Natasha Lee Visits A Little-Known Chilean Island for Qantas Airlines

It was hard to predict the weather day to day. Everyone told me it’s typical to experience ‘four seasons in a day’ in Chiloé, so I took advantage of every moment possible since I didn’t know when things would turn.

This quote from Natasha Lee perfectly expresses the theme of her recent shoot for Qantas Airlines. A far cry from Natasha’s hometown of Santa Monica, the Chilean island Chiloé is (in)famous for its inclement weather. Funnily enough, Natasha was supposed to go on assignment for Qantas months before the Chiloé trip to another place, but that shoot got nixed for one reason …

I was contacted by them several months prior for a different shoot which ended up getting cancelled because of weather (the timing and location were very specific).

Not only was weather a big factor for this assignment, the quick turnaround time — just more than two days of shooting followed by a deadline within days of Natasha’s return to the States — meant the Californian had to scrounge up some gear that she doesn’t really need to use in Los Angeles.  

I checked the weather obsessively prior to the trip and packed the few “outdoorsy” items I own: hiking boots that I almost gave away (but didn’t) and layers of clothing. I also made sure I had a cover for my camera bag.

Thankfully, Natasha had a few things working in her favor. For one, the story was already written, so the photographer had an easier time matching shots to words. For another, the client used Natasha’s previous work to visually describe what it wanted out of the imagery, which set the stage for an assignment steeped in creative freedom.

Qantas provided a shot list based on the story and a mood board, which was a collage the photo editor pulled from work I’ve shared on social. We jumped on a call prior to my departure just to touch base, and she left it pretty open to me to drive the itinerary.

Another benefit, albeit a rather perverse one, is that Chiloé’s weather patterns are such that “half of the island is uninhabitable,” which cut down the amount of ground Natasha needed to cover. Considering the already-short time frame and the fact that this was her first trip to South America, that proved mighty helpful — as did the agreeable weather that greeted Natasha upon arrival.

Fortunately, I got beautiful light the day I arrived and was able to capture the hotel surroundings in that warm, glow-y way.

This being Chiloé, however, Natasha wasn’t going to escape the rain clouds that seem to lurk around every corner of the Chilean island. In fact, the night of Natasha’s arrival, those clouds began to let loose. The next day, the Santa Monica-based freelancer captured what ended up being the cover shot.

It rained that night and I got to experience the famous mud and fog during the hike to the Pier of Souls the following day. I did a lot of research prior to the shoot about what the Pier of Souls and the surrounding area looked like. While the view is quite impressive, it’s a relatively small structure that doesn’t really hover over the ocean. It has to be far away because the wind is so strong on that part of the island.

I thought a lot about different ways to capture it and knew I needed a person in the shot to depict the scale and the feeling of floating that the writer so eloquently described. I brought that up in emails leading up to the shoot during the planning of the itinerary. 

Chiloé is a rather modest place, but one that Qantas has been promoting heavily. The low-key nature of the island is a huge part of its charm and, along with the appreciable resourcefulness of its residents, has become its own selling point for tourists. 

My favorite part of Chiloé was that it felt incredibly authentic, for lack of a better word. It’s like you’re stepping into a real community, a working town. While tourism is starting to burgeon, fishing and agriculture are still a big part of the local economy.

Some of my favorite shots are on my personal edit on my website. I love the way it conveys the warm, rustic, expansiveness of the island and its offerings. The expressive architecture of the hotel is complemented by the wildlife, textures, and light. 

Also, everything is built to withstand the elements, which is pretty incredible. The palafitos (stilt houses over water), which are now a huge draw in Chiloé, are a prime example of the local architecture. Once belonging to fishermen, they have been restored as hostels, hotels, and restaurants. They are supported by thick pieces of wood embedded in the ocean floor which can be seen at low tide, whereas at high tide it seems as though the houses hover over the Gamboa River. 

Another highlight of the island is the cuisine, with seafood the star of the culinary show. Natasha was fortunate to sample some of the local fare, which was made with palpable pride and love. Chiloé’s weather patterns could sour any trip, but the hospitality and warmth of the locals made it easy to forget the daily driving rainstorms and inescapable knee-high mud.

After the Pier of Souls hike, we stopped by Cocineria Tradiciones Morelia, a famous empanada restaurant run by Morelia right, who started the shop as a small shack. She is well known around Chiloé for her handmade empanadas, especially the clam empanadas, a local specialty.

Everyone I met was so warm and friendly and had a real sense of pride about living and working on Chiloé Island. My guides were so knowledgeable, environmentally conscious, and genuinely excited to share the island’s history with me. There was a real attention to detail in the ways they integrate Chiloé culture, ingredients, food, and history into the experience. It made for a really special few days. 

See more of Natasha’s work at bynatasha.net.

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