STVii.com - Photography and Video Edition

Photo: Maldivian Paradise..really?

18 octobre 2017 By STVii

Just hearing the word and it seems you’re already in paradise. Honeymoon, palm trees, immaculate beaches, cocktails and luxurious resorts.. Maldives !
Except I was not on a honeymoon but on a surf trip.. not in a luxurious resort but in a surfcamp. Yes, there are plenty of good, uncrowded waves in Maldives and surf can be really good over there. We were staying on Thulusdhoo, a little island of 2km², 50km north of Malé, just in front of « Cokes » a fast right hander and « Chickens » a sweet left hander. Though surf is not really for beginners because of the reef, the scenery is amazing, and surfing amongst the dolphins, sharks and rays is definitely a treat, but life on the island is really slow and evenings can be long as there is practically nothing to do. Hopefully we had nice weather and waves nearly every day !

Thulusdhoo is one quiet island where tourists cohabit with locals, so you have to adapt to local rules, cover your shoulder when you walk in the island centre and alcohol is completely forbidden.
Except a few inconveniences, life on the island is pretty cool, locals are friendly and moderated and they will do anything to help you have a nice stay.

Unfortunately under these idyllic apparences hides the other face of Maldives, the one you don’t want to endorse. A country ruled under sharia law, that still allows death penalty to children, lapidation to women, where equal rights is far from reality, where medias are not allowed to express themselves freely, and where some islands (Thilafushi) are used as openair bin to collect and burn the trashes of all the surrounding resorts. Though it’s far from the experience you will have as a tourist, it can’t be ignored.

Here are a few pics taken during this trip (some were shot by friends holding my camera, thanks to Sam, Dieg, Chris):

Photo: Wild Wild West

19 juillet 2017 By STVii

Nearly two years ago three friends of mine decided they would celebrate their birthday on the american west coast. I must admit I wasn’t really enthusiast at the idea. I had this impression that everything in America was overrated, crowded and very expensive. Expensive it was, certainly when you spend a few days in Vegas, but I had to change my mind on my initial impression. The american west coast is amazing, from L.A to San Francisco, Antelope Canyon to Grand Canyon, wild Vegas that never sleeps to Death Valley that wears her name, we went from discovery to discovery and never ceased to be amazed. Here are a few images that I captured during this trip:

Photo: Colors of Bali

13 juin 2017 By STVii

Bali is one of those destinations that has become very popular, it seems like everybody’s been to Bali.. or quite. Visitors from the early days will tell you that « it used to be better », that it’s now overcrowded and expensive, that the cities are very polluted and the traffic terrific. But on the other hand I’ve heard so much good things about the island and it’s life quality, that I wanted to see it for myself, before it gets worse. I booked a six week trip with my friend Diego, just the flight and a hotel for the first night leaving us all free to move and discover. After à 10h stop in Doha, we landed in Denpasar and took a cab to Kuta, hired some scooters for 6 weeks and bought some local surfboards. We moved west to Canggu, south to Uluwatu, north to Ubud, est to Keramas and overseas to Nusa Lembongan, essentially looking for good waves and nice places to chill.. and damn it was good. Bali really is a little paradise, the guesthouses are welcoming, the food is cheap and amazingly good, there is always a wave pumping somewhere and when you get out of the big cities the vibe is really chill..but what was most noticeable for me was the colors.. the sea, the sky, the temples.. the colors of Bali. Here you’ll find a few pictures I took during my trip. I wish I could have visited more deeply, but surf was our priority so we mainly stayed along the south coasts. I guess I’ll have to return someday and I hope I won’t have to say « it used to be better » 😉

Photo: Cabo Verde is strapless kitesurf paradise

9 février 2017 By STVii

Cabo Verde is strapless kitesurf paradise. Sal that I had the chance to visit this year is particularly great for strapless kitesurfing. Perfect wave conditions on one side with side off winds on Ponta Preta and great kickers on the other (eastern) side, world famous Kite Beach and its Mitu and Djo restaurant. It’s not a coincidence if the world champion and a lot of top ranked strapless riders come from this island. Santa Maria is a nice town, there is clearly not much to do on the island, chill, eat, party and kitesurfing.. but what else do you need ? People are super friendly, women are beautiful, and the food is very good. With a lot of Italian influence most of the restaurants will offer great pizzas and pastas at a little bit lower than european prices (between 10 and 15€). If you’re looking for cheaper food you have to go a little bit further downtown where you can find delicious grilled chicken and french fries for a very affordable 3€. We where lucky enough to have wind every single day and even luckier to ride Ponta Preta during three consecutive days with one in particular that got really huge. At the end, we could feel a real progression in our riding and didn’t want to leave the island. Now I understand why so many people fall in love with this island. Cabo Verde, I’ll definitely come back !

Photo: Kenya – Diani Beach & Safari Maasai Mara

7 février 2016 By STVii

Here are some pics from the astonishing Kenya country that I had the chance to visit.
A fist part close to Diani Beach more or less 80km south from Mombassa, where the water is turquoise and the beaches looks amazing

The second part part in the world famous Maasai Mara national reserve, at the border of Tanzania, home of the proud and welcoming Massaï.

Diani Beach

Maasai Mara