Raphael Barberi📷

I have been putting off the making of this post for a week because I simply had no words to express my gratitude. We recently crossed 50000 followers, that’s a whole small city of people supporting my work. When I first began posting my photos here in late 2022, I had maybe two dozen followers, mostly friends. By summer 2023 I had 500 followers and I was ecstatic about that, I couldn’t imagine 500 people appreciated my photos so much. By the end of that year, I had just under 2000 followers and had my first post with over 1000 likes, it was a photo of Florence. In 2024 that number increased tenfold and we reached 20000 in early January 2025. Today we stand at almost 51000 people. During these 3 years posting I have met incredible people, some of which I can happily call friends. I’ve also been given opportunities I never imagined possible, which have allowed me to see a potential future in photography. I have been commissioned for couple photography jobs, sold photos to some companies, I was interviewed by my university’s newspaper, and I have so many people asking for prints, photobooks and photography tutorials. I want to turn my photography into a career as opposed to just a hobby, and for this I will need to upgrade my equipment, on step at a time, currently I am eyeing a 70-200mm LUMIX lens. As I have stated before, I will not ask for donations without giving something back, that’s not how I like to do things. Instead, I will run a little fundraiser starting from next week where you will be able to buy posters, postcards (including a limited number of signed ones), and more. All revenue will be used for buying that new lens. I have never run a fundraiser before so I have no idea what to expect but even if only a handful of people choose to support this, I will be overjoyed! However, I want to give you guys the opportunity to help me choose which photos to make available for purchase, so I would like to ask you to share a photo you would be interested in seeing printed or available digitally for you to use on your computers or phones as wallpapers. I am very excited to see what you all have to say and thank you again for being here. None of this would have been possible without you.

@DamWanderlust One of my favourites

@itsrapha83 That’s one hell of train ride!

View from the train this morning🇫🇷

@lyndelld I mean, this building in particular is not structurally complex, the ceiling is just wooden boards The frescoes make it ethereal

@itsrapha83 How'd they build that with Donkey's Inc?

Only two days left of the fundraiser for the new lens! This is your last chance to get the available photos printed, probably forever. We raised about half of amount needed and I’m truly proud and positively shock with this. Thank you to every on who participated :))

@susmarg11 Very lovely :)

@itsrapha83 Great shot! I’m proud of this one I took 🙂

@Jojo_le_poisson Right on schedule

@itsrapha83 I suppose you will soon be on the stretch between Lannemezan and Montréjeau, one of the best in France if not THE best.

Thinking about this shot I took in Bayonne this morning

@ysebast1456 I go to San Sebastián like 4 times per year ahahha I’ll be going in Easter!

@itsrapha83 Go to San Sebastian if you’re around! Spectacular city and a special place

Bayonne and Biarritz on a random Thursday in March 🇫🇷

@wu_ming_80 I’ll be doing some hikes in the Pyrenees around Easter but Picos de Europa are a bit far for the time I have next month, but I really want to go!

@itsrapha83 if you have chance go a bit SW and visit Pyrinees and Picos de Europa, this time of year are starting to bloom

@wu_ming_80 Yes

@itsrapha83 BAY OF BISCAY SUPERIORITY

@takoyaki0neet LUMIX s5

@itsrapha83 Can I ask what camera or phone are you using? Stunning photos!

@Jossedevoogd Agreed

@itsrapha83 This region is paradise on earth.

@highspeedottawa Je rêve d'un été français

@itsrapha83 But are you ready for Un Été Français? youtu.be/_-k8LWvHFKI?si…

Spring in the Southwest of France remains unmatched

@livingsickness @vaquer0 Biarritz yeah but half of the shots are in Béarn

@itsrapha83 @vaquer0 Literally in the Bay of Biscay.

@trengilly1 Spiritually, it’s spring for me

@itsrapha83 Technically its still Winter for another couple days! 😉

@vaquer0 This is all Pyrenees Atlantiques So near Biscay

@itsrapha83 is that close to Mediterranean or Biscay?

@TheCityMentor I need to keep it real and include at least one bad photo so the algorithm doesn’t think my shots are AI

@itsrapha83 Come on dude, my 50 year old coworker with his old phone can make better photos of food than that :D

@VernaandHarold They’re to die for :))

@itsrapha83 I shouldn’t look at your posts when I’m hungry. 😂 Those pastries! 😍

Spent the day exploring Béarn Life is good