovering, slowing down and traveling consciously

My passion for photography and video was born long before it became my full-time career. It stems from the sense of fulfillment you get from immersing yourself in a place, meeting its inhabitants and listening to the stories they share. These stories and perspectives stay with us, influencing our view of the world and our day-to-day decisions. The principle of intentional travel was born out of these personal experiences, and this guideline will follow us throughout this story through the coastal landscapes of Quebec's North Shore.

Béatrice Vu
Fujifilm X-H2S + XF 16-55mm F/2.8 R LM WR at 16mm
1/3200  |  f/5.6 |  ISO 1600

After a busy summer of photo and video projects across our beautiful province, it was time for a girls' road trip to reconnect with ourselves and with nature. Accompanied with my friend and colleague Johany, my long-time friend Élise, my trusty Fujifilm X-H2S and the new Fujifilm GFX100 II.  We took Route 138 to the North Shore for one last content creation assignment. Since it's important for me to optimize my travels and avoid quick round-trips, we extended our adventure to Île aux Perroquets, with the aim of fine-tuning our bird photography. Our muse? The famous puffins, the seabirds that come every year to breed and feed on this small rock in the middle of the St. Lawrence River.

Knowing that the whales were back to feed in the St. Lawrence River, we embarked on our snorkeling adventure to do something different and experience the river's frigid water, which we estimated to be around 8°C. With our brains frozen solid, but lots of laughter, we were lucky enough to receive a visit from a curious seal and observe several starfish and sea urchins in the salt water.

Johany Sergerie
 Fujifilm X-T4 + XF 16-55mm F/2.8 R LM WR at 26mm
1/320  |  f/4 |  ISO 1000  

To round off our day at Grandes-Bergeronnes, we went sea kayaking, where we were lucky enough to spot a humpback whale, a minke whale and a family of porpoises, who weren't shy at all. On my kayak, I had in hand the GF 110mm F/2 R LM WR, which is not the lens I normally take for this kind of trip, but I enjoyed the challenge. Our best memory was the feeling of calm on the water and the fact that we could hear the breathing of these mammals so close to us.

Béatrice Vu Par
Fujifilm GFX100 II   + Fujinon GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM OIS WR 
1/400  |  f/4.5 |  ISO 1250 

Béatrice Vu Par
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujinon GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM OIS WR 
 1/400  |  f/5.6 |  ISO 1250 

Fulfilled by these encounters with wildlife, it was time to get back on the road to Baie-Comeau, where we stayed for four nights. We had a campsite overlooking the river, accessible by a trail through a boreal forest that made you feel like you were alone in nature, where we slept to the sound of passing porpoises. Here, we adopted a more sedentary pace, taking the opportunity to slow down and reconnect as humans. Here, I took the opportunity to take a few shots with my drone and fly over the dramatic landscapes of the Côte-Nord. Note that it's important to make sure there's a safe perimeter and no nuisance to wildlife.

Béatrice Vu
DJI Air 3
1/80  |  f/1.7 |  ISO 200

Finally, our last destination: the Mingan archipelago, to reach Île aux Perroquets and meet our famous puffins. It was finally time to take out the Fujinon GF 500mm F/5.6 R LM OIS WR with the Fujinon GF 1.4X TC WR teleconverter that my friends at Fujifilm kindly lent me for the occasion, while keeping the XF 16-55mm F/2.8 R LM WR close by for landscapes. As the sun rose, a thick mist set in, creating an atmosphere worthy of a film. During our boat trip, it was almost impossible to see the horizon, which added a touch of mystery once we docked on the island, where we were warmly welcomed. Our hosts told us that a group had canceled their reservation, so we were left alone on the island for the duration of our stay, a truly unique experience.

Béatrice Vu Par
Fujifilm X-H2S + XF 16-55mm F/2.8 R LM WR at 16mm
1/200  |  f/7.1 |  ISO 500

Béatrice Vu
Fujifilm X-H2S  + Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR at 129mm
1/2500  |  f/4 |  ISO 2000

Béatrice Vu
Fujifilm X-H2S  + XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR at 140mm
1/2500  |  f/4 |  ISO 4000

Béatrice Vu
Fujifilm X-H2S  + XF 16-55mm F/2.8 R LM WR at 16mm
1.3 sec |  f/5.6 |  ISO 320

Béatrice Vu
Fujifilm X-H2S  + XF 16-55mm F/2.8 R LM WR 
1/800  |  f/8 |  ISO 1250  

Photographically, conditions weren't ideal with the mist and lack of light, so I didn't use my trusty filters, the Recon VND Matte Box with a Mist ¼, which are almost always on my lens to control the light. It's a reminder that nature is unpredictable and that it's essential to detach oneself from the end result to refocus on the pleasure and appreciation of each moment, because it's these moments that ensure each trip has its own story to tell. It's from this unpredictability and spontaneity that my passion for photography was born.

In conclusion, one week is far too short to really immerse yourself in the immensity of the Côte-Nord. You'd have to spend at least one or two months there to understand the reality of this territory, far beyond what you can read on the Internet. But for this trip, our objective was simple: to go further than last time. All three of us share a deep love of landscape and wildlife photography. This medium has this unique ability to bring us together, slow us down, encourage discussion and lead to decisions supported by new perspectives. These moments shape us and leave a lasting imprint on our daily lives.

Hope to see you out there!

Béa