In the Heart of the Lake. Immersion at the POP Triathlon of Guiche (May 24–25, 2025)
- Margaux Caillier
- May 25
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 8
When dawn breaks over Lake Arroques, the surface turns into a quiet mirror. The air is fresh, the light still soft; soon, the sun caresses the trees around the lake and paints the water a deep green. I dove into this atmosphere to photograph what the shore cannot see: the effort, the sudden breaks of movement, the focused faces, the splashes of water that tell the story of a race.
Location & Date: Lake Arroques — May 24 & 25, 2025
Organizer: AEvents Bask Coast
A sensory dive: why being in the water changes everything
Being an aquatic photographer means embracing a disruptive point of view. From the shore, athletes are just moving dots; in the water, they are presences, trajectories, breaths. The clear, clean waters of Lake Arroques offered me an incredible visual palette: green reflections from the trees, shimmering surface, sunlight piercing through arms and droplets.
With no jet ski to move around, every placement had to be mentally prepared: my 4-kg housing doesn’t let me “follow” swimmers for long distances. I anticipated starts and turns, looking for angles where the light would tell the story. Between two races, I’d get out of the water, dry my gear, offload memory cards, and start sorting — because athletes want their photos quickly, and the work doesn’t stop when the race ends.
Highlights of the triathlon: adrenaline, poetry… and water slides
The start is always my favorite moment: the rush, the density of the group charging forward, bodies overlapping for a few seconds, splashes flying at me. Impressive, a little scary, utterly thrilling.
That’s when the pictures come alive: movement, raw chaos, pure emotion.
The turns around the buoys: where trajectories cross, where you catch the determined eyes, the arms breaking through the surface, the tension condensed in one point.
The calm between waves of athletes: when the water flattens again, breaths resonate, light shifts its tone. These moments bring more contemplative, sensitive images.
The “duo” race from the slides: during one event, the duo format started right from POP’s water slides. Imagine: creative dives, cannonballs, angels, bombs — a parade of jumps literally landing in my direction. They transformed a simple start into an explosive ballet: improbable angles, suspended silhouettes, spectacular splashes.
For me, it was a festival of snapshots — fun, bold, full of life, perfectly embodying the festive and family spirit of the event.
Technical challenges & artistic choices
Limited mobility: with a heavy housing, placements are fixed and require precise anticipation. Once the race starts, I can’t change my spot.
Light: backlight creates powerful silhouettes but demands careful exposure to keep details. I love playing with changing light within the same race to give variety and artistic depth.
Speed of movement: fast shutter speed and reliable autofocus are key to freezing arms and droplets without losing grace. A true challenge when swimmers arrive in packs.
Post-production: offloading cards, quick sorting on site, then editing (contrast, colors, managing highlights of sunlight on water).
What I keep in memory
At the POP Triathlon of Guiche, it’s not just about performance: it’s about the bond between athlete and environment. The lake becomes a partner in the effort. It sculpts the light, sometimes soothes the scene, explodes with energy at the start. My images aim to reveal this connection: strength, elegance, humor (thanks to the slides!), and the simple beauty of a sporting moment in nature.
Invitation & practical info
If you want your event to be captured from this unique perspective — immersed, close, alive — I’m available for aquatic reportages during competitions, trainings, or private sessions.
👉 To discover my galleries → click here
And see you back in Guiche on May 30–31, 2026!
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