Interview with Thomas: Photographer and Long-Haul Road-Tripper

Update

Edit (January 20): Thomas has officially hit the road for his Australia adventure. You can follow the full trip, day by day, here.

At Planet Ride, we like road trips that are built with intention: real distances, real logistics, and a clear appetite for the long road. That’s exactly why we sat down with Thomas Hucteau, a young engineer from Toulouse with a serious travel habit and a growing ambition to make photography his profession.

He crossed the United States in 2012 with 28,000 km on the odometer. In January 2015, he’s heading for Australia for three months, before pushing further toward Canada, then Alaska. Images, music, vehicles, travel discipline—Thomas speaks the language of riders who don’t just “go somewhere,” but build their lives around the route.

Toulouse Mag also featured him in an article. Here’s our interview.

Who are you? We’ve seen your website, but we want to know more.

“Who am I?” That’s a lifetime question. I’ve got a lot of ideas and projects—some realistic, some less so—but I do everything I can to make as many happen as possible. I try to get the most out of what life offers on this planet: mountain sports, music, travel, and photography.

How long have you been doing photography?

Italy and Germany—two school trips where I started with those legendary disposable cameras. Then my parents gave me my first film camera, and I became the one in charge of photos on our family trips.

Later, switching to digital opened up everything: I could experiment more, shoot more, and actually preview what I was doing. When my travel ideas got bigger, I bought a DSLR for the U.S. trip—getting back to the “eye-to-viewfinder” feeling and that shutter sound. Since then, it’s turned into a real passion.

I organized my first exhibition and sold two photos. I keep moving forward with my website www.thomashucteau.com and the desire to work around photography, travel, and tourism.

You’re leaving soon for an Australia road trip—tell us more.

This will be my second car road trip after the 28,000 km I drove in the U.S. in 2012. Australia pulls me in because of its size, the variety of landscapes, and that unique wildlife and plant life.

I’m flying out on January 17, 2015 for three months on Australia’s long roads—and I can tell you I can’t wait. But honestly, the trip already starts with the prep: admin steps, guides and maps, rough itinerary, budget… If you want a trip like this to stay enjoyable, preparation is part of the adventure.

What motivates you? Why this project?

The idea really clicked when I decided I wanted to go all-in on photography. I needed a large image collection. Add to that the three countries I’ve always wanted to discover in my life, and I started with Australia in January, then Canada/Alaska in May.

I don’t travel to “arrive somewhere.” I travel to travel: to live in the present, slow down, reconnect, gain perspective, step away from routine, learn about myself and others, push through the unexpected, discover, be surprised—and also meet people, talk, exchange. It’s the mix of all those emotions that drives me, a little more every day.

What’s your route?

I land in Sydney, pick up the car, head to the Blue Mountains, and then it’s a clockwise loop around Australia. I’m estimating 30,000 to 33,000 km in total.

I’ll finish back in Sydney after returning the car—and hopefully find some couchsurfing for the last two nights.

What vehicle will you take, and why?

In a dream: a 1960s VW Combi T1. In a parallel reality: my 1976 Renault 4L TL… if it hadn’t been vandalized and burned. In real life: a rental car.

For Australia, I’m hoping for a Golf. When I did the U.S., I tried everything to get a 1970s car and couldn’t—still, I loved driving a Dodge Charger and a Challenger.

After Australia, are you leaving again?

Absolutely. One month after Australia, I’m leaving again—plan is an east-to-west crossing of Canada, all the way to Alaska. I’ll spend my winter in the Australian summer, and my summer in Alaska’s summer… well, more like a French winter, but still.

Photographer and traveler—are those two passions connected?

Traveling, discovering, and seeing landscapes that keep getting more impressive is deeply inspiring for me—even though you don’t have to go far to feel that.

But long-distance travel has become a kind of addiction. Photography and travel fit perfectly together. And if you add music and cars, it’s even better. Without that need for adventure, I’d probably be shooting food or weddings.

Your previous trip photos really struck us. What does “the road” mean to you?

For me, the road is an invitation to escape. A way to step out of daily habits and head toward new horizons—and deal with the unknown, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Every kilometer changes something inside you. Add music, and you feel free in a way that’s hard to find elsewhere—so good with yourself that you’re happy to keep driving, further and further.

You must have road trip playlists. Share a few tracks.

I’ve got plenty: 53.6 days of music on my iPod. Mostly rock, with playlists for every mood—70’s classics, pop rock, folk, calm guitar, floating electro…

Here are three tracks you can loop for hours: AaRon – “Passengers”, Half Moon Run – “Full Circle”, and Noel Gallagher – “In The Heat Of The Moment”.

Road trips also mean food and small pleasures: best beers and dishes?

Specialties are part of discovering a country—and I’m a foodie, so I try not to forget any of it.

I still remember a buffalo/avocado burger, another with peanut butter and bacon, Norway’s King Crab, and a New York cheesecake for dessert. For beer, I think of the Buds shared with Americans—who were riding Harleys, of course.

Find Thomas’ USA road trip photos in an exhibition in Toulouse

Thomas showcased his USA road-trip photography at the Club Alpin Français in Toulouse, from January 5 to 31, 2015.

Follow Thomas on the road

You can follow Thomas’ Australia adventures on his blog.