Happy birthday Mário! (10th of July)

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My third son, Mário Júlio, will be today, 10th of July, twenty one years old.

Life has not been very easy for him the last years, and maybe I didn't stand by him like I should.

Eventually because life was also not always easy for me... (What, of course, can hardly do as an excuse...).

Anyway, I do love him, as I love all the other kids, and he (they) make me feel a happy / lucky father. I couldn't wish better children!

We, somehow, live different lifes with our different problems and frustrations, but we know that all the others are there and will answer to the call!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SON!!!

"Forever Young"

May God bless and keep you always,

May your wishes all come true.

May you always do for others

And let others do for you.

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung.

May you stay forever young,

Forever young, forever young.

May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous,

May you grow up to be true.

May you always know the truth

And see the lights surrounding you.

May you always be courageous,

Stand upright and be strong.

May you stay forever young,

Forever young, forever young.

May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy,

May your feet always be swift.

May you have a strong foundation

When the winds of change shift.

May your heart always be joyful

And may your song always be sung.

May you stay forever young,

Forever young, forever young.

May you stay forever young.

Words and Music by Bob Dylan, from the album "Planet Waves", 1974

(Recorded with The Band).

Caption: I made the photograph of Mário with a Hasselblad camera in Dezember 1997, in Lisbon. Taking lens was a Carl Zeiss Sonnar 150mm.

Agfa APX 100, developed in Agfa Rodinal 1+25.

Studio light by Hensel, Würzburg, Germany.

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Álvaro Siza, Terraços de Bragança, Lisboa, 2005 - Wasted Project (1)

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This could have been a beautiful White & Blue book, about a beautiful architectural project in Lisbon downtown by Álvaro Siza. Mr. Siza was kind enough, as always, to guarantee all his collaboration, but somehow the book never came to life.

Feeling pity that it remains wasted, I don't want it to be a completely lost project, so I let you enjoy the photographs, while it's publication keeps on waiting for a better opportunity.

Film cameras were used exclusively on the documentation shown above:

- Sinar F2, with Rodenstock and Schneider lenses, for 4x5" and 6x12 (Horseman back);
- Horseman SW612 Pro, with Rodenstock lenses, for 6x12.

- Corfield WA67, Schneider Super-Angulon 47mm, for 6x7.

- Hasselblad 500 C/M, with Carl Zeiss lenses, for 6x6.

Light meter and color meter by Gossen.

Film by Kodak.

Tripods by Gitzo and Manfrotto.

Transparencies and b&w negatives scanned with Epson Perfection 4990.

Assistance by Luís Morais de Sousa, my son.

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The Making of a Photograph - Water Tower, 20th of June, 2010

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Near Montemor-o-Novo, 20 of June 2010

Gandolfi Precision 8x10"+Docter Apo-Germinar 11.5/600mm+Leitz Or Filter

Fomapan 100, Rodinal 1+50

You know my name, you know my face, you know some of my cameras, so why not let you take a look at me making a photograph?

So, I asked Helena to do a little reportage of me and my Gandolfi at work. Take this as a little story, how the image above came to happen.

It's almost 50ºC today, I drink some cool beer and I talk to you out there, what better way of spending a hot sunday afternoon could I dream of?

Hope that you have some fun...

Setting up the camera

First adjustments and leveling of the camera

Checking up the Copal 3 shutter

A little smile for the photograph...

(notice the box of the Rodenstock filter, to avoid bellows vignetting)

Another smile with the 8x10" film holder

Inserting the Fomapan 100

Abusing the comfort of the Rimowa cases...

Getting a little lazy

The beauty from the back

To filter or not to filter?

Waiting for the wind to stand still

A special thank you goes to Helena Roque who took these wonderful photographs with a Canon 30D, and who was kind enough to help me carrying the heavy equipment.

She was not only lucky enough to survive one more ride in the Defender, but she also survived the boring company of a photographer and his passion...

It takes some guts to accomplish that!

P.S.: The big camera above is equivalent to use a Nikon or Canon and a 85-90mm lens (in 35mm). That's more or less what you get with the 600mm in 8x10"...

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