Remember those autumn landscapes or a few other scenic shots we shared from the trip? Well, thanks to Guilhem and Céline, here’s a quick behind-the-scenes look at how they were created. Spoiler alert: it’s all trickery!
And just to clarify—no children were harmed in the making of these photos, so please, no hate comments! 😉
1. The Flying Shot
No, she wasn’t really flying. The magic was all thanks to Sabrina, the photographer, who shot from a low angle toward the sky. Add a touch of Photoshop to remove the top of my hands, and voilà—Chiara looked airborne!
In reality, she was never more than 30cm from my hands. A bit boring, maybe—but completely safe!
2. The Climbing Shot
The climbing shot used a tried-and-true technique that also works with small kittens. Once you place them on something vertical, they freeze out of fear and just stay put. Same with Chiara! I helped her into position, adjusting her hands and feet, then stepped away. She stayed perfectly still—looking like she was climbing, but in reality, she wasn’t moving at all!
3. The Mountain Shot
Getting the perfect shot often means going the extra mile—or in this case, wading through cold water. To avoid the crowds and capture the shot on the left, I ditched my shoes, grabbed the tripod, and crossed a chilly stream. It was a bit risky (the camera’s fate was hanging by a thread), but all that effort makes the photo feel that much more special!
4. The Fence Shot
Chiara wasn’t too thrilled about sitting on the fence, so we had to move quickly and keep her distracted to capture the shot. There’s even one where she’s on her own—but don’t worry, Sabrina was just a meter away, ready to catch her if she wobbled. Safety first!
5. The River Valley (and other landscape) Shot
Finding all the viewpoints wasn’t just luck—it was all about the gear. We had an iPad loaded with GPS-enabled National Geographic maps of the parks, complete with topographic details to pinpoint elevations, distances, and hidden lakes or viewpoints.
On top of that, we had a photographic map of Grand Teton’s best spots, complete with pictures, exact coordinates, and the perfect times to visit. Total cheats—but incredibly effective!