[Editor’s Note: This article is photographed and written by Jean-Baptiste Joly. After a 10-year career in the banking industry, Jean-Baptiste now splits his time between the Alps and the Pyrénées in Europe to pursue his passion for outdoor sports and photography. He believes photography is a way to keep and cherish memories of moments that are unique. He also believes that a picture is a way to question, to imagine, and to dream. You can reach him at [email protected] and see his work on Instagram at @jb_joly.]
At the beginning of 2016, after more than a decade of training and racing, I was so tired of cycling that I sold my three bikes and all my equipment. At that time, I was based in Paris, France, and the easiest way to stay fit was running. My new endeavor was not love at first stride, but I liked the simplicity: a pair of shoes, shorts, and endorphins.
After a few weeks, I became more and more interested in the sport, reading race reports, and watching videos. Then I discovered my inspiration: Anton Krupicka. It sounds cliché, but I felt so inspired by his personality and lifestyle. So that summer, I decided to spend a week running in the Alps.
I camped at Vallorcine, a small village in the Chamonix Valley of France, and my love affair with trail running began. I was hooked on the landscapes, as well as a feeling of freedom which reminded me of my childhood. As a family, we spent our summer holidays in the mountains. Trail running became a big part of my life and has been my platform for adventures ever since.
Our sport is highly photogenic, and I was in awe of the book Grand Trail: A Magnificent Journey to the Heart of Ultrarunning by Frédéric and Alexis Berg. Photography came into my life a few years into my trail running experience. I learned with a 15-year-old camera given to me by my dad a few months before I decided to quit my job in banking and finance.
Spending that following summer taking pictures of the sport I loved sounded like a great idea, so I went. I was initially obsessed with landscapes; my goal was to show the beauty of nature we are lucky to experience.
The more I photographed, the more I thought I was missing something, so I focused my lens closer and closer to runners. With my photos, I try to answer the questions of who are they, what do they feel, and why do they run?
Both mountains and human beings are a source of emotion and inspiration, and that’s what I try to capture. This gallery sums up my intention during the summer of 2021, my first as a photographer.
Runners crossing a bridge through the mountains. All photos: Jean-Baptiste Joly
Nienke Brinkman cresting the top of an incline at the 2021 La Skyrhune surrounded by a cheering crowd.
Thibaut Baronian runs through a crowd of cheering spectators at the 2021 La Skyrhune.
Marcin Kubica pushes to the top of an incline at the 2021 La Skyrhune.
An exhausted runner sleeping in the grass at the 2021 UTMB.
Some of the top women at the 2021 UTMB, including Ragna Debats, Emily Hawgood, Brittany Peterson, Audrey Tanguy, Katie Schide, Courtney Dauwalter, Beth Pascall, and Camila Bruyas, take a selfie during the awards ceremony.
Emily Harrop navigates a steep downhill at the 2021 La Skyrhune race.
Scotty Hawker has an emotional finish at the 2021 CCC.
A runner lays down in exhaustion at the finish line of the 2021 UTMB.
