Denmark had truly enchanted us. The countryside, mist-laden mornings by the sea and lakes, the horses grazing in open fields—all wrapped in a tranquility that felt like a balm after our long journey through the Nordic countries.

Lately, I’ve been immersed in the musical works of Jacob LaVallee, whose compositions have become a source of deep inspiration. They are mesmerizing, calming my restless mind, and I feel they were the perfect soundtrack for editing this image of Laos, captured during one of the most beautiful sunrises we’ve recently witnessed.

That morning, I awoke to a soft, rosy hue filtering through the van window. Compelled by the colors, I got dressed and stepped outside with the camera and the dogs, without any particular expectations. Often, the mist keeps the sun’s warmth from touching our still-drowsy faces, but after a short while, I watched as the sun gently broke through, casting its warm rays and slowly painting the sky in its light.

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During my workshop in Iceland last year, we stopped at the iconic Skógafoss. Usually bustling with tourists since the post-Covid tourism boom, we were lucky to have it almost to ourselves at 6 a.m. Our model, Nóri, was unfazed by the thunderous roar of the 62-meter-high waterfall crashing down. The top of the falls is equally breathtaking; with a short hike, you can marvel at other waterfalls, each as stunning as the next.

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Back to a slightly more recent trip—Sweden—where I met the beautiful Oden and the very sweet couple who take care of him. We went for a walk in the woods without expecting much in terms of photography, but I think I really like this photo. At first, it didn’t really spark anything in me, but it grew on me over time.

Fun fact: it was 30 degrees (in Sweden!), and it was quite a challenge to get this one shot of Oden with his mouth closed. I think the “throwing a stick in the bush” trick worked pretty well!

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This was our last hike in Norway, and at the beginning, I didn’t even want to take my camera because I thought it would be too difficult to handle two dogs and take photos in such a spot. I took it anyway, just in case it would be nice to have a few photos from the hike for my “memories” book.

There were a few people up there; they were all very nice. After waiting a few minutes, I set up my camera to shoot intervals and made my way onto this big rock. I tried to pose Laos, and it went successfully—always so proud of my boy. I came back to the camera and noticed one image that could make the cut. I went back after a few minutes to take a few photos with both dogs, but then I decided to try making a photo of Sunni alone. I secured Laos a little further away and started to walk with Sunni. She wasn’t comfortable, even though we weren’t close at all to the edge. I tried to reassure her and build her confidence. We stayed for probably a minute and then went back to Laos, who was patiently waiting. At first, I thought not a single image would make the cut.

But after importing the photos, I noticed this image. As I’ve always said, I’m so proud of her. The way she adapts, after only knowing life on the streets and in the shelter, is phenomenal. We obviously work together to create a strong relationship, and I can see her determination to learn more.

Note: We weren’t actually that close to the edge—Sunni was photoshopped closer for the final image. Even though she was securely fastened, you can never be too careful.

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Since we arrived in Norway, we’ve experienced some of the worst but also the best weather. As I write this, snow is starting to gently cover the mountains around us, marking the quiet transition from autumn to winter.

Sunni, on her first long trip, is doing so well. She impresses me a lot with how quickly she’s learning. She loves being present and always stays by my side, while Laos is more of a wanderer. I love their differences and similarities—it’s completely new for me to have two dogs while living in a van.

A few months ago, I decided to live full-time in the van, which was my project all along. I tried staying in one place, but the urge to keep moving always caught up with me. This solitude fits my introverted personality perfectly, but I’m glad to have met some nice people to chat with along the way.

There’s so much more I could say, but for now, I’ll leave you with this image of Laos at a beautiful viewpoint in Norway. I didn’t know what to expect up there as the weather kept changing—it was quite foggy on the way up. I thought I would be able to see the lake below, but instead, we were greeted with the most magical sea of clouds. We waited a few hours for this shy sunset, which lasted maybe three minutes, as it was still pretty cloudy. I’m so glad we waited. I’m grateful for Laos being the perfect muse and delighted that Sunni also tried to model. For the record, I was with Laos for the pose—this was taken with interval shooting. ❤️

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