Guillaume Lavrut discovered an unexpected moment of beauty while exploring the historic French town of Aurillac with his wife and three children, capturing what would become his best smartphone photograph. The family was wandering through the streets searching for souvenirs when they stumbled upon a stunning canopy of colorful umbrellas that would transport Lavrut back to his childhood memories.
Aurillac holds a special distinction as home to one of the world's oldest umbrella factories and is widely recognized as the umbrella capital of Europe. However, for Lavrut, visiting this mountainous town represents much more than tourism – it's a homecoming. His family originates from Aurillac, making their annual summer visits a cherished tradition despite the challenging journey that requires at least a full day of travel from their current homes in Paris and Nantes.
The photographer describes Aurillac as offering a refreshing contrast to city life, explaining that while Paris constantly bustles with activity and Nantes can also become hectic at times, Aurillac provides a peaceful sanctuary nestled in the mountains where nature dominates the landscape. This tranquil atmosphere creates the perfect escape for the family's summer retreats.
The magical moment occurred when Lavrut's wife and children entered a nearby shop, leaving him alone on the street. Earlier that day, rain had fallen across the town, but the weather had cleared to reveal brilliant sunshine and perfectly blue skies. It was then that the reflection of the colorful umbrella display in a nearby puddle caught his artistic eye, prompting him to hang back and capture the scene on his smartphone.
After taking the photograph, Lavrut enhanced the image using the VSCO mobile application, carefully adjusting the lighting to bring out the full beauty of the moment. The resulting image perfectly captured both the vibrant umbrella canopy above and its mirror reflection in the rain puddle below, creating a doubled rainbow effect that resonated deeply with the photographer's personal memories.
Reflecting on the experience, Lavrut explained how the combination of the perfect blue sky and the rainbow spectrum of colors immediately transported him back to his childhood days. The scene reminded him of the simple joy of jumping in puddles as a young boy, evoking powerful nostalgic emotions that transformed an ordinary street scene into something extraordinary. For him, the photograph represents more than just a beautiful image – it serves as what he describes as "a little portal to a peaceful place," capturing both the physical beauty of his ancestral hometown and the emotional connection to his past.
