French photographer visits same mountain 100 times

Romain poses with his camera and makeshift tripod on the slope of Mount Samseong, in the spot where he has been making his "Pines on cliff" photo series. / Courtesy of Romain

By Jon Dunbar

French photographer Romain found inspiration high up the slope of Mount Samseong, a 481-meter mountain standing in southwestern Seoul and Anyang, Gyeonggi Province. His muse? Two pine trees growing out of a rocky cliff, viewable from a vantage point about 20 meters off a not very well traveled path.

They're the subject of his "Pines on cliff" photo exhibition, now being held at Donum Solis Winehouse near Hoegi Station in northeastern Seoul until Jan. 30.

Five images from Romain's "Pines on cliff" photo series / Courtesy of Romain

The project started back in June 2020. "I was in Mount Samseong during a heavy summer rain, looking for compositions," Romain, who had previously made a name for himself photographing cityscapes from high-up rooftops, told The Korea Times. "I was stepping off the trail every opportunity I got hoping to find gold. I found myself on a super windy ridge when I spotted two pines sticking out of an opposite ridge. I decided to try and find them. It took me a couple of hours to reach that other ridge. I searched for an extra hour without success when I saw a big rock down under thick trees and bushes. I crossed the off-trail dense vegetation to reach it and that's when I first saw my pines. I still remember so vividly that moment: I knew I had found the composition that would change my life."

As he left, he noted the way back to this elusive spot, intending to return for a sunset shot some other time. He returned, but then he kept coming back, trying to photograph the two trees in all seasons and weather conditions.

"I kept coming back for basically almost two years to try to see them in all circumstances," he said. "I fell in love with them."

To shoot them, he uses a mirrorless, full-frame Nikon Z 6 camera. In order to obtain a high enough vantage point, he places it on a tall light stand with a tripod ball head mounted on top.

Romain's mirrorless, full-frame Nikon Z 6 camera is seen atop a tripod overlooking the two trees on a cliff on Mount Samseong in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, for his "Pines on cliff" photo series. / Courtesy of Romain

He estimates he's been up to see the trees about 50 times. "It's hard to put a number on it but 50 seems in the correct range," he said. "To the summit maybe 5 times only. Just hiking in Mount Samseong I'd say a little less than 100 times. I also like the north part of Mount Samseongsan called Hoamsan ― there is an amazing cliff there!"

While ascending to take his "in the clouds" shot on a rainy day, he almost lost his shoe on a fairly steep rocky patch. "I had to run after it barefoot back down the rocky patch for a few seconds but I got it back," he said.

And when he reached his vantage spot for viewing the trees, the mountain was shrouded in a low cloud cover. He waited, shivering and wet, for an hour and a half to be rewarded with only about 10 to 15 seconds during which it was clear enough for him to take his shot.

He's also encountered dogs, one time running into a pack of four wild dogs that kept trying to escape him by running ahead for half the trail. "I was quite scared at first, but after a while, I wished I had brought some food to give them ― they looked really thin," he said. "Another time a dog from a nearby temple followed me around, always at a distance, and startled a pheasant, which made me jump even more because it started flying towards me before adapting its escape route!"

He said his favorite season for hiking Korean mountains is autumn, which should come as no surprise, but his favorite weather condition to go hiking is during snowfall. "I cannot help but love the peace and quietness I experience while being in a snow cloud," he said. "It is the snowfall version [of my pictures] that I turn to in times of stress to calm down."

At Donum Solis, visitors can see six of his one-meter-tall prints, depicting the trees in all four seasons, including under snow and fog and with lichens on the rocks. The pictures are vertical like portraits rather than horizontal, as is typical with landscape photography, which helps emphasize what Romain refers to as "nature portraits," with his intimate take on the trees having more in common with portraiture than purely landscape photography.

Romain's "Pines on cliff" photo exhibition is ongoing at Donum Solis Winehouse in northeastern Seoul. / Courtesy of Romain

Romain came to Korea in 2008 and climbed his first Korean mountain, Mount Dobong, in 2010. Nowadays, he goes hiking on mountains about three or four times a week.

"What I love about Korean mountains is that so many have stunning rock formations, be it cliffs or isolated peaks that I can climb, their season cycle is awe-inspiring and nature ― though not the most diverse ― offers such unexpected views, even on short mountains like Mount Samseong," he said.

"Finally, there is one thing that certainly isn't specific to Korean mountains but still is very relevant for me: when I meet people in the mountain they virtually always are super welcoming, joyful and willing to share their past hiking experiences. It's almost like there are two worlds: in the city where we are all grey, grim and impatient, and in the mountain where maybe the common effort brings us together as if we were all part of the same family."

Visit romainphoto.com for more information about the photographer, or Instagram @donum.solis.winehouse for information about the venue, or look up the social media hashtags #pinesoncliff and #donumsolis.