Feb 8, 2011

Monsaraz, Portugal - Hasselblad 500 EL/M + Sinar F2 (1984, 1988?)

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It is rather evident: when I made the trip to Monsaraz in August 1984, I was using the Carl Zeiss Sonnar-C 150mm.
I can see it by the number of images that display that short-tele feeling, that little compression that fits so well some photographs (at least my little me likes it!).
I cannot say for sure, so many films and years have gone by, but it is imaginable that I was eager to try my new spielzeug...

To photograph Monsaraz in August can be a pain. The light is very strong, and the heat can simply knock you off!
I tried to do it last Summer and I couldn't make my feet move! I should maybe clarify that I was striving to produce some 5x7 inches negatives with the Gandolfi...

Shamelessly, I was reminded that my endurance is not bound to eternity!

Twenty six years before, things seemed a little easier though...






You will notice that some pictures are not square. As a matter of fact I found some Large Format (9x12cm/4x5 inches negatives - no location, no date...)that I know were shot with the Sinar camera.
Why I know it was the Sinar? Easy: it was the only one by then...

I believe that they must have been shot in, or around, 1988.
Why I didn't take notes? What the heck do I know? Laziness, sloppiness, second-choice negatives?
Too many questions that I don't remenber the answers, please don't demand so much...

Now you know that I am also far from perfect... You are not alone at that!

























Some negatives are far from optimal. So I am glad that I don't need to retouch with brush and Spotone dyes, as I would have to if I was displaying true darkroom prints...

Maybe the film just got cooked by the hot summer heat...

On those days, Monsaraz still had some real life. The times of the "Open Museum" were still to come. The population, even though old, was still alive.

If this topic should deserve your attention, please just click on the tag bellow, I shouldn't repeat myself.

Thanks for watching! I am glad to share!





Technical data:
Cameras - Hasselblad 500 EL/M (square images) + Sinar F2
Lenses - Carl Zeiss Planar-C 80mm f/2.8 + Carl Zeiss Sonnar-C 150 f/4 (for the Hassy)
Schneider Symmar-S 210 f/5.6 + Schneider Super Angulon 90mm f/8 (for the Sinar)
Film - Kodak
Developer - Kodak D-76, diluted 1+1
Location - Monsaraz, Alentejo, Portugal
Date - August 1984 for the square images.
Rectangular ones not dated, probably 1988.
Scanner - Epson Photo 4990



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10 comments:

  1. These are beautiful - some are really extraordinary. You are a real, genuine photographer. Pretty rare.

    Max Jenkins

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  2. Thank you both of you,
    I am delighted to have so much praise...
    Somehow, sometimes I am lucky and get it together, there comes a light of inspiration shining on me.
    I hope that you keep on enjoying the blog.
    There is a lot more where this came from!
    Many greetings, and I wish you all the best,
    Rui
    P.S.: Max, do I know your name, maybe from rangefinder forum? Sounds familiar to me...

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  3. I post at a few forums, from time to time. I used to post at the Leica forum and rangefinder forums a number of years ago - 8? - but lost interest when the tone of the forum got nasty.

    I have been following your site for some time. I look it most mornings, before I get down to work.

    All my best,
    Max

    ReplyDelete
  4. Suas fotos são,sim,um alento para começar o dia...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Quanto vive o homem,por fim?
    Vive mil anos ou um só?
    Vive uma semana ou vários séculos?
    Por quanto tempo morre o homem?
    Que quer dizer para sempre? Pablo Neruda

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  6. Muito boas e luz muito dificil.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Eu, por mim, às vezes penso que ando a morrer há demasiado tempo...
    Noutras alturas considero que nem toda a eternidade seria suficiente para viver plenamente, para olhar tudo o que desejo olhar, para sentir tudo o que há para sentir.
    Tantas imagens que nunca se chegam a concretizar, quantos pensamentos ficam a meio, tanto tempo que se perde...
    Há momentos em que parece não haver qualquer relação entre tudo aquilo que poderia realizar e o pouco que faço realmente. Que desperdício!
    Rui

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  8. Hello Max,
    It is a honour for me! I hope that I can keep on giving you a good way to start the day...
    You, and all of my readers. Thank you all, you are very kind people!
    Greetings,
    Rui

    ReplyDelete
  9. These are strong photos. Very inspiring.
    Thank you for sharing them!

    ReplyDelete