Showing posts with label Ektachrome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ektachrome. Show all posts

Oct 28, 2010

Era uma vez um país... (Linhares da Beira, Fevereiro de 1978)

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Já venho de outros tempos, em que a pequeneza dos lugares lhes conferia uma vivência diferente e distinta.


Chegava-se, nessa época, a Linhares da Beira por uma estrada, incógnita e irregular, de terra batida. Encontrava-se, talvez, mais por acaso do que por conhecimento.

A solidez vagamente inesperada das muralhas do castelo, realçava a humildade do casario.

Rapidamente nos víamos rodeados pelos rostos da catraiada.




Revejo agora estas caras, perdidas algures entre o boçal e o angélico, e questiono-me o que terá a vida feito destas crianças.

Homens e mulheres medrosos não serão certamente, que para vingar em paragens tão inóspitas era obrigatório ser de boa cepa...




Povo, que tão mal te tratam, onde te escondes?

Onde guardas as tuas forquilhas e estadulhos, onde deixas repousar os teus cajados e varapaus?

Oiço eu o entoar do clarim, ou será já e apenas a alucinação de ouvidos moucos?

Vislumbro eu uma luz de esperança, ou será somente o ardor da cegueira colectiva?

Pressinto eu o frémito da revolta nascente, ou será únicamente o ressonar da besta apática?





Do nosso intelecto escorre, agora, uma verborreia tão informe como inútil, baba fétida que as nossas bocas vomitam num balbuciar desconexo e inofensivo.

Que falta fazem a este país, vozes da estirpe de um Alves Redol, seres com a dimensão e integridade de espírito, e de actos!, de um Aquilino Ribeiro ou de um Miguel Torga!


Nas nossas veias e nos nossos testículos, flui um líquidozinho ridículo, pálido e anémico, sem vigor...



Minolta XM, Kodak Ektachrome, 1978




"Vampiros" - José Afonso


No céu cinzento sob o astro mudo

Batendo as asas pela noite calada

Vêm em bandos com pés de veludo

Chupar o sangue fresco da manada.


Se alguém se engana com seu ar sisudo

E lhes franqueia as portas à chegada

Eles comem tudo, eles comem tudo

Eles comem tudo e não deixam nada.


A toda a parte chegam os vampiros

Poisam nos prédios, poisam nas calçadas

Trazem no ventre despojos antigos

Mas nada os prende às vidas acabadas.


São os mordomos do universo todo

Senhores à força, mandadores sem lei

Enchem as tulhas, bebem vinho novo

Dançam a ronda no pinhal do rei.


Eles comem tudo, eles comem tudo

Eles comem tudo e não deixam nada.


No chão do medo tombam os vencidos

Ouvem-se os gritos na noite abafada

Jazem nos fossos vítimas dum credo

E não se esgota o sangue da manada.


Se alguém se engana com seu ar sisudo

E lhes franqueia as portas à chegada

Eles comem tudo, eles comem tudo

Eles comem tudo e não deixam nada.

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Sep 22, 2010

Happy birthday Sara! (22nd of September)

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“Birthday”

You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.

Yes we're going to a pally party
Yes we're going to a pally party
Yes we're going to a pally party

I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (Birthday)
I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Dance

I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (Birthday)
I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Dance

You say it's your birthday
Well it's my birthday too, yeah
You say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.

(Words and music Lennon / McCartney)

From the album “The Beatles” (aka “White Album”) by THE BEATLES, 1968


Canon EOS 1n + Canon EF 1.4 / 50mm
Kodak Ektachrome Film

Sara pictured on April 2003 with our puppy Charley.

The photograph was made in Gouveia / Fontanelas.
In those days, I was living alone with Charley, and Sara came with her brother Mário for a visit.
As usually, we drove around in the Land Rover and strolled in the nice fields that surrounded the small village where I used to live.

We tried to pretend we didn't feel the pain of separation...




Canon EOS 30D + Leitz Telyt 6.8 /400mm
(enjoyyourcamera adapter)
September 2010

Sara will be fourteen today.
She is the youngest of my four children, and she also has the honour of being the only girl.
She now lives with me and Maria Helena in Alentejo.

We made these photographs last Sunday afternoon, not far from Montemor.

Not long ago still a baby, Sara will forever be the Princess of the family...

So, please, allow me to say:
"Happy birthday my dear daughter, wish you all the best in the world, all the luck and happiness that you can have.
I am sure that everything is gonna be alright!
I love you very, very much!!!"



For my little baby a sweet lullaby:

“Golden Slumbers”

Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye

Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye

Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye

(Words and music Lennon / Mc Cartney)

From the album “Abbey Road” by THE BEATLES, 1969


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The Minolta Years - Natal em Veneza, 1978 (Part Three)

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I never had so much bridges to cross in my life!
Jorge's kinderwagen and my cameras seemed to weight a ton.
At the end of the day my legs would be exhausted and I would feel wet to the bones.
My back would ache and I would starve.

But what a sight! What a magical sensation!
Everything I saw was just dazzling.
How I gazed with wonder...

Venice might be drowning, but it's place in eternity is unquestionably guaranteed!


























Minolta cameras + Rokkor lenses
Minolta Autometer
Kodak Ektachrome film


“Mr. Spaceman”
Woke up this morning with light in my eyes
And then realized it was still dark outside
It was a light coming down from the sky
I don't know who or why

Must be those strangers that come every night
Those saucer shaped lights put people uptight
Leave blue-green footprints that glow in the dark
I hope they get home all right

Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along
I won't do anything wrong
Hey, Mr. Spaceman
Won't you please take me along for a ride

Woke up this morning, I was feeling quite weird
Had flies in my beard, my toothpaste was smeared
Over my window, they'd written my name
Said, so long, we'll see you again
(Words and music by Roger McGuinn)
From the album “Fifth Dimension” by THE BYRDS, 1966

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Sep 21, 2010

The Minolta Years - Weihnachten in Venedig, 1978 (Part Two)

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Observing these photographs that I made so long ago, longer than I can recall, I am afraid that any word that I might write down will be doomed to become a superfluous word.

What can my gossip add to these winter shades, to the cold and wetness (so much wet that you can nearly smell the mildew...) of these not far from surreal landscapes, these glimpses of ethereal life?

Aren't these photographs more alive than my vanishing memories?





















All photographs made with Minolta cameras and Rokkor lenses
Minolta Autometer
Kodak Ektachrome Film


“Magic Carpet Ride”
I like to dream yes, yes, right between my sound machine

On a cloud of sound I drift in the night
Any place it goes is right
Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here

Well, you don't know what we can find
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride
You don't know what we can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me
Fantasy will set you free
Close your eyes girl
Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away

Last night I held Aladdin's lamp
And so I wished that I could stay
Before the thing could answer me
Well, someone came and took the lamp away
I looked around, a lousy candle's all I found

Well, you don't know what we can find
Why don't you come with me little girl
On a magic carpet ride
Well, you don't know what we can see
Why don't you tell your dreams to me
Fantasy will set you free
Close your eyes girl
Look inside girl
Let the sound take you away

(Words and music by John Kay and Rushton Moreve)
From the album “The Second” by STEPPENWOLF, 1968

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