Central Tejo, Lisbon, July 1996.

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I have yet to meet a photographer who, in a way or another, doesn't feel fascinated by old and abandoned industrial sites.

Doubtless, there seems to be a certain kind of magic inherent to such locations, rendering very inspiring and photogenic material for many creative minds.

In small, medium or large format, analogic or digital, you will be rewarded with some appealing images if you enter such an environment with open eyes and a curious mind.

Some others prefer to simply use it as a backdrop for their creativity: fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh has produced some memorable shots in those places where the machines have long stood still.

I had just switched my main 35mm SLR equipment from Nikon to Canon when I made these shots, way back in 1996. I had decided to "modernize" and go auto-focus, with the help of some exposure automation, for my "bread and butter photography".

In those times I was exceptionally busy, so I thought that it was maybe clever to simplify my life a little and leave some heavier equipment in the studio: for many assignments (when transparency size was not of primordial importance) I started leaving the Hasselblad and brought the Canon stuff along. So I also could save on film expenses and rescue us from too many E-6 developments, which we used to do by ourselves.

I had already enough jobs to do in 9x12/4x5", my back was needing to take a break!

All shots with Canon EOS-1n + EF 70-200mm f2.8 L in Ektachrome film.
(older version, without Image Stabilization)
Close-focus capability with extension tube EF-12.

It was not an option then, but I never missed Image Stabilization, as you can find in the newer model (the photographs above were shot with the camera on a solid tripod, making IS unnecessary).

In any case, there is still a strong argument in favor of the newer lens: it is weather-sealed!

You could find very wet conditions where I used to live before I have moved to Montemor-o-Novo, so my lens got some nice fungus inside, after I had it at home for some monthes...

I suspect that weather seal could have avoided it.

In any case, stupid me! I should have known better...

Gonçalo Byrne, some works

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Mr. Byrne in his atelier on the 17th of November 2006.

I always felt a very high respect for Mr. Gonçalo Byrne.
He is not only a great architect, but before anything else he is a very valuable human beeing.
I used to think that he was my kindest client.
On location, he invariably took care that I enjoyed the best possible accommodations, that I got served the best food and wine.
Sadly, somehow along the way, our paths drifted away and I seldom see him these days.

In spite of that, I will forever maintain that he is a very cordial and polite person, a true gentleman!

Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Arraiolos, 1993.

Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Arraiolos, 1993.

Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Arraiolos, 1993.

The above photographs actually mark the very first time that I got an assignment from Gonçalo Byrne. I made most images in color, but I choose to show some black and white for the time being.

Faculdade de Informática e Electrónica, Pólo II, Universidade de Coimbra, 1994.

Edifício da Capitania, Marina de Lagos, 1994.

Edifício da Capitania, Marina de Lagos, 1994.

Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, Lisbon (project).

Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, Lisbon (project).

I can't exactly recall the equipment that I used to make the images shown above, but I guess that most, if not all, were made with a Sinar f2 camera in 4x5 inches/9x12 cm.
I enlarged the photographs in the traditional wet darkroom. The scanning was produced from the gelatin silver prints using the Epson 4990 Photo.

I made the portrait of Mr. Byrne using a Canon EOS 1n + Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM.
(I hate these long and complicated names!!!).

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"Sevilhanas", Montemor-o-Novo, 2008

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I am not different from everybody else: there are things that I like and things that I regard with aversion.
Gladly, most of them I can accept or tolerate.

That's the case with my Canon 30D digital camera.

A kind of fast-food feeling when I use it...

Saying that, I perfectly agree that there are some occasions where the 30D clearly delivers a better image than analogic cameras. That's the case with high ISO images in color.

At ISO 1600, I believe that even my Leicas would have a very hard time to compete and be able to do better. At least in slide film.

I am well aware that I could still get better digital models out there...

It just doesn't feel right to me to spend a whole lot of money in top of the line cameras that have a useful life of maybe one or two years before they are obsolete.

Many years ago, I very much enjoyed to use a fast color slide film from Agfa called Agfachrome 1000 (yes, 1000 ASA), that sadly as long been discontinued.

In 35mm it showed maybe too much grain, but in medium format that grain just turned beautiful, giving the photographs a very nice atmosphere. I miss it!

When I find some pictures I will post them, for you to see.

Montemor-o-Novo is a small, but culturally active, town.
"Sevilhanas" is a dance group from local people that learn Flamenco. I must say that I was very astonished: they perform with a very high level of expertise.

I really enjoyed their show in Curvo Semedo theatre.

I shot most of the pictures with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM lens (the older version without image stabilisation).

Although a somewhat cumbersome lens, I really admire it's optical performance, taking into account that it is a fast zoom with several elements.
I dare to say that it is so good as good prime lenses.

I think that I am glad that it doesn't have IS, as it nerves me a little to feel it working...
My hands still hold steady!

I was more concerned with beeing able to stop movement at the slow shutter speeds.
To do so, I had often to deliberatly underexpose to get somewhere around 1/30.
Of course, PP correction was needed...

If you saw attentively my former posts, you probably have noticed that I often don't crop my images. I like to show the whole negative.

I try to respect myself and my compositions.

If a image fails in camera, I tend to reject it... Not a religion, though...

In the same time, it seems that I don't give much importance to crop a digital image.

Perhaps it is because I don't feel it physicaly... So why should I care?

It's only pixels, it's only numbers...

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Some portuguese VIP's...

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Adelaide Sousa

Bárbara Guimarães

Catarina Furtado

Fernanda Serrano

Filipe la Féria

Júlia Sargeant

Paulo Pires

Simone de Oliveira

I used a Canon EOS 1n with EF 70-200mm f/2.8L lens to make these portraits, in different dates and locations. My lightning equipment comes from Hensel Studiotechnik, Würzburg, Germany. Very nice people out there, manufacturing very good "deutsche Geräte". I am a big fan...

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