Nov 10, 2013

Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, España (August 2013)

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Santiago: my kind of town!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Photographed with Leica M9
 
 
 
 
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Nov 5, 2013

Mosteiro de Samos, Galicia, España (August 2013)

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I always felt unconfortable presenting what I classify as family snapshots.
My doubts are by no means about privacy issues or matters like that. I am just saying that it is kind of awkward for me to cross that − imaginary? − thin line between “easy accomplishment” and “skilled achievement”.
Predominantly, I associate family pictures with the first aforementioned category…
Silly concept of mine, certainly! Why on earth should an image of a stranger on the street be wertvoller than a photograph of my daughter or my wife willingly posing for me?
I must revise some preconceived notions and opinions…
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Having worked on the field of Architecture Photography, I am plagued by demons that go back to my photography learning days. I used to think – and honestly still believe! – that such a rigorous discipline only can lead to successful results if undertaken with specialized cameras and apparatus.
Subsequently, I will have to ask if these photographs deserve the designation of Architecture Photography.
On a certain level of lighthearted criticism, I could be tempted to say yes…
Knowing how I shot them, I will opt to declare no instead!
Lacking a “suitable” camera for the task, I made the situation shoddier by not even using a tripod! The acknowledged wisdom of how it should be made – the acceptance of those rules! − forces me to call these pictures just sketches.
Are then “sketches” not so wertvoll as “proper photographs”? Who claims to know where the dividing line must be traced? Who takes for granted to be the “Master of the Definition”, “The Master of all Masters”?
 
 

 

 

 
All photographs made with Leica M9
 
 
“Photography ought to be characterized by drama and objectivity!”
Now, that is the kind of misconception that I got rid of for ages!
I once and forever rectify: Photography ought to be subjective!!!
That is the only valid way my images can perhaps stand amongst the flood of a zillion others, that is what makes them possibly unique.
I want my photographs to be a testimonial of my character and individuality, of the way I perceive my environment, I wish them to be the mirror of my soul at a given moment in time, I am not concerned with hiding on a shelter!
In addition, I detect nothing wrong on the adequacy of Photography to communicate other feelings than drama…
No matter how enjoyable or disgusting, my photographs are only photographs, they were never intended to change the world.
It is more than enough if they manage to change my head!
 

 The world will come next…
 
 
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Oct 19, 2013

In memory of Vinicius de Moraes (October 19, 1913 – July 9, 1980)

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“Parece que tudo já foi dito sobre Vinicius. Agora só vale a pena dizer da saúdade que ele deixou”.
Carlos Drummond de Andrade



 
Sítio das Hortas, Alcochete, 2013
 
 
 
“Nature Boy”
(Éden / Ahbez)
 
There was a boy…
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
Of little size and sad of eyes
But very wise was he
And then one day
A magic day, he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me
“The sweetest thing you’ll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return”
 
Era um rapaz
Estranho e encantador rapaz
Ouvi que andara a viajar, viajar
Toda terra e o mar
Menino só
E tímido
Mas sábio demais
Eis que uma vez
Num dia mágico o encontrei
E ao conversarmos lhe falei
Sobre os reis, sobre as leis e a dor
E ele ensinou
Nada é maior
Que dar amor
E receber de volta
Amor
 
 
 
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Oct 17, 2013

Taking it Easy in Portomarín, Galicia (August 2013)

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Luís (Sara and Mário, with Buck, in the back)
 

 

 
 
 
 

The motivation for driving all the way up to northern Spain – in addition to escaping from the inevitable gray men – was to meet my son Luís, who came from Germany to do a part of the French Camino de Santiago.
He was travelling together with his girlfriend, her father – a good companion of mine from the days of Heidelberg −, her sister and boyfriend and his mother. They made up a small group of nice people, all tired and hungry after being on foot all day.
We didn’t have time to take pleasure in their company for long − just had dinner together for two days − as they needed to go to bed early, for the walking day ahead was always a long and exhausting one.
At the end of the second day, I still managed to drink a cool Galician beer with my kids – only Jorge was missing − and Helena in Portomarín. After dinner it was again time to kiss and wave farewell.
Life mixes up joy and pain…
The pain vanishes, the joy remains!
 
 
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Oct 9, 2013

Escape From the Voracious Gray Men − Lugo, Galicia (Sketches of Spain, August 2013)

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These little/big odd men, all dressed up in gray − faces distorted to a conspicuous cheating grimace − greedily rule our land.
I feel torn apart, squeezed up to my bones, violated and abused all the way up to my brain.
Paranoidly fearing to drown, I anxiously  strive for a little breeze!
Moving away seems to be the only option, even if only for a couple of days, say even a couple of hours…


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

I always felt some magic attraction in the vast remoteness of many regions in Spain.
I don’t necessarily classify crowded places like Galicia as remote, nevertheless I could enjoy some clean air, and forget all this sticky mold. Coming from such a claustrophobic country, I was doomed to feel in Paradise…
We have spent just an afternoon in the city of Lugo (surrounded by Roman walls, World Heritage Site), in Galicia.
These are some of the photographs I shot with a Leica M9 and a few lenses. I hope that you enjoy them. I am glad to share.

 

 

 

 

 

 
All photographs shot with Leica M9
 
 
For a glimpse I could forget those pathetic men protected by their security guards, I didn’t have to watch them on TV, I was not obliged to glare at them on the papers, I didn’t have to suffocate under their shadow.
 
I could gradually forget about my vomiting bag!!!