January sun

It is a perfect day. Meteorologically speaking. The sun will be radiant, the sky immaculate. Banco. For now, it is dark night. 7.45 am, we leave Nantes for Vendée. Yes, yes. And more precisely Chavagnes-en-Paillers. I swear to you (this is the Nantaise joker of the Vendée bocage who speaks). Because G, on the other hand, is delighted to go to the Bultière lake for this outdoor photo shoot, and especially to have had this idea (or perhaps this flash, it is sometimes to wonder…)

La Bultière's lake is a place I love to have discovered this summer, when I decided to leave my home on my own on the Chemin des Miquelots (Jacquaire path to Mont Saint Michel). My journey was supposed to last five days but ended after four. On the evening of the fourth day, when I arrived at this famous lake which pleased me at first glance, I could only close there my hiking adventure, in this very beautiful place. I promised myself to come back soon and to know better the contours (13 km anyway!)

So head to Montaigu to reach the place. Forty minutes to get to know Nathalie, it’s perfect. No time to lose, however, because the light moves quickly. «It’s the blue hour», Nathalie tells me. Hour before the golden hour when the sun takes over the night.
We are approaching. Since this morning, I am a little agitated. Even if I have the intimate conviction that the photos will be successful, I fear… the cold! It’s one degree! So I superimposed a number of discreet layers at the bottom as well as at the top to cover my frail layer of grease, while not appearing Michelin man. It helped but when it’s cold, well...it’s cold! I’ve shielded the thermos with tea and coffee. And for the contracted shoulders and jaw, it will be necessary to advise on the spot. I also took several outfits questioning my ability to change in the middle of nature with a thermometer close to the negative. Adventure is always a bit uncomfortable.

Two fishermen arrive and greet us. The light changes quickly. Very quickly. We change places and face to face, behind the mist and some branches, the sun appears. Discreetly at first then majestic, between a beautiful line of bare trees. Its reflection in the lake adds to the power of the moment. I am amazed by so much beauty, so much grace. I do not know if it is he who gives me this confidence, but I took off the jacket. Rare, moving moment. The shooting continues, beauty in the heart.

Change of place again, the sun offers itself a little more, bathing in heat the banks that reveal their chestnuts, their golden yolks, then their greens. I’m wearing a sweater and I’m not really cold anymore. Even a winter sun warms his wife up. The blue of the sky finally appears. I manage a change of outfit to blend into the landscape and make a few final poses.

The shooting ends. We close the session in full full sun this time around a well-deserved tea. Softness and light were at the rendezvous, despite the cold. Nathalie drove me very well and she already has 700 shots in the box! In a few days, I will receive the selection of about 60 of them. And I’m thinking of only one thing. To see him again. This sun.