Nomadic Photographer Lives, Works & Travels Solo In Her Trusty Teardrop Trailer

For American freelance photographer Mandy Lea, change came in the guise of a teardrop trailer that she calls her home — a mobile place of belonging that she feels connected to as she travels the country, snapping incredible images of nature. For the last two years, she’s been a full-time solo “teardropper”, visiting some of the most majestic spots one could imagine.

More info: Mandy Lea, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (h/t: treehugger)

To start, she quit her job, and on a stroke of intuition, decided to purchase a teal T@G teardrop trailer that she saw in passing by a RV dealership.

“It simply called to me,” Lea says. “I couldn’t explain the reasoning, I just knew I had to have it. That. Exact. One.”

Trailer procured, Lea prepared to make her ultimate move onto the road, but during the last few days, disaster strikes: the teal trailer is stolen. With the assistance of the police and an online plea for help that goes viral, it’s found five days later, but completely trashed. Despite this traumatic experience, Lea has bounced back, thanks to the tremendous support she felt from complete strangers.

Seen above with its bright orange swirl, her subsequent T@G teardrop is aptly called The Phoenix, and features indoor shelving, custom cabinets, as well as a revamped kitchen. The interior is given the personal touch with curtains, lovely custom wooden knobs, a television screen, and her favourite photograph.

“I’ve done everything I can do to make her feel like a home, which is exactly what she is to me,” she explains.

It’s a cozy space, yet full of meaning for Lea.